Former Cocalico standout field hockey player Dana Sensenig chats about her experience at the Olympic Games in Beijing with Lancaster Sunday News.

Gotta tell you that Reinhart’s Rankings gets a little tougher to do the deeper we get into the season.

I do this fun – I tried to reward some teams early on for solid play. But now that we’re in the home stretch, I’m trying my hardest to really nail this top 5.

And it ain’t easy.

Had to flip a few coins and chuck a few darts for this week’s poll, which looks a little something like this …

1. Wilson (4-0, 7-0) – Bulldogs spotted cross-town rival Reading a quick 6-0 lead, then held the Red Knights to (get this) 34 rushing yards, 9 passing yards and 5 first downs. Ugh. Wilson won 46-6, and saw its defense vault to the top of the L-L League ranks: 158.0 yards per game. Scary, scary, scary. And now that senior QB Steve Huber has settled in under center (after a knee ailment earlier this season), Wilson’s O has been efficient, and is humming right along. When’s that Penn Manor game? NEXT: Friday at home against Manheim Township, which is coming off a gut-wrenching 20-19 loss to Penn Manor. Blue Streaks’ three losses are by a grand total of (gulp) five points. And now they have to go on the road to take on Wilson. Hey, maybe we’ll get a ‘Bulldog Punt’ on Friday? You know Township is going to pull out all the stops in this one, because nobody has had much luck with Wilson through the first seven weeks. Hang a star next to this game. Township beat Wilson up pretty good in the rain last year in Neffsville. Seems like something nutty always happens when these two get together.

2. Penn Manor (4-0, 7-0) – Yeah, yeah. I’ll admit it: I picked Township to beat the Comets in Week 7. And you have to admit: That pick was looking pretty good for a while there, wasn’t it? Don’t fret, Millersville. I’m still a Comet believer. The Hempfield win got my attention, and the Township win sealed it. These guys are most definitely for real, and continue to get it done on D. I know Township piled up some yards, but the Comets are giving up just 169.3 yards a game – third-best in the league; which is still really, really good. And Penn Manor has allowed just 55 points – least in the league. So yeah, I’m a believer. NEXT: Friday at Warwick, which is coming off back-to-back squeaker victories – 16-15 against Reading and 21-19 over McCaskey. Can the Comets keep it up? Circle this game for sure.

3. Lancaster Catholic (4-0, 6-1) – Crusaders laid the smackdown on Northern Lebanon, rolling the Vikings 61-0 to get some serious redemption for last year’s 17-13 Week 10 loss in Fredericksburg. I had a goofy feeling that Catholic might, um, you know, put up a big number against Northern Lebanon. And, um, yeah, the Crusaders sure did. I’m still digging what the Vikings are doing, by the way. But to have to go on the road and face the first-place team with the second-ranked D in the league and a red-hot QB (Kyle Smith) plus a team that has had you circled for a year … do the math. Catholic held Northern Lebanon to 0 passing yards and three first downs. The Crusaders are still tied for first with gritty Annville-Cleona, which continues to win (A-C 35, Columbia 0). Crusaders and Little Dutchmen will do battle in Week 9. I’m going to dig up Smith’s passing numbers this week. I don’t think he’s thrown a pick since like Week 2 or something crazy. Stay tuned for that. NEXT: Friday at Columbia in a rivalry game. Crimson Tide is hurting defensively.

4. Manheim Central (4-0, 5-2) – Barons took care of old rival Conestoga Valley 34-7. Thought there might be some more points in that one, if you know what I mean. But Central won and continued its torrid stretch; that’s four wins in a row since the losses to Lancaster Catholic and Wilson, and the Barons have definitely picked up a ton of speed. Granted, the last two wins were over Ephrata (0-7) and CV (0-7), but you still have to block and tackle and execute. Running out of superlatives for Dakota Royer. Stud. Monster. Freak. Pick a word, any word. He’s just a special player. Oh yeah, Barons are alone in first place in Section 2. Been a few years since I’ve typed those words. NEXT: Friday at home against Elizabethtown. Let the hype begin. Hoping this game won’t lose much luster since Cocalico knocked off the Bears 35-34 in Week 7. This should still be a beauty. Don’t forget: E-town waxed Central 56-14 last year in E-town, and it wasn’t pretty. The Bears scored late, and let’s just say that didn’t go over very well with all parties involved. This one has been circled in Central’s weight room the last 11 months (in great big, bold letters), so there could be some serious sparks flying in this one. Three stars.

