Check out Washington County's Week 8 football matchups and predictions

Week 8 of the Washington County football season is here, and that means the playoffs are near.

Week 9 will conclude the regular season, and Week 10 will bring on the first round of the MPSSAA regionals, for which everyone qualifies.

These final two weeks will be about playoff positioning and trying to build postseason momentum.

Football: Washington County Week 7 roundup

Here are the Week 8 matchups with predictions. (Last week, we correctly picked the winners in five of the seven games, moving our season record to 33-13.)

Thursday’s game

Hancock Panthers (1-5) at Paden City Wildcats (6-1), 7 p.m.

Series record: Wildcats lead, 2-0.

Last meeting: Paden City 59, Hancock 0 (Sept. 3, 2021)

Last week: Hancock won 28-22 over Hundred in 2OT; Paden City won 42-28 over Beallsville.

Notes: The teams have had one common opponent this year — Hundred. Paden City (W.Va.) beat Hundred 52-8 on Oct. 6, a week before Hancock outlasted Hundred in double overtime. … It was the Panthers’ first victory since Oct. 26, 2021. … Hancock’s Aiden McCarty ran for 114 yards and two TDs, tying him for the county lead in rushing TDs this season with eight, while Isaiah Demory had a TD pass and ran for the game-winning score. … Paden City averages 362 yards rushing per game, led by Joey Baker (170 ypg, 16 TDs) and Brayden Neff (103 ypg, 10 TDs). … In the MPSSAA points standings, Hancock is No. 7 in Class 1A West.

Prediction: Paden City 42, Hancock 14

Friday’s games

South Hagerstown Rebels (3-4) at Francis Scott Key Eagles (1-6), 6:30 p.m.

Series record: Rebels lead, 10-6.

Last meeting: South 47, FSK 0 (Sept. 7, 2012)

Last week: South won 43-14 over Williamsport; FSK lost 21-14 to Manchester Valley.

Notes: The teams have had one common opponent this year — Century. The Rebels beat the Knights 48-14 in Week 1 (although they later had to forfeit because of an ineligible player) and the Eagles blanked them 34-0 in Week 5 for their lone win. … South ranks No. 1 in Washington County in points per game (33.0), rushing yards per game (223.9) and total offense per game (398.1), led by QB Lance Ford, who’s averaging 86.3 yards rushing and 174.3 yards passing per game. … Also for the Rebels, Damon Breland ranks No. 2 in the county in TD receptions (seven), JoJo Davis is tied for No. 4 in rushing TDs (five) and Cahauri Alford is tied for No. 4 in total TDs (eight). … In the MPSSAA points standings, South is No. 6 in Class 3A West, and FSK is No. 7 in 2A-1A West.

Prediction: South 35, FSK 14

North Hagerstown Hubs (3-4) at Boonsboro Warriors (5-2), 7 p.m.

Series record: Warriors lead, 25-22.

Last meeting: Boonsboro 35, North 14 (Oct. 15, 2022)

Last week: Boonsboro won 28-7 over Southern-Anne Arundel; North lost 48-14 to Brunswick.

Notes: Boonsboro is on a three-game win streak and also has won three straight against North (2020-22). … If the Warriors win again Friday, they will clinch their 13th straight winning season, extending their county record for such a streak. … Boonsboro has the stingiest defense in the county, allowing only 17.1 points per game. … Trevor Sowers leads the Warriors’ defense with 64 total tackles, two sacks and two forced fumbles, while Dan Dodson has 58 tackles, two safeties and a forced fumble, to go with his team-high five rushing TDs. … North senior Ryder Johnston has set school records for career TD receptions (20), single-season receiving yards (924) and single-season receptions (44) and has matched the school record for single-season TD catches (13). … Johnston is closing in on the county single-season records for TD receptions (16) and receiving yards (1,116), both set by Boonsboro’s Joey Himes in 1969. …  In the MPSSAA points standings, Boonsboro is No. 4 in Class 1A North, and North is No. 7 in 3A West.

