LAST WEEK: 6-0.
OVERALL: 115-37.
Keith’s picks from The Huddle blog here.
District 3 video previews here.
District 3 Podcast previews here.
District 3 capsule previews here.
Updated L-L League stats through Week 12 here.
Last week’s picks here.
That’s right – I ran the table last week … a perfect 6-0 with my selections. First time I’ve done that this season, I think.
OK, I’ll shut up now.
Four District 3 football playoff games involving L-L League teams on the slate.
Penn Manor, Wilson, Manheim Central and Lancaster Catholic are still on the dance floor, and Lancaster Catholic will go for Double-A gold Friday night.
I like three of those teams to win and advance.
Which three?
Read on …
Penn Manor @ Bishop McDevitt – Absolutely love what the Comets have done this season, winning 10 games for the first time in the history of the program, and advancing to the district semifinals for the first time in the history of the program. Penn Manor has showed a ton of moxie, coming back to win some games, winning a district-playoff game on the road, and holding off some tough teams at the wire. Stingy defense. Plenty of weapons and firepower on offense. And coach Todd Mealy, who played for Bishop McDevitt, and whose brother is an assistant football coach for the Crusaders, has completely turned the program around and has made the Comets a force to be reckoned with in years to come. Did you have Bishop McDevitt, Cumberland Valley, Wilson and Penn Manor in your Quad-A Final Four in your office pool? So can Penn Manor hang with the state’s top-ranked team? Yes. But can the Comets go behind enemy lines and pick off an undefeated team dripping with major-college talent in their own backyard? Tall, tall task for Penn Manor, which will have to play its best game of the season – no ifs, ands or buts about it. Gotta go McDevitt here. Crusaders are flat nasty on both sides of the ball, and it’s impossible to key on one kid. Penn Manor will put up a major fight, but the pick is Bishop McDevitt. Crusaders over Comets, 35-14.
Cumberland Valley @ Wilson – The rematch is set. Wilson crushed Cumberland Valley 35-7 in last year’s title game, when the slippery-fingered Eagles turned the ball over an incredible eight times (you think those guys are tired of hearing about that this week?). Cumberland Valley is chasing district title No. 11. Wilson is chasing back-to-back crowns and title No. 5 overall. You simply can’t talk about the District 3 Quad-A playoffs without Wilson and Cumberland Valley dominating the conversation. The key for me here is Wilson’s defense. Cumberland Valley has a pretty gnarly three-pronged rushing attack, which features a pair of backs who average more than 10 yards a pop, plus a slug-it-out fullback who can make major holes. The Bulldogs’ D hasn’t gotten the pub like last year’s unit. This is their chance to really shine and make a huge statement. If Wilson can bottle up Cumberland Valley’s rushing attack, the ‘Dawgs have a great shot. For the Eagles, it’s all about holding onto the ball and finishing drives – and trying to wipe out the bad memories from last year. I’m rambling. Wilson is the champ. Wilson is playing in its stadium. Wilson will be operating out of its own locker room with all the comforts of home. Wilson has a mega-hot QB in Zach Zweizig who has weapons galore. And I have a gut hunch that if Cumberland Valley turns the ball over early, it just might snowball. Again. Bulldogs bite Eagles, 29-20.
Conrad Weiser @ Manheim Central – Barons are chasing district title No. 16, but must tame the Scouts’ tricky spread offense just to get back to Hersheypark Stadium for the second year in a row. Conrad Weiser won its first two playoff games in thrilling fashion, blocking a field goal at the buzzer in a 30-28 win over Lampeter-Strasburg, and then surviving Hershey 28-27 in overtime. So not much should faze the Scouts, who are making their first Triple-A semifinal appearance. Their reward? A trip to Manheim to take on the No. 1 seed in the bracket, the undefeated Barons, who are ranked third in the state, own the top-ranked D in the L-L League, and average 40.6 points per game. Manheim Central must cope with curtailing a pair of 1,000-yard backs. Do so, and the Barons should be in good shape. Manheim Central punches its ticket to its home away from home. Look out, Chocolatetown, here comes the Barons. Central over Weiser, 40-17. Plug: I’m blogging live from this game at LancSports.com.
Lancaster Catholic vs. Delone Catholic – With Hersheypark Stadium serving as the backdrop, all the District 3 Double-A marbles up for grabs in this one. Must say off the top that on paper, Delone Catholic has some pretty funky offensive numbers. The Squires’ Wing-T attack has put up some seriously crooked numbers this season. But I don’t think Delone Catholic’s D has seen anything remotely close to Lancaster Catholic’s offense, which averages 42.8 points per game, and has the most prolific passer in L-L League and District 3 history in Kyle Smith – who comes into the district finale with 8,003 passing yards, needing 160 passing yards to pass Pat Devlin for the state’s all-time mark. Fifth trip to the district finals in the last six years for Lancaster Catholic. And while Delone Catholic’s O numbers are quite impressive, I don’t think the Squires want to get into a shootout with the Crusaders, who are looking for back-to-back crowns. And I think they’ll do it. Lancaster Catholic over Delone Catholic, 38-13. Plug: Keith Schweigert blogging live from this game at LancSports.com.
BONUS PICKS – Back, by wildly popular demand, some extra picks for you to savor … DISTRICT 3 TRIPLE-A SEMIFINAL: Susquehanna Township over West York (this Ben Dupree kid is ridiculously good; ask Cocalico) … DISTRICT 3 SINGLE-A CHAMPIONSHIP: Millersburg over Upper Dauphin (think I might stick my head in on this game: Friday, 1 p.m., Hersheypark Stadium) … NFL TURKEY DAY GAMES: Packers over Lions (Detroit is bad enough with Matthew Stafford; lets see how they do without him) … Cowboys over Raiders (who made this schedule?) … Giants over Broncos (I don’t get NFL Network, so I won’t see this game; here’s hoping the Broncos don’t wear those hideous brown throwback uniforms) … NCAA TURKEY DAY GAME: Texas over Texas A&M (Longhorns await Florida-Alabama survivor for BCS title-game matchup; TCU, Boise State snubbed; get a playoff - now).
