Welcome to Week 12.
Last week twelve teams from the YAIAA were confirmed for the playoffs. Now, eight teams are left, and all of them had a bye week before this game.
Some of them will have to confront conference rivals for the first time. It will be Delone Catholic and York Catholic schools battling for the Class 1A district championship this weekend. Eastern York and West York are set up for a showdown between two premiere teams in Division II.
Leading up to the playoffs, here are some crucial match preview for some of the games to play out this weekend, and the full schedule of the games on Friday and Saturday.
Class 3A Semifinals: No. 5 Berks Catholic (7-4) at No. 1 Bermudian Springs (9-1)
Bermudian Springs was off last Friday after getting the No. 1 seed, but its first game of the playoffs is here and in force. The Saints entered the match after thrashing Biglerville 48-7 the last time they were on the field. Regardless of the fact that the Saints were the No. 5 seed, the defense showed up last Friday, and the run game is no joke, either.
Neither are the Eagles. Since the Week 4, they haven’t given up more than eight points in a game. That much was evident when even New Oxford, this year’s five-AA rated football team, struggled to get back the Eagles during the Week 1.
In addition, Bermudian Springs seem to benefit from the polymorphic activity of the offense. The Paw Paw rushing corps is led by Eddie Sebright while under center throws is adequately maintained by Lane Hubbard ready for them next Friday.
Class 4A Quarterfinals: No. 6 Eastern York at No.3 West York – 8-2 both sides
Anyone up for a rematch? The Bulldogs and the Golden Knights therefore played each other in the course of the regular season – a match which the Bulldogs emerged winners of 20-18.
The Bulldogs should have a good shot at a similar experience to Week 6. Don’t they scoring a little over 25 points on average per match and having two different quarterbacks to consider? Issac Roberts has been brought into focus in their rush game; Jensen Ferber on the other hand has been a dangerous passing nuisance.
New Oxford’s vice is that it played poorly during the regular season especially after losing to Eastern York in the match billed to be its final game but it turns out Eastern York is also out for a revival after suffering the same fate against New Oxford. Its own offense, once it gets going, is right up there with the most potent offenses in the YAIAA and scores 38 points a game. New Oxford and West York are the only two teams to stop the Golden Knights this year.
Class 6A Quarterfinals: No. 6 plays at No. 3 Central Dauphin East (7-3) at Central York (8-2).
The Panthers go in two by two, human when coming out. Only recently did Central Dauphin East manage to snap a three game losing streak at the end of the season, but those teams who the losses were against – State College, Harrisburg, Bishop McDevitt.
Of course we have seen both teams beaten Central Dauphin and also York High this year but the fact is that the victors have been Central York pummelling both teams with a smashing 88-0 while Central Dauphin trumped the same two teams by 61-26. It’s not an exact predictability, however, you get the flair that Central York may be able to really pull through both, that margin, and the fact that they have to exert much pressure on Central Dauphin East because of their losing series to go on.
Friday’s Week 12 games
- Class 1A Finals: Delone Catholic (1) vs. York Catholic (2), Sheppard-Myers Stadium, 7 p.m.
- Class 3A Semifinals: Berks Catholic (5) at Bermudian Springs (1), 7 p.m.
- Class 4A Quarterfinals: Eastern York (6) at West York (3), 7 p.m.
- Class 5A Quarterfinals: Exeter Township (8) at New Oxford (1), 7 p.m.
- Class 6A Quarterfinals: Central Dauphin East (6) at Central York (3), 7 p.m.
Saturday’s Week 12 games
- Class 6A Quarterfinals: Dallastown (5) at Harrisburg (4), 1 p.m.