5. Cocalico (3-1, 6-1) – The Eagles continue to amaze me. Their rushing attack is just incredible with Kyle Fisher, Austin Hartman and Matt Carty back there. Fisher is incredible. Like Royer over at Central, I’ve run out of words to describe Cocalico’s fleet running back. His 75-yard TD run at E-town in Week 7 was jaw-dropping. He was like a flash. The kid is averaging like 13 yards a carry, and he’s a threat to score every single time he touches the ball. Every time. Hartman has chiseled himself into quite the durable, pick-up-the-tough-yards back. He got a bulk of the carries against E-town, and did not disappoint. And Carty has been making great reads in the Veer at QB. He’s really, really good in the option game, and it seems like he always knows when to stick it in Hartman’s gut, when to pitch it to Fisher, and when to pull it and take off. Scary, scary offense here, folks. D has bent a bunch, but hasn’t completely broken. Cocalico has given up some points (56 to Central, 38 to Lebanon, 34 to E-town), but this O has had an answer every single time. NEXT: Friday at home against Garden Spot. Another week, another key Section 2 game. Spartans are also 3-1 in the section, so the winner here stays right in it. The loser will need some major help down the stretch.

Week 7 is in the books … and here are my ‘3 Stars’ from Friday night’s games …

Derek Deshaw, senior WR/DB, Garden Spot – A big night on both sides of the ball for the Spartans’ two-way threat, who picked off three passes and hauled in a TD catch in Garden Spot’s 30-0 whitewash over Ephrata. Deshaw returned one of his three thefts 47 yards for a touchdown, and he also hauled in an 8-yard TD pass from Weston Martin, as the Spartans improved 3-1 in Section 2, and remained just a game behind sole leader Manheim Central in the race.

Chad Frey, junior RB/LB, Lampeter-Strasburg – Frey had his fingerprints all over the Pioneers’ 39-0 Section 3 win over Donegal, returning a punt for a score and getting a pair of rushing touchdowns in the victory. Frey returned a punt 56 yards for a score, and he had TD runs of 7 and 12 yards, respectively, for L-S, which picked up a much-needed victory. The Pioneers improved to 2-2 in the section, and must win out to salvage a .500 season.

Kyle Smith, junior QB, Lancaster Catholic – In the much-anticipated rematch game against Northern Lebanon, Smith was super, completing 9-of-14 passes for 192 yards and three touchdowns in the Crusaders’ 61-0 victory. Smith also had a 36-yard TD run in the rout, as Catholic improved to 4-0 in Section 3 and remained in a first-place tie with Annville-Cleona. Smith had an 8-yard TD pass to Travis Jankowski, a 34-yard TD pass to Kevin Cotchen, and a 60-yard TD pass to Tyler Purvis against Northern Lebanon.

