Bishop McDevitt takes on Manheim Central for the District 3 Class 5A title

Tagged under: District 3, News, Playoffs

Bill and Jen Wintermyer | November 22, 2022

This should be one of the better games in District 3 playoffs. Both teams are coming off games where they each scored 40+ points. They forced their will on their opponents in all facets of the game, offense, defense, and special teams. This preview will show you the numbers within this game.

Quarterbacks:

Leading Bishop McDevitt is Sophomore Stone Saunders, the engine that makes this team go. Saunders enters this game with an amazing season, he has completed 156 passes to 227 attempts, thrown for 3,029 yards, and a completion rate of 69%, avg passing is 19.4 yards per catch, he throws for 275.4 yards per game, Stone has thrown 44 TD’s with only 1 interception, and a QB rating of 149.2

Manheim Central has a ball slinger of their own in Junior Zac Han, as Zac goes so does the team. He comes into this game completing 129 passes out of 207 attempts, thrown for 2,178 total yards, with a 63% completion rate, averages 16.9 per pass, throws 181.5 yards per game with a 127.1 passer rating

Running backs

Now we look at the next key position on the offensive side of the ball. Senior RB Marquese Williams, he is the work horse for McDevitt. He has carried the ball 103 times for 1,034 yards, averaging 10 yards per carry, averages 103.4 yards per game, and 23 TD’s. Freshman Maurice Barnes takes a little of the load, 43 carries for 302 yards, 7 yards per carry, 27.5 yards per game, there is also Senior Cyncir Bowers carried the ball 11 times for 208 yards, 18.9 per carry,69.3 yards per game, and 3 TD’s.

Manheim Central has a powerful running attack that helped get them to this place in the playoffs, starting with Junior Brycen Armold, who has carried the ball 248 times for 2,204 yards, an 8.9 average, 183.7 yards per game, with 11 TD’s, Also, Senior Jaden Weit has carried the ball 46 times rushing for 489, 10.6 average per play, 40. Per game, and 10 TD’s.

Wide Receivers

Bishop McDevitt’s Senior TaShawn Russel, has 47 receptions for 1,124 yards, averages 23.9 yards per catch, 102.2 yards per game, and 16 TD’s. Junior Rico Scott has 49 receptions for 954 yards, 19.5 yards per catch, 86.7 yards per game, and 15 TD’s. Senior Jeffrey Penn 18 receptions for 351 yards, 19.5 yards per catch, 35.1 yards per game, and 7 TD’s. This is the result of a great QB spreading the ball around.

Manheim Central’s wide receiving core has Junior Aaron Enterline, 40 receptions for 982 yards, 34.6 yards per catch, 81.8 yards per game, and 12 TD’s. Junior Bode Sipel, 4 receptions for 630 total yards,15.0 yards per catch, 52.5 yards per game, 7 TD’s. Senior Rocco Daugherty, 18 receptions for 221 total yards, 12.3 yards per catch, 18.4 yards per game, 5 TD’s

Overall Thoughts:

To begin the year, it looked as though the Crusaders would cruise to a second straight appearance in the State Title game after losing a heartbreaker to Aliquippa last year. The Barons have other ideas. They too would like to get back to the title game, a game they won in 2003 in a blizzard, one of the most memborable state title games in PA History. This game has all the elements to be a knock down drag out brawl.

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