Troy (1-1) at N.P.-Mansfield (1-0)

The last two NTL-I champions collide tonight for the first of of two games with the second coming at Island Park in the regular-season finale. Both teams also reached last year’s District 4 Class AA semifinals, North Penn-Mansfield doing so for a second straight year. Both return most of their starters and tonight’s game could go a long way in determining this year’s league champion.

North Penn-Mansfield had no offseason since voluntary workouts were not allowed and did not hold its first practice until August 31, but overcame adversity last week and earned a big win. The Panthers erased a 14-point first-quarter deficit and beat rival Wellsboro, 17-14. Bryan Bogaczyk ran for 83 yards and returned an interception for a game-tying fourth-quarter touchdown while Kevin Alexander kicked the game-winning 32-yard field goal. Defensive lineman Coleman Jelliff made 10 tackles and fellow lineman Logyn Choplosky and linebacker Rhyen Wilson made seven each. The Panthers made repeated timely stops to set the stage for the comeback.

While North Penn-Mansfield’s offense may need some time to jell it has explosive potential. Quarterback Colton Litzelman topped 1,800 yards last season and four returnees caught at least 20 passes. Bogaczyk added nine rushing touchdowns and sophomore Kohen Lehman averaged nearly five yards per carry last week while scoring a touchdown.

Troy went 10-2 last year and was undefeated in league play, but Canton erased a 16-point deficit in the final four minutes two weeks ago to stun it, 34-28 in overtime. The Trojans took out their frustration Towanda a week ago, winning 35-0. Troy features a strong power running game and junior Damien Landon is coming off an all-state 2,000-yard season. He and Caleb Binford form quite a combination and Binford has run for a team-high 158 yards.

Lewisburg (0-2) at Danville (2-0)

Lewisburg is hoping to avoid its first 0-3 start since 2006, but faces a tough task tonight against the explosive Ironmen. The defense will be tested by one of the district’s top offenses, one that features Danville’s all-time leading passer and touchdown producer and that has scored 104 points. Lewisburg has struggled offensively, but had limited opportunities in last week’s 17-14 loss against rival Mifflinburg with the Wildcats dominating the time of possession and limiting it to 30 plays.

Running back Max Moyers ran for 78 yards on nine carries and is the team’s all-time leading rusher. Sophomore Cam Michaels ran for two scores and could form a potent blend with Moyers and quarterback Ethan Domanick if the offensive line can improve. Lewisburg’s defense has shown some promise, but struggled to get off the field against Mifflinburg. Owen Ordonez ended one threat with a sack and is one of the team’s top defensive players.

Lewisburg will need all the help it can get against an offense averaging 443 yards per game. Quarterback KJ Riley leads District 4 with 518 yards and eight touchdowns and is running the spread offense to near perfection. He broke program records for yards (5,449) and touchdowns (56) in last week’s 55-22 win against Midd-West. Sophomore wide receiver Carson Persing became the quickest player in District 4 history to reach 1,000 career yards, catching four passes for 139 yards in that victory. His older brother Ian also is a big playmaker as is Jagger Dressler. Ty Stauffer powers the running game and ran for 147 yards on 13 carries last week.

Danville’s defense also has been strong under former Mount Carmel and Hazleton coach Mark Brennan with the starters allowing just one touchdown.

Southern (1-0) at Warrior Run (0-2)

Warrior Run is young and breaking in new starters at nearly every position and, obviously, faces a monumental challenge against the three-time defending Class AA state champions. Southern Columbia has won 82 straight regular-season games dating back to 2011 and its overall winning streak is at 49 games. Warrior Run’s progress tonight will be measured by something other than the scoreboard because, despite losing four graduates to the Big 10, Southern remains the state’s premier Class AA program.

