The last time we ran into the Manheim Central Barons in person, it was quite a while ago. In fact, it was so long ago that they were found in an entirely different state altogether. Okay, maybe it wasn’t all that long ago in the traditional calendar-sense, but in football terms, it’d be fair to say that quite a bit has changed since Week Two of the season.
If you recall –Barons’ fans most certainly do – Labor Day Weekend this year saw the maroon and grey travel into Delaware for the Mid-Atlantic Pigskin Classic against Smyrna High, last season’s Delaware state champion in their big school 3A ranks, in a miraculous come-from-behind effort where backup quarterback Ray Lewis’ was forced into duty following an injury timeout before heaving a jump ball up to Aaron Enterline into triple coverage on 4th & 10 inside of the final 30 seconds with Enterline collecting the goods in midair before sauntering past the Smyrna secondary for the go-ahead score. To be sure, while it’s become an age-old phrase around these parts and rightfully so, you’d be hard-pressed to find an instance that better illustrates the moniker of “Manheim Magic” better than that play right there which propelled the Barons back across state lines with a hard-fought 37-36 triumph that most certainly won’t be forgotten anytime soon, neither in Manheim, Pennsylvania, or the entire state of Delaware no doubt.
But beyond that Friday afternoon spent under the unforgiving late-summer sun in the nation’s first state, this was a Barons’ team that had far more on their minds besides proving their worth to an out-of-state foe. Simply put, for a franchise that has become synonymous with nothing short of high school football excellence, 2023 figured to be another year in which Manheim Central appeared poised to write another chapter in an already lengthy novel that’s considered a bestseller.
Sure enough, this year’s varsity team in this football-crazed town has indeed lived up to those lofty high preseason aspirations by and large throughout the first ten weeks. Now yes, while there was the disappointment in the form of a 20-point loss at the hands of its most potent rival of late, Cocalico, in the week immediately following the aforementioned game against Smyrna ironically enough, it’s been another autumn in Manheim with the leaves changing colors and wins on Friday night in more than ample supply. In other words, business as usual for the most part in the borough.
As far as the specifics of it all, when push really came to shove so to speak, the Barons were at their most prolific this year when competing against their section brethren.
In the world of Lancaster-Lebanon League Section Two football, while there is obviously no shortage of capable contenders found in the likes of Exeter, Governor Mifflin, and Warwick to name just a few, make no mistake about it– Manheim Central was out to prove that this was still a division where they rule the roost.
Simply put, purely based on their Section Two games alone, the defense in a metaphorical football courtroom could rest by pointing to the fact that the Barons scored no fewer than a staggering 42 points in any one of their victories against said opponents, while also allowing no more than 14 points. Within that, how about three shutouts to boot? Suffice to say, while the hay was in the barn with a 9-1 regular season record that was punctuated with an undisputed Section Two crown, their 28th time doing so in school history, this was the time of the year that the Barons had been gearing up for the most. And to tie it all back together in one piece, if Manheim Central wanted to travel down the same type of path as the team they had defeated back in Week Two this year with the hopes of chasing a possible fifth state title game appearance of their own, rest assured they knew all of that would go up in smoke if they didn’t get out of the gates here and now in the quarterfinal round of the District 3-4A playoffs.
So, what type of prize of does a team with such a stellar resume get for a prize in their opening round affair? Surely a layup, yes? Oh no. Far from it in fact.
Granted, it’d be easy to simply look at Susquehanna Township’s #6 seed line entering the bracket without much of a passing glance given a somewhat unassuming 7-3 record, but that’d be a dire mistake. To help punctuate that point, in their three losses, the Indians had been bested by a measly five combined points across that triumvirate, helping to give credence as to why this appeared to a squad far more worthy than an initial first impression of a bracket could possibly give. Not only that, but when you have talent the likes of one Lex Cyrus on your roster, the fastest man in the commonwealth given his state champion 100M performance at last spring’s PIAA meet that has drawn in the recruiting attention of topflight collegiate football programs such as Auburn, Penn State, and Nebraska to name a small handful, explosive plays quite literally can come within a moment’s notice. To be sure, while most teams could easily fall victim to the aurora and nostalgia that is Elden Rettew Field in all its postseason glory, there was no reason as to why head coach Joe Headen and his Hanna Tribe had to feel the least bit phased or intimidated in taking their best shot against one of the best programs this side of the state with the appetizing aspect of trying to do so in their house no less.
