Manheim Township keeps climbing with win over Cedar Crest
2025 Berks football coverage presented by
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(This story was produced by LNP/Lancasteronline, and published in partnership with MikeDragoSports.com.)
By Jeff Reinhart — LNP/Lancasteronline
NEFFSVILLE — Climb.
It stands for commitment; little things; intensity; mental toughness; brotherhood.
That is Manheim Township’s motto this football season. The players have the word on their helmets, and the moniker has certainly been helping the last several weeks.
| Final | |
| Manheim Twp. | 0 |
| Cedar Crest | 0 |
Township kept climbing Friday night, winning its fifth game in a row. Jack Kenneff had three touchdown passes — two to Daryus Dixon, who had a stupendous night in the pass-catching department — and the Streaks scored five unanswered TDs in a 42-13 Lancaster-Lebanon League Section 1 win over Cedar Crest in Neffsville.
Township (3-0, 6-1) remained in a first-place tie with Wilson; the Bulldogs (3-0, 6-1) rallied past pesky Hempfield 38-28 on Friday; Wilson will host the Streaks in Week 10.
That’s a long way off. For now, Township coach Mark Evans will continue to preach commitment, little things, intensity, mental toughness and brotherhood.
“We really challenged them with that tonight,” Evans said. “And they responded.”
Dixon simply stretched the field against Cedar Crest, with eight catches for 190 yards. His 47-yard TD catch knotted the game up at 7-7 in the first quarter. His 60-yard TD snag gave the Streaks the lead for good, 10 seconds into the second quarter.
The Falcons (2-2, 3-4) had a 7-0 lead on Eli Beard’s 1-yard run. Cedar Crest pulled off a flea-flicker on that drive, with Steven Reyes hitting Luke Oriel for a 46-yard gain.
The Falcons also had a 13-7 lead thanks to an interception by Landyn Kline, and Reyes’ ensuing 7-yard TD flip to Liam Setcavage late in the first quarter.
That’s the last time Cedar Crest dented the end zone, as the Falcons played the final three quarters minus leading rusher Isaiah Zimmerman, who limped off with a lower leg injury and never returned.
Dixon challenged Cedar Crest’s secondary throughout. He drug multiple defenders into the end zone with him on the 47-yard TD, and he flashed some serious speed on the 60-yard scoring grab, racing untouched the final 40-plus yards.
| SECTION 1 | League | Overall |
| Wilson | 3-0 | 6-1 |
| Manheim Twp. | 3-0 | 6-1 |
| Cedar Crest | 2-2 | 3-4 |
| Hempfield | 2-2 | 3-4 |
| Penn Manor | 1-2 | 2-5 |
| McCaskey | 0-2 | 0-6 |
| Reading High | 0-3 | 0-6 |
Dixon now leads the league with 10 TD receptions this season.
“A lot of that is our O-line working really well, and the quarterback delivering the ball,” Dixon said. “And I really appreciate that. Jack has really put his trust in me, knowing that I’m going to come down with the ball. He’s also made a big, big step up at QB. He’s been really good.”
With opposing defenses worrying about where Dixon is, it has opened up holes for other weapons in Township’s offensive scheme.
Like Marcos Fernandez, who rushed for 96 yards with a 21-yard TD run, giving the Streaks a 21-13 lead at the half here Friday. And hammer-back Taylor Veilleux, who slammed his way to an 8-yard TD rumble and a 13-yard TD catch to finish off the Falcons.
“When we get in tough situations, we can always count on Daryus getting open,” Veilleux said. “Or even helping someone else get open because he’s drawing a double coverage. He opens up other guys for a free route. He’s a weapon. He really is.”
“He’s so fast and twitchy,” Evans said of Dixon. “He can do so many things well, whether it’s on a screen or in the vertical game. He’s a really nice compliment out there on the perimeter.”
Dixon had receptions of 47, 60 and 49 yards in the game.
“He runs good routes, he converts, and he’s really strong,” Cedar Crest coach Nick Lambros noted. “We shot ourselves in the foot at some bad times, plus (Township) is a really good team. They’re strong. But our kids never quit at any point. They kept playing. There’s still a lot of football to be played, and we have to play better.”
Ditto for Township, as the Streaks and the Falcons are looking to snare seeds in the District 3 Class 6A bracket.
“Coach Evans likes to say that we can bend, but don’t buckle,” Veilleux said. “That has really made us get locked in and ready to go.”
And, Township hopes, keep climbing.
