Two-time defending 5A champ Cocalico outsted by Mechanicsburg
2024 Berks football coverage presented by
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Mechanicsburg 42, Cocalico 3
(This story was produced by LNP/Lancasteronline, and published in partnership with MikeDragoSports.com.)
By Justin Staggers — LNP/Lancasteronline
MECHANICSBURG — With Cocalico trailing by three possessions and his shoulder throbbing, quarterback Josh Myer knew he had to get back in the game.
The hit he took was heavy enough to draw a flag and only re-aggravated the shoulder pain he’d been battling all season. But for Myer, stepping off the field wasn’t an option — not with just a few minutes left to play with the teammates he’d grown up alongside.
“I knew that if I was able to come back in, I had to,” said Myer. “The possibility of it being the last game, plus for just the guys on the team.”
The Eagles had opportunities offensively but costly penalties and turnovers turned a close game into a decisive defeat in the quarterfinals of the District 3 Class 5A tournament.
However, the final score on Friday night, a 42-3 victory for Mechanicsburg, doesn’t fully capture the fight of a Cocalico team that refused to quit, even as the injuries piled up, and finished 8-4.
Mechanicsburg wasted no time, marching 87 yards in just 3:04 on its opening drive. On third-and-3 from Cocalico’s 8-yard line, Wildcats dual-threat quarterback Eli Reider took a keeper nearly untouched into the end zone.
After a quick three-and-out, the Wildcats regained possession and looked to have a golden opportunity to take control. But Cocalico’s Dane Horning charged through Mechanicsburg’s line, applying enough pressure on Reider to force a fumble and give the Eagles prime field position.
Cocalico’s offense responded, driving 30 yards to reach Mechanicsburg’s 10-yard line with a chance to tie it — until back-to-back penalties pushed them back 25 yards and forced them to settle for a 39-yard field goal by Talen Popolis.
After the missed opportunity, Mechanicsburg returned with another quick-strike drive, covering 76 yards in just four plays. Isaac Dollman capped it with a 59-yard touchdown run to extend the Wildcats’ lead.
By halftime, Cocalico was down by three scores, and their struggles continued after a near fumble nearly resulted in a 12-yard loss.
Mechanicsburg regained possession and struck again, this time with Noah Apple sprinting past Cocalico’s secondary to catch a Reider pass in the end zone.
With the game firmly in control, the Wildcats ran down the clock to seal a dominant win.
Mechanicsburg now will welcome a red-hot Bishop McDevitt next Friday in the semfinals.
As for Cocalico — which had won the previous two Class 5A titles — an offseason of major changes awaits. Alongside Myer, 15 seniors will graduate.
“They don’t ever want to come off the field,” said Cocalico coach Bryan Strohl. “You just hope that kind of stuff gets passed down to the younger kids. That’s the kind of stuff you hope is a part of the tradition of Cocalico football.”