But as would become readily apparent almost right from the very outset of the contest, Susquehanna Township was ready to bring the fight to Manheim Central over the course of a wildly entertaining back-and-forth affair for all 48 minutes.
Without question, especially given the track record put forth by the Barons’ offensive unit in recent weeks, it’s been playing the role of a finely tuned machine for quite some time now. With that in mind, it probably wasn’t the least bit surprising to see Manheim Central receive the opening kickoff on a chilly late autumn night and promptly sprinkle in a nice mix of run/pass to keep the Hanna defense off balance. Sure enough, behind a pair of Zach Hahn to Aaron Enterline receptions, a dose of Xander Kolk runs behind the work of the offensive line, plus a dart from Hahn to Bode Sipel not long afterward, the home team’s opening march had reached the Indians’ 16-yard line. From there, Hahn proceeded to call his own number by evading pressure and scrambling for a nice chunk play that put the ball right on the precipice of the chalk line, down the Tribe 3-yard line. Fittingly, given how he had seemed to have such an instrumental role in the drive’s proceedings, a 1-yard Zac Hahn quarterback sneak made it an early 7-0 Manheim Central lead following Katie White’s PAT with 6:55 left to play in the opening stanza.
However, that lead would prove to be short-lived.
So much so in actuality that it took the Indians all of one play to find a rebuttal to the Barons’ early volley as a 57-yard Dorian Smith touchdown gallop right through the heart of the MC defense on Susquehanna Township’s first offensive play from scrimmage on the evening knotted things up at a 7-7 count within a flash following Erin Ramsay’s PAT a mere 19 seconds following the Central score.
But just like the opposition found standing over on the other sideline, Manheim Central would have the antidote to Hanna’s answer just the same.
Granted, while it may not have been as explosive seeing as how it didn’t come in the form of one lonesome play from scrimmage, the Barons’ ensuing offensive march was nonetheless successful in its final form given its eventual result. That said, it wasn’t without its fair share of speedbumps along the way. Case in point, while Aaron Enterline’s kickoff return for a touchdown was wiped out due to a penalty whistled against the Barons, Central appeared to show no ill effects for the most part. And even when a pass play on 3rd & 13 later on in the drive ended two yards short of the line to gain on another Hahn to Enterline trademark connection which set up a make-or-break 4th & 2 attempts, Hahn was then able to help his fellow troops pass the test with a timely pitch and catch to Sonny Callahan that not only ushered the Barons’ attack down to the Hanna 44-yard line, it, more importantly, gave MC a fresh set of downs of which to work with. From there, Zac Hahn’s lively right arm continued to remain laser-sharp as a 39-yard touchdown strike to a waiting-for Cody Hess on the receiving end made it a 14-7 Manheim Central cushion with two minutes and change left to play in the opening quarter following Drew Greiner’s PAT this time around.
If we hadn’t mentioned by this point that Susquehanna Township has the propensity to come up with ultra-quick scores at almost every turn, that too would become nothing if not evident on the Indians’ second offensive series of the night as well.
Granted, the task of answering another Manheim Central touchdown grew even more advantageous seeing as how the Indians would set up shop already at the midfield stripe following a nice kickoff return courtesy of the aforementioned Lex Cyrus with 2:21 showing on the first quarter clock. Ironically enough, just like Manheim Central, Hanna would have to navigate past a critical play on this series too. For them, it came in the form of a 3rd & 11 just a tick on their side of the field which proved to be no matter for Indians’ sophomore quarterback, Torin Evans, as the southpaw proceeded to scramble out of the pocket and take off on a galivant that would award the white-clad Indians with a fresh set of downs. Then, just as he had done on the drive previous, Dorian Smith continued to be a piercing headache for the Barons’ defensive unit to try and contend with in the first half of play as a lengthy 29-yard scamper through the Central defense by the senior running back ushered Susquehanna Township inside the Manheim Central red zone, down to the 11-yard line. Then, following a run by way of Siroun Tillman which took the Tribe down to the Barons’ 4, Evans was able to reap the benefits of the Indians’ gut-check answer with a touchdown run of his own as an Erin Ramsay PAT made it a 14-14 affair which is exactly where things would remain once the final nine seconds melted off the first quarter clock.
