It's the game that neither coach expected to happen, at least for another week.
Southern Columbia coach Jim Roth expected Line Mountain to beat Millersburg last week and therefore claim the No. 1 seed in the District 4 Class A tournament. Line Mountain coach Todd Rothermel felt pretty good about his team's chances of doing just that.
But Millersburg, a team that had already clinched the No. 1 seed in the District 3 Class A playoffs, spoiled the party, dropping the Eagles to No. 3 and giving Southern a home date for the first round. Had the Eagles won, Roth's team would have had to make its second trip this season to Bloomsburg, where the Tigers tasted their only defeat since the 2005 season.
Instead of hosting No. 4 seed Canton while Bloomsburg and Southern beat up on one another, the Eagles visit the Tigers' den, scene of last year's exciting 49-31 loss in the district final.
"It doesn't matter who they put in front of you, we have to be ready to play, and that's what we're telling the kids," Rothermel said. "If we want to feel sorry for ourselves, they will stomp us."
That's what Millersburg, a team that continued to drop in state rankings despite going unbeaten since week one, figures to do in its quarterfinal game. The Indians will face off for the second time this year against Twin Valley Conference opponent Upper Dauphin. The Trojans are 1-9, having beaten only lowly Pequea Valley in week one, but got in basically because no one else wanted the spot.
The Trojans are entering the playoffs having been outscored 361-52 and shut out seven times this season.
This game almost makes the District 4 Class AAA tournament look normal. You know, the one where Selinsgrove hosts 3-7 East Juniata while awaiting the winner of Jersey Shore and Columbia-Montour Vo-Tech.
PLAYERS OF THE WEEK: Warrior Run's trio of quarterback Bryson Brooke (5 touchdown passes) and split ends Chad Dixon (4 catches, 105 yards, 3 TDs) and Steve Martin (2-113, 2 TDs) in the Defenders' come-from-behind win over Central Columbia to earn a District 4 Class AA playoff berth.
COACH OF THE WEEK: Roy Wall, for Millersburg's Twin Valley Conference title-clinching victory at previously unbeaten Line Mountain.
Last week's and season records: 21-6; 198-57, .776.
This week's picks:
FRIDAY
District 4 Class AA
quarterfinals
Warrior Run at Towanda -- The Defenders are a dangerous No. 8 team. Towanda 21, Warrior Run 20.
Mount Carmel at Montoursville -- The Warriors should also have their hands full. Montoursville 20, Mount Carmel 19.
Mifflinburg at Athens -- The Wildcats finally get to turn their offense loose on a dry field. Mifflinburg 28, Athens 21.
Eastern Conference
Division Class A semifinals
South Williamsport at Lourdes Regional -- The Red Raiders finally win a playoff game. Lourdes 20, South Williamsport 12.
District 3 Class A
quarterfinals
Upper Dauphin at Millersburg -- Sorry, but David doesn't have a chance against Goliath in this one. Millersburg 34, Upper Dauphin 6.
Saturday
District 4 Class AAA semifinals
East Juniata at Selinsgrove -- The dream matchup is finally here. Selinsgrove 52, East Juniata 14.
District 4 Class A
semifinals
Line Mountain at Southern Columbia -- The Tigers are the favorites until someone stops them, and that hasn't happened in the last 16 district title games. Southern Columbia 35, Line Mountain 26.
Elsewhere in the EC and district playoffs: District 4 Class AAA, Jersey Shore over Columbia-Montour Vo-Tech; District 4 AA, Hughesville over Loyalsock; District 4 A, Bloomsburg over Canton; EC Class A, Mahanoy Area over Muncy; EC AA, Shenandoah Valley over Pen Argyl and Schuylkill Haven over Wyalusing; EC AAA, Twin Valley over Tunkhannock and Coughlin over Pottsville; District 2 AAA, West Scranton over Crestwood and Berwick over Dallas; District 2 AA, Dunmore over Myers, Lakeland over GAR, Riverside over Hanover Area and Wyoming Area over Carbondale; District 2 A, Northwest over Holy Cross and Lackawanna Trail over Old Forge; District 3 AA, Lancaster Catholic over Juniata; District 3 A, Halifax over Holy Name, Steel-High over Fairfield and Camp Hill over Reading Central Catholic; District 11 AAA, Northwestern Lehigh over Lehighton and Allentown Central Catholic over Blue Mountain; District 11 AA, Lansdale Catholic over Salisbury, Jim Thorpe over Northern Lehigh, Palisades over Wilson and Palmerton over Springfield Montco; and District 11 A, Marian Catholic over Jenkintown, Bristol over Calvary Christian, Pius X over Shenandoah Valley and Minersville over Williams Valley.
n Assistant sports editor Harold Raker covers high school football for The Daily Item. E-mail comments to hraker@dailyitem.com.
Sports
Harold Raker's high school football column: Indians got in way of Eagles' plans
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H.S. Track & Field notebook: Better late than never
As soon as the Class AA boys javelin throwers were finished Friday morning, Lewisburg’s Brandon Smith left his fellow competitors at the throwing area and took off for Seth Grove Stadium track, trying to hurry while negotiating the heavy foot traffic of fans, coaches and athletes.
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Keller runs to his first victory
Amazing. That was the simple reply from Cody Keller after capping the long comeback from injury win his first sprint car race Saturday night at Selinsgrove Speedway.
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Zaktansky: Life lessons learned from an earthworm
On my hands and knees, I slogged forward.
The steady rain had long before soaked through my clothes and turned the ground underneath me into a slick film of runny mud. My back hurt, my fingers were caked with brown goop and my mouth was aching from holding a small flashlight as I slowly scanned the backyard. -
Indigo buntings grace the Valley
Summer is the best time for viewing a spectrum of colorful birds.
Like most bird species, it is the male who exhibits bright coloration. From the orange and black patterns of the northern oriole to the scarlet tanager and yellow warbler and the rose-breasted grosbeak — all make a spectacle of themselves. -
Don Steese column: Counting the days
Memorial Day weekend is traditionally the start of the summer vacation season. Kids are out school, the weather is beautiful and all is well with the world ... except for folks like myself, who find themselves counting the days until fall.
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Hartley, Billas fight off heat
Melanie Hartley was drained, a puddle of nerves and perspiration after a brutal 400-meter dash. While the official thermometer at Shippensburg University flirted with 90 degrees on Saturday, the heavy dose of humidity had the packed house at Seth Grove Stadium sweltering.
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Moore bags two medals
Matt Moore is a hard guy to please. Or at least, he finds it hard to take pleasure in his own track and field performances.
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Ken Maurer column: More talk about bass
This past week I attended 2 meetings involving the PFBC.
The first was in Harrisburg where fish commission officials explained to the state senators why they want the DEP to place the Susquehanna River on the “impaired” list. DEP has refused once, and the PFBC has reapplied. -
Scott Dudinskie's high school baseball column: Reich still going strong
Bryan Reich feels it with every pitch he throws. Some would call it pain, maybe discomfort. The Milton right-hander chooses "annoyance."
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State Track & Field updates
Get updates throughout the day on how Valley athletes are faring at the PIAA Track & Field Championships in Shippensburg.
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H.S. Track & Field notebook: Better late than never
