We’re down to our final week of the District 3 football championships. So grab your leftover turkey sandwiches, pack a blanket or two and be sure to buy some hot chocolate for the Class 4A through 6A championship games.

Harrisburg (6A) and Bishop McDevitt (4A) are the last remaining Mid-Penn Conference teams still in contention for a title. The Cougars have a tough task ahead, exacting revenge against Manheim Central; the Crusaders are runaway favorites to repeat. 

And it’s also quarterfinals week in the PIAA Tournament, with Camp Hill, Steel-High and Juniata still dancing this holiday weekend.

As always, bookmark this page on your phone, laptop or tablet to follow every matchup and see every highlight from the Mid-Penn and some of the teams in the Colonial-Schuylkill League. We’ll update scores throughout the night on this page (refresh the page to see new updates), and you can follow our Twitter feed below for minute-by-minute updates.

PIAA football playoffs: District 3 football championships analysis, staff picks and previews

Each week 4th Down Magazine will preview the weekend slate, predict the winners and provide extra analysis. Here’s everything to get you ready for the District 3 Class 4A through 6A championships and the PIAA quarterfinals involving local teams:

• Who’s gonna win? The 4th Down crew picks winners in this week’s district and state playoff matchups
• See the full District 3 playoff brackets
• PIAA football rankings: See Eric Epler’s state rankings from Class 6A to 1A
• See who is the latest Mid-Penn Player of the Week
• See who is the latest Colonial-Schuylkill Player of the Week

PIAA football playoffs schedule and scores: 

Looking for the latest updates and final scores from this weekend’s games around the Harrisburg area? We have you covered:

Friday, Nov. 24

PIAA CLASS 4A QUARTERFINALS

• 6-1 Juniata 14, 4-1 Selinsgrove 44 Final

PIAA CLASS 2A QUARTERFINALS

• 3-1 Camp Hill 25, 2-1 Dunmore 41Final

PIAA CLASS 1A QUARTERFINALS

• 2-1 Lackawanna Trail 25, 3-1 Steel-High 43 Final

DISTRICT 3 CLASS 6A CHAMPIONSHIP

• No. 2 Harrisburg 34, No. 1 Manheim Township 28 Final (OT)

DISTRICT 3 CLASS 4A CHAMPIONSHIP

• No. 3 Manheim Central 17, No. 1 Bishop McDevitt 23 Final

Pennsylvania high school football live updates and highlights

Click on this Twitter/X list link to follow updates from area teams and reporters from tonight’s games.

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EXPLAINING OUR PICKS: It’s the fourth week of the PIAA football playoffs, and District 3 will crown its final three champions in Classes 4A through 6A. And the 4th Down Magazine team is here to tell you who will win the remaining playoff games involving Mid-Penn Conference and Colonial-Schuylkill League, most of which kick off at 7 p.m. Friday. 

This year’s group of experts includes veteran reporters Andy Shay and Andy Sandrik, as well as 4th Down owner and manager Adam Kulikowski.

Here’s who we think will win each game and why, with the kind of analysis you won’t find anywhere else. Stick with us all the way through the PIAA state championships in December.

2023 Standings

Picker: Last Week — Overall — Perfect Picks

Andy Sandrik: 9-2 — 227-65 — 0

Adam Kulikowski: 7-4 — 225-67 — 2

Andy Shay: 8-3 — 213-79 — 1

* Records in parentheses after school name; District and seed in parentheses before school name.

PIAA CLASS 4A QUARTERFINALS

FRIDAY, NOV. 24

6-1 Juniata at 4-1 Selinsgrove, 7 p.m.

Andy Shay: Selinsgrove 30, Juniata 13: Can the Indians make Act II that much different than Act I? The Seals posted a 30-point victory over Juniata in Week 2 and are still undefeated for a reason. Always hard to beat a team twice, and the run by Juniata has been magnificent. Feels like it ends here.

Andy Sandrik: Selinsgrove 32, Juniata 21: None of us could have predicted Juniata getting to within three wins of PIAA gold after the Indians’ 0-3 start, but here we are. All good things come to an end, however, and it’s going to take an incredible turn of events for Juniata to keep this game within striking distance.

