MARK NANCE/Sun-Gazette Correspondent South Williamsport’s Dylen Scheller (88) bats a pass away from Milton’s Lucas Ditty during a game earlier this season.

South PPG–16.6, PPA–22.8, YPG–238.6, YPA–288

South notes: South (2-3) snapped a three-game losing streak eight nights go, winning a Thursday night thriller at Wyalusing. It was a nice step forward for a young team which starts several freshmen and sophomores.

It also boosted the team’s Class AA playoff hopes and has it in a three-way tie for first in the NTL-II along with Muncy and Montgomery. The defense struggled against the run at times, but made some crucial stops and forced a long field goal try in the final seconds which was short and wide. Freshman defensive lineman Kasim Davenport leads the team in tackles and two-way starting lineman Paxton Gephart has four tackles for loss. Sophomore linebackers Eli White and Jayden Hamm have combined for nearly 50 tackles and sophomore Caleb Johnson has two interceptions. A young offensive line came together last week and played its best game, paving the way for a strong running attack. Freshman Cade Lusk ran hard, gaining 145 yards and scoring a touchdown. White ran for 77 yards and broke multiple tackles on a 29-yard scoring run. Quarterback Tadd Lusk also scored and made a potential game-saving tackle on Wyalusing’s final possession. Dylan Scheller has more receiving yards than any South receiver in the 2000s and is two catches from having more receptions than any as well. South moved up to seventh in the district playoff standings and the top eight advance. The Mounties are seeking their 13th straight district playoff appearance tied for most with Loyalsock in this area.

South player to watch–Ryan Bower: Another first-time starter, Bower is playing well at linebacker and is one of the team leaders in tackles for loss with three. He made some key plays against Wyalusing and is progressing as the season continues, helping both the present and future look good.

CV PPG–17.8, PPA–33.4, YPG–283.4, YPA–343.2

CV notes: The Indians also are a fairly young team but showcased their explosiveness two weeks ago in a 50-21 win against Sayre. CV (1-4) scored the final 30 points in that contest and 44 during the second half. Sophomore Dave Hess is a dual threat, going over 100 yards rushing and receiving in that contest. He totaled 324 yards and four touchdowns that night, while Graham Hess threw for 185 yards. Dave Hess opened the season with 143 receiving yards at Towanda. Jeavon Eick is having a good junior season and has caught three touchdowns, while intercepting three passes. He scored in three of the team’s first four games as well. Christian Perdomo ran for 88 yards against Muncy three weeks ago and Graham Hess ran for 65 yards and a score at Wellsboro a week ago. Sophomore Kegan Lane is an excellent linebacker who averages more than 10 tackles per game. He nearly reached 100 tackles a year ago and is on pace to do so this season.

CV player to watch–Lowell Baker: The senior defensive end is among the team’s leading tacklers and had a season-high 11 against Wyalusing. He added a sack against Towanda and also was a key part of last year’s success when CV won five games and reached the District 4 Class AAA playoffs.

Outlook: South weathered a demanding first half schedule. CV has some exciting playmakers and plays hard, so nothing will be easy tonight, but if the Mounties build off their Week 5 performance they could be poised for a good second-half run.