Top Games No. 5: Harrisburg at Cumberland Valley

The last two years these teams have put on quite a show. Both encounters were at Severance Field. This time around the battle will at Chapman Field on Oct. 28 at 7 p.m.

While this still might be a thrilling game, we're doubtful that it will have Commonwealth Division title implications.

CV (12-3 in 2010) lost most of its starters to graduation and Harrisburg (9-3), which was also hit hard in June, is replacing legendary coach George Chaump, who bolted for the greener grass at Central Dauphin East.

Still, we're excited for this game.

Harrisburg, the defending division champion, looked good in the second half of its scrimmage Friday against J.W. Robinson, Va., and always has speed.

CV won't beat itself and will play fundamentally-sound football. Whether a division crown is on the line or the only thing to play for is a better spot in the 16-team District 3 Class AAAA playoffs, this is one game to see.

Pennsylvania Football News preseason rankings

Late last night, the Pennsylvania Football News released its preseason rankings.

The only area team to crack the top 10 in any of the four classes was Trinity, which checks in at No. 5. The Shamrocks open the season next Friday at 7 p.m. against No. 2 Lancaster Catholic at COBO Field.

Cumberland Valley is listed in the Others to Watch category in Class AAAA.

Pittsburgh Central Catholic (AAAA), Allentown Central Catholic (AAA), West Catholic (AA) and Clairton (A) are the top-ranked teams.

Top Games No. 6: Red Land at Cedar Cliff

Really, what else is there to say?

It's a game between Red Land and Cedar Cliff. Maybe not as heated as some other sports, the annual football game is not one of miss. The rivalry returns to West Shore Stadium on Sept. 30.

On the surface, this one looks like it could be a blowout. Cedar Cliff, literally, has everyone back on offense. The defense won't be too shabby either.

Red Land, on the other hand, is in a transition period. The Patriots are coming off back-to-back losing seasons and are under the guidance of first-year coach Chad Weaver. Hopefully by the time this game rolls around, the Patriots have worked out the kinks because we expect Cedar Cliff to be firing on all cylinders from the start.

The good news for Red Land and junior quarterback Kyle Biddle, above, is that it does boast veteran offensive and defensive lines. Those guys could keep Cedar Cliff's offense off-balance and, if the running game clicks, Red Land could keep the ball away from the Colts' powerful offense.

Don't sleep on Red Land for a minute. The Patriots are a tough bunch who could pull the upset. Whether they do or not is yet to be seen.

Thumbs up to Mifflin County

It will be years until we know whether the addition of District 6 schools State College and Mifflin County as full-time Mid-Penn Conference members works or not.

And, at least in terms of Mifflin County, it will be quite some time until it's clear whether or not the Huskies can compete in the difficult Mid-Penn Commonwealth Division.

But the school is OK in our book because it went above and beyond to design its own logo. And, the school's football helmet looks amazing.

We haven't seen photos of the football team's uniforms so we have no opinion on them. If you've read this blog over the last few years, you know we love to discuss uniforms, helmets and game hats. Mifflin County's helmet is one of the most unique and creative that we've come across.

We absolutely love the fact that the school didn't go down the generic path and slap a big white or purple paw on the helmet, an interlocked MC or just leave it plain white or purple.

Good job, Mifflin County, and welcome to the Mid-Penn.

Top Games No. 7: Boiling Springs at Milton Hershey

Last year was a little bit different than what we're used to when the Bubblers and Spartans tangle.

For the first time since 2004, the annual meeting between these teams was decided by more than seven points. Boiling Springs won at home, 20-7, it snap its four-game losing streak against Milton Hershey.

Expect things to tighten back up this fall when the rivals meet Sept. 16 at Spartan Stadium.

Milton Hershey, always an athletic bunch, figures to be improved from last year's 3-7 record. It's not often that a team coached by Jeff Boger suffers through a losing season and it's very hard to imagine that happening again.

But, the Capital is expected to be a very balanced league this year. The common opinion is that Trinity is the favorite, but beyond the Shamrocks whoever comes in second is any one's guess.

That's why this early-season game is so important.

Boiling Springs and running back Drew Hunter, above, dropped its season opener last year before running off seven straight wins. The Bubblers staged a huge rally in Week 2 to upend Palmyra before taking out the Spartans. Don't think for a second that win over Milton Hershey didn't do wonders for that the team's confidence.