But just when those in attendance may have felt as if surely the opening quarter wouldn’t be a harbinger of things to come and that eventually the pace would settle itself down finally, the second quarter rolled around.
In fact, it took all of ten seconds for someone to add points to the scoreboard once inside the second stanza. This time, it would be Manheim Central authoring a one-play drive as Zac Hahn lofted a ball high into the night sky along the Barons’ sideline with Aaron Enterline being the recipient of the dime thrown in his direction after having won his one-on-one matchup decidedly against the corner placed opposite of him as the 72-yard TD toss orchestrated by the Barons’ lethal senior duo upped the MC difference out to a 21-14 count following Katie White’s second PAT of the evening with 11:50 to play in the opening half.
Momentum on the side of the Barons perhaps? Not at all.
50 seconds. That’s all it took for Susquehanna Township to answer back following the Barons’ most recent TD as Dorian Smith proceeded to tote the rock yet again and earn a touchdown for his efforts, his second of the evening, as Smith’s 61-yard jaunt past the initial line of scrimmage meant he was out the gate home free as the Indians found themselves back on level footing, 21-21, with 11:00 on the nose left in the first half following Ramsay’s third consecutive PAT.
Needless to say, the game by this point had seemed to take on a narrative similar to that of whichever team happened to possess the ball last would likely end up winning it, yes, even with nearly three quarters still to unfold. Yet just when that may have been the prevailing assumption, a pair of three-and-outs tallied by both the Indians’ and Barons’ defensive units respectively in successive fashion saw a rare sighting –the punt team—come onto the field for either side over the course of the next two series.
But after a brief appearance by the defenses, the offensive weaponry continued to take center stage after a brief recess.
As far as these fireworks were concerned, the fuse didn’t figure to wait very long in terms of being lit given how Manheim Central took over at the Hanna 45-yard line following the quick defensive stop tallied by their defensive mates. Sure enough, following another masterpiece in showing how to play within the pocket from the artist known as Zac Hahn, the Barons’ senior triggerman was able to elude the oncoming defensive pressure before climbing up in the pocket and firing a 43-yard flick of the wrist touchdown to Bode Sipel who had broken free from the Indians’ secondary as the long touchdown connection meant that the Barons had once again climbed back in front, 28-21, after Drew Greiner’s PAT with 5:44 still left to play in the second frame.
Speaking of big plays, Susquehanna Township most certainly could’ve used one right then and there. And while it would indeed be a big play of sorts, it unfortunately went against the Indians this time around.
In terms of its specifics, this too would come on the first play of the Tribe’s ensuing offensive possession. However, it would manifest itself in the form of an ill-timed Hanna fumble, recovered by the Barons, with Manheim Central already setting up shop at the Indians’ 20-yard line.
That said, major kudos needed to be extended to the handiwork of Susquehanna Township’s defensive unit following the sudden change. Yes, while the hosts would saunter down to the 5-yard line following a nice bubble screen flared out to Sipel, the Barons would travel only one yard further over the course of the next three plays as a field goal attempt ensued, confidently knocked through the pipes by way of Drew Greiner, as the senior kicker’s 21-yard field goal made it a 31-21 contest in Central’s favor with remarkably still another 3:54 left to go before the recess.
Remarkably, for a first half that was unquestionably dominated by both offenses, the defenses appeared to finally round into form over the course of the final few minutes of the opening half of play on Friday night.
Case in point, Lex Cyrus climbing the ladder and coming away with an interception to aid in the Hanna cause on a 4th & 4 attempt from the Barons, which preceded a sack tallied by Manheim Central’s Noah Templin on the final play from scrimmage which ended a wildly entertaining 24 minutes of play that saw Manheim Central carry the 31-21 advantage with them into the half.
