MIDLOTHIAN—Thomas Dale fared better than most of Manchester’s opponents have this season in Saturday’s Region 6B semifinal game.

Well, for a quarter anyway.

Isaiah Todd rushed for 178 yards and a touchdown on 19 carries, and Brendon Clark threw a pair of touchdown passes and ran for two more scores, as the host Lancers overcame an uncharacteristically slow start to beat the Knights 48-7.

The victory sets the stage for a Manchester vs. Colonial Forge playoff showdown for the third consecutive year. The two teams will meet on Friday at 7 p.m. for the region title at Forge. The Eagles won the previous two meetings, including a 48-27 win in last season’s regional title tilt.

On Saturday night, Dale (9-3) had to feel good about it’s chances against Manchester (12-0) when it found itself down just 7-0 after the first quarter. After all, the Knights were facing a Lancers team that came in averaging a whopping 59.3 points per game this season. Despite Clark’s 4-yard touchdown run in the quarter, Dale had stonewalled Manchester on four downs in its own territory on the game’s opening drive, and forced a fumble to halt another Lancers’ drive at midfield.

Then the second quarter happened.

After starting the game 0-for-7 passing, Clark found Miles Moore for a 9-yard touchdown at the 8:10 mark of the quarter. The scoring opportunity was set up by Manchester’s defense after defensive lineman Hakeem Beamon intercepted a screen pass attempt by Dale quarterback Jasiah Williams. Beamon, a Penn State commit, made an impressive lunging catch on the play.

On the Lancers’ next possession, Clark hooked up with Tre’ Clark for a 12-yard score that made it 21-0 with 6:15 remaining in the first half.

Clark connected with Brandon Majette for a 65-yard completion down the left sideline later in the quarter, which led to Todd’s 6-yard scoring scamper and a 28-0 Manchester advantage.

Punctuating the scoring explosion, the Lancers drove 67 yards for another touchdown just before halftime. Clark’s second touchdown run of the game—this time from 12 yards out—gave Manchester a 35-0 lead and all but ended the proceedings.

Clark finished the game 5 of 14 for 105 yards. As a whole, the Lancers outgained the Knights 459-150.

Williams scored Thomas Dale’s lone touchdown on a 58-yard sprint with 56 seconds left in the game.

Manchester has now outscored its 12 opponents this season by a combined 700-53. The Lancers have scored at least 47 points in all of those contests.

Check back later in the week for an in-depth preview of the Region 6B championship game between Manchester and Colonial Forge.