District-3 Top 20: (Week #3 Sep 10-11 games 2021)
(All are 6A unless marked otherwise, last week’s rank in parenthesis)
1 Governor Mifflin 5A 2-0 (1)
Nicholas Singleton had another strong game rushing for 138 yards on 14 carries, scoring on runs of 8, 33 and 37 yards. The three scores saw him set the all-time Berks County touchdown record at 80. The bigger news may be they had absolutely no difficulty beating a good Wilson football team. No difficulty….!....with a team that (in my view) is better than last year’s group which lost in the 5A final to Pine Richland 48-44. In what was expected to be a competitive game, Governor Mifflin quickly put those thoughts to rest surging to a 14-0 lead midway through the first period. By the third quarter it was a mercy ruled 35-0. GM throws multiple weapons at you starting with the rotation at quarterback of Eden Johnson (5-11, 195, sr, 8-74ry, 35yd Td) and Delsin McNeil (5-10, 175, sr, 2yd score), then FB Trey Rock (6-1, 210, sr, 7yd score) and of course Singleton who took his season total to 418 yards and eight touchdowns. With a final score of 42-14, you know the O-Line dominated a good Wilson D-Line. This was a concern entering the season. Wilson was held to 90 rush yards and had three turnovers. Cocalico (1-1) is next. And unless they discover the forward pass real quick to go along with their flex bone, they’re in big trouble here, regardless of 18 returning starters.
2 Central York 2-0 (2)
Central York’s defense rose to the occasion, protecting a narrow 7-3 lead by turning Cumberland Valley away on a fourth and goal at the 1-yard line with 10:23 left in the game. That’s a tight stadium with a full house of screaming fans right on you (have track, but steep stands funnels noise) urging their Eagles on with roles now reversed to make a stand and take over with great field position. Didn’t happen. Quarterback Beau Pribula dropped back with good protection finding his favorite receiver Hines Parker wide open forty yards down field, aided by a defender literally tripping over himself to go 99 untouched yards for the score. A final touchdown at the 2:30 mark iced it for a solid but unspectacular 21-3 road win at Cumberland Valley. CV locked down Pribula’s receivers most of the game, allowing eight completions on fourteen tries for 164 yards with two scores and two picks. So he went to his legs, rushing for 102 yards on twelve carries. Congrats to Coach Gerry Yonchiuk who seems to have replaced 19 graduated seniors with another strong group. Helps have Pribula! Always competitive Hempfield (1-1) is next, coming off a narrow 14-0 loss at Manheim Central in Central’s home opener. Now it’s CY’s home opener where they’ll be another large and loud crowd rooting on their Silver Medalist Panthers.
3 Bishop McDevitt 4A 1-1 (4)
Twenty-one unanswered points in the first quarter buried Middletown and set the tone for McDevitt to roll to a 55-7 win. There’s not much to say when a team is as outgunned as Middletown was. But there had to be a lot of pent up energy on McDevitt’s side knowing they were coming off a shutout the previous week to LaSalle of the Philadelphia Catholic League. The Crusaders are rarely handled like that especially as they’ve averaged 36ppg since 2011. The last time they were shutout was 2017 by Harrisburg (11-1) 35-0, and again in 2011 by Cumberland Valley (11-2) 3-0 and Archbishop Wood (14-1) in the 3A title game 52-0. Staying on Memory Lane, that was the year Wood suffered their only loss of the season on what many felt was a controversial field goal, losing to Pittsburgh Central Catholic (11-1) 20-17 in the opener at Gateway. Both came in ranked # 1, Central Catholic in 4A, Wood in 3A. Next up for McDevitt is what should be one of the top games in the state when they travel to Severance Field to play Harrisburg High (2-0). The two are old city rivals but haven’t played since 2017. McDevitt is more but Harrisburg is playing with such fervor.
4 Central Dauphin 1-1 (5)
Down 14-7 to Berks Catholic in the second quarter, Central Dauphin went with a bit of trickery on a fake punt recovered near mid-field followed by Qb Max Mosey rambling 55 yards for the tying touchdown on the ensuing play to tie it. Then with just under a minute left in the first half, he put the Rams up for good with a 5-yard run, taking a lead they never relinquished. BC’s taking a 14-7 lead lit a fuse, with the Rams outscoring them 34-8 for a convincing 41-22 win. Stats show Qb Max Mosey completed 7 of 17 passes for 128 yards with touchdown throws of 37 and 38 yards. He rushed for 84 with the scores mentioned above. Running back Tyrell English rushed for 106 yards and a 55-yard touchdown. The offense was balanced, rushing for 206 yards and passing for 128. BC brought it, they just didn’t bring enough, catching CD coming off a loss. They’re home again this week against Manheim Township (1-1) who is coming off an 41-38 upset at Dallastown. One of these teams is going to be a precarious 1-2 when this one is over.
5 Manheim Central 5A 2-0 (7)
Manheim Central had trouble throughout the game getting the offense going. But the defense shined, shutting down Hempfield 14-0. They came up with stops all night particularly on fourth downs where they nailed the Knights at least three times. Add on nine quarterback sacks and a ton of hurries that held Qb Cam Harbaugh to 159 yards and 14 completions in 36 attempts. Hempfield couldn’t get anything going on the ground, gaining 68 yards. But you have to give Hempfield some credit holding a big Dallastown offense to 21 points the week before, the same Dtown that put 41 on Manheim Township last week. One of Central’s scores was a first quarter 55 yard pick six. Quarterback Judd Novak is off to a good start this season throwing for 136 yards and rushed for 40 after throwing for 306 yards the week before against Cumberland Valley. Disappointing Susquehanna Township (0-2) is next for the Baron’s first road game of the season. They’ve been uncompetitive, losing 44-6 to an underrated Kennett team from Chester County and last week to Milton Hershey (1-1) 52-14,
6 Harrisburg 2-0 (8)
Look out for these guys as they will get nothing but better so long as they stay healthy. The roster/turnout is low and stayed that way for a number of reasons and could have a negative impact as the season progresses. The positive side is this makes for a tight “us against the world” mentality as few were expecting anything from them this year. A glimpse of what they can do was shown against Pine Richland followed by a good performance against Hazleton, winning 31-21. This one was decided early with Harrisburg up 13-0 at the half and 31-0 into the fourth quarter. Through three quarters, Hazleton was held to 11 yards of offense, ending the game with 122. Their highlight was Jim Beltre’s 25-yard scoop and score in the fourth quarter. Harrisburg’s was a 26 yards pick six by Terrell Reynolds giving the Cougars a 25-0 third quarter lead. Freshman quarterback Shawn Lee continues to mature with touchdown passes to Ryan Epps of 6 yards and a 11 yarder to Kyle Williams. Justin Cook adding a 5-yard jet sweep. Next up for Harrisburg is their toughest challenge of the season in their home opener against Bishop McDevitt (1-1).
