JEFFREY REINHART jreinhart@LNPnews.com
THE GAME: No. 5 Bishop McDevitt Crusaders (10-2 overall) @ No. 1 Wilson Bulldogs (12-0 overall), Friday, 7 p.m.
LIVE VIDEO STREAM: You can watch the game online. Click here for more details.
LAST WEEK: Bishop McDevitt demolished No. 4 York High 39-7. … Wilson steamrolled No. 8 Muhlenberg 46-0.
WINNER GETS: No. 2 Cumberland Valley (11-1) or No. 6 Governor Mifflin (10-2) in the District 3 Quad-A championship game next Saturday at 6 p.m. in Hersheypark Stadium.
THE COACHES: Bishop McDevitt’s Jeff Weachter is in his 11th season with Bishop McDevitt and his 16th season overall. He has won 87 games with McDevitt, and his career mark is 101-72-1. … Wilson’s Doug Dahms is in his 3rd season and he is 32-6 overall.
NOTABLE: Bishop McDevitt coach Jeff Weachter was the head coach at Lebanon Catholic before the school dropped its football program.
MID-PENN DOMINATION: Since the inception of the Quad-A classification in 1985, the Mid-Penn Conference has won all but three District 3 championships. Who won the other three? Wilson – in 1989 (over Cedar Cliff), 1990 (over Cumberland Valley) and in 1999 (over Cumberland Valley).
BISHOP McDEVITT RESULTS: @ Harrisburg (W 42-6), @ Cedar Cliff (W 55-6), @ Central Dauphin East (W 35-6), Central Dauphin (W 47-17), Lower Dauphin (W 42-20), @ Altoona (W 46-21), Chambersburg (W 61-0), Carlisle (W 42-21), State College (L 20-19), Erie McDowell (L 42-28), Red Lion (W 28-6), York High (W 39-7). … Lone losses came in back-to-back games in Week 9 and Week 10 to wrap up the regular season, including a one-point heartbreaker to undefeated State College, and an L to Erie McDowell in a non-league game.
WILSON RESULTS: Governor Mifflin (W 35-14), Manheim Central (W 20-15), @ Downingtown East (W 34-0), McCaskey (W 44-7), @ Cedar Crest (W 55-14), Hempfield (W 45-13), @ Reading (W 46-6), Manheim Township (W 51-3), @ Penn Manor (W 42-0), @ Warwick (W 24-0), Elizabethtown (W 35-14), Muhlenberg (W 46-0). … One of three undefeated teams still standing in District 3, along with Triple-A No. 1 seed Mechanicsburg (12-0) and Single-A No. 1 seed Steel-High (12-0). … Has pitched four shutouts this season, and has won three of its last four games via shutout. … Wilson has given up two offensive touchdowns since Oct. 10.
COMMON OPPONENTS: None.
BISHOP McDEVITT STAT PACK: Leading rusher – Jameel Poteat (190 carries for 1,242 yards, 6.5 avg., 15 TD); Leading passer – Matt Johnson (110-of-169 for 1,901 yards, 21 TD, 7 picks); Leading receiver – Salath Williams (43 catches for 808 yards, 18.8 avg., 10 TD); Team offense – 315.0 yards per game; Team defense – 164.0 yards per game.
WILSON STAT PACK: Leading rusher – Zacc Groff (150 carries for 1,341 yards, 8.9 avg., 18 TD); Leading passer – Steve Huber (69-of-128 for 1,011 yards, 8 TD, 2 picks); Leading receiver – Alex Fegley (34 catches for 641 yards, 18.9 avg., 9 TD); Team offense – 349.3 yards per game (6th in the L-L League); Team defense – 158.3 yards per game (1st in the L-L League).
ABOUT BISHOP McDEVITT: Won District 3 Quad-A championships in 2005 (over State College) and 2004 (over Carlisle); won District 3 Triple-A championships in 1987 (over Elizabethtown) and in 1985 (over Conestoga Valley); and won District 3 Double-A championships in 1997 (over West York), 1996 (over Conrad Weiser) and 1995 (over Cocalico). … QB Matt Johnson is just a sophomore. He’s completing 65 percent of his passes and has a sparkling QB efficiency rating of 192.3. In two playoff games, Johnson is 25-of-39 for 342 yards with 5 TDs and no picks. … Jameel Poteat is the leading rusher (he had 142 yards against Red Lion in the first round and 107 yards against York High last week), but he has plenty of help in reserve Aaron Marks (852 yards, 9.1 avg., 12 TD). … Johnson will spread it around; six players have 12 or more catches. … Outscored opponents 484-172. … Plus-10 turnover ratio with 29 takeaways.
ABOUT WILSON: Bulldogs are in the district playoffs for the 15th time, with Quad-A titles (as mentioned) in 1989, 1990 and 1999. Also fell in the finals in 1996 (to Cedar Cliff) and in 2002 (to Central Dauphin). … 17-time L-L League Section 1 champ, including nine titles in the last 14 years. … Ninth perfect regular-season in program history. … Outscored opponents 477-86. … Plus-18 turnover ratio (tops in the L-L League) with 30 takeaways. … 63 penalties for 508 yards. … 35.9 average on 32 punts. … 200 first downs. … Allowed just 745 rushing yards – by far the least in the L-L League. … Ranked fourth in Quad-A in the Harrisburg Patriot-News state poll.
MORE MULTI-MEDIA LINKS:
Wilson senior LB Colton Weaver interview
Wilson senior LB Pat Zerbe interview
Wilson senior RB Zacc Groff interview
Wilson coach Doug Dahms letting his hair down
Yours truly on the Wilson Bulldog TV Hour program
D3 opener vs. Elizabethtown preview cap, with Coach Dahms interview
D3 quarterfinal vs. Muhlenberg preview cap, with Coach Dahms interview
My Section 1 season preview with Wilson cap at the top
Wilson team page with stats at Reading Eagle berksgameday.com
