WEST LAWN — Penn Manor's football team was successful in making an early statement.

But as is often the case at this time of year, Wilson ended up having the final word.

Overcoming a spirited effort by the Comets out of the gate, and a small handful of atypical miscues, fifth-seeded Wilson rolled to a 38-17 victory over No. 12 seed Penn Manor in the first round of the District Three Class AAAA playoffs Friday night at John Gurski Stadium.

It was the second time in three weeks that the Bulldogs (10-1) beat Manor (6-5), which lost a 29-6 L-L League Section One decision to Wilson in Week Nine.

The fifth-seeded Bulldogs will play at No. 4 seed Daniel Boone (10-1)  — a 21-20 winner over 13th-seeded Chambersburg — in next Friday's quarterfinal round.

"We were very sloppy," Wilson coach Doug Dahms assessed afterward. "Give Penn Manor credit, they played tough football. ... And it's hard to beat any team twice (in one season)."

The Bulldogs made it a little harder on themselves with two lost fumbles and six penalties for 65 yards, but were able to weather those issues thanks to another rock-solid effort from their defense and another sterling performance from senior running back Rodney Gillin.

After holding Wilson to three-and-out on the first series of the game, the Comets marched 66 yards on 12 plays on their first offensive drive. It was capped by quarterback Adam Sahd's 26-yard touchdown strike to Daulton Parmer (3 catches, 44 yards, 2 TDs), which gave Manor a 7-0 lead with 5:23 remaining in the first quarter.

"We knew we could win this game," Sahd said.

But Gillin started to find his rhythm somewhere in the middle of the Bulldogs' next possession — a 12-play, 75-yard scoring drive that ended with his five-yard TD run, tying the game at  7-7 just six seconds into the second quarter.

Wilson took the lead for good on a one-play scoring drive on its next series, when quarterback Seth Klein hit Jacob Morgan (4-104) with a 44-yard TD pass.

"That doesn't help," Manor coach Todd Mealy said of the short series. "Make them snap the ball over and over again. That's what you have to do against Wilson."

After carrying eight more times for 70 yards to set up a 33-yard Madison Miller field goal, Gillin began to break the game open. He ended a two-play scoring drive with an 87-yard TD run that made it 24-7 with 9:05 remaining in the first half.

By game's end, Gillin had churned out 208 yards and three TDs on 23 carries.

Meanwhile, Wilson's defense was up to its usual business, holding the Comets to 121 total yards, including 66 ground yards on 36 carries.

The Bulldogs officially put it away with TD runs from Gillin and Jimmy Brooks on back-to-back drives in the fourth quarter.

"This year we made a good run," said Sahd, one of many underclassmen who will return to the Comets' lineup. "But next year ... we should have a breakout year if we buy into our system."

jfulginiti@lnpnews.com