District 3 Playoff Preview, All classes.
Tagged under: District 3, News, Playoffs
Pat Weider | November 9, 2022
6A Preview
1st seed Hempfield vs. 8th seed Carlisle
Notes on the game: Hempfield is coming in with an 8-2 record and is the Lancaster-Lebanon Section 1 title winner. Carlisle is the winner of 3 in a row to finish 6-4 on the year. In that winning streak, Carlisle beat a really good Cumberland Valley. Carlisle plays in the super competitive Mid-Penn League.
2nd seed Central York vs. 7th seed William Penn
Notes on the game: This is a rematch from two weeks ago when Central York won 41-36. Central York comes into this game 9-1 and has won 8 straight games overall. They beat York High without their starting Quarterback Nasir Still. He should be back for this game. William Penn comes into this game 6-3 and has beaten every team they should. They got a chance on Friday at a rematch against their rival.
3rd seed Harrisburg vs. 6th seed Wilson
Notes on the game: Harrisburg comes into this game with a 7-2 record on the year. They have won 5 of 6 in the Mid-Penn League. Harrisburg head coach Cal Everett was suspended for 3 games because of an off-the-field incident to start the year. Wilson comes into this game going 8-2 and with their only losses to Roman Catholic and Hempfield. Should be a super competitive game.
4th seed Cumberland Valley vs. 5th seed Manheim Township
Notes on the game: A re-match from week 1 when Cumberland Valley won 31-27. Manheim Township comes into the game 7-3. Manheim Township’s other 2 losses are to Hempfield and Wilson, so Township is looking for a breakout victory. Cumberland Valley comes in losing 2 of their last 3 games into the playoffs.
Favorites to win District Title: Hempfield and Central York.
Sleeper team to win the District Title: Winner of Harrisburg vs. Wilson. Both are playing really well right now.
5A Preview
1st seed Solanco vs. 8th seed Shippensburg
Notes on the game: Solanco for the 1st time in school history had a 10-0 record to start the year. Solanco is a Senior laded team with 24 Seniors on the team. Shippensburg comes into the game 8-3 including a 32-14 win against Cedar Cliff. This should be a highly competitive game between two games. I also expect Solanco stadium to be rocking with a huge crowd.
2nd seed Exeter Township vs. 7th seed Dover
Notes on the game: Exeter has had an incredible year with a 10-0 record on the year. They are a Senior laded team who are a team on a mission this year after winning the 5A District 3 Championship last year as well. Dover just won their 2nd ever playoff game when they beat Garden Spot. They have had a great year as well with 9 wins on the year. Dover will try to knock off undefeated Exeter.
3rd seed New Oxford vs. 6th seed Northern York
Notes on the game: New Oxford has had a good year going 8-2 and winning Division 2 of the YAIAA. They will be hosting this game at home against a Northern York. Northern York York beat South Western 21-20 last week to advance to the 2nd round. Northern York won 4 of 5 to finish the season. Should be a highly competitive game.
4th seed Gettysburg vs. 12th seed Cocalico
Notes on the game: Gettysburg comes into this game 8-2 on the year. They are winners of 7 of their last 8 games. Cocalico comes into the game with a 42-2 win at Elizabethtown in the 1st round of the playoffs. Cocalico also won their last 3 games to clinch a playoff spot. Both teams are very good running teams, so I expect both offenses to try to establish the run game in this one.
Favorites to win District Title: Exeter Township
Sleeper team to win the District Title: Solanco is a very talented team to keep an eye on. So is a team like Gettysburg.
4A Preview
1st seed Bishop McDevitt vs. 8th seed East Pennsboro
Notes on the game: McDevitt comes into this game with an 8-1 record on the year and has won 8 straight games on the year after losing to Imhotep Charter out of Philadelphia in week 1. East Pennsboro comes into this game with a 5-6 record on the year including a 43-0 win over Kennard-Dale last week.