JEFFREY REINHART jreinhart@LNPnews.com

Some fun numbers to chew on …

BLOCKED PUNT RETURN FOR TD
Kyeremeh, Cedar Crest – 19 yards vs. Wilson
Morgan, Wilson – 12 yards vs. Manheim Central
Kyeremeh, Cedar Crest – 1 yard vs. Wilson
PUNT RETURN FOR TD
Orwig, Northern Lebanon – 71 yards vs. Elco
Frey, L-S – 56 yards vs. Donegal
Fureman, Lebanon – 54 yards vs. Solanco
KICK RETURN FOR TD
Fisher, Cocalico – 96 yards, vs. Manheim Central
McIntyre, Columbia – 94 yards vs. Elco
Weidman, Elizabethtown – 92 yards vs. Solanco
Fisher, Cocalico – 90 yards vs. Manheim Central
Sellers, Cedar Crest – 89 yards vs. Conestoga Valley
Lightfoot, Columbia – 85 yards vs. Eastern York
Fegley, Wilson – 80 yards vs. Reading
Persch, Pequea Valley – 70 yards vs. Upper Dauphin
Arnold, Elco – 55 yards vs. Columbia
FUMBLE RETURN FOR TD
Clark, Northern Lebanon – 62 yards vs. Annville-Cleona
Eberly, Manheim Township – 61 yards vs. Elizabethtown
Cook,  Reading – 55 yards vs. Governor Mifflin
Wells, Ephrata – 48 yards vs. Manheim Central
Kennedy, Elizabethtown – 28 yards vs. McCaskey
O’Brien, Wilson – 16 yards vs. Hempfield
Fox, Garden Spot – 13 yards vs. Conestoga Valley
Appling, Reading – in end zone vs. Wilson
INTERCEPTION RETURN FOR TD
Fegley, Wilson – 98 yards vs. Cedar Crest
Eberly, Manheim Township – 85 yards vs. Ephrata
Ebersole, Manheim Central – 80 yards vs. Cocalico
Kelley, Garden Spot – 59 yards vs. Lampeter-Strasburg
Capello, Lebanon – 58 yards vs. Cedar Crest
Enck, Solanco – 55 yards vs. Manheim Central
Rissell, Cocalico – 52 yards vs. Lebanon
Trafford, Manheim Central – 51 yards vs. Ephrata
Cotchen, Lancaster Catholic – 48 yards vs. Pequea Valley
DeShaw, Garden Spot – 47 yards vs. Conestoga Valley
DeShaw, Garden Spot – 47 yards vs. Ephrata
Houser, Lancaster Catholic – 45 yards vs. Pequea Valley
Quinones, Lebanon – 42 yards vs. Elco
George, Elco – 39 yards vs. Pequea Valley
Noll, Penn Manor – 32 yards vs. McCaskey
Young, Annville-Cleona – 22 yards vs. Pequea Valley
Marsh, Solanco – 18 yards vs. Penn Manor
Beck, Wilson – 8 yards vs. Cedar Crest
MISSED FIELD GOAL RETURN FOR TD
Purvis, Lancaster Catholic – 95 yards vs. Donegal
BLOCKED FIELD GOAL RETURN FOR TD
Rosales,  Garden Spot – 54 yards vs. Elizabethtown
FIELD GOALS
Youtz, Annville-Cleona – 41 yards vs. Pequea Valley
Stoltzfus, Garden Spot – 40 yards vs. Warwick
Bitner, Penn Manor — 39 yards vs. Lampeter-Strasburg
Bitner, Penn Manor – 37 yards vs. McCaskey
Groff, Manheim Central – 37 yards vs. Solanco
Bitner, Penn Manor – 36 yards vs. Hempfield
Wenger, Elco – 36 yards vs. Lebanon
Haldeman, Hempfield – 34 yards vs. Cedar Crest
Stoltzfus, Garden Spot – 33 yards vs. Conestoga Valley
Witmyer, Wilson – 33 yards vs. McCaskey
Sandoe, Elco – 32 yards vs. Pine Grove
Stoltzfus, Garden Spot – 29 yards vs. Lampeter-Strasburg
Long, Elizabethtown – 27 yards vs. Solanco
Haldeman, Hempfield – 26 yards vs. McCaskey
Youtz, Annville-Cleona – 26 yards vs. Northern Lebanon
Youtz, Annville-Cleona – 26 yards vs. Northern Lebanon
Beliz, Reading – 25 yards vs. Warwick
Chieppor, Manheim Township – 25 yards vs. Warwick
Haines, Solanco – 25 yards vs. Conestoga Valley
Witmyer, Wilson – 25 yards vs. Hempfield
Bua, L-S – 23 yards vs. Lancaster Catholic
Chieppor, Manheim Township – 23 yards vs. Warwick
Long, Elizabethtown – 23 yards vs. Solanco
Stoltzfus, Garden Spot – 23 yards vs. Ephrata
Haldeman, Hempfield – 22 yards vs. Carlisle
Clark, Northern Lebanon – 20 yards vs. Elco
Perau, Manheim Township – 20 yards vs. Penn Manor
Perau, Manheim Township – 20 yards vs. Penn Manor
Bitner, Penn Manor – 19 yards vs. Exeter
Yohn, Warwick – 18 yards vs. Reading

JEFFREY REINHART jreinhart@LNPnews.com

LANCASTER-LEBANON LEAGUE
FOOTBALL TEAM STATISTICS
THROUGH WEEK 7

SCORING MARGIN

Wilson – 279 for, 69 against, plus-210
Lancaster Catholic – 250 for, 78 against, plus-172
Manheim Central – 230 for, 119 against, plus-111
Elizabethtown – 229 for, 136 against, plus-93
Penn Manor – 145 for, 55 against, plus-90
Manheim Township – 182 for, 96 against, plus-86
Garden Spot – 197 for, 113 against, plus-84
Cocalico – 274 for, 191 against, plus-83
Annville-Cleona – 195 for, 122 against, plus-73
Lebanon – 264 for, 192 against, plus-72
Hempfield – 219 for, 156 against, plus-63
Warwick – 167 for, 109 against, plus-58
Elco – 208 for, 189 against, plus-19
Solanco – 130 for, 113 against, plus-17
Northern Lebanon – 158 for, 143 against, plus-15
Lampeter-Strasburg – 146 for, 144 against, plus-2
Donegal – 121 for, 216 against, minus-95
Reading – 73 for, 196 against, minus-123
Cedar Crest – 123 for, 264 against, minus-141
Columbia – 128 for, 302 against, minus-174
Conestoga Valley – 74 for, 251 against, minus-177
McCaskey – 79 for, 257 against, minus-178
Ephrata – 67 for, 300 against, minus-233
Pequea Valley – 72 for, 315 against, minus-243 [Read more →]

Random thoughts while waiting to post game stories at 12:42 a.m. early Saturday …

FISHER: Running out of superlatives to describe Cocalico senior RB Kyle Fisher. He was spectacular Friday night against Elizabethtown: The 140 rushing yards were (believe it or not) below his average. But his game-winning 75-yard TD burst was nothing short of amazing. Facing third-and-10, he took a simple toss and bolted, racing untouched down his own sideline for the go-ahead score in Cocalico’s thrill-a-minute 35-34 victory over Elizabethtown. Fisher also had a 7-yard TD run and he caught a 56-yard TD pass from QB Matt Carty. Fisher is the fastest kid I’ve ever seen in football pads.

