Football coaches rarely sleep well during the season.

They are always scheming the next game plan, x’ing and o’ing long after the rest of us have called it day.

With hapless foes Pine Grove and Salisbury up next for the Palmerton Blue Bombers, you’d think Palmerton coach Chris Walkowiak, whose team is an impressive 5-0, would sleep like Winnie the Pooh right now.

But you’d be wrong. If anything Walkowiak is more restless than ever, not because he fears his next two opponents.

Nope, Week 8 brings North Schuylkill, realistically the only team that stands between the Bombers and a 10-0 regular season - Palmerton finishes the season with Tamaqua and Northern Lehigh.

Walkowiak’s mind is racing more than ever right now.

• How long do I keep all-everything quarterback Matt Machalick in the next two games?

• Do I start to prepare for North Schuylkill right now? ... Coaches will say they take it one game at a time, but that’s B.S. Walkowiak knows North Schuylkill is the team that can ruin their perfect season, not Pine Grove or Salisbury.

• Do I just run the football the next two weeks, having Mighty Matt just hand off to reduce the chances of injury?

• Do I put in wrinkle plays now that I’ll use against North Schuylkill?

• What was that speech I used two weeks ago when we beat Notre Dame? Maybe recycle that one for North Schuylkill?

• Am I ever going to get any sleep?

Walkowiak is in a position every coach wants to be in - undefeated and heavily favored in four of its last five games.

The problem is that fifth game. Wish I could help you coach, but I’m calling it a day. Feel free to reach out to me in about eight hours.

9 - Tamaqua

Nope, not buying it, not yet. Beat Jim Thorpe Friday night on Homecoming and I’m a believer.

8 - Jim Thorpe

The Olympians pounded Pine Grove last week, 47-7. I’m not sure if I feel sorrier for Pine Grove or Salisbury these days. Both are just getting hammered every week.

7 - Marian

The Colts got a hard-fought win over rival Nativity 12-6 last week and get a stiff test this week in Mahanoy Area.

6 - Panther Valley

The Panthers are gathering some steam and showed real grit last week in a 41-28 loss to Minersville and its talented quarterback Dante Carr, an underclassmen who is getting looks from big-time schools.

5 - Northern Lehigh

The Bulldogs were one of several teams involved in lopsided games last week, losing to North Schuylkill 42-6. They will feel much better this Friday night after hosting Salisbury.

4 - Lehighton

Another team on the wrong end of a blowout - this one against Northwestern. Blue Mountain will be a tough one Friday night too.

3 - Pleasant Valley

Pretty tough for the Bears, an easy 42-13 winner for East Stroudsburg North last week, to move up. Northwestern and Palmerton are just too doggone good.

2 - Northwestern

Still a bit early to be thinking it, but what the heck. Can the Tigers go 10-0 in regular season? Saucon Valley, Friday’s opponent, isn’t Salisbury, but the Falcons aren’t Palmerton either.

1 - Palmerton

Coach Walkowiak has an opportunity for a nap in the fourth quarter of the Bombers’ home game with Pine Grove.

Out of this world game: It was quite the intergalactic battle last Friday in Allegheny County when Moon hosted Mars. The hosts prevailed, beating the Fightin’ Planets, who beamed in from Butler County, 26-23. Notable alumni from Moon Area are Kentucky basketball coach John Calipari, former Notre Dame coach Bob Davie and former Penn State linebacker Rich Milot (1975-79) who played for the Washington Redskins (1979-87) and won two Super Bowl rings.

60 or more: In the high school score listings in Saturday’s Times News, 10 teams scored 60 or more points in Pennsylvania high school games last Friday, including this doozy: Clarion 86, Bradford 0.