PREVIEW: 2011 Regular Season, Game 5

CEDAR CREST FALCONS (0-1, 0-4)
@ 
WILSON BULLDOGS (1-0, 3-1)
 

Where: Gurski Stadium, West Lawn, PA 
When: 7:00 PM, Friday, September 30th

HOW'D THEY GET HERE?

• The Bulldogs are coming of yet another inspiring performance, a 34-13 victory over McCaskey in their Lancaster-Lebanon Section 1 opener. The score makes the game seem closer than it really was; Wilson starters were done in the 3rd with a 34-0 lead. The win stretched the Bulldogs record to 3-1, with the only loss coming in the season opener at rival Governor Mifflin in OT. The Bulldogs have won 3 straight thanks mostly to their stellar defensive play. Wilson is only giving up about 100 total yards per game to opponents in the past 3 games, all Wilson wins. The contributions of Rodney Gillin cannot be overlooked, either. After missing Game 1, Gillin has rushed 61 times for 409 yards and 7 TDs in the teams' 3 victories. If Las Vegas were placing lines & bets on high school football (just to clarify, they're not) the Bulldogs would more than likely be favored entering every game the next 3 weeks (vs Cedar Crest, @ Hempfield, vs Ephrata). The next big test comes October 21st at Manheim Township. First things first - a Bulldogs victory over Cedar Crest this Friday.
• The Falcons (0-1, 0-4) have struggled mightily for the past decade. After strong teams in the late '90s and very early 200s, the Falcons have mustered little. Since the 2004 season Cedar Crest has posted just two none-losing seasons - 6-4 in 2004 & 5-5 in 2005. Since the '05 season the Falcons have not won more than 4 games, with two 1-9 seasons (2006 & 2010) and two 2-8 seasons (2007 & 2008). Unfortunately for them the 2011 season has been like recent history. They lost in Week 1 to Lebanon, 47-13; Week 2 at Conrad Weiser, 37-21; Week 3 at Hershey, 44-23; and last week in their L-L Section 1 opener vs Warwick, 45-34. They aren't completely devoid of talent however. WR Daulton Ritter is QB Garrett Levengood's favorite target. They also have some size in the trenches. Shoudl be a good one this Friday at Gurski Stadium!

MATCH-UP HISTORY

• The Falcons haven't fared well historically in this gridiron battle. Wilson has faced only Governor Mifflin more times than Cedar Crest; the Bulldogs have played the Falcons 53 times prior to this Friday's game. And Wilson has won 46 times, including last year's 43-13 win in Lebanon. Cedar Crest has not defeated the Bulldogs since the 2001 season, a 21-0 shutout victory that ended Wilson's 35 game home winning streak.

Helmet images courtesy PA Helmet Project.

Bulldogs in the NFL: 2011 Week 3

For the second straight week three former Bulldogs participated in NFL games. Here is how they fared...

• Kerry Collins, QB, Indianapolis Colts (Class of 1990) - Kerry was 13 of 29 for 93 yards in the loss on Sunday night to the Pittsburgh Steelers, the Colts 3rd L this year. Collins was knocked out of the game with what is thought to have been a concussion and is questionable to participate in Indianapolis' Week 4 game at Tampa Bay.

• John Gilmore, TE, New Orleans Saints (Class of 1997) - Inactive for the teams week 1 loss to the Packers, John has participated in each of the teams past two contests - both Saints victories. New Orleans defeated the Houston Texans this past Sunday and John played in two TE sets as well as on special teams. He did not catch a pass. Gilmore and his Saints teammates travel to Jacksonville this Sunday.

• Chad Henne, QB, Miami Dolphins (Class of 2004) -Chad rebounded from his below average game versus the Texans in Week 2 with a solid personal outing in Week 3 against the Browns. Though Miami eventually lost the game, 17-16, Chad threw 29 times (19 completions) for 255 yards and 1 TD. Unfortunately the team sits at 0-3 with a trip to San Diego this Sunday.

RECAP: Gillin, 'dogs Defense Take Down McCaskey

The Bulldogs victory over the Red Tornado on Friday, September 23rd, 2011, in Lancaster, was a muddy mess. PHOTO: Lee Vivian [EasternPAfootball.com]

"Defense wins championships" is an old football phrase but it could certainly be true for the 2011 Bulldogs. After getting slashed in the opener by the Mustangs, the Wilson defense has stepped up big time. In their 34-13 victory over J. P. McCaskey Friday evening in the pouring rain, the Bulldogs defense gave up just 3 first downs & 99 total yards - and much of that came against 2nd & 3rd string players after the game was well in-hand. The game was each teams first Lancaster-Lebanon Section 1 game. The Wilson win was their 3rd straight while McCaskey lost for the fourth time in a row.

