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Cathedral Prep is set to make its first appearance in a PIAA football championship game since the Ramblers won the Class AAAA title in 2000.

However, Prep will have to face a powerhouse team Friday in defending Class AAA champion Archbishop Wood. Wood (12-2) is loaded with a huge line and speedy, skilled backs.

Prep (14-0) enters with a high-scoring, pass-oriented offense and hard-hitting defense.

Which team will emerge as the state champion Friday in Hershey? Here’s your chance to vote in the poll at right. Voting ends Friday at 6:30 p.m.

Felix Manus-Schell

Jake Plonski

Erik Swanson

Joe Hampy

Cathedral Prep’s offense has earned much attention this season, and with good reason. Led by record-setting quarterback Damion Terry, the Ramblers have set a team record for points in a season with 677 and are averaging more than 48.4 points per game.

However, as the season has progressed, the defense has begun to open eyes statewide. Prep (14-0) turned in perhaps its best defensive effort of the season Friday against a high-powered Bishop McDevitt team that featured a 3,200-yard passer, a 1,500-yard receiver and two 1,000-yard rushers.

The Ramblers limited the Crusaders to a field goal and 143 total yards in a 38-3 victory. McDevitt’s two 1,000-yard backs combined for 34 yards on 17 carries.

Prep defensive ends Joe Hampy and Erik Swanson continued their torrid play, while linebacker Jake Plonski and cornerback Felix Manus-Schell turned in big games Friday. The defense and the Prep coaching staff certainly earned the respect of veteran McDevitt coach Jeff Weachter.

“They changed their defense a lot and went with some run blitzes after we ran the ball early,” Weachter told the Harrisburg Patriot-News. “Anything we had a little success with they almost immediately took it away. Once it was gone, it was gone for good. They are a very strong defensive football team.”

Read the full story on PennLive.com.

Yes, it’s natural that readers of a blog would favor the hometown team in a poll. However, Varsity blog readers still deserve credit for picking the winner — Cathedral Prep — in Friday’s PIAA Class AAA semifinal game.

But even Varsity blog readers didn’t expect the 38-3 rout that the Ramblers turned in against previously unbeaten Bishop McDevitt Friday.

A total of 295 readers voted in a poll conducted Thursday and Friday on the Varsity blog, and 216 picked Prep to beat the nationally ranked McDevitt. However, 41 percent (121 votes) expected Prep to win by 7 points or less. Another 24 percent (70 voters) predicted that Prep would win by 8 to 14 points. Only 8 percent (24 voters) — the fourth most popular answer — picked the Ramblers to pull away by 15 points or more.

The results are listed below:

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All season they have been atop the Class AAA state football rankings.

Cathedral Prep has been No. 1 in one poll and No. 2 in the other, while McDevitt has been No. 2 in one poll and No. 1 in the other.

On Friday at 7 p.m. in Clearfield, the two state powers will settle the matter in the PIAA Class AAA semifinals.

Both teams boast speed, big-armed quarterbacks and high-powered offenses. Both have aggressive, big-hitting defenses. It should be quite a showdown.

Now fans have a chance to vote on which team they think will win Friday. Cast your vote in the poll at right before Friday at 6:30 p.m.

Michigan State recruits Damion Terry and Delton Williams, who are standout football players at Cathedral Prep, have accepted invitations to play in the Chesapeake Bowl on Dec. 29 in Washington D.C. The game will take place at 2 p.m. at the Marvin F. Wilson Stadium in the Prince George’s Sports and Learning Complex. The Chesapeake Bowl, which began in 2010 and is nicknamed the “Civil War”, matches up senior all-stars from Pennsylvania, New Jersey and Delaware (North) against all-stars from Maryland, Virginia, Washington D.C. and West Virginia (South).

The South won 30-27 in the inaugural game in 2010 before the North won last year 28-17. Archbishop Wood graduate Nate Smith returned the opening kickoff 90 yards for a touchdown last year, while Central Catholic quarterback ran for 82 yards and threw for one touchdown. Furness graduate Sharif Smith scored on a five-yard touchdown and was effective on the ground to be named the game’s MVP.

Bishop McDevitt coach Jeff Weachter will be the head coach of the North. Interestingly enough, he might have to coach against Terry and Williams in a few weeks if McDevitt and Prep meet in the PIAA semifinals.

Final rosters will be announced at a later date.

–Tom Reisenweber

Some quick notes from Friday night’s area playoff games:

– McDowell rushed for 446 yards in a 61-14 win over Perry but amazingly didn’t have the highest rushing total among the three Erie County teams. General McLane rushed for 470 yards in its 46-42 win over Slippery Rock.

