I was thinking over the past 15 years, I have seen hundreds of HS Football games. Which game would you say is the best HS Football game you ever saw?
One game that comes to my mind recently was in 2006, Bethlehem Liberty defeated Pennsbury in four-overtimes 45-38. That was one of the greatest games that people still talk about.
Another of my favorite games was the 2003 3A State Final game in a snow storm. Manheim Central won in double overtime over Pine-Richland 39-38 to win their first state championship in football.
What is the best game that you ever saw?
61 Responses
Berwick vs. St. Ignatius out of Cleveland. Not sure what year…early 90’s. Both were ranked in the top 5 in the USA Todaay poll with St. Ignatius at #1. It was the first game of the year. a bowl game atmosphere , televised by ESPN.St, Ignatius had the #1 H.S. quarterback in the country. Berwick beat them in the last minute or so of the game. What a game overall !
MC vs Berwick ’94
Two 13-0 teams, both loaded with talent. It was like watching two heavyweight boxers stand in the middle of the ring and just beat on each other. It was a back and forth game that ended with MC throwing an interception in the back of teh end zone with 38 seconds left in the game. To this day I will never understand that call…with 3 bruising running backs, one of them being Dan Kreider, and they had been moving the ball on the ground, why not put it into the hands of the one who got you to the goal line.
It was also the largest crowd I have ever seen at Hershey Park Stadium for a football game EVER!
I also enjoyed the ’89 MC vs Berwick game. When upstart MC took on vaunted Berwick and shocked them by going to the locker room at half time with a 10-0 lead. Berwick made the adjustments it needed to make and wore down the Barons to win 14-10. And thus began a rivalry in the playoffs that would produce a couple of classic games. (’95 was also a pretty good game between these two AAA powers
MC vs Berwick ’94
Two 13-0 teams, both loaded with talent. It was like watching two heavyweight boxers stand in the middle of the ring and just beat on each other. It was a back and forth game that ended with MC throwing an interception in the back of teh end zone with 38 seconds left in the game. To this day I will never understand that call…with 3 bruising running backs, one of them being Dan Kreider, and they had been moving the ball on the ground, why not put it into the hands of the one who got you to the goal line.
It was also the largest crowd I have ever seen at Hershey Park Stadium for a football game EVER!
I also enjoyed the ’89 MC vs Berwick game. When upstart MC took on vaunted Berwick and shocked them by going to the locker room at half time with a 10-0 lead. Berwick made the adjustments it needed to make and wore down the Barons to win 14-10. And thus began a rivalry in the playoffs that would produce a couple of classic games. (’95 was also a pretty good game between these two AAA powers
CONTINUATION of #12 — With about a minute left in the game they drive down, throw another TD with another 2-point conversion 16-16. Then in overtime they get the ball first and temporarily take the lead with a FG 19-16. Gilman comes back with a run around end to win 22-19. My disappointment in the loss was mitigated by my admiration of the great game. Believe Gilman ended that year ranked #12 by the USA Today.
Even though it didn’t go overtime, last years LaSalle/North Penn Eastern Final ( 38-35 ), was , by many publications, the best Eastern Final ever.
In the second round of the 2009 playoffs, Downingtown East and Penncrest faced off in a scoring battle where DTE prevailed as time expired and a two-point conversion was needed. Check it out on YouTube.
1985 eastern confrence final valley view blockes a punt in the final seconds to beat wyoming area 19-14 in a very very hard hitting game
Great topic!!! Not sure if I could narrow that down to a single game or even two or three games. I would agree too with the 90 Becahi v Berwick game and the 94 Berwick v MC game so here’s a quick hitter of best PA games I have seen. I also have copies of these games if anyone didn’t see them the first time around.