7 Wilson 1-1 (3)
Wilson looked like they would again be a serious contender for district honors two weeks ago after defeating Central Dauphin 27-21. They may still challenge. But the buzz saw they ran into last week, getting mercy ruled 42-14 for the second straight year by Governor Mifflin may have lasting effects. Consecutive weeks of hard encounters with two of the district’s power teams can leave a mark. After last year’s 48-7 loss to GM, they went on a six game tear, starting with a 31-28 road win against Manheim Township. If they bounce back this week it will be against another worthy opponent in Exeter’s high flying Eagles. They are not Governor Mifflin but the Bulldogs will need much more than the 90 yards rushing they got against Mifflin. And quarterback Brad Hoffman will need to improve from a rough outing in Shillington, completing 9 of 28 passes for 104 yards and two interceptions. Jadyn Jones had 74 yards on 17 carries which was a good outing against GM’s defense. He’ll need to duplicate that against Exeter who put up 28 in a losing 35-28 effort against Central York two weeks ago. And, they’re coming off a 56-8 road win at Boyertown showing their offense is firing.
8 Exeter Township 5A 1-1 (11)
First year starting quarterback Colin Payne continued his torrid pace last week against Boyertown in limited duty (35 second quarter points!) completing 6 of 8 passes for 226 yards and two touchdowns in a 56-8 win. He completed 16 of 23 passes for 294 yards and three touchdowns the previous week in a 35-28 loss (28 all in 4th) to powerful Central York. Exeter is not a one man show with Cabraun Woody rushing for 114 yards and two touchdowns and Messiah Robinson getting a score on 98 rush yards. The hard yards go to senior FB/LBs Tyler Yocum (6-0, 220) and JR Strauss (6-3, 215). It was a big night for the Eagle offense rolling out 498 total yards of offense, 272 rushing. Wilson is next, smarting from a 42-14 shellacking by Governor Mifflin. Knowing Exeter, Wilson, Berks Catholic and Governor Mifflin all play in Reading or its immediate environs, speaks to the high quality of football played in the area.
9 Manheim Township 1-1 (6)
Manheim Township lost their road opener in a wild one when Dallastown scored 2 fourth quarter touchdowns, aided by 2 recovered fumbles. The first came a few plays after the recovery when Caleb Fox sprinted 45 yards to the end zone. The second occurred on the ensuing kick that bounced off a Township player into the hands of Dallastown where eight plays later Qb Dylan Lease ran in from the 5-yard line, giving them a two touchdown lead. Township’s fell short, allowing the Wildcats to hang on for a 41-38 upset. How painful is it gaining 422 total yards in offense and losing? Anthony Ivey had another outstanding game catching 9 passes for 170 yards and a score as Hayden Johnson completed 18 of 28 passes for 282 yards. Township needs to get it together asap in the midst of a four game road trip with Central Dauphin (1-1) up next followed by Spring Ford (2-0), Cocalico (1-1) and surprising Cedar Crest (2-0).
10 Steelton Highspire 1A 2-0 (11)
Steel High had a great time in their opener on Cottage Hill in Steelton blasting Belmont Charter School 61-6 and winning the school’s 800th game! Although they’ve had zero competition these first two game, beating Morrisville 77-0 two weeks ago, the routs allowed backups playing time that’s always important at a Single-A. The Rollers built a 34-0 first quarter lead with reserves shortly flooding the field. Qb Alex Erby completed 9 of 15 passes for 202 yards and 4 touchdowns. A highlight was Durrell Cesser’s 86-yards pick-6. Everyone got in on the fun; Ja’Khai Noss rushing for 70 yards and a score, Jaieon Perry catching touchdowns of 52 and 20 yards and Tyrone Moore catching 4 for 64 yards and two touchdowns. Belmont was held to 127 total yards. Newport (1-1) is next in their first road game coming off a 49-0 blasting by West Perry (1-1) of the Mid Penn-Colonial.
11 Berks Catholic 4A 1-1 (9)
Quad-A Berks Catholic took some swings at Central Dauphin last week connecting on a few in a sustained struggle where they went toe to toe for three quarters, down 21-14. They ran well gaining 188 yards on 44 carries with quarterback Mitchel Gatz completing 7 of 12 passes for 96 yards. Josiah Jordan did damage gaining 50 yards on 7 carries and 74 yards on 5 receptions. Their primary weapon Christian Cacchione gained 80 yards on 22 carries, scoring on a 28-yard pass. It was a strong effort that fell short with the more powerful Rams outscoring them 20-8 in the final quarter to secure a 41-22 win. BC travels to Boothwyn in Delaware County Friday to play Chichester (1-0) who defeated Truman last week 15-9.
12 York (William Penn) 1-1 (13)
Back in the old country people called this the War of the Roses with York, the White Rose City doing battle with Lancaster, the Red Rose City. Some still do. Fortunately, the game was nowhere near as bloody as England’s civil wars with York prevailing in this one over Lancaster High, or JP McCaskey, 54-7. After York’s season opening 55-6 loss to Governor Mifflin, this was just the tonic to regain lost confidence. Mifflin might be that good but York is better than a 49-point loss suggests. Against JPM, they had 430 total yards with quarterback Sam Stoner getting 392 of those yards on 5 touchdown passes. The defense held JPM to 110 yards. York gets a chance to show they can go with the big boys Friday night when they travel to Coatesville (2-0) to play the undefeated Red Raiders, a favorite to win the 6A title in District-1. They took a step in that direction last week beating a strong Perkiomen Valley team 35-27. Quarterback Harrison Susi passing for 146 yards and running for 115 vs Perk Val will be a challenge for the Bearcats.
