PIAA Class 5A championship breakdown: Penn Hills vs. Manheim Central

By: HSSN Staff
Thursday, December 6, 2018 | 1:09 PM

PIAA Class 5A championship

Penn Hills (15-0) vs. Manheim Central (15-0)

7 p.m. Friday, Hersheypark Stadium, Hershey

On the air: PCN

Coaches: Jon LeDonne, Penn Hills; Dave Hahn, Manheim Central

PIAA titles: Penn Hills 1 (1995); Manheim Central 1 (2003)

How they got here: Penn Hills defeated West Allegheny in the WPIAL finals 28-14, and District 12’s Archbishop Wood in a PIAA semifinal 20-13. Manheim Central defeated Cocalico in the District 3 finals 48-14, and District 1’s Upper Dublin in a PIAA semifinal 34-12.

Statistical leaders

Passing: PH: Hollis Mathis, 153-253, 2,605 yards, 37 TDs, 10 INTs; MC: Evan Simon, 119-220, 2,446 yards, 26 TDs, 6 INTs

Rushing: PH: Terry “Tank” Smith, 195-1,728 yards, 21 TDs; MC: Tyler Flick, 260-1,735 yards, 31 TDs

Receiving: PH: Daequan Hardy, 34-708 yards, 10 TDs, Dante Cephas, 32-744 yards, 13 TDs; MC: Will Rivers, 30-638 yards, 6 TDs, Colby Wagner, 24-751, 11 TDs

Notable: Manheim Central needed two overtimes to defeat Pine-Richland, 39-38, in a 2003 PIAA Class AAA final that ranks among the all-time greats. Manheim blocked the game-tying extra point in the second OT. … Manheim lost to Gateway, 31-28, in a PIAA semifinal last season on a field goal with 10 seconds left. Manheim quarterback Evan Simon threw three touchdowns in that loss. … Simon has scholarship offers from Pitt, West Virginia and several other FBS schools. … Along with its state title in 2003, Manheim was state runner-up in 2004 (to Thomas Jefferson) and 2009 (to Selinsgrove). … Penn Hills eliminated two-time defending state champion Archbishop Wood in the semifinals, led by Daequan Hardy’s big day. Hardy had two interceptions, a fumble recovery, a 62-yard touchdown run and a two-point conversion pass. … Penn Hills defeated Lower Dauphin, 35-14, in the 1995 state championship.

Probable lineups

Manheim Central

Starting offense

RT, 70, Cayden Warner, 5-10, 245, sr.

RG, 59, Troy Kolk, 5-11, 225, jr.

C, 54, Tyler Dougherty, 5-10, 290, sr.

LG, 78, Brett Wolgemuth, 6-1, 260, sr.

LT, 68, Josh Painter, 6-0, 280, sr.

TE, 2, Evan Hosler, 6-1, 180, sr.

WR, 16, Will Rivers, 5-7, 140, sr.

WR, 11, Isaac Perron, 5-9, 165, sr.

WR, 5, Colby Wagner, 5-11, 165, jr.

WR, 7, Ben Wagner, 5-11, 165, jr.

RB, 24, Tyler Flick, 6-0, 195, sr.

QB, 6, Evan Simon, 6-2, 195, jr.

K, 17, Niko Gavala, 5-10, 153, sr.

Starting defense

DE, 25, Jake Harbach, 5-8, 200, jr.

DT, 54, Tyler Dougherty, 5-10, 290, sr.

DT, 59, Troy Kolk, 5-11, 225, jr.

DE, 10, Tyler Hartl, 6-0, 180, jr.

LB, 46, Landan Moyer, 5-9, 195, sr.

LB, 24, Tyler Flick, 6-0, 195, sr.

LB, 2, Evan Hosler, 6-1, 180, sr.

SS, 11, Isaac Perron, 5-9, 165, sr.

FS, 16, Will Rivers, 5-7, 140, sr.

CB, 5, Colby Wagner, 5-11, 165, jr.

CB, 7, Ben Wagner, 5-11, 165, jr.

P, 5, Colby Wagner, 5-11, 165, jr.

Penn Hills

Starting offense

OT, 52, Jayden Terry, 6-1, 285, sr.

G, 50, Roland Phillips, 5-9, 250, sr.

C, 53, George Freeman, 5-10, 280, sr.

G, 57, Deandre Thomas, 5-10, 200, sr.

OT, 55, Claude Vangelus, 6-0, 235, so.

WR, 1, Daequan Hardy, 5-10, 175, sr.

WR, 2, Ric Martin, 6-2, 190, sr.

WR, 4, Dante Cephas, 6-1, 190, sr.

WR, 7, Corey Thomas Jr., 6-3, 200, sr.

WR, 13, Anthony Grimes, 5-8, 160, jr.

RB, 5, Terry “Tank” Smith, 5-9, 205, sr.

QB, 12, Hollis Mathis, 6-1, 170, sr.

K, 10, Devyn Best, 6-0, 210, sr.

Starting defense

DE, 21, Armand Gustave, 6-1, 180, sr.

DE, 11, S’qy Featherstone, 6-0, 210, jr.

DT, 53, George Freeman, 5-10, 280, sr.

DT, 54, Jamie Tigner, 5-10, 210, jr.

LB, 3, Jordy Boswell, 5-9, 170, sr.

LB, 5, Terry “Tank” Smith, 5-9, 205, sr.

LB, 10, Devyn Best, 6-0, 210, sr.

CB, 1, Daequan Hardy, 5-10, 175, sr.

CB, 4, Dante Cephas, 6-1, 190, sr.

S, 2, Ric Martin, 6-2, 190, sr.

S, 8, Aakeem Snell, 6-2, 185, jr.

P, 6, Andy Plowden Jr., 5-9, 190, sr.

Chris Harlan is a Tribune-Review staff writer. You can contact Chris at charlan@tribweb.com or via Twitter @CHarlan_Trib.

Tags: Penn Hills