Blue Mountain remains No. 1 in the Skook News Schuylkill County Football Power 5 after Week 8 of the 2026 season, while Schuylkill Haven and Pottsville move up following victories.
All five teams remain in the rankings. Williams Valley holds the second position, Schuylkill Haven climbs to third, Pottsville moves to fourth and Tri-Valley drops to fifth.
How the Power 5 Rankings Are Determined
The Power 5 considers more than a team’s record. Quality of competition, head-to-head results, performances against common opponents, recent results, consistency and momentum all factor into the Skook News rankings.
1. Blue Mountain (7-1)
- Previous ranking: No. 1
- Week 8 result: Defeated North Schuylkill, 49-10
- Next opponent: Shamokin at home
Blue Mountain remains firmly in control of the top position following another decisive victory.
The Eagles led 35-10 at halftime and increased the advantage to 49-10 after three quarters. Kirby threw three touchdown passes—two to Guers and one to Luckenbill—and added a 12-yard rushing score.
Foose broke a 50-yard touchdown run, Russo scored from 5 yards out and Luckenbill recovered a fumble in the end zone.
Blue Mountain has won all seven of its games by at least 30 points, outscoring its opponents 356-65 in those victories. The Eagles’ only loss was a competitive 45-36 game against Southern Lehigh.
Blue Mountain will host undefeated Shamokin next week.
2. Williams Valley (7-1)
- Previous ranking: No. 2
- Week 8 result: Defeated Marian Catholic, 42-20
- Next opponent: At Shenandoah Valley
Williams Valley responded to its overtime scare against Minersville with a convincing victory over Marian Catholic.
The Vikings led 21-7 at halftime and extended the advantage to 35-14 after three quarters. Hubler scored on runs of 67 and 36 yards, while Thompson added a 35-yard touchdown run.
Witmer scored from 1 yard out and threw a 21-yard touchdown pass to Bowser. Rodriguez returned an interception 38 yards for another score.
Williams Valley’s only loss came against Southern Columbia. The Vikings remain No. 2, with Blue Mountain’s season-long dominance keeping the Eagles in the top position.
3. Schuylkill Haven (4-4)
- Previous ranking: No. 4
- Week 8 result: Defeated Tri-Valley, 39-24
- Next opponent: At Minersville
Schuylkill Haven moves into the top three after recording its second consecutive victory over a ranked opponent.
The Hurricanes fell behind 21-0 and trailed 24-13 at halftime before shutting out Tri-Valley over the final two quarters. Haven scored 26 unanswered points in the second half to complete the comeback.
Reber accounted for all six Schuylkill Haven touchdowns, scoring on runs of 72, 6, 17, 46, 4 and 50 yards.
The Hurricanes have defeated Shenandoah Valley and Tri-Valley in consecutive weeks by a combined score of 87-44. Their only loss over the last five games was a 12-6 decision against Williams Valley.
Haven’s difficult schedule, current momentum and consecutive victories over two of the county’s strongest teams lift the Hurricanes to No. 3 despite their 4-4 record.
4. Pottsville (5-3)
- Previous ranking: No. 5
- Week 8 result: Defeated Pine Grove Area, 61-14
- Next opponent: North Schuylkill
Pottsville moves up one position following its fourth consecutive dominant victory.
The Crimson Tide led Pine Grove 49-14 at halftime and held the Cardinals scoreless over the final two quarters.
Welsh threw four touchdown passes, all to Strencosky, covering 17, 65, 38 and 4 yards. Eroh scored twice on the ground, while M. Clews and Chiccini added rushing touchdowns. Joy recovered a fumble for another score.
Pottsville has defeated Berwick, Tamaqua, Panther Valley and Pine Grove by a combined score of 172-34 during its winning streak.
The Crimson Tide’s losses came against Shamokin, Mount Carmel and Blue Mountain. Pottsville’s difficult schedule and recent dominance have earned it a place in the top four.
5. Tri-Valley (5-3)
- Previous ranking: No. 3
- Week 8 result: Lost to Schuylkill Haven, 39-24
- Next opponent: Nativity BVM
Tri-Valley falls two positions after being unable to protect an early lead against Schuylkill Haven.
The Bulldogs led 21-0 and carried a 24-13 advantage into halftime. However, Tri-Valley was held scoreless in the second half while Haven scored 26 unanswered points.
Keeth opened the scoring with a 3-yard touchdown run, Horoschak recovered a fumble in the end zone and Porter connected with Troutman for a 17-yard touchdown. Hillard added a 19-yard field goal.
Tri-Valley remains inside the Power 5 because of its complete résumé, including a 49-10 head-to-head victory over Shenandoah Valley. That result gives the Bulldogs the edge for the final position.
On the Bubble
Shenandoah Valley (6-2)
The Blue Devils rebounded with a 28-12 victory over Nativity. Shenandoah Valley owns one of the county’s best records, but its two losses came by 39 points against Tri-Valley and 28 points against Schuylkill Haven. The head-to-head loss keeps the Blue Devils behind Tri-Valley.
Tamaqua (4-4)
The Blue Raiders defeated Panther Valley 38-7 for their second consecutive victory. Tamaqua owns head-to-head wins over Schuylkill Haven and Marian Catholic, but Pottsville’s 22-0 victory over the Blue Raiders remains an important result.
Marian Catholic (4-4)
Marian owns a signature victory over Tri-Valley but falls further down the bubble after losing 42-20 to Williams Valley. The Colts have dropped two of their last four games.