GOOSE EGGS: A bunch of shutouts in Week 7 – Garden Spot 30, Ephrata 0; Annville-Cleona 35, Columbia 0; Lancaster Catholic 61, Northern Lebanon 0; and Lampeter-Strasburg 39, Donegal 0 … four shutouts in 12 games (three in Section 3 alone). Interesting.

TWO TIES, ONE FOR THE SHOW: Section 1 and Section 3 have two-way ties for first place, while Section 2 has a solo leader through Week 7. … In Section 1, Wilson (4-0, 7-0) and Penn Manor (4-0, 7-0) share the top spot, after the Bulldogs whacked Reading 46-6 and the Comets outlasted Manheim Township 20-19. … In Section 2, just one team remained unbeaten – Manheim Central (4-0, 5-2) – with a very, very interesting race right behind the Barons, with Cocalico (3-1), Garden Spot (3-1) and Elizabethtown (3-1) all right there. … In Section 3, Lancaster Catholic (4-0, 6-1) and Annville-Cleona (4-0, 5-2) are tied at the top. Those two will knock heads in Week 9, by the way.

REVENGE (PART 1): Looks like Lancaster Catholic got some major redemption against Northern Lebanon on Friday night. The Vikings derailed the Crusaders 17-13 a year ago in Week 10 at Northern Lebanon, knocking Catholic into a share of the Section 3 crown with Lampeter-Strasburg. The Crusaders have had this game circled ever since, and Friday night, Catholic took its frustrations out on Northern Lebanon.

REVENGE (PART 2): Another game with redemption written all over it was Cocalico at Elizabethtown. The Bears were 9-0 when they went to Denver in Week 10 last year, but the Eagles dropped Etown, forcing the Bears to share the section crown with Solanco. Cocalico tossed a monkey wrench into E-town’s first-place plans for the second year in a row on Friday night.

WEEK 8 SLATE: Just perusing next Friday’s schedule, and to be brutally honest, not a lot jumps out at me. Of course, I’m sitting here falling asleep with my fingers on the laptop, so I’m not exactly in big-game L-L League football mode. All apologies for that. Game of the week is probably in Manheim, where the Barons will host Elizabethtown in an interesting Section 2 game. Central is the outright section leader. E-town is a game back. And there should be plenty of hype surrounding that game, considering what the Bears did to the Barons last year – 56-14 in E-town. You know Central has had this one circled ever since. … Also on the docket, Wilson (4-0) will host Manheim Township (3-1), Garden Spot (3-1) is at Cocalico (3-1) and Elco (3-1) will travel to Annville-Cleona (4-0).

PODCASTS COMING: Caught up with several folks after Cocalico’s big win over at Elizabethtown on Friday night. On Monday, please check back for interviews with: Cocalico coach Dave Gingrich, Cocalico QB Matt Carty, Cocalico RB Kyle Fisher, Cocalico WR/DB Kyle Rissell and Elizabethtown coach Jeff Polites.

DOMINATING DEFENSE: My favorite defensive stat from Friday night – Lancaster Catholic held Northern Lebanon to three first down and 35 yards of total offense. The Crusaders forced the league’s passing efficiency leader – Northern Lebanon senior Matt Nolan, who was 21-for-28 coming into the game – to a 0-for-7 performance with two picks.

ANOTHER RAZORBACK: Looks like you can add Conestoga Valley to the list of local programs going with some sort of spread or single-wing type of scheme. Against Manheim Central – which topped the Bucks for the 19th time in their last 20 meetings, by the way – CV coach Gerad Novak had scatback Kevin Kelley lined up behind center in the shotgun taking a majority of the snaps. Kelley responded with more than 170 rushing yards, including a 61-yard TD bolt – CV’s lone score in the game.

That’s all I have for now … feel like I’m falling asleep at the wheel here. Sorry.

Check back later this weekend for Reinhart’s Rankings and some random L-L League stat leaders … plus my 3 Stars. Followed by all kinds of stuff. Up next: Week 8.
 

Just returned from Elizabethtown, where I blogged live from a wildly entertaining L-L League Section 2 showdown, won by Cocalico — 35-34 over E-town. The loss bumped the Bears out of a first-place tie with Manheim Central, which topped archrival Conestoga Valley and moved into sole possession of first place in Section 2.

Section 1, meanwhile, is down to a two-way tie for first, after Wilson dismantled Reading 46-6, and Penn Manor edged Manheim Township 20-19 in an instant classic, leaving the Bulldogs and the Comets tied atop the section race.

And in Section 3, Lancaster Catholic and Annville-Cleona each earned shutout victories to remain tied for first.

Much, much, much more to follow on these games, and looking forward to Week 8.

