Manheim Central is set to take on West Allegheny, and Lancaster Catholic will square off against Philadelphia West Catholic in PIAA football semifinal games this coming weekend.

Here's an early preview ...
THE GAME: District 3 champ Manheim Central Barons (14-0 overall; Lancaster-Lebanon League Section 2 outright champ) vs. District 7 champ West Allegheny Indians (12-2 overall; WPIAL Parkway Conference), PIAA Triple-A semifinal.
WHERE: Mansion Park, Altoona.
WHEN: Friday, 7 p.m.
LIVE BLOG: I will be blogging live from this game at LancSports.com.
WINNER GETS: District 12 champ Archbishop Wood (11-2) or District 4 champ Selinsgrove (14-0) in the state championship game, set for Friday, Dec. 18 at 7 p.m. in Hersheypark Stadium.
THE COACHES: Manheim Central is coached by Mike Williams (29th season; 301-59-3 overall). … West Allegheny is coached by Bob Palko. His son Tyler played QB for West Allegheny, went on to star at Pitt and he's an NFL QB for the Pittsburgh Steelers.
NOTABLE: Manheim Central won its 16th District 3 championship with a wild 35-29 win over Susquehanna Township, which never led, but simply wouldn't go away. … West Allegheny won its fifth WPIAL championship with a victory over Parkway Conference foe Hopewell in the title game. The Indians knocked out reigning state champ and then-No.1-ranked Thomas Jefferson in the WPIAL semifinals. West Allegheny also won WPIAL crowns in 2001, 2000, 1999 and 1997.
MANHEIM CENTRAL SEASON IN REVIEW: Susquehannock (W 58-0), Wilson (W 29-27), Lancaster Catholic (W 42-12), Cocalico (W 17-14), Solanco (W 45-0), Ephrata (W 64-23), Conestoga Valley (W 36-0), Elizabethtown (W 27-0), Lebanon (W 47-0), Garden Spot (W 49-0), Shippensburg (W 49-8), Daniel Boone (W 24-20), Conrad Weiser (W 42-7), Susquehanna Township (W 35-29). … One of only four undefeated teams across the state, along with Selinsgrove, Bishop McCort and Farrell. … Barons have outscored their opponents 564-140 and have six shutout victories to their credit.
WEST ALLEGHENY SEASON IN REVIEW: Chartiers Valley (L 28-24), Hampton (W 26-7), Moon (W 46-6), Ambridge (W 35-21), New Castle (W 28-21), Blackhawk (W 40-0), Hopewell (L 34-26), Freedom (W 41-0), Montour (W 35-22), Knoch (W 31-17), New Castle (W 31-7), Thomas Jefferson (W 28-21), Hopewell (W 36-28), Erie Cathedral Prep (W 36-21). … Riding a 7-game winning streak, and playoff run has been particularly good, with last four wins coming against teams that finished their seasons 42-8. … Indians have outscored their foes 463-233 and have a pair of shutout victories.
MANHEIM CENTRAL PIAA PLAYOFF HISTORY: PIAA Triple-A state champ in 2003 (beat Pine-Richland). … PIAA Triple-A state runner-up in 2004 (lost to Thomas Jefferson).
WEST ALLEGHENY PIAA PLAYOFF HISTORY: PIAA Triple-A state champ in 2001 (beat Strath Haven). … PIAA Triple-A state runner-up in 1999 (lost to Strath Haven). … PIAA Triple-A state runner-up in 2000 (lost to Strath Haven). FYI: Strath Haven topped Manheim Central in all three of those state semifinal games.
EARLY BUZZ: How will Manheim Central's top-ranked defense cope with West Allegheny 2,000-yard rusher Mike Caputo? The junior has rushed for 2,524 yards in the Indians' "Wildcat" attack, where he usually takes a majority of the snaps out of the shotgun.

