Football Game Preview: Manheim Central Barons vs. Solanco Golden Mules

The Manheim Central Barons will square off against the Solanco Golden Mules at 7:00 p.m. on Friday. Both teams are coming into the matchup red-hot, with Manheim Central sitting on three straight wins and Solanco on five.

Manheim Central hadn't beaten Cocalico on the road since November 23, 2018 but that history sure didn't bother them on Friday. The Barons really took it to the Eagles for the full four quarters, racking up a 35-7 victory. The game marked the Barons' most dominant win of the season.

Cody Hess

Receiving Yards (Career)

09/26/25 @ Cocalico	105
08/30/24 @ Ephrata	65
09/05/25 vs Dallastown	48
09/20/24 @ Conrad Weiser	41
09/19/25 vs Conrad Weiser	39

Manheim Central's win was the result of several impressive offensive performances. One of the most notable came from Cody Hess, who picked up 105 receiving yards and a pair of touchdowns. Those 105 receiving yards gave Hess a new career-high. Caleb Moyer was another key back, rushing for 63 yards and one TD on only seven carries.

Wins are hard to come by when you can't run the rock, something Manheim Central proved: they limited Cocalico to a paltry 1.7 yards per carry. The team can thank Isaiah Oxceva for the heroic effort on defense: he. Manheim Central hasn't allowed more than 2.5 yards per carry in three consecutive contests.

Meanwhile, winning is always nice, but doing so behind a season-high score is even better (just ask Solanco). They blew past Conrad Weiser 62-20 on Friday. With the Golden Mules ahead 41-13 at the half, the matchup was all but over already.

Manheim Central better keep an eye on Johnny Garcia. He was instrumental in Solanco's win, rushing for 319 yards and four scores while picking up 19.9 yards per carry. Thanks to that big game, Garcia is now up to 13 rushing touchdowns on the season. The team also got some help courtesy of Kris Burgos-Wise, who rushed for 73 yards and a pair of touchdowns.

Manheim Central's victory bumped their record up to 4-2. As for Solanco, their win bumped their record up to 5-1.

Manheim Central suffered a grim 33-7 defeat to Solanco in their previous matchup back in October of 2024. Will the Barons have more luck at home instead of on the road? Check back here after the action for a full breakdown and analysis of the contest.