Pictured above: After going head-to-head last week, North Pocono and Western Wayne are in key games again this week. Ty LaFave runs with a pass reception as Western Wayne’s Liam Farley (5) closes in. (Tim Drewes Photo)
Two games pitting ranked teams against each other highlight the Friday night schedule to kick off the third weekend of the season.
North Pocono is at Hazleton Area in a meeting of Big Schools and Old Forge is at Western Wayne in a meeting of Small Schools. All four are ranked in the Gaughan Auto Store Super Six Power Rankings compiled by our partners at NEPAFootball.com.
No. 3 North Pocono is at No. 1 Hazleton Area is the only game between teams with 2-0 records. Old Forge is ranked sixth and Western Wayne third among the Small Schools.
North Pocono played for the District 2 Class 4A title last season while Hazleton Area reached the Class 6A championship game.
Old Forge was a Pennsylvania Interscholastic Athletic Association quarterfinalist in Class A.
Hazleton Area is the second-highest scoring team in District 2 with 92 points and is coming off a game in which quarterback Tyler Wolfe threw for six touchdowns and ran for the other in a 45-7 romp at Wallenpaupack.
North Pocono has been in closer battles, including taking advantage of better extra-point efficiency to defeat Western Wayne, 28-27, last week.
All but one of the games on the schedule involve teams jockeying for position in their various district playoff races, but playing out side their conference divisions.
Tunkhannock is playing its third straight Wyoming Valley Conference Division 2 game when it hosts Holy Redeemer in a meeting of 1-1 teams.
Wilkes-Barre Area makes its debut in its new stadium against Wallenpaupack in another game between 1-1 teams.
Lackawanna Trail tries to reach 3-0 at home against Nanticoke.
Three other 2-0 teams are on the road with Dallas playing at Williamsport, Lakeland at Riverside and Susquehanna at Dunmore.
Delaware Valley plays its third straight difficult opponent from outside the area in its home opener against Downingtown East.
Wyoming Area is at Crestwood in a meeting between two teams that were among the most impressive on Opening Night before suffering three-touchdown losses last week.
The rest of the schedule has: Valley View at Honesdale, Lake-Lehman at Scranton Prep, Hanover Area at Carbondale and Wyoming Valley West at Pittston Area.
Football is not the only sport in action.
North Pocono is at Abington Heights in a meeting of unbeaten teams for the Lackawanna League Class 3A Division golf lead.
The boys soccer schedule is highlighted by Tunkhannock at Wyoming Area in WVC Division 1 and Gregory the Great at Holy Cross in Lackawanna Division 2.
The girls soccer schedule includes Holy Redeemer at Nanticoke in WVC Division 2.
There is also field hockey and girls tennis on the schedule.
MORE COVERAGE
For predictions on the Friday night football games, see: Tom Robinson’s high school football predictions: Week 3 – NEPA Sports Nation.
