Township retains Kurjiaka Trophy with win over archrival Hempfield
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(This story was produced by LNP/Lancasteronline, and published in partnership with MikeDragoSports.com.)
By Jeff Reinhart — LNP/Lancasteronline
LANDISVILLE — The Joseph F. Kurjiaka Trophy is staying at Manheim Township.
The Blue Streaks flexed their muscles with four first-half touchdowns, Jack Kenneff had three TD passes and a TD keeper, and Township topped archrival Hempfield 35-13 in a Lancaster-Lebanon League Section 1 game Friday night in Landisville.
| Final | |
| Manheim Township | 35 |
| Hempfield | 13 |
“Trophy is great and a win is nice,” Kenneff said. “And it’s always nice to come out with a win here.”
It was the Streaks’ section opener; they improved to 4-1 overall, and did more offensive damage for the third game in a row.
Hempfield dipped to 1-1 in section play, 2-3 overall. The Black Knights’ other two setbacks were 20-19 and 22-16 in OT, both gut-punch, late-game setbacks.
Township took a 13-3 lead in the Kurjiaka Trophy series, named for the former Hempfield and Township school administrator.
Township’s first-half haul included two TD passes by Kenneff — a 10-yard flip to Daryus Dixon and a 61-yard strike to Allan Feliciano, who took a swing pass and outraced Hempfield’s defenders — and Kenneff’s 2-yard keeper. Dixon’s interception set up Kenneff’s TD run.
Hempfield countered when Derek Katch hit Orion Abrams on a post route for a 30-yard score. Cam Rice’s interception set up that play.
Township was up 28-7 at the half, and nobody scored in the third quarter, as the teams exchanged punts and turnovers.
“We’re not coming out with the power and the fire we need in the second half,” Township coach Mark Evans said. “We need to stop playing with our food. We need to eat.”
In the last two weeks, Township held off Plymouth-Whitemarsh 37-31 and York 43-34 in games that were close into the fourth quarter.
“A W is a W,” Evans said, “but I’m kind of tired of saying that a W is a W. We did better. But I think we have more better in us. We have to find a way to be a better second-half team.”
Township made it 35-7 when Kenneff lobbed a 12-yard TD toss to Dixon, who was wide open in the back of the end zone. Dehvyn Lauano’s interception set up that score.
“Our coaches do such a great job, and we have a bunch of guys that we can spread the ball around to,” said Kenneff, who was 19-for-22 for 264 yards.
“The O-line is doing a great job, and we have some ’dawgs; with Allan and Daryus I can just flip the ball out there and they can make a play. They make my job easier.”
Hempfield tacked on a TD to keep it interesting; Katch tossed a 4-yard TD pass to Abrams and it was 35-13. The Knights recovered an onside kick, but couldn’t capitalize.
“Where we’re at is where we’re at; we’re 2-3,” Hempfield coach George Eager said. “And now we’re in must-win situations from here on out. We have to win some games maybe we’re not picked to win. We’ll see where the cards land.
“But when you’re playing against a good team, you have to play well and you have to make plays. Credit to them. They played well. They made plays.”
And Township tucked the Kurjiaka Trophy in the back of the bus for the third year in a row.