Friday finals …

SECTION 1

Wilson 46, Reading 6

Penn Manor 20, Manheim Township 19

Warwick 21, McCaskey 19

Hempfield 54, Cedar Crest 14

SECTION 2

Manheim Central 34, Conestoga Valley 7

Cocalico 35, Elizabethtown 34

Garden Spot 30, Ephrata 0

Lebanon 41, Solanco 35

SECTION 3

Lancaster Catholic 61, Northern Lebanon 0

Annville-Cleona 35, Columbia 0

Elco 47, Pequea Valley 6

Lampeter-Strasburg 39, Donegal 0

Sorry! No audio package to go along with the Millersville grid this week. Tried like heck to catch up with a couple of Lancaster-Lebanon League alums, but our paths got crossed up. So all apologies for that … I’ll try and check in with some former L-L League players next week …

But please continue reading for a quick MU-Cheyney preview …

THE GAME: Cheyney (0-3 PSAC East, 0-6 overall) @ Millersville (0-3 PSAC East, 0-6 overall), Saturday, 1 p.m., Chryst Field at Biemesderfer Stadium.

ONLINE: Marauder Sports Broadcasting Network — www.millersville.edu/~athletic – with Domenic Panza and Brad Chandler.

THE SERIES: MU leads 52-4-1 in a series that dates back to 1951. … MU has won the last 24 games in a row, including a 16-0 victory last year. … Cheyney’s last win in the series was in 1983 (21-20). [Read more →]

Here are your Lancaster-Lebanon League Quarterback Club Players of the Week from Week 6 …

SECTION 1

BACK OF THE WEEK – Warwick’s Eric Resch rushed for 141 yards on 26 carries on offense, and he made eight tackles on D in the Warriors’ last-minute 16-15 win over Reading.

LINEMAN OF THE WEEK – Penn Manor’s Cody Booth had three sacks, five total tackles, two tackles for losses and he batted down a pair of passes in the Comets’ 23-0 win over McCaskey.

SECTION 2

BACK OF THE WEEK – Cocalico WR/LB Kyle Rissell had nine solo tackles and four assisted tackles, two tackles for losses, a sack and two interceptions on defense. He returned one of the picks 53 yards for a touchdown. He also returned three punts for 48 yards in the Eagles’ 53-38 win over Lebanon.

LINEMAN OF THE WEEK – Solanco OG/DT Bryan Boulden had six solo tackles, five assisted tackles and an interception of defense, and he had a high blocking grade and made two pancake blocks on offense in the Mules’ 24-14 win over Conestoga Valley.

SECTION 3

BACK OF THE WEEK – Elco QB/DB Arron Achey completed 17-of-24 passes for 210 yards and rushed for 88 yards and four touchdowns on 17 keepers on offense, and on D he had a sack, an interception, recovered a fumble and was in on 12 tackles (six solos) in the Raiders’ 35-28 win over L-S.

LINEMAN OF THE WEEK – Northern Lebanon LB Graham Musselwhite had 13 tackles (9 solos), picked off a pass, recovered a fumble, registered a sack and defended a pass in the Vikings’ 40-14 win over Columbia.

JEFFREY REINHART jreinhart@LNPnews.com

LANCASTER-LEBANON LEAGUE
FOOTBALL STATISTICS
THROUGH WEEK 6

RUSHING YARDS

Dakotah Lightfoot, Columbia – 124 carries for 987 yards, 8.0 avg., 10 TD
Kyle Fisher, Cocalico – 75 carries for 962 yards, 12.8 avg., 14 TD
Eric Resch, Warwick – 148 carries for 848 yards, 5.7 avg., 12 TD
Kyle Witmer, Donegal – 96 carries for 808 yards, 8.4 avg., 8 TD
Matt Nolan, Northern Lebanon – 108 carries for 757 yards, 7.0 avg., 9 TD
James Capello, Lebanon – 71 carries for 701 yards, 9.9 avg., 6 TD
Austin Hartman, Cocalico – 82 carries for 673 yards, 8.2 avg., 6 TD
Terry Clark, Northern Lebanon – 119 carries for 672 yards, 5.6 avg., 5 TD
Dan Wertz, Manheim Township – 130 carries for 636 yards, 4.9 avg., 9 TD
Arron Achey, Elco – 85 carries for 615 yards, 7.2 avg., 12 TD
Fruquan Gaston, Reading – 88 carries for 585 yards, 6.7 avg., 5 TD
Jarvis Cummings, Hempfield – 98 carries for 584 yards, 6.0 avg., 8 TD
Sean Noll, Penn Manor – 94 carries for 563 yards, 6.0 avg., 3 TD

