YAIAA football Week 3: Crosstown rivals to meet in undefeated matchup and more

New Oxford head coach Jason Warner likes to remind his players of the program's history.

True, it's been a few years since the Colonials have struggled. They've made the playoffs the past four seasons, and that has elevated some of their games against local rivals into must-see matchups.

Still, Warner wants his players to understand that rivalries — like the one his team seems to be creating with South Western — need to be fostered over time.

"I think we're 6-24 all-time against South Western. It's like Penn State-Ohio State. You can call it a rivalry but if its one-sided is it really a rivalry?" said Warner, a passionate Buckeyes fan. "South Western for a long time was the program to beat. In recent history we've done a little better but the last two years we're 0-2. So, the challenge is for our senior class. One more shot to beat the Mustangs."

New Oxford will go on the road to face South Western this Friday. Both teams are 2-0. And while the two Hanover-area teams are no longer in the same division in the YAIAA, there is still plenty at stake.

Both squads are hoping to contend for District 3 Class 5A playoff spots. For New Oxford, it's a chance to get payback for a frustrating 24-7 home loss last season. For South Western, it's a chance to prove another hot start with a young lineup isn't a fluke.

Make no mistake, the Mustangs consider this game a rivalry.

"The past two years the stadiums have been absolutely packed, and I don't expect anything different," South Western head coach Tony Shermeyer said. "Our kids see each other around town. They play against each other in other sports. It's just a good natural rivalry."

Explosive offense: New Oxford has both sides of the ball humming in opening night win

The biggest difference between the teams might be their experience levels on offense. South Western has almost completely different skill players from last year including junior quarterback Bryce Graham. The Mustangs struggled offensively in a 19-7 win over Susquehannock but improved last week with an impressive 31-12 win over Dover, a team expected to contend with New Oxford for the YAIAA Division II title.

Meanwhile, New Oxford has senior dual-threat quarterback Idriz Ahmetovic throwing to established star receiver Brennan Holmes. The Colonials are averaging 37 points through two games as Clayton Nieves has given the team a solid running game to compliment its passing.

"They can score quick with a lot of explosive plays," Shermeyer said. "It starts with Holmes. He's so quick, and you need to know where he is at all times. But it's really hard for you to focus defensively on one guy because they're so good in all facets."

But South Western has given up just 19 points through two games. It all starts with dominant senior defensive lineman Ayden Wysocki, who had nine tackles and two sacks against Dover.

Still, New Oxford will need to focus on the little things against the Mustangs. They were plagued by penalties and near misses in last year's matchup, which turned a close game into a frustrating defeat.

"We've talked about that," Warner said. "We threw two picks last year against these guys. Those things will come back to haunt us if we don't take care of them."

What we learned last week

Young QBs can excel on the big stage

Some of the best quarterbacks in recent YAIAA history graduated the past two years.

So maybe it shouldn’t be a surprise that a couple of underclassmen are getting playing time for contenders.

Central York has gone with sophomore Brooklyn Nace as its starting quarterback, and York High has already given significant playing time to sophomore Najee Still.

The results have been encouraging. Central York is 2-0, and York High bounced back from a loss to Harrisburg with an impressive win over Hempfield last week.

Nace will get his chance against Hempfield at home this week, and like Still, he might benefit from the Black Knights top player being absent. USC commit defensive tackle Deyvid Palepale was on the sideline in a walking boot against York High and his return to the field is uncertain, according to LNP.

A 6-foot-2 basketball player who got varsity time for the Panthers hoops team last season, Nace beat out two upperclassmen to earn the starting quarterback job this season.

“It was a goal, but I wasn’t quite sure it would be possible,” said Nace, who has played quarterback since first grade. “But as camp went on I was playing well and showing my talent.”

Nace has gone through some growing pains so far. He took five sacks against Cumberland Valley last week. He also has the luxury of being surrounded by senior talent.

But he went 19-of-22 for 195 yards and made a number of key throws down the stretch in a 14-0 win over the Eagles.

“It’s going to be up and down. That’s going to happen for a first-year starter in 6A varsity football,” Central York coach Gerry Yonchiuk said. “There’s a lot on his plate. But those (key plays) are so huge for him and you learn more from making mistakes and moving on.”

The brother of last year’s Central York starter Nasir Still, Najee Still has a ton of potential according to Bearcats coach Russ Stoner.

While he got some playing time Week 1, he entered early last week and threw two touchdowns passes in a 28-25 win over Hempfield. One was a 77-yard strike to star receiver David Warde.

It’s possible the Bearcats will still use senior quarterback George Banks this season, but Still has proved he deserves to be in the mix. York High goes on the road to play Carlisle this Friday.

“We’re going to use both quarterbacks,” Stoner said after the Harrisburg game Week 1. “Najee is going to be a gunslinger he just needs to learn a little more.

Kennard-Dale isn't afraid to throw

Every year, Kennard-Dale coach Chris Grube says the team's run-pass ratio will be more even.

At the end of the year, he admits it didn't quite happen.

But the Rams might be finally starting to throw with more success. In a thrilling 28-21 win over Spring Grove last week, quarterback Jessup Sharp completed a highlight-reel touchdown pass to Noah Tarbert.

Kennard-Dale will likely need to throw the ball even more to compete against Lampeter-Strasburg on the road this week. It was a playoff loss to the Pioneers two years ago that inspired Grube to add more pass plays to the team's playbook.

Playoff contenders back to the drawing board

York Catholic entered this season hoping to bounce back from a surprising down season. York Suburban hoped to replicate a season that ended with its first playoff win in 36 years.

Now the local rivals will face off at York Catholic this week looking for their first wins of the season.

The Irish and Trojans aren't the only programs with high aspirations off to 0-2 starts. Dallastown was thumped by an outstanding Manheim Township team, 56-0, after losing a heartbreaker to Hempfield (16-14) Week 1. Delone Catholic has lost to District 3 juggernauts Trinity and Lancaster Catholic but might remain the top team in YAIAA Division III.

On the flip side, Eastern York has already matched last year's win total with its first 2-0 start since 2018.

More YAIAA football: Central York hangs on, Susquehannock pulls out triple-OT thriller and more

YAIAA Week 3 schedule

All games at 7 p.m. unless noted otherwise

Thursday

Annville-Cleona vs. Littlestown, 6 p.m.

Friday

Susquehannock at Bermudian Springs

James Buchanan at Biglerville

Hempfield at Central York

Greencastle-Antrim at Delone Catholic

Pequea Valley at Hanover

Central Dauphin East at Northeastern

Reading at Red Lion

New Oxford at South Western

Exeter Township at West York

York Suburban at York Catholic

Spring Grove at Shippensburg

Fairfield at Hamburg

Dover at Northern

Kennard-Dale at Lampeter-Strasburg

York High at Carlisle

Dallastown at Hershey

Saturday

Olney at Eastern York, 10 a.m.

Northern Lebanon at York County Tech, 11 a.m.

Matt Allibone is a sports reporter for GameTimePA. He can be reached at 717-881-8221, mallibone@ydr.com or on Twitter at @bad2theallibone.

This article originally appeared on York Daily Record: YAIAA football 2023: New Oxford, South Western to meet in Week 3