District 3 playoff preview: Wilson vs. Central York
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No. 2 Wilson (10-1) vs. No. 3 Central York (9-2)
What: District 3 Class 6A semifinal.
Kick: Friday, 7, at Gurski Stadium.
Series: Wilson leads 4-0.
Last meeting: Wilson won 2021 district quarterfinal 14-11 at Central York.
(Joe Mays photo)
Bulldogs update: Correll Akings ran for three first-half scores and defense was outstanding in 28-3 quarterfinal win over Cedar Crest. . . Extended winning streak to eight games, longest since a 10-gamer in 2016. . . Ranked No. 2 among 37 Lancaster-Lebanon League team in total offense, at 396 yards per game. . . Only team in league with both 2,000 yards rushing and passing. . . QB Madyx Gruber is completing 66.3 percent of his passes, for 1,713 yards and 20 TDs. . . His passing efficiency rating of 173.8 would rank third-best in program history, behind Tony Cipolla (185.2, 1999) and Eric Hetrich (175.8, 2004). . . Akings last week became just the seventh junior in program history to rush for 1,000 yards in a season. . . He leads team with 17 TDs. . . Junior Monty Greer is averaging 10.6 yards per carry, among the best in program history. . . Greer is averaging 31.0 yards on 10 kickoff returns. . . Soph TE Michael Glover leads team with 34 receptions; he’s averaging 15.6 yards per catch. . . Soph LB EJ Brownback leads team with 70 tackles, including 15 tackles for loss. . . DE Cam Zullinger has 13 TFL. . . LB Christo Hunsicker leads with 4 sacks. . . Gruber leads team with 4 INTs. . . He and Greer share lead with 10 pass breakups. . . Have won seven districts championships, most recently in 2016. . . Snapped three-game district losing streak last week. . . Overall, 11-16 in the semifinals. . . 24-5 at home in district playoffs under Doug Dahms. . . Ranked No. 7 in the state.
Did you know? Wilson’s 43 victories in the District 3 Tournament are tied for fourth-most, trailing only Bishop McDevitt (67), Manheim Central (63), and Cumberland Valley (52). Wyomissing also has 43.
Panthers update: Legend Johnson returned a kickoff 80 yards for a touchdown and Brendyn Smith returned a punt 48 yards for a score in a 47-14 victory over sixth-seeded C.D. East last week in the quarterfinals. . . QB Brooklyn Nace, a starter on PIAA championship basketball team, threw for 218 yards and a TD last week. . . Nace, a junior, has thrown for 2,010 yards and 26 TDs, with 3 INTs. . . Smith leads team with 55 receptions, and 11 TDs; he had 8 catches last week. . . 6-3 WR Saxton Suchanic has 25 catches and 9 TDs. . . 6-4 WR Nasir Ruppert is averaging 17.1 yards on his 15 catches. . . Have a true weapon at PK in Penn State recruit Matthew Parker, who is 9-of-10 on FGs, with a long of 52. Had a pair of 50-yarders last season. . . Averaging 38.1 points, tops among Class 6A teams in District 3. . . Have committed just 7 turnovers. . .Closest call this season came in Week 5 at Dallastown when they converted a late two-pointer for a 28-27 win; Dallastown finished 9-2. . . Lone loss to a Pennsylvania team came in Week 2 to Manheim Township, 28-10; Blue Streaks’ Declan Clancy ran for 241 yards. . . Only other loss came to Archbishop Hoban of Ohio, 41-7. . . Won first 11 games last year before falling to eventual champ Harrisburg 28-21 in district semifinals. . . Lone District 3 championship came in 2020, 48-21 against league rival York High. . . Eliminated in semifinals past three seasons. . . Overall, 14-16 in districts; 3-6 in semifinals.
Fast fact: Central York is 51-7 over the last five seasons under head coach Gary Yonachiuk, who previously was head coach at Lebanon for five seasons. The Panthers are 43-2 in the regular season in that span, with perfect regular seasons in 2020, 2021, 2022, and 2023. They have won 38 straight games against York-Adams Section 1 teams, with six straight championships.
Series flashback, 2021: The fifth-seeded Bulldogs (9-3) held on for a 14-11 upset of the top-ranked and unbeaten Panthers when freshman kicker Matthew Parker missed a 32-yard field goal with one second remaining in a District 3 Class 6A semifinal. The win was the seventh straight for Wilson, which took the lead on Ben Rada’s 21-yard field goal with 1:13 remaining.
Central York senior quarterback Beau Pribula, who now plays at Penn State, threw for 308 yards but was also sacked four times and intercepted once. His only TD pass gave the Panthers an 11-3 lead in the third quarter. Wilson QB Brad Hoffman ran 29 times for 167 yards and RB Jadyn Jones ran 27 times for 161 yards.
Quotable: “The quarterback runs all over the place; he’s very athletic. What concerns me most is they’ve got two 6-4 wideouts; that can create some issues. If we can stop their screen game, their short passing game, we’ll be alright.” – Wilson coach Doug Dahms.