YORK, Pa. — The District 3 Class 5A football playoffs continue Friday night with four quarterfinal games.
Top-seeded Governor Mifflin and No. 2 Manheim Central join the fray this week after earning byes through last week's first round.
The winners advance to the semifinals next weekend.
Here's a look at Friday night's matchups:
Warwick (7-4) at Governor Mifflin (8-0)
Friday, 7 p.m. at Governor Mifflin Stadium
ABOUT WARWICK: The Warriors were supposed to face Mifflin in last year's 5A championship, but had to forfeit the game after a COVID-19 outbreak forced the high school to switch to a remote learning format and cancel all extracurricular activities. It was the only blemish on Warwick's record; the Warriors finished the season 8-1, while Mifflin advanced to the state playoffs.
It's a different Warwick team this year; beset by graduation losses, the Warriors struggled early and were 2-3 midway through the season. But they turned their year around with a 35-28 upset of Manheim Central and won four of their last five games to make the playoffs. And last week, they announced their presence with a 44-14 rout of No. 9 Gettysburg to reach the quarterfinals.
Warwick's offense revolves around its Big Three: QB Jack Reed (2,226 pass yards, 17 TDs), RB Christian Royer (1,207 yards, 21 TDs), and WR Cooper Eckert (67 catches, 1,090 yards, seven scores).
The Warriors are chasing their first district title. They have made one previous appearance in the title game.
ABOUT GOVERNOR MIFFLIN: Led by Penn State recruit Nick Singleton, the Mustangs raced to the Berks I-C Section 1 title in the regular season without breaking much of a sweat. Despite missing two games to COVID-19 outbreaks, Governor Mifflin has routed every opponent, including six District 3 playoff qualifiers, by an average margin of 37.9 points per game.
Singleton, meanwhile, has racked up 1,499 yards and 30 touchdowns on 123 carries, averaging 12.2 yards per tote. The Mustangs almost never pass the ball; in eight games, they've completed nine of 17 pass attempts for 209 yards.
Mifflin is ranked No. 1 in the state in Class 5A by both Pennlive and Pennsylvania Football News. The Mustangs are seeking their second district title.
Waynesboro (9-2) at Spring Grove (9-1)
Friday, 7 p.m. at Papermakers Stadium
ABOUT WAYNESBORO: After finishing behind Shippensburg in the Mid-Penn Colonial division in the regular season, Waynesboro reached the quarterfinals with a 42-20 triumph over 12th-seeded Daniel Boone last week. The Indians spotted Boone a 14-0 lead after one quarter, but stormed back with 30 straight points over the next two quarters to take the lead for good.
Aidan Mencia raced for 200 yards and a pair of scores on 18 carries for Waynesboro, while Jesse Julius added 40 yards and two TDs on the ground. The Indians outgained Boone 438-252 in total yards and forced a pair of turnovers.
Waynesboro is looking to avenge a 25-20 loss to Spring Grove in the season opener back in August. The Indians' other loss was a 33-14 setback against Shippensburg on September 24. They've won six in a row since then.
The Indians are hoping to capture their first district title.
ABOUT SPRING GROVE: The Rockets finished in a second-place tie with York High behind Central York in the YAIAA Division I race in the regular season, and opened the playoffs with a 33-6 rout of Twin Valley last week. It was their fourth straight victory; their only loss of the season was a 48-17 setback against Central York on Oct. 8. (The Spring Grove-York High regular-season game was cancelled due to COVID-19.)
Against Twin Valley, Zyree Brooks turned in a monster game for Spring Grove, racking up 288 rushing yards and four touchdowns, including a 96-yard, highlight-reel scamper in the first quarter. The Rocket defense also did its job, nearly pitching a shutout and holding Twin Valley in check all night.
The win over Twin Valley was Spring Grove's first in the district playoffs since 2012. The Rockets have never won a district title.
Exeter Township (7-3) at Manheim Central (9-1)
Friday, 7 p.m. at Rettew Stadium
ABOUT EXETER: The seventh-seeded Eagles advanced to the quarterfinals with a 38-21 victory over No. 10 South Western last week. It was Exeter's fifth win in six games.
The Eagles jumped out to a 20-0 lead against South Western, allowed the Mustangs to fight their way back to within six points, and reeled off 18 straight points to reassert control. Colin Payne threw for 206 yards and three touchdowns, while Eric Nangle added 132 yards and a TD on the ground for Exeter.
Payne has thrown for 1,572 yards and 16 touchdowns this season for Exeter, while Nangle leads the ground attack with 982 yards and 12 scores on 145 attempts.
Exeter finished second behind Governor Mifflin in the Berks I-C Section 1 race. The Mustangs defeated them 54-21 on Oct. 8. Exeter's other losses were to Hempfield (17-14) and Central York (35-28).
The Eagles are chasing their first district title.
ABOUT MANHEIM CENTRAL: Like No. 1 Governor Mifflin, the Barons were idle last week after earning the second seed in the playoff bracket. Central split the L-L League Section 2 title with Cocalico and Warwick in the regular season.
QB Judd Novak is a two-way threat for the Barons. He's completed 129 of 212 passes for 1,661 yards and 20 touchdowns and is second on the team in rushing with 611 yards and nine scores. (Justin Heffernan is Central's leading rusher, with 777 yards and 10 TDs on 157 attempts.)
Novak's top target is Owen Sensenig, who has hauled in 51 catches for 774 yards and seven scores.
Central's defense allows 211 yards per game.
The Barons are chasing their 19th District 3 championship and their third since the district moved to six classes in 2016. Central's last title came in 2018.
Cedar Cliff (9-2) at Shippensburg (11-0)
Friday, 7 p.m. at Memorial Park
ABOUT CEDAR CLIFF: The Colts held off Mid-Penn Keystone foe Lower Dauphin 31-18 last week to advance to the quarterfinals. It was Cedar Cliff's second victory over the Falcons this season. The Colts won 48-20 in the regular season.
Last Friday, QB Ethan Dorrell completed 13 of 17 passes for 163 yards and a pair of touchdowns to help carry the Colts. Cedar Cliff survived a huge effort from LD running back Jacob Kauffman, who accounted for 232 total yards and a pair of TDs in the Falcons' loss.
Dorrell forms a solid 1-2 punch with RB Jontae Morris on offense. He's completed 110 of 190 passes for 1,402 yards and 15 touchdowns, while Morris has lugged the ball 242 times for 1,800 yards and 22 scores.
Cedar Cliff has won four in a row since falling 56-0 to Keystone champ Bishop McDevitt on Oct. 8. The Colts' only other loss was a 20-7 setback against CD East on Sept. 10.
Cedar Cliff has won three district championships, but its last title came back in 1996.
ABOUT SHIPPENSBURG: The Greyhounds opened the playoffs with a 43-16 rout of No.14 New Oxford last week for their 11th straight victory. Shippensburg rolled to the Mid-Penn Colonial title in the regular season; after a 7-0 close call against Hershey in their season opener, the Greyhounds have won their last 10 games by at least two touchdowns.
Junior quarterback Tucker Chamberlain has completed 53 of 94 passes for 1,035 yards and 13 scores for Shippensburg, while the three-pronged attack of Traevon Kater (76-693, five TDs), Amari Kerr (75-562, nine TDs), and Nathan Beam (106-517, three TDs) powers the ground attack. Junior Erby Weller (32-671, nine TDs) is Chamberlain's top target.
This is Shippensburg's 14th district playoff appearance. The Greyhounds have made one title game appearance over the span, falling 37-13 to Berks Catholic in the 2016 Class 4A final.
