Charlie Hill’s interception return keys Manheim Township past Cumberland Valley
2024 Berks football coverage presented by
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(This story was produced by LNP/Lancasteronline, and published in partnership with MikeDragoSports.com.)
By Jason Guarente — LNP/Lancasteronline
NEFFSVILLE — One hundred yards is a long way to run at full speed. That’s especially true for a linebacker in the middle of a football game.
Charlie Hill wasn’t sure he was going to make it. He was, in his words, “huffing and puffing.”
Manheim Township’s senior had just enough energy to take it the length of the field. Hill’s interception return was the defining moment as top-seeded Township outlasted No. 8 Cumberland Valley 14-7 in the District 3 Class 6A quarterfinals at Neffsville Friday night.
Township (10-1) will take on Harrisburg or Dallastown, which play Saturday, in the semifinals at home next week.
Hill’s interception certainly ranked as one of the most thrilling moments of his career. He can’t tell you a whole lot about it.
“I blacked out,” Hill said. “I don’t even remember it. I remember catching the ball and ending up in the end zone.”
Township coach Mark Evans rewards his players with steak dinners for defensive touchdowns. This one was created in the film room.
Hill knew the play Cumberland Valley was going to run and he pounced on it. He grabbed the ball just across his defensive goal line and carried it to the goal line at the opposite end of the field.
“We game-planned for that play the whole week,” Hill said. “I read it perfectly. The guys around me were doing their jobs.”
This triumph required a lot from Township. Guts. Determination. Perseverance. Mostly, it was about defense. The Blue Streaks were on the field for 61 plays and allowed just 210 yards. They held their Mid-Penn rivals to negative yards rushing.
The two most important plays happened when Cumberland Valley had the ball. Hill’s Pick-Six was a 14-point swing in the second quarter. It turned a possible 7-0 deficit into a 7-0 lead.
The second interception was provided by Jaden Reed-Jones. That also came in the end zone.
Cumberland Valley marched to Township’s 16-yard line with one last chance to pull even. Quarterback Colton Stamy, a freshman, had time to throw but no one to target. His last-ditch attempt was corralled by Reed-Jones.
“The ball bobbled a couple of times and fell into my hands,” the defensive back said. “Everybody was telling me to go down. I wanted to get a touchdown, to be honest.”
Reed-Jones eventually crashed to the turf and time expired. After 48 tense minutes, Township could finally exhale.
Township mounted one scoring drive on the back of captain Declan Clancy, who rushed for 133 yards. Clancy carried on seven consecutive plays to bring the Blue Streaks to Cumberland Valley’s 10. Daryus Dixon then caught a touchdown pass from Carson Weisser.
That put Township ahead 14-0. The lead was enough. Barely. Cumberland Valley scored on Elijah Sherman’s 18-yard reception with 7:16 remaining before mounting the final drive that fell short.
It wasn’t pretty for Township. The Blue Streaks were hit with 14 penalties for 143 yards. They managed just 189 yards of offense and nine first downs.
Pretty is irrelevant this time of year.
“We’ve been talking about the word yet,” Evans said. “We haven’t played our best game yet. We haven’t played our best half yet. We’ve got to win and advance. It doesn’t matter if it’s by one point or by 50.”
Township made the necessary plays. The kinds that separate the teams that go to practice on Monday from the teams that go home for the season.
Hill made the biggest play of them all. One hundred yards for a steak dinner.
