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High School Football: Bishop McDevitt faces District 2 champ Crestwood in Class 4A state semis

The Crusaders will have to find a way to slow down Crestwood's imposing rushing attack to keep their playoff hopes alive.

YORK, Pa. — Fresh off an impressive victory over Manheim Central in the District 3 Class 4A title game, Bishop McDevitt will have little time to rest on its laurels.

The Crusaders held Central's powerful offense to just 63 yards and zero points on its way to a 40-0 victory last week, but they'll face another dangerous attack in the state semifinals Friday night. 

McDevitt will take on District 2 champion Crestwood, a team that loves nothing more than grinding defense to dust with an imposing ground game that averages 342 yards per game and features a pair of 1,000-yard rushers.

The Comets, who defeated Bonner-Prendie 21-14 in the state quarterfinals, have won 12 straight games. 

They'll take on the equally hot Crusaders at 7 p.m. Friday at Exeter High School in Berks County. The winner advances to the state title game against either western PA superpower Aliquippa or District 11 kingpin Allentown Central Catholic.

Here's a look at both teams.

Bishop McDevitt (11-1) vs. Crestwood (13-1)

Friday, 7 p.m. at Exeter Township HS

ABOUT CRESTWOOD: The Comet offense has been slowed somewhat since the start of the state playoffs, but they've found enough points and played enough defense to keep their title hopes alive.

After opening States with a 12-7 victory over Valley View on Nov. 18, Crestwood held on to win a seven-point nail-biter against Bonner-Pendie last week. 

Crestwood built a 21-7 halftime lead, racking up more than 200 yards of offense in the first half. 

But the Comets' four second-half possessions netted them 13 total yards and zero points. 

Fortunately for Crestwood, the 14-point halftime cushion proved to be enough. The Comet defense yielded one touchdown to Bonner-Prendie, but they picked off a pass in their end zone to end one drive by the Friars and forced two turnovers on downs in the fourth quarter to secure the victory.

While its offense has performed below the standards it set prior to the state playoffs, Crestwood is still dangerous. The Comets have outscored opponents 585-181 this season and average 403 yards per game on offense -- the majority of that output coming on the ground.

Crestwood has a pair of dangerous rushers in running back Noah Schultz and freshman quarterback Jaden Shedlock. Schultz, a 6-0, 170-pound senior, has racked up 2,432 yards and 36 touchdowns on 245 carries, while Shedlock has 1,058 yards and 16 scores on 113 attempts (he's also completed 35 of 59 passes for 422 yards and three scores without an interception). 

Against Bonner-Prendie, Shedlock opened the scoring with a 58-yard TD run and hit Schultz out of the backfield on a rare pass play for a 28-yard TD. Schultz later added a 76-yard touchdown on the ground for the Comets. He finished with 138 yards on 24 carries.

Schultz has 3,494 yards and 44 touchdowns on 378 carries in his last two seasons for Crestwood. 

ABOUT MCDEVITT: There can be little argument that last Friday's blowout win over Manheim Central is the Crusaders' most impressive victory of the season. 

McDevitt limited the Baron offense -- which came into the game averaging 445 yards and 51.9 points per outing -- to 63 total yards. Central RB Brycen Armold, who had more than 2,000 rushing yards and 34 touchdowns in his previous 12 games, managed just 38 yards on 17 carries against the Crusaders. QB Zac Hahn, a 2,100-yard passer who had 29 TD tosses coming into the game, was held to 23 yards and 3-of-13 passing as the Barons were shut out for the first time in 11 years.

Meanwhile, McDevitt's offense racked up 422 yards and five touchdowns against a Baron defense that was allowing just 239 yards and 12.6 points per game coming in.

It was a thorough, dominating effort by McDevitt, which earned its 11th straight victory and collected its 16th district title. The Crusaders haven't lost since falling 19-14 to Imhotep Charter in their season opener.

The Crusaders appear to have all the tools necessary to make a state-title run. McDevitt's offense can shred defenses through the air and on the ground, while its defense swarms to the ball and generates turnovers and big plays at will.

Sophomore QB Stone Saunders, who is reportedly already getting recruiting nibbles from more than a dozen big-name college programs including Georgia, Michigan, Pitt and Wisconsin, has passed for 3,181 yards and 46 touchdowns this season. He's been picked off twice.

Minnesota recruit Marquese Williams, who rushed for 187 yards and a pair of TDs and added a third score on a 64-yard strike from Saunders last week, has 1,221 yards and 25 touchdowns on 121 carries. 

The receiving tandem of TaShawn Russell (48 catches, 1,132 yards, 16 TDs) and Rico Scott (55 catches, 1,037 yards, 16 TDs) can shred just about any secondary.

McDevitt is trying to get back to the state title game for the second year in a row and the fifth time in program history. The Crusaders have never won a championship. They fell 34-27 to Aliquippa in last year's final.

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