13 Central Dauphin East 1-1 (14)
Central Dauphin East demonstrated they can compete at the highest levels in the district. They did this by losing narrowly at Manheim Township 24-21 on a field goal in the last 1:28 of the game, and by defeating Warwick last week 28-21, coming back from a 21-7 deficit. Once again they presented a balanced attack, rushing for 175 yards and passing for 124 with a defense that held Warwick’s ground game to 60 yards. The defense also scored when linebacker Thaddeus Krebs had a 76 yard pick 6. Qb Tony Powell then galloped 49 yards for another score to keep pace with the visitors who scored three times in the second quarter. Powell completed two of six passes for 60 yards (52 rushing) before leaving with an ankle. In came Terrence Jackson-Copney (6-0, 175) to complete three of six passes for 62 yards and a 6-yard Td to Mehki Flowers in the fourth quarter. He also scored a 1-yard touchdown two minutes later, finishing with 49 rushing. Running back Marcel McDaniels (5-8, 160, jr) got 78 yards rushing, some of it straight ahead. He combined with Tymere Thornton (6-5, 215, sr, 2/78py), Mehki Flowers (1/16ry. 3/45py) and Powell as a throwing and running threat to give them a legitimate arsenal of weapons. And with Jackson-Copney coming off the bench to spell Powell, they’re in good shape. Powell’s ankle was not perceived to be serious. Undefeated Cedar Cliff (2-0) is next as their challenging schedule continues. The Colts resemble Warwick with a effective passing attack.
14 Warwick 5A 1-1 (12)
Warwick came to Harrisburg focused but maybe a little surprised at how much of a battle they got from CD East, failing to hold 14-7 and 21-14 leads. East High did not wear down. In fact, they came out with better adjustments defensively to outplay Warwick in the second half, holding them to a single touchdown. They did this despite quarterback Tony Powell going down with an injury in the second quarter. East won 28-21 but it was anyone’s game. Quarterback Jack Reed was on for Warwick in his second start of the year (two starts last year) completing 15 of 27 passes for 280 yards, throwing touchdowns of 84 and 29 yards. But he wasn’t enough as East held the running game to 60 yards. Christian Royer’s was it with 58 yards on 24 carries and a 2-yard score. Ryan Fink lead all receivers with 108 yards and an 84-yard Td reception, followed by Cooper Eckert catching two for 44 yards. He had 228 yards in receptions the week before. The Warriors are at upstart Ephrata (2-0) this week with their fine running back Andre Weidman who had 136 yards rushing with 3 touchdowns and a 86 yards kick-off return for a score last week.
15 Cedar Cliff 5A 2-0 (19)
There are a lot of good first year starting quarterbacks in the district this year with Ethan Dorrell being one of them. He led Cedar Cliff completing 18 of 29 passes for 238 yards and three touchdowns while getting loose for a 39-yard score as the Colts edged Cocalico 33-27. It was a back and forth game especially with Cedar Cliff having three touchdowns called back for penalties. But a 4-yard toss to KC Robinson with just under a minute in the game iced it for the Colts in front of a loud crowd at West Shore Stadium. Wide out Trenton Smith was the recipient of 9 Dorrell throws for 132 yards and a touchdown. Cocalico’s Anthony Bourassa showed why he is one of the top backs in the area gaining 184 yards on 27 carries with 4 scores. The Colts get another severe test Friday traveling across the river to play Central Dauphin East who just defeated Warwick 28-21, a team very similar to the Cedar Cliff.
16 Wyomissing 3A 2-0 (HM)
Finally awoke to the reality that Wyomissing has another special team after seeing them throttle Boone in the opener 41-14 and again last week where they dominated previously ranked Pottsville 42-14. Everyone in the district knows they’re going to be good, going 168-37 since their last losing season in 2004. Figuring out how good is always the trick. Coach Bob Wolfrum once again has a team he feels good about if an interview seen last week means anything. Clearly Pottsville being down 35-0 at the half was overrated….at home! Wyo pounded out 264 yards on the ground as FB Tommy Grabowski led the way with 17 carries and 2 scores for 110 yards. Drew Eisenhower had 72 yards and a score while Amory Thompson had 32 yards on 8 carries and a touchdown. Boyertown (1-1) is next coming off a 56-8 loss to Exeter. Then the Spartans get into league play against surprising Hamburg (2-0, 3A) and Fleetwood (1-1, 5A) before the Southern Columbia game.
17 Hempfield 1-1 (15)
Hempfield fought the good fight but came up short in Manheim losing to the Barons 14-0. It was a defensive struggle with Central getting one of their scores on a 55 yard pick 6. Meanwhile, the Black Knights were one dimension with the run game held to 68 yards. But they went for it often on fourth down, being stopped on at least three attempts. Got to like that spirit! For the most part, quarterback Cam Harbaugh was held in check, completing 14 of 36 passes for 159 yards. It was a strong defensive effort by the Barons following the equally strong performance against Cumberland Valley the week before, winning 35-7. Hempfield faces another difficult game this week traveling to York to play undefeated and 2nd ranked Central York. It should be an exciting quarterback duel, matching Hempfield’s Cam Harbaugh against Central’s Beau Pribula. A full on air assault! Both can sling it. Hempfield is in a tough four game stretch (3 of 4 away) having played Manheim Central with Central York, Exeter and Warwick up next. There are going to be some scary 3 and 4 loss teams in the playoffs this year!
