Week 8 Preview: Cedar Crest v Hempfield

Written by Robert Griffiths, LebCoSports.com contributor

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This Week’s Game Between Cedar Crest and Hempfield Amounts to a Playoff Game

This week’s football match-up between Cedar Crest and Hempfield is more than just the next game on the schedule. For all intents and purposes, this is a playoff game. The winner stays in the thick of the playoff picture, while the loser will need help to remain in contention.

After eight games, both teams are ranked within the top 10, qualifying for a spot in the District 3, Group 6A playoff. Cedar Crest is currently (5-3) and sitting in 7th place, while Hempfield is (3-5) ranked at 9th. Both teams need victories in their last two regular-season games.

The first six spots in the District 3, Group 6A playoff rankings are seemingly already established, with Manheim Township, Wilson, Central York, Central Dauphin East, Harrisburg, and Dallastown holding down those first six spots of the ten teams that qualify. The tough competition, at this point, is who will fill the last four qualifying spots.

The results of this past weekend games have changed the rankings from the previous week. Cumberland Valley moved from the 9th to 8th spot due to their upset victory over Harrisburg.  Governor Mifflin moved from 12th to 10th after their win over Lebanon. Governor Mifflin is favored in both of their 2 remaining regular season games whereas Cumberland Valley closes their season with two tough games against Chambersburg Area and Cedar Cliff.

As for Hempfield, they were defeated last week by Exeter and dropped one position from 8th to 9th Place. A loss to Cedar Crest would likely put them out of playoff contention. At the same time, Cedar Crest held on to 7th place with a dominant win over McCaskey and went into this game with a stronger power point rating.

As it stands now, on Friday night, when Hempfield travels to play Cedar Crest, everything could be on the line. The winner has the inside track to make the Group 3 playoffs, but the loser falls back in the pack and could be on the outside looking in when the state playoffs begin. We will find out who wants it more, and that’s exactly what a playoff game is all about.

In other Week 9 action for our LebCo Teams:

Ephrata @ Lebanon

ELCO @ Donegal

Annville-Cleona @ Schuylkill Valley

Palmyra @ Red Land

Daniel Boone @ Northern Lebanon