Joe Good, L-S — 82 carries for 550 yards, 6.7 avg., 2 TD
Kevin Kelley, CV – 91 carries for 548 yards, 6.0 avg., 6 TD
Conrad Heisey, Elizabethtown – 75 carries for 544 yards, 7.3 avg., 6 TD
Zacc Groff, Wilson – 59 carries for 523 yards, 8.9 avg., 9 TD
Ben Arnold, Elco – 73 carries for 472 yards, 6.5 avg., 5 TD
Chris Seltzer, Lebanon – 87 carries for 456 yards, 5.2 avg., 9 TD
Shane Rosenberry, Elizabethtown – 78 carries for 447 yards, 5.7 avg., 6 TD
Justin Weatherholtz, Elco – 74 carries for 393 yards, 5.3 avg., 4 TD
Andersan Beamer, Garden Spot – 79 carries for 378 yards, 4.8 avg., 2 TD
Matt Carty, Cocalico – 60 carries for 376 yards, 6.3 avg., 6 TD
Mitch Weidman, Elizabethtown – 53 carries for 374 yards, 7.1 avg., 4 TD
Eric Macik, Hempfield – 53 carries for 367 yards, 6.9 avg., 4 TD
Dean May, A-C – 60 carries for 359 yards, 6.0 avg., 4 TD
Jordan Stewart, Lancaster Catholic – 63 carries for 329 yards, 5.2 avg., 5 TD
Nate Myers, A-C – 75 carries for 324 yards, 4.3 avg., 5 TD
A.J. Pacana, Donegal – 56 carries for 316 yards, 5.6 avg., 5 TD

[Read more →]

LAST WEEK: 10-2
OVERALL: 54-21

Time for more pigskin prognostications … the Week 7 slate is a tricky one. A couple of really big games on the docket, including a first-place showdown in Millersville, where Penn Manor will welcome Manheim Township.

Better put my thinking cap on …

Hempfield @ Cedar Crest – Black Knights are thinking Districts. Falcons (minus-9) need to cut down on the turnovers. Hempfield O gets back in the saddle. Knights soar, 42-13.

Manheim Township @ Penn Manor – Can the Comets go to 7-0? I really like Township here. Call it a hunch. A lot of the Blue Streaks’ players have been in big games like this one. I think that experience will pay dividends in the end. Could be a defensive struggle here, so don’t expect a score-fest. But do expect a ton of heavy hitting. Township 14-13.

Warwick @ McCaskey – Warriors feeling a little better about things after topping Reading at the wire last Friday. Red Tornado not scoring enough and turning it over too much. That’s not a good formula. Warwick wins 27-7.

Wilson @ Reading – Mother of all Berks County rivalries in this one. Red Knights showed some signs of life last Friday against Warwick, taking the Warriors to the wire in Lititz. Wilson is playing in its own stratosphere these days. Bulldogs growl (again), 45-7.

Cocalico @ Elizabethtown – Really like this game, and I’ll be blogging live from E-town on Friday. Rematch/payback/revenge game from Week 10 last year, when the Eagles bumped off the Bears and cost them an outright Section 2 title. So this one has been circled in E-town’s camp for a bit. Veer vs. Wing-T with two of the top offenses in the league slugging it out. So it should come down to who can make the most stops. And E-town’s D is pretty good at that. Bears in a brawl, 28-20. (And here’s some free advice to E-town’s special teams coach: pssst, don’t kick the ball to Kyle Fisher. You’re welcome.)

Conestoga Valley @ Manheim Central – Remember when time used to stand still for this game? Not so much anymore. Buckskins made some waves with that nice win in 2006. But Central has won 19 of the last 20 in this series. Make it 20 out of 21. Barons continue to pick up speed, 49-7.

Solanco @ Lebanon – Calling this my upset special of the week. Not that Vegas has a point-spread on this game, but you know what I mean. I really, really like Solanco’s D, and they always find a way to make you do things you just don’t like to do. That said, I have a gut feeling the Golden Mules’ brass will find a way to discombobulate the “Air Raid” and frustrate the heck out of Lebanon. I’m going Solanco here, 21-20. And I should get some extra credit for using ‘discombobulate’ in a sentence, right?

Ephrata @ Garden Spot – Spartans’ passing attack is one of the best in the league. Mountaineers’ passing D is last in the league. That could spell big trouble for Ephrata – which continues to improve week-to-week. But the Mounts will have their hands full with Weston Martin, Kyle Kelley, Tyler Eby and Co. Garden Spot 35-10.

Columbia @ Annville-Cleona – No, don’t adjust your glasses: the Little Dutchmen really are 3-0 and tied for first in Section 3 with Lancaster Catholic. What a nice story they’ve been. Columbia’s D has been punished. Crimson Tide is last in the league in total team defense and in rushing yards against. That’s not a very good trend. Look for Tide back Dakotah Lightfoot to crash the 1,000-yard club in this one. But A-C is sailing, and is really enjoying its view from the top. Dutchmen 35-14.