2nd seed Manheim Central vs. 7th seed York Suburban
Notes on the game: Manheim Central comes into this game 9-1 on the year with their only loss to Exeter Township to finish the regular season. Manheim Central has a highly potent offense and they have put up a ton of points all year. York Suburban has gone 7-4 on the year. They are currently on a 5-game winning streak including a 41-6 win over York Suburban in last week’s playoffs.
3rd seed Lampeter Strasburg vs. 6th seed Susquehanna Township
Notes on the game: Lampeter Strasburg comes into this game with an 8-2 record on the year with their only losses to Solanco and Wyomissing. Susquehanna Township comes into this game 6-4 on the year, but winners of 4 of 5 to finish the year.
4th seed Twin Valley vs. 5th seed Milton Hershey
Notes on the game: Twin Valley comes into this game 6-4 on the year. Milton Hershey also comes into this game with a 6-4 record on the year. Should be a highly competitive game betweenn these two teams.
Favorites to win District Title: Bishop McDevitt
Sleeper team to win the District Title: Manheim Central
3A Preview
Hamburg @ Wyomissing- Saturday November 12th 1 p.m. Kickoff
Notes: The Hamburg Hawks come into this matchup with huge momentum after they knocked off Upper Dauphin last Friday 49-35. The Trojans were perceived by many as favorites coming into this game as they were riding a 6-game winning streak and a perfect conference record. That did not matter too Pierce Mason and company as the Hawks rolled up over 500 total yards of offense on their way to victory.
Their reward, facing one of the best teams in the state at Wyomissing this Saturday. The Spartans first year in the newly formed LLBerks league has lived up to the hype, taking down their opponents by an average of 35 points and another perfect regular season (10-0). Coach Wolfrum’s squad has studs on both sides of the football with five-star recruit J’Ven Williams leading the way. The Penn State recruit is set to enroll in January, he would nothing more than to help his Spartans obtain their first state title since 2012.
Standing in their way is a rejuvenated Hamburg team that can hit you with several different playmakers offensively. The key will be for the Hawks will be to keep Mason healthy and upright as he has regained his early season form from an ankle injury a few weeks ago.
West Perry @ Lancaster Catholic- Saturday November 11th 7 p.m. Kickoff
Notes: West Perry held strong at home last week dismantling Schuylkill Valley 45-21 and the final score wasn’t that close. The Mustangs minus their week 10 setback against 1A champion Steel-High have been a force to be reckon with in the Mid-Penn conference. Led by dual threat QB Marcus Quaker (1,000 yards rushing) Ian Goodling (one of the best kickers in the state) and Trent Herrera (4,000 total purpose yards), West Perry has notched their first ten-win season since 1999.
They travel to Lancaster Catholic who themselves finished a perfect 10-0, this Friday night in what should be a game of fireworks. The Crusaders nabbed their first section title since 2018 have been proving doubters wrong all season. Knocking off the likes of Hamburg, Delone Catholic and York Catholic, Coach Mairono’s squad will take on anybody.
I would anticipate a shootout at Lancaster this week as both teams have playmakers that would give any Defensive Coordinator nightmares.
Favorite to win 3A: Wyomissing, no explanation needed
Sleeper team: West Perry, the Mustangs can score on anyone, if they get by Lancaster Catholic, I will not count them out
2A Preview
Trinity @ Annville-Cleona- Friday November 11th 7 p.m. Kickoff
The Shamrocks under first year Head Coach Jordan Hill are having a fun season and will be darned if it ends Friday night in Annville. Their offense is rolling at the right time as they have eclipsed the 50 point total in their last two contests, including their dismantling of Delone Catholic last week (56-17). After starting the year 1-3, Coach Hill has regrouped Trinity going 6-1 since.
For the Dutchmen they are arguably two plays away from being 10-1, but here they sit at 8-3 and a chance to clinch the 2A district 3 title. Led by league leading rusher Phoenix Music (26 touchdowns, 2,062 RUSHING YARDS), Annville-Cleona is a run heavy squad looking to bring championship gold to what has already been a memorable season.
Trinity does not care as they want the title too, how both teams plan to stop each other’s high powered offense remains to be seen. Weather permitting, expect a smash mouth no nonsense championship game from both squads, score prediction you ask.
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