Breaking down the L-L’s five section races heading into last week of league play
2023 Berks football coverage presented by
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Manheim Central, Twin Valley, Cocalico and Schuylkill Valley have each clinched at least a tie for first place in their respective sections of the Lancaster-Lebanon League but there’s still a lot up in the air heading into the final weekend of the regular season.
Here’s a closer look at each section:
Section 1
(Amber Ritson/LNP photo)
Manheim Township and Wilson are each unbeaten in league play heading into their first-place showdown Friday at Gurski Stadium.
It’s pretty clear cut: The winner is the champ.
No ties here; the championship will be decided on the field.
The Bulldogs (5-0, 7-2) are the decided underdog despite a seven-game winning streak. They have played better as the season has progressed but don’t possess the firepower or lock-down defense of past seasons.
The Blue Streaks (5-0, 9-0) appear to be armor-plated. They have won every game by more than four touchdowns; their average winning margin is more than 41 points per game.
Wilson is seeking its record 28th Section 1 title; it last won in 2021.
Township has won nine Section 1 titles, the last in 2019.
Hempfield won the title last year by edging Township 17-14 and Wilson 20-16 during its unbeaten ride through the section.
Section 2
(Chris Knight/LNP photo)
Manheim Central (5-0, 8-1) can claim the title outright with a win Friday at Exeter (4-1, 8-1). If the Eagles win they’ll share the title with the Barons and most likely with Conestoga Valley (4-1, 7-2), which closes at Muhlenberg.
The Eagles were hoping to once again take an unbeaten record into the final week of the season but were upended 34-27 by Conestoga Valley last week.
Exeter and Manheim met in an epic season finale last season at Manheim.
The battle of unbeatens was not decided until Nate Pashley’s fourth-down interception in the back of the end zone ended the Barons’ last-minute bid.
Manheim Central has won six straight since a 48-28, Week 3 loss at Cocalico.
The Barons, with the return of Section 2 Offensive Back of the Year Brycen Armold, Section 2 Receiver of the Year Aaron Enterline and quarterback Zac Hahn, were the preseason favorites.
Section 3
(Tim Macrina photo)
Twin Valley (5-1, 8-1) clinched its share of the title when it closed out league play with a 54-7 win over Daniel Boone. The Raiders end the regular season with a non-leaguer against Hatboro-Horsham.
Ephrata (4-1, 8-1) and Garden Spot (4-1, 8-1) can claim a share of the title with wins Friday; each looms as a heavy favorite.
The Mountaineers host Elizabethtown (2-3, 3-6); the Spartans host Solanco (2-3, 3-6).
Twin Valley has won just one previous title, sharing the Berks League Section 2 title with Wyomissing in 2007. It beat the Spartans head-to-head that season, by the way.
Ephrata has a similar history: Just one previous title, when it shared the Section 2 title in 1987.
Garden Spot has won five previous section titles, the most recent in 2012.
The section’s balance is on display again this season. A year ago champion Solanco and runner-up Elizabethtown dominated play in the section; they’ll each finish with a losing record this season.
Section 4
(Chris Knight/LNP photo)
Cocalico (6-0, 8-1) has clinched a share of the title and will claim it outright by beating Conrad Weiser (2-4, 2-7) Friday.
The Eagles essentially wrapped up the tile with a 34-14 win over Wyomissing in 7; two weeks earlier they held off a strong Lampeter-Strasburg team 24-10.
Section titles are nothing new at Cocalico: It has won 15, the most recent in 2021. Its last outright title came in 2012.
Wyomissing won the title with a perfect run last season, its first in the league.
Section 4 is the beast everyone imagined it to be when the league expanded before last season.
Cocalico, Wyomissing and Lampeter – each ranked in the Top 10 in the state in its classification — are a combined 24-1 against teams other than each other.
That lone loss came in Week 1 when Cocalico inexplicably lost at Warwick 17-14.
Section 5
Schuylkill Valley played 50 seasons of football without winning a championship. Finally, in Year 51, the Panthers are champs – well, co-champs for now. They clinched a share of first last week by beating Annville-Cleona 14-13 in a battle of first-place teams.
(PhilMarPhoto)
With a win at Lancaster Catholic (5-1, 8-1) Friday Schuylkill Valley will win the title outright.
If the Panthers lose and Annville-Cleona (5-1, 6-3) beats Northern Lebanon it’ll end up as a three-way tie.
Lancaster Catholic enjoyed a perfect run through the section last season but it was far from easy.
The Crusaders had to hold off the Panthers 44-41 in the season finale at Leesport, where Dominic Giuffre scored a program-record six touchdowns. Schuylkill Valley would have shared first place with a win. Now the teams are in opposite positions.
Catholic’s lone loss this season came in three weeks ago in Lancaster to Annville-Cleona, 35-21.
Interestingly, Catholic once won eight straight section titles under Bruce Harbach, who has coached Schuylkill Valley for the past three seasons.
