The bubble burst for a few L-L League teams in Week 10, most notably Reading, which was on the No. 16 line in Quad-A coming in, but the Red Knights dropped a 14-10 decision to McCaskey - which snapped its 20-game losing streak in the process - and were leapfrogged by Harrisburg, which walloped Altoona 75-6 to finish 5-5 overall and get in.
So in the last two weeks, Reading, which played its final game as a member of the L-L League in Week 10, gave up 70 points in a loss to Cedar Crest and lost to a 0-9 team and saw its bubble burst.
Other L-L League teams on the bubble that came up just short: Warwick, which dropped a 31-13 gut-wrencher to Wilson, is out in Quad-A. The Warriors were No. 17 coming into the week. And Solanco, which was No. 17 in Triple-A, lost to Cocalico 34-17 and was bumped.
KELLEY COMES UP SHORT: Conestoga Valley senior RB Kevin Kelley did not crack the 2,000-yard plateau in the regular season. Unofficially, the Bucks’ back rushed for 125 yards in CV’s 34-24 loss to Ephrata. So Kelley will need 75 yards (unofficially) in the Bucks’ first-round District 3 Triple-A playoff game to reach 2,000 yards this season. He was trying to become the first L-L League back to rush for 2,000 yards in the regular season since Lebanon Catholic’s Tommy Long pulled off that feat in 1996.
FOUR MORE FOR MR. SMITH: Lancaster Catholic senior QB Kyle Smith became the first player in Pennsylvania history to throw 100 career touchdown passes in the Crusaders’ 51-28 shootout win over Elco. Smith, of course, came into the game with a state-record 99 TD tosses. He threw four more against the Raiders, giving him 35 this season and 103 in his career.
OUTRIGHT CHAMPS: Speaking of Smith and the Crusaders, Lancaster Catholic wrapped up its second outright Section 3 championship in a row compliments of its 51-28 win over Elco. That’s five Section 3 titles in a row - shared or outright - for the Crusaders. … This is also the second year in a row that all three section races were won outright; Wilson, Manheim Central and Lancaster Catholic are all back-to-back outright champs.
THE SCORES: Week 10 results - Section 1: Wilson 31, Warwick 13 (Warriors led 13-10 in the fourth quarter; Bulldogs pull off miracle 3rd-and-41 play and win going away), Penn Manor 36, Cedar Crest 35 (Comets trailed 35-22 in the second half, rally past Falcons), Manheim Township 28, Hempfield 14 (Brian Sourber rushes for 241 yards and 3 TD for Blue Streaks), McCaskey 14, Reading 10 (Red Tornado snaps two-year losing streak, Red Knights, in final L-L League game, eliminated from playoff chase). … Section 2: Manheim Central 49, Garden Spot 0 (fourth shutout win in a row for Barons, who lock up No. 1 seed in District 3 Triple-A playoffs; 0-10 finish for Spartans), Cocalico 34, Solanco 17 (Eagles break open a close 6-3 lead at the half), Ephrata 34, Conestoga Valley 24 (no 2,000 for Kelley; two-win season after 0-10 campaign for Mountaineers), Lebanon 39, Elizabethtown 32 (Cedars snap three-game losing skid; Alex Trautman passes for 342 yards and 4 TD). … Section 3: Lancaster Catholic 51, Elco 28 (Smith outduels Achey; fifth section title in a row for Crusaders, who lock up No. 1 seed in District 3 Double-A bracket), Lampeter-Strasburg 55, Annville-Cleona 7 (Chad Frey returns two punts for scores for Pioneers, who clinch spot in Triple-A field), Northern Lebanon 47, Pequea Valley 19 (Vikings finish 6-4 but miss out on playoffs), Donegal 40, Columbia 0 (Indians finish on a high note; Crimson Tide finishes 0-10).
