YORK, Pa. — The second week of the District 3 playoffs gets underway Friday night...theoretically.
We're already getting word that some games, especially those on natural grass fields, are being moved due to the rainy forecast for Friday.
With the Class 6A teams joining the fray after a bye week, there are 15 games on this week's docket.
Here's a look at the games on the schedule. All games kick off at 7 p.m. Friday night, unless otherwise noted.
CLASS 6A
No. 8 Carlisle (6-4) at No. 1 Hempfield (8-2): The Thundering Herd closed the season with a three-game winning streak to earn the last spot in the playoffs and a date with the top-seeded Black Knights, who won the L-L League Section 1 title. Carlisle survived a rough stretch in the middle of the season when the Herd lost four of five, defeating Cumberland Valley, Altoona, and CD East down the stretch to slide into the postseason.
Hempfield's only losses are to playoff qualifiers Central York (30-20 in Week 2) and Exeter (44-22 in Week 8). The Black Knights have victories over Wilson, Manheim Township, and William Penn, all of whom are in the 6A playoff field.
No. 5 Manheim Township (7-3) at No. 4 Cumberland Valley (7-3): One of two rematches in the quarterfinals, Township will be looking to avenge a 31-27 loss to CV in the season opener. The Blue Streaks' 27-21 loss to Wilson in Week 10 cost them home field advantage in the playoffs and stopped their four-game winning streak. Their other loss was a 17-14 setback against Hempfield, so the Streaks' three losses have come by a combined total of 13 points.
One of the district's most successful programs with 13 titles in its trophy case, Cumberland Valley is looking to end a seven-year title drought. The Eagles went 2-2 against Class 6A playoff qualifiers this season, defeating Township and Central York while falling to Harrisburg and Carlisle. CV's 37-6 victory over Altoona in Week 10 snapped a two-game losing streak.
No. 7 William Penn (6-3) at No. 2 Central York (9-1): These teams squared off for the YAIAA Division I title in Week 10, and the host Panthers came away with a hard-fought 41-36 victory. York will be looking to avenge that loss in the quarterfinal rematch. Central York enters the playoffs on a seven-game winning streak; its only loss was a 35-33 defeat to Cumberland Valley (guided by former coach Josh Oswalt ) in Week 2.
York High started the season 0-2 with losses to powerful Woodland Hills and top-seeded Hempfield, then ran off six straight wins before falling to Central York in Week 10.
No. 6 Wilson (8-2) at No. 3 Harrisburg (7-2): Last year, these teams met in the district title game, when the Cougars held on for a 14-10 victory. Now they meet in the quarterfinals Saturday at 1 p.m.
Wilson's only losses this year came to Philly-area powerhouse Roman Catholic in Week 1 and to top-seeded Hempfield in Week 7. The Bulldogs closed the regular season with three wins, including a 27-21 triumph over fifth-seeded Manheim Township.
Harrisburg dropped a 24-20 decision to Manheim Township in Week 3 and lost 20-6 to Mid-Penn Commonwealth champ State College in Week 8. The Cougars defeated 6A qualifiers Carlisle (44-15) and Cumberland Valley (30-14) in consecutive weeks in late September.
No. 8 Shippensburg (8-3) at No. 1 Solanco (10-0): The top-seeded Golden Mules had a bye through the first round, and return to action Friday against the Greyhounds, who won a rematch with Cedar Cliff in the first round last week, 32-14.
Solanco won the Lancaster-Lebanon League Section 3 championship in the regular season. It was the first time since 1990 that the Mules won the title outright, and their unblemished regular-season record is the first in program history.
Update, 2 p.m. (Thursday): District 3 announced this game has been moved to 6 p.m. Saturday.
No. 12 Cocalico (7-4) at No. 4 Gettysburg (8-2): The fourth-seeded Warriors were idle last week after receiving a first-round bye. They'll face a surging Cocalico team that is coming off a 42-2 dismantling of Elizabethtown in the first round. The Eagles, who were the last team to make the 5A playoffs, held the L-L League's top offense to 137 total yards -- including minus-20 yards on the ground -- and kept it out of the end zone to collect their fourth straight win.
Gettysburg, the Mid-Penn Colonial champion, won seven of its last eight regular-season games. The Warriors defeated Susquehanna Township 23-16 in Week 10.
No. 7 Dover (9-2) at No. 2 Exeter (10-0): The second-seeded Eagles were off last week after earning a first-round bye. Exeter won the L-L League Section 2 championship with an undefeated regular season.
Dover knocked off 10th-seeded Garden Spot 40-21 in the first round. The Eagles, who finished second to New Oxford in the YAIAA Division 2 race, have won seven in a row since falling 36-18 to the Colonials in the regular season.
NOTE: The game has been postponed to Saturday night, according to the District 3 Twitter account.
