GoBigRecruiting.com Game of the Week: Wilson vs. Manheim Township

By Mike Drago Last updated Oct 27, 2021

GoBigRecruiting.com Game of the Week

Wilson (6-3) vs. Manheim Township (6-3)

Kick: Friday, 7, at Gurski Stadium.

Lancaster-Lebanon Section 1 records: Bulldogs 4-0, Blue Streaks 3-1.

Series: Wilson leads 37-12-1.

Last meeting: Despite playing without several injured starters the Bulldogs rallied behind Jadyn Jones’ powerhouse performance to pull out a 31-28 victory. Jones rushed for 237 yards and two TDs on 29 carries, opening the game with a 65-yard run and giving Wilson a 10-point cushion with a 15-yard run with 1:14 left. They needed every bit of that to hold off Evan Clark, who passed for 284 yards and three TDs in Township’s only league loss. The Bulldogs played without QB/DB Kaleb Brown, RB/DB Mason Lenart and WR/DB Troy Corson, each of whom were injured.

Bulldogs update: Clinched tie for the Section 1 title last week with 28-21 win at Hempfield, their fourth straight win. . . Can win it outright by beating Township. . . Have won Section 1-leading 28 championships, with 21 outright. . . Senior Jadyn Jones leads Section 1 in rushing with 771 yards after going for 139, with two TDs, last week. . . Senior QB Brad Hoffman is fifth in the section in rushing with 545 yards after going for 131 last week. . . Hoffman rushed for 195 yards in Week 8 vs. Cedar Crest. . . Jadyn Jones leads team with 12 TDs. . . Cam Jones has nine TDs, six on kick returns. . . Top-ranked defense in Section 1, allowing 240 yards per game. . . Gavin Lenart leads team with 36 tackles. . . Ryan McMillan has 31 tackles. . . Dominic Memo leads team with 8 1/2 tackles for loss. . . Ranked No. 7 in District 3 Class 6A power rankings. . . Can clinch a spot in the top eight with a win. . . A loss, coupled with a win by Carlisle over C.D. East, could knock them out.

Golden anniversary: This is the 50th season of Lancaster-Lebanon League football. The league debuted in 1972 with two sections and 17 teams. Cedar Crest and Conestoga Valley shared the first Section 1 title; Annville-Cleona won the Section 2 title. When Gov. Mifflin, Muhlenberg and Wilson joined the league in 1975 a third section was added. Wilson won its first title in 1978.

Fast fact: Manheim Township ended Wilson’s Lancaster-Lebanon League-record 68-game winning streak with a 38-14 win at Gurski Stadium in 2017.

Blue Streaks update: Can earn a share of the Section 1 title with a win. . . Won section title outright in 2019 and 2017; shared it with Warwick and Wilson in 2019. . . Three-year championship run was snapped last season, after losing to Wilson 31-28. . . Each of their three losses this season have come by a field goal, to Dallastown (41-38), Harrisburg (20-17 in OT) and Hempfield (17-14). . . Best win came in Week 2, 24-21 over C.D. East, which is 7-2 and ranked No. 3 in the District 3 Class 6A power ratings. . . Soph QB Hayden Johnson has emerged as the top passer in the Lancaster-Lebanon League, with 1,840 yards and 24 TDs; he’s competing 69.6 percent of his throws. . . He’s throwing to the league’s most dangerous receiver, Penn State recruit Anthony Ivey, who leads all Section 1 receivers in catches (47), yards (603) and TD receptions (7). . . Michael Heckman has 27 catches and five TDs. . . Landon Kennel has 25 catches and five TDs. . . Top-ranked offense in Section 1, at 330 yards per game. . . Defense, which is allowing 320 yards per game, has been vulnerable, especially against the rush. . . Allowed scoring runs of 25, 51 and 33 yards last week in 62-21 win over McCaskey. . . Ranked No. 5 in District 3 Class 6A power ratings. . . Could move up a spot and earn a first-round home game with a win.

For the record: Manheim Township WR Anthony Ivey set a Lancaster-Lebanon League record with 292 receiving yards in a 30-14 victory over Wilson in 2019 at Gurski Stadium. He was offered a scholarship by Penn State the next day, and later committed.

Home field disadvantage: Manheim Township has won three of the last five meetings against Wilson, including the last two at Gurski Stadium. The Bulldogs have won four of their last five games at Township.