Of course it wasn't just the Wilson defense that was dominant Friday night on the muddy Lancaster field. The offensive line opened up some large holes for star RB Rodney Gillin, who rushed 27 times for 177 yards & 3 TDs. Gillin also caught a 7-yard TD pass from QB Seth Klein, who was asked to throw the ball just 9 times (5 completions) due to the conditions.

Mud-covered RB Rodney Gillin rushes vs J. P. McCaskey on Friday, September 23rd, 2011, in Lancaster, PA. PHOTO: Lee Vivian [EasternPAfootball.com]

Wilson led 21-0 at halftime and 34-0 midway through the 3rd quarter before the starters & upperclassmen gave way to the J.V. squad.

That's 10 straight strong quarters of football from the Bulldogs, who struggled in the first game-and-a-half at Governor Mifflin & Manheim Central. Up next? Another L-L Section 1 match with the Cedar Crest Falcons.

SOME NOTEWORTHY WILSON STATS

TEAM 

OFFENSE

First Downs: 20

Rushing Attempts / Yards / TDs: 57 / 284 / 4

Passing Attempts / Yards / TDs: 9 / 24 / 1

Total Yards: 238

Penalties / Yards: 3 / 25

DEFENSE

First Downs Allowed: 3

Rushing Attempts / Yards / TDs Allowed: 23 / 27 / 0

Passing Attempts / Yards / TDs Allowed: 14 / 72 / 1

Total Yards Allowed: 99

INDIVIDUAL

OFFENSE

Passing: Klein - 5 of 9, 24 yards, 1 TD, 0 INTs

Rushing: Gillin - 27 carries, 177 yards, 3 TDs, 0 fumbles

Receiving: Gillin - 1 catch, 7 yards, 1 TD

DEFENSE

Tackles: Joseph, Shields, & Rothrock - 3

Interceptions: Rivera - 1

Photos from the Game by Lee Vivian [EASTERNPAFOOTBALL.COM]
Gillin powers Wilson to win over McCaskey [READING EAGLE]
Statistics [BERKS GAMEDAY]

PREVIEW: 2011 Regular Season, Game 4

WILSON BULLDOGS (2-1, 0-0)

@

J. P. MCCASKEY RED TORNADO (0-3, 0-0)

Where: McCaskey Stadium, Lancaster, PA

When: 7:00 PM, Friday, September 23rd

HOW'D THEY GET HERE?

• Wilson is coming off their best full-game, all-around performance of the young season, having throttled Reading in Week 3, 41-0. The Bulldogs were clicking in all facets of the game, scoring on offense, defense, and special teams, while holding the visiting Red Knights to just 55 total yards of offense. The momentum seems to have started in the 2nd half of the Manheim Central game in Week 2, where the defense stepped up and the offense responded and the Bulldogs eventually left Manheim with a W. The inexperienced squad seems to be gaining strength as we start league match-ups with a talented and possibly overlooked McCaskey team that is better than their record.
• McCaskey has had a rough 3 weeks. Their non-league slate has been quite a challenge, perhaps even more than expected. They opened with a loss on the road against a tough Coatesville squad (currently 3-0), 47-27. They opened their home schedule in Week 2 with a 41-33 loss to William Penn, which was somewhat surprising. Finally in last weeks rivalry game at Lancaster Catholic, the Red Tornado fell to the Crusaders, 56-28. McCaskey has an electric offense with dynamic skill players though they did lose all-purpose player Aaron Swinton to injury. Depth may also be an issue as the McCaskey squad is small in numbers.

MATCH-UP HISTORY

• This will be the 38th meeting between the two schools. Wilson holds the series edge, 29-7-1, including last years victory in West Lawn, 34-7. The Red Tornado last defeated the Bulldogs in 2003, 31-14, at home. In the last game at McCaskey (2009), Wilson held on for a 24-14 victory.

Helmet images courtesy PA Helmet Project.

