Wilson can’t keep up with Harrisburg, falls in 6A championship
2024 Berks football coverage presented by
Utilities Employees Credit Union
Harrisburg 42, Wilson 14
(This story will be updated later today with a full boxscore, additional details and postgame reaction.)
By Mike Drago — MikeDragoSports.com Managing Editor
A high punt snap from center on Wilson’s first possession Saturday set the tone for what became a long afternoon for the Bulldogs in the District 3 Class 6A championship game at Don Thomas Stadium.
That turnover on downs led to a quick Harrisburg touchdown, the first of many in what became a 42-14 romp that turned into the Bulldogs’ worst playoff defeat in nearly 20 years.
The second-seeded Bulldogs (12-2) were down 21-0 before scoring their first points on a 1-yard sneak by quarterback Madyx Gruber 14 seconds before halftime.
Before and after nearly everything went wrong for the Bulldogs, who couldn’t keep up with Harrisburg’s tremendous team speed.
“They’re just fast at every position,” said Wilson coach Doug Dahms, who saw his defensive backs struggle to keep up with Harrisburg’s receivers and his offensive lineman struggle to keep pass-rushers out of the backfield and off Gruber’s back.
The elusive Wilson quarterback, a magical play-maker over nine straight wins, was sacked a season-high four times, three by Penn State recruit Messiah Mickens, a relentless defensive end.
Gruber was picked off twice, once in the end zone after the Bulldogs had moved from their own 34 to a first-and-goal at the 4, late in the first half and trailing just 14-0. Correll Akings was taken down for a 3-yard loss on first down and three plays later Gruber, rolling to his right, ran out of space and had to throw across his body and into the end zone, where he was intercepted by Trays Wright.
Down 28-6 midway through the third quarter the Bulldogs went for broke on fourth down from their own 10. Punter Christo Hunsicker, a former quarterback, threw a pass into the wind but it was dropped.
D’Ante Sheffey scored from there on the next play, the second of three touchdowns Harrisburg scored on its first five plays of the third quarter. Earlier, wide receiver Elias Coke made a fingertip grab for a 37-yard TD catch; later Quincy Brannon ran 30 yards for a TD and 42-6 lead.
The Bulldogs got one last touchdown early in the fourth quarter when tight end Michael Glover, the team’s leading receiver, soared high above two defenders in the end zone to snare a 22-yard pass from Gruber. It was his only catch of the day.
Wilson thought it had scored on a 95-yard kickoff return from Akings midway through the third quarter but it was nullified by a holding penalty.
Harrisburg out-gained Wilson 306-155. The fourth-seeded Cougars did not have a turnover; the Bulldogs had none, though they did fumble four times.
The playoff defeat was the worst for Wilson since a 47-13 loss to Gov. Mifflin in a 2006 semifinal. They had never been beaten this soundly in 11 previous championship games, seven of which they’ve won.
Harrisburg (11-2) , which has now won four straight district titles, advances to play District 7 champ Pittsburgh Central Catholic (10-2), a 41-19 winner Friday over State College.
Harrisburg has been a nemesis for Wilson, ending the Bulldogs’ season five times in the last seven years. One of those, in 2021, was in a championship game.
Overall the Cougars own a 7-4 series lead and are 6-2 in the postseason. Harrisburg has won five straight in the series; Wilson’s last win came in 2015.
The Cougars have played the whole season without quarterback and All-State defensive back Shawn Lee Jr, who was ruled ineligible by the PIAA, which ruled he had exhausted his high school athletic ability. After learning he couldn’t play for a PIAA school he transferred to Milford Academy in New Berlin, N.Y.; he plans to enroll at the University of Pittsburgh in January.
Mickens has stepped in to fill the void. He transferred from Trinity before this season and has been the Cougars’ top player on both sides of the ball. He rushed for 147 yards and three touchdowns last week against Township; he has rushed for 1,121 yards and 19 TDs.
Mickens is one of nine first-team all-league selections – an impressive number considering the Cougars compete against state powers such as Bishop McDevitt and State College for those honors.
The all-league list includes defensive back Ky’Mir Williams, a St. Francis recruit, and sophomore linebacker Rick Brown, who is expected to soon start drawing big-time college interest.
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Final | |
| Harrisburg | 7 | 14 | 21 | 0 | 42 |
| Wilson | 0 | 6 | 0 | 8 | 14 |
Scoring summary
| 1 | Harrisburg | Mickens, 7 run (Fasanya kick) | 2:59 |
| 2 | Harrisburg | Mickens, 3 run (Fasanya kick) | 11:54 |
| 2 | Harrisburg | Ewell, 52 run (Fasanya kick) | 4:22 |
| 2 | Wilson | Gruber, 1 run (kick failed) | 0:14 |
| 3 | Harrisburg | Coke, 37 pass from Lewis | 8:12 |
| 3 | Harrisburg | Sheffey, 10 run (Fasanya kick) | 6:42 |
| 3 | Harrisburg | Brannon, 30 run (Fasanya kick) | 3:59 |
| 4 | Wilson | Glover, 22 pass from Gruber | 10:56 |
Team statistics
| Harrisburg | Wilson | |
| First downs | 13 | 14 |
| Rushes-yards | 33-180 | 30-26 |
| Passing yards | 126 | 129 |
| Total yards | 306 | 155 |
| Passes | 5-8-0 | 13-22-2 |
| Fumbles-lost | 0-0 | 4-0 |
| Punts-average | 0 | 3-33.3 |
| Penalties-yards | 7-73 | 7-64 |
Individual statistics
RUSHING
Harrisburg: Ewell 1-52, Sheffey 5-40, Brannon 2-40, Mickens 8-30, Johnson 11-10, Lewis 5-11, Team 1-(-5).
Wilson: M. Greer 6-37, Akings 9-18, Gruber 14-(-13), Team 1-(-16).
PASSING
Harrisburg: Lewis 5-7-0–126, Shank 0-1-0–0.
Wilson: Gruber 12-20-2–133, Hunsicker 1-2-0–(-4).
RECEIVING
Harrisburg: Coke 3-110, Brannon 2-16.
Wilson: Zullinger 3-31, Akings 3-27, Greer 2-26, Hunsicker 2-14, Glover 1-22, Kline 1-13, Harding 1-(-4).
INTERCEPTIONS
Harrisburg: Walker, Sinkler.