Even while compiling an 0-10 record last year, Susquehanna Township’s football team showed flashes of good things to come.

Those good things are beginning to show up this fall.

Elijah Britner

The Indians (3-3, 1-2 MPC) are a dangerous team this season, and will be a tough assignment for Greencastle-Antrim on Friday night at 7 p.m. at Kaley Field in the Blue Devils’ Homecoming game.

“They’re always a dangerous team because they’re so athletic,” Greencastle coach Devin McCauley said. “You have to play your responsibilities (on defense) or they can burn you. This will be a tough game for us.”

The Blue Devils (4-2, 1-2 MPC) have lost two straight games after a 4-0 start. A dominating first half last week at Northern dissolved in the second half of a 29-18 defeat, but McCauley does not think that will linger this week.

“The kids have done well in practice and we’ve refocused,” he said. “We’re happy to be home for Homecoming; I think the kids are juiced for that. I don’t expect any emotional letdown.”

Greencastle took an 18-7 lead against the Polar Bears last week in the first half, holding Northern to three-and-outs on three of its first four possessions.

McCauley said, “We tried something different and put in a fifth linebacker. We gave a start to J.D. Flynn, who’d been having a nice JV season, and he ended up making 14 tackles. One other linebacker, Logan Shifflett, also had 14 tackles.

“But they were both getting lots of help from the D-line, especially Elijah Britner. He always draws a double team and that sets up the linebackers to make the tackles.”

Quarterback Logan Alvey also had a fine game, completing 16 of 23 passes for 207 yards. For the season, his first as the starter, Alvey’s stats include 56 completions in 86 attempts (65%) for 791 yards, 9 TDs and 3 interceptions.

Tavon Cooper continued his big-time season, hitting triple digits in rushing. For the season, Cooper has run the ball 105 times for 892 yards and scored 8 touchdowns. He’s also caught 15 balls for 134 yards.

Seth Stouffer leads the receivers with 18 catches for 350 yards and 5 TDs.

The Indians feature plenty of young talent, including freshman QB TD Evans, junior RB Dorian Smith and sophomore wideout Lex Cyrus.

Smith, who burned Waynesboro for 147 yards last week in a 23-0 win, has 485 yards and 3 TDs for the season, while Cyrus — who already has NCAA Div. I offers from several schools — has 10 catches for 102 yards.

McCauley said, “They probably run the ball 70% of the time, but you have to honor the quarterback. We don’t want to let him get out of the pocket.”

NOTES: On defense for G-A, Shifflett leads with 53 tackles and Jake Yelton has 41 … Yelton also has 4 tackles for a loss and 4 sacks … Stouffer has 3 interceptions and Jackson Eby has 2 … Eby is averaging 42.8 yards per punt … Susquehanna halted a long losing streak with a win over Northern Lebanon in Week 2, then took a forfeit win over Middletown, when the Blue Raiders’ season was shut down for hazing.