YORK, Pa. — The District 3 Class 4A playoffs continue Friday night with a pair of semifinal showdowns.
In one matchup Friday night, two-time defending champion and No. 1 seed Bishop McDevitt will host Lampeter-Strasburg. It's the seventh time in the last 13 years that the Crusaders and Pioneers have met in Districts.
In Friday's other semifinal, No. 3 seed Manheim Central visits No. 2 Twin Valley in a clash of high-flying offenses.
Here's a look at both matchups.
Lampeter-Strasburg (9-2) at Bishop McDevitt (11-0)
Friday, 7 p.m. at Ortenzio Stadium
ABOUT LAMPETER-STRASBURG: The Pioneers are back in the semifinals for the fifth straight season after surviving a 23-20 double-overtime nail-biter with East Pennsboro last week. Kicker Peter Fiorello booted a 22-yard field goal at the start of the second overtime session to give L-S the lead, and the Pioneer defense came up with an interception in the end zone to turn away East Pennsboro to claim the victory.
L-S squandered a 14-0 halftime lead, allowing East Pennsboro to tie the game in the second half to force overtime. Fiorello then missed a PAT kick that could have won the game in the first overtime session.
But at this point, a win is a win. The Pioneers have won five of their last six games; the only loss over that span was an 18-13 defeat at the hands of Wyomissing, the No. 1 seed in the Class 3A bracket, in Week 10.
L-S ha a balanced attack that averages 361 yards per game. QB Trent Wagner has completed 93 of 145 passes for 1,416 yards and 19 touchdowns with five interceptions, while RB Johnathan Mellinger has rushed for 1,446 yards and 17 scores on 166 carries. Damoj Gray (27-425, six TDs) and Dean Herr (20-421, 10 TDs) are the Pioneers' top receivers. The L-S defense allows 184 yards per game and is especially tough against the pass.
The Pioneers won back-to-back district titles in 2020 and 2021. They are 1-5 against McDevitt in six previous playoff meetings, but that one win was in the 2021 final. L-S is seeking its fourth championship and has a 23-14 record in 18 playoff appearances.
ABOUT BISHOP McDEVITT: The Crusaders cruised into the semifinals in typical fashion, hammering Milton Hershey 54-14. McDevitt has outscored opponents 532-94 this season, and no one has come within 30 points of the Crusaders since September 8.
Against Milton Hershey, McDevitt QB Stone Saunders threw for 394 yards and six touchdowns, completing 17 of 25 pass attempts. Three of his TD strikes went to wideout Rico Scott, who had 195 yards on seven catches for the game. RB Maurice Barnes rushed for 91 yards on just eight carries and found the end zone twice. He also had a 38-yard catch.
Saunders, a University of Kentucky recruit, is closing in on 3,000 passing yards for the season. He's got 2,944 yards and 50 touchdowns on 170-of-242 passing and has thrown just two interceptions all year. Saunders is within seven touchdowns of the state record for TD passes in a season, set by Central's Jeff Hoenstine in 2021.
Scott, who is committed to the University of Alabama, has 1,104 yards and 20 touchdowns on 65 catches for the Crusaders. Chase Regan, who is committed to East Carolina, is second on the team with 976 yards and 13 touchdowns on 36 catches.
Barnes, a sophomore, has 591 yards and seven touchdowns on 89 carries.
McDevitt's offense averages 442.5 yards per game.
The Crusaders, who are looking to defend the state title they won last year, have won the last two District 3 championships. They have 16 district titles in program history, which ranks second behind Manheim Central's record of 18. McDevitt's all-time playoff record of 63-9 is the best overall mark in District 3 history.
Manheim Central (10-1) at Twin Valley (10-1)
Friday, 7 p.m.
ABOUT MANHEIM CENTRAL: The Barons survived a shootout with Susquehanna Township in the quarterfinals, holding on for a 45-34 victory. Zac Hahn had a huge game for Central, completing 24 of 31 pass attempts for 362 yards and four touchdowns. Bode Sipel hauled in nine receptions for 114 yards and a touchdown, while Aaron Enterline had seven catches for 170 yards and two scores -- including a 48-yarder in the fourth quarter that gave the Barons some breathing room after Hanna pulled to within four points.
It was the eighth win in a row for Central, whose only loss was a 48-28 setback to Class 5A semifinalist Cocalico back in Week 3.
Hahn has thrown for 2,664 yards and 37 touchdowns this season, completing 187 of 265 pass attempts. Enterline is his top target, with 69 catches for 1,415 yards and 24 scores. The ground game is powered by Brycen Arnold, who has rushed for 1,266 yards and 17 touchdowns on 166 carries, but Arnold has missed the Barons' last three games for undisclosed reasons. Backup Michael Torres stepped up and delivered 375 yards and four touchdowns on 49 carries in two starts for Central, but he was absent last week against Hanna, when the Barons managed just 56 yards on the ground.
If Central can pull out a victory on Friday, the Barons will be back in the district finals for the 23rd time. Central has won a record 18 district championships and has a 62-16 record in 35 playoff appearances. The Barons lost 40-0 to McDevitt in last year's title game, and its last championship came back in 2018.
ABOUT TWIN VALLEY: The Raiders booked their second straight trip to the Class 4A semifinals with a 35-7 rout of Elco last week in the quarterfinals. Friday's matchup will be the first-ever meeting with Manheim Central for Twin Valley, which had never reached the postseason before the 2021 season.
Against Elco, the Raiders' punishing rushing attack was on full display, as 352 of TV's 447 total yards came on the ground. Drew Engle led the way with 192 yards and two touchdowns on 22 carries for the Raiders, while QB Evan Myers (6-92, TD) and backs Ean Winchester (3-18, TD) and Evan Johnson (12-46, TD) also found the end zone for TV.
L-L League rushing leader Jake Williams had 168 yards and a touchdown for Elco, but his only score -- a 47-yard run -- came in the fourth quarter, well after the outcome had been decided.
Engle and Johnson have both rushed for 1,000 yards this season. Engle leads the team with 1,436 yards and 14 TDs on 134 carries, while Johnson has 1,089 yards and 14 scores on 112 attempts.
Myers has completed 100 of 169 passes for 1,315 yards and eight touchdowns, while Ben Grundy (25-482, four TDs) is his top target.
Friday's matchup features two of the L-L League's most potent offenses. TV averages 447 yards per game, which leads the league. Central is ranked second, averaging 417 yards per game.
The Baron defense gives up 240 yards per game, while TV allows 275.
Twin Valley is seeking its first district title.