USA Today high school football rankings

Much like the season-ending baseball polls, Pennsylvania is without a team in the USA Today Super 25 preseason high school football poll.

But, there is hope.

Normally, the Pennsylvania Class AAAA champion cracks the rankings by season's end. We'll see if that's the case this year.

If you're looking for the favorite to win that title, check out Pittsburgh Central Catholic. It appears that the Vikings are going to be very good this year. Now, whether they escape the WPIAL is something else altogether.

And, here's a really cool story about Delaware private school Red Lion Christian and it's hopes of building a national football power.

Top Games No. 8: Lampeter-Strasburg at Cedar Cliff

Last season, this game was a measuring stick for the up-and-coming Colts.

This year, it's a game Cedar Cliff and senior quarterback Tyler Orris, left, will be expected to win. The teams meet Sept. 16 at West Shore Stadium.

The Colts were on a roll last season after winning their first two games by an average of 33-14 before being blasted by Lampeter-Strasburg, 28-7, at Pioneer Field.

Lampeter-Strasburg, mind you, was no slouch last season. The Pioneers finished 11-2 and advanced to the District 3 Class AAA semifinals before falling to Bishop McDevitt.

But there's no hiding the fact that Cedar Cliff has a ton of talent returning and will be expected to challenge for the Keystone Division title and make some noise in the District 3 Class AAAA playoffs.

Colts coach Jim Cantafio hasn't won a playoff game in two trips to the postseason at Cedar Cliff. He's worked wonders by building this program into a respectable one, but until if the Colts want respect across the board, they'll need to beat Lampeter-Strasburg and then win at least one 3-AAAA playoff game.

If anyone can help a team reach its expectations, it's Cantafio. We expect big things out of the Colts and would be surprised if they fail to deliver.

Top Games No. 9: Trinity at Camp Hill

In recent years, this backyard rivalry, which returns Sept. 9 at Camp Hill's Seibert Memorial Park, hasn't been much of a game.

When Camp Hill has solid teams, the Lions compete with Trinity, but when they experience lean years, this game is usually one-sided.

Last season, Trinity and quarterback Patrick Dill, right, ran roughshod over Camp Hill in a 49-0 rout. That was the first of 12 straight wins for the Shamrocks on their way to a second District 3 Class AA title. Trinity, which lost to Lewisburg in the PIAA Class AA quarterfinals, finished with a 12-2 record last season.

In the offseason, veteran Camp Hill coach Frank Kindler resigned after an ugly 1-9 season. Frank Gay, the former Red Land coach, stepped in to lead the Lions.

How Gay fares with the small numbers at Camp Hill is yet to be seen, but remember that Gay's Red Land teams were always a hard-nosed bunch. If he brings that mentality to Camp Hill, the Lions will definitely compete.

Now, for Trinity. The Shamrocks are still on the short list of 3-AA favorites despite the lingering cloud stemming from an alleged hazing incident during the team's visit to Lebanon Valley College for a team camp in July.

The outcome of the police and the school's investigation could determine how far this talented team goes.

Top Games No. 10: Big Spring at Shippensburg

The annual battle for the Little Brown Jug returns to Shippensburg on Sept. 23.

The Greyhounds are no doubt seeking some revenge from last year when Big Spring stole a 20-19 victory in Newville.

Shippensburg scored with 1:54 remaining on Branson Allen's 3-yard run and coach Eric Foust elected to go for two and the win. On the play, Big Spring defensive lineman Dakota Matthews stopped Shippensburg quarterback Marshal Witmer short of the goal line to preserve the victory.

It was Big Spring's first win over Shippensburg since 2004 and helped the Bulldogs reach the District 3 Class AAA playoffs for the first time.

"One of our goals was the win back the Little Brown Jug," Big Spring coach Brent Stroh said in the days following last year's game. "For the community, it's a pride thing, but it's still just one game. The bottom line was, win or lose, this game wouldn't determine the fate of our season."

Big Spring went on to finish the regular season with a 5-5 record. The Bulldogs then lost to Lampeter-Strasburg, 41-13, in the 3-AAA first round. Shippensburg ended with an 8-2 regular-season record and lost to Hershey, 15-6, in the 3-AAA first round.

Top Football Games 2011 coming soon

We're putting the finishing touches on our list of what we expect to be the most meaningful football games of the upcoming season.

Please check back over the next two weeks of the preseason (camps open tomorrow) morning as we go through the 10 games -- we're planning to post one or two each day.

