Here's an intriguing quirk in the Week 1 schedule: There are four games between YAIAA Division I teams and Division II teams (West York-Central, Dallastown-Suburban, Littlestown-Dover and Spring Grove-Kennard-Dale).
What better way to determine which football division is stronger this season?
They do this sort of thing ever year in big-time college basketball. Here's a chance to do the same for area high school football. I think these matchups are particularly appropriate to settle the question of which division is better top to bottom.
The West York-Central York game is the premier contest of the four -- a battle of two of the top teams from each division. The Panthers are not the defending champions like William Penn, but they look poised for another playoff run this season and beat the Bulldogs last year.
Dallastown and York Suburban are both looking to make a splash to start the season. A victory for the Trojans will go a long way to reaching the playoffs. If the Wildcats believe they can contend for a Division I title they should at least be able to take down the Trojans.
Both Littlestown and Dover are moving up a division after relatively successful campaigns in Division II and Division III, respectively, in 2007. You could make the argument for either squad as the more potent addition to its new division, and this contest will make one of those arguments stronger than the other.
The matchup of Spring Grove against Kennard-Dale features two squads that ended the season below .500 last season and will have an uphill battle finishing above water this year. Can a team from the bottom half of Division II take down a team from the bottom half of Division I? The Rams have a chance to provide evidence to the affirmative.
My prediction? I think it will end up being a 2-2 split. Let the debate continue...
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