If there was an initial moment of awkward silence at Thomas and Maurene Mealy's house Thanksgiving Day, there was a reason for it.

The Mealys' sons, Todd and Tommy, probably weren't talking much to each other.

Todd is the head football coach at Penn Manor and Tommy, the athletic director and assistant football coach for Bishop McDevitt.

The problem?

Their teams will meet each other Saturday in the District Three Class AAAA semifinals at Harrisburg's Severance Field. Kickoff is 1 p.m.

"We talk a lot about football but we can't do that this year," Todd said Tuesday.

"The ice breaker walking in there will be difficult," admitted Tommy, who is older by 18 months. "Everything we talk about is football."

Todd, however, knows his brother holds an ace up his sleeve in the form of his two daughters.

"He'll probably send his daughters over to get in my head," Todd said of his nieces. "If he does that I might fold."

Dubbed the "Mealy Bowl" by the Crusaders' players, Saturday's contest is steeped in story angles to keep a reporter busy.

Both Tommy and Todd were starters on McDevitt's 1995 PIAA Class AA championship team.

Todd, a junior, was the ball-hawking linebacker and Tommy, the senior nicknamed "Touchdown Tommy," the running back.

Todd was also a member of the 1996 District Three championship team his senior year when he was named to the all-state second team.

It's that tradition that has shaped Todd Mealy's vision of Penn Manor.

"We've modeled a lot of what we do after what we did when I was at McDevitt," he admitted. "Every year since I've been here we've taken the kids to a McDevitt game to get a feel of what tradition looks like."

Three years ago Mealy, a history teacher who moonlights as a political contractor, passed up a job on the Obama campaign to be the head coach at Penn Manor after being an assistant at McCaskey since 2001.

His first order of business was to change the culture in Millersville.

"It starts with a united vision by the coaching staff. We have coaches that have dedicated themselves to being here in the offseason," Mealy explained.

"Second, a competitive edge. After the first year we competed in everything. I'm talking the coaches competing with the players and then the players competing with themselves. When you compete at something all the time you're better at what you do."

And it's worked.

Penn Manor went 1-9 in Mealy's first season, partly due to fact that he wasn't hired until May, 9-3 in year two and 10-2 in his third season.

The Comets have made the playoffs the past two seasons, advancing one round farther in each, and this season's 10 wins is the best in the history of the Comets football program.

"I think he's advanced that program 10 years in the three years he's been there," Tommy said of his brother.

Tommy isn't far off either.

In the decade prior to Mealy, Penn Manor went 23-78 with one playoff appearance. In the three years since, the Comets are 20-14.

Now the Comets will meet arguably their biggest test ever.

McDevitt is 11-0 and ranked No. 5 in USA Today's regional poll.

The Crusaders have outscored their opponents by a stunning 487-119 while invoking the mercy rule in nine contests.

Junior Matt Johnson (2,236 passing yards, 29 TDs, 2 INTs) leads the offense with a pair of Division I recruits catching his passes. Pitt recruit Salath Williams (35 catches, 799 yards) and Purdue-bound Jeremy Cornelius (22-430) have combined for 21 touchdowns this season.

"There aren't many weaknesses on either side for McDevitt," said Todd Mealy. "They're seasoned and they have playmakers. When their quarterback has been playing as well as he has lately, it's tough to limit them."

The biggest threat to the Comets' defense may be junior tailback Jameel Poteat, who has fielded more than 40 NCAA Division I offers. His 1,296 yards rushing and 235 yards receiving reminds McDevitt coach Jeff Weachter of a former Crusader running back.

"He's not putting the numbers up of a Shady McCoy because we throw more," Weachter said, referring to Philadelphia Eagles rookie LeSean McCoy. "But he has the same abilities that Shady did."

The Comets will counter with quarterback P.J. Rehm, who has thrown for 1,544 yards and rushed for 719.

"Their quarterback is impressive," Weachter said. "He runs the midline veer well and is very effective in passing."

Laronn Lee (713 yards rushing) and Jared Shearer (526) will carry the ball with Lee (27 catches, 498 yards), Aaron Frederick (20-444) and Demetrius Dixon (18-530) stretching the field as receivers.

With the practices and game planing out of the way there's only one logistical matter to deal with.

On which side will Mom and Dad sit Saturday?

"I don't know, but I'm sure Tommy will put pressure on them," Todd joked.

"That's the big family announcement at the end of Thanksgiving dinner that will occur," Tommy said, laughing.

mblymier@lnpnews.com