FB FRIDAY: Week 8 game preview capsules

Oct. 12—Tonight's games

Wilson (0-7) at Pottsville (2-5)

Radio/TV: WPPA 1360 AM, 105.9 FM

Breakdown: The Crimson Tide will look to even their Schuylkill/Colonial Gold Division record at 3-3 when they host winless Wilson Area. The Warriors have scored just 42 points all season, give up 46.6 points per game and have been shut out four times. Expect a big night from the Pottsville running game.

Saucon Valley (3-4) at Blue Mountain (5-2)

Breakdown: It's Hall of Fame Night at the Eagles' Nest, where the Eagles will look to make some history of their own — garnering their first victory on the new turf. Blue Mountain is 0-2 on the new surface, falling to Northwestern Lehigh and Southern Lehigh. Saucon Valley has dropped three of its last four, including getting outscored 89-15 over the past two weeks.

North Schuylkill (6-1) at Palmerton (7-0)

Radio/TV: WAVT 101.9 FM; Blue Ridge Cable TV-13

Breakdown: The Spartans and Bombers square off in a battle for the Schuylkill/Colonial Red Division crown. North Schuylkill beat Palmerton and its star QB, Matt Machalik, twice last season, 35-21 in the regular season, then 51-12 in the District 11 Class 3A semifinals. Machalik threw for 345 yards in the first game, helping Palmerton take an early 14-0 lead, but was held to just 105 yards rushing and 81 passing in the playoff tilt. In both matchups, North Schuylkill had big offensive days. The Spartans will need to be clicking offensively in this one as well. Should be a barnburner.

Southern Lehigh (7-0) at Lehighton (2-5)

Breakdown: The Indians will look snap a three-game losing streak when they host the unbeaten Spartans. Southern Lehigh has scored 307 points over the last six games (51.2 ppg) and is coming off a 47-0 rout of Saucon Valley. QB Brady O'Donnell returned to the Lehighton lineup in last week's loss to Bangor.

Notre Dame-GP (4-3) at Jim Thorpe (2-5)

Radio/TV: WLSH 1410 AM

Breakdown: The Olympians have waged some great battles with the Crusaders over the years, including a District 11 playoff victory two years ago. Jim Thorpe will need a superb performance to pull off such a feat tonight, as NDGP enters on the heels of a 42-7 rout of Northern Lehigh. QB Danny Darno has thrown for 1,443 yards.

Salisbury (0-7) at Pine Grove (1-6)

Breakdown: It's been a tough six weeks for the Cardinals, who have dropped six straight games and yielded 41 or more points in each one. The Falcons, however, offer a chance to end that slide tonight, giving up 295 points over the past six weeks (49.2 ppg.)

Palisades (2-5) at Minersville (6-1)

Breakdown: The Miners have earned hard-fought wins over Colonial League teams the past two weeks and will aim for a third when they host the Pirates in a Schuylkill/Colonial White Division contest. Palisades has played tough the past three weeks, sandwiching close losses to Schuylkill Haven and Pen Argyl around a rout of Panther Valley. Miners have to avoid looking ahead to next week's showdown with Schuylkill Haven.

Panther Valley (2-5) at Catasauqua (3-4)

Breakdown: Panthers hit the road for the third straight week, hoping to end a three-game losing streak. Playing better defense is a main objective, as PV has yielded 55 and 73 points the past two weeks.

Tri-Valley (4-3) at Mahanoy Area (1-6)

Live updates: Follow correspondent Chuck Curley on Twitter/X @ChuckCurley

Breakdown: Tri-Valley has struggled to stop the run this season, with all three of the Dawgs' losses coming after yielding ground-oriented scoring drives in the fourth quarter. Mahanoy Area poses another challenge with its running game, paced by Colm McGroarty (130-815, 11 TDs) and Kyler Quick (70-443, 5 TDs). Dawgs need a win to stay in the District 11 Class A playoff chase.

