High school football Week 1 preview: Are South Western, Gettysburg set for another shootout?
What happened in the season opener between Gettysburg and South Western last year?
Sixty-two combined first-half points, five touchdowns of more than 30 yards, a dramatic finish, and the Warriors' first win as a member of the YAIAA.
Jake Myers hit Kobe Wansel with a 45-yard bomb to give Gettysburg a 44-41 lead, then the defense forced a South Western turnover on downs at midfield with less than a minute remaining.
Gettyburg's win also snapped a six-game losing streak in this series, but a winning streak could be a tall task. The Mustangs return nearly everyone from a 5-5 team that got hot at the end of the season, while the Warriors are replacing 19 seniors and starters at every skill position.
Still, if this season's matchup — set for 7 p.m. Friday at Gettysburg — can match last season's or at least come close, that would be a great way to start the year.
Predict this week's winners for a shot at prizes in the GameTimePA Gridiron Challenge
Friday's games
Central York at West York
Kickoff: 7 p.m.
Last year: West York, 41-20
The skinny: These cross-division rivals have alternated wins and losses the last five seasons.
Panthers must: Shore up the defense. Central let the Bulldogs' offense run for 323 yards and pass for another 134 last season. The Panthers can't afford a repeat of that performance if they hope to win the latest chapter of this rivalry.
Bulldogs must: Make a good first impression. There are many new faces on the Bulldogs' sideline, including head coach Jeremy Jones and quarterback Tyler Folk. An early win against a rival would go a long way in reassuring the fan base the Bulldogs won't take a step back.
Annville-Cleona at Biglerville
Kickoff: 7 p.m.
Last year: Annville-Cleona, 10-0
The skinny: The Canners will seek revenge after managing just 128 yards of total offense against the Little Dutchmen last season. Can Biglerville flip the script at home?
Canners must: Get the offense going. Although the Canners increased their win total by four games last season, the offense was still mired in the bottom third of the league, and being shut out by this same opponent didn't help. A big offensive performance would be a solid confidence boost.
Little Dutchmen must: Bring the heat on defense. Annville-Cleona held the Canners to 128 total yards last season. A repeat performance in Biglerville would make the Dutchmen tough to beat.
Columbia at Eastern York
Kickoff: 7 p.m.
Last year: Eastern York, 35-14
The skinny: Last year, the Golden Knights snapped a four-game losing streak against their cross-river rivals. Can they make it two in a row?
Golden Knights must: Keep building momentum. The 2014 season proved to be the best one in recent memory for the Golden Knights, who went 7-4 and held their final four opponents to 21 combined points before falling in the postseason. Second-year coach Dave Kemmick will look to sustain that progress.
Crimson Tide must: Lock down the defense. Columbia gave up 40.3 points per game last season, which would be tough for any offense to overcome.
Cumberland Valley at Spring Grove
Kickoff: 7 p.m.
Last year: Cumberland Valley, 21-17
The skinny: The Rockets came close to shocking the district's seventh-best Class AAAA team on the road last season. Can they pull off the upset at home?
Rockets must: Find a tailback. Spring Grove will need a replacement for Shay Feulmer, who exploded onto the scene in this matchup last season on his way to nearly 1,000 yards. Ian Slaven emerged as a potential candidate during the preseason.
Eagles must: Not look past the Rockets. The perennial Mid-Penn powerhouse came one play away from being upset by Spring Grove in 2014. It's safe to assume they'll come more prepared this season.
Dallastown at Lancaster Catholic
Kickoff: 7 p.m.
Last year: Dallastown, 35-14
The skinny: Dallastown aims for its third straight win against its Lancaster-Lebanon League foe.
Wildcats must: Establish the run game. Behind a slightly smaller line than the Wildcats are accustomed to, a new tailback will have to step up and replace Addison Quinones, who averaged 8.3 yards per carry in 2014 and also was named GameTimePA's Defensive Player of the Year.
Crusaders must: Set the tone. Losing three of their first four last season sent Lancaster Catholic in the wrong direction. They'll try to right the ship with a better start this time around.
Shippensburg at Dover
Kickoff: 7 p.m.
Last year: Dover, 34-13
The skinny: The Eagles, who are early favorites to win the division, open the season at home.
Eagles must: Value the football. A turnover ratio of minus-11 crippled the Eagles last season. First-year head coach Wayne Snelbaker will emphasize ball security, while Dover transitions from a Wing-T offense to a spread.
Greyhounds must: Find Durran Ledbetter ... and tackle him too. Dover's 5-foot-8, 180-pound senior running back is shifty, and if Shippensburg lets him pick up some steam, it'll be hard to stop him.
Hanover at James Buchanan
Kickoff: 7 p.m.
Last year: James Buchanan, 33-19
The skinny: Hanover makes a 90-minute trip into Franklin County for its season opener.
Nighthawks must: Change the culture. That's a lot to put on one game, but Hanover — which has a combined four wins in the last four seasons — has the talent to turn things around. Coaches are aware that confidence is key, and a few early wins could go a long way in building a winning mentality.
Rockets must: Stop Jordan Laughman. The senior running back, who is healthy after being sidelined late last year with an injury, torched the Rockets for 146 yards and three touchdowns last season.
Video: GameTimePA-TV Football Preview Show: Week 1
Kennard-Dale at Waynesboro
Kickoff: 7 p.m.
Last year: Waynesboro, 53-7
The skinny: The Rams seek revenge after being embarrassed at home in 2014.
Rams must: Reveal the new-look squad. Alongside a senior class that has "completely bought in," second-year head coach Patrick Weider is changing the offense from a pistol spread to a Wing-T and the defense from a 4-4 hybrid to a 3-3-5. A solid showing early could have the fans buying in as well.
Indians must: Build on last season. After going 0-10 in 2013, Brennan Marion led the Indians to a 6-4 season. Now rookie head coach Steven Myers will look to carry the torch after Marion's departure.
Littlestown at Boiling Springs
Kickoff: 7 p.m.
Last year: Littlestown, 18-13
The skinny: The Bubblers host the first of two straight YAIAA opponents to open the season.
Bolts must: Find confidence in the passing game. Cody Boyd, who struggled in his first year as a starter, had one of his best games against the Bubblers in 2014.
Bubblers must: Flip the script. Boiling Springs has lost four of the last five to Littlestown, even suffering an 18-13 loss last year during the Bolts' worst season of the last decade.
Newport at Fairfield
Kickoff: 7 p.m.
Last year: Newport, 24-21
The skinny: The Green Knights seek revenge after blowing a 21-7 lead in the second half last season.
Green Knights must: Finish. Fairfield almost pulled off an upset but let a two-score lead slip away in the second half at Newport. Darwin Seiler and the Green Knights shouldn't have to look far for motivational material.
Buffaloes must: Avoid turnovers. Fairfield had the second-best turnover ratio in the league last season (plus-11), so avoiding the Green Knights' ball hawks will be key.
Northeastern at York Catholic
Kickoff: 7 p.m.
Last year: Northeastern, 20-17
The skinny: The cross-divisional foes meet again. Their last three season openers have been decided by a combined 13 points.
Bobcats must: Unleash the running attack. Northeastern returns its top three running backs — Kody Reeser, Chris Whack and Fred Mulbah. The trio combined for nearly 1,600 yards on the ground in 2014.
Irish must: Show off the next Hakeem Kinard, who graduated after racking up nearly 3,000 total yards and leading the Irish to a district championship game. But his younger brother, Jakkar, is expected to have a breakout season at running back.
Northern at Susquehannock
Kickoff: 7 p.m.
Last year: Northern York, 48-28
The skinny: After two decades at Delone Catholic and Hanover, Steve Wiles makes his coaching debut at Susquehannock against another first-year head coach, Greg Bowman.
Warriors must: Run the ball. Wiles brings his Wing-T system from Delone in hopes of improving on the Warriors' 602 combined rushing yards in 2014.
Polar Bears must: Clean the slate. After starting off 3-3 last season, Northern lost four in a row. With a new head coach at the helm, the Polar Bears have a chance for a fresh start.
Red Lion at Hershey
Kickoff: 7 p.m.
Last year: Red Lion, 28-7
The skinny: The Lions, who hope to contend for a division crown, open the 2015 campaign on the road.
Lions must: Keep improving. Third-year head coach Jesse Shay has won 12 games in two seasons after taking over a 1-9 team. The Lions have shown progress each season under Shay and could contend for a division title this season.
Trojans must: Forget last season. After five consecutive trips to the postseason, the Trojans suffered a setback last season, finishing 2-8.
Reading at William Penn
Kickoff: 7 p.m.
Last year: Reading, 26-25
The skinny: The Bearcats look to avenge last season's heartbreaking, one-point loss.
Bearcats must: Have someone step up. Having multiple players step up would work as well. The Bearcats are in search of playmakers after losing eight starters on each side of the ball.
Red Knights must: Attack, attack, attack. Teams replacing as many starters as the Bearcats are this season tend to take a few games to gel. Reading should look to take advantage of William Penn's inexperience.
Trinity at Delone Catholic
Kickoff: 7 p.m.
Last year: Trinity, 37-30
The skinny: Delone has lost four of the last five matchups in the "Holy Bowl" series.
Squires must: Set the tone. Expectations in McSherrystown won't be tempered just because Corey Zortman is in his first season. A win against Delone's nonleague rival would be a great start to Zortman's coaching career.
Shamrocks must: Get better on the road. Trinity went winless away from home last season.
York Suburban at Red Land
Kickoff: 7 p.m.
Last year: Red Land, 25-0
The skinny: After a thrilling Little League World Series run, the Patriots fan base turns its attention to the gridiron.
Patriots must: Find a playmaker. For the second straight season, Red Land will have to replace its top playmaker. Phil Overton — who led the team with 31 overall touchdowns and 1,834 rushing yards — graduated after the Patriots' state playoff run.
Trojans must: Air it out. York Suburban has one of the top quarterback-receiver duos in Thomas Merkle and Collin Mailman. The latter is the league's top returning wideout.
New Oxford at Bermudian Springs
Kickoff: 7:30 p.m.
Last year: Bermudian Springs, 34-7
The skinny: The Eagles unveil their new turf field against backyard rival New Oxford.
Eagles must: Not sleep on the Colonials. Yes, the Eagles went undefeated in 2014 while New Oxford was winless, but this is a new season. The Colonials are a hungry team with a new coach, and the Eagles are still fine-tuning their starting lineup after losing 20 starters to graduation.
Colonials must: Win. New Oxford hasn't won a game since October 2013. At some point, that has to change. New Oxford looked solid in its second scrimmage and could give Bermudian a tough challenge.
Saturday's game
Pequea Valley at York County Tech
Kickoff: 1 p.m.
Last year: Pequea Valley, 20-12
The skinny: The Spartans look for their first win vs. Pequea Valley since 2010.
Spartans must: Build. York Tech hasn't had a winning season since 2009 and is replacing a head coach once again. Building a winning program takes time, but wins early in the season help build the necessary confidence.
Braves must: Jump out to an early lead. A strong start similar to last season's 13-0 first half lead against the Spartans is crucial.