Harrisburg’s Stars Shine in Thumping Central York

Tagged under: District 3, Gameday Hub, News

Phil Myers | November 3, 2019

On a sunny, but chilly Saturday afternoon at Severance Field in Harrisburg, the stars came out to play in the District 3 first round 6A playoff tilt.  Led by Jahmir Plant, John McNeil, big Nate Bruce, and Donte Kent the Cougars pounced on the Panthers of Central York and mauled them 47-14.

Pic courtesy Brian Linder Pennlive

Although, to Central York’s credit, they played Harrisburg even in the second half with each team scoring 14 points, it was the first half that did in the Panthers.  Harrisburg scored every time they had the ball to open up a 33-0 advantage by the end of the opening half of play.

Jahmir Plant led the vaunted Cougar ground game with 156 yards and 2 touchdowns on 16 carries.  He scored on runs of 42 and 52 yards, with the 42 yarder being a thing of beauty.  On that particular play, he appeared to be stopped by a number of Panthers, but he kept the legs moving and suddenly squirted out from the conglomeration of players and outran the last defenders to the end zone.

Running back Jaylon Hoseby contributed 130 yards rushing on 11 totes with one being a 66-yard score.  That was Harrisburg’s final touchdown of the day.  For the afternoon, the Cougars rushed for 347 yards on 43 carries, finding the end zone 5 times.  The Cougars finished the game with 532 total yards of offense.

Jahmir Plant’s nephew had enough when the score reached 33 0

QB John McNeil threw for 185 yards by going 13 for 21.  He tossed 2 touchdowns and 1 interception.  The first two TDs of the game were on McNeil passes.  The first went to Trevion Carey for 10 yards and the second was a nice throw to Donte Kent that went for 57 yards.  That put Harrisburg up 13-0 after one period.  McNeil also called his own number and had two short yardage rushing touchdowns in the second quarter sandwiched around Plant’s 42-yard run.

As the Cougar coaching staff and the Cougar players know, none of this could happen without the play of the offensive line which includes 6’5” 325-pound junior Nate Bruce who has verbally committed to Penn State.  The whole offensive line is back next year and that alone should send a chill into 2020 opponents.  Bruce’s line mates include 6’1” 290-pound Tyshawn Black, 6’3” 295-pound Roy Irvin, 5’10” 235-pound Jamear Henderson, and 5’9” 230-pound James Murray.  Harrisburg coach Cal Everett said, “I don’t know why but the line took this game personal and wanted to run the ball.  We controlled the line on both sides of the ball.”

The Cougar defense was absolutely ferocious in the first half holding Central York to 2 first downs (one on a penalty), 17 plays, and 31 total yards including a minus one passing.  The Panthers made a couple adjustments and played better the second half, but it was too little, too late.  Central scored on a 93-yard pass play from Beau Pribus to Judah Tomb on a nice naked bootleg by the quarterback who then threw to Tomb on a crossing route.  Tomb grabbed the ball as a defender tried to knock it down and then raced untouched for the TD.  That cut the Harrisburg lead to 33-7 in the third quarter.  The second Panther was the last score of the game and occurred when Mason Myers snared a 23-yard pass from Pribus.

Harrisburg, now 8-3, will travel to West Lawn next week to play the top-seeded Wilson Bulldogs.  Coach Everett said, “Wilson is always a tough opponent and will give us some things that we will have to be prepared for.”  Central York finishes a fine season with a 9-2 record.

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