The high school football landscape will look different for many teams starting next season.

When the much-anticipated merger of the Colonial and Schuylkill leagues takes place in 2020, it will do away with many matchups that have been staples on the schedules for several programs in recent years.

One of those contests to be shifted off the schedule is Lehighton and Marian, a rivalry that features regional ties between two of the area’s premier programs.

“I kind of have mixed feelings,” said Colts’ mentor Pat Morgans, “knowing that this is the last time, you want to do well, and come away with a victory. And it is bittersweet. You like to play these local teams, and it’s a great draw ... but it will be nice playing teams your own size, also. So there are pluses and minuses; there’s good and bad.”

While the outlook is about to change on paper for the foreseeable future, what matters Friday night is simply what happens on the field.

“For us, we don’t have the luxury right now ... to kind of look at any of the outside stuff,” said Indians’ head coach Tom McCarroll. “We really just have to worry about getting better at playing Lehighton football, and whoever happens to be our opponent, we just have to do our best against them.”

Both teams are looking to bounce back after being shutout last week. Lehighton dropped to 1-2 in a 26-0 loss to Central Columbia, while Marian remained winless after a 48-0 setback against Trinity.

The Indians, who were coming off a 27-14 victory over Schuylkill Haven, turned the ball over six times against the Blue Jays.

But, McCarroll pointed to a defense that allowed just seven points after the first quarter against Central Columbia, a unit that has also surrendered an average of just 80 rushing yards in each of the past two games.

On the other side of the ball, the Tribe showed flashes of what the offense was capable of with 376 yards and no turnovers in the win over the Hurricanes.

With some adjustments, McCarroll feels strongly the unit can perform that way with regularity.

“When you can get a fast start, no matter who you’re playing, it really just adds confidence,” said McCarroll. “And that goes back to us as coaches. I came out last week and thought maybe we can take a shot, and gain some quick momentum. It was more of a high-risk, high-reward, where maybe that’s not the approach that is best for us. Maybe we kind of (need to) settle in, be a little more conservative, and kind of pick and choose our spots, where we can take a shot, and maybe it’s not our first play of the game. But let our kids settle in running our base stuff, and then build from there.

“As much as we’re going to ask the kids to do some things differently and simplify, we’re going to do that as coaches as well, because we have to look at ourselves first before we can certainly ask the kids to make those adjustments.”

Lehighton’s leading rusher is quarterback Lucas Sangiuliano (155 yards, four touchdowns). The senior has thrown for 320 yards and two scores, with Zack Hunsicker (eight catches, 163 yards, one touchdown), Hunter Crum (eight, 68) and Ben Schatz (five, 101) among his favorite targets.

The Colts (0-3) are looking to build continuity on offense. Marian has scored just six points this season, a 14-yard connection between sophomores Matt Rehrig and Luis Teron during the second quarter of the season opener against Midd-West.

Injuries have factored into Morgans being forced to shuffle his lineup early on this season, which has led to many new faces in different places each week.

“We have some kids that have played three or four different positions already in the first three games, so it’s tough to get that consistency,” said Morgans. “We just keep plugging away. And I have to give credit to our younger guys, because they’re hanging in there, and they continue to improve.

“But we’re playing a lot of kids that have never played in a high school football game before – not a freshman game, not a JV game, let alone a varsity game. But we’re hanging in there, and they continue to get better, and they continue to work, and we’ll just continue to improve.”

In addition to Rehrig (5-for-7, 76 yards), Mason Miller (5-for-16, 45 yards) and Dakota Streisel (6-for-13, 80 yards) have also seen time at quarterback this season. Teron leads the team with nine catches for 120 yards and a score, while freshman Xavier Ocasio is Marian’s top rusher with 86 yards on 34 carries.

What happens next season remains to be seen. But both programs appear to be embracing a new direction.

“The landscape of football has changed dramatically around here,” said McCarroll. “And I don’t think anybody’s immune to that. So the rivalries, some are certainly still intact, some are not. With the scheduling change that’s going to happen next year, I just think it’s going to be so much more balanced for everybody.”