North Schuylkill's Landen Smith hauls in a 38-yard pass from Caden Mengel in the first quarter of the 2024 Schuylkill/Colonial Red Division game against Blue Mountain at the Eagles' Nest. The play led to a Spartans' touchdown. North Schuylkill defeated Blue Mountain 38-14 (Photo by Brook Koch-Guers).

Two years ago, Blue Mountain traveled to Fountain Springs and left with a stunning, 18-17 win over a North Schuylkill squad that would go on to finish 9-3.

Last season, the Spartans trekked to Orwigsburg and returned the favor, forcing six turnovers en route to an impressive 38-14 victory over an Eagles’ team that entered the game 6-1.

Tonight, the Eagles and Spartans meet again in a key Schuylkill-Colonial Red Division matchup at Ghosh Orthodontics Field at Spartan Stadium. You can listen to the game live on T-102 (101.9 FM).

Both teams are 4-3, with losses to teams that are a combined 21-0.

Both teams are all but guaranteed a spot in the District 11 playoffs.

Both teams are looking to build momentum over the final three weeks of the regular season. It’s not a playoff game, but it’s going to have that November feel.

“We have emphasized since our 0-2 start that every game is a playoff game for us,” Blue Mountain coach Chuck Kutz said. “Stringing wins together creates a 12th man called confidence. This win would be huge and considered a signature win if you can beat a formidable opponent on their home field as the only game in town Thursday night.”

Blue Mountain enters tonight’s game on a roll, winning three straight since opening the season 1-3.

The Eagles have done it with a balanced offensive attack that has averaged 42 points in those three wins and put up 441 total yards in last week’s 49-34 victory over Lehighton. Carter Smith (13-107) and Brody Foose (12-104, 3 TDs) each rushed for more than 100 yards and Cohen Kirby threw for 151 yards and two touchdowns.

On the season, Foose has rushed for 521 yards and five scores while Smith has 505 yards and five TDs. Kirby has thrown for 845 yards and nine touchdowns, with Chase Guers (17-252, 3 TDs) and Josh Hoover (12-251, 4 TDs) his top targets.

“Offensively you are always looking to be productive and produce points,” North Schuylkill coach Wally Hall said. “Blue Mountain has remained balanced and getting different players involved.

“Defensively we need to tackle, create turnovers and limit big plays.”

North Schuylkill’s offense has certainly produced points, averaging 36 points per game. The Spartans are coming off a 52-22 victory over Bangor in which senior QB Caden Mengel threw for 240 yards became the school’s all-time leader in pass completions.

Senior speedster Luke Miller has continued to pace the offense, rushing for 100 or more yards in all but one game. He enters the contest as the area’s leading rusher with 1,340 yards and 15 touchdowns.

For the season, Mengel is 45-of-82 for 895 yards and nine touchdowns. The return of WR Landen Smith (15-406, 4 TDs) from injury has provided a boost. He had five receptions for 113 yards and a touchdown in last week’s win.

“Caden as we know from past years and to the present has been a very productive quarterback,” Hall said. “The past week we got more into our RPO game and spread formations to distribute the football. Weekly it changes as in terms of being balanced and how the ball is controlled within our offense.

“Each week many teams get out of their base defense to control and align to us offensively. In terms of what we may do more run or pass is determined much of how opponents defend us.”

Tonight’s game will mostly be decided in two areas: the trenches and the secondary.

Both teams possess big and powerful offensive lines and strong defensive fronts. The goal for both teams will be to control the line of scrimmage, provide holes for its running game and contain the other’s ground game.

“Winning the battle of the trenches will be a task for sure this week as North Schuylkill is big and strong up front,” Kutz said. “They do a nice job on double teams and working up to the second level on offense and controlling gaps on defense. We have to split or out-quick double teams on defense and maintain blocks on offense.”