Reinhart Rundown: Week 4 Info

I've praised the work of Jeff Reinhart at Lancaster-Lebanon League News before in this space & I've decided to make it a weekly feature. See, Jeff publishes so much awesome material that it would be overkill to highlight each of his articles with a post about it. From now on I will gather it all in one post, summarize his items, and direct you to them. Let's get started with all his stuff on L-L Week 4...

First, Jeff's weekly live chat. While I missed it this week (held Wednesday at 7:00 PM) I did read the archive & found a few Wilson questions which were answered by Jeff. First commenter "Doug Boas" asked a simple question - Who else beats Wilson?

Jeff doesn't seem to think it'll happen. However, he has warned of McCaskey (this weeks foe) and one other team. Commenter "Steve" figured out who that "other team" is...

 

As I mentioned previously, Jeff likes Manheim Township as a prime Section 1 challenger for the Bulldogs. He reiterates that here.

Certainly tune in to Jeff's weekly live chats & ask Wilson-related questions. They usually occur on Wednesday evenings. Moving on...

On Monday's Jeff publishes his L-L rankings, which combines all 3 sections into one big list of the Top 5. Following week 3's dismantling of Reading, Wilson lands at #2 just behind Lancaster Catholic.

Jeff's other weekly posts include a video preview & individual game capsules. Here's what he had to say about this week's match-up with McCaskey...

ABOUT WILSON: Bulldogs have 11 takeaways – tops in the L-L League. And plus-5 turnover ratio is tied for No. 2 in the league. … No. 1 defense in the league, yielding 183.0 yards per game. And tops in the league in rushing defense with just 231 yards against on the ground. … Two non-offensive TD in win over Reading: Rodney Gillin returned a punt 68 yards for a score and LB Junior Joseph took a fumble 52 yards to the house. … Putting a bow on the Wilson-Reading series: Bulldogs now have four Mercy Rule wins in a row over the Red Knights, and have outscored Reading 101-0 in the last two games and 162-19 in the last three games.

See Jeff's full preview of the game here.

Bulldogs in the NFL: 2011 Week 2

Three former Bulldogs participated in NFL games in Week 2. Below is how they fared...

• Kerry Collins, QB, Indianapolis Colts (Class of 1990) - The Colts opened their 2011 home slate of games with a loss to the Cleveland Browns, 27-19. Wilson alum Collins completed 19 of 38 pass attempts for 191 yards with 1 TD & 1 INT. The Colts (0-2) will host the Steelers (1-1) on Sunday Night Football this week.

• John Gilmore, TE, New Orleans Saints (Class of 1997) - The Saints played their first home game of 2011 against the defending NFC North Champions, the Chicago Bears (one of John's former teams). The Saints rebounded from their opening week loss to the Packers by beating Chicago, 30-13. Former Bulldogs star Gilmore was active in Week 2 but did not catch a pass. The Saints (1-1) host the Houston Texans (2-0) on Sunday at 1:00 PM.

• Chad Henne, QB, Miami Dolphins (Class of 2004) - The Dolphins are off to a slow start. After dropping an offensive slugfest to the rival Patriots in Week 1, Miami faltered against the Texans, 23-13. Wilson alum Henne threw 30 passes, completing 12 for 170 yards with 1 TD and 1 INT (off a deflection). The offensive line has looked below average while backs & receivers continually drop passes. Things must come together quickly. Miami (0-2) travels to Cleveland (1-1) for a 1:00 PM showdown with the Browns this Sunday.

RECAP: Complete Effort Propels Wilson to Victory Over Reading

Photo: Joe Mays

Each phase of the game is equally important. Just ask the Bulldogs. Wilson scored TDs on offense, defense, and special teams on their way to a 41-0 romp over cross-town rival Reading last Friday night in West Lawn. The Bulldogs home opener went about as good as they could have possibly hoped.

It was over at halftime, basically. After putting up 21 points in the 1st quarter, Wilson added another 20 in the 2nd. A missed extra point was their only blemish. Senior QB Seth Klein looked solid for the first time all season, throwing 10 completions for just over 100 yards and 2 TDs - both to senior WR Jake Morgan. Senior RB Rodney Gillin didn't see too much action, rushing just 7 times for 32 yards, including 1 TD. However he made a big impact - literally - on defense & special teams, routinely popping opponents.

Oh, yeah, he also had a punt return TD which was downright electric. Words can't even begin to describe his combination of moves, speed, and power that he demonstrated on the 1st quarter special teams TD.