Donegal @ Lampeter-Strasburg – Any other year, this is your typical monster Section 3 game. This year … well, it doesn’t have the luster. But it’s still a pivotal game, because you know L-S wants to run the table and salvage a .500 season. And you know Donegal would love to run the table, get to six wins and keep its fingers crossed for a district bid. Still scratching my head about the fortunes of both of the teams, if you must know. I’m going L-S here, 27-21.

Northern Lebanon @ Lancaster Catholic – You know the Crusaders have had this one circled since Week 10 last year, when the Vikings upset Catholic in Week 10, forcing the Crusaders to share the section hardware with L-S. Catholic didn’t like that very much, and you know they’ve been salivating for this rematch for the last 10 or 11 months. I’ve learned over the last couple of years not to make the Crusaders angry. And I think they’ll go into this game with huge chips on their shoulders. I also think Catholic won’t get caught looking ahead again. Crusaders get some redemption, 34-13.

Pequea Valley @ Elco – Digging the Raiders right now. They’ve won two in a row, their rushing attack is gnarly, and at 3-3, they have postseason aspirations. The Braves? Well, they have 18 kids on the roster. Do the math. Elco, 52-14.
 

Are you ready for Week 7? If not, then kindly keep reading for my Week 7 preview capsules — stacked with everything and anything you need to know about this week’s games. Enjoy …

THE GAME: Hempfield (1-2, 4-2) @ Cedar Crest (0-3, 1-5), Friday, 7 p.m.
ON THE RADIO: This game will be broadcast live on WLBR-AM 1270.
LAST WEEK: Hempfield ran smack dab into Wilson’s vaunted D and left West Lawn with a 45-13 loss. … Cedar Crest fell to Manheim Township 40-14.
NOTABLE: Hempfield topped Cedar Crest 35-14 in Week 10 last year in Landisville.
KEY STATS: Hempfield’s key stat is 92 – the Black Knights have 92 first downs, tied for most in Section 1. … Cedar Crest’s key stat is minus-9 – the Falcons’ turnover ratio is minus-9, worst in the league.
ABOUT HEMPFIELD: Looking for a bounce-back after a humbling trip to Wilson, where the Bulldogs held the Knights to 94 rushing yards and 99 passing yards. … No. 14 in the latest District 3 Quad-A rankings.
ABOUT CEDAR CREST: Falcons have 17 giveaways – second-most in Section 1. … Second-best punting unit in the league, averaging 37.2 yards per boot.

QUOTABLE: Hempfield coach Bob Forgrave – “We have to get back on the horse and ride.”

Cedar Crest coach Mike Robinson – “Hempfield is very aggressive up front, and their offensive and defensive lines really come off the ball. I’m definitely impressed with their ability up front. … (Senior RB Eric) Macik is a player. He can run the ball inside and off-tackle very effectively. And (senior QB Jarvis) Cummings is a big-play threat. We need to contain him on the option and the keeper.” [Read more →]

Reigning L-L League champ Leah Rutt will be the top seed in the upcoming District 3 Triple-A singles tournament; she’s the defending champ in that bracket, as well

Reigning Lancaster-Lebanon League Triple-A singles champ Leah Rutt has earned the No. 1 seed for the upcoming District 3 girls’ tennis tournament.

The first two rounds are set for Saturday at Cedar Crest, and the final two rounds are set for next Monday at Elco.

Rutt, who plays for McCaskey’s team but attends Lancaster Christian, received a first-round bye in the Triple-A bracket, and will take on the winner of a first-round match featuring Dallastown’s Melissa Plowman against Governor Mifflin’s Alyssa Gleason.

Rutt is the defending District 3 Triple-A champ, and she’ll be out to defend her title starting Saturday.

Meanwhile, L-L League Triple-A runner-up Chelsie Yacks, from Hempfield, will face a familiar foe in the first round: Manheim Township’s Caroline Barry.

Barry’s teammate, the Blue Streaks’ Lauren Stauffer, will square off against Wilson’s Cara Wirth, and Manheim Central’s Melanie Nolt to face Central York’s Jen Learmonth in other first-round Triple-A matches on Saturday.

In Double-A, one local player earned a top-4 seed: reigning L-L League Double-A champ Laura Habecker from Lancaster Country Day. She’ll take on Tulpehocken’s Lauren Zezenski in the first round.

Another Habecker – Country Day’s Anne – will take on York Suburban’s Amanda Blyth; Lancaster Mennonite’s Erin Ipsen will face Harrisburg Academy’s Laura Willms; and Donegal’s Whitney Breneman will square off against No. 3 seed Ava Spoden from York Catholic in other Double-A first-round matches on Saturday.

Week 7 is upon is … a bunch of big games on the slate, including the first-place showdown in Millersville, where Penn Manor (3-0, 6-0) will welcome Manheim Township (3-0, 4-2) in a Section 1 showdown.

You can listen to me break down all 12 games in my weekly Podcast preview by clicking on the ‘play’ button above.

You can also download this sucker and play it on your favorite mp3 device by clicking right here.

