Red Lion beats Dallastown, completes 10-0 regular season
It's official, York County: No team could beat Red Lion.
Not in the regular season.
Not this year.
Not even arch rival Dallastown.
Red Lion placed an emphatic exclamation point at the end of an already stellar regular season, putting this rivalry game to bed early Friday by scoring three touchdowns in the opening quarter. Red Lion coasted to a 27-7 victory against Dallastown at Horn Field, paving its way to host a District 3 playoff game and perhaps chase history in trying to corral the program's first district title.
Playing in front of an entire hillside of fans, many decked out in black, the Red Lion (10-0) football team didn't disappoint its Black Sea of a crowd. The Lions rolled to a 20-0 lead before Dallastown (7-3) could secure even one first down.
Red Lion is one of only two undefeated teams in District 3 this season, and it marks the program's first undefeated season since 1974 — when the Lions were still in the midst of a 35-game winning streak that was eventually snapped in 1975. Next week, this year's Lions have a chance to become the first team in program history to record 11 wins in one season.
"Coming out 10-0, winning a league championship against Dallastown our biggest rivals, in front of what I believe is the best atmosphere to play in all the York-Adams, I can't put into words how amazing it feels," Red Lion offensive tackle Nick Argento said.
Red Lion rolled behind its massive offensive line, piling up 320 total yards.
Dylan Gurreri cracked 100 yards rushing, but the big boys up front made it look easy.
"As a unit, coming into games we know we have the capability of taking over games," Argento said.
The usual suspects picked up the yards in the first quarter and all game, with Red Lion's Gurreri, Sam Emig and Patrick Daugherty each scoring a touchdown behind the Lions' Black Hole line.
Red Lion coach Jesse Shay said he saw laser-focus from his players as they went from class to class during the day, not a whole lot of chit-chat, and that carried over on the football field.
"Boy did it show in the first quarter," Shay said.
And he now has a team that has accepted the rising pressures of the season.
"From the time we hit 6-0 we kind of started the mantra that this is the most important game you will play ever, and if you take care of business next week is going to be the most important game you play," Shay said.
Red Lion keeps winning those most important games, and the stakes keep growing. Now it's playoff time.
Dallastown_0_0_0_7_—_7
Red Lion_20_0_7_0_—_27
First Quarter
RL – Dylan Gurreri 72 run (kick failed), 11:13.
RL – Sam Emig 29 run (Emig kick), 5:53.
RL – Patrick Daugherty 2 run (Emig kick), :32.4.
Third Quarter
RL – Taylor Uberti 10 pass from Emig (Emig kick), 1:30.
Fourth Quarter
Dt – Connor Moore 9 pass from Brett Smith (Drake Pew), 2:34.
_Dt_ RL
First downs_10_14
Rushes-Yards_29-63_50-284
Passing_7-15-3_4-9-2
Passing Yards_79_36
Total Yards_142_320
Punts_4-28.2_4-40.2
Fumbles-Lost_1-1_1-0
Penalties-Yards_4-40_7-62
Rushing — Dt, Rodney Scott 12-41, Zion Devance 8-8, Sparks 8-3, Brett Smith 1-11. RL, Gurreri 21-134, Emig 15-62, Daugherty 8-56, George Stuck 6-32.
Passing — Dt, Michael Sparks 1-8-3-11, Smith 6-7-0-68. RL, Sam Emig 2-6-1-12, Zach Throne 2-3-1-24.
Receiving — Dt, Moore 2-20, Edgar Centeno 1-23, Donovan Catchings 2-18, Benjamin Ward 1-11, Max Teyral 1-7. RL, Sam Maldonado 1-22, Taylor Uberti 2-12, Gurreri 1-2.
FULL-GAME VIDEO