High School Football Headquarters: Wilson keeps trend alive in 35-7 win over Cumberland Valley (11 p.m. final update)
Bulldogs notch 3-AAAA title No. 4; three have been against CV.
Print
Share
Email to a friend
Add This
Feeds
Local Sports
Article RatingHigh football writer Travis Pickens will be checking in with updates from Hersheypark Stadium throughout the day. Keep checking back for observations from the PIAA Class AA quarterfinal between Mount Carmel and Lancaster Catholic, which starts at noon, followed by CV's 3-AAAA title game against Wilson at 6 p.m.
11 p.m.
We hoped it would be close.
Most of us picked it as a single-digit final.
We didn't learn from history and it repeated itself.
We being the press corps. thought the District 3 Class AAAA final between No. 2 seed Cumberland Valley and top-seeded Wilson at Hersheypark Stadium on Saturday would be a classic.
Neither team had been tested in the playoffs, which made us believe this would be an epic, titantic clash.
It wasn't.
Wilson forced eight turnovers and rolled to a 35-7 win on a night CV coach Tim Rimpfel likened to a nightmare.
In hindsight, we should have seen this coming.
This decade there's only been two 3-AAAA title games decided in single digits and the 21-17 Bishop McDevitt win over State College in 2005 wasn't even that close until the Little Lions scored late.
The only other one was Central Dauphin's 35-33 win over Wilson in 2002.
The years prior to that saw CV win by 10 and 35 and Wilson by 47. In 1998 CV beat Central Dauphin, 14-10.
Of 24 3-AAAA title games, only 10 have been decided by single digits.
Unfortunately for CV on Saturday, history repeated itself.
After 12 hours, that's it for the live blog from Hersheypark Stadium. Send any feedback to us at sportsdoor@cumberlink.com or directly to me at tpickens@cumberlink.com and let us know your thoughts on today's effort to keep you, the fan, up to date on the happenings on the gridiron.
For more on the 3-AAAA title game check back later tonight or pick up a copy of The Sentinel on Sunday. Sam Butler took care of the game story, yours truly offered some commentary.
Have a good night and happy holidays.
8:20 p.m.
Cumberland Valley tacks on a late touchdown, but Wilson has won the District 3-AAAA title with a 35-7 victory over the Eagles. Kevin Snyder scored the lone CV touchdown.
Wilson will now travel to State College's Memorial Field to take on Bethel Park next Saturday at 1 p.m.
CV's season at 12-2. The Eagles turned the ball over eight times.
8:10 p.m.
CV stopped Wilson at the 16-yard line with 6:35 to play in the 3-AAAA championship game with the Bulldogs ahead, 35-0.
Both teams are beginning to make substitutions.
8 p.m.
Wilson ended the third quarter by forcing yet another turnover.
Connor Snyder nabbed CV quarterback Nate Rhodes' first-down pass at the 23. It was CV's eighth turnover.
Wilson takes a 35-0 lead into the fourth and is staring at a trip to Memorial Field in State College for a date with Bethel Park, the WPIAL (District 7) champion and 17-14 winner over State College on Friday.
7:50
Mercy.
Wilson QB Steve Huber threw his second touchdown pass, this one from 23 yards out to a diving Alex Fegley, and then hit Tyler Beck for the 2-point conversion to enact the running clock mercy rule.
Wilson leads CV, 35-0, with 4:08 to go in the third. CV turned the ball over seven times in the first half.
7:45
Cumberland Valley's defense allowed Wilson to move 31 yards but forced a punt on the Bulldogs' first drive of the second half.
Travis Friend, CV's junior fullback just broke off a 35-yard run to Wilson's 43. 8:23 remains in the third.
7:35
Sites were just announced for next week's state semifinals.
Wilson will head to Memorial Stadium in State College on Saturday at 1 p.m. to meet Bethel Park if it wins. If CV rallies, it'll play Bethel at Mansion Park Stadium in Altoona on Saturday at 1 p.m.
Steelton-Highspire meets Schuylkill Haven on Friday at Blue Mountain High School in Class A; Lancaster Catholic plays West Catholic at Northeast High School in Philadelphia in AA and West York travels to Altoona to meet Thomas Jefferson. All three games are Friday at 7 p.m.
7:15 p.m.
