Week 9 Preview | 'Good test': Berlin Brothersvalley, North Star to battle for ICC South title (WITH PICKS)

Somerset County rivals Berlin Brothersvalley and North Star have a lot in common. They are ranked first and second, respectively, in the District 5 Class 2A football rankings with matching 7-1 overall and 4-1 Inter-County Conference South Division records. Each team lost to Meyersdale. The squads will also battle for the ICC South title at 7 p.m. Friday in Berlin. Berlin Brothersvalley has won two games in a row this season and 15 straight against North Star, which is riding a five-game winning streak. Both head coaches expect a great matchup at Center Rock Inc. Sports Complex, where Berlin Brothersvalley is 5-0 this year. “North Star has a very good football team,” Berlin Brothersvalley coach Dante Paul said. “They have been playing great defense all year long, and have a very explosive offense. Friday should be a good test to see where each team is at heading into the playoffs.” Week 9 picks North Star is 4-0 on the road. “It’s definitely going to be a tough challenge,” North Star first-year coach Shane Smith said. “I have the utmost respect for their program and their rich history. “We know what we’re getting Friday. “We’re getting a hard-nosed, well-coached football team. Dante has them playing well. It’s going to be an electric environment that we are definitely looking forward to. It has been 15 years since North Star has beaten them, so there is an extra excitement in the air this week that we would love to change that, but we know it’s not going to be easy by any stretch of the imagination. We definitely have our hands full.” Berlin Brothersvalley, which has 52 points compared to North Star’s 50, edged North Star 14-9 Oct. 17, 2025, in Boswell by taking a 14-0 lead. The Mountaineers have beaten North Star every year in the regular season from 2012-25, including a 2024 District 5 Class 2A semifinal. Host North Star defeated Berlin Brothersvalley 34-14 in 2011. The most recent time the Cougars won in Berlin was a 33-13 decision in 2008. North Star earned victories in four straight years from 2005-08, but Berlin Brothersvalley has won 17 of the past 18 meetings. The Mountaineers started 5-0, dropped a 21-0 decision at Meyersdale and have beaten Tussey Mountain and Windber over the past two weeks. “If we want to be in a football game, we’re going to have to be able to match their physicality up front,” Paul said. “Football comes down to blocking, tackling and protecting the football. “We’re going to have to be able to do those things Friday night against a good veteran football team.” Berlin Brothersvalley senior Brady Janidlo has completed 56 of 101 passes (55.4%) for 807 yards, eight touchdowns and four interceptions. Junior Carter Durst leads the run game with 724 yards and 11 touchdowns on 135 carries (5.4 per tote), including three 100-yard games. Junior Dawson Shaffer has 17 catches for 319 yards and three touchdowns. Seniors Carson Janidlo (14 receptions for 203 yards and two scores) and Ryan Janidlo (11 catches for 199 yards and three touchdowns) round out the receiving corps. “They have playmakers all over the field,” Smith said. “Carter Durst, definitely, he’s going to be a problem for us. He’s a big kid. He runs the ball hard. “We have to get to him in a hurry and not let him get a good head of steam. I really like the quarterback as well. I think the quarterback is elusive. He keeps his eyes downfield and throws to multiple receivers that have athleticism.” North Star rebounded from a 20-10 loss to Meyersdale in Week 3 by reeling off five straight wins and outscoring its opponents 120-14 in on-field games. North Star received a forfeit from Windber Sept. 25. The Cougars defeated Northern Bedford County 33-14 a week ago. “We’re led by a lot of seniors,” Smith said. “Our senior leadership has really stepped up. They come every Friday night with high energy. You can see that as the year is moving forward. I think that we’re actually getting better each week. I contribute a lot of that to the senior leadership. We have had four shutouts. We’re