Enjoy the games — and if you can’t make it out, be sure to check for Keith’s live blog from Penn Manor-Township and my live blog from Elizabethtown-Cocalico at the L-L League Insider at lancsports.com on Friday night.

Former Manheim Central standout chats about his days with the Barons, and previews Saturday’s Centennial Conference game against Franklin & Marshall

If you’re a local football fan, you’ve heard the term before.

He’s a Manheim Kid.

Not the biggest dude. Ticker is always going. Big heart. Gives 110 percent on every play – practice and on Friday night. Tough nut. Grinder.

Nate Mast was a Manheim Kid – he wasn’t blessed with all the size in the world, but his motor was always going, and he made a million plays while playing for the Barons.

He even played in one of the greatest high school football games ever in our little corner of the world – Central’s unforgettable double-OT win over Pine-Richland in the state Triple-A title game.

I caught up with Nate this week to chat football. He’s a junior linebacker for Ursinus, which will invade Lancaster on Saturday for a 1:30 p.m. kickoff against Franklin & Marshall.

Through four games, he leads the team with 16 solo tackles, 14 assisted tackles and 30 total tackles. He also has 5 ½ tackles for a loss, a pair of sacks, and he’s recovered two fumbles.

You can listen to my interview with Mast by clicking on the ‘play’ button above.

You can also download the Podcast and play it on your favorite mp3 device by clicking here.

And continue reading here for my F&M-Ursinus preview capsule …

THE GAME: Ursinus (1-1 Centennial Conference, 2-2 overall) @ F&M (1-1 Centennial Conference, 2-2 overall), Saturday, 1:30 p.m., Williamson-Sponaugle Field in Lancaster.

HAPPY HOMECOMING: This is F&M’s Homecoming game.

ON THE AIR: You can catch the game on the B2 Network with local sports guru John Brickley and Max Cole at B2livetv.com.

THE SERIES: This is the 90th meeting between the Diplomats and the Bears, dating back to 1894. F&M leads the series 60-25-4, including a 17-8 edge in Centennial Conference battles. … F&M won the first game 76-0. … F&M is 8-4 against the Bears at home. … Ursinus won the last game at F&M 42-10. [Read more →]

Anybody else cringe every single time John McCain says “my friends” … and he says it like every 2 minutes. Ugh. That drives me insane …

Added a new thing to my page here this week … it’s called Apture, and it’s a multi-media program that inserts all sorts of goodies into the posts.

Hopefully you’ve noticed some new links in the posts the last day or two?

Apture is a program that searches the Web for any and all content about any and all subjects in the posts … players, towns, high schools. You name it.

And the cool thing about the links is that you don’t have to ‘click’ on them … just hover your mouse over the link, and the box will open — and you can navigate from there. It’s pretty funky.

And I must say, the boxes that open up with the links are clean and very well done.

Ah yes … all this modern technology. I hope you enjoy the new Apture links. Thought is might be fun to shake things up a bit and try some new things. So enjoy.

Blue Streaks’ coach sets up Friday’s first-place showdown at Penn Manor

Manheim Township is four points from being 6-0.

The Blue Streaks fell to Red Lion 3-0 (in overtime) and to Elizabethtown 28-27 in a pair of non-league slug-it-out games.

Township has found a nice groove since those games, rolling to a 3-0 start in Section 1 play and to a 4-2 overall record.

And on Friday in Millersville, the Streaks will take on another 3-0 team: Penn Manor, which will be looking to go to 7-0 overall.

First place will be on the line when Township and Penn Manor have at it Friday.

I chatted with Township coach Mike Melnyk about Friday’s big first-place showdown, along with a number of other football-related topics, like (among others) Ryan Yohn, David Soldner and the Section 1 race.

To listen to the interview, kindly click on the ‘play’ button above.

You can also download the Podcast and play it on your favorite mp3 device by clicking right here.

Comets’ coach chats about Friday’s first-place showdown vs. Manheim Township

Another week, another chance for Penn Manor to keep on keeping on.

The Comets come into Week 7 sporting a 6-0 record, including a 3-0 mark in Section 1, good for a first-place tie with Wilson and with (ta-da) the team they’re facing on Friday.

How nice.

Manheim Township (3-0, 4-2) will head to Millersville on Friday night for Penn Manor’s Homecoming game. The winner remains at the top of the Section 1 heap. The loser slips a game off the pace.

And don’t forget: Penn Manor and Township each have to play Wilson down the stretch. So what a final couple of weeks it should be in Section 1.

I chatted with Penn Manor coach Todd Mealy about his team’s fabulous start, about the topsy-turvy Section 1 race, and about Friday’s first-place showdown on Homecoming Night against Township and its ‘Razorback’ offense.

You can listen to the interview by clicking on the ‘play’ button above.

Or you can download the interview and play it on your favorite mp3 device by clicking here.