Lebanon ran 34 plays in the first half.
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Manheim Central ran 17.
The score at the break: Central 26, Lebanon 0.
It's called being efficient, and it was all the Barons needed Friday night as they coasted to a 47-0 shellacking of the Cedars in Manheim.
The win, coupled with Cocalico's 21-14 victory over Conestoga Valley, gave the Barons (6-0 league, 9-0 overall) their second straight Section Two championship.
It's Central's eighth section crown in 10 years and 20th overall.
"If we would have won a section title 20 years ago, we'd have a flatbed truck waiting out there and we'd parade around town," said head Baron Mike Williams on what is becoming a rather ho-hum, late-season celebration at Elden Rettew Field.
"It's one more step toward 10-0 and the first seed in districts," Williams added. "That's really the bigger prize here."
If the Barons beat winless Garden Spot next week, they will secure that 10-0 record and the top seed in the district tournament, which means "home field advantage until we get beat," as Williams noted.
Based on Friday's performance, they could be playing at home for a while.
Quarterback Justin Gorman had three touchdown runs, Tyler Griffith added two and the Baron defense did the rest.
In pitching their third consecutive shutout, the league's top-rated defense surrendered only 181 yards and picked off three passes, all of which were converted into tochdowns.
When it comes to the defense, Dakota Royer, Central's all-everything linebacker, likes to keep it real.
"If we don't give up any points, we can't lose," the Penn State recruit said philosophically.
"When we went to CV (a 36-0 Manheim win three weeks ago), something just clicked on our defense," he added. "Whatever it is that clicked, hopefully we don't lose it."
The Cedars (3-3, 3-6) nearly broke the shutout streak late in the opening quarter when they drove to the Manheim 4 on 18 plays.
But on fourth-and-goal, already trailing 6-0, they opted for a 21-yard field goal try by Cole Migliaccio.
He missed it wide left.
"They lined up for that field goal and we all started yelling at each other that we're not giving up any points, we're getting another shutout," Royer said. "We almost blocked it and they shanked it so that was a great feeling for us."
The Baron defense has posted shutouts in four of their last five games and five overall.
"They take some pressure off me," said Gorman of the defense. "I know if our offense isn't producing, I can sit back and let our defense do the work."
In six section games, Manheim has outscored its opponent 236-37.
Lebanon came into town averaging 22 points and 180 passing yards per game.
On this night, the Baron defense held the Cedars to 71 yards through the air on 8-of-27 passing.
"We had a goal to go 10-0, so this was a big step," said Williams. "Lebanon's not a bad football team. They played with us there for quite awhile."
Not nearly long enough.
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