18 Cocalico 4A 1-1 (17)
Got to hand it to Cocalico scheduling strong teams in their non-league slate including a 36-21 win against Conrad Weiser in the opener, Cedar Cliff last week where they lost in the final seconds and Governor Mifflin this week. There were bright spots in the Cedar Cliff loss, proving they could go toe-to-toe with a 5A Mid Penn playoff team. Running back Anthony Bourassa wasn’t impressed, rushing for 184 yards and three touchdowns, bringing his season total to 392 rush yards. It was a weird game with no rhythm, and over 200 yards in penalties; three Cedar Cliff touchdowns called back because of them. The deciding factor was Cocalico’s inability to cope with Ethan Dorrell’s passing. He completed 18 of 29 passes, 62%, for 238 yards and 3 touchdowns, and ran for a 39-yard score. Governor Mifflin is next, coming in like a freight train after routing two of the better teams in the district; York 55-6 and Wilson 42-14. It’s in Denver where Cocalico will at least have the home crowd and a bunch of seniors looking to make a statement.
19 ELCO 4A 1-0 (16)
ELCO got a season opening win but dropped in the ratings following a lackluster 21-6 performance at Schuylkill Valley who fell to 0-2. Quarterback Cole Thomas rushed for 125 yards on 17 carries for the Raiders with touchdowns of 4 and 5 yards. Elliott Kreider had the other on a 4 yard run as ELCO rolled out 238 rush yards on 42 attempts. Credit SV for hanging in, down 7-6 entering the fourth quarter where two ELCO scores sealed it. The Panthers have been struggling of late, going 21-61 since 2014. ELCO moves on for what should be a stiffer challenge this week in Robesonia, just west of Reading to play Conrad Weiser (1-1). Because Weiser is also a 4A it’s a game of heightened importance.
TIE
Conrad Weiser 4A 1-1 (18)
Weiser turned things around after the season opening 36-21 loss to Cocalico by dismantling winless Muhlenberg 38-7. An adjustment in the ratings two games in dropped them down a rung to 19. But as long as quarterback Logan Klitsch stays healthy they’re a threat. He’s a good one, completing 60% of his passes for 494 yards with 102 rush yards thus far. At 6-3 200, he’s a hard tackle. He was special last year as 1st team All Berks County with 83 completions on 140 throws for 1336 yards, with a Td-Pick ratio of 15/3. He also rushed for 428 yards with 10 more touchdowns. Anything approaching those numbers this year should keep the Scouts in most games. They’ll need a strong performance this week in the home opener against ELCO who will look to run it down their throat with their veer.
20 Dallastown 6A 1-1 (HM)
It looks like Dallastown is back after disappearing the last two years going 2-8 in 2019 and 1-5 last year. We were spoiled by the Wildcats’ 48-18 record the previous six years, having one of the most explosive running backs in the area in Nyzair Smith. He led them in 2017 rushing for 2087 yards following by 1985 yards his senior year. This year’s team has nothing like that but they have talented players, enough to be competitive at Hempfield in the opener losing 28-21 and to defeat Manheim Township last week 41-38. They’re back! Coleton Mahorney and Caleb Fox are the backs accounting for most of the 264 rush yards against Township last week. Dylan Lease and Owen Strouse have rotated at quarterback throwing for 190 yards last week. Kenny Johnson (6-2,190, jr) hauled in 7 passes for 144 yards and 2 touchdowns, one for 80 yards. By games end they outgained the Blue Streaks 454 to 422 yards. A word about receiver Kenny Johnson. He’s a special talent who transferred in from Suburban after accruing 640 yards in receptions last year, second in the York-Adams. Coach said he will transform them from a run centric team to a more balanced one. Winless Hershey (0-2) who has yet to score a point is next before the York Adams-1 opener against another surprise in undefeated South Western of Hanover. Like Dtown, South Western has some exciting players.
Honorable Mention
Mid Penn
Carlisle 2-0 home to Cedar Crest 2-0
Qb Louis Shank (opened on 2nd team) went 8/12/182 with 4 Tds with a D allowing 14 total points through 2 games. Former Qb Ezeekai Thomas ran for 104 yards with 21 receiving and a touchdown in a 49-0 rout of Hershey.
East Pennsboro 4A 1-1 at Milton Hershey 4A 1-1
Running back Sy Burgos missed last week (coach said he was not available?) in loss to New Oxford after rushing for 368 yards in opener. They’ll need him at MH who features well under valued Dion Bryant who rushed for 368 yards last week.
Shippensburg 5A 2-0 home to 5A Dover 1-1
“Ship” is 106-47 from 2007-2020 with Minnesota commit DE Anthony Smith terrorizing opposition at 6-7 265. Ran for 3 Tds last week!
Boiling Springs 3A 2-0 at James Buchanan 4A 1-1
Scored 106 allowed 8 through two. Might score that much this week vs JB!
Lancaster-Lebanon
Octorara 4A 2-0 home to Pottstown 4A 0-2
Braves stormed York Tech 48-0 via 392 total yards.
Ephrata 5A 2-0 home to Warwick 5A 1-1
Andre Weidman is the real deal rushing for 149 in opener vs Muhlenberg and 135 against Palmyra last week. Careful Warwick.
Cedar Crest 2-0 at Carlisle 2-0
Jay Huber is red hot completing 22 of 35 (63%) for 408 yards with two mercy ruled wins but Carlisle will be their stiffest test to date.
York-Adams
New Oxford 5A 2-0 home to South Western 5A 2-0
Low octane at 28 points in two games but they’re shutouts, 7-0 Bermudian Springs, 21-0 East Pennsboro.
South Western 5A 2-0 at New Oxford 5A 2-0
First road but averaging 41ppg allowing 10. QB Shilo Bivins (6-4, 185) is special, throwing for 330yds at 69%. Game #2 saw backs Cohen Bull with 110 and FB Owen Reed at 115yds.
Spring Grove 5A 2-0 at Northern 4A 2-0
Zyree Brooks rushed for 130yds game #1 and 178 game #2 with twin brother Tyree rushing for 98yds in the opener. Dangerous spot in Northern’s home opener.
