Wilson still the team to beat in Section 1, says one rival coach

Wilson has been hit with a wave of injuries and will be without its No. 1 running back this week but teams around the Lancaster-Lebanon League aren’t expecting anything less from the Bulldogs as league play nears.

“When you look at Section 1, it all starts with Wilson,” said Hempfield coach George Eager. “I know they’re 1-2, (but) I don’t think you count Wilson out; we certainly aren’t. I think they’re the team to beat in Section 1.”

The Bulldogs haven’t looked like a top contender the past two weeks, losing 42-14 to both Gov. Mifflin and Exeter.

They ended last week’s game at Exeter without starting quarterback Brad Hoffman, several two-way starters and leading rusher Jadyn Jones, who was ejected late in the game.

Hoffman, who didn’t play last week because of a sprained knee, could play Friday against Martin Luther King at Gurski Stadium; Bulldogs coach Doug Dahms said he practiced Tuesday and listed him as day-to-day.

Dahms said wide receiver Josh Drake is out with an ankle injury and likely won’t play Friday; he was uncertain whether linebackers Gavin Lenart (shoulder) and T.J. Flite (knee) will be able to play.

Senior Evan Williams, part of what was a deep wide receiver rotation, is out with a broken collarbone.

Jones, who leads the team with 249 rushing yards and three touchdowns, will not be eligible, due to PIAA rules regarding ejections.

Lenart would be the first back in to replace Jones, but he’s unlikely to see time at that critical spot.

That job will likely fall to senior Jason Beckford. Junior Cam Jones could also see time lined up as a running back.

“Our first three games were extremely physical,” Dahms said. “We played a lot of ground-and-pound football.

“Hopefully we heal, we don’t get any more (injuries), get a couple wins under our belt and go into the league full strength.”

Lancaster-Lebanon League play opens next week. Wilson will open with a Section 1 bye, and will play Section 2 favorite and unbeaten Manheim Central.

Despite the rough start, Eager still looks at the Wilson as the top dog in Section 1.

“Without a doubt,” he said. “Maybe people disagree with me, but knowing that staff, knowing how they win games, knowing the players that are still healthy, you’ve gotta give Wilson the respect that they deserve.

“After that, you have to look at (Manheim) Township. Just look at the last five, six years, at the league makeup, those are the top two teams, without a doubt.”

Wilson won the Section 1 title last year. Township won it in 2019. Those two teams shared the 2018 title along with Warwick.

Wilson has won a record 27 Section 1 titles, three times as many as any other school.

This is the 50th season of play for Section 1.

Township, considered a co-favorite with Wilson during the preseason, is also off to a 1-2 start. The Blue Streaks lost to Harrisburg 20-17 in overtime last week, and to Dallastown 41-38 in Week 2. They opened with a 24-21 win over C.D. East.

McCaskey, expected to be one of the bottom-tier teams in Section 1, is off to a 2-1 start, as are Cedar Crest and Penn Manor. (Cedar Crest was forced to drop out of its game at Gov. Mifflin this week due to COIVD issues.)

Hempfield is 1-2 and plays Exeter.

“Probably everybody in Section 1 is thinking, to themselves, ‘It’s up for grabs,’ ” Eager said.