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.