When a football program barely has the numbers to field a team, just having an opportunity to take the field and compete under the Friday night lights can feel like a win.
Such is the case for the Fairfield Knights, a team that had to forfeit in Week 3 due to roster concerns. Gabriel Jackson’s Knights healed up, regrouped and turned in their best game of the season in their return to the field on Friday.
A 42-13 loss to Bermudian Springs might sound bad to the average football fan, but there’s plenty to celebrate for undermanned Fairfield, which was able to play competitive stretches of football against the Canners.
Lincoln Kearchner, a 5-foot-10, 235-pound fullback for the Knights, played like there’s no tomorrow, exploding for 157 rushing yards on 27 carries. Ethan Taylor (6 carries, 59 yards) and Tyler Chendikum (7-40) also had success carrying the ball for Fairfield.
The Knights defense also played its finest game of the season, limiting Bermudian Springs to 42 points after allowing an average of 72 over their first two games. Kearchner once again stood out for Fairfield on defense, registering six tackles, including two for loss. Nate Enders and Cayden Elwood also had tackles for loss.
Bermduian Springs improved 3-1 overall and 1-0 in YAIAA III, while the Knights fell to 0-4 (0-1).
Fairfield returns to action on Friday, with a road game at Biglerville (3-1, 0-1), a team coming off a 28-20 loss to Delone Catholic.
Waynesboro 23, Red Land 13
After three straight home games to open the season, Waynesboro had its mettle tested with a road game at West Shore Stadium to face the Red Land Patriots.
After giving up a 65-yard rushing TD on the opening possession to the winless Patriots (0-4, 0-3 Keystone), the Indians immediately got to work with some scoring of their own. Following a drive fueled by big runs from Nathan Nolan and a facemask penalty, Waynesboro found the end zone with an 11-yard TD run down the sideline from Rayshawn Frazer-Hewitt. The Indians led 10-7 at halftime following a 29-yard field goal from Alex Torbica.
A defensive start to the third quarter was followed by an 88-yard drive from Waynesboro, which was capped by a 10-yard TD run from Hayden Nolan. The TD put the Indians ahead by a 17-7 score.
Waynesboro (3-1, 2-1 Keystone) forced another punt, before surging to a 23-7 advantage on a 54-yard run from Nathan Nolan, who finished the contest with 130 rushing yards. The Tribe held on for their third victory, a milestone win that already puts them ahead of last season’s two-win campaign.
Waynesboro continues its road trip on Friday with a game at Palmyra (1-3, 0-3 Keystone), a team coming off a 47-13 loss to Shippensburg.
East Pennsboro 7, Greencastle-Antrim 3
Greencastle-Antrim’s offense was held to three points — which came on a 27-yard field goal from Andrew Bowers — in Friday’s defensive-minded contest against East Pennsboro.
The Blue Devils (1-3, 1-2 Colonial) got that field goal with 3:25 remaining in the first half, but that lead didn’t last long as East Pennsboro scored on the ensuring drive with a 56-yard TD pass from Turner Barlup to Dayrell Everett.
Greencastle’s defense kept the Panthers (2-2, 2-1 Colonial) off the board, but with wide receiver Carter McCauley knocked out of the game late in the first half, the Blue Devils struggled to score points. Most of Greencastle’s offense came from running the ball, with Blake Reuter (10 carries, 47 yards), Noah Shifflett (7-44), Lars Galinanes (7-32) and QB Sean Marshall (5-27) all getting touches.
The Blue Devils will look to bounce back on Friday, when they travel to face Big Spring (0-4, 0-3 Colonial), a team coming off a 21-6 loss to Milton Hershey.
Harrisburg 35, Chambersburg 14
Chambersburg scored two late touchdowns in Saturday’s loss to Commonwealth Division favorite Harrisburg.
The Cougars (3-1, 3-0 Commonwealth) shut down the Trojans’ offense while putting the game out of reach with their own offensive attack. Harrisburg led 6-0 after one quarter, 28-0 at halftime and 35-0 in the third quarter.
Chambersburg (1-3, 0-3 Commonwealth) finally found some traction in the fourth quarter, breaking up the Cougars shutout with a 17-yard TD pass from Ceagan Truett to Bryson Murray. The Trojans added another score when Antonio Harrison — who led all Chambersburg rushers with eight rushes for 40 yards — ran for a 15-yard TD with 4:43 left to play.
The Trojans will be looking for its first win in the Commonwealth on Friday, when it welcomes State College to Trojan Stadium. The Little Lions (3-1, 2-1 Commonwealth), a team coming off a 30-14 victory over Cumberland Valley.
Manchester Valley 14, North Hagerstown 13
James Jackson Jr. rushed 18 times for 104 yards and a touchdown, but North Hagerstown fell by slim margins for the second week in a row.
The Hubs, who also got a TD from Tai Gilljam, fell to 0-2.
North Hagerstown was led defensively by Benjamin Distefano (11 tackles, 1 tackle for loss) and Toni Abonge (7 tackles, 2 tackles for loss), while interceptions were recorded by Ronnie Savage III and Bryant Noubissie.
Manchester Valley improved to 1-1.
The Hubs return to the field on Friday with a home game against Thomas Johnson (0-2), a team coming off a 36-0 loss to Urbana.
Williamsport 34, Smithsburg 12
Smithsburg scored the first and last touchdowns of Friday night’s game, but unfortunately for the Leopards, Williamsport scored the 34 points in between.
Smithsburg (0-2) blasted off to a 6-0 lead just 43 seconds into the first quarter on a 68-yard rumble from Zac Smith. The Leopards advantage was short lived as the Wildcats (2-0) rattled off three TDs to go ahead 21-6 at halftime.
Williamsport carried its momentum into the second half, expanding its lead to 34-6 before Smithsburg got back on the board with a 24-yard TD pass from Lucas McFarland to Grady Schleupner.
Tyler Ward had a big night for the Leopards defense, totaling 13 tackles, two tackles for loss, a sack and an interception.
Smithsburg returns to competition on Friday, when it hits the road to take on Century (0-2), a team coming off a 49-21 loss to Cambridge-South Dorchester.
Spring Mills 51, South Hagerstown 0
Spring Mills, out of Martinsburg, W.Va., continued its red-hot start to the season with a blowout over South Hagerstown.
It was the third shutout victory of the season for the Cardinals (3-0), who are outscoring opponents 128-0 this season.
The Rebels (1-1) will aim to rebound on Friday, when they travel to face Tuscarora (1-1), a team coming off a 28-7 loss to Brunswick.
