2022 Championship Preview: Bishop McDevitt Crusaders(12-1) look to avenge last years championship loss !

Tagged under: District 3, News, Playoffs

Daniel Reed | December 7, 2022

Bishop McDevitt Crusaders(12-1)
League: Mid-Penn Conference-Keystone
Head Coach: Jeff Weachter

Starting Line up:

Bishop McDevitt lost in the season opener against Imhotep Charter, who is 10-2 and also playing a state championship game in class 5a), 19 to 14 in the Chambersburg Peach Bowl, since then, the Crusaders have rattled off 12 straight victories to reach the state championship game for the second straight season and for the sixth time in program history. McDevitt’s lone state title in football came back 1995 when they defeated a Burrell team 29 to 0 in Class 2A. Since then, the Crusaders have gone 0-4 with three of those losses in Class 3A, and the other coming last year to Aliquippa in Class 4A 34 to 27.

During the 2022 season, quarterback Stone Saunders has had another great season thus far, going 170 of 245 for 3416 yards, 49 touchdowns, with just 2 interceptions. Saunders, just a sophomore will be playing in his second consecutive state championship so there shouldn’t be any first time jitters. In last years title game against the Quips, Saunders put up some impressive numbers for a freshman, throwing for 237 yards, 3 touchdowns on 13 of 24 passing in the loss. I asked Stone what it means to him being able to get back to the state title game, and especially against the team that defeated the Crusaders in last year’s title game and he said, ” It’s what we been all working for since last year at this time, we want to win it for Coach W and the seniors. ” The star sophomore quarterback has already received 16 power 5 offers but says he’s, ” not even thinking about colleges until this week is over, ” that it’s ” secondary to everything this week, ” continuing on to say, ” I just want us to be successful, the most important thing is the state championship. ” As far as the numbers he has put up this season, he says how ” the numbers are okay but, I just want us to be successful “, that, ” the most important thing right now is the state championship. ”

The Crusaders only rushed for 43 yards on 19 carries in last years title game but now with Marquese Williams running the ball, this year could be a different showing as Williams has piled up 1378 rushing yards on 143 carries, scoring 26 touchdowns in the process.

In the receiving core, we have Tyshawn Russell and Rico Scott, combined they have amassed over 2300 yards on 120 receptions, scoring 35 times.

Take a look back on how the Crusaders got to the 2022 PIAA Class 4A State Final…

2022 Schedule:

DATE	OPPONENT	LOCATION	TIME/SCORE
08-20	vs. Central Dauphin East (SCR)	Rocco Ortenzio Stadium	10:00 am
08-27	vs. Imhotep Charter (10-2)	Chambersburg Peach Bowl	L 14-19
09-09	@ La Salle College (5-6)		W 56-7
09-15	@ Palmyra (1-9) *		W 49-3
09-23	vs. Cedar Cliff (7-4) *	Rocco Ortenzio Stadium	W 48-7
09-30	@ Milton Hershey (6-5) *		W 68-22
10-07	vs. Hershey (5-5) *	Rocco Ortenzio Stadium	W 70-0
10-14	vs. Red Land (2-8) *	Rocco Ortenzio Stadium	W 55-14
10-21	@ Mifflin County (6-5) *		W 54-6
10-28	vs. Lower Dauphin (4-6) *	Rocco Ortenzio Stadium	W 68-14
11-11	vs. East Pennsboro (5-7) (P)	Rocco Ortenzio Stadium	W 42-7
11-18	vs. Twin Valley (7-5) (SP)	Rocco Ortenzio Stadium	W 47-3
11-25	vs. Manheim Central (11-2) (P)	Rocco Ortenzio Stadium	W 40-0
12-02	vs. Crestwood (13-2) (SP)	Exeter Township HS	W 35-0
12-08	vs. Aliquippa (13-0) (SP)	Chapman Field (Mechanicsburg)	7:00 pm

* – denotes league game
(SCR) – denotes scrimmage
(P) – denotes playoff game
(SP) – denotes state playoff game

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