By the middle of the season, some games we're talking about in August probably won't look as good by Halloween while some that missed the cut will surprise us.

Please stay tuned.

Baltimore captures AAABA crown

If you've never been to the All-American Amateur Baseball Association national tournament in Johnstown, you're missing out.

This season, the Baltimore franchise won its second title in a row and 28th overall by beating Livonia and New Orleans on Saturday to finish the double-elimination tournament with a 6-0 record.

Now for the reason we're talking AAABA baseball today: we would love to see the Harrisburg area at the very least apply for a franchise.

A team comprised of former and current Mid-Penn Conference players would no doubt compete for a national championship and we would like nothing more than to see that happen.

An ideal setup would have the Harrisburg franchise competing in either the East Shore Twilight League or the West Shore Twilight League in the regular season before partaking in the AAABA postseason.

Hopefully one day, we'll see this happen.

Gateway Kickoff Classic's date changed

Bishop McDevitt's season-opening return trip to Gateway High School in suburban Pittsburgh will now take place Sunday, Sept. 4 at noon, according to Easternpafootball.com blogger Joshua Funk.

McDevitt and the host Gators are the first game of a doubleheader in the Gateway Kickoff Classic. The other matchup features Philadelphia Catholic League power Archbishop Wood against WPIAL heavyweight Pittsburgh Central Catholic. That game begins at 3:30.

Now, if only we could find a way to get a season-opening event like this at Hersheypark Stadium.

Top football games this fall (honorable mention)

Here is our list of the top football games this year. These are the honorable mention games. The Top 10 Games of the Year will be announced next week right here. These games are listed by week.

Cumberland Valley at Red Lion, Sept. 2 (Week 1) -- Eagles won two games vs. Lions last year by a combined count of 80-13, including a 35-7 rout in the District 3 Class AAAA final in December (left). We figure this season opener might be a little closer. Note: This game could be moved to Chapman Field if the new artificial surface at Horn Field isn't ready in time.

Bishop McDevitt at Cedar Cliff, Oct. 7 (Week 6) -- We think the Colts could have a big season and this game will tell us more. If they want to win the Keystone Division, the Colts must beat McDevitt.

Chambersburg at Carlisle, Oct. 14 (Week 7) -- Recently, there hasn't been anything on the line when these rivals play. That probably won't change this year, but it's usually fun when these two get together.

East Pennsboro at Boiling Springs, Oct. 28 (Week 9) -- A nice rivalry game near the end of the season. East Penn got its mojo back by beating the Bubblers, 35-7, late last season. Revenge could be in order.

Trinity at Milton Hershey, Oct. 28 (Week 9) -- As long as former Trinity coach Jeff Boger is coaching the Spartans, this game will make the list. Trust us, Boger will have Milton Hershey among the district's best before long.

Carlisle at Cumberland Valley, Nov. 4 (Week 10) -- Former CV player Josh Oswalt's first test as Carlisle head coach against his former team was ugly. The Eagles cruised to a 48-7 win last November at Ken Millen Stadium. By the time this game rolls around, the slew of new faces at CV should be finding their rhythm. Carlisle better be ready.

Crazy schedule for Mifflin County

It won't be easy for Mifflin County when the new, merged high school enters the Mid-Penn as a full-time, varsity-only member.

But, in terms of scheduling, the Commonwealth Division might offer some relief for the Huskies.

This year, Mifflin County starts with five road games before hosting Ohio powerhouse Cardinal Mooney on Oct. 7 at 7 p.m.

The Huskies do close with five straight home games, but they have two more odd-ball opponents in Maryland Christian and Blue Mountain.

At least next year, the fans of Mifflin County will start to see a more balanced schedule filled with opponents who will become familiar.

Livingston resigns at Carlisle

Carlisle High School varsity baseball coach Brett Livingston recently resigned from his post, he told The Sentinel on Monday night.

Livingston said it was time for a change, both for him and the players on the team.

Livingston leaves the program in stable condition. The Thundering Herd finished the last two seasons with idential 10-10 records and qualified for the District 3 Class AAAA playoffs both years.

In six years as the head coach, Livingston went 42-74. It must be noted that in three of his six years, Livingston guided the Herd to the 3-AAAA playoffs.

Livingston, who was named The Sentinel's Coach of the Year following the 2010 season, will remain a health and physical education teacher at Carlisle's Lamberton Middle School.

For more on this story, visit www.cumberlink.com or pick up a copy of The Sentinel on Wednesday.