Quinn Michaels of Lewisburg (22) celebrates with his team mates at Montoursville High School. Lewisburg won 22-19. DAVE KENNEDY/Sun-Gazette

Lewisburg’s Quin Michaels made numerous plays which stood out Friday at Montoursville. It was one which many might have missed, however, which produced a major turning point.

It also revealed a lot about the player Michaels is.

Lewisburg trailed by 10 just past the second quarter’s midway point when it faced a fourth-and-3 at Montoursville’s 32-yard line. The Green Dragons ran outside with 1,000-yard rusher Jeremiah Davis but the Warriors read it well and looked like they might make the stop.

But when Michaels made an excellent block on the edge, Davis was free and ran 31 yards to the 1. He scored a play later and ignited a run of 22 unanswered points as Lewisburg won, 22-19. Whether he has the ball or not, Michaels is a playmaker and is a big reason the Green Dragons (8-1) have their best record since 2012.

“We’re trying to do certain things and they’re stopping us so for him to make that kind of play was huge,” Lewisburg coach Eric Wicks said. “We always say Quin is a playmaker for us, and sometimes on a play like that, you see him make a play without the ball in his hands and that’s awesome to see.”

Wicks and his assistants have enjoyed watching Michaels the past four years. Wicks became the team’s coach in 2021, and immediately started Michaels at linebacker. Michaels made an immediate impact, helped the Dragons surge down the stretch and rally for a district playoff berth.

A strong foundation was in place and Michaels has built on it ever since. Now a senior, he is having his best year. One of the area’s premier linebackers, Michaels made 12 tackles against Montoursville and averages nearly 10 per game, while adding 14 tackles for loss.

Michaels also has three interceptions, returning one for a touchdown. He provides strong lead blocking at fullback, has run for 211 yards and even went Tim Tebow and threw a jump pass to Owen Fellon for a two-point conversion against Montoursville.

“I’m going to be a leader no matter what. I’m going to help the team however I can,” Michaels said. “Whether it’s fronts, calling out plays or whatever, I’m going to do it for my team every time.”

That is what Lewisburg likes most about Michaels. He’s an excellent player, but he’s not out there for himself. It’s a team first mentality and it permeates throughout the roster.

So, whether its through his words or his actions, Michaels provides a powerful boost. That complete package helped Lewisburg shine under pressure against Montoursville with the defense allowing just three points on four Warrior red zone trips between the second and fourth quarters.

“The guys are waiting and looking and thinking, ‘Quin is going to make a play.’ They know Quin is giving all he’s got,” Wicks said. “They know he’s making plays whether it’s offense, defense or special teams.”

Michaels has done that throughout his scholastic career and helped Lewisburg win 12 of its last 14 games. The Dragons reached the District 4 Class AAA semifinals for the first time since 2018 last season and are a play or two from being undefeated entering Friday’s rivalry game against Mifflinburg.

Michaels has grown better each season, too. He was the new kid on the block as a freshman but now is earning his masters degree, and his understanding of the game has come light years from where it was three years ago.

“Playing with a lot of older guys, like Owen Ordonez and Ethan Dominick, they were great players, and they taught me a lot,” Michaels said. “Being a four-year starter, it does slow down for me because you have an idea what they want run here and what the other team wants to run here and that makes a difference for me and my teammates because I can inform the teammates around me.”

In that way, Michaels is like a coach on the field. His knowledge and talent came together again at Montoursville. Following a Danon Alabakoff sack, Michaels stopped Jimmy Mussina on fourth down early in the fourth quarter as Lewisburg snuffed out another drive. Davis (144 yards) ripped off a 62-yard run four plays later and Chase Wenrich scored on a 1-yard touchdown, making it 20-12. At that point, it was still a one-score game, but Michaels sucked in the defense on the 2-point try before hitting a wide-open Fellon for the 2-point conversion.

It was a hat trick as Michaels now had made significant plays in all three phases, this one making a two-score game.