Carnage is the best way to describe what's taken place on the A-Turf at Hersheypark Stadium in the 3-AAAA title game.
Wilson has seven takeaways and is rolling with a 27-0 lead. Wilson senior RB Zacc Groff has three of the Bulldogs' four touchdowns. Wilson has not turned the ball over.
Mike Frenette leads CV with 102 yards on 15 carries while Groff has carried 11 times for 80 yards.
CV ended the half on a positive note with a sack of QB Steve Huber, who finished 10 of 15 for 132 and a touchdown.
Wilson WR Alex Fegley has four catches for 100 yards and a touchdown.
7 p.m.
Wilson kicker Shane Witmyer missed a 37-yard field goal after another CV interception.
The Bulldogs grabbed the ball right back on Alex Fegley's interception.
Wilson is at the CV 25 with 2:13 to go in the first half and ahead 27-0. CV has seven turnovers.
6:55 p.m.
Pat Zerbe intercepted a tipped Nate Rhodes pass at the CV 26 and returned it to the 9 to help Wilson take a 27-0 lead on RB Zacc Groff's 9-yard touchdown run with 7:02 still remaining in the half.
CV has lost four fumbles and thrown one interception.
6:45 p.m.
After the teams exchanged punts to start the second quarter, Wilson RB Zacc Groff reeled off a 12-yard touchdown run to give the top-seeded Bulldogs a commanding 21-0 lead with 7:30 to play in the half.
It took Wilson four plays and 1:30 to go 62 yards for the score.
6:35 p.m.
Wilson converted three fumbles into 14 points and leads CV, 14-0, after one quarter at Hersheypark Stadium in 3-AAAA final.
6:30 p.m.
Another CV lost fumble, another Wilson touchdown.
RB Zacc Groff plowed through the CV defense for a 17-yard touchdown only two plays after Anthony Capozello recovered a Travis Friend fumble at the 19.
CV has fumbled three times and lost them all. Wilson leads, 14-0, with 1:19 to play in the first.
6:25 p.m.
Wilson converted the second CV fumble into six points as QB Steve Huber found WR Alex Fegley behind the CV secondary for a 56-yard touchdown pass at the 2:21 mark of the first quarter.
It took Wilson seven plays and 2:23 to march 94 yards for the go-ahead score and the 7-0 lead.
6:20 p.m.
Mike Frenette broke loose for a 54-yard run to the Wilson 6-yard line but two plays later Rodney Hill recovered a Nate Rhodes fumble to give the Bulldogs the ball at its own 6 with 3:45 to play in the first.
6:15 p.m.
Following the lost fumble, CV stopped Wilson FB Dylan Stopper on a fourth-and-2 run up the middle. Stopper gained one yard.
CV takes over at its 34 with 6:58 to go in the first.
6:10
CV running back Mike Frenette was hit hard by Wilson linebacker Jordan Holbert in the backfield and fumbled a swing pass from QB Nate Rhodes.
Holbert recovered and gave Wilson the ball at the CV 41 with 8:42 to play in a scoreless first quarter.
6 p.m.
Teams just entered the field, Wilson from under the home stands, CV from the end zone closest to stage.
The Eagles were led by a student carrying a flag with the intertwined 'CV' as the team broke through the banner.
Captains are at midfield, CV wins the toss and will receive to start the District 3 Class AAAA championship game.
Kickoff following the national anthem.
5:50 p.m.
Teams have cleared the field and retreated to the warmth of their respective locker rooms.
We're 10 minutes from kickoff.
It's a nice sized crowd and all the press corps are here. Myself and Sam Butler will bring you the coverage tonight and in Sunday's paper, we've got a quartet of writers from the Reading Eagle to our left, a pair from the Lancaster newspapers to the right and another quad grouping from the Patriots-News further down near the middle press box door.
It's a big-time atmosphere tonight in Hershey, let's hope the game lives up to the hype and expectations.
Winner is off to Altoona. Is that a good thing or bad?
5 p.m.
We're an hour from kickoff, the teams are on the field and the lights are on high above Hersheypark Stadium.
CV is decked out in its visiting white shirts and white pants with the red helmets. Wilson, the top seed and thus the home team, is sporting red shirts on white pants with white helmets.
People are slowly trickling in to see the two 3-AAAA powers tangle for the ninth time and third in a district championship situation, Wilson has won both of those games.
To recap today's action, Lancaster Catholic downed Mount Carmel, 41-28, here in a AA quarterfinal while Bethlehem Liberty throttled George Washington, 30-13, in a AAAA quarter.
The winner tonight moves into the state semifinals opposite WPIAL (District 7) champion Bethel Park (14-0), a 17-14 winner over State College. The site and time for that game, likely Saturday afternoon in Altoona, will be announced Sunday.
4:20 p.m.
Some weather-related issues for this evening's 3-AAAA title game between CV (12-1) and Wilson (13-0).
The sun has gone behind the home stands and the wind is picking up a little.
The flags at the top of the visitor stands are pointing in the direction of the stage. That could be important if we have a close game into the fourth quarter.
Weather.com lists the temperature for kickoff at 40 degrees and party cloudy with winds out of the north/northeast at 3 miles per hour.
The outlook doesn't change much between 7 and 10 p.m. other than the temperature falling about five degrees.
3:45 p.m.
Some team stats from this afternoon's offensive explosion at Hersheypark Stadium.
When the dust settled and tempers were done flaring, the teams combined for 1,014 yards and 69 points in Lancaster Catholic's 41-28 win over Mount Carmel, the District 4 champion.
Catholic passed for 320 yards and rushed for 291 while the Red Tornadoes accumulated 243 rushing yards and 160 through the air.
3 p.m.
Some extra fireworks at the end of a game that was full of them.
Lancaster Catholic's Quinn Houser intercepted Mount Carmel QB Marcus Wasilewski's last-gasp pass intended for Matt Koveleski as time expired and the two exchanged words and shoves in the end zone following Catholic's 41-28, PIAA Class AA quarterfinal win. Both benches emptied near the end zone at the stage end of the field and the fracus was quickly broken up.
Catholic quarterback Kyle Smith finished 16 of 24 for 320 yards and two touchdowns in an offensive explosion that lasted 2 hours, 53 minutes.
Catholic (13-1) moves into the PIAA Class AA semifinals opposite West Catholic (13-1) next weekend at a District 12 site.
Stats still to come.
In other only other afternoon game, Bethlehem Liberty crushed George Washington, 30-13, at Charles Martin Stadium in Philadelphia in PIAA Class AAAA quarterfinal action.
The District 3 Class AAAA final between Cumberland Valley and Wilson kicks off in three hours.
2:40 p.m.
It's not official yet.
Mount Carmel QB Marcus Wasilewski found WR Matt Koveleski for a 47-yard touchdown pass with 3:39 to play.
Lancaster Catholic holds a 41-28 lead.
2:30 p.m.
Jordan Stewart scored on a 10-yard run with 4:46 to play to give Lancaster Catholic a 41-21 lead over Mount Carmel.
The extra point, pushed back 5 yards because of a procedure penalty, sailed wide left.
2:25 p.m.
The shootout from the first quarter has returned.
Lancaster Catholic RB Quinn Houser gave the Crusaders a 35-14 lead with 6:55 to play via a 42-yard touchdown run.
Mount Carmel responded with a 54-yard touchdown pass from QB Marcus Wasilewski to RB Justin Pellowski with 5:52 remaining to make it 35-21.
Mount Carmel's onside kick went out of bounds. Catholic has the ball at its own 35.
2:15 p.m.
Mount Carmel drove to Lancaster Catholic's 37-yard line before QB Marcus Wasilewski's pass intended for Matt Moroz was tipped and fell incomplete.
Catholic leads 28-14 with 8 minutes to play.
2:10 p.m.
Mount Carmel's defense bent but didn't break and held Lancaster Catholic without a point on the final drive of the third quarter.
The Red Tornadoes took over at their own 6 and, on the final play of the quarter, Julius Demetrius ran 10 yards for a first down.
Catholic is 12 minutes away from moving into the semifinals opposite West Catholic, the District 12 champion.
2 p.m.
Mount Carmel responded to Catholic's touchdown with a 13-play, 80-yard drive that ate up 3:52 of the third quarter when Julius Demetrius bulled in from 1 yard line to slice the Crusaders' lead to 28-14 with 5:03 to play in the third.
Demetrius reeled off a 37-yard run to the 4 and the Red Tornadoes converted a fourth down near midfield to keep hope alive.
1:45 p.m.
A little research proves that today's events shouldn't be surprising.
Lancaster Catholic beat Mount Carmel, 31-20, in 2007 and, the year before, downed the Red Tornadoes, 21-3.
On Saturday, Catholic held Mount Carmel to a three-and-out on its initial drive of the second half and, on cue, Catholic marched 48 yards in seven plays to take a 28-7 third-quarter lead on Mount Carmel. Jordan Stewart scored from 2 yards out to cap the drive with 8:57 to go in the third.
1:25 p.m.
Bethlehem Liberty leads George Washington, 21-0, at halftime in the only other afternoon playoff game. The Class AAAA quarterfinal is being held at Martin Stadium in Philadelphia.
1:20 p.m.
Talk about a punch to the gut.
About go into the locker room down 14-7, Mount Carmel fell asleep on defense and finds itself behind, 21-7.
On the final play of the half, Lancaster Catholic QB Kyle Smith found WR Tyler Puris over the middle at the Red Tornadoes 30-yard line for a 22-yard gain. Puris then lateralled to Travis Jankowski, who made a defensive back miss before taking it into the end zone as time expired.
The Crusaders' prior drive lasted 4:26 and went 74 yards in 13 plays before Smith threw incomplete to Jankowski on fourth-and-17 at the Mount Carmel 26-yard line.
The Red Tornadoes ensuing drive sputtering out at the 45, which set the stage for Catholic's trick play.
12:35 p.m.
Well it took two drives and a rash of penalties but Mount Carmel stopped Lancaster Catholic for the first time on the Crusaders' third possession and, on the final play of the first quarter, moved the ball 15 yards on a pass interference call on Catholic.
Despite five penalties for 53 yards, the Crusaders hold a 14-7 edge after one.
12:25 p.m.
Mount Carmel finally showed some signs of life. Running back Julius Demetrius was stacked up at the line before bouncing it outside and sprinting down the sideline for a 58-yard touchdown with 2:26 to go in the first to make it 14-7 Lancaster Catholic.
12:15 p.m.
Crusaders quarterback Kyle Smith hit tight end Andrew Millay streaking over the middle for a 64-yard touchdown at the 4:56 mark of the second quarter.
Millay outran the Mount Carmel defense down the visitor sideline to cap a three-play, 76-yard drive in 1:08.
12:10 p.m.
Lancaster Catholic running back Jordan Stewart scored from 10 yards out on the Crusaders' opening drive for a 7-0 lead. The drive lasted nine plays and took 4:45 off the clock
Noon
Lancaster Catholic, in its all purple uniforms, took the field first at the scoreboard end of the field.
Mount Carmel, in all white with red helmets, entered at the other end.
The crowd has grown but the Red Tornado contingent outnumbers that of the District 3 side.
Kickoff is right around the corner.
11:30 a.m.
Let's take a look around the brackets from last night.
If you're a District 9 fan, hide the women and children.
Class AA champion Karns City was throttled, 42-14, by WPIAL winner Aliquippa, which was ahead, 35-0, seconds in the second quarter. Class A champion Cameron County had its lunch handed to it by Farrell, the District 10 king, 31-0.
That's two losses by a combined 73-14. Ouch.
For District 6, it's a case of what could have been. State College fell to Bethel Park, 17-14, in Class AAAA action and Central droppd a 21-19 decision to Wilmington in Class AA. Central scored with 34 seconds left and missed a 2-point coversion. The Scarlet Dragons recovered the onside kick but couldn't score.
The other District 6 team, Bishop McCort, imploded in the fourth quarter, allowing District 3 Class A winner and reigning PIAA champion Steelton-Highspire to score 21 of its points in the final frame of a 27-9 win.
11:15 a.m.
Good morning from Hersheypark Stadium, which luckily does not resemble Mansion Park Stadium in Altoona. There aren't five foot tall piles of snow ringing the field and the sun is shining brightly on the A-Turf. For the last weekend in November, it's a nice afternoon for football.
We're 45 minutes from the start of the AA game and the stands are fairly empty. The parking lot is a different story. Mount Carmel fans are out in force and appeared to have traveled well.
