Game of the Week: Manheim Township at Wilson
2023 Berks football coverage presented by
Utilities Employees Credit Union
Manheim Township (9-0) vs. Wilson (7-2)
Kick: Friday, 7, at Gurski Stadium.
Section 1 records: Blue Streaks 5-0, Bulldogs 5-0.
What’s at stake? Lancaster-Lebanon League Section 1 championship.
Series: Wilson leads 39-12-1, with three straight wins.
Last season: Wilson 27, Manheim Township 21.
2022 recap: All-State pick Cam Jones rushed for a career-high 248 yards, scored a pair of touchdowns and threw a 5-yard TD pass out of the Wildcat formation. Jones’ 6-yard TD run snapped a 21-21 tie with 5:18 left. Township QB Hayden Johnson completed 17-of-25 passes for 190 yards, with an 18-yard TD pass to Landon Kennel. Declan Clancy rushed for 111 yards.
Blue Streaks update: Enter with 3 straight shutouts and the No. 1 scoring defense in District 3, allowing 5.8 points per game. . . Also the No. 1 scoring team in the district, at 47.3 points. . . Ranked No. 1 in the Lancaster-Lebanon League in total defense, allowing 157 yards per game. . . QB Hayden Johnson, a first-team all-league selection as a junior, is have a year for the ages, with 35 touchdown passes and zero interceptions. . . He has thrown for 1,958 yards this season and 5,600 yards for his career. . . He’s committed to play at Lehigh. . . Top target is Landon Kennel, the Section 1 co-Receiver of the Year last season. He has 47 receptions, 21 for TDs. . . Kennel will play at Monmouth next season. . . Returned 8 all-league picks and 16 starters from team that finished 9-4 and reached the District 3 Class 6A championship game. . . Lost title game to Harrisburg 44-6, 10 weeks after beating the Cougars 24-20 at Severance Field. . . Last district title came in 2019. . . Ranked No. 4 in the state in Class 6A.
Did you know? Manheim Township has committed 2 turnovers all season.
Bulldogs update: Have won 7 straight since opening the season with losses to Roman Catholic and Central Dauphin (in OT). . . QB Tommy Hunsicker needs 145 passing yards to become the sixth in program history to top 2,000 yards in a season. . . He also leads the team in rushing, with 456 yards, and in rushing TDs, with 8. . . Edison Case and Madyx Gruber share the team lead with 19 receptions; each has 6 TD catches. . . Case is averaging 16.3 yards on punt returns. . . Senior LB Ryan McMillan leads team with 58 tackles. . . Junior LB Christo Hunsicker is second with 51 tackles, leads with 3 sacks and 3 fumble recoveries and shares lead with 6 1/2 TFL. . . Gruber leads team with 3 INTs and 7 pass breakups. . . Senior DB Jonah Pertet has blocked three kicks. . . Freshman LB Mike Glover has 30 tackles and 5 1/2 TFL . . . In line for District 3 Class 6A berth; could finish anywhere between third and seventh. . . Appeared in state rankings for first time this week, as a Team To Watch in Class 6A.
Fast fact: Manheim Township has not trailed once this season. It has outscored its opponents 174-28 in the first quarter and mercy-ruled 7 of its 8 opponents.
Series flashback: With its starting quarterback, top rusher and top receiver each out with injuries the Bulldogs pulled off a minor miracle at Manheim Township in 2020, winning 31-28. Jadyn Jones rushed for 237 yards. Wilson went on to win the rest of its Section 1 games and win the league title.
Quotable: “This Township team could make a run (at a state title). The quarterback’s terrific; he’s the best they’ve ever had, in my opinion. He reminds me a lot of that kid we faced from from North Allegheny (Mack Leftwich) several years ago: Every pass was right on the money. Clancy is a terrific running back; he’s tough as nails. You’ve got a stable of tall receivers and a quarterback that doesn’t miss? That’s a potent offense.” — Bulldogs coach Doug Dahms.
| SECTION 1 | League | Overall | PS | PA | Up next |
| Manheim Twp. | 5-0 | 9-0 | 426 | 53 | @ Wilson |
| Wilson | 5-0 | 7-2 | 289 | 212 | Manheim Township |
| Cedar Crest | 4-2 | 7-2 | 274 | 140 | Lebanon |
| Penn Manor | 2-3 | 3-6 | 84 | 265 | McCaskey |
| McCaskey | 1-4 | 2-7 | 158 | 338 | @ Penn Manor |
| Hempfield | 1-4 | 2-7 | 197 | 319 | Reading High |
| Reading High | 0-5 | 1-8 | 120 | 316 | @ Hempfield |