1999 Bethlehem Catholic v CB West – AAAA Eastern PA championship
1999 CB West v Erie Cathedral Prep – AAAA PA state championship
2000 CB West v Erie Cathedral Prep – AAAA PA state championship
2002 Parkland v North Penn – AAAA Eastern PA championship
2002 Parkland v Woodland Hills – AAAA PA state championship
2003 Northern Lehigh v Aliquippa – AA PA state championship
2003 Pine Richland v Manheim Central – AAA PA state championship
2006 Liberty Bethlehem v Pennsbury – AAAA Eastern PA championship
2006 Wilson v Jeannette – AA PA state championship
2008 Wilmington Area v West Catholic – AA PA state championship.
2010 Allentown Central Catholic v Harrisburg Bishop McDevitt – AAA PA state championship
Small School making history. In 2006 a small eastern PA school, Lower Moreland upset a division one heavily recruited Pennington Prep school from New Jersey. A game which took place in Huntingdon Valley, Pa, right outside Philadelpha, will go down in the history books for district 1small schools forever. Under the Friday night lights. The Lions of Lower Moreland took the field knowing that everything they worked for all season came down to that very game. A win and it would be the schools first playoff in over a decade. The task was to stop the high powered offensive of Pennington who came into the game 7-1 averaging 300+ yards per game. Led by Dominic Hearld(university of Maryland) Pennington seemed unstoppable rolling over teams in the prior weeks. With an offensive line that showcased 3 division one recruits, a 6’5 D-1 wide receiver, and a runningback that already ran for 1,000 yards that season, it turned it a “will-power” game for the Lions. The game started with pennington marching down the field to a Td, but the Lions answered back with a TD of their own. Pennington would again have no problem scoring making it 13-6, Lions 6’5 tight end Gary Mitchell would make a miraculous catch in the back of the endzone, to tie the game at 13 going into the fourth.After a fumble in Pennington territory the Lions were last than 10 yards from the lead but an 103 yard Td inception an a 2 point conversation with 6 minutes left seemed to kill the Lions. But a 88 yard 9 play drive that resulted in a TD gave the lions life. With the time under 35 seconds the Lions needed the 2 point conversation. Coach Mark Mayson called a beautiful boot leg to a wide open Mitchell to tie the game a force OT. Pennington started with the ball and 3 plays later scored a TD, they would try for 2 but were stuffed by DT Shane Barrett. Lions next drive was lead by acouple of big runs by Phil Terrenzio and the Lions were a field goal away from the win. But, the extra point was blocked. Another overtime! Lions started on offensive after the first play got the Lions on Pennington’s 5 yard line Pennington showed strong defensive by stopping the Lions 3 times at the goal line. But an extra push by Pat McGarry gave the Lions the lead. Lower Moreland would hit the Extra point. Everything would be on the defenses shoulders now to stopped Pennington’s high powered offense. The first play Pennington went for the endzone resulting in an incompletion, next play the red raiders ran the ball right up the gut for a 18 yard run. First and goal at LM’s 7. Pennington ran the ball twice after that putting the ball at LM’s 2. The raiders tried a QB sneak but they were stuffed at the goal line. 4th and goal at the 1. With the crowd around the sidelines waiting to rush the field, the moment was set. Pennington called a QB sneak, only to be stuffed right away, the crowd rushed the field and the Lions would advance to their first state playoff appearance in over a decade.
Manheim Central VS Pine Richland in 2003 for the AAA State title. MC won 39-38 in double OT on a blocked extra point attempt in a raging snowstorm…
1990 Eastern Finals: Beca vs Berwick (7-3). With both teams playing stingy defense while stars like Ron Powlus and Eric Marsh were held in check, Berwick held on to a 3-0 lead till late in the 4th. Beca’s star kicker had the chance to tie it up but missed. With time running out in the 4th, Beca’s Spike Johnson hit John Weis on a long bomb where Weis fell into the endzone for the winning score. Beca went on to route Seton-Lasalle in the finals.
hazleton vs abingtion heights 2006 ist round of playoffs…score was tied 0-0 at the end of 1. then nate eachus scored in the 2nd to make it 7-0…the with 8 min left abingtion scored to tie the game up….the with 49 sec….a diving catch by pascquerelli..for abington to score and win 14-7…unfortunately oi was the defensive end for hazleton
fisher #43
The 2010 4A eastern final between north penn and lasalle should be in the discussion. I never saw anything like that game, with about 7 4th down convversions and multiple lead changes
Bloomsburg/Danville from 2007…the lead changed twice in the last minute of the game and Bloomsburg won 31-27 on a 50 yard bomb with about 40 seconds left, just 2 plays after Danville took the lead. A matchup of probably the 2 best offenses in the area that year.