Williams Valley (5-2) at Marian (5-2)

Live updates: Follow Republican Herald sports editor Leroy Boyer on Twitter/X @pubsportsboss

Radio/TV: WMGH 105.5 FM

Breakdown: Interesting matchup of two 5-2 teams looking to sew up a home game in their respective District 11 playoff fields. How Marian's defense contains Vikings' star Alex Achenbach is one major storyline, while how do the Colts move the ball offensively is the other. Freshman RB Rory Dixon is a blossoming star for Marian.

Shenandoah Valley (2-5) vs. Nativity (4-3)

Where: North Schuylkill

Breakdown: The Green Wave scored a breakthrough victory last week winning at Tri-Valley and will look to build off it when they host the Blue Devils at North Schuylkill. Junior WR Noah Dolbin broke Nativity's career receiving yards record (1,673, Paul Bandholz, 1986-88) last Friday and now has 86 catches for 1,729 yards and 14 TDs. He's 14 catches shy of Bandholz's career receptions mark and three touchdowns from Jeff Yordy's career TD record of 17 set in 2014. Should be a great battle between Dolbin and the Blue Devils' Nick Ryan on the outside tonight.

Southern Columbia (7-0)

at Mount Carmel (5-2)

Radio/TV: www.blackdiamondsports.net

Breakdown: The defending PIAA Class AA state champions Tigers haven't lost since this point last season, when the Red Tornadoes captured a 35-21 win in Catawissa.Southern Columbia went on to win eight more times last year, including a 48-18 win over the Tornadoes in the District 4 final, and have opened this season 7-0. In QB Cole Spears, RBs Luke Blessing and Xavier Diaz, WR Chase Balichik and TE Jacob Schultz, Mount Carmel has the weapons offensively. How the Tornadoes fare up front and defensively will determine their success tonight. These teams have met twice over the past several years, and tonight's game could be the first of two this season as well.

Central Columbia (0-7) at Shamokin (3-4)

Radio/TV: www.blackdiamondsports.net

Breakdown: The Indians will look to even their overall record at 4-4 when they host the winless Blue Jays in a non-conference contest. According to the Shamokin News-Item, Shamokin opted out of the District 4 Class 4A playoffs Thursday so the Indians could play in the Eastern Conference playoffs (see rankings, Page B4)As of now, the Indians would face Fleetwood in the EC final. With the exception of a Week 1 overtime loss to Lewisburg, Shamokin's three losses are to unbeaten teams — Southern Columbia, Selinsgrove, Jersey Shore.

Upper Dauphin (5-2) at Juniata (4-3)

Breakdown: A showdown for the Mid-Penn Conference Liberty Division title between two red-hot clubs. The Trojans have won four straight, outscoring their last three opponents 118-12. The Indians have also won four straight after opening the season with losses to unbeatens Troy (7-0), Selinsgrove (6-0-1) and West Perry (7-0). Being able to run the ball and preventing big plays are two main goals for Upper Dauphin. Trojans need a win to keep their District 3 Class 3A hopes alive.

Hamburg (4-3) at Schuylkill Valley (6-1)

Breakdown: Formally played in Week 10, the Hawks and Panthers square off in their annual Frost Bowl rivalry game. Hamburg snapped a three-game slide with a Lancaster-Lebanon Section 5 win last week over Pequea Valley. Schuylkill Valley, which won this game 41-34 last year, has won six straight since falling to unbeaten Twin Valley in Week 1.

Saturday's game

Schuylkill Haven (6-1) at Pen Argyl (4-3)

Kickoff: 1:30 p.m.

Breakdown: The Hurricanes trek to the Lehigh Valley to face a Green Knights squad that could be a District 11 Class AA playoff opponent in a few weeks. The forecast calls for rain, so this game could be moved to Sunday or Monday since Pen Argyl doesn't have lights and plays on grass. If the game is held in the tough weather conditions, the Hurricanes' ground game of Aiden Myers and Niko Carestia should be at an advantage of the pass-happy Knights' attack led by QB Brad Rismiller (1,188 yards) and WRs Damian Tyminski (38-561, 3 TDs) and Alex Moser (21-333, 4 TDs).

— Compiled by Leroy Boyer