National champion crowned in football

It's not a team from Texas, Florida, California or Ohio that captured the Rivals.com national championship for high school football.

Rather, this year's top team hails from nearby New Jersey. In the final poll, Don Bosco Prep tops the charts at No. 1 with a 12-0 record. The team that finished second, Division I Class AAAA champion Lake Travis of Texas, would have been our choice. The Cavaliers finished 16-0 and defeated three Class AAAAA teams.

Pennsylvania had an awful showing with only one team ranked in the top 100. LaSalle College, at No. 48, was the lone team ranked from Pennsylvania. LaSalle (right) beat State College, 24-7, on Saturday at Hersheypark Stadium for the PIAA Class AAAA title. The Explorers finished the season 14-1.

Also released earlier this week was the final Pennsylvania Football News poll. Cumberland Valley, the District 3-AAAA champion, finished No. 4 behind LaSalle College, State College and Ridley. CV dropped a 35-13 decision to State College in the PIAA Class AAAA semifinals Dec. 12.

Three teams crack regional rankings

People are taking notice of Manheim Central.

The Barons, with a mammoth line and numerous weapons, have made short work of almost every postseason opponent with the exception of Daniel Boone and Susquehanna Twp. Now, Manheim Central has garnered national respect. The Barons check in at No. 10 in the latest USA Top Super 25 regional rankings. Pennsylvania falls under the east region.

The Barons (15-0) meet Selinsgrove (15-0) on Friday at Hersheypark Stadium in the Class AAA state title game at 7 p.m.

LaSalle College (13-1) and State College (12-2) are ranked No. 4 and No. 5, respectively, and will meet in the Class AAAA title game at Hersheypark Stadium on Saturday at 7 p.m.

State College beat Cumberland Valley, 35-13, in the semifinals Saturday at Mansion Park Stadium in Altoona.

Cumberland Valley holds strong

Despite a 22-point loss Saturday afternoon, Cumberland Valley remained No. 4 in Class AAAA of the Pennsylvania Football News rankings.

The Eagles, who finished their year 12-3 following a 35-13 PIAA semifinal loss to State College on Saturday, didn't crack the rankings until they beat Wilson in the District 3 Class AAAA semifinals. CV came in at No. 7 and jumped to No. 4 with a 34-27, double-overtime victory against then-No. 2 Bishop McDevitt in the 3-AAAA final.

State College remained No. 2 with a 12-2 record. LaSalle College, a 35-7 winner over Ridley on Saturday, stayed in the top spot with a 13-1 mark. The Green Raiders (13-2) are No. 3.

Not one other area school broke the state's top ten rankings this season.

State High keeps trucking

Winless in its three previous trips to the state semifinals, State College broke through in a big way Saturday.

The Little Lions played nearly flawless football in squashing Cumberland Valley, 35-13, at Mansion Park Stadium in Altoona. State College (12-2) is the first District 6 school to play for a PIAA Class AAAA title. The Little Lions meet LaSalle College (13-1) at 6 p.m. Saturday at Hersheypark Stadium.

State College, which shared the Mid-Penn Commonwealth Division title with Central Dauphin before capturing the District 6-8-9-10 subregion, fell in the 1992, 2003 and 2006 state semifinals. In their first trip to the semifinals, the Little Lions lost to Upper St. Clair, 42-13. Ironically, a week later USC fell to Cumberland Valley, 28-12, in the state final.

State College lost to Pittsburgh Central Catholic, 30-0, in 2003 and dropped a 28-20 decision to Upper St. Clair in 2006.

As for CV, the Eagles fell to 1-3 in state semifinal games and closed the books on a 12-3 season. Saturday was the first time for CV playing in the western half of the bracket for PIAA action. Since moving to the west for Class AAAA in 2004, traditional Mid-Penn Conference teams are now 0-5 in the state semifinals and District 3 is 0-6.

As a parting shot from Altoona, we tip our hats to the Altoona Area School District crew. We don't know how they did it but the field was in great shape. The Altoona area had between 5-6 inches of snow and ice dumped on it Tuesday night but the field was ready for Friday night's PIAA Class AAA semifinal game. The field was lined with a large wall of snow and ice, which was far enough out of bounds to not cause any issues. Nice work, guys.

Now, if only the 3-AAAA champion can figure out a way to get this semifinal monkey off its back.

(Photo courtesy of Craig Houtz/Centre Daily Times)

Is Mansion Park really that bad?

It's been called the place where Mid-Penn Conference teams go to die.

Altoona's Mansion Park Stadium has garnered that reputation not only because it was tough to beat the host Mountain Lions during the season when they were members of the WPIAL but because of what happened to Mid-Penn teams in the very game that Mansion hosts this afternoon.