playing pretty good defense as well. We tackle well. “I love the way that we’ve been tackling.” North Star senior Kasey Yoder has completed 57 of 107 passes (53.3%) for 1,012 yards, 16 touchdowns and six interceptions. Yoder has 555 rushing yards and four scores. Junior Will Eshleman has 471 rushing yards and seven touchdowns, including two 100-yard games. Eshleman ran for 207 yards and four touchdowns on 12 carries, averaging 17.3 yards per tote, against Northern Bedford. Yoder added 108 rushing yards. Senior Ace Kolson has 21 catches for 351 yards and seven touchdowns. Eshleman (156 yards) and junior Max Pristas (176 yards) each have three receiving scores as five different receivers have 100 or more yards through the air. “You can tell North Star is a veteran group by watching the tape,” Paul said. “They get to the sets they like and execute them very well. The Yoder boy has a great command of the offense, and their offensive and defensive fronts are huge.” North Star has four on-field shutouts this year, blanking Curwensville (49-0), Tussey Mountain (28-0), Everett (47-0) and Northern Garrett (12-0). The Cougars have racked up 66 tackles for loss and 20 sacks. North Star has defended 16 passes and recovered five fumbles. Ten different players have 22 or more tackles. Senior Mason Horner has 121/2 tackles for loss and six sacks. Yoder has five interceptions, and Eshleman has two. “Their size up front is a key contributor to their success as a defense,” Paul said. “Not only are they big, but they are pretty athletic as well. Their linebackers are physical and flow to the ball very nicely, and Yoder plays the free safety spot very well in the back end. They play well together as a unit.” Senior Jake Philip leads Berlin Brothersvalley’s defense with 60 tackles, and senior Sam Speicher has 51 stops. Ryan Janidlo has four sacks, and Brady Janidlo has two interceptions. “They play really good defense and have played defense for a long time,” Smith said of Berlin Brothersvalley. “I remember clear back to the late ’80s and early ’90s, the defenses back then, they just always had a rich history of playing really good defense. We expect that Friday night.” Smith expects a competitive game with each team looking to win the ICC South title and position themselves well for the No. 1 seed in the upcoming District 5 Class 2A playoffs. “There is a lot of stake here Friday,” Smith said. “The ICC comes into play Friday night. “The head-to-head tiebreaker in District 5 is there. It is a really big football game, not only for us, but Berlin also. We’re just excited that after eight weeks, we’re in this position with our record. We look forward to playing a big football game Friday night in Berlin with these guys.” Inter-County Conference South Division Everett (1-7) at Meyersdale (5-3) Last week: Everett 20, Tussey Mountain 0; Wilmington 35, Meyersdale 21. Last year: Meyersdale 35-2. About the Warriors: Week 8’s win over Tussey Mountain was the second time this season that Everett had scored in double digits. In five on-field losses, the Warriors have tallied 27 points, while also forfeiting a pair of games in Weeks 5 and 6. About the Red Raiders: Meyersdale is currently second in the District 5 Class 1A rankings with clashes against Everett and Juniata Valley (5-3) remaining. Meyersdale rallied for two touchdowns after falling behind 21-0 to Wilmington, but couldn’t get over the hump as the Greyhounds pulled away. Spencer Whitfield passed for 139 yards and ran for 99 more in the loss. Windber (5-4) at Northern Bedford County (4-4) Last week: Berlin Brothersvalley 27, Windber 20; North Star 33, Northern Bedford County 14. Last year: Northern Bedford County 28-21. About the Ramblers: Sitting third in the District 5-1A rankings, Windber holds a three-point lead over Northern Bedford County entering this clash. The Ramblers’ emergence as a passing squad has led to 1,001 yards through the air – led by Tyler Tallyen’s 984 yards. Ike Serenko paces Windber’s ground game with 705 yards in eight games. About the Black Panthers: Trace Baker and Nevin Lloyd hooked up for a