Adam Kulikowski: Selinsgrove 28, Juniata 21: Seals running back Tucker Teats, a 2,100-yard rusher, possesses breakaway speed and the make-you-miss elusiveness that can cause havoc for any team. Add in a quality QB who takes care of the rock and completes enough passes to keep teams from keying too heavily on Teats, and you have a full-metal test on your hands. 

PIAA CLASS 2A QUARTERFINALS

FRIDAY, NOV. 24

3-1 Camp Hill at 2-1 Dunmore, 7 p.m.

Andy Shay: Dunmore 37, Camp Hill 34: The pure brute football strength of the Bucks has serious potential to overpower Camp Hill. The Lions’ path to victory is all about hitting some big plays, having precious few empty possessions and making Dunmore uncomfortable chasing a game. I know if Dunmore gives QB Drew Branstetter the ball late with a chance to win the game, they will lose.

Andy Sandrik: Dunmore 32, Camp Hill 28: All signs seem to point to a Dunmore victory, but the Camp Hill coaching staff has had these Lions playing above expectations on an almost-weekly basis this season. Even as I’m typing, I’m still thinking about flipping this prediction.

Adam Kulikowski: Dunmore 33, Camp Hill 31: The Lions struggled last week against a run-heavy West Catholic squad. The Bucks bring that same ground-based threat with a more formidable group of big eaters. That doesn’t mean the Lions can’t continue this magical journey, but they will need their best effort from all gents on board. 

PIAA CLASS 1A QUARTERFINALS

FRIDAY, NOV. 24

2-1 Lackawanna Trail vs. 3-1 Steel-High, at Scranton HS, 7 p.m.

Andy Shay: Steel-High 27, Lackawanna Trail 20: Generally regarded as two of the top Class 1A teams in the state, this has a lot of ingredients to be a down-to-the-wire contest. I like the Rollers’ ability to be a more balanced offense in this matchup.

Andy Sandrik: Steel-High 38, Lackawanna Trail 28: I think we’ve taken the clutch play of Alex Erby and the Rollers for granted. It’s easy to sit back and pick them in the postseason, but that’s only because they have normalized winning hard games. And this game will undoubtedly be their hardest challenge of the season. 

Adam Kulikowski: Steel-High 31, Lackawanna Trail 28: The Lions posted their best regular season in school history this year, going an unblemished 10-0. Their ground-based attack, led by Lukas Gumble, must get out in front to be most effective in this battle of top-ranked state Class 1A teams. 

DISTRICT 3 CLASS 6A CHAMPIONSHIP

FRIDAY, NOV. 24

No. 2 Harrisburg at No. 1 Manheim Township, 7 p.m.

Andy Shay: Manheim Township 28, Harrisburg 26: The Blue Streaks have earned the role of favorites in this game by cracking the Cougars early in the season. I can see the path to victory for Harrisburg, but it can’t allow Township to play with a lead because that is their comfort zone. Remember, Blue Streaks scored three points in the second half against CV last week. Eagles laid down a blueprint.

Andy Sandrik: Manheim Township 33, Harrisburg 21: Harrisburg has grown so much since that Week 3 whipping it took from the Streaks, but another thing to consider is Manheim Township has also improved since the teams played two months ago. 

Adam Kulikowski: Manheim Township 34, Harrisburg 26: I believe the gap between these two clubs closed throughout the year, but closing a four-score gully against a club with a quarterback who has yet to throw a single interception is a tall task. 

DISTRICT 3 CLASS 4A CHAMPIONSHIP

FRIDAY, NOV. 24

No. 3 Manheim Central at No. 1 Bishop McDevitt, 7 p.m.

Andy Shay: Bishop McDevitt 45, Manheim Central 20: When the playing field is level, this Barons defense has surrendered a few points — see Susquehanna Township scoring 34 to open the playoffs. There’s firepower on offense for Manheim Central, but I just don’t see enough for them to keep pace at this level.

Andy Sandrik: Bishop McDevitt 42, Manheim Central 21: We’ve reached that point in the postseason where the Crusaders could, in theory, get knocked off if they fall asleep at the wheel. I think they have invested too much into this season to let that happen, though. 