With the 41-0 lead at half, the starters took a seat. The second and third units took over and, while they didn't add to the scoreboard, they didn't give up points either. Plenty of promising sophomores played and the future of Wilson football looks bright.

The defense was dominant for the entire game, picking up right where they left off in the second half versus Manheim Central. Total yards surrendered to an athletic Reading team? 55. Boom. RBs had nowhere to run and the QBs were constantly under pressure. It was actually the defense that got Wilson on the board first, too. Junior DE/LB Junior Joseph ripped the ball out of the Reading RBs hands and returned it for the opening TD.

Junior DE/LB Junior Joseph returns a fumble to give the Wilson Bulldogs a 7-0 lead over the Reading Red Knights on Friday, September 16th, 2011.  Photo: Joe Mays

The team was certainly firing on all cylinders this past Friday - hopefully they can do the same in a few days in Lancaster for their first league game of the season.

SOME NOTEWORTHY WILSON STATS

TEAM 

OFFENSE

First Downs: 17

Rushing Attempts / Yards / TDs: 32 / 183 / 2

Passing Attempts / Yards / TDs: 22 / 121 / 2

Total Yards: 304

Penalties / Yards: 4 / 35

DEFENSE

First Downs Allowed: 3

Rushing Attempts / Yards / TDs Allowed: 24 / 16 / 0

Passing Attempts / Yards / TDs Allowed: 5 / 19 / 0

Total Yards Allowed: 55

INDIVIDUAL

OFFENSE

Passing: Klein - 10 of 15, 102 yards, 2 TDs, 0 INTs

Rushing: Brooks - 2 carries, 41 yards, 0 TDs, 0 fumbles

Receiving: Morgan - 3 catches, 35 yards, 2 TDs

DEFENSE

Tackles: Moyer - 7

Interceptions: none

Klein, Wilson look fine in rout of Red Knights [READING EAGLE]

Statistics [BERKS GAMEDAY]

REMINDER: Get Game Updates on Twitter

While I can't make every game, when I do I tweet updates. Head to twitter & give @WilsonBulldogs a follow. I try to update game status every few minutes & always post immediate score changes as well as time updates. I will be "live" from Gurski Stadium for the game tonight versus Reading. So remember, join twitter & follow Bulldogs football there!

You can find us on facebook, too!

Jeff Reinhart's At it Again

Which is the norm, really. Jeff's a busy dude, especially during high school football season. Every week he has recaps of the previous weeks games plus previews for the upcoming contests. Stats, information, previews, predictions, videos & even live chats, such as the one he held on Wednesday evening. I stopped by & asked him a couple Wilson-related questions.

First up was what he thought about Week 1's Wilson/Mifflin match-up had star RB Rodney Gillin played. His answer was simple & straightforward.

My first question to llleaguesports.com's Jeff Reinhart gets an answer.

"Simple: Wilson wins."

And there you have it.

A few moments later I got another question to pop up, this time about the upcoming L-L Section 1 play. Has Jeff changed his mind on who he thought might challenge the Bulldogs in league play? Or is McCaskey still at the top of the list?

Jeff answers my second question.

Jeff believes McCaskey will still be the Bulldogs biggest challenge, despite the Tornadoes rough start. They're currently 0-2 & play at Lancaster Catholic tonight. However they're an improving squad & have the talent to topple any team, especially at home, where Wilson will travel next week. However, he also now mentions Manheim Township too. Be on the lookout for them.

On to my third - and final - question: Does he think that Reading will be much of a challenge for the Bulldogs?

My third question had to do with the game tonight.

If I'm reading between the lines correctly I'd say that he still thinks Wilson wins - and possibly big - but not by 40, 50, 60 points like the last few years. Jeff believes Coach Flowers has them playing spirited ball & they could be amped for this rival game. However, Wilson has the better football talent & home edge. Basically, Reading is improving but shouldn't beat Wilson. Not this year, at least. We shall see.

OTHER THINGS FROM JEFF THIS WEEK

Seriously, the dude is a machine. Don't miss any of his other awesome stuff from the week...

• Manheim Central game recap
• Week 3 L-L Section 1 video preview
• Week 3 Reading @ Wilson game capsule
• Reading @ Wilson prediction

Bulldogs in the NFL: 2011 Week 1

When the Week 1 games kicked off on Thursday, September 8th, 2011 in Green Bay, Wisconsin, the names of 3 former Wilson Bulldogs graced 53-man NFL rosters. Below is how they fared...