No. 11 Northern (7-4) at No. 3 New Oxford (8-2): The third-seeded Colonials return to action after receiving a first-round bye. They'll face the red-hot Polar Bears, who are coming off a 21-20 upset of South Western in the first round. A blocked extra point kick with 2:36 remaining proved to be the difference in Northern's stunner.
New Oxford, the YAIAA Division 2 champ, has won six of its last seven games. The only loss over that span was a 28-0 non-conference setback against Fort Hill (Md.) in Week 8.
No. 8 East Pennsboro (5-6) at No. 1 Bishop McDevitt (8-1): The top-seeded Crusaders had the week off last week after receiving a first-round bye. Now they'll face East Pennsboro, a 43-0 winner over Kennard-Dale in the first round. The Panthers' lopsided win over K-D snapped a five-game skid.
McDevitt, the defending 4A champion, won the Mid-Penn Keystone title with a perfect run through its conference schedule. The Crusaders' only loss was a 19-14 non-conference setback against Imhotep Charter in Week 1.
No. 5 Milton Hershey (6-4) at No. 4 Twin Valley (6-4): The host Raiders were sitting a 3-3 at the end of September following back-to-back losses to Elizabethtown and Solanco, but won three of their final four regular-season games to earn a playoff berth and a first-round bye.
Milton Hershey did the exact same thing, but the Spartans' last outing was a 38-14 loss to Cedar Cliff in Week 10. Milton Hershey finished fourth in the Mid-Penn Keystone race.
No. 7 York Suburban (7-4) at No. 2 Manheim Central (9-1): The second-seeded Barons earned a first-round bye after finishing second to Exeter in the L-L League Section 2 race. All that did was give the Barons an extra week to stew over their 21-17 loss to Exeter in Week 10.
Suburban punched its ticket to the quarterfinals with a 41-6 rout of Donegal in the first round. The Trojans, who finished third in the YAIAA Division 2 race, have won five in a row.
No. 6 Susquehanna Township (6-4) at No. 3 Lampeter-Strasburg (8-2): Both teams were idle last week after receiving byes through the first round. The host Pioneers finished second to powerful Wyomissing in the L-L League Section 4 race, falling 21-0 to the Spartans in Week 10. That loss snapped an eight-game winning streak for L-S, whose only other setback came in Week 1 against Solanco (40-35).
Hanna is also looking to rebound from a Week 10 loss; the Indians fell 23-16 to Gettysburg to snap a four-game winning streak. Hanna finished fifth in a crowded Mid-Penn Colonial division race.
No. 4 Hamburg (9-2) at No. 1 Wyomissing (10-0): The Hawks survived a first-round shootout with Upper Dauphin, prevailing 49-35 to punch their way into the semifinals. It was the third straight victory for Hamburg, which finished in a three-way tie for second behind Lancaster Catholic in the L-L League Section 5 race.
Wyomissing, the three-time defending District 3 Class 3A champ, rolled to a perfect regular-season record and a L-L League Section 4 championship. The Spartans had the L-L League's top defense this fall, allowing just 144 yards and 6.9 points per game.
No. 3 West Perry (10-1) at No. 2 Lancaster Catholic (10-0): The undefeated Crusaders earned a first-round bye after capturing the L-L League Section 5 title with their first perfect regular season since 2018.
West Perry, which finished second to Steelton-Highspire in the Mid-Penn Capital division race, stomped Schuylkill Valley 45-21 in the first round. The Mustangs' only loss came against Steel-High in Week 10, when they fell 53-24.
No. 3 Trinity (7-4) at No. 1 Annville-Cleona (8-3): The District 3 Class 2A championship will be on the line Friday night when the Little Dutchmen host the Shamrocks in Annville.
Both teams are coming off impressive semifinal victories. A-C knocked off Camp Hill 42-13, while Trinity downed Delone Catholic 56-17.
The Dutchmen have won five out of their last six, with the only blemish a 14-13 heartbreaker against Lancaster Catholic in Week 7. Trinity has won six of its last seven, with the only loss a 35-28 overtime setback against Steel-High on Oct. 20.
NOTE: The game has been postponed to Saturday night at 7 p.m. due to Friday's rain.
CLASS 1A
Steelton-Highspire, which captured its third straight Class 1A title last week with a 62-6 blowout win over Fairfield, will fight for the right for a spot on the PIAA playoff bracket with a District 3-12 subregional game against Philadelphia Public champ Belmont Charter Saturday at 5 p.m. at Germantown Supersite, 1199 E Sedgwick St, Philadelphia.
The Tigers, who won the Philly Public League American division title, lost two of their last three regular-season games, including a 62-28 non-conference defeat to Academy of the New Church in their last outing on Oct. 28.
The Tigers have a speedy, dual-threat QB in Nasisy Harrison and an effective weapon in WR/RB Shamere Davenport.
Saturday's winner advances to the first round of the state playoffs, where they will face the winner of Thursday night's District 5 championship between Northern Bedford County (11-0) and Windber (10-1).