All season, Corey Harris has been waiting for his chance to carry the load for West York's offense.

With the Bulldogs coasting through most of the regular season, Harris rarely had the opportunity to carry the ball more than 15 or 20 times a game. But Friday night, Bulldog coach Ron Miller designed a majority of the gameplan around Harris for the District 3 Class AAA playoff game, and the senior running back responded with a career night.

Harris's 35-carry, 258-yard, four-touchdown performance (all season highs) helped West York outscore Mechanicsburg in a 35-28 shootout.

"The regular season I hadn't been getting that many carries," Harris said. "This game they just said, 'You know what, let's get Corey the ball and see what

West York's Alex George (10) scores on a 7-yard run during the third quarter of Friday's District 3 Class AAA playoff game against Mechanicsburg. The Bulldogs beat the Wildcats, 35-28.
(Daily Record/Sunday News - Mike Zortman)
he can do.' That was the whole thing this week."

The Bulldogs (10-1) needed every one of Harris's yards, as the visting Wildcats (6-5) rode the arm of quarterback James Rusenko to move the ball almost at will during the opening half.

But every time the Wildcats scored, Harris was there to answer.

Rusenko finished the first half with 162 yards through the air and three total touchdowns. But Harris answered with three scores of his own and 217 yards on 23 carries before the break.

Miller said Harris's monster opening two quarters helped his team get past a mental hurdle still lingering from last week's loss to Littlestown.

"I was concerned a little bit," Miller said. "You could feel it in the crowd, they were all thinking, 'Oh God, here we go again.'

"I have great senior leaders that have been through this stuff before, and I'm real proud of the way they did handle the adversity."

Miller and his coaching staff also made a key defensive switch at halftime to try to stop Rusenko.

The Bulldogs switched from their base 4-4 defense with three defensive backs, to a 4-3 scheme with four defenders in the secondary. With more speed on the field, West York was able to hold Rusenko to 63 yards passing in the second half, while also forcing a pair of costly interceptions that halted two Wildcat scoring drives.

The first pick came two plays after a 1-yard Harris touchdown run put West York ahead by seven late in the third quarter.

As Rusenko dropped back to pass at the West York 44-yard line, the Bulldogs' Austin Whitehead jumped a route and raced deep into Mechanicsburg territory.

Two plays later, Bulldog quarterback Alex George scampered 8 yards up the middle for a two-touchdown lead that proved vital, as the Wildcats clawed back.

Mechanicsburg pulled within a touchdown with 10:37 to play in the fourth quarter and was driving to tie the game late.

But West York's Darion Bundy picked off Rusenko one final time at the West York

West York quarterback Alex George knocks the helmet off Mechanicsburg's Ako Sayed as he runs over him Friday during the Bulldogs' 35-28 victory in the District III Class AAA playoffs. (Daily Record/Sunday News - Mike Zortman)
25 with 1:41 to seal the game.

With the win, the Bulldogs advance to face Conestoga Valley in the District 3 quarterfinals at 7 p.m. next Friday at West York.

Miller said while the close call against Mechanicsburg didn't make life easy for the Bulldogs, it helped his team mature.

"Our psyche was a little bit rattled. But we made plays in the second half, only gave up seven, and got more confidence as the game went on," Miller said. "That's real important for us going forward."
 

Mechanicsburg  14    7    0    7 -- 28
West York    7  14  14    0 -- 35

First Quarter
   Mb -- James Rusenko 1 run (Nick Cremo kick), 3:16
   WY -- Corey Harris 66 run (Blake Shaffer kick), 2:30
   Mb -- Bryton Barr 26 pass from Rusenko (Cremo kick), :10
Second Quarter
   WY -- Harris 15 run (Shaffer kick), 6:58
   Mb -- Barr 57 pass from Rusenko (Cremo kick), 4:11
   WY -- Harris 1 run (Shaffer kick), :10
Third Quarter
   WY -- Harris 1 run (Shaffer kick), 4:39
   WY -- Alex George 8 run (Shaffer kick), 3:21
Fourth Quarter
   Mb -- Rusenko 3 run (Cremo kick), 10:37
 
-- Mb -- WY
First downs -- 11 -- 14
Rushes-yards -- 27-75 -- 45-286
Passing -- 11-25-2 -- 5-14-0
Passing yards -- 225 -- 47
Total yards -- 300 -- 333
Punts -- 3-27.3 -- 3-35
Fumbles-lost -- 0-0 -- 1-1
Penalties-yards -- 6-44 -- 9-64

 
INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS
   Rushing -- Mechanicsburg, Tarik Leftenant 20-67, James Rusenko 7-8; West York, Corey Harris 35-258, Alex George 8-40, Cody Harlacker 1-2, Team 1-(-14).
   Passing -- Mechanicsburg, James Rusenko 11-25-2-225; West York, Alex George 5-14-0-47.
   Receiving -- Mechanicsburg, Bryton Barr 3-95, Tarik Leftenant 3-43, Jordan Johnson 2-22, Tyler Botchie 1-44, Russ Allen 1-11, Sal Purpura 1-10; West York, Dan Gay 2-18, Darion Bundy 1-12, Chantz Illgenfritz 1-9, Jerrin Toomey 1-8.


Also of interest

· The dogs got out: Book profiles West York championship football season

· Is West York's Brandon Real the best local running back ever?