• Kerry Collins, QB, Indianapolis Colts (Class of 1990) - Not the best day of Collins' long career. Completed 16 of 31 pass attempts (51.6%) for 197 yards & 1 TD but fumbled twice in his teams 34-7 loss in Houston. Host Cleveland on Sunday at 1:00 PM. Filling in for injured Peyton Manning (neck).

• John Gilmore, TE, New Orleans Saints (Class of 1997) - Inactive for the shoot-out loss versus the Packers in the Kickoff Game. The Saints host the Bears on Sunday at 1:00 PM.

• Chad Henne, QB, Miami Dolphins (Class of 2004) - Perhaps the best game of his short career? He completed 30 of his 49 pass attempts (61.1%) for 416 yards & 2 TDs. He also led the squad in rushing, gaining 59 yards on 7 attempts plus another TD. He was efficient & balanced medium passes with short dumps & checkdowns. The Dolphins hos the Texans at 4:15 PM on Sunday afternoon.

PREVIEW: 2011 Regular Season, Game 3

READING RED KNIGHTS (1-1)

@

WILSON BULLDOGS (1-1)

Where: Gurski Stadium, West Lawn, PA

When: 7:00 PM, Friday, September 16th

HOW'D THEY GET HERE?

• After an awful start to their season with a brutal overtime loss to hated arch-rival Governor Mifflin in Week 1, the Bulldogs bounced back with a win in Manheim against the Barons. It didn't come easy, with Wilson down at the half. However, the defenses stepped up & star RB/DB Rodney Gillin made his return to the lineup a good one. The Bulldogs walked away with the hard-earned 27-13 victory on Monday. After a very short week, Wilson opens their home schedule versus crosstown rival Reading. Be ready for some speed!
• The Red Knights, under first year head coach Rob Flowers, will finally leave the "friendly" confines of Shirk Stadium after splitting their firs 2 games there. Reading got off to a nice start, defeating William Penn in Week 1, 21-7. Despite the flooding last week, Reading still played Friday night. The Red Knights eventually fell to visiting Owen J. Roberts, 23-14. Reading has incredible athletes on both offense & defense but are inconsistent along the line. A strong running game could be their undoing (read: run Gillin early & often!).

MATCH-UP HISTORY

• Friday's match-up is the 26th in the Wilson vs Reading rivalry, with most games coming in the last 15 years. Wilson has fared quite well against the Red Knights. The Bulldogs have won 20 games in the series, including last years 60-0 beatdown at Shirk Stadium. The Red Knights last win? Way back in 2003, when Chad Henne & James Bryant were knocking heads. In fact, only 2 teams have fared worse than Reading against the Bulldogs historically - Lancaster Catholic & Lebanon (minimum 25 games).

Helmet images courtesy PA Helmet Project.

RECAP: Bulldogs Earn First Victory Behind Gillin

The Bulldogs best player returned to the field on Friday Monday & eventually his presence was felt.

Just ask the Barons.

Rodney Gillin returned from his 1-game team suspension (undisclosed reason) to rush 27 times for 216 yards, including a game-clinching 80 yard TD run in the 4th quarter. He had scored twice earlier as well. Wilson left a still-wet Manheim, PA, with a 27-13 win, their first of the season.

The game was played at 5:00 PM Monday, September 9th instead of the original time of 7:00 PM on Friday, September 12th due to massive flooding in the Lancaster-Lebanon area. The region received over a foot of rain in less than a week.

The loss was Manheim Central's first of the season & for most of the game it didn't appear that would happen. Then the 4th quarter began & the wheels fell off. Central was stopped inside the 5-yard line twice during the game, resulting in 2 field goals by their highly touted placekicker. Wilson's defense was impressive throughout, stepping up at key moments & forcing turnovers. They held the Barons to just 12 yards rushing, including -1 in the second half. The Bulldogs also made 13 tackles behind the line of scrimmage, led by strong games from Domonic Moyer & Junior Joseph.

It's a good thing that Gillin made a triumphant return because for the second straight week Wilson QB Seth Klein struggled. He was just 6 of 12 for 96 yards with 1 TD & 2 INTs. He has thrown 4 INTs already. If the Bulldogs hope to extend their league-record winning streak, Klein will need to imrpove. Quickly.

Wilson opens their home schedule this Friday at 7pm with their final non-league game versus rival Reading.