Ironically, maybe the worm had finally turned inside of those last few possessions to end the second quarter. Easy to say I suppose given how both Susquehanna Township and Manheim Central were met with the same fate coming out of the dressing room- three and outs—before Hanna went back onto the field for their second offensive possession of the third quarter while starting at their own 31-yard line. That said, the line of scrimmage would be pushed back even further within relatively short order seeing as how Manheim Central’s Owen Eichelberger was able to nab himself a sack as the senior linebacker’s tackle for loss helped set the stage for a defensive coordinator’s dream scenario, 3rd & 38, with the Indians now pinned back at their own 3. And with the soup of the day quickly changing from offense to defense, it seemed apropos that Aaron Enterline would find himself the beneficiary of a bobbled bubble screen drawn up the Indians as the Barons’ do-everything wideout/defensive back dove on the pill in the endzone for the very atypical pick 6 that came with zero return yards to help make it a 38-21 Central lead by that point with 7:32 left to play in the third frame.
Ordinarily, it’d be fair to say that time was of the essence for Susquehanna Township to retaliate right back with a scoring drive after now finding themselves down by what could be considered a sizable difference. Fair, but given how the Indians had shown a propensity to strike with the reflex of a king cobra throughout much of Friday night, it may not have been as dire as the situation would warrant as it would for most teams.
In fact, the Tribe started off with a very auspicious field position, their own 45-yard line, following the ensuing kickoff return following the Enterline theft. From there, an all too familiar theme came into play once more –Dorain Smith toting the rock up the gut for big chunks against the Barons’ defense – as Hanna suddenly found themselves in Central territory at the Barons’ 43-yard line. Fortunately, just as he had done on the drive previous, Owen Eichelberger continued to wreak havoc on Susquehanna Township’s offensive plans as yet another sack compiled by the 6’0 192lb stalwart helped to fan the flames of an ongoing Indians’ threat. And while Hanna would be able to move the sticks on a 4th & 5 play later on in the same drive courtesy of the legs by quarterback Torin Evans, a 3rd & 19 play not long thereafter sailed incomplete, forcing Susquehanna Township to punt it away to the Barons without being able to slice the existing deficit down any further with now inside of the three minutes left to play in the third.
Yet even despite not coming up with anything offensively on said drive, Hanna’s defense would answer the bell when called upon right then and there as the Indians would force a Manheim Central pooch punt which didn’t exactly go according to plan from the Barons’ perspective seeing as how it hit one of the upbacks in his backside, allowing Hanna to retake control at the Central 40-yard line once the final act got underway.
Sure enough, Susquehanna Township’s big play potential would be on display in relatively short order given how Torin Evans would promptly throw a 40-yard bomb of a touchdown pass into the waiting hands of Darian Brown found way behind the Barons’ secondary on the first play from scrimmage as another Erin Ramsay PAT immediately cut the gap back down to ten, 38-28, with 11:53 left to play.
Suddenly, if those in attendance sitting on the home bleachers weren’t feeling a tad bit antsy by that point, perhaps an upcoming three-and-out that was punctuated by a Garee Mathes sack on a 3rd & 2 play for Hanna defensively would do the trick as the ball was kicked back away to the Indians with just a tick over two minutes having been evaporated on the Manheim Central possession.
That said, while he was already doing his usual yeoman’s work in terms of running the show of the Barons’ offense, Zac Hahn certainly earned himself extra kudos in moonlighting as the Manheim Central punter on this night, but perhaps none more so than with his punt following the aforementioned three plays and out as the senior totally flipped field position in Manheim Central’s favor, forcing Hanna to take over at their own 2-yard line.
No matter though.
Sure, while it may have started off rather innocently in the form of a pair of first down conversions to help move the sticks, the aspect of getting out from underneath the shadows of their own goalposts was certainly the most important aspect of the ensuing Indians’ possession. Then, sprinkle in the traditional with the art of the big play –such as the case following a 73-yard strike from Evans to Zikhere Leaks which took Hanna all the way down to the Barons’ 1-yard line—and suddenly things got a lot more interesting. Easy to fathom on the very next play from scrimmage as a Torin Evans 1-yard quarterback sneak was good enough for the Susquehanna Township touchdown as the scoreboard showed a slim 38-34 Manheim Central lead with 7:05 left to play following the missed PAT.
