Eight weeks down, one to go.

The Butler Eagle Scoring Trophy is up for grabs and Scoop isn't even sure who to pick in such a tight race.

With 48 minutes of football remaining in the WPIAL regular season, two frontrunners have emerged.

Seneca Valley all-purpose back Forrest Barnes and Mars' bruising battering ram Josh Schultheis have each tallied 21 total touchdowns and a two-point conversion for 128 points this season.

Some might have expected such a campaign from Barnes as he approached the Seneca Valley record books, but Schultheis — who is just a sophomore — exploded on the scene in Week 1 and has proven to be a consistent force for the Planets.

Knoch, however, could potentially ride a dark horse into the winner's circle. Ben Tackett has racked up 19 total touchdowns and currently stands 14 points back with 114.

So, who's it going to be?

The schedule appears to favor Barnes.

The Raiders (7-1) visit Fox Chapel (1-7) on Friday and the Foxes have surrendered at least 25 points in each of their defeats. But if the Raiders score early and often with a variety of weapons, it's possible SV coach Don Holl would rest his star with the postseason approaching.

Mars (7-1) travels to Hampton (7-1) with the Greater Allegheny Conference title on the line. The Talbots are allowing just under 13 points per game and haven't given up more than three touchdowns in a contest all year.

Tackett could conceivably pass both with a monster game at Highlands, which has won four straight and hasn't allowed more than 17 points during the streak..

No player has registered a higher ratio of his team's points than Tackett, who has accounted for 53.3 percent of Knoch's scoring. Barnes (42.8 percent) and Schultheis (40.8 percent) are heavily relied on by their respective teams, but not quite like Tackett.

Regardless of who winds up succeeding Grove City's 2010 and 2011 champion Wes Phipps, all three contenders are guaranteed to reach the playoffs — which might be the only place sweeter than the end zone.