KEITH SCHWEIGERT, Online Sports Editor
I can hardly believe it. The 10 weeks of the regular season flew by, and here we are, getting ready to kick off the District 3 football playoffs.
For 13 Lancaster-Lebanon League teams, the season continues. But from here on out, the margin for error is down to zero. One bad game, one missed tackle, one dropped pass … all potentially fatal. As the stakes go up, so does the pressure.
The District 3 playoff committee released its official brackets on Sunday. There are several intriguing matchups for L-L League teams. For example, in the Class AAA field, two pairs of local teams will be squaring off in the first round: Section 2 champ Manheim Central will take on Section 3 neighbor Elco, and Section 2 foes Garden Spot and Lebanon will bang heads again in a rematch of the section clash won by the Spartans in Week Five. Two other L-L League squads will face off in the Class AAAA bracket, as top-seeded Wilson hosts Section 2 contender Elizabethtown.
Here’s my first impression of the district brackets and how the L-L League teams will fare. We’ll have more thorough previews later this week.
AAAA
Wilson vs. E-town: Tough draw for the Bears, whose reward for a third-place finish in Section 2 is a date with the L-L League’s toughest team. Wilson roared through the regular season, going 10-0 and Mercy Ruling seven of its 10 opponents. The Dawgs were my pick to reach the district finals a few weeks ago, but their road got a lot tougher when Bishop McDevitt fell to State College in Week 9. That loss dropped the Crusaders to the fifth seed and put them in Wilson’s half of the bracket. Now the Bulldogs will have to go through McDevitt to reach the title game.
Hempfield vs. Muhlenberg:This is one of those 8-9 toss-up games, but I’ll give the Black Knights a slight edge because they won the right to play at home. Hempfield has looked great at times, but its two losses were blowouts. The Knights got crushed by Penn Manor 31-14 in Week 4, then were mangled by Wilson, 45-13. Still, they’ve won four in a row since that loss to the Bulldogs.
Muhlenberg (7-3) is limping into the playoffs after falling 43-20 to Governor Mifflin last Friday. The Muhls started the season 5-0, but faltered in the second half.
Warwick vs. Cumberland Valley: It’s been an up-and-down season for the Warriors, who peaked with a blowout victory over Penn Manor in Week 8. They lost to Wilson last Friday, but became the only Section 1 team NOT to get Mercy Ruled by the Bulldogs, which I guess is impressive in its own right.
However, that loss to Wilson dropped Warwick down to the 15th seed in the district bracket, which means the Warriors draw Mid-Penn powerhouse Cumberland Valley in the first round. Facing the Eagles on the road will be a daunting task for Warwick, but the Warriors have made a habit out of surprising people this year. We’ll see if they have one more trick up their sleeves.
Penn Manor vs. Dallastown: After suffering back-to-back losses to Warwick and Wilson, the Comets righted their ship with a 39-7 rout of Cedar Crest last Friday. This has already been a season to remember for Penn Manor, a perennial league doormat that exploded for seven straight wins to open the season. The Comets have known they were a playoff team for about three weeks — now they want to prove they belong there, and can with a win on Friday.
Dallastown dropped a 20-14 decision to Red Lion last week. The Wildcats lost three of their last five games after a 5-0 start. Two of those defeats came in consecutive weeks, against Central York and York High, who are a combined 18-2.
AAA
Cocalico vs. Susquehanna Township:The Eagles didn’t win Section 2, but they could argue that they are still the best team. With the spectacular Kyle Fisher leading the offense, Cocalico can score on just about anyone. The Eagles’ only loss came to Section 2 champ Manheim Central — no shame in that one — which is what makes a potential second-round rematch with the Barons so tantalizing.
Susquehanna Township (5-5) should not provide much of an obstacle for Cocalico as it tries to set that up.
Manheim Central vs. Elco: Yay, the Raiders made the playoffs! Who do they get in the first round?
Oh.
Well, nice effort anyway, Elco.
Seriously, Manheim Central has won seven in a row after dropping two of its first three games. Those losses came to Wilson and Lancaster Catholic, who are 19-1 combined. Central gave the undefeated Bulldogs everything they could handle before succumbing, and the loss to the Crusaders came in monsoon conditions.
How did Elco do against Catholic? The Raiders got stomped. Emphatically. To the tune of 42-7 — and that was last Friday.
If I were a bookie, I’d make Central a 21-point favorite. And then take them anyway.
Garden Spot vs. Lebanon: This should be one of the best first-round games in AAA. The Spartans were a nice little sleeper team in Section 2 this season, and defeated the Cedars 35-21 in their regular-season meeting. Last week, they hung around with Manheim Central before falling 24-19. And they did it without scoring an offensive touchdown, returning an interception and two kickoffs for scores.
Lebanon upended E-town last Friday to finish 7-3. The Cedars’ quirky Air Raid No-Huddle offense, expertly run by QB James Capello, should make them a tough out in the postseason. Look for them to get their revenge against the upstart Spartans.
Northern Lebanon vs. Conrad Weiser: The Vikings started out hot, but cooled off just as fast. They got manhandled by Lampeter-Strasburg and Lancaster Catholic down the stretch, and now have to try and rev up the engines in time to save their season against Conrad Weiser — a team with impressive wins over Governor Mifflin and Muhlenberg on its resume. Look for the Scouts to prevail.
AA
Lancaster Catholic vs. Biglerville: If there’s a hotter team in the AA field, I’d love to see it. Lancaster Catholic has outscored its last five opponents by a combined count of 275-47, including a 42-7 bludgeoning of Elco last week. Crusader quarterback Kyle Smith has thrown 28 touchdown passes — including a single-game record six in Catholic’s win over Annville-Cleona in Week 9 — and has been picked off just three times all year.
Biglerville, out of the York Area League, is in over its head.
Columbia vs. Steel-High: When I’m asked why I think eight teams are too many in the Class A playoff field in the future, I’ll list this game as Exhibit A. Columbia, with a 2-8 record, earned the right to be served up as cannon fodder to the top-seeded Rollers, a state-title contender. When the dust settles after this one, it will be clear that the Class A bracket was fine with just four teams. Columbia did nothing wrong — they earned the right for an extra game. But they are the king of all underdogs going into this one, and rightfully so.
