Of all the subplots surrounding Friday night's District Three Class AAA quarterfinal at chilled Elden Rettew Field, none loomed larger than this:
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How would Manheim Central's defense, which had six shutouts to its credit and surrendered just eight points total over the past five games, deal with Daniel Boone's all-state quarterback Jon Monteiro, who has thrown for more than 5,000 yards in his career?
By game's end, Barons' coach Mike Williams had an answer for that one.
"We were fighting for our lives," he said after securing career win No. 299.
Indeed. Central, 12-0 and the No. 1 seed, survived the No. 9 Blazers (9-3) and their precise passing game, but just barely, 24-20.
Justin Gorman ran for touchdowns of 9 and 43 yards and Casey Ebersole intercepted two passes and played exceptional defense in the second half on receiver Kelly Saylor to key the Barons' comeback.
Central will host No. 4 Conrad Weiser (9-2) in next week's semifinals, date and time to be announced. The Scouts advanced with a 28-27 win over Hershey in overtime.
"I'm proud of the way our guys played," said Blazers coach Dave Bodolus, who was defiant in defeat. "We gave up a lot of size up front."
Central's size advantage — offensive linemen Blake Kreider, Joe Weaver, Shaun Buller, Rob La Porte and Pete Ireland average 270 pounds from tackle to tackle — was a telling factor in the third quarter. Trailing 14-10 at halftime, the Barons posted 14 unanswered points on Gorman's scoring sprints.
The first, which gave Central the lead for good, capped a six-play, 45-yard drive highlighted by a 28-yard burst by Joe Gruber (18-106 rushing) off the left side behind the downfield blocking of Ebersole and Dan Trafford.
The second involved a tightrope trip down the Barons' sideline with 5:31 left.
"That was impressive," Williams said. "Justin was trapped and he made it down the sideline."
"I probably should have thrown that one," laughed Gorman, who rushed for 105 yards on 14 carries and completed 7 of 15 passes for 68 yards. "But (the rush lane) broke open and I took it."
To paydirt.
Central's defense had been frustrated in the first half by Monteiro and a passing game composed of a two-step drop, quick release and a series of hitches and hooks, slants and short outs. It all led to back Brian Evans plowing in from the 1 for a quick 7-0 lead.
Gruber's 21-yard TD jaunt at the end of the first tied the game, but Montiero went back to work and found Saylor for a 10-yard score.
Taylor Groff's 37-yard field goal cut Central's deficit to 14-10 at the break.
"They took it to us in the first half," said Williams. "Our season was going to come to an end if we didn't play better."
No one played better in the second half than Ebersole, who was locked in coverage on Saylor and got deep help from Trafford and Derek Hart.
"(Saylor) was really fast, so we were playing off him in the first half," Ebersole said. "We got a lot more physical with him in the second half."
Saylor led all receivers with 10 catches for 89 yards, but was held to three receptions for 15 yards in the second half.
"Casey really came through," Williams said.
Aided by some conservative play-calling by the Blazers offense, Central outgained Boone 198-42 in the third.
"We had a bad third quarter," Bodolus said.
The fourth wasn't looking much better until Monteiro (20-43 passing for 194, 2 TDs, 2 INTs.) directed an 11-play drive that covered 86 yards and ended with a 2-yard TD toss to Tom Bodolus.
Monteiro and Co. had one final chance to pull out the win. Backed up at their own 9 by Trafford's clutch, 45-yard punt under heavy pressure, the Blazers went to the air with 1:15 left. Ebersole's tight coverage caused two incompletions and Monteiro misfired on both third and fourth down.
"Championships are won by defense," Williams said. "And we proved it tonight."
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