State College has won three straight games at home, while Central Catholic has won three straight on the road, but those streaks won't matter much on Friday. The Little Lions will welcome the Vikings at 7:00 p.m. Both squads will be entering this one on the heels of a big victory.
State College is on a roll after a high-stakes playoff matchup on Saturday. They blew past Wilkes-Barre, posting a 52-0 win. Given the Little Lions' advantage in MaxPreps' Pennsylvania football rankings (they are ranked 30th, while the Wolfpack are ranked 193rd) , the win wasn't entirely unexpected.
D'Antae Sheffey
| 08/29/25 @ Altoona | 200 |
| 08/22/25 vs Gateway | 197 |
| 10/10/25 vs Central Dauphin East | 183 |
| 10/03/25 @ Cedar Cliff | 152 |
| 11/15/25 vs Wilkes-Barre | 150 |
| + 6 more games |
D'Antae Sheffey continued his habit of posting crazy stat lines, rushing for 150 yards and four scores on only 15 carries. State College is undefeated when Sheffey posts 100 or more rushing yards, but 1-2 otherwise. Zach Spicer helped out on the ground, rushing for 87 yards and a rushing touchdown.
They were just one part of a punishing run game: State College was unstoppable on the ground and finished the game with 318 rushing yards. That's the most rushing yards they've managed all season.
Special teams also deserves some recognition, posting 16 points in total. The biggest highlight from special teams (and perhaps the team as a whole) came courtesy of Hank Lustig, who ran a punt back for a touchdown.
Meanwhile, Central Catholic took their matchup on Saturday with ease, bagging a 42-7 victory over North Allegheny.
This one was won in the trenches and the lion's share of the credit has to go to Jayden Alexander and Chrys Black Jr. Alexander rushed for 73 yards and one touchdown while Black Jr rushed for 62 yards. Alexander was no stranger to the big play, taking off on a dash that went for 58 yards.
One reason for the win was Central Catholic's imposing defense, which managed to get into the backfield for four sacks. Ashton Blatt was particularly dangerous to the passing game, picking up two himself. Central Catholic received some extra help from Nick Curinga, whose fumble return for a touchdown made for one of the most unforgettable moments.
State College's record now sits at 10-2. As for Central Catholic, their record is now 11-1.
Friday's contest might be decided on the ground. State College has been unstoppable on the ground this season, having averaged 209.5 rushing yards per game. However, it's not like Central Catholic struggles in that department as they've been averaging 173.9 rushing yards. There's a good chance Friday's game turns into a tough fight on the ground.
State College suffered a grim 41-19 defeat to Central Catholic in their previous meeting back in November of 2024. Thankfully for the Little Lions, Elijah Faulkner (who rushed for 250 yards and four TDs) won't be suiting up this time. Will that be enough to change the final result? Check MaxPreps.com after the match to find out.