WEEK 10 NUGGETS: One week after returning a punt for a touchdown in a win over Northern Lebanon, Lampeter-Strasburg’s Chad Frey one-upped himself by returning two punts for scores in the Pioneers’ 55-7 romp over Annville-Cleona. Frey also scored on a TD run, but he missed out on rushing for 1,000 yards during the regular season. … Lancaster Catholic QB Kyle Smith vs. Elco – 13-of-23 for 170 yards, four TD, no picks. He’s up to 35 TD against two picks this season, and both interceptions came in the same game, vs. L-S in Week 5. … Manheim Central QB Justin Gorman torched Garden Spot – 12-for-13 for 183 yards and two TD passes; seven keepers for 141 yards and three TD runs (all in the first half, by the way). … Manheim Township RB Brian Sourber ran wild against Hempfield – 34 carries (many coming out of the Streaks’ Razorback direct-snap package) for 241 yards and three TD runs. He also caught a clutch pass on the sideline right at the marker on a key third-down conversion in the first half. Sourber finished the regular season with 21 TD runs – two behind CV’s Kevin Kelley, whose 1-yard plunge vs. Ephrata gave him 23 during the regular season. … Huge game for Ephrata RB George Murray in the Mountaineers’ 34-24 win over CV – 33 carries for 197 yards and four TD runs. … Two winless teams in the L-L League this season – Garden Spot (0-7, 0-10) and Columbia (0-7, 0-10). … One undefeated team in the L-L League this season – Manheim Central (7-0, 10-0), which handed coach MikeWilliams his 297th career win with its fourth shutout victory in a row, a 49-0 whitewash over Garden Spot. The Barons have six shutout wins this season, and have outscored their opponents by a whopping 423-76. Central held Garden Spot to 112 yards and six first downs. … Lebanon QB Alex Trautman, who has been running hot-or-cold the second half of the season, was scorching hot in the Cedars’ wild 39-32 win over Elizabethtown – 16-of-27 for 353 yards and four TD passes, plus an 8-yard TD keeper, as Lebanon snapped its three-game losing skid. … Elco QB Arron Achey had two TD runs and two TD passes in the Raiders’ 51-28 loss to Lancaster Catholic. … Cocalico, which came into Week 10 with the third-ranked defense in the league, yielded 329 rushing yards to Solanco; B.J. Enck had 119 of those yards for the Golden Mules, who had their three-game winning streak snapped and missed out on the postseason. … Northern Lebanon QB Tanner Dresch in 47-19 win over Pequea Valley – 8-for-9 for 130 yards and three TD tosses. … McCaskey’s Markeith Williams just missed out on 1,000 rushing yards; he had 40 yards in the Red Tornado’s 14-10 win over Reading, leaving him with 965 yards this season. … Wackiest play of Week 10 – Wilson, trailing 13-10 at home to Warwick, faced 3rd-and-41 from its own 20. QB Zach Zweizig hit Sheldon Hannibal-Nixon for a 66-yard gainer to get Wilson out of jail. Bulldogs went on to score three unanswered touchdowns and won 31-13, putting a shiny bow on a 7-0 Section 1 season.
COMING SOON: Check back Monday for audio Podcast interviews with Manheim Township coach Mike Melnyk, plus Blue Streaks’ players Brady Souders and Moyo Oluleye. … Also check back next week for full preview capsules of every District 3 playoff game involving L-L League teams. Plus my final rankings, Week 10 ‘3 Stars’, final regular-season statistics, video previews and a Podcast preview for the District 3 playoffs. And more random goodies, I’m sure. … Not sure about the live blogs for Round 1 of Districts. Stay tuned.
Two items in one, gloriously overstuffed post … L-L League Quarterback Club Week 9 Players of the Week, followed by my Week 10 picks.
Two big-ticket L-L football items for the price of one. Can’t beat that, right?
First up, the QB Club selections …
SECTION 1
BACK OF THE WEEK – Cedar Crest QB Gary Gristick completed 12-of-18 passes for 185 yards, had four touchdown throws and had a TD run in the Falcons’ electrifying 70-35 win over Reading.
LINEMAN OF THE WEEK – Manheim Township OT/DT Alex Vigilante had a high blocking grade on offense, and on defense he was in on six tackles (4 solos), including one tackle for a loss, in the Blue Streaks’ 35-6 victory over McCaskey.
SECTION 2
BACK OF THE WEEK – Solanco RB/DB B.J. Enck rushed 13 times for 212 yards and scored a pair of touchdowns on offense, on defense he made eight tackles and picked off three passes, including a pick-6 for a 40-yard TD return, and on special teams he returned a punt 45 yards in the Golden Mules’ 41-7 win over Garden Spot.
LINEMAN OF THE WEEK – Cocalico LB Andrew Prevoznik was in on 22 total tackles – including 6 solos and 4 tackles for losses – and he caught a pass and made an extra-point kick in the Eagles’ 21-14 win over Conestoga Valley.
SECTION 3
BACK OF THE WEEK – Lampeter-Strasburg RB/DB Chad Frey rushed 10 times for 172 yards and had three TD runs and caught three passes for 27 yards on offense, he had a 25-yard pick-6 on an interception, had a pair of QB hurries and was in on four tackles on defense, and he returned a punt 51 yards for a TD on special teams in the Pioneers’ 42-7 win over Northern Lebanon.
LINEMAN OF THE WEEK – DE Brandon Felus was in on 10 tackles (8 solo), had a tackle for a loss, knocked down three passes and registered a pair of sacks in the Crimson Tide’s 27-12 setback to Pequea Valley.
And now, on with the picks …
LAST WEEK: 10-2. OVERALL: 95-31.
Final week of regular-season picks front and center, so I figure I’ll just dive right in headfirst …
MANHEIM TOWNSHIP @ HEMPFIELD – It’s the L-L League’s version of the Hatfields vs. the McCoys. More riding for Township here, which needs a win for a home game in the first round of the District 3 Quad-A playoffs. So we’ll go Blue Streaks, on the road, taking care of the Black Knights, 28-14. Cheap plug alert: I’ll be blogging live from this game at LancSports.com if you can’t make it to Landisville.