October 1, 2010 Pennridge at Souderton. This game is a huge rivalry game that goes way back. Souderton is down 7 – 3 with about 5 minutes to go. Pennridge punts and pins Souderton on their own 2 yard line. Souderton then puts together a 17 play , 92 yard drive and scores the winning td with 2 seconds on the clock. This game is one of the hardest hitting games that I can honestly say that I have ever scene!
September 2005 St. Joe’s Prep vs. Gilman. Just a great high school football game. What high school ball is all about. Prep came in nationally ranked and 2-0. They beat previously nationally ranked Neshaminy and St. Ignatius of Cleveland. Believe Gilmam was 1-0 coming in. The game was at Plymouth Whitemarsh HS. Gilmam was up by a TD and a FG. Was looking bleak there. Then Gilmam seemingly puts the nail in the coffin when their FB breaks a long one up the middle to go up 16-0 in the 4th quarter. Prep then starts throwing and driving. Get a TD with 2 point conversion, 16-8.
1998 – Allentown Central Catholic 18 vs Mount Carmel 15. The most physical high school game I’ve seen. In the 90’s these two programs, along with CB West, Berwick, Southern Columbia were the class of the state. ACC won this game at The Silver Bowl (MT Carmel) before a full house and handed MCA their only loss of the season. Both teams went on to win the state title in 1998 in their respective classifications. A rare meeting of state champions.
1989 Montoursville VS Hickory AA State Final @ Middle Town. Ice covered field, huge crowd, temp 13degs. Hickory had a stud speedster at the HB by the name of Andre Coleman(he went on to be a star returner in the NFL). The Game came down to a last second interception thrown by Montoursvilles allstate QB Mark Mussina in the corner of the endzone as time expired, and Montoursvilles Cinderella season was over 30 – 22
There where 4 lead changes during the juggernaught.
Dietz#54
1994 PIAA AAA eastern final at hershey park between berwick and manheim central. both teams were 13-0.Berwick won 37-30 in a back and forth game. MC had the ball on the berwick 4 yardline but berwick lb picked off a pass in end zone with 38 seconds to go in the game. Despite the game was on tv in berwick area hershey park was jammed pack truly an AWESOME game!!!!
Parkland vs. Bethlehem Catholic 2002 1st meeting. Beca taking an early lead. Parkland and Austin Scott coming back to tie the game. Parkland taking the first possession in over time and Scott basically walking into the endzone followed by Beca going for 2 and getting it. That game really set the stage for the re match later that season.
93 berwick vs allentown central catholic eastern state final central won 13-8 knocking off the top rated team in the nation as voted by usa today snapping their 28 game win streak i believe it was
In my book, the recent 2010 3A state title game between Bishop McDevitt and Allentown Central Catholic. That was a nailbiter of a battle, with ties and lead changes that was decided by 1pt. in regulation. McDevitt took ACC to the limit and it took a trick play and a tremendous defensive stand by the Vikings to hold on to the win!
Im going Old School! Berwick vs Middletown 1988. Berwick down 12-10. Jake Kelchner throws what should be a pick on the game winning drive. Goes through the defenders hands and is caught by Lance Evina who had slipped and was on the ground. http://goo.gl/uBVCj Dawgs win 16-12 and go on to collect their first state title over Aliquipa.
The SCA/PIUS X game in 2004 I think it was. SCA won 76-47 where the game started out as teams trading score for score and looked like nobody could play defense. SCA ran for over 700yds and had a national record, which lasted for like a week. Henry Hynoski, who hopefully will be selected in this years NFL draft, ran for over 400yds and had a 96yd TD run. On that play 2 PIUS players collided with each other around the 20yd line and I think one had to be carted off the field. Even though the mercy rule went into play, SCA never had a 2 TD lead until they scored 3 TDs in a row on their way to the mercy rule. This game was played at Selinsgrove.
Back in 2008, Coughlin and Pittston played til 6 overtimes, yes, six overtimes, so 10 quarters of football.Pittston won 44-43