“He helps us in so many ways. We know that if we want to be good we have to get him out there in many different ways,” Wicks said. “He just has the savvy of making plays and he just does it like it’s natural.

“He comes from a family of athletes and when he makes a play it’s not a big deal for him. It’s like, ‘Ok, let’s make the next one.’ That’s an awesome quality to have.”

And Michaels is quite the player to have.

BREAKING THROUGH: Montgomery produced quite a statement win, thumping long-time nemesis South Williamsport, 42-14 while imposing the mercy rule less than halfway through the third quarter. It was another highlight in a huge turnaround season full of them as Montgomery (6-3) clinched the program’s first winning season since 2001.

Montgomery’s offensive line dominated and Coy Bryson ran for 228 yards and three touchdowns, as the Red Raiders built a 35-0 second quarter lead. The defense was equally impressive, allowing just 144 yards as Seth McClintock intercepted a pass and recovered two fumbles. Montgomery also mercy ruled an opponent for a second straight week and has won six of its last seven games, playing well in all facets.

Montgomery heads to Cowanesque Valley Saturday. A win there would give the Raiders their most wins in a season during the 2000s. This team has lofty goals going forward but for now it can be happy knowing it is, by far, District 4’s most improved team this season.

EXTRA POINTS: Hughesville (5-4) gave its District 4 Class AA playoff hopes a major boost, playing outstanding defense in a 24-7 win at Wyalusing. The Spartans allowed just 194 yards and made a crucial fourth down stop for a second straight week when leading by three in the fourth quarter. Haydn Maneval returned a fumble for a game-clinching touchdown and Connor Anstadt and Conor Knight each caught touchdowns, Anstadt going for a career-high 91 yards. Blake Davis threw for 156 yards and joined Landon Henry and Jon Fritz as the only quarterbacks in Hughesville history to reach 20 touchdowns in a season. Keagan Smith kicked his fourth field goal in two games and his 42-yarder is the area’s longest this season … Williamsport came close to pulling a big upset, building a 10-point fourth quarter lead before Hollidaysburg rallied in the final minute and won, 30-26. Still, it was a sign of how dangerous Williamsport could be in the playoffs if it builds off the performance. Elijah Way, Zion Hughes and Tevin Williams combined for 207 yards passing and Jamel Bailey ran for 80 yards and a score. The run defense showed dramatic improvement and Samir Williams caught five passes for 124 yards and a score. Giovanni White added a 69-yard punt return touchdown for the Millionaires who host Wilkes-Barre in a game with playoff seeding ramifications Friday … Loyalsock running back Dolan Harman went over 1,000 yards this season in a 48-7 loss against undefeated Shamokin. Harman, a junior, ran for 98 yards, topping 90 for a seventh straight game and has 1,082 yards and 12 touchdowns this season … Canton (5-4) is heating up at the right time and has scored 101 points the last two weeks after downing Sayre, 55-13. Ben Fitch threw for 226 yards and three touchdowns to Holden Ward, Aydin Holcomb and Zach Colton, while adding a 44-yard touchdown run. Ward went for 102 yards receiving, Holcomb returned a kickoff 79 yards for a score and Michael Beers lived a lineman’s dream, running for a six-yard touchdown … Wellsboro continues making strides and forced six turnovers in a 46-0 win at Northwest. The Hornets built a 39-0 halftime lead and also collected five sacks. Freshman quarterback Griffin Morral threw three more touchdowns, giving him seven the past two weeks and Ryder Bowen ran for 111 yards and two scores, adding an interception. Lincoln Decoursey produced two sacks … Monty Fisher caught eight passes for 143 yards in Milton’s 48-28 loss against Mount Carmel. Izayah Minium threw for 166 yards and totaled three touchdowns in a game which was tied midway through the second quarter.

Chris Masse may be reached at cmasse@sungazette.com. Follow him on Twitter at @docmasse.