– McDowell star James Conner scored in three ways — on a run, a reception and a sack that resulted in a safety. The Pitt recruit finished with 129 rushing yards on just eight carries.

– Like McDowell’s Conner, Sharpsville’s Tyler Luchey had a big all-around game in the Blue Devils’ 41-34 win over Lakeview. Luchey had TD receptions of 2 and 43 yards. He also scored on a 55-yard return of a Lakeview fumble. His 2-yard TD catch in the fourth quarter proved to be the game winner.

– Cathedral Prep’s Delton Williams, a Michigan State recruit, had just three rushing attempts Friday in a 54-12 win over Warren but each resulted in a touchdown — 1, 6 and 11 yards. Williams also broke Prep’s single-season record with 48 receptions after making four catches Friday.

– Prep’s Damion Terry, another Michigan State recruit, became the first player in District 10 history to pass for 40 touchdowns in a season. He now has 41. He also extended his D-10 records with 6,447 career yards and 78 career TDs.

– One of Terry’s primary receivers, Brendan Klemensic, tied the Prep record for single-season touchdown catches with 11. He had a 25-yard TD reception Friday

– Slippery Rock’s Frank Conlon had a monster game in defeat against McLane. He rushed for 284 yards on 15 carries while scoring on runs of 83 and 71 yards.

– General McLane had two rushers with big games: Quarterback Quinn Thompson, a UConn recruit, was busy as he rushed 30 times for 145 yards and two TDs. Michael Suminski had 13 carries for a team-high 195 yards. Suminski had scoring runs of 2, 28, 49 and 60 yards. His 49-yard TD run provided the winning margin in the fourth quarter.

– Lakeview’s Blake Reddick rushed 23 times for 243 yards in defeat against Sharpsville. Reddick scored on runs of 2, 41, 68 yards.

Fans can check out all of Friday’s District 10 game statistics.

Here’s a look at the state football rankings:

Harrisburg Patriot-News state rankings:

CLASS AAAA
School (District)    Record     Previous
1. North Allegheny (7)     7-0     2
2. St. Joseph’s Prep (12)     6-0     6
3. Gateway (7)     6-1     3
4. LaSalle College (12)     6-1     1
5. Central Dauphin* (3)     6-1     5
6. Easton (11)     7-0     7
7. Downingtown East (1)     7-0     9
8. Harrisburg (3)     5-2     8
9. Mount Lebanon (7)     6-1     10
10. Delaware Valley (2)     7-0     NR
Teams to watch: Bethel Park (7) 5-2, Cumberland Valley (3) 6-1, Ridley (1) 7-0, Seneca Valley (7) 6-1, Upper St. Clair (7) 6-1, Wilson (3) 6-1.

CLASS AAA
School (District)    Record     Previous
1. Cathedral Prep (10)     7-0     1
2. Bishop McDevitt (3)     7-0     2
3. Montour (7)     7-0     3
4. Archbishop Wood* (12)     5-2     4
5. Central Valley (7)     6-1    5
6. Pottsgrove (1)     7-0     6
7. West Allegheny (7)     6-1     7
8. Thomas Jefferson (7)     7-0     9
9. Berwick (2)     6-1     10
10. Franklin Regional (7)     6-1     NR
Teams to watch: Abington Heights (2) 6-1, Cardinal O’Hara (12) 4-3, Clearfield (9) 7-0, Mars (7) 6-1, West Chester Henderson (1) 6-1, West Mifflin (7) 7-0.

CLASS AA
School (District)    Record     Previous
1. Aliquippa (7)     7-0     1
2. Imhotep Charter (12)     7-0     2
3. Wyomissing (3)     7-0     3
4. South Fayette (7)     7-0     4
5. Washington (7)     7-0     5
6. Jeannette (7)     6-1     6
7. Hickory (10)     6-1     7
8. Grove City (10)     6-1     10
9. Trinity (3)     6-1     9
10. Catasauqua (11)     7-0     NR
Teams to watch: Beaver Area (7) 7-0, Bermudian Springs (3) 7-0, Mount Pleasant (7) 5-2, Richland (6) 7-0, Seton-LaSalle (7) 6-1, Wilmington (10) 5-2.

