Reading High no match for top-ranked Central York

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

By Phil Glatfelter — LNP/Lancasteronline

EMIGSVILLE — Facing the top-ranked team in the District 3 Class 6A power ratings was going to be a difficult task for Reading High, even at full strength.

Central York lived up to its billing, powering to a 44-point halftime lead and coasting to a 44-8 non-league win Friday night at Emigsville.

“Going into this week, we were down seven starters,” said Red Knights coach Troy Godinet. “We were not going to be a team that was going to come in here and tuck our tails. We’re going to come in here and compete.”

Central York (9-1) used explosive plays on offense and a stingy defense in the first half. The Panthers got TD runs of 16, 7 and 39 yards from Juelz Goff, who finished with 74 yards on just six carries, a 30-yarder by Ajani Walker and touchdown passes of 53 and 59 yards from Nasir Still.

Reading (3-6), meanwhile, didn’t get a first down until the five-minute mark of the second quarter.

While the outcome was already decided, the Red Knights were able to show some signs of life in the second half, though against mostly reserves for Central and with little time of possession due to a running clock.

The Red Knights nearly doubled their first downs from the first half, with five, posted 122 of their 178 total yards and got their lone score.

Quarterback Amier Burdine was just 2-for-9 passing in the first half and was targeted by the Central defense, which held him to minus yards rushing until a couple of 17-yard runs late in the first half. He completed six of his eight passes in the second half for 132 yards.

Reading got its lone touchdown with 25.7 seconds to play. Burdine and Ruben Rodriguez teamed up on a 59-yard pass play on third-and-29, and again on the next play for a 19-yard score. Burdine ran it in for the two-point conversion.

Burdine finished 8-for-17 for 156 yards; all but one pass (for no gain) went to Rodriguez.

“You have to take every positive that you can get to build,” said Godinet. “The fact that the kids came out and played hard … is a positive thing. It shows our kids you can do it. You can come out and be you and be successful.”

Reading closes out its schedule next Friday at home against Hempfield.

	1	2	3	4	Final
Reading High	0	0	0	8	8
Central York	21	23	0	0	44

Scoring summary

1	Central York	Goff, 16 run (Parker kick)	8:26
1	Central York	Goff, 7 run (Parker kick)	7:22
1	Central York	Goff, 39 run (Parker kick)	1:59
2	Central York	Shaw, 53 pass from Still (Parker kick)	11:31
2	Central York	Walker, 30 run (Parker kick)	6:44
2	Central York	Hines, 59 pass from Still	2:26
2	Central York	Safety
4	Reading High	Rodriguez, 19 pass from Burdine (Burdine run)	0:25

Team statistics

	Reading High	Central York
First downs	8	14
Rushes-yards	28-20	25-192
Passing yards	156	219
Total yards	176	411
Passes	8-17	10-14
Fumbles-lost	4-1	1-1
Punts-average	5-35.4	1-39.0
Penalties-yards	2-19	1-10

Individual statistics

RUSHING

Reading High: Alvarado 7-12, Burdine 16-6, Small 3-3, Drayton 1-1, Rodriguez 1-(-2).

Central York: Walker 7-84, Goff 6-74, Diehl 3-20, Gregory 3-13, Muffley 1-5, Hines 1-2, Still 1-1, Kopko 1-(-2),Johnson 2-(-10)

PASSING

Reading High:Burdine 8-17-1–156.

Central York:  Still 7-10-0–178, Johnson 3-4-0–41.

RECEIVING

Reading High: Rodriguez  7-156, Rosario 1-0.

Central York: Hines 5-129, Shaw 1-53, Santana 1-30, Soler 1-6, Muffley 1-5, Goff 1-(-4).