Adam Kulikowski: Bishop McDevitt 45, Manheim Central 14: The Barons are a quality foe, but against a Crusaders team that has simply run over its opponents virtually all season I’m not sure it matters.

For more content from Eric Epler, visit Pennlive.

CLASS 6A 

Rank – Team – District – Record – Previous 

1. St. Joseph’s Prep (12)          — 10-1 – 1 

2. Manheim Township (3)       — 12-0 – 3 

3. North Allegheny (7)            — 11-1 – 8 

4. Nazareth (11)                      – 12-1 – 9 

5. Harrisburg (3)                      — 11-1 – 10 

6. Central Bucks South (1)      — 12-1 – NR 

7. Downingtown West (1)       — 11-2 – NR 

8. Pittsburgh C.C. (7)               — 10-2 – 6 

9. Parkland (11)                      — 12-1 – 2 

10. Downingtown East (1)      — 11-1 – 7 

Honorable mention: Central Bucks West (1) 12-1, Central York (3) 11-1, Cumberland Valley (3) 7-5, McDowell (10) 8-4. 

CLASS 5A 

Rank – Team – District – Record – Previous 

1. Imhotep Charter (12)          — 12-0 – 1 

2. Peters Township (7)            — 13-0 – 2 

3. Cocalico (3)                         — 11-1 – 3 

4. Chester (1)                          — 12-1 – 7 

5. Strath Haven (1)                  — 12-1 – NR 

6. Delaware Valley (2)             — 10-3 – NR 

7. Cathedral Prep (10)             — 7-3 – 10 

8. Ephrata (3)                          — 12-1 – NR 

9. Roman Catholic (12)           – 8-3 – 4 

10. West Chester Rustin (1)    — 10-2 – 10 

Honorable mention: Cedar Cliff (3) 10-2, Penn Hills (7) 9-3, Pine-Richland (7) 9-4, Springfield-Delco (1) 11-2. 

CLASS 4A 

Rank – Team – District – Record – Previous 

1. Bishop McDevitt (3)            – 12-0 – 1 

2. Aliquippa (7)                       – 11-0 – 2 

3. Selinsgrove (4)                    – 12-0-1 4 

4. McKeesport (7)                   – 11-1 – 5 

5. Manheim Central (3)          — 11-1 – 6 

6. Dallas (2)                             — 13-0 – 7 

7. Bonner-Prendergast (12)    — 9-2 – NR 

8. Pope John Paull II (1)          — 12-1 – 3 

9. Montour (7)                        — 10-2 – 8 

10. Jersey Shore (4)                — 10-1-1 – NR 

Honorable mention: Allentown C.C. (11) 9-3, Juniata (6) 8-5, Lampeter-Strasburg (3) 9-3, Twin Valley (3) 10-2, Valley View (2) 10-3. 

CLASS 3A 

Rank – Team – District – Record – Previous 

1. Belle Vernon (7)                  – 10-1 – 1 

2. Wyomissing (3)                   – 11-1 – 2 

3. Avonworth (7)                     – 12-0 – 3 

4. Danville (4)                          — 12-1 – 5 

5. Northwestern Lehigh (11)  — 13-0 – 6 

6. Central (6)                           — 12-0 – 8 

7. Scranton Prep (2)                — 12-1 – NR 

8. Hickory (10)                         — 10-2 – NR 

9. Elizabeth-Forward (7)         — 10-2 – 9 

10. Palmerton (11)                  — 12-1 – 7 

Honorable mention: Clearfield (9) 8-4, Neumann-Goretti (12) 10-2, Sharon (10) 9-3, West Perry (3) 11-2. 

