Here is the path to the Pennsylvania P.IA.A. Class A football championship game in Hershey. MaxPreps ranks Penns Manor as the #10 Class A football team in Pennsylvania; Columbia, as #24. No matter what the high school sports “analysts” say, the outcome is still determined on the field!

We thought it might be a good idea to see what the media around Penns Manor is saying about the team that the Tide will be facing in Hershey on Saturday; this article is from the Indiana Gazette on the other side of the state.

by Eli Nellis, Indiana Gazette

“Maybe Penns Manor fans are still pinching themselves after the Comets’ District 6 Class A championship victory on Saturday night. Maybe they’re just catching their voices.

“Whatever the case, Penns Manor’s 40-14 beating of top-seeded Bellwood-Antis left a lasting impression as a fitting culmination to a unique and special season.

“‘Our community did a great job,’ junior quarterback Danny Ferens said. ‘A bunch of people came out to send off our bus, and they were out here an hour and a half before the game cheering already. It’s just great for the fans to be so into it. It just means a lot.’

“Penns Manor (11-1) advanced to face Columbia (7-5), the District 3 champion, in the state quarterfinals at noon Saturday at Hersheypark Stadium. Understandably, coach Bill Packer didn’t know during the euphoria following the District 6 championship game that next week’s matchup was already set.

“‘We’re just excited to go, no matter who we play,’ he said.

The state quarterfinal game is big, but the Comets have been playing a lot of big games lately, passing school milestones in a season that started with relatively modest expectations.

Having lost 14 seniors from last year’s team — the one expected to contend for a district title — To read the rest of this article, click here