By KEITH SCHWEIGERT, Online Sports Editor
With just two games left in the regular season, I think we can safely say that the Lancaster-Lebanon League will be well represented in the upcoming District 3 playoffs. If the postseason were to start today, 14 L-L League teams would be in the field. And two more league teams are right on the bubble.
Whether or not all of those teams are playoff-worthy is a conversation for another day. But for now, let’s have a look at the way the field stacks up heading into Week 9 and try to project which teams will be there when the final regular-season whistle blows.
AAAA
1. Wilson (8-0) — 1,070
2. Bishop McDevitt (8-0) — 1,000
3. York (8-0) — 910
4. Cumberland Valley (7-1) — 850
5. Penn Manor (7-1) — 840
6. Central York (7-1) — 800
7. Muhlenberg (6-2) — 730
8. Governor Mifflin (6-2) — 700
9. Central Dauphin (6-2) — 690
t-10. Dallastown (6-2) — 680
t-10. Warwick (6-2) — 680
12. Hempfield (6-2) — 650
13. Elizabethtown (5-3) — 570
14. Red Land (5-3) — 570
15. Red Lion (5-3) — 560
16. Manheim Township (4-4) — 490
ANALYSIS: Wilson is obviously already in the playoffs, and is just trying to hold onto the top seed at this point. Penn Manor is probably safe as well, in spite of last week’s surprisingly lopsided loss to Warwick. It gets no easier for the Comets this week, as they host Wilson. But even if they lose, they have a very winnable game against Cedar Crest (2-6) in Week 10. Pencil in Penn Manor, likely with an 8-2 record.
Of the remaining L-L League teams vying for a AAAA berth, Warwick probably has the toughest road. The Warriors close the season at Hempfield on Friday, then host Wilson in Week 10. But even if they lose both and finish 6-4, they still have a decent chance at hanging on to a berth. Hempfield closes with Warwick on Friday, then takes on bitter rival Manheim Township in the regular season finale. Like Warwick, the Knights can probably still get in with a 6-4 record, depending on how things shake out.
Elizabethtown’s path to the postseason is relatively clear of obstacles. The Bears’ final two opponents — Ephrata and Conestoga Valley — are a combined 0-16. I think we can safely predict that E-town will finish 7-3 and somewhere around the middle of the pack.
Township, meanwhile, will likely have to win both of its remaining games — against McCaskey on Friday and Hempfield in Week 10 — to get in with a 6-4 mark. It all depends on how the teams right behind the Blue Streaks — Cedar Cliff (4-4), Harrisburg (4-4) and a handful of teams with 3-5 records — all finish.
AAA
1. Greencastle-Antrim (8-0) — 1,100
2. Mechanicsburg (8-0) — 1,080
3. Cocalico (7-1) — 980
4. West York (7-1) — 960
5. Conrad Weiser (6-2) — 870
6. Manheim Central (6-2) — 820
7. Lebanon (6-2) — 790
8. Daniel Boone (6-2) — 780
9. Northern Lebanon (6-2) — 730
10. Garden Spot (5-3) — 690
11. Susquehanna Township (5-3) — 670
12. Northern (5-3) — 640
13. Palmyra (5-3) — 560
14. ELCO (5-3) — 540
15. Kennard-Dale (4-4) — 490
16. East Pennsboro (4-4) — 480
ANALYSIS: Cocalico is sitting pretty. They can survive an 0-2 finish and still get in with a 7-3 mark. Since the Eagles face winless Conestoga Valley on Friday and Solanco (4-4) in Week 10, it’s more likely that they will finish 9-1 — and earn the right to host a first-round game.
The only team to beat Cocalico this season, Manheim Central, is surging up the power points ladder. If the Barons can win their final two games against Lebanon and Garden Spot, they could move up to an even higher seeding. Lebanon has a tough road in its final two games; in addition to facing Central on Friday, the Cedars close at Elizabethtown in Week 10. It’s possible that they can still get in with a 6-4 record, but it would be a lot more comfortable for them if they could somehow go 1-1 over the next two weeks and finish 7-3.
Northern Lebanon, Garden Spot and Elco are in similar situations. They all probably need to go 1-1 over the final two weeks to get in, though it’s possible they could still hang on in spite of an 0-2 finish.
Solanco is currently on the outside looking in, and will need to beat Garden Spot and Cocalico in the final two weeks to have any shot at a berth.
AA
1. Lancaster Catholic (7-1) — 980
t-2. Delone Catholic (7-1) — 960
t-2. Wyomissing (7-1) — 960
4. Middletown (6-2) — 880
5. Trinity (6-2) — 850
6. Bermudian Springs (6-2) — 840
7. Biglerville (6-2) — 780
8. Littlestown (6-2) — 740
ANALYSIS: It’s all about getting the top seed for Lancaster Catholic. The Crusaders control whether or not they finish first in the points standings — all they have to do is win out. But the road’s not easy — they face Annville-Cleona (5-3) on Friday and close the regular season at Elco (5-3) in Week 10.
Annville-Cleona is currently out of the playoff hunt, but only trails No. 8 Littlestown by 60 points. Littlestown still has a date with West York (7-1) in Week 10, so it’s conceivable that they could drop a game. But to take advantage of that opening, A-C would have to upset Catholic on Friday and knock off Lampeter-Strasburg (3-5) in Week 10.
A
1. Steelton-Highspire (8-0) — 1,320
2. Camp Hill (6-2) — 930
3. Reading Holy Name (6-2) — 900
4. Reading Central Catholic (5-2) — 740
5. York Catholic (5-3) — 630
6. Millersburg (4-4) — 570
7. Upper Dauphin (3-5) — 380
8. Columbia (1-7) — 200
ANALYSIS: Yes, the Crimson Tide is still a playoff contender, in spite of its 1-7 record. Go figure.
Columbia closes the regular season with winless Pequea Valley on Friday, then visits Donegal (2-6) in Week 10. You’d think Columbia can win at least one of those games, but at this point it wouldn’t surprise me if the Tide went 0-2, finished 1-9 and still managed to get in.
There are four other one-win teams below Columbia in the points standings — Scotland, Fairfield, Halifax and Carson Long. Scotland and Fairfield both have two winnable games to close out their seasons, so stay tuned. This race for the eighth and final playoff berth — and the right to get annihilated by Steel-High in the first round — is not over.