Dropped out
Cumberland Valley 0-2 (20)
Red Lion 5A 0-2 (HM)
Penn Manor 1-1 (HM)
(All are 6A unless marked otherwise, last week’s rank in parenthesis)
1 Governor Mifflin 5A 2-0 (1)
Nicholas Singleton had another strong game rushing for 138 yards on 14 carries, scoring on runs of 8, 33 and 37 yards. The three scores saw him set the all-time Berks County touchdown record at 80. The bigger news may be they had absolutely no difficulty beating a good Wilson football team. No difficulty….!....with a team that (in my view) is better than last year’s group which lost in the 5A final to Pine Richland 48-44. In what was expected to be a competitive game, Governor Mifflin quickly put those thoughts to rest surging to a 14-0 lead midway through the first period. By the third quarter it was a mercy ruled 35-0. GM throws multiple weapons at you starting with the rotation at quarterback of Eden Johnson (5-11, 195, sr, 8-74ry, 35yd Td) and Delsin McNeil (5-10, 175, sr, 2yd score), then FB Trey Rock (6-1, 210, sr, 7yd score) and of course Singleton who took his season total to 418 yards and eight touchdowns. With a final score of 42-14, you know the O-Line dominated a good Wilson D-Line. This was a concern entering the season. Wilson was held to 90 rush yards and had three turnovers. Cocalico (1-1) is next. And unless they discover the forward pass real quick to go along with their flex bone, they’re in big trouble here, regardless of 18 returning starters.
2 Central York 2-0 (2)
Central York’s defense rose to the occasion, protecting a narrow 7-3 lead by turning Cumberland Valley away on a fourth and goal at the 1-yard line with 10:23 left in the game. That’s a tight stadium with a full house of screaming fans right on you (have track, but steep stands funnels noise) urging their Eagles on with roles now reversed to make a stand and take over with great field position. Didn’t happen. Quarterback Beau Pribula dropped back with good protection finding his favorite receiver Hines Parker wide open forty yards down field, aided by a defender literally tripping over himself to go 99 untouched yards for the score. A final touchdown at the 2:30 mark iced it for a solid but unspectacular 21-3 road win at Cumberland Valley. CV locked down Pribula’s receivers most of the game, allowing eight completions on fourteen tries for 164 yards with two scores and two picks. So he went to his legs, rushing for 102 yards on twelve carries. Congrats to Coach Gerry Yonchiuk who seems to have replaced 19 graduated seniors with another strong group. Helps have Pribula! Always competitive Hempfield (1-1) is next, coming off a narrow 14-0 loss at Manheim Central in Central’s home opener. Now it’s CY’s home opener where they’ll be another large and loud crowd rooting on their Silver Medalist Panthers.
3 Bishop McDevitt 4A 1-1 (4)
Twenty-one unanswered points in the first quarter buried Middletown and set the tone for McDevitt to roll to a 55-7 win. There’s not much to say when a team is as outgunned as Middletown was. But there had to be a lot of pent up energy on McDevitt’s side knowing they were coming off a shutout the previous week to LaSalle of the Philadelphia Catholic League. The Crusaders are rarely handled like that especially as they’ve averaged 36ppg since 2011. The last time they were shutout was 2017 by Harrisburg (11-1) 35-0, and again in 2011 by Cumberland Valley (11-2) 3-0 and Archbishop Wood (14-1) in the 3A title game 52-0. Staying on Memory Lane, that was the year Wood suffered their only loss of the season on what many felt was a controversial field goal, losing to Pittsburgh Central Catholic (11-1) 20-17 in the opener at Gateway. Both came in ranked # 1, Central Catholic in 4A, Wood in 3A. Next up for McDevitt is what should be one of the top games in the state when they travel to Severance Field to play Harrisburg High (2-0). The two are old city rivals but haven’t played since 2017. McDevitt is more but Harrisburg is playing with such fervor.
4 Central Dauphin 1-1 (5)
Down 14-7 to Berks Catholic in the second quarter, Central Dauphin went with a bit of trickery on a fake punt recovered near mid-field followed by Qb Max Mosey rambling 55 yards for the tying touchdown on the ensuing play to tie it. Then with just under a minute left in the first half, he put the Rams up for good with a 5-yard run, taking a lead they never relinquished. BC’s taking a 14-7 lead lit a fuse, with the Rams outscoring them 34-8 for a convincing 41-22 win. Stats show Qb Max Mosey completed 7 of 17 passes for 128 yards with touchdown throws of 37 and 38 yards. He rushed for 84 with the scores mentioned above. Running back Tyrell English rushed for 106 yards and a 55-yard touchdown. The offense was balanced, rushing for 206 yards and passing for 128. BC brought it, they just didn’t bring enough, catching CD coming off a loss. They’re home again this week against Manheim Township (1-1) who is coming off an 41-38 upset at Dallastown. One of these teams is going to be a precarious 1-2 when this one is over.
5 Manheim Central 5A 2-0 (7)
Manheim Central had trouble throughout the game getting the offense going. But the defense shined, shutting down Hempfield 14-0. They came up with stops all night particularly on fourth downs where they nailed the Knights at least three times. Add on nine quarterback sacks and a ton of hurries that held Qb Cam Harbaugh to 159 yards and 14 completions in 36 attempts. Hempfield couldn’t get anything going on the ground, gaining 68 yards. But you have to give Hempfield some credit holding a big Dallastown offense to 21 points the week before, the same Dtown that put 41 on Manheim Township last week. One of Central’s scores was a first quarter 55 yard pick six. Quarterback Judd Novak is off to a good start this season throwing for 136 yards and rushed for 40 after throwing for 306 yards the week before against Cumberland Valley. Disappointing Susquehanna Township (0-2) is next for the Baron’s first road game of the season. They’ve been uncompetitive, losing 44-6 to an underrated Kennett team from Chester County and last week to Milton Hershey (1-1) 52-14,
6 Harrisburg 2-0 (8)
Look out for these guys as they will get nothing but better so long as they stay healthy. The roster/turnout is low and stayed that way for a number of reasons and could have a negative impact as the season progresses. The positive side is this makes for a tight “us against the world” mentality as few were expecting anything from them this year. A glimpse of what they can do was shown against Pine Richland followed by a good performance against Hazleton, winning 31-21. This one was decided early with Harrisburg up 13-0 at the half and 31-0 into the fourth quarter. Through three quarters, Hazleton was held to 11 yards of offense, ending the game with 122. Their highlight was Jim Beltre’s 25-yard scoop and score in the fourth quarter. Harrisburg’s was a 26 yards pick six by Terrell Reynolds giving the Cougars a 25-0 third quarter lead. Freshman quarterback Shawn Lee continues to mature with touchdown passes to Ryan Epps of 6 yards and a 11 yarder to Kyle Williams. Justin Cook adding a 5-yard jet sweep. Next up for Harrisburg is their toughest challenge of the season in their home opener against Bishop McDevitt (1-1).