SOME NOTEWORTHY WILSON STATS

TEAM 

OFFENSE

First Downs: 15

Rushing Attempts / Yards / TDs: 41 / 212 / 3

Passing Attempts / Yards / TDs: 12 / 97 / 1

Total Yards: 309

Penalties / Yards: 7 / 69

DEFENSE

First Downs Allowed: 11

Rushing Attempts / Yards / TDs Allowed: 27 / 12 / 1

Passing Attempts / Yards / TDs Allowed: 23 / 150 / 1

Total Yards Allowed: 162

INDIVIDUAL

OFFENSE

Passing: Klein - 6 of 12, 97 yards, 1 TD, 2 INTs

Rushing: Gillin - 27 carries, 216 yards, 3 TDs, 0 fumbles

Receiving: Morgan - 4 catches, 66 yards, 1 TD

DEFENSE

Tackles: Moyer - 11

Interceptions: Harrop - 1

 

Bulldogs 'D' shuts down Barons [READING EAGLE]

Statistics [BERKS GAMEDAY]

CONFIRMED: Game @ Manheim Central Rescheduled for Monday, Sept. 12th

UPDATE 2 [1:10pm]: Official word from the school is that the game will be played at 5:00pm on Monday, September 12th.

UPDATE 1 [12:25pm]: The Wilson School District website has confirmed that the game has been rescheduled for Monday, September 12th. However, the time is yet to be determined.

No official word from either school yet but HighSchoolSports.net - which many school districts are utilizing as athletic home pages - has the previously scheduled Wilson Bulldogs @ Manheim Central Barons football game set for Monday, September 12th at 7:00 PM. Please note two things: 1st - Again, this is not offical; 2nd - This is mentioned ONLY on the Manheim Central page & not on the Wilson page at HighSchoolSports.net. I hope to verify the change ASAP.

Looks like there will be short weeks for both teams. Week 3 has the Barons traveling to Selinsgrove while Wilson will host their first 2011 regular season game when cross town rival Reading comes to Gurski Stdaium in West Lawn.

More as it becomes available.

Game 2 Postponed Due to Flooding in Manheim, PA

Intense rainfall over the last week has left much of Pennsylvania - especially the eastern half - with flooding problems. The image shows precipitation over the last 7 days (in inches).

BREAKING: The Wilson Bulldogs football game versus the Manheim Central Barons, originally scheduled for 7:00 PM tonight at Barons Stadium in Manheim, PA, has been postponed due to flooding. As of 9:30 AM the game has not been rescheduled. When I am made aware of a new date & time I will pass the information along. Stay tuned to the blog & facebook or twitter pages for updates.

PREVIEW: 2011 Regular Season, Game 2

WILSON BULLDOGS (0-1)

@

MANHEIM CENTRAL BARONS (1-0)

Where: Barons Stadium, Manheim, PA

When: 7:00 PM, Friday, September 9th, 2011 POSTPONED (flooding)

HOW'D THEY GET HERE?

• The Bulldogs could not overcome 1st half mistakes & miscues, falling in OT to the rival Governor Mifflin Mustangs last Friday, 34-28. Wilson mounted a thrilling comeback in the 4th quarter, finally evening the game at 28 with just over 2 mins. left. However, Mifflin stopped the Bulldogs on their overtime possession & then waltzed into the end-zone on their 1st OT play, ending the game. Wilson committed many turnovers & penalties, as well as being without star RB Rodney Gillin (team suspension). No word on whether or not Gillin will play in this game. However, expect the team to be more "Wilson-esque" for the tough match-up versus the Barons in Manheim.
• The Manheim Central team has been through a lot over the last 13 months. In August 2010 football player Evan Heiser passed away in a car accident. Then on January 16th, 2011, four more Barons were lost in another car accident. The four players - DeVaughn Lee, John Griffith, Nick Bryson & Cody Hollinger - are being honored by Manheim Central by the number 129, which is the total of the four boys jersey numbers. The Wilson team is showing their support by wearing a maroon "MC" decal on the back of their helmets. On the field the Barons were victorious in Week 1, besting Lower Dauphin, 28-12. Manheim Central relied on a strong, 3-headed rushing attack to defeat the Falcons.

