Following Penn Manor's fifth win, which kept the Comets undefeated, a parent approached coach Todd Mealy on the field.

Clearly, it was time for a compliment.

Right?

"That was boring," the parent said.

Mealy smiled as he recalled the exchange.

"First of all," the coach said, "you're not going to please everybody. Second, you're not going to win many games if you can't defend."

Truth be told, Penn Manor's 9-6 win over Reading in Week 5 was boring.

It lacked the big plays that bring fans to their feet. It lacked even a single highlight-reel moment. It was, in essence, a microcosm of Penn Manor's season.

The Comets' remarkable turnaround hasn't been fueled by flash. It's the product of tough defense and efficient offense.

Those are the reasons Penn Manor is 6-0 overall and 3-0 in the Lancaster-Lebanon Football League. That's why the Comets' Section One showdown with fellow league unbeaten Manheim Township is one of Week 7's top matchups.

The other big game pits Section Three favorite Lancaster Catholic against upset-minded Northern Lebanon.

Penn Manor, which went 1-9 last season, has parlayed its somewhat dull, defensive-minded style into football relevance for a school that is a perennial also-ran.

The Comets lead the league in fewest total yards allowed. They've given up just four offensive touchdowns and have surrendered six points a game.

"My parents ask me all the time, 'Why are you guys so conservative on offense?'" tight end/defensive lineman Cody Booth said.

"It's because we have a good defense. The play calling is more conservative because we know that our defense can stop their offense."

Let's take a closer look at this week's marquee matchups:

Schedule

Tonight: Section One — Hempfield at Cedar Crest, 7 p.m.; Manheim Township at Penn Manor, 7 p.m.; Warwick at McCaskey, 7 p.m.; Wilson at Reading, 7 p.m.

Section Two — Cocalico at Elizabethtown, 7 p.m.; Conestoga Valley at Manheim Central, 7 p.m.; Solanco at Lebanon, 7 p.m.; Ephrata at Garden Spot, 7:30 p.m.

Section Three — Columbia at Annville-Cleona, 7 p.m.; Donegal at Lampeter-Strasburg, 7 p.m.; Northern Lebanon at Lancaster Catholic, 7 p.m.; Pequea Valley at Elco, 7 p.m.

Games to Watch

Manheim Township at Penn Manor: Penn Manor's defensive rise has seemingly come out of nowhere. The Comets allowed 29 points per game last season when they failed to win a single Section One game.

What has made the difference?

Experience.

This is Mealy's second season as head coach and he has eight returning starters who know how to execute his 4-4 scheme.

"Though we didn't play well defensively last year, we returned a ton of knowledge," Mealy said.

"They've just become so comfortable in the positions that they play. They know what they're doing. There's consistency. We didn't really shuffle the deck much. We kept kids where they were last year, and we've been playing solid defense thus far."

Mealy earned his coaching stripes as the defensive coordinator at McCaskey. The former all-conference linebacker at Bishop McDevitt emphasizes discipline.

Penn Manor rarely surrenders big plays. It has allowed just one touchdown longer than four yards and has recorded two shutouts.

The Comets are the only team in the league that is allowing fewer than 100 yards a game both rushing and passing.

"People don't respect our defense enough, I don't think," Booth said. "It's important that our defense is working so well. Our offense isn't putting up so many points."

Penn Manor is aiming to make some history over the next four weeks as it surges toward the District 3 Quad-A playoffs. The Comets are already guaranteed their first winning season since 1993 — when they went 7-4.

Perhaps because of their style or their history of losing, few view Penn Manor as a serious threat to win the Section One championship.

Wilson is everyone's favorite, even though the Bulldogs and Comets sport identical 6-0 records.

That's OK with the upstarts from Millersville.

"Ever since the beginning, I think it was just us that felt we could win," linebacker Zach Fisher said. "People don't think we can beat Wilson. People didn't think we could beat Hempfield. I know we can beat these teams."

Township (4-2 overall, 3-0 LL) is the defending section champ. It has won 25 of its last 27 section games.

The Blue Streaks have one of the league's top all-around offensive players in running back Dan Wertz — who has thrown for 344 yards and rushed for 636.

Defeating Township would help solidify Penn Manor's standing as one of the league's elite.

"At our school they expect us to win now," Penn Manor linebacker Jake Rebman said. "I'm not sure about anywhere else. It's kind of iffy. After this game, if we win, people will believe for sure."

Northern Lebanon at Lancaster Catholic: Lancaster Catholic has a clear path to its fourth consecutive Section Three crown. Three of the Crusaders' final four games are at home.

This will be one of their toughest tests.

Northern Lebanon is 5-1 overall and 2-1 in the section. The Vikings' only loss was a one-point heartbreaker against Annville-Cleona in Week 5.

Quarterback Matt Nolan and running back Terry Clark spark a potent running attack that has churned up 260 yards a game.

"Northern Lebanon runs the football very well," Catholic coach Bruce Harbach said.

"Our defense will be hard-pressed to stop their running game. Their quarterback does an outstanding job of running the veer and their line moves people off the ball. We have to be able to ball control them and keep their offense off the field."

Northern Lebanon's impressive record and gaudy stats aren't the whole story here.

The Vikings shocked Catholic 17-13 in Week 10 last season. You can be sure Harbach reminded his players of that fact during practice this week.

Can Northern Lebanon pull off another surprise?

"Lancaster Catholic has a very explosive offense," Vikings coach Jack Beidler said. "They have the ability to score points quickly. (Alex) Smith is a great quarterback who knows where to throw the ball. Their receivers are the most talented in the league."

Northern Lebanon will have to find a way to stop them if it wants to shake up the Section Three race.

E-mail: jguarente@lnpnews.com