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THE GAME: District 3 champ Lancaster Catholic Crusaders (13-1 overall; Lancaster-Lebanon League Section 3 outright champ) vs. Philadelphia West Catholic Burrs (12-2 overall; Philadelphia Catholic League), PIAA Double-A semifinal.
WHERE: Red Raider Stadium, Coatesville High School.
WHEN: Saturday, 1 p.m.
LIVE BLOG: Keith Schweigert will be blogging live at LancSports.com.
WINNER GETS: District 10 champ Wilmington (13-1) or District 7 champ Greensburg Central Catholic (12-2) in the state championship game, set for Saturday, Dec. 19 at 1 p.m. in Hersheypark Stadium.
THE COACHES: Lancaster Catholic is coached by Bruce Harbach (9th season; 76-23 overall). … Philadelphia West Catholic is coached by Brian Fluck (11th season; 96-46 overall).
NOTABLE: This is a rematch of last year's PIAA Double-A semifinal, won by Philadelphia West Catholic - 37-14 - on a cold, blustery night at Philadelphia's Northeast High School. … Lancaster Catholic won its fifth District 3 championship, and second in a row, by defeating Delone Catholic. … Philadelphia West Catholic won its fourth Philadelphia Catholic League championship in a row, and the Burrs topped Edward Bok in the District 12 title game.
LANCASTER CATHOLIC SEASON IN REVIEW: Trinity (W 42-0), Ephrata (W 35-7), Manheim Central (L 42-12), Donegal (W 45-0), Lampeter-Strasburg (W 14-13), Pequea Valley (W 62-7), Northern Lebanon (W 59-17), Columbia (W 48-0), Annville-Cleona (W 49-7), Elco (W 51-28), York Suburban (W 48-21), Middletown (W 48-14), Delone Catholic (W 42-6), Loyalsock (W 19-13). … Winning streak up to 11 in a row after grind-it-out win over Loyalsock in a driving snowstorm in state quarterfinals. … Lancaster Catholic has outscored its opponents 574-175 and has three shutout victories.
PHILADELPHIA WEST CATHOLIC SEASON IN REVIEW: Roman Catholic (W 21-18), Penn Charter (W 35-7), LaSalle College (L 16-14), Archbishop Carroll (W 42-7), Archbishop Wood (L 28-21), Kennedy-Kenrick (W 62-0), Cardinal Dougherty (W 57-19), Philadelphia Bishop McDevitt (W 28-12), Cardinal Dougherty (W 44-0), Philadelphia Bishop McDevitt (W 35-7), Philadelphia Bishop McDevitt (W 44-22), Edward Bok (W 21-7), Dunmore (W 13-0), North Schuylkill (W 19-14). … Odd quirk in schedule had West Catholic playing Philadelphia Bishop McDevitt three times in four weeks, including back-to-back weeks in Philadelphia Catholic League and District 12 playoffs. The Burrs won all three by an aggregate 107-41. … Lone losses are to teams that are still alive in PIAA brackets — LaSalle College in Quad-A and Archbishop Wood in Triple-A. Those teams are a combined 23-3 and the losses were by a combined 9 points. … Outscored opponents 456-157; down just a smidge from last year, when the Burrs scored 775 points in 15 games.
LANCASTER CATHOLIC PIAA PLAYOFF HISTORY: This will be the Crusaders' fifth PIAA playoff game, and Lancaster Catholic is 2-2 overall, with wins over Mount Carmel (2008) and Loyalsock (2009) and losses to Montoursville (2005) and Philadelphia West Catholic (2008). This matches last year's trip as the Crusaders' deepest playoff run.
PHILADELPHIA WEST CATHOLIC PIAA PLAYOFF HISTORY: This is the Burrs' second trip to States in a row. Philadelphia West Catholic defeated Palisades, Dunmore and Lancaster Catholic last season before falling to Wilmington (in OT) in the state championship game.
EARLY BUZZ: How will Philadelphia West Catholic's D cope with Lancaster Catholic gunslinger QB Kyle Smith, who is out to make amends after throwing a late pick in last year's game during a critical second-half drive? Speaking of Smith, Pennsylvania's Gatorade Player of the Year needs one TD pass to set the state mark for TD throws in a single-season. He's currently tied with Clearfield's Chad Kroell with 49.

Sports writer Jeffrey Reinhart can be reached at jreinhart@LNPnews.com or 291-8777.