7 Wilson 1-1 (3)
Wilson looked like they would again be a serious contender for district honors two weeks ago after defeating Central Dauphin 27-21. They may still challenge. But the buzz saw they ran into last week, getting mercy ruled 42-14 for the second straight year by Governor Mifflin may have lasting effects. Consecutive weeks of hard encounters with two of the district’s power teams can leave a mark. After last year’s 48-7 loss to GM, they went on a six game tear, starting with a 31-28 road win against Manheim Township. If they bounce back this week it will be against another worthy opponent in Exeter’s high flying Eagles. They are not Governor Mifflin but the Bulldogs will need much more than the 90 yards rushing they got against Mifflin. And quarterback Brad Hoffman will need to improve from a rough outing in Shillington, completing 9 of 28 passes for 104 yards and two interceptions. Jadyn Jones had 74 yards on 17 carries which was a good outing against GM’s defense. He’ll need to duplicate that against Exeter who put up 28 in a losing 35-28 effort against Central York two weeks ago. And, they’re coming off a 56-8 road win at Boyertown showing their offense is firing.
8 Exeter Township 5A 1-1 (11)
First year starting quarterback Colin Payne continued his torrid pace last week against Boyertown in limited duty (35 second quarter points!) completing 6 of 8 passes for 226 yards and two touchdowns in a 56-8 win. He completed 16 of 23 passes for 294 yards and three touchdowns the previous week in a 35-28 loss (28 all in 4th) to powerful Central York. Exeter is not a one man show with Cabraun Woody rushing for 114 yards and two touchdowns and Messiah Robinson getting a score on 98 rush yards. The hard yards go to senior FB/LBs Tyler Yocum (6-0, 220) and JR Strauss (6-3, 215). It was a big night for the Eagle offense rolling out 498 total yards of offense, 272 rushing. Wilson is next, smarting from a 42-14 shellacking by Governor Mifflin. Knowing Exeter, Wilson, Berks Catholic and Governor Mifflin all play in Reading or its immediate environs, speaks to the high quality of football played in the area.
9 Manheim Township 1-1 (6)
Manheim Township lost their road opener in a wild one when Dallastown scored 2 fourth quarter touchdowns, aided by 2 recovered fumbles. The first came a few plays after the recovery when Caleb Fox sprinted 45 yards to the end zone. The second occurred on the ensuing kick that bounced off a Township player into the hands of Dallastown where eight plays later Qb Dylan Lease ran in from the 5-yard line, giving them a two touchdown lead. Township’s fell short, allowing the Wildcats to hang on for a 41-38 upset. How painful is it gaining 422 total yards in offense and losing? Anthony Ivey had another outstanding game catching 9 passes for 170 yards and a score as Hayden Johnson completed 18 of 28 passes for 282 yards. Township needs to get it together asap in the midst of a four game road trip with Central Dauphin (1-1) up next followed by Spring Ford (2-0), Cocalico (1-1) and surprising Cedar Crest (2-0).
10 Steelton Highspire 1A 2-0 (11)
Steel High had a great time in their opener on Cottage Hill in Steelton blasting Belmont Charter School 61-6 and winning the school’s 800th game! Although they’ve had zero competition these first two game, beating Morrisville 77-0 two weeks ago, the routs allowed backups playing time that’s always important at a Single-A. The Rollers built a 34-0 first quarter lead with reserves shortly flooding the field. Qb Alex Erby completed 9 of 15 passes for 202 yards and 4 touchdowns. A highlight was Durrell Cesser’s 86-yards pick-6. Everyone got in on the fun; Ja’Khai Noss rushing for 70 yards and a score, Jaieon Perry catching touchdowns of 52 and 20 yards and Tyrone Moore catching 4 for 64 yards and two touchdowns. Belmont was held to 127 total yards. Newport (1-1) is next in their first road game coming off a 49-0 blasting by West Perry (1-1) of the Mid Penn-Colonial.
11 Berks Catholic 4A 1-1 (9)
Quad-A Berks Catholic took some swings at Central Dauphin last week connecting on a few in a sustained struggle where they went toe to toe for three quarters, down 21-14. They ran well gaining 188 yards on 44 carries with quarterback Mitchel Gatz completing 7 of 12 passes for 96 yards. Josiah Jordan did damage gaining 50 yards on 7 carries and 74 yards on 5 receptions. Their primary weapon Christian Cacchione gained 80 yards on 22 carries, scoring on a 28-yard pass. It was a strong effort that fell short with the more powerful Rams outscoring them 20-8 in the final quarter to secure a 41-22 win. BC travels to Boothwyn in Delaware County Friday to play Chichester (1-0) who defeated Truman last week 15-9.
12 York (William Penn) 1-1 (13)
Back in the old country people called this the War of the Roses with York, the White Rose City doing battle with Lancaster, the Red Rose City. Some still do. Fortunately, the game was nowhere near as bloody as England’s civil wars with York prevailing in this one over Lancaster High, or JP McCaskey, 54-7. After York’s season opening 55-6 loss to Governor Mifflin, this was just the tonic to regain lost confidence. Mifflin might be that good but York is better than a 49-point loss suggests. Against JPM, they had 430 total yards with quarterback Sam Stoner getting 392 of those yards on 5 touchdown passes. The defense held JPM to 110 yards. York gets a chance to show they can go with the big boys Friday night when they travel to Coatesville (2-0) to play the undefeated Red Raiders, a favorite to win the 6A title in District-1. They took a step in that direction last week beating a strong Perkiomen Valley team 35-27. Quarterback Harrison Susi passing for 146 yards and running for 115 vs Perk Val will be a challenge for the Bearcats.