Warrior Run returns just three starters from last year’s team which went 7-5, won the program’s first-ever playoff game and made a four-win improvement. There have been some positive signs thus far, but this is still a growing process. Linebacker Logan Smedley is building off a strong sophomore season and made a career-high 16 tackles in last week’s 37-13 loss at Hughesville. Senior safety Nathan Michael has added 22 tackles. Michael also has thrown for 102 yards and two touchdowns while running for 71 yards. He has thrown touchdowns in each game. Justin Blair has been a workhorse in the backfield and ran for a career-high 70 yards and a touchdown against Hughesville.

Southern picked up where it left off last year and blanked Bloomsburg, 41-0. Dynamic junior running back Gavin Garcia ran for 144 yards and two touchdowns on nine carries with Braeden Wisloski adding 71 yards and a score. All-state cornerback Jake Davis looks like the team’s new go-to receiver and caught touchdowns from quarterbacks Liam Klebon and Greyson Shaud.

Northwest (2-0) at Bucktail (0-2)

Bucktail faced District 4’s best Class A team the past two seasons a week ago and now battles one of District 2’s best tonight. It is another challenge for a team dressing 18 players, but Bucktail showed its character yet again last week, when it scored the game’s final 24 points in a 42-24 loss at Muncy. Do not expect Buctkail to back down tonight either.

Zach Pick, Gage Sutliff and quarterback Dylan Cross all have run for 99 or more yards through two games and Cross scored twice last week. Sutliff topped 1,300 yards a year ago and Pick is a versatile athlete who led the team in receiving last year and who now has a team-high 157 yards rushing. Tanner Pettingill also has run for a score.

Sutliff and Pick both topped 100 tackles last season and Sutliff has 20 this year to go along with an interception. Pick has 18 tackles with Cross, Kyler Friese and Ashton Intallura adding 12 each. Paul Risley has a sack.

Northwest captured last year’s Eastern Conference championship and rallied from a 10-point second-quarter deficit to win at Montgomery, 21-10 last week. The Rangers rely on a power running game with George May producing 286 yards thus far. While Northwest does not throw a lot it has been effective when doing so. Ryan Wassel threw two touchdowns against Montgomery and also ran for 60 yards on seven carries.

Cowanesque (0-2) at Sayre (0-1)

The Cowanesque Valley offense heated up in the second half a week ago, scoring 21 points in a 46-21 loss at Wyalusing. The Indians are hoping that success carries over and that a struggling defense can keep it in the game against the defending NTL-II champions.

CV quarterback Tucker St. Peter showed his promise last season in a backup role and is now flourishing as a starter, throwing for 223 yards and three touchdowns. St. Peter threw for a career-high 150 yards against Wyalusing, twice hitting Jacob Schmitt for touchdowns. Tanyan Brown has big-play potential as well and caught a long touchdown in the opener against Wellsboro. Running back Elliott Good ran for 56 yards and a touchdown last week and finished among the area’s top 10 rushers a year ago. Linebacker Michael Sipps made 16 tackles against Wellsboro.

Sayre has made consecutive District 4 Class A semifinal appearances and beaten two-time defending champion Muncy in each of the past two regular seasons. The Redskins are younger this year, but gave Athens a challenge in its opener, losing 10-7 in overtime before having last week off. David Northrup and Jake Bennett form a potential strong running back tandem and combined for 132 yards and a touchdown against Athens.

Shikellamy (0-2) at Milton (0-2)

One of these young teams will receive a nice confidence boost tonight as they each try laying the foundation for a successful future. Milton is hoping to snap a 12-game losing streak with its last win coming against Shikellamy in the 2018 season finale.

Junior running back Ashton Canelo ran for a career-high 101 yards in last week’s 37-6 loss at Shamokin. Canelo also is dangerous as a receiver and caught 12 passes over the team’s final two games last season. Sophomore wide receiver Xzavier Minium played well in his debut season a year ago and caught two passes for 72 yards last week. Quarterback Ethan Rowe threw at least one touchdown in each of his final four games last year and running back Jason Valladares was among the area’s top 10 leading rushers two years ago.

Former Danville coach Jim Keiser is in his first year at Shikellamy and the Braves are hoping last week’s experience playing 2019 Class AAAA state semifinalist Jersey Shore could pay some dividends.