By Andy Shay:
Each week during the 2020 season we’ll offer some news, notes, tidbits and opinions from each of the five divisions in the Mid-Penn Conference.
Three golden tickets:
Three teams from the MPC Capital will dot the District 3 playoff brackets with undefeated Steel-High leading the pack in the Class 1A championship game against Delone Catholic in McSherrystown in a rematch of a Class 2A game from last season. The Rollers have scored a staggering 264 points in five games. That’s nearly 53 a game on average. Now, you can bet the Squires will provide a tougher test on defense for Steel-High. Still, with the running of Odell Greene and all those tall and athletic wideouts, including FBS recruit Mehki Flowers, you have to wonder what it takes to slow the Rollers down and keep them under 30 points.
Wyomissing the No. 1 seed despite .240 opponent winning percentage:
Middletown and Boiling Springs comprise half the Class 3A playoff brackets as the Nos. 1 and 3 seeds, respectively. It appeared the Blue Raiders and Bubblers were headed for a rematch of their splendid Week 4 contest at Middletown won by the Blue Raiders. But Middletown and its 4-1 overall record was good enough to edge out defending champion Wyomissing and its 5-0 mark for the No. 1 seed. The reason for that is the Spartans have a historically bad .240 opponent winning percentage. So, the Bubblers will travel to Berks County and play the Spartans on Saturday. Wyomissing has surrendered only nine points this season, but their opponents have been so soft you almost have to disregard that as a consideration in this game. A couple of Wing-T programs going head-to-head. The Bubblers belong on this field, but 48 minutes against the wave of backs the Spartans trot out is a big ask.
Bracket favors Middletown:
Not only do the Blue Raiders get a home game, but they play a running team in Bermudian Springs. And they don’t have to face Wyomissing or the Bubblers for a second time in three weeks. Talk about winning. Playoff teams that run the ball don’t seem to have much success against the Blue Raiders defense historically. This feels like another rendition of that playbill. The size and speed of Middletown’s backs, Tymir Jackson (5-foot-10, 220 pounds) and Tajae Broadie (6-4, 247 pounds) will come into play.
