Trojans Control Their Own Destiny as TVAA Playoffs Approach

With a 6-2 league record and the TVAA's most potent offense, Upper Dauphin sits comfortably inside the playoff picture — but a showdown with unbeaten Susquenita looms large.

Elizabethville, Pa. — The Upper Dauphin Area Trojans have built one of the most productive offenses in the Tri Valley Athletic Association this season, and with the league playoffs on the horizon, the payoff for all of that production is now within reach.

Sitting at 6-2 in league play and 8-6 overall, the Trojans hold the second-best record in the East Division. Under the TVAA playoff format — which awards berths to the two division champions plus the next two best league records regardless of division — Upper Dauphin currently occupies one of those coveted spots.

The Trojans have been an offensive juggernaut all season. Junior Amaya Hoffman leads the entire TVAA in hits (17), total bases (31), RBI (16) and slugging percentage (1.107). Teammate Lydia Engle leads the association with 18 RBI, while Miley Yeager (17 runs scored), Layla Smith and Makenna Schaffner have been consistent contributors up and down the lineup. The Trojans have scored 149 total runs on the season, second in the league only to Susquenita.

In the pitching circle, the Trojans have leaned on a pair of juniors in Nalona Jury and Miley Yeager to carry the load. Jury has posted a 3.82 ERA over 22 innings with a 1.273 WHIP, while Yeager has added 26 strikeouts across 15 innings. Both will need to be sharp as Upper Dauphin faces some of its toughest remaining opponents.

The road ahead is not without its challenges. The Trojans travel to Susquenita on Wednesday in what could be one of the biggest games of the regular season. The Blackhawks enter play at 7-0 in league play and are the defending TVAA champions. A Trojan victory would apply enormous pressure to Susquenita and potentially open the door for Upper Dauphin to make a run at the East Division title outright.

Halifax, currently 5-1 in league play, is also very much in the picture, making the East Division a three-team race with significant seeding implications. The division standings figure to shift dramatically over the coming two weeks.

What the Trojans have in their favor is depth, a proven offense, and the knowledge that they control their own fate. Win the games they are supposed to win, and a playoff berth is theirs. Go on a run — and this roster has shown it is capable — and they could be playing for a division crown.

The TVAA playoffs are scheduled to begin May 11.