Prediction: Boonsboro 35, North 28

Tussey Mountain Titans (2-6) at Clear Spring Blazers (2-5), 7 p.m.

Last week: Clear Spring lost 57-0 to Riverdale Baptist; Tussey Mountain won 28-26 over Everett.

Notes: This will be the first matchup between the two programs. … The Blazers have lost five straight, while the Titans snapped a five-game losing streak last week. … Clear Spring’s leaders on offense include Alex Matthews in rushing yards (317) and touchdowns (three), Hayden Hodge in passing yards (496) and Will Bennett in receptions (16) and receiving yards (257). …  In the MPSSAA points standings, Clear Spring is No. 6 in Class 1A West.

Prediction: Clear Spring 22, Tussey Mountain 20

Smithsburg Leopards (3-4) at Tucker County Mountain Lions (7-0), 7 p.m.

Last week: Smithsburg lost 22-18 to Catoctin; Tucker County was off.

Notes: This will be the first matchup between the two programs. … The unbeaten Mountain Lions are No. 5 in the West Virginia MetroNews Class A state rankings and have outscored opponents, 307-86. … For Tucker County, Ethan Rosenau has thrown for 1,221 yards and 23 touchdowns, including 10 TD passes to Maddox Anderson, while Jared Reall has run for 762 yards and eight scores. … For Smithsburg, Ashton Redman is averaging a county-best 104.7 yards rushing per game and is tied for the county lead in TD runs with eight, while Jacob Lanpher ranks No. 2 in the county in total tackles with 72. …  In the MPSSAA points standings, Smithsburg is No. 5 in Class 1A West.

Prediction: Tucker County 35, Smithsburg 14

Williamsport Wildcats (2-5) at Mountain Ridge Miners (6-1), 7 p.m.

Series record: Miners lead, 2-1.

Last meeting: Mountain Ridge 42, Williamsport 16 (Oct. 21, 2022)

Last week: Williamsport lost 43-14 to South Hagerstown; Mountain Ridge won 28-21 over Northern Garrett.

Notes: The teams have had one common opponent this year — Catoctin. The Miners beat the Cougars 43-12 on Sept. 7, a week before the Cougars beat the Wildcats 36-20. … Mountain Ridge’s lone loss this season was to Fort Hill in a rematch of the last two Class 1A state finals, also both won by the Sentinels. … Williamsport’s leaders on offense include Nolan Raley, who’s passed for a county-leading 1,552 yards, along with 13 touchdowns, Corry Nelson, who has 319 yards rushing, 384 yards receiving and nine TDs, and Ceonta Wilmore, who has 26 receptions for 630 yards and five TDs. … The Wildcats have lost three straight, their longest losing streak since 2018, when they finished 2-8. …  In the MPSSAA points standings, Mountain Ridge is No. 2 in Class 1A West, and Williamsport is No. 4 in 2A-1A West.

Prediction: Mountain Ridge 42, Williamsport 21

Saturday’s game

ConneXions Academy Cardinals (4-2) at Saint James Saints (3-3), 12 p.m.

Last week: Saint James lost 51-21 to Maret; ConneXions lost 38-6 to SEED.

Notes: This will be the first meeting between the teams. … ConneXions is a charter arts school in Baltimore with a second-year football program. … Saints QB Jayden Yates has 10 TD passes and seven TD runs this season and is tied for second in the county in rushing yards per game (94.2). … Liam Hall leads the county in total tackles (82). … Standout WR/LB Trevor Owens didn’t play in last week’s loss to Maret because he was on a college trip. … Saint James freshman Marcello Anderson had a breakout game against the Frogs, catching the first three TDs of his career.

Prediction: Saint James 42, ConneXions 14

This article originally appeared on The Herald-Mail: Washington County high school football Week 8 preview, predictions