Township’s Hayden Johnson tosses four TDs as Streaks win

(This story was produced by LNP/Lancasteronline, and published in partnership with MikeDragoSports.com.)

By Mike Gross— LNP/Lancasteronline

Manheim Township’s offense looked like a machine Friday, one custom-built for quarterback Hayden Johnson.

Johnson, a senior committed to Lehigh University, completed 23-of-26 passes for 274 yards, four touchdowns and one rushing TD, as the Blue Streaks routed Cumberland Valley, 35-6 in the nonleague season opener for both football teams in Neffsville.

These clubs opened the season with each other a year ago at CV, the Eagles pulling out a 31-27 win, which Township avenged in the District Three Class 6A playoffs.

Johnson was very good in both of those games, but nothing like this.

“It’s experience, right?’’ Township coach Mark Evans said afterward. “It’s plying his craft, if that’s the right word.’’

(It is.)

“He works at it, he’s driven, and he’s ultra-competitive. When you have a kid like that, you don’t have to do a lot.’’

Cumberland Valley is a big-boy program, even if this doesn’t turn out to be a vintage edition. This certainly looked, for one night, like a more complete Township edition than a year ago.

For one thing, the Streaks ran the ball 25 times for 96 yards, and the first number is at least as important as the second. Evans wasn’t willing to run it much a year ago at this time.

“We started with five new offensive linemen last year,’’ he said. “This offensive line, we’re doing a better job of coming off the ball and striking.’’

That despite the fact that four of this year’s five starters were playing their first varsity game.

Further, the Township defense was dominant, holding the Eagles to 45 total yards and one first down because the reserves started working in, well into the third quarter, the mercy rule in effect.

“They’re doing a remarkable job on the defensive line,’’ Evans said. “It’s a bunch of legacy guys. And then in the secondary, again, it’s a bunch of three-year starters, two-year starters who are really starting to grow into themselves.’’

It may not sound like it, but Township started a bit slow. The Streaks didn’t score until the final seconds of the first quarter, on a 7-yard strike from Johnson to Landon Kennel.

Three plays later Nick Palumbo blanketed a CV wideout and intercepted a Deagan Rardain pass. Five snaps after that, Johnson found Palumbo cruising the middle for a 32-yard, catch-and-run score, and the Streaks were off.

After Township pinned the Streaks deep, and after a bad CV punt, midway through the second quarter, Township started a drive on the opposing 18-yard line and broke it open, Johnson scrambling for 15 yards and then plunging in from a yard out.

Kennel finished with seven catches for 94 yards. Johnson hit six different receivers.

Next up for Township is a trip to Dallastown, which gave Hempfield a serious test before falling, 16-14 Friday.

“They have the receiver, (Michael Scott, a major-college recruit),’’ Evans said. “Other than that, I don’t know much about them, but we’ll find out.’’