Long TD pass, interception return spark late rally for Bulldogs
2025 Berks football coverage presented by
Utilities Employees Credit Union
(This story was produced by LNP/Lancasteronline, and published in partnership with MikeDragoSports.com.)
By Brian Markley — LNP/Lancasteronline
LANDISVILLE — Wilson desperately needed a spark. The Bulldogs got one early in the third quarter.
Wilson rode the big plays to a 38-28 Lancaster-Lebanon League Section 1 win over Hempfield in Landisville on Friday night.
| Final | |
| Wilson | 38 |
| Hempfield | 28 |
Wilson, which was uncharacteristically sloppy on offense for most of the first half, had its offense jolted back to life when quarterback Mason Young found Correll Akings for a 51-yard completion.
“We came into this game knowing it was going to be a tough matchup,” Young said. “First half obviously we didn’t come out like we wanted to. Coach (Doug Dahms) really talked some sense into us at halftime.”
The 51-yard pass set up a Ethan Harding touchdown from 1 yard, tying it at 14-14 late in the third quarter.
The Bulldogs (3-0, 6-1) smelled blood and capitalized on the new-found momentum.
They followed their score with another, this time from their defense.
Hempfield’s Derek Katch fired a pass over the middle, not seeing Braydon Farrell, who picked Katch’s pass and took it to the end zone for a 42-yard interception return, giving Wilson the lead for the first time since its first score in the first quarter.
A look at the stat sheet may shock some.
The Bulldogs, a famously disciplined team, had 13 flags for 139 yards in penalties. That many penalty yards usually doesn’t result in success.
“We talk all the time about communication,” Dahms said. “Our offensive line wasn’t communicating, which is why they gave us fits on the blitzes.”
Match that up to Hempfield (2-2, 3-4), which had just four penalties for 51 yards.
The difference was that the Black Knights’ penalties proved to be more costly, two of them resulting in first downs that Wilson took advantage of with drives resulting in scores.
Hempfield looked dangerous all night, especially the defense, which is the best in Section 1 and held a high-octane Wilson offense to seven points in the first half.
“Hempfield is a really tough team,” said Young.
Both teams traded punches in a fourth quarter that featured 31 combined points.
| 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 |
Ultimately, a 17-point fourth quarter by Wilson, including a 62-yard touchdown pass to Jaiden Carpenter, sunk the Black Knights’ chance at a comeback.
“We came out in the second half and really put the hammer down,” said Young. “We really locked in in that fourth quarter.”
Hempfield’s duo of Katch and wide receiver Orion Abrams once again was inevitable for the Black Knights.
Nine of Katch’s 14 completions were caught by Abrams, who had 138 yards and two touchdowns.
Defenses know that Abrams is the key weapon and Katch’s No. 1 target, yet the duo still continues to produce.
With the win, Wilson keeps pace with Manheim Township at the top of Section 1.
The Bulldogs will return home for another Section 1 clash, this time against Penn Manor next Friday.
Hempfield hosts Exeter in a non-league game next Friday.
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Final | |
| Wilson | 7 | 0 | 14 | 17 | 38 |
| Hempfield | 7 | 7 | 0 | 14 | 28 |
Scoring summary
| 1 | Wilson | Akings, 1 run (Oxenreider kick) | 5:52 |
| 1 | Hempfield | Abrams, 41 pass from Katch (Biscoe kick) | 2:44 |
| 2 | Hempfield | Katch, 4 run (Biscoe kick) | 1:13 |
| 3 | Wilson | Harding, 1 run (Oxenreider kick) | 1:29 |
| 3 | Wilson | Farrell, 42 interception return (Oxenreider kick) | 0:26 |
| 4 | Wilson | Oxenreider, 25 FG | 9:52 |
| 4 | Hempfield | Abrams, 7 pass from Katch (Biscoe kick) | 7:40 |
| 4 | Wilson | Carpenter, 63 pass from Young (Oxenreider kick) | 5:42 |
| 4 | Hempfield | Talbott, 3 run (Biscoe kick) | 3:45 |
| 4 | Wilson | M. Greer, 31 run (Oxenreider kick) | 0:49 |
Team statistics
| WILSON | HEMPFIELD | |
| First downs | 19 | 15 |
| Rushes-yards | 38-182 | 23-51 |
| Passing yards | 262 | 193 |
| Total yards | 444 | 244 |
| Passes | 16-25-0 | 14-26-3 |
| Fumbles-lost | 0-0 | 0-0 |
| Punts-average | 3-38.7 | 4-41.0 |
| Penalties-yards | 13-139 | 4-51 |
Individual statistics
RUSHING
Wilson: Glover 5-52, M. Greer 7-51, Young 8-38, Akings 15-35, Harding 2-7, Team 1-(-1).
Hempfield: Katch 12-25, Rice 4-24, Talbott 3-2, Abrams 4-3.
PASSING
Wilson: Young 16-25-0–262.
Hempfield: Katch 14-26-3–193.
RECEIVING
Wilson: Carpenter 4-90, Dean 4-60, Akings 3-75, D. Greer 2-31, Glover 2-7, Brownback 1-(-1).
Hempfield: Abrams 9-138, Poole 2-39, Caban 2-15, German 1-1.
INTERCEPTIONS
Wilson: Carpenter, Dean, Farrell.