Since 2004 when the PIAA moved the District 3 Class AAAA champion to the west, the conference is 0-4 in PIAA semifinal games at Mansion. That will change today becuase both Cumberland Valley (12-2) and State College (11-2) are members of the Mid-Penn. It must be noted, however, that State College is located in District 6 and only a charter member of the Mid-Penn for football only.

But, really, Mansion Park hasn't been that bad to Sentinel-area teams. Cumberland Valley knocked off Upper St. Clair, 28-12, for the 1992 PIAA Class AAAA title at Mansion Park. The victory remain's CV's only state title in football.

In 2004, Camp Hill ventured to Mansion Park and beat District 6 champion Bellwood-Antis, 27-14, in a PIAA Class A quarterfinal, which makes area teams 2-0 at the Blair County venue in state playoff games.

State College information

Below is a preview of the State College football team. For complete preview capsules of both PIAA Class AAAA semifinal games, pick up a copy of The Sentinel on Thursday. Joining the capsules is a story about State College and its postseason dilemma. A complete preview story and a sidebar will wrap up our coverage before Saturday's 1 p.m. kickoff. Due to the early start time and the length of drive for CV fans, all preview information will run a day early this week.

State College notes: Kenney led Little Lions with 85 rushing yards on 15 carries against Woodland Hills and scored the team’s first touchdown on a 9-yard pass from Mills. ... on the final play of the first half, Kenney, who added two interceptions, tackled Wolverines quarterback John Yezovich at the goal line to preserve a 7-0 halftime lead. ... out-gained Woodland Hills, 249-229. ... quarterfinal win was first against a WPIAL program since 1987 and the first ever against the league in postseason play. ... last trip to the PIAA semifinal was in 2006 when program won the District 3-6 Class AAAA championship. In the state semifinal, lost to Upper St. Clair, 28-20, at Mansion Park. ... defense was suspect in the regular season when it allowed at least 20 points four times and 19 another but has turned over a new leaf in the playoffs by limiting teams to a total of 27 points in three games. ... losses are to Central Dauphin and Bishop McDevitt, teams that finished a combined 21-4. ... Mills and Mazzara have similar numbers at QB but the latter was injured early in Friday’s game and did not return. Mills has completed 34 of 60 passes for 423 yards, four touchdowns and four interceptions. Mazzara is 38 of 66 for 368 yards, two touchdowns and three interceptions. ... Kenney, a Penn State University recruit, has speed to burn with 1,104 yards on 138 carries with 20 touchdowns. ... Mazzara, who had a game-high 205 rushing yards against CV in September but is not expected to play Saturday, has rushed 99 times for 785 yards and seven touchdowns. ... Kenney is also the leading receiver with 255 yards and three touchdowns. ... Porter has a team-high 3.5 sacks and Kenney has reeled in a team-leading 10 interceptions. ... offense averages 334.8 yards per game and 261.2 on the ground. ... averages 32.1 points per game and 14.8 against. ... led CV, 21-2, after one quarter in first meeting before holding on for a narrow win. ... attempted only five passes and rushed 52 times against CV in September. ... ranked No. 2 in Class AAAA by the Pennsylvania Football News. ... finished 4-1 in Mid-Penn Commonwealth Division and shared the title with Central Dauphin.

Read up on the Little Lions

Below are a few links to stories about the State College Area High School football team:

Game stories from State College's 14-3 win over Woodland Hills on Friday:

From the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

From the Pittsburgh Tribune Review

From the Altoona Mirror

A preview story for the Woodland Hills vs. State College PIAA Class AAAA quarterfinal from the Centre Daily Times.

A feature story about State College running back/defensive back Alex Kenney (above), who has verbally committed to Penn State University, from the Centre Daily Times.

(Photo courtesy of Pittsburgh Tribune Review)

More surprises for Saturday?

The way things are going in the Class AAAA bracket of the PIAA playoffs this weekend, don't count out a Cumberland Valley victory Saturday night against Bishop McDevitt.

Two quarterfinal games Friday night provided stunning results. North Penn, the No. 1 team in the state according to the Pennsylvania Football News, was physically man-handled by Ridley, 19-10, in the District 1 championship game. The Knights led, 10-6, late in the first half after a trick play for a touchdown but the Green Raiders dumped the defending district champs thanks to a 96-yard return of the ensuing kickoff for a back-breaking touchdown.

Ridley (13-1) awaits either LaSalle College (11-1) or Easton (13-1) next week in one semifinal at a site and time to be announced.

In another quarterfinal, State College controlled Woodland Hills in a 14-3 victory. The Little Lions, who compete in the Mid-Penn Conference during the regular season and won the 6-8-9-10 subregional two weeks ago, knocked out the WPIAL champion. Woodland Hills, it must be noted, was battling numerous injuries and could never get on track offensively.

State College (11-2) awaits Cumberland Valley (11-2) or Bishop McDevitt (12-0) at a site and time to be announced next week.

The PIAA Class AAAA title game is set for Hersheypark Stadium at 7 p.m. Dec. 19.