While it may have been hyperbole, it’d be hard to find fault with considering that this upcoming Manheim Central drive offensively was their most important of the entire season. Yes, while they still had the four-point lead behind them, momentum started to careen in Hanna’s direction by that point which had to be worrisome for those with a rooting interest in the Barons’ perspective. And so, following a fantastic kickoff return courtesy of Aaron Enterline that saw the rangy 6’3 180lb offensive weapon bob and weave himself from sideline-to-sideline to help set him and his fellow offensive mates up at their own 47-yard line, the Barons’ starting field position for the assignment couldn’t have been much better.
In fact, in little to no time at all, Manheim Central found themselves operating on the Indians’ side of the field following a nice flip from Hahn out to Bode Sipel which ushered the Barons’ march down to the Hanna 42-yard line. Yet even despite the early mojo, this series was not without it’s share of adversity either, especially given how the Barons found themselves staring down the barrel of a 3rd & 16 attempt just a few plays later. But when you have the coziness of a safety blanket in the form of Zac Hahn throwing to Aaron Enterline, no situation ever really seems all that out of reach. Sure enough, with the Barons needing to move the sticks, they did far better than that as Hahn continued to show off his stellar pocket presence by extending the play with his legs before firing to Enterline streaking across the middle with #4 to #3 being a connection worth six points yet again as the 48-yard touchdown pass between the two senior studs upped the Barons’ lead up to 45-34 following Drew Greiner’s PAT with 4:31 left to play which seemed to come complete with a collective exhale from everywhere within the Manheim town limits.
But even for a team with the ability to score in bunches in little to no time at all, even the existing 11-point hole seemed a bit advantageous for the Tribe to try and make up over the course of the final four minutes and change. Even still, Susquehanna Township was nonetheless determined to try as the Indians proceeded to take themselves down inside Barons’ territory with plays such as a Torin Evans scramble out of the pocket combined with other elements, such as a Manheim Central personal foul call, to aid in the cause.
That said, Bode Sipel didn’t have any desire whatsoever to let Susquehanna Township find the endzone anymore in the evening.
How so you ask? With Hanna up against a 3rd & 6 at the Manheim Central 16-yard line, the 5’11 185lb Swiss army knife of a defensive ace broke free and came away with a monstrous sack that set up a 4th & 15 play following an Indians’ timeout to try and regroup. But the regrouping didn’t seem to account for Sipel as the senior Baron came away with his second sack in as many plays, formally extinguishing Susquehanna Township’s flame once and for all.
Yet even while there continued a flair for the dramatics with the game all but a formality, such as the case with the Barons fumbling before recovering on the first play of the drive following Sipel’s game-saving antics, the eventual result would become crystalized over the final minute and change as Manheim Central found themselves in the 4A semifinal round following a three-hour roller coaster ride that saw them pass arguably their toughest test of the entire season thanks to a very game Susquehanna Township crew, 45-34.
NEXT UP: Not that they necessarily had to prove themselves entering Friday night by any means, but the Barons’ collective moxie was on full display while being pushed to darn near the brink by Hanna on Friday night within the friendly confines. When they had to, Manheim Central found the necessary answers when called upon while evading Susquehanna Township’s haymakers. Rest assured, that certainly can’t hurt when living in a “survive and advance” mode this time of year. And yes, while there will be plenty to clean up during this weekend’s film study, the Barons will most certainly put that cram session to good use when they venture out on the road to Elverson next week to meet up with another prolific offense, Twin Valley, for the right to go the District 3-4A title game the week afterward.
For Susquehanna Township, while Friday night in Manheim marked the end of the line for this year’s Indians, there certainly appears to be plenty to build upon for the school found on the eastern banks of the Susquehanna River just a stone’s throw north of the capital city. While there will obviously be the graduation of skilled talent the likes of Dorian Smith and Siroun Tillman to name a few, a bevy of the Indians’ playmakers appear to be back in the fold come 2024. And given how they fearlessly competed against Manheim Central throughout the entirety of Friday night, Susquehanna Township certainly appears to be a squad that deserves District 3’s utmost attention for years to come.