pair of touchdowns in Northern Bedford County’s loss to North Star in Week 8. Baker and Lloyd connected on strikes of 59 and 49 yards, but couldn’t stop the Cougars’ Will Eshleman, who scored five touchdowns. Heritage Conference Northern Cambria (4-4) at Conemaugh Township (6-2) Last week: Northern Cambria 45, Penns Manor 0; Cambria Heights 49, Conemaugh Township 6. Last year: Conemaugh Township 49-35. About the Colts: Northern Cambria bounded out to a 39-0 lead at halftime against Penns Manor as it evened its record. Levi Czar has rushed for 575 yards to lead the Colts, who have outscored opponents 194-171 in their eight games and are seventh in the District 6-1A playoff rankings. About the Indians: Conemaugh Township sits atop the District 5-1A standings, despite its Week 8 setback. Blake Holder caught a 35-yard touchdown pass from Greyson Studer for the Indians’ only score against unbeaten Cambria Heights. Conemaugh Township had won four straight before its Week 8 loss. Cambria Heights (8-0) at Homer-Center (7-1) Last week: Cambria Heights 49, Conemaugh Township 6; Homer-Center 41, West Shamokin 7. Last year: Cambria Heights 42-7. About the Highlanders: Cambria Heights has mowed through its 2026 schedule, so far, outscoring teams 338-55 and topping the 40-point mark six times. The Highlanders have already gained over 3,000 yards on offense, rushing for 2,480 of those yards through eight weeks. Dual-threat quarterback Nolan Clawson has passed for 672 yards and rushed for 986 more as he has had a hand in 20 touchdowns. About the Wildcats: Only a Week 3 loss to Marion Center has blemished Homer-Center’s campaign thus far. Gabe Cobaugh has rushed for 741 yards, with Carson Arone toting the ball for 669 yards and passing it for 862 more. The Wildcats have scored 148 points in the past three weeks. United Valley (2-6) at Penns Manor (1-7) Last week: United Valley 36, Portage 29 (OT); Northern Cambria 45, Penns Manor 0. Last year: United Valley 44-14. About the Lions: Shaydon Oleksa’s return to United Valley has given the squad a 1-2 punch on the ground while pairing him with Nate Szymusiak. The duo has combined for 1,524 yards and 11 scores. The Lions have split their past four games after an 0-4 start. About the Comets: A Week 2 win over Conemaugh Valley has given way to a six-game skid where opponents are averaging 42.8 points per game while Penns Manor has tallied 15.2 points per game during that span. Andy Jarvie has passed for 1,348 yards and 12 touchdowns. Portage (3-5) at Purchase Line (3-5) Last week: United Valley 36, Portage 29 (OT); Marion Center 34, Purchase Line 6. Last year: Purchase Line 33-6. About the Mustangs: Portage has gone 1-4 after a 2-1 start to the season. The Mustangs sit ninth in the District 6-1A standings, 40 points behind Purchase Line in the chase for the eighth playoff spot. About the Red Dragons: Purchase Line has lost three straight to conference powers Homer-Center (44-0), River Valley (47-7) and Marion Center (34-6). Nolan Engle has rushed for 458 yards and passed for 293 more, while leading a Red Dragons squad that has scored 110 points in three wins, but 35 points in its five losses. Conemaugh Valley (0-8) at West Shamokin (2-6) Last week: River Valley 54, Conemaugh Valley 8; Homer-Center 41, West Shamokin 7. Last year: West Shamokin 22-20. About the Blue Jays: Conemaugh Valley freshman Lane Siwy passed for 223 yards in Week 8’s loss to River Valley. The Blue Jays’ most recent win came in Week 8 of the 2024 season, when they topped West Shamokin 32-0. Since that Oct. 11, 2024, triumph, the program has dropped 20 straight games. About the Wolves: The Wolves are currently one of four teams in District 6-2A with a 2-6 mark, but sit ahead of only United Valley in the points standings with 220, 80 points behind current eighth-place team Penns Valley. Maddox Johns (574 yards) and Cole Wingard (533) lead the rushing attack. Laurel Highlands Athletic Conference Richland (7-1) at Bedford (2-6) Last week: Bellefonte 16, Richland 13; Huntingdon 28, Bedford 21. Last year: Richland 42-14. About the Rams: Despite this past week’s