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Hittin’ The Road With Travelin’ Matt – State Semifinals

Tagged under: District 3, District 7, pfn

| December 2, 2024

Each week Travelin’ Matt traverses Pennsylvania attending the hottest high school football games

and best match ups in the Commonwealth.  Follow his exploits each week

as he documents his journey from Week 0 to the Pennsylvania State Football Finals!

 

Friday, November 27

4A #2 Lampeter-Strasburg  (13-0) vs. 4A #1 Thomas Jefferson (13-0)

5A #3 Bishop McDevitt (12-2) vs. 5A #1 Pine-Richland (11-1)

 

Saturday, November 28

6A #3 Pittsburgh Central Catholic (11-2) vs. 6A #4 Harrisburg (12-1)

 

ROUNDTRIP – 262 MILES

 

Friday, November 27

The penultimate week of the 2024 PA High School Football season took me to Mansion Park in Altoona where three state semifinal contests would take place over two brisk and windy late-season days.  As for the matchups this week it was an excellent host as three District 3 squads faced off against three District 7 programs with Altoona nearly smack dab in the middle between both areas.

As an aside, Mansion Park at Altoona had hosted the PA State Football Finals full-time from 1992-1997 prior to them being moved to Hersheypark Stadium in 1998.  You may be wondering why the football stadium is uniquely named “Mansion Park”.  Mansion Park sits on the original land of Elias Baker a wealthy ironmaker who operated the Alleghany Furnace in Altoona in the 1800s.  The Elias Baker Mansion can be seen just across the street from Mansion Park and is credited with the inspiration for the “Mansion Park” moniker.

Some other interesting facts about the Mansion Park football stadium…

* The football stadium has a seating capacity of 10,400

* The football field was the first artificial surface installed in the state of Pennsylvania (1989)

* Altoona High School and Bishop Guilfoyle High School both play home games at Mansion Park

 

The first matchup of the weekend was a battle of unbeatens as 13-0 Thomas Jefferson of District 7 clashed with 13-0 Lampeter-Strasburg of District 3.  The TJ Jaguars entered the contests as favorites and as expected carried a 16-3 advantage into halftime over the L-S Pioneers.  It was the tale of two halves, however, as L-S busted out in the second stanza en route to a 20-16 victory and a trip to the first State Finals appearance.

Check out some highlights from Thomas Jefferson vs. Lampeter-Strasburg…

 

 

 

 

 

Read the full game story for Thomas Jefferson vs. Lampeter-Strasburg…

 

 

Game #2 on Friday (my 50th game of the season) pitted District 3 Bishop McDevitt against District 7 Pine-Richland in a matchup of regular visitors to deep state playoff runs.  Both programs have had their share of success with Bishop McDevitt hoisting two State Title trophies while Pine-Richland has turned the trick three times.

This clash of titans saw Bishop McDevitt race out to a 21-0 first half advantage before closing the door on the P-R Rams in a decisive 28-7 victory and a trip back to the State Football Finals.

Here’s some highlights from Bishop McDevitt vs. Pine-Richland…

 

 

 

 

 

Check out the full game story from Bishop McDevitt vs. Pine-Richland…

 

 

Saturday, November 28

Game #3 on the weekend was a highly-anticipated matchup of 6A powerhouse programs Pittsburgh Central Catholic of District 7 and Harrisburg of District 3.  PCC scored first in the game and never trailed despite the best efforts of Harrisburg that clawed back in the game time after time falling just short on the losing end of a wild 38-33 tally.  The PCC victory notched District 7’s only win on the weekend vs. District 3 in three head-to-head matchups.

Be sure to check out the highlight below of Elias Coke’s catch in the end zone for Harrisburg…quite possibly the catch of the year!

 

Here’s some highlights from PCC vs. Harrisburg…

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Here’s the game story from PCC vs. Harrisburg…

 

 

And the Highlight Reel from PCC vs. Harrisburg as well!

 

A full weekend of PA high school football games I wrapped up my 15th week and headed home to plan for the State Finals taking place next week at Cumberland Valley.  This week I watched my 49th, 50th and 51st games of the season and I’m looking forward to a fantastic finish to the season next week.

Follow along next week as Travelin’ Matt takes you on another PA High School Football journey.

 

2024 SEASON RECAP – 7072 TOTAL MILES (51 GAMES)

 

Week 0

Garnet Valley – 34  Coatesville – 19

Imani Christian Academy – 45  West Catholic – 6

Bishop Guilfoyle – 21  Bald Eagle Area – 0

Week 1

Manheim Township – 28  Central York – 10

Twin Valley – 40  Selinsgrove – 10

Harrisburg – 35  Bishop McDevitt – 33 (1 OT)

Troy – 8  Dover (DE) – 3

 

Week 2

East Stroudsburg South – 38  Whitehall – 7

Lampeter-Strasburg – 35  Cocalico – 14

Harrisburg – 7  State College – 6

Bethlehem-Liberty – 31 Stroudsburg – 14

 

Week 3

Bethlehem-Freedom – 38  Nazareth – 10

Scranton Prep – 28  Delaware Valley – 25

 

Week 4

Schuylkill Haven – 72  Minersville – 52

Central Bucks South – 22  Central Bucks West – 17

Pope John Paul II – 24  Phoenixville – 13

Bethlehem Catholic – 27  Allentown Central Catholic – 0

 

Week 5

Towanda – 40  Canton – 14

Danville – 34  Southern Columbia – 8

 

Week 6

Bethlehem-Freedom – 24  Bethlehem Catholic – 3

Central Bucks South – 14  North Penn – 6

Neshaminy – 38  Pennridge – 3

LaSalle – 35  St. Joe’s Prep – 34 (4 OT)

 

Week 7

North Schuylkill – 38  Blue Mountain – 14

Wyomissing – 34  Twin Valley – 24

Cumberland Valley – 24  Harrisburg – 21

Nazareth – 36  Bethlehem Catholic – 7

 

Week 8

North Allegheny – 28  Pine-Richland 21

Owen J. Roberts – 27  Spring-Ford – 25

St. Joe’s Prep – 48  Roman Catholic – 20

 

Week 9

Western Wayne – 42  Dunmore – 7

Shamokin – 21  Mount Carmel – 0

Lampeter-Strasburg – 20  Wyomissing – 7

 

Week 10

Lehighton – 29  Blue Mountain – 28

Downingtown West – 28  Coatesville – 21

Executive Education – 26  Minersville – 6

 

Week 11

Southern Lehigh – 41  Pottsville – 34

Thomas Jefferson – 38  Aliquippa – 21

Schuylkill Haven – 53  Executive Education – 14

 

Week 12

Southern Lehigh – 28  Bethlehem Catholic – 7

Central Clarion – 41  Farrell – 6

Thomas Jefferson – 28  McKeesport – 7

Pittsburgh Central Catholic – 45  North Allegheny – 14

 

Week 13

Troy – 42  Bedford – 16

Fort Cherry – 21  Clairton – 20

South Park – 21  Seton LaSalle – 14

Avonworth – 17  Central Valley – 0

Pine-Richland – 20  Peters Township – 9

 

Week 14

Lampeter-Strasburg – 20  Thomas Jefferson – 16

Bishop McDevitt – 28  Pine-Richland – 14

Pittsburgh Central Catholic – 38  Harrisburg – 33

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