McCASKEY @ READING – This is Reading’s swan song in the L-L League for all you sentimental buffs. And Red Knights need a win to lock up a District 3 Quad-A playoff spot. Red Tornado needs a win to avoid back-to-back 0-10 seasons. Oy. Knights extend Tornado’s woes, push McCaskey’s streak to (gulp) 21, 34-12.
PENN MANOR @ CEDAR CREST – Comets need a rebound after a crusher loss at Wilson; Falcons have won two in a row and are playing spoilers quite nicely. But Penn Manor gets its focus back and locks up a top-6 seed in District 3 Quad-A playoffs here. You guessed it: Comets clip Falcons, 31-14. Had to drop that one on you one more time this season. I’m so original.
WARWICK @ WILSON – Remember what happened the last time the Warriors paid a visit to West Lawn in 2007? Warwick 14, Wilson 12. Bulldogs already have the Section 1 title wrapped up, and need a win to wrap up the No. 2 seed in District 3 Quad-A playoffs – where they’ll be out to defend their crown. Warwick needs a win (and major help) just to make playoffs. Going ‘Dawgs here, 30-17. Woof.
ELIZABETHTOWN @ LEBANON – Bears feeling frisky after triple-overtime victory over Ephrata; Lebanon stuck in the mud – and riding a three-game losing streak. Bears chop down Cedars (hey, couldn’t resist using that line one last time this season, either), 27-14.
EPHRATA @ CONESTOGA VALLEY – Mountaineers’ stinging after that triple-OT setback to Elizabethtown, and are jonesing for a two-win season after last year’s 0-10 ride. CV is safe for Districts but would love a smidge of a better seed. And have I mentioned that RB Kevin Kelley needs 200 rushing yards on the dot for a 2,000-yard regular season? I think he’ll get it. And I think he’ll get it in a victory. CV bucks Ephrata, 23-13.
GARDEN SPOT @ MANHEIM CENTRAL – It says here in my contract that I have to predict every game on the docket, and this game features the teams that are most likely the complete polar opposites in the league this season. Garden Spot is winless, has been shutout three times and has scored a league-low 55 points. Manheim Central is undefeated, has three shutout victories in a row and five overall, has the top-ranked defense in the league, has yielded the fewest points in the league, has scored the second-most points in the league, has the third-ranked offense in the league, is No. 1 in the District 3 Triple-A power-point tally and is ranked fourth in the state in the Harrisburg Patriot-News poll. You can stop me anytime here, gang. Barons crunch Spartans, 49-0.
COCALICO @ SOLANCO – Plenty riding here: Cocalico needs a win for a home game in the first round of the District 3 Triple-A playoffs; Solanco needs a win – period – and likely some help, to join to the Triple-A party. QB Matt Carty appears pretty much 100 percent healthy, so I’m leaning Cocalico here. Eagles soar over Golden Mules (ooh, that was bad, sorry), 31-13.
ELCO @ LANCASTER CATHOLIC – Game of the Week. Crusaders need a win to lock up Section 3 crown outright; Raiders need a win to force a tie for the title. Two explosive offenses. Two opportunistic defenses. Two dynamic quarterbacks (Catholic’s Kyle Smith vs. Elco’s Arron Achey). Playmakers aplenty. This could be a classic. Elco didn’t do so hot in its last big road tester (40-14 loss at L-S in Week 6). Catholic, to me, seems like its gearing up for a run. That run starts now. Crusaders swagger past Raiders, 38-17. Another cheap plug alert: Keith Schweigert blogging live from this showdown at LancSports.com if you can’t make it to Rossmere.
DONEGAL @ COLUMBIA – Couple of backyard rivals going at it in this one. All heck breaking loose in Columbia lately. Coach and two players are suspended – not fun. Donegal trying to get out of quicksand and end on a positive note. Believe it or not, the toughest game to pick this week. I kid you not. Leaning Donegal because of all the junk swirling around Columbia’s program at the moment. Gotta be tough on the concentration meter there at the moment. So I’ll go Indians to tame Tide, 21-13.
LAMPETER-STRASBURG @ ANNVILLE-CLEONA – Pioneers are scorching and need a win to guarantee a District 3 Triple-A playoff bid. A loss, and L-S would need a little help. But Pioneers are thinking big – like extending this four-game tear and then unleashing havoc in Districts. No way I want any part of L-S in the first round. Pioneers stay hot, polish off Little Dutchmen, 40-13.
NORTHERN LEBANON @ PEQUEA VALLEY – Braves are short two players after the unfortunate fracas with Columbia. But PV is feeling good after beating the Tide and earning first two-win season since 2003. Vikings need a win and an unbelievable run of luck to make the District 3 Triple-A playoffs for the third year in a row. But this will be three winning seasons in a row for Northern Lebanon. Vikes get a victory over the Braves, 35-13.
Several players and teams approaching some milestone numbers in Week 10.
Take a look …
** Conestoga Valley RB Kevin Kelley needs 200 rushing yards for a 2,000-yard regular season. He’s poised to become