13 Central Dauphin East 1-1 (14)
Central Dauphin East demonstrated they can compete at the highest levels in the district. They did this by losing narrowly at Manheim Township 24-21 on a field goal in the last 1:28 of the game, and by defeating Warwick last week 28-21, coming back from a 21-7 deficit. Once again they presented a balanced attack, rushing for 175 yards and passing for 124 with a defense that held Warwick’s ground game to 60 yards. The defense also scored when linebacker Thaddeus Krebs had a 76 yard pick 6. Qb Tony Powell then galloped 49 yards for another score to keep pace with the visitors who scored three times in the second quarter. Powell completed two of six passes for 60 yards (52 rushing) before leaving with an ankle. In came Terrence Jackson-Copney (6-0, 175) to complete three of six passes for 62 yards and a 6-yard Td to Mehki Flowers in the fourth quarter. He also scored a 1-yard touchdown two minutes later, finishing with 49 rushing. Running back Marcel McDaniels (5-8, 160, jr) got 78 yards rushing, some of it straight ahead. He combined with Tymere Thornton (6-5, 215, sr, 2/78py), Mehki Flowers (1/16ry. 3/45py) and Powell as a throwing and running threat to give them a legitimate arsenal of weapons. And with Jackson-Copney coming off the bench to spell Powell, they’re in good shape. Powell’s ankle was not perceived to be serious. Undefeated Cedar Cliff (2-0) is next as their challenging schedule continues. The Colts resemble Warwick with a effective passing attack.
14 Warwick 5A 1-1 (12)
Warwick came to Harrisburg focused but maybe a little surprised at how much of a battle they got from CD East, failing to hold 14-7 and 21-14 leads. East High did not wear down. In fact, they came out with better adjustments defensively to outplay Warwick in the second half, holding them to a single touchdown. They did this despite quarterback Tony Powell going down with an injury in the second quarter. East won 28-21 but it was anyone’s game. Quarterback Jack Reed was on for Warwick in his second start of the year (two starts last year) completing 15 of 27 passes for 280 yards, throwing touchdowns of 84 and 29 yards. But he wasn’t enough as East held the running game to 60 yards. Christian Royer’s was it with 58 yards on 24 carries and a 2-yard score. Ryan Fink lead all receivers with 108 yards and an 84-yard Td reception, followed by Cooper Eckert catching two for 44 yards. He had 228 yards in receptions the week before. The Warriors are at upstart Ephrata (2-0) this week with their fine running back Andre Weidman who had 136 yards rushing with 3 touchdowns and a 86 yards kick-off return for a score last week.
15 Cedar Cliff 5A 2-0 (19)
There are a lot of good first year starting quarterbacks in the district this year with Ethan Dorrell being one of them. He led Cedar Cliff completing 18 of 29 passes for 238 yards and three touchdowns while getting loose for a 39-yard score as the Colts edged Cocalico 33-27. It was a back and forth game especially with Cedar Cliff having three touchdowns called back for penalties. But a 4-yard toss to KC Robinson with just under a minute in the game iced it for the Colts in front of a loud crowd at West Shore Stadium. Wide out Trenton Smith was the recipient of 9 Dorrell throws for 132 yards and a touchdown. Cocalico’s Anthony Bourassa showed why he is one of the top backs in the area gaining 184 yards on 27 carries with 4 scores. The Colts get another severe test Friday traveling across the river to play Central Dauphin East who just defeated Warwick 28-21, a team very similar to the Cedar Cliff.
16 Wyomissing 3A 2-0 (HM)
Finally awoke to the reality that Wyomissing has another special team after seeing them throttle Boone in the opener 41-14 and again last week where they dominated previously ranked Pottsville 42-14. Everyone in the district knows they’re going to be good, going 168-37 since their last losing season in 2004. Figuring out how good is always the trick. Coach Bob Wolfrum once again has a team he feels good about if an interview seen last week means anything. Clearly Pottsville being down 35-0 at the half was overrated….at home! Wyo pounded out 264 yards on the ground as FB Tommy Grabowski led the way with 17 carries and 2 scores for 110 yards. Drew Eisenhower had 72 yards and a score while Amory Thompson had 32 yards on 8 carries and a touchdown. Boyertown (1-1) is next coming off a 56-8 loss to Exeter. Then the Spartans get into league play against surprising Hamburg (2-0, 3A) and Fleetwood (1-1, 5A) before the Southern Columbia game.
17 Hempfield 1-1 (15)
Hempfield fought the good fight but came up short in Manheim losing to the Barons 14-0. It was a defensive struggle with Central getting one of their scores on a 55 yard pick 6. Meanwhile, the Black Knights were one dimension with the run game held to 68 yards. But they went for it often on fourth down, being stopped on at least three attempts. Got to like that spirit! For the most part, quarterback Cam Harbaugh was held in check, completing 14 of 36 passes for 159 yards. It was a strong defensive effort by the Barons following the equally strong performance against Cumberland Valley the week before, winning 35-7. Hempfield faces another difficult game this week traveling to York to play undefeated and 2nd ranked Central York. It should be an exciting quarterback duel, matching Hempfield’s Cam Harbaugh against Central’s Beau Pribula. A full on air assault! Both can sling it. Hempfield is in a tough four game stretch (3 of 4 away) having played Manheim Central with Central York, Exeter and Warwick up next. There are going to be some scary 3 and 4 loss teams in the playoffs this year!