loss, Richland still sits atop the District 6-2A rankings at 980 points, 40 ahead of unbeaten Mount Union. Jacob Regan has passed for 1,679 yards, with Grayson Mahla’s 471 yards fronting a balanced rushing attack. The loss to Bellefonte was the first time this season that Richland was held under 20 points. About the Bisons: Bedford battled from 14 points down, eventually knotting Huntingdon at 21-all before falling. The Bisons have played in six one-score games, winning only their Week 1 clash against Bishop McCort Catholic (14-6). Grey Livengood has seven rushing touchdowns and 441 yards on the ground. Somerset (1-7) at Central Cambria (6-2) Last week: Clearfield 28, Somerset 6; Central 29, Central Cambria 26. Last year: Central Cambria 35-28 (OT). About the Golden Eagles: Somerset’s Garret Reese tossed a 71-yard touchdown pass to Gavin Berkey for the Golden Eagles’ lone score in Week 8. Reese has passed for 900 yards, while Harper Zelenak has pulled in 12 passes for 221 yards. About the Red Devils: Central Cambria, the third-place team in the District 6-3A playoff chase, saw its six-game winning streak snapped against Central. The Red Devils’ two losses have come against teams with a combined 14-2 record. Westmont Hilltop (2-6) at Chestnut Ridge (2-6) Last week: Bald Eagle Area 14, Westmont Hilltop 0; Bellwood-Antis 35, Chestnut Ridge 6. Last year: Chestnut Ridge 55-15. About the Hilltoppers: After a two-game winning streak that spanned Weeks 4 and 5, Westmont Hilltop has dropped three straight to teams that would currently qualify in their respective District 6 playoff brackets. The Hilltoppers are 50 points back of No. 8 Penns Valley for the final spot in 6-2A. About the Lions: Chestnut Ridge has allowed 88 points over the past two weeks against District 6 playoff contenders Penn Cambria and Bellwood-Antis. Jayden Imler has rushed for 642 yards and 10 scores to buoy the Lions’ offense. Bishop McCort Catholic (5-3) at Forest Hills (2-6) Last week: Bishop McCort Catholic 43, Philipsburg-Osceola 39; Bishop Guilfoyle Academy 42, Forest Hills 16. Last year: McCort-Carroll Catholic 73-47. About the Crimson Crushers: Bishop McCort has won five of its past six games, averaging 40.3 points per game during that clip. Quarterback Bentley Bainey rushed for 201 yards and passed for 101, while playing a part in five touchdowns in Week 8’s win over Philipsburg-Osceola. About the Rangers: Currently the No. 2 team in the District 6-4A chase, Forest Hills is looking to snap a four-game skid, while having lost six of seven. Both of the Rangers’ wins have come against teams that are also 2-6 in Westmont Hilltop and Chestnut Ridge. Greater Johnstown (1-7) at Penn Cambria (5-3) Last week: Penns Valley 54, Greater Johnstown 0; Tyrone 17, Penn Cambria 14. Last year: Penn Cambria 48-12. About the Trojans: Greater Johnstown has dropped five straight after a Week 3 win over Somerset. The Trojans have been outscored 293-89, with 121 points allowed in their three most recent contests. About the Panthers: Penn Cambria’s three losses have come by a combined seven points. The Panthers, two-time defending champions in District 6-3A, are currently fourth in the standings. Rushing for more than twice as many yards as they’ve passed for in 2026, the Panthers are led on the ground by Corbin Vinglish, who has 913 yards and 10 touchdowns through eight games. District 7 Ligonier Valley (8-0) at Steel Valley (5-3) Last week: Ligonier Valley 28, South Allegheny 12; Apollo-Ridge 28, Steel Valley 7. Last year: Steel Valley 49-0. About the Rams: Levi Foust eclipsed the 1,000-yard mark on the ground through eight games, having racked up 1,065 yards on 120 carries with 12 scores. He’s also passed for 13 touchdowns and 781 yards, while helping Ligonier Valley win eight games for the first time since 2022. Week 8’s win was the second time Ligonier Valley was held under 40 points this season. About the Ironmen: Steel Valley saw its modest three-game winning streak halted at 7-1 Apollo-Ridge. The Ironmen’s two other losses have come against nonconference opponents Washington (21-6) and Seton LaSalle (54-0).