MATCH-UP HISTORY

• This will be the 9th meeting of this relatively new rivalry. In the previous 8 match-ups the Bulldogs hold a slim 5-3 lead. Wilson's last victory occurred just last season in West Lawn, where the Bulldogs came from behind to clip the Barons in Week 2, 25-22. The script was similar in Manheim Central's last victory over Wilson, in Week 2 of 2009. In that contest the Barons sprinted to a 26-7 lead before a unbelievable comeback by the Bulldogs. It fell just short however as the Barons escaped with a 29-27 victory.

Helmet images courtesy PA Helmet Project.

2011 Wilson Freshman Football Schedule

Date	Time		Opponent		Score
8/30	4:00PM	vs.	Elco		(scrimmage)
9/8	4:00PM	@	Spring-Ford		(scrimmage)
9/14	4:00PM	vs.	Penn Manor
9/21	4:00PM	vs.	Warwick
9/28	4:00PM	@	Lancaster McCaskey
10/5	4:00PM	vs.	Cedar Crest
10/12	4:00PM	@	Hempfield
10/19	4:00PM	vs.	Ephrata
10/26	6:00PM	@	Exeter

COACHING STAFF

Head Coach - Jim Surgeoner (2nd year)

Asst. Coach - Kerry Dunn (1st year)

Asst. Coach - Jason Spitler (1st year)

Asst. Coach - Clint Surgeoner (1st year)

Asst. Coach - Brendan Riley (1st year)

2011 Wilson Southern Middle School Football Schedule

Date	Time		Opponent		Score
9/1	4:00PM	@	Boyertown East	(scrimmage)
9/8	4:00PM	vs.	Conrad Weiser	(scrimmage)
9/13	4:00PM	vs.	Elco
9/22	4:00PM	@	Warwick
9/27	4:00PM	vs.	Penn Manor
10/4	4:00PM	vs.	Reading
10/11	4:00PM	vs.	Governor Mifflin
10/20	6:00PM	@	Cedar Crest
10/27	4:00PM	@	Wilson West

COACHING STAFF

Head Coach - Cory Luft (2nd year)

Asst. Coach - Walt Wooleyhand (1st year)

Asst. Coach - Matt Votodian (2nd year)

Asst. Coach - Mark Wiebner (1st year)

Asst. Coach - Chad Faller (1st year)

Asst. Coach - Chris Hartl (1st year)

2011 Wilson West Middle School Football Schedule

The Wilson Bulldogs wouldn't have been able to create such a strong tradition without the help from many others in the program that aren't directly linked to the high school varsity team. I will try to highlight some of those teams as well, starting with Wilson West.

Date	Time		Opponent		Score
9/1	4:00PM	@	Eastern York	(scrimmage)
9/8	4:00PM	vs.	Governor Mifflin	(scrimmage)
9/13	4:00PM	vs.	Penn Manor
9/22	4:00PM	vs.	Manheim Township
9/29	4:00PM	@	Cocalico
10/6	4:00PM	vs.	Reading
10/11	4:00PM	@	Elco
10/20	4:00PM	vs.	Warwick
10/27	4:00PM	vs.	Wilson Southern

COACHING STAFF

Head Coach/Offensive Coordinator (QBs): Anton Fernsler (23rd year)

Asst. Coach/Defensive Coordinator (RBs & LBs): Dan Dominguez (5th year)

Asst. Coach (OL & DEs): Joe Mays (3rd year)

Asst. Coach (WRs & DBs): Joel Marino (3rd year)

Asst. Coach (OL & DTs): Austin Bononno (1st year)

Asst. Coach (WRs & DBs): Josh Burkhart (1st year)

RECAP: Bulldogs Fall in Sloppy Thriller Against Rival Mustangs

Some say the most important lessons are learned because of failure. Hopefully that's the case for the 2011 Bulldogs squad, which succumbed to a powerful rushing attack by the rival Mifflin Mustangs. Wilson's valiant comeback effort fell just short but they shouldn't have been in as big a whole to start with.

After Wilson back-up RB Jimmy Brooks, who started over star RB Rodney Gillin (undisclosed team suspension), put the Bulldogs up 7-0 early in the 2nd quarter the Mustangs rattled of 28 unanswered points to lead 28-7 midway through the 3rd quarter. Something popped for Wilson a few moments later & next thing the Shillington crowd knew, it was a tie game & we were headed into overtime.

That didn't last long.

Wilson stalled on their first - and only - OT possession. After a short run on 1st & 10, QB Seth Klein was sacked & on the following play he fumbled. Mifflin didn't take long to score on their only OT play. Mifflin FB Jake Snyder - who rushed 16 times for 123 yards & 3 TDs on the night - sent the Mustangs home with a win thanks to a 10-yard TD run up the gut. Final score? 34-28, Mifflin in OT.

The Bulldogs were sloppy. Actually, both teams were. The teams combined for 4 INTs, 10 fumbles (5 lost) & 10 penalties for 66 yards. This certainly looked like the season opener for both squads. I'm sure nerves played a small part, too.

Wilson played a part in 2 of the INTs, 7 of the fumbles (2 lost) & had 7 of the penalties for 45 yards. Too many mistakes to overcome versus a solid football team in Mifflin.

Gillin's status for next week is unknown, just like the reason for the suspension.

Wilson Head Coach Doug Dahms had this to say:

"Rodney didn't win or lose the game for us," he said. "We lost it.

"That's inexperience. They're a good football team. They took advantage of it. They beat us."

There is no time to rest for the shell-shocked Bulldogs; they travel to Manheim, PA next Friday for a date with the emotionally-charged Manheim Central Barons, who are playing in memory of 4 teammates that passed away a earlier this year. The Wilson players are honoring those lost Barons with a maroon "MC" sticker on their helmets.

Hopefully Game 2 sees a more consistent Wilson effort.

SOME NOTEWORTHY WILSON STATS

TEAM 

OFFENSE

First Downs: 17

Rushing Attempts / Yards / TDs: 38 / 155 / 3

Passing Attempts / Yards / TDs: 24 / 96 / 0

Total Yards: 251

Penalties / Yards: 7 / 45

DEFENSE

First Downs Allowed: 17

Rushing Attempts / Yards / TDs Allowed: 37 / 199 / 4

Passing Attempts / Yards / TDs Allowed: 17 / 129 / 1

Total Yards Allowed: 328

INDIVIDUAL

OFFENSE

Passing: Klein - 13 of 23, 96 yards, 0 TDs, 2 INTs

Rushing: Young - 16 carries, 85 yards, 1 TDs, 0 fumbles

Receiving: Morgan - 7 catches, 67 yards, 0 TDs

DEFENSE

Tackles: TBD

Interceptions: Rivera & Waters - 1

Mustangs prevail in a classic [READING EAGLE]

Statistics [BERKS GAMEDAY]

REMINDER: Follow Us on Twitter for Game Updates

I'll be in Shillington tonight for the season opener versus Governor Mifflin. Follow me on Twitter (@WilsonBulldogs) for game updates!

LET'S GO DOGS!

Wilson has Dominated L-L League, says Reading Eagle

And it's true. Since 1975, when the Bulldogs were invited to join the Lancaster-Lebanaon League, Wilson has won 19 Section 1 titles, which is 6 more than the rest of the Section has won combined. The Reading Eagle has all the info., a lot of which people won't want to hear. Hey, the truth hurts.

The directors of the Lancaster-Lebanon League likely had no idea about the monster they were inviting into their home when they swung the doors open for Wilson in 1975.

........

The Bulldogs' dominance has become even more profound in recent years. They enter this season with three straight titles and a league-record 22-game winning streak.

Their winning margin of 37.7 points per game in 2008 was the greatest in league history; last year's margin of 34.6 was second-highest.

Tradition never graduates.

Reading Eagle's 2011 Team Capsule

From the Reading Eagles Lancaster-Lebanon League, Section 1 season preview, published on August 31st, 2011:

Wilson Bulldogs

Classification: District 3-AAAA

Last season: 7-0 league, 11-1 overall

Head coach: Doug Dahms, sixth season, 56-10

Top offensive players: All-league RB Rodney Gillin, QB Seth Klein, WR Jake Morgan, WR Colin Harrop, G Austin Noss, T Clayton Schannauer.

Top defensive players: All-league CB Rodney Gillin, all-league second-team DE Matt Rothrock, DE Junior Joseph, LB Madison Miller, S Colin Harrop.

The skinny: The Bulldogs should score plenty of points, with the return of the league’s top weapon in Rodney Gillin and with Seth Klein running the offense. Klein filled in more than adequately for four games when Zach Zweizig was injured last season, and he’ll add a running element to the position the Bulldogs have rarely enjoyed. The concerns come on defense, where just two starters return. There is talent there but it could take some game action for that side of the ball to come together.

At the wire: Still out in front.

See the entire league preview at the Reading Eagle.