HS football Week 10 preview: Stroudsburg at Pleasant Valley, West at East, North at South
Friday Night Lights are dimming on the regular season in the Poconos.
It's Week 10 of high football and two teams are vying for a premiere spot in the playoffs.
On Friday, the Stroudsburg Mountaineers (6-3) head to the West End where they'll face the Pleasant Valley Bears (6-3).
Similar stats: Both teams have displayed a consistent offensive line this season and have won two-thirds of their games in Eastern Pennsylvania's north conference.
Key players to watch: The Mounties' offense (stand-outs include Andre Reames Jr., Jelonie Rierara, Jaiden Bermudez and Nate Voorhis) have been on a hot streak, winning three games in a row, including last week's rivalry win over East Stroudsburg South.
Last week's recap:Battle in the Burgs: Stroudsburg dominates South and reclaims the Little Brown Jug
Meanwhile, the Bears pounced on Pocono Mountain West last week with a 26-14 win in Pocono Summit.
They'll need quarterback Valentino Byers-Robinson, and linemen Alexander Ecker, Fela Olaniyan, Jarod Moore and Romeo Winckler playing their best in order to stop Mounties' key defensive players Kevin Polonia, Voorhis, Ben Jones and Nate Kloss.
"Winning this game gives the team even more confidence going into the playoffs. We need to keep our energy up and continue to play well along with being aggressive on both sides of the ball," Mounties coach Jim Miller said on Thursday. "Our defense needs to make sure they do their job. We have to be disciplined and take care of the responsibilities that each player has. Their coach does a good job with the team, we have to stop No. 40 (Olaniyan) and pay attention to their quarterback. They have a lot of good players."
Other local teams wrapping up their 2022-23 season on Friday:
Pocono Mountain West at Pocono Mountain East
West's Panthers (5-5) will battle for the Pride of the Mountain trophy against East's Cardinals (1-8).
The evening’s events kick off at 6:30 p.m. with a Senior Night recognition ceremony for East cheerleaders and football players, and their parents. East band seniors and their parents will be recognized during a halftime ceremony.
East Stroudsburg North at East Stroudsburg South
In another rival Burgs game, North's Timberwolves (1-8) head to the South's Cavaliers stadium for the 7 p.m. regular-season finale.
The Cavs (3-6) should have the upper hand at home with Colby Mitchell playing his final game as the team's quarterback and sophomore Nathan Gray running the ball.
This article originally appeared on Pocono Record: PIAA football: Week 10 preview - Stroudsburg at Pleasant Valley