CLASS 2A 

Rank – Team – District – Record – Previous 

1. Farrell (10)                           – 11-1 – 1 

2. Westinghouse (8)                – 11-0 – 2 

3. Southern Columbia (4)        – 12-1 – 4 

4. Steel Valley (7)                    — 10-1 – 6 

5. Bald Eagle Area (6)              — 12-1 – 10 

6. Troy (4)                                — 12-1 – 5 

7. Dunmore (2)                       — 11-2 – NR 

8. Camp Hill (3)                       — 8-5 – NR 

9. Central Clarion (9)               — 11-1 – 3 

10. Mercyhurst Prep (10)        — 10-1 – 8 

Honorable mention: Mohawk (7) 10-3, Richland (6) 11-2, Washington (7) 11-2, Williams Valley (11) 10-3. 

CLASS 1A 

Rank – Team – District – Record – Previous   

1. Steelton-Highspire (3)         — 13-0 – 1 

2. Lackawanna Trail (2)           – 13-0 – 2 

3. Fort Cherry (7)                    — 13-0 – 4 

4. South Side (7)                     — 13-0 – 6 

5. Cambridge Springs (10)      — 12-1 – 9 

6. Redbank Valley (9)              — 11-1 – 10 

7. South Williamsport (4)       — 10-2 – NR 

8. Northern Bedford (5)          — 12-1 – 3 

9. Cambria Heights (6)            — 10-2 – NR 

10. Bishop Canevin (7)            — 10-2 – 5 

Honorable mention: Clairton (7) 10-3, Lakeview (10) 9-3, Muncy (4) 10-2, Port Allegany (9) 10-3. 

Dalton Clymer, sr., RB, Northwestern Lehigh: Clymer piled up 129 yards and two rushing touchdowns as Northwestern Lehigh dismantled Palmerton Friday night 58-8 in the District 11 Class 3A championship. He also added a fumble recovery. 

Ty Sander, sr., FS, Palmerton: In his final prep football game, Sander led his team in tackles with 11, including two for loss. He also added a rushing touchdown in Palmerton’s 58-8 loss to Northwestern Lehigh Friday night in the District 11 Class 3A championship. 

Marcus Shoop, sr., LB, Williams Valley: Shoop notched a team-high 16 tackles in his final prep football game Friday night against Dunmore, a 41-21 loss in the first round of the PIAA Class 2A playoffs.

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Drew Branstetter, jr., QB, Camp Hill: It wasn’t as efficient as some of his other showings this season, but Branstetter did what needed to be done to lead the Lions to a 32-26 win over West Catholic in the PIAA Class 2A first round, completing 20 of 44 passes for 318 yards and four touchdowns (plus two interceptions). He also ran eight times for 99 yards and another TD.

Kevin Brown, so., DL/OL, Harrisburg: One of three Cougars you’ll find on this list after an impressive 28-21 District 3-6A semifinal victory over Central York on Saturday. Brown had three sacks to lead a Harrisburg unit that got to Panthers QB Brooklyn Nace five times, held a potent rushing attack to just 54 yards on 27 carries and blocked for a running game that tallied 398 yards on 50 carries.

Eddie Corkery, jr., QB, State College: Corkery uncorked 31 passes, completing 19 of them for 230 yards and 

three touchdowns (and an interception) in the Little Lions’ 47-20 loss to McDowell in the first round of the PIAA Class 6A playoffs on Friday night. He finished with 2,170 yards and exactly 20 TDs this season.

Wyatt Ehrenzeller, jr., QB/LB, Juniata: Always love to see a two-way QB make an impact on both sides of the ball. Ehrenzeller did that in Juniata’s 21-7 PIAA-4A first-round win over Meadville, going 7-of-15 passing for 116 yards and a touchdown (plus two picks), running 11 times for 42 stripes and recording five tackles, two tackles for loss and a sack on defense.

Alex Erby, sr., QB, Steel-High: Rain seems to be the only thing that can slow the Rollers offense, but Erby still led a 21-7 PIAA Class 1A first-round victory over Northern Bedford with just enough offensive pop. The Navy commit went 8 of 12 for 136 yards and two TD tosses to Durrell Ceasar Jr., and ran seven times for 27 stripes.

Nehemiah Ewell, jr., RB, Harrisburg: The first half of the Cougars’ potent rushing attack Saturday afternoon, Ewell averaged nearly 10 yards a pop (18 carries, 170 yards) and provided a 4-yard touchdown in the second quarter to hand Central York its first loss of the season in the district semis.