Defensively, the weaknesses of both teams comes on the back end. Lehighton’s Jayse Lawrence scorched the Blue Mountain secondary for 205 yards and four touchdowns last week. North Schuylkill, meanwhile, gave up 274 yards to Jim Thorpe’s Cole Lazorick three weeks ago.

Preventing the big play will be a goal for both defenses.

“North Schuylkill has a very balanced offense that can score with quick strike potential on the ground or in the air at any time,” Kutz said. “Playing assignment football and not getting caught up in all of the motions they run is critical. Preventing the big play on cutbacks on the ground and not allowing the deep ball is very important.”

Week 8 features nine games involving local teams, spread out over three days. There’s seven games Friday night, with Pottsville trekking to Wilson Area on Saturday.

For a detailed look at the Pottsville-Wilson game, visit T102 Sports Now on Friday morning. Here’s a capsule look at the rest of this week’s games:

Thursday’s game

Blue Mountain (4-3) at North Schuylkill (4-3)

Last week: Blue Mountain outlasted Lehighton 49-34; North Schuylkill routed Bangor 52-22

Last year: North Schuylkill 38-14

TV/Radio: WAVT 101.9 FM (T-102)

Live Updates: Follow T102 Sports Now content editor Leroy Boyer on X @pubsportsboss

Breakdown: A Schuylkill-Colonial Red Division clash between two playoff-bound teams looking to build momentum over the final three weeks of the regular season. Big plays in the passing game could be a deciding factor in this matchup. Both the Eagles (4A) and Spartans (3A) are jockeying for position in their respective District 11 fields. A win here would greatly boost their power ratings.

Friday’s games

Williams Valley (6-1) at Marian (5-2)

Last week: Williams Valley downed Panther Valley 35-17; Marian lost to Schuylkill Haven 55-14

Last year: Williams Valley 33-0

TV/Radio: WAVT 101.9 FM (T-102)

Live Updates: Follow T102 Sports Now content editor Leroy Boyer on X @pubsportsboss

Breakdown: Ben Ancheff will make his head coaching debut for Williams Valley when the Vikings visit Marian in a key Schuylkill-Colonial Blue Division game. The Vikings will look to get QB Brady Shomper (688 passing yards, 11 TDs; 607 rushing yards, 10 TDs) and RB Fletcher Thompson (78-766, 9 TDs) back on track and establish their ground game. QB Gregory Tirpak returned last week after a one-game absence for the Colts, who have given up a combined 93 points the past two weeks in losses to Minersville and Schuylkill Haven. Marian led Haven 14-7 in the first half before the Hurricanes scored 48 straight points.

Minersville (5-2) at Nativity (4-3)

Last week: Minersville blanked Pine Grove 43-0; Nativity topped Mahanoy Area 20-6

Last year: Minersville won 49-28

TV/Radio: WPPA 1360 AM / 105.9 FM

Live Updates: Follow T102 Sports Now writer Eli Doyle on X @iamelidoyle

Breakdown: The Miners and Green Wave tangle in the eighth “Battle in the Backyard,” with Minersville holding a 5-2 advantage in the rivalry series. The Miners have won three straight rivalry games and four straight against Nativity overall, counting their 2023 District 11 Class A semifinal. To get back on the winning track, Nativity will have to find a way to contain Minersville QB Dante Carr, who dominated last year’s game by rushing for 207 yards and five TDs while completing 11-of-17 passes for 171 yards and two scores. The UCF commit enters Friday’s game having thrown for 1,119 yards and an area-best 18 TDs while rushing for 790 yards and 11 scores. Both teams enter on two-game win streaks, with Minersville beating Marian (38-7) and Pine Grove (43-0) and Nativity topping Shenandoah Valley (14-6) and Mahanoy Area (20-6). Green Wave need a win to stay in District 2/11 Class A subregional playoff hunt.

Lehighton (3-4) at Tamaqua (3-4)

Last week: Lehighton lost to Blue Mountain 49-34; Tamaqua lost to Southern Lehigh 49-6

Last year: Lehighton 34-14

TV/Radio: Blue Ridge Cable 113; WMGH 105.5 FM

Game Notes: It’s an even week, so that bodes well for Lehighton. The Indians have alternated wins and losses all season, losing on odd weeks and winning on even weeks. The wins have been dominant ones, the last two being 35-0 routs of Palmerton and Pottsville. Offensively, Lehighton struggled to run the football and hurt itself with procedure penalties in last Friday’s loss at Blue Mountain. QB Jayse Lawrence needs just 45 yards to top the 1,000-yard mark, throwing for 955 yards and 12 TDs so far. Tamaqua will look to bounce back from last week’s loss to Southern Lehigh. Sophomore “Touchdown Terrence” McDowell is third in the area in rushing with 1,011 yards and 12 TDs.

Northwestern Lehigh (7-0) at Jim Thorpe (3-4)

Last week: Northwestern Lehigh shut out Pottsville 42-0; Jim Thorpe defeated Catasauqua 49-13

Last year: Northwestern Lehigh 55-0

TV/Radio: PennSportsRadio.com

Breakdown: Congratulations to senior QB Cole Lazorick, who became the school’s all-time leading passer in last week’s rout of Catasauqua by throwing for 97 yards and two touchdowns. Lazorick enters Friday’s game with 5,133 yards, surpassing Corey Cinicola’s mark of 5,116. For the season, Lazorick has passed for 1,167 yards and 10 TDs while rushing for 400 yards and four scores. … Lazorick will have to be at the top of his game Friday as Jim Thorpe will need a perfect game to upend the defending Class 3A state champion Tigers, who have won 23 straight games. QB Shane Leh completed 14-of-19 passes for 285 yards and five TDs in last Friday’s rout of Pottsville. The Tigers average 46.7 points per game.

Mahanoy Area (1-6) at Tri-Valley (5-2)

Last week: Mahanoy Area lost to Nativity 20-6; Tri-Valley crushed Shenandoah Valley 53-8

Last year: Tri-Valley 28-14

Breakdown: The Dawgs have the No. 1 scoring defense in the area, giving up just 66 points (9.4 ppg) in seven games. The most points Tri-Valley has allowed in a game is 17 in a Week 2 loss at Marian. That doesn’t bode well for Mahanoy Area, which has scored just 47 points all season. This could be a tune-up game for Tri-Valley, which closes the regular season at Minersville and at Schuylkill Haven.

Shenandoah Valley (0-7) at Panther Valley (2-5)

Last week: Shenandoah Valley lost to Tri-Valley 53-8; Panther Valley lost to Williams Valley 35-14

Last year: Panther Valley 32-0

TV/Radio: WLSH 1410 AM

Breakdown: Despite being 2-5, Panther Valley is in prime position to make the District 11 Class 3A playoffs, currently sitting in sixth place. The goal for the Panthers should be to finish fifth and avoid a quarterfinal matchup with powerhouses Northwestern Lehigh, Notre Dame-Green Pond and North Schuylkill. A win over winless Shenandoah Valley, and one next week against Mahanoy Area, could help that cause. Both the Panthers and Devils have struggled to score, with PV tallying 94 points and Shenandoah 77 so far. Establishing a running attack is the goal of both teams.

Pine Grove (1-6) at Schuylkill Haven (7-0)

Last week: Pine Grove lost to Minersville 43-0; Schuylkill Haven beat Marian 55-14

Last year: Schuylkill Haven 81-6

Breakdown: Colton Reber continued his dominating stretch last week for the Hurricanes, rushing for seven touchdowns and returning an interception for another score in a rout of Marian. For the season, the junior has rushed for 1,336 yards and 19 touchdowns. … This shapes up to be a lopsided matchup as Haven, the No. 1-ranked Class AA team in the state, averages 358 yards rushing and 51 points per game. The Cardinals, meanwhile, have scored just 66 points (9.4 ppg) and average just 160 yards total offense.