Greencastle-Antrim’s football team had a slow start to the season, but in recent weeks the Blue Devils have been walking with a bit of pep in their step. Winning can have that effect.
Following an opening stretch that saw Greencastle collect just one victory over the first six games, coach Jason Thurston’s Blue Devils have heated up with back-to-back wins and are playing with confidence.
And if all goes well at Boiling Springs on Friday, Greencastle will be on a three-game winning streak for the first time since 2023. The Bubblers, however, are hungry for their first win in Mid-Penn Colonial Division play and are eager to halt the Blue Devils’ momentum.
We’ve selected this Week 9 matchup as our Game of the Week.
The playoffs seem like a long-shot at best for the Blue Devils, but Greencastle hasn’t given up hope and has chugged forward with an offense that has churned out nearly 1,500 rushing yards this fall. The Blue Devils’ steady approach led to an upset win over Juniata last week, and now the squad is hungry for more.
This season has been a struggle for the Bubblers, but the team showed improvement in last week’s loss to Milton Hershey, and will be looking to knock off Greencastle for the second year.
In the weeks and months to come throughout the high school sports season, we plan on spotlighting multiple teams and sports with our Game of the Week. Any big upcoming games or matches we should know about? Send suggestions to Andy Sandrik via email at [email protected].
Greencastle-Antrim at Boiling Springs
Kickoff: Friday, 7 p.m., at Boiling Springs
Records: Greencastle-Antrim enters this game at 3-5 (2-4 Colonial Division), while Boiling Springs checks in at 1-7 (0-7).
Last game: The Blue Devils secured a 21-20 win over Juniata last weekend, while the Bubblers fell to 49-21 to Milton Hershey.
Last meeting: Boiling Springs topped Greencastle by a 15-13 score in last year’s matchup.
Meet the Blue Devils: After a 1-5 start to the season, first-year head coach Jason Thurston’s squad has won two in a row with victories over Milton Hershey (41-21) and Juniata (21-20) … Greencastle also owns a Week 3 19-16 win over Middletown … The Blue Devils, averaging 17.1 points per game this season, have been a run-first team and boast the top rusher in the Local.News1 coverage area in Blake Reuter, who has totaled 107 carries for 746 yards and seven TDs … Reuter is the crown jewel of a Blue Devils’ running attack that also includes capable backs in Lars Galinanes (88 carries, 395 yards, 4 TDs), Asher Whitson (25-145-1), and Noah Shifflett (33-132-0) … Senior QB Lane Barry has been tasked with keeping opposing defenses honest and has completed 48 of 106 passes for 641 yards, five TDs, and six interceptions … Barry’s top targets have been Wyatt Hull (14 catches, 232 yards, 3 TDs), Shifflett (11-177-1), and Reuter (7-138-1) … Shifflett, with 60 tackles, is the leading tackler for a Greencastle squad that’s allowing 28.6 points per game … Elijah Ambrose (56 tackles) and Reuter (44) have also piled up the stats for the Blue Devils, while Hull has totaled 30 and leads his team with three sacks … Greencastle, which ranks No. 14 in the 10-team District 3-4A playoff picture, will most certainly have to win its final two games just to have an outside shot of qualifying for the postseason.
Meet the Bubblers: First-year head coach Frank Menke and the Bubblers are trying to navigate out of a seven-game losing streak … Boiling Springs showed some life in a loss to Milton Hershey last week and put up 21 points, nearly as many points as the 23 they had scored in the previous six weeks combined … The Bubblers average 9.9 points per game and are led by RB Javier Rosario, who was a 1,000-yard rusher in 2024 … Rosario, who also starts at defensive back, is one of six returning senior two-way starters, with the others including Dom Beck (QB/DB), Demetri White (WB/LB), Ethan Noll (OL/DL), Ryan Heller (WR/DB), and Tyler Whitmire (TE/DE) … If Boiling Springs finds itself in a tight game, the Bubblers know they can rely upon the foot of kicker Preston Warner, who was a Second Team Colonial Division All-Star in 2024 … The Bubblers own one win: A 35-13 victory over Littlestown in Week 1 … If Boiling Springs hopes to stay in this game, it will need to tighten up a defense that is allowing 38.0 points per contest.
Sandrik’s prediction: Blue Devils by 15.