Nazir Jones-Davis, so., RB/DB, Bishop McDevitt: Jones-Davis was one of those Crusaders in the 43-7 District 3-4A semifinal victory over Lampeter-Strasburg who did a whole lot with just a few opportunities. He ran just nine times but finished with 103 yards and touchdowns of 20, 6 and 1 yard in the middle quarters (plus two catches for 16 yards).

Shawn Lee Jr., jr., QB, Harrisburg: Lee opened the game with an 80-yard touchdown run and finished with two more dashes to the end zone (9 and 47 yards) to help co-lead the Cougars’ ground-based assault. Lee carried the ball 15 times for 153 yards and was 6 of 10 for 73 yards through the air.

Alex Long, jr., WR/DL, Camp Hill: We’ve mentioned the QB a few times this season in these parts, but how about one of his favorite targets? Long was excellent in Friday’s first-round state playoff win with seven catches for 174 yards and two touchdowns, all in the first half. Those TDs covered 23 yards and 

Lane Peiper, jr., OL/DL, Juniata: Peiper led a strong Juniata defensive effort in the win over Meadville, recording a team-high 11 tackles (seven solo) and three tackles for loss. He also dragged down Meadville’s quarterback twice for sacks, half of Juniata’s total on the night. He now has 123 tackles, 14 TFLs and nine sacks this season.

Caiden Pines, sr., WR/DB, Cumberland Valley: Pines did plenty of damage through the air for a team not known for that this season, hauling in six passes for 165 yards in Friday’s District 3 Class 6A semifinal loss to Manheim Township, 37-27. Pines also scored a touchdown from 46 yards out.

Rico Scott, sr., WR/DB, Bishop McDevitt: Just like teammate Jones-Davis, Scott needed just a handful of touches to do damage. The Alabama verbal pledge took five receptions for 114 yards and a 27-yard, second-quarter TD in the Crusaders’ district semifinal victory over Lampeter-Strasburg.

Bennett Secrest, jr., QB, Cedar Cliff: The Colts only had 30 offensive plays in a 31-13 District 3-5A semifinal loss to Cocalico, so the pickings were slim. But Secrest tossed two second-half touchdowns of 15 and 40 yards and was an efficient 6-of-9 passing for 96 yards (and an INT) in an effort to keep the game close.

Bryce Staretz, sr., RB/LB, Cumberland Valley: One final big game for Staretz, who had 166 typically hard yards on 25 totes in the Eagles’ 37-27 loss to Manheim Township in the district semis. The senior scored twice on runs of 2 and 6 yards, and he finished with 1,574 yards and 20 scores this season.

For the second week in a row Camp Hill quarterback Drew Branstetter guided his team to a touchdown in the dying minutes of the game to secure a victory. That’s what a junior taking his game to the next level looks like.

Only difference this time around, compared to last week’s win against Trinity in the District 3 Class 2A championship game, was the Lions trailed West Catholic by a point when it got the ball back instead of being tied. Big difference. Same result.

It took a 2-yard TD toss to Kobe Moore with 25 seconds left to get the win in a game where Branstetter accounted for more than 400 yards of offense (310 passing, 101 rushing).

For a team that was 4-5 after a loss to West Perry on Oct. 20, to celebrating a state playoff victory less than a month later is borderline unthinkable.

It proves anything is possible when you have a quarterback with ice in his veins running the show. Well done to the Lions.

Bishop McDevitt in class by itself

Friday night provided a perfect example of the ridiculous level this Bishop McDevitt Crusaders offense is operating at in defense of its PIAA Class 4A state championship.

Entering The Roc, visiting Lampeter-Strasburg had not  yet surrendered 100 total points this season through 11 games and brought a tidy 9-2 record to the table with its only losses coming to Cocalico and Wyomissing — two teams still playing late November football — in tight, low-scoring affairs.

By halftime, McDevitt had put 23 points on the board, amassed 355 total yards, orchestrated two scoring drives that each covered 99 yards and was in complete control against an opponent who was battle tested and had the potential to slow down this offense.

Before the third quarter was five minutes old, McDevitt had added another TD to its ledger and eventually led 43-7 after three quarters to kickstart the mercy rule clock.

The Crusaders rocked L-S for nearly half as many points in three quarters as the Pioneers had surrendered all season. That is what other teams in Class 4A are up against.

Steel-High’s worst enemy? Mother Nature

If you were out at a game anywhere in District 3 Friday night, you noticed a drizzle of rain every now and then. It was nothing that impacted how any game was played.

That was not the case in Claysburg  where Steel-High was up against undefeated District 5 champion Northern Bedford. It was a full-scale deluge for the first half, which should explain 0-0 halftime score that would’ve been a surprise to casual observers. Throwing was impossible, and holding onto the football with any consistency was a struggle.

Once the heavy rain moved out, Steel-High posted 21 second-half points and cruised to a 14-point victory. Remember, the Rollers can play some defense, too. The Northern Bedford touchdown came with 2:21 to play.

The Rollers’ D picked off three passes and limited Northern Bedford to 158 yards of total offense while surrendering that lone late touchdown.

Having this much adaptability to prevail in a variety of ways, shapes and forms is what makes Steel-High such an impossible out at the Class 1A level.

Harrisburg gets chance at redemption against Manheim Township

Storms forced Harrisburg’s Week 3 game with Manheim Township to be moved to Saturday after the Cougars made the trip on Friday and took the field ready to play.

When they returned the next day, Harrisburg was a no-show and the Blue Streaks drilled the visitors 38-6. Even in September you kind of figured these two squads would most likely see each other again.

Yep. Harrisburg gets another bite of the Manheim Township apple after a rock solid 28-21 victory over previously undefeated Central York on Saturday.

Safe to say the Cougars will be ready for this one with a District 3 Class 6A title on the line.

Hat tip to some Mid-Penn teams knocked out this weekend

Cumberland Valley went down swinging, eh? The Eagles took an early haymaker from Manheim Township, steadied the ship and fired back round after round. Deep into the second half this was a one-score game with the outcome in doubt somewhat. Just to be in that spot is a testament to the Eagles’ mettle, and losing 37-27 is a loss of the highest quality.

I was hinting around at Hershey hitting a wall a week ago against a well-rested New Oxford side. To the Trojans’ credit, that didn’t happen. But Hershey ran into that wall this week and was drilled by Ephrata 47-7 in the Class 5A semifinal. Two playoff wins was a next-level accomplishment.

West Perry’s magic carpet ride came to a screeching halt Saturday afternoon, and for the most part it looked the same as it did a year ago in the District 3 Class 3A championship game at Wyomissing. Less than a minute into the third quarter, the powerhouse Spartans put the running clock into play when they went up 35-0 on their way to a commanding 42-14 win. West Perry had no say in the outcome of this title tilt.

First thoughts on Mid-Penn football realignment

The Mid-Penn Conference has approved realignment for the 2024 seasoness. The conference will go from five divisions to four, comprising two 10-team divisions and a pair of nine-team divisions.

Here’s some initial quick takes.

Cedar Cliff to the Commonwealth is a big jump for the Colts. That’s a tough one. Bishop McDevitt going back to the big-school division, jumping from the Keystone to Commonwealth, feels like an overdue move.

The new-look Keystone will take some time to figure out if it works or not, but I like the initial lineup of teams. Putting Steel-High and Camp Hill among the former Liberty Division squads makes sense in terms of school enrollment, but from a competition standpoint it appears as if the Rollers and Lions are the alpha dogs.

I love the new-look Colonial Division. It’s like a box of chocolates. Overall, 20 of the 38 teams in the conference are changing divisions. Structurally, the realignment makes a lot of sense.

Cocalico never really gave Cedar Cliff a whiff at being competitive in this District 3 Class 5A semifinal Friday night at West Shore Stadium.

The Eagles were simply dominant on both sides of the ball and kept the Colts’ offense on ice much of the night to post a commanding 31-13 victory.

Staying true to form, Cocalico used its run-heavy offense to dictate the tempo of the game and, despite leading only 10-0 at halftime, the blueprint for victory was printed in triplicate and already dry.

Cocalico amassed 229 total yards by intermission while limiting the Colts to 10 offensive snaps and two possessions the opening 24 minutes.

Led by halfback Aaryn Longenecker, who dashed 83 yards for a touchdown on the fourth play of the game, the Eagles piled up nearly 400 yards on the ground and had a trio of 100 yard rushers — Longenecker, fullback P. Dane Horning and quarterback Joshua Myer.

Horning added a short touchdown run midway through the third quarter to up the cushion to 17 points.

When Horning found the end zone from the 3-yard line with 11:07 to play to up the margin to 24 points and close the book on the game, the Eagles had more points (24) than the Colts had offensive snaps (16).

Cocalico will play Ephrata, which clobbered tournament surprise Hershey, in the Class 5A championship game.

Time to hand out some postseason grades.

COCALICO EAGLES

Quarterback: The 6-foot-2 junior runs the Eagles’ Wing-T offense like a veteran, and he killed the Colts on those outside down-the-line QB option runs all game. He’s quicker than you think in tight spaces and physical once he gets a head of steam. He eclipsed 100 yards on the ground and completed both of his passes for first downs on critical third-down plays. He was a big time difference-maker in this game. Grade: A

Running back: Senior halfback Aaryn Longenecker was the best player on the field in this one from start to finish. He didn’t have a ton of touches, but in addition to his 83-yard gallop he added another 40-plus yard run. It was a pleasure to watch him patiently wait in space for an opening to emerge before putting his foot in the ground and stepping on the gas. Smooth runner. Fullback Horning is only a junior, gets a ton of carries, is more physical than you think and is not easy to get to the ground. He cleared 100 yards by halftime and is the perfect set-up man for anything outside the tackles. Grade: A+

Wide receivers: They have a wide receiver, but they don’t throw to him much at all. Both completions, big plays, went to the running backs and covered nearly 50 yards total. Grade: B

Offensive line: When you run for nearly 400 yards against a defense that didn’t really have a bad night, that’s a dead giveaway the battle up front was one-sided. The Eagles don’t run the buck sweep very often, but the few times they did Friday night the blocking was executed nearly flawlessly. Physical group as well. Early on they were blowing Colts off the ball. Grade: A

Defensive line: Light load with so few possessions and plays run by the opposing offense. They did create noticeable pressure on obvious pass plays, were very gap responsible in the run game and played a huge role in forcing the Colts’ offense off the field in quick order. Grade: A

Linebackers: They made two big splash plays on blitzes that were good calls by the defensive coordinator and produced a pair of early sacks that ended drives in the first half. In terms of the run game, they were average at best. Second-level runs were what worked more often than not. Grade: B

Secondary: Later in the game they did get beat clean a couple times, and there was a coverage confusion on the one Cliff touchdown. However, when the game was in the balance they did snare an interception to give their greedy offense the ball back. Grade: B

Special teams: Cocalico did not punt. That needs to be noted. I wasn’t very warm and fuzzy about their kickoff coverage. Kicker Todd Becker has a big leg; you could see that on extra points. And though his 22-yard field goal was a duck, the snap and hold looked off but he still managed to get the ball just over the goal post. Grade: B

CEDAR CLIFF COLTS

Quarterback: Tough night for Bennett Secrest. Couple of early, easy sacks where he could do nothing killed drives and stalled the offense. He never really had a chance to impact the game. Plus, he threw an INT that was massively underthrown and lost a key fumble on the opening drive of the second half on fourth-and-2. Killer turnover. Grade: C

Running back: What you expect from Erik Schriver is exactly what you got. He actually ran well in between the tackles but had so few carries it almost was irrelevant how many yards he amassed. I still think he ran well against a defense that was in full attack mode. Grade: B

Wide receivers: You knew Cedar Cliff would have to throw the ball to stay up with the Eagles, and that never happened because this group was, for the most part, left in the garage with their hands tied. Several good grabs late. Had they been afforded the opportunity, this group could have really changed the perspective of this game. Grade: B

Offensive line: I thought overall they blocked OK in a small sample size, but two big plays really did a number on this offense. They were the two missed blitzes where the Cocalico linebacker came through untouched to sack Secrest. That could not happen with so few opportunities. Grade: C

Defensive line: They pushed back after getting knocked off the ball with relative ease early. From the midway point of the second quarter until the halfway point of the third quarter they were very good. Was too late, though. The damage was done. Grade: C+

Linebackers: Inside the tackles they were pretty good on those belly and dive plays led by Blake Secrest and Nathan Lusk. On the edge they were torched on buck sweeps and QB options. Those big chunk plays killed this defense. It was too easy for Cocalico. Grade: B-

Secondary: Easy to say because the other team is almost exclusively running the ball, but when their number was called they were beaten soundly twice for big plays and first downs. And they were not helpful on the edge, either. Rough night overall. Grade: C

Special teams: Kick return game was good. Punting was what they needed it to be, and kickoffs were deep and the coverage was solid. They did their job on this night. Grade: B

Two Mid-Penn Conference teams have won a District 3 title. Another is playing for one this weekend. And more are vying for a chance a week from now.

So can West Perry in Class 3A knock off titan Wyomissing and add to the MPC haul? And can Cedar Cliff and Hershey (5A), and Cumberland Valley and Harrisburg (6A) get to their respective title games?

Time to find out. This week also marks the first round of the PIAA football championships, which includes several more Mid-Penn teams, from State College in 6A to surprise District 3-2A champ Camp Hill.

As always, bookmark this page on your phone, laptop or tablet to follow every matchup and see every highlight from the Mid-Penn and some of the teams in the Colonial-Schuylkill League. We’ll update scores throughout the night on this page (refresh the page to see new updates), and you can follow our Twitter feed below for minute-by-minute updates.

PIAA football playoffs: District 3 football championships analysis, staff picks and previews

Each week 4th Down Magazine will preview the weekend slate, predict the winners and provide extra analysis. Here’s everything to get you ready for the District 3 Class 3A championship game and semifinals in 4A through 6A:

• Who’s gonna win? The 4th Down crew picks winners in this week’s district playoff matchups
• See the full District 3 playoff brackets
• PIAA football rankings: See Eric Epler’s state rankings from Class 6A to 1A
• See who is the latest Mid-Penn Player of the Week
• See who is the latest Colonial-Schuylkill Player of the Week

PIAA football playoffs schedule and scores: 

Looking for the latest updates and final scores from this weekend’s games around the Harrisburg area? We have you covered:

Friday, Nov. 17

PIAA CLASS 6A FIRST ROUND

• 10-1 McDowell 47, 6-1 State College 20 Final

PIAA CLASS 4A FIRST ROUND

• 6-1 Juniata 21, 10-1 Meadville 7 Final

PIAA CLASS 2A FIRST ROUND

• 2-1 Dunmore 41, 11-1 Williams Valley 21 Final
• 3-1 Camp Hill 32, 12-1 West Catholic 26 Final

PIAA CLASS 1A FIRST ROUND

• 3-1 Steel-High 21, 5-1 Northern Bedford County 7 Final

DISTRICT 3 CLASS 6A SEMIFINALS

• No. 1 Manheim Township 37, No. 4 Cumberland Valley 27 Final

DISTRICT 3 CLASS 5A SEMIFINALS

• No. 5 Ephrata 47, No. 8 Hershey 7 Final
• No. 3 Cocalico 31, No. 2 Cedar Cliff 13 Final

DISTRICT 3 CLASS 4A SEMIFINALS

• No. 1 Bishop McDevitt 43, No. 5 Lampeter-Strasburg 7 Final
• No. 3 Manheim Central 65, No. 2 Twin Valley 28 Final

Saturday, Nov. 18

DISTRICT 3 CLASS 6A SEMIFINALS

• No. 2 Harrisburg 28, No. 3 Central York 21 Final

DISTRICT 3 CLASS 3A CHAMPIONSHIP

• No. 1 Wyomissing 42, No. 3 West Perry 14 Final

Pennsylvania high school football live updates and highlights

Click on this Twitter/X list link to follow updates from area teams and reporters from tonight’s games.

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