18 Cocalico 4A 1-1 (17)
Got to hand it to Cocalico scheduling strong teams in their non-league slate including a 36-21 win against Conrad Weiser in the opener, Cedar Cliff last week where they lost in the final seconds and Governor Mifflin this week. There were bright spots in the Cedar Cliff loss, proving they could go toe-to-toe with a 5A Mid Penn playoff team. Running back Anthony Bourassa wasn’t impressed, rushing for 184 yards and three touchdowns, bringing his season total to 392 rush yards. It was a weird game with no rhythm, and over 200 yards in penalties; three Cedar Cliff touchdowns called back because of them. The deciding factor was Cocalico’s inability to cope with Ethan Dorrell’s passing. He completed 18 of 29 passes, 62%, for 238 yards and 3 touchdowns, and ran for a 39-yard score. Governor Mifflin is next, coming in like a freight train after routing two of the better teams in the district; York 55-6 and Wilson 42-14. It’s in Denver where Cocalico will at least have the home crowd and a bunch of seniors looking to make a statement.
19 ELCO 4A 1-0 (16)
ELCO got a season opening win but dropped in the ratings following a lackluster 21-6 performance at Schuylkill Valley who fell to 0-2. Quarterback Cole Thomas rushed for 125 yards on 17 carries for the Raiders with touchdowns of 4 and 5 yards. Elliott Kreider had the other on a 4 yard run as ELCO rolled out 238 rush yards on 42 attempts. Credit SV for hanging in, down 7-6 entering the fourth quarter where two ELCO scores sealed it. The Panthers have been struggling of late, going 21-61 since 2014. ELCO moves on for what should be a stiffer challenge this week in Robesonia, just west of Reading to play Conrad Weiser (1-1). Because Weiser is also a 4A it’s a game of heightened importance.
TIE
Conrad Weiser 4A 1-1 (18)
Weiser turned things around after the season opening 36-21 loss to Cocalico by dismantling winless Muhlenberg 38-7. An adjustment in the ratings two games in dropped them down a rung to 19. But as long as quarterback Logan Klitsch stays healthy they’re a threat. He’s a good one, completing 60% of his passes for 494 yards with 102 rush yards thus far. At 6-3 200, he’s a hard tackle. He was special last year as 1st team All Berks County with 83 completions on 140 throws for 1336 yards, with a Td-Pick ratio of 15/3. He also rushed for 428 yards with 10 more touchdowns. Anything approaching those numbers this year should keep the Scouts in most games. They’ll need a strong performance this week in the home opener against ELCO who will look to run it down their throat with their veer.
20 Dallastown 6A 1-1 (HM)
It looks like Dallastown is back after disappearing the last two years going 2-8 in 2019 and 1-5 last year. We were spoiled by the Wildcats’ 48-18 record the previous six years, having one of the most explosive running backs in the area in Nyzair Smith. He led them in 2017 rushing for 2087 yards following by 1985 yards his senior year. This year’s team has nothing like that but they have talented players, enough to be competitive at Hempfield in the opener losing 28-21 and to defeat Manheim Township last week 41-38. They’re back! Coleton Mahorney and Caleb Fox are the backs accounting for most of the 264 rush yards against Township last week. Dylan Lease and Owen Strouse have rotated at quarterback throwing for 190 yards last week. Kenny Johnson (6-2,190, jr) hauled in 7 passes for 144 yards and 2 touchdowns, one for 80 yards. By games end they outgained the Blue Streaks 454 to 422 yards. A word about receiver Kenny Johnson. He’s a special talent who transferred in from Suburban after accruing 640 yards in receptions last year, second in the York-Adams. Coach said he will transform them from a run centric team to a more balanced one. Winless Hershey (0-2) who has yet to score a point is next before the York Adams-1 opener against another surprise in undefeated South Western of Hanover. Like Dtown, South Western has some exciting players.
Honorable Mention
Mid Penn
Carlisle 2-0 home to Cedar Crest 2-0
Qb Louis Shank (opened on 2nd team) went 8/12/182 with 4 Tds with a D allowing 14 total points through 2 games. Former Qb Ezeekai Thomas ran for 104 yards with 21 receiving and a touchdown in a 49-0 rout of Hershey.
East Pennsboro 4A 1-1 at Milton Hershey 4A 1-1
Running back Sy Burgos missed last week (coach said he was not available?) in loss to New Oxford after rushing for 368 yards in opener. They’ll need him at MH who features well under valued Dion Bryant who rushed for 368 yards last week.
Shippensburg 5A 2-0 home to 5A Dover 1-1
“Ship” is 106-47 from 2007-2020 with Minnesota commit DE Anthony Smith terrorizing opposition at 6-7 265. Ran for 3 Tds last week!
Boiling Springs 3A 2-0 at James Buchanan 4A 1-1
Scored 106 allowed 8 through two. Might score that much this week vs JB!
Lancaster-Lebanon
Octorara 4A 2-0 home to Pottstown 4A 0-2
Braves stormed York Tech 48-0 via 392 total yards.
Ephrata 5A 2-0 home to Warwick 5A 1-1
Andre Weidman is the real deal rushing for 149 in opener vs Muhlenberg and 135 against Palmyra last week. Careful Warwick.
Cedar Crest 2-0 at Carlisle 2-0
Jay Huber is red hot completing 22 of 35 (63%) for 408 yards with two mercy ruled wins but Carlisle will be their stiffest test to date.
York-Adams
New Oxford 5A 2-0 home to South Western 5A 2-0
Low octane at 28 points in two games but they’re shutouts, 7-0 Bermudian Springs, 21-0 East Pennsboro.
South Western 5A 2-0 at New Oxford 5A 2-0
First road but averaging 41ppg allowing 10. QB Shilo Bivins (6-4, 185) is special, throwing for 330yds at 69%. Game #2 saw backs Cohen Bull with 110 and FB Owen Reed at 115yds.
Spring Grove 5A 2-0 at Northern 4A 2-0
Zyree Brooks rushed for 130yds game #1 and 178 game #2 with twin brother Tyree rushing for 98yds in the opener. Dangerous spot in Northern’s home opener.
Dropped out
Cumberland Valley 0-2 (20)
Red Lion 5A 0-2 (HM)
Penn Manor 1-1 (HM)
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