CLASS A
School (District)    Record     Previous
1. Clairton* (7)     7-0     1
2. Southern Columbia (4)     7-0     2
3. Rochester (7)     7-0     3
4. Old Forge (2)     7-0     4
5. Dunmore (2)     6-1     5
6. Monessen (7)     6-1     6
7. West Middlesex (10)     6-1     7
8. Sharpsville (10)     6-1     8
9. Bellwood-Antis (6)     7-0     9
10. Port Allegany (9)     7-0     10
Teams to watch: Bishop Canevin (7) 5-2, Line Mountain (4) 6-1, Neshannock (7) 6-1, Penns Manor (6) 6-1, Williams Valley (11) 7-0.
*2011 PIAA champion.**2011 Class AA champion.

Pennsylvania Football News state rankings:

The football showdown between Cathedral Prep and McDowell, also known as the Cureage Cup, will serve as a fundraiser for cancer research for the fifth consecutive year.

That game is scheduled for Friday at 7 p.m. at Veterans Stadium.

However, two upcoming soccer games will serve as cancer fundraisers as well.

McDowell and Prep meet on the soccer field today at 7:30 p.m. at Dollinger Field in the second annual “Kickin’ Cancer” game.

Shelley McQuown, a Cathedral Prep soccer parent rep, said the game will be utilized to raise money “to assist a family who has been affected by cancer.”

Last year, more than $1,000 was raised for a family at the inaugural “Kickin’ Cancer” game.

Fans can help by selling T-shirts, 50/50 tickets and raffling three baskets. In addition, $1 from each admission ticket sold will be donated. The public is encouraged to attend.

• Meanwhile, the McDowell girls soccer team will raise money for the Regional Cancer Center Foundation during its game at Gus Anderson Field Monday at 7:30 p.m. against rival Mercyhurst Prep.

A press release from the McDowell girls soccer team noted that one team member lost a grandmother to colon cancer and an aunt to lung cancer. Another McDowell player’s uncle had childhood leukemia at age 2, and “fortunately, thanks to treatment, he is now 35, cancer-free and about to be a father for the first time.”

The team chose the Regional Cancer Center “because it benefits cancer patients right here in our community. No patient is ever turned away because of his or her inability to pay and patients with financial needs are served.”

McDowell will be selling special game shirts and soccer ball cutouts with ribbons to raise funds.

For information, send an e-mail to Caroline Mashyna at carolinemashyna@gmail.com or Char Mashyna at charmashyna@gmail.com or call 881-1210.

Cathedral Prep remained No. 1 in Class AAA this week in the Harrisburg Patriot-News state football rankings.

The Ramblers will host archrival McDowell Friday at Veterans Stadium. McDowell, which is coming off a second consecutive loss to an Ohio power — a 34-23 setback to St. Edward on Friday — dropped into the “teams to watch” category in Class AAAA after being ranked No. 9 for the previous three weeks.

District 10′s Hickory, Wilmington  and Grove City are ranked in the Class AA top 10, while Sharpsville remained No. 4 in Class A. West Middlesex is listed as a Class A team to watch.

Complete state rankings:

Read the rest of this entry »

Final update
Meadville beats East 41-30.

Update No. 23
Prep defeats Lake Catholic 37-6.

Update No. 22
Meadville in control 35-15 in the fourth quarter, while Prep is leading 37-0 over Lake Catholic in the fourth.

Update No. 21
Midway through the third, Meadville leads East 28-15. Late third, Prep leads Lake Catholic 37-0.

Update No. 20
Terry with his third touchdown pass and the rout is on. 34-0 Prep over Lake Catholic with less than one minute left in the half.

Update No. 19
Damion Terry keeps it for a 10-yard touchdown. Prep jumps out to a 27-0 lead with three minutes left in the first half.

Update No. 18
Damion Terry finds Jake Plonski from 10 yards out. 20-0 Prep after the PAT was blocked. 5:30 left in the first half.

Update No. 17
East leads Meadville 9-7 after the first quarter.

Update No. 16
Delton Williams returns a punt 55 yards for a touchdown. He also had a 90-yarder against Strong Vincent. 14-0 Prep in the first.

For earlier updates, click below.

–Tom Reisenweber
Read the rest of this entry »

Expectations seem to be even higher for Cathedral Prep around the rest of the state. The Ramblers are the No. 2 team in the state in the Harrisburg Patriot-News preseason rankings. Prep will open the season Friday against Perry at Dollinger Field. Strong Vincent is ranked No. 10 in Class AAA, while McDowell is No. 10 in Class AAAA.

District 10 is represented well in Class A and AA. Hickory is No. 4 in AA and Grove City is No. 8. Sharpsville is No. 7 in A and West Middlesex is No. 10. Mercyhurst Prep is also a team to watch in Class A.

For the complete rankings, click below.

–Tom Reisenweber
Read the rest of this entry »