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The 2026 season has been a special one for both Cambria Heights and much-improved, senior-laden Central Cambria.
The two teams will meet Friday night in a District 6 Class 3A semifinal-round playoff game at Highlander Stadium, with a berth in next Friday's district championship game on the line.
The winner of the Heights-Central Cambria matchup will take on the winner of Friday night's other District 6 Class 3A semifinal between Central and Philipsburg-Osceola in the district championship game at Mansion Park.
Cambria Heights -- which is seeded second in this year's District 6 Class 3A tournament -- has posted its second undefeated regular season in three years, and the Highlanders have a chance to make their third appearance in a District 6 championship game in four years, and their first at the Class 3A level.
Heights (10-0 this season) also registered an unbeaten season two years ago, in 2024. The Highlanders moved up to Class 3A this year after spending the past two seasons at the 2A level.
Cambria Heights won a District 6 Class 2A title in 2024 and a District 6 Class 1A title in 2023.
Central Cambria narrowly missed the District 6 Class 2A playoffs last year with a 4-6 record, but Red Devils coach Wade Klezek said that the junior players on last year's team learned some valuable lessons during last season's games and they have converted that knowledge as seniors into helping this year's team make marked strides.
Central Cambria, which is seeded third in the district tournament, finished an 8-2 regular season last Friday by blanking an offensively powerful Bellwood-Antis team, 13-0.
"I was really proud with our effort last week, and how physical we played, and how hard that we played,'' Klezek said. "We really executed on defense in big moments, whether it was (playing) a bend-but-don't-break style, or getting some big sacks to take (Bellwood) out of (scoring) range, or getting some key fourth-down stops that were huge for us.
"Those big moments against a quality team like Bellwood really give us a lot of confidence going into this week,'' Klezek added.
Playing with confidence will be vital against a high-quality Cambria Heights team that has scored an average of over 41 points per game.
"They're an undefeated football team that is playing really well this year,'' Klezek said of the Highlanders. "They always seem to make big plays toward the end of the games in some of their closer games. They remind you a lot of Central in how they both play well down the stretch.
"(Cambria Heights) has a lot of good athletes and a lot of good linemen. It will be a good challenge for us.''
Junior quarterback Nolan Clawson is a dual threat on offense for the Highlanders. Along with completing 49 of 81 passes for 937 yards and 13 touchdowns this season, Clawson is also the team's leading rusher, with 1,311 yards on the ground in 138 carries for a 9.5 yards-per-carry average. He has also rushed for 14 touchdowns.
"We have been scoring a high average of points per game,'' Heights coach Jarrod Lewis said. "Nolan is kind of the guy who makes everything go for our offense, and he's getting more comfortable at the quarterback position, but I also think that we do a good job of getting a lot of guys involved in our offense.
"We feel like our offensive line has taken a step (forward), and it feels like all of our skill guys are getting better each week as well,'' Lewis added.
Senior slotback Brayden DeArmitt is a solid contributor both running and receiving the ball for Heights.