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High School Football: Manheim Township, Harrisburg square off again in District 3 Class 6A championship game

The Cougars defeated the Blue Streaks 44-6 in last year's final, but Township beat Harrisburg 38-6 in a rematch earlier this season. Round 3 is Friday at Township.

LANCASTER, Pa. — Editor's note: The above video is from Nov. 17.

It's rare that both teams in a championship game can say they're looking for revenge, but that's the scenario in Friday night's District 3 Class 6A title game.

For the second year in a row, Harrisburg and Manheim Township will square off for the district crown. The Cougars defeated the Blue Streaks 44-6 in last year's title game to wrap up their second straight district crown.

This year, Township is the top seed, and the Streaks have a 38-6 triumph over Harrisburg in Week 3 of the regular season on their resume. That's Harrisburg's only loss of the season; the Cougars have won eight in a row since then.

Here's a look at the matchup.

Harrisburg (11-1) at Manheim Township (12-0)

Friday, 7 p.m. at Manheim Township HS (Neffsville)

ABOUT HARRISBURG: The Cougars held off Central York 28-21 in last week's semifinals to make it back to the title game for the third straight season. Harrisburg had two players gain more than 150 yards on the ground, while its defense limited the potent Panthers to 240 total yards and sacked Central QB Brooklyn Nace five times.

It was the eighth straight victory for the Cougars, who haven't lost since falling to Manheim Township in Week 3. 

Nehmiah Ewell and Shawn Lee Jr. had huge games for Harrisburg in the semifinals, combining to account for 323 of the Cougars' 368 rushing yards and all four of its touchdowns. Lee, Harrisburg's quarterback, raced for an 80-yard score on Harrisburg's first play from scrimmage and added touchdowns of 9 and 47 yards in the third quarter. He finished with 153 yards on 15 carries and completed six of 10 passes for another 73 yards.

Ewell, who had 170 yards on 18 rushes, scored on a four-yard TD run in the second quarter -- a touchdown that gave the Cougars the lead for good.

For the season, Lee has a team-high 1,132 rushing yards and 15 touchdowns on 116 carries. He's also thrown for 1,931 yards and 23 scores on 119-of-171 passing. 

Ewell has 936 yards and 12 touchdowns on 118 carries. Harrisburg's top receiver is sophomore Elias Coke, who has 38 catches for 752 yards and 11 scores.

Friday's game will be the fourth time Harrisburg and Township have faced off in the last two year. Last season, Township beat the Cougars in the regular season, but Harrisburg got revenge in the district final. The Cougars will hope for a similar outcome this year.

In the seven seasons since the PIAA moved to a six-class system in 2016, Harrisburg has won three District 3 titles and reached the championship game four times. A win on Friday would give the Cougars three straight crowns.

ABOUT MANHEIM TOWNSHIP: The Blue Streaks got back to the district final by subduing Cumberland Valley 37-27 in the semifinals. QB Hayden Johnson threw for 273 yards and three touchdowns, while Township got a defensive score on a pick-six, a one-yard TD run from Taylor Veilleux, and a fourth-quarter field goal from Hunter Nguyen to help them defeat CV for the second time this season.

It was Township's 12th straight victory. CV and Wilson are the only teams to stay within two touchdowns of the Blue Streaks this season. The Bulldogs lost 49-34 in Week 10.

Johnson, a Lehigh University commit, has thrown for 2,738 yards and 47 touchdowns this season, completing 169 of 220 pass attempts. RB Declan Clancy has rushed for 1,069 yards and 14 scores on 171 carries, while Landon Kennel has 1,057 yards and 25 touchdowns on 60 catches.

Township averages 399 yards per game, while the Streaks' defense gives up 190.8 yards per game. 

The Streaks are chasing their second Class 6A title since 2017. 

NOTE: The District 3 Class 6A title game also serves as the PIAA Class 6A playoff quarterfinal, so Friday night's victor advances to the state semis, where it will face either District 7 champ North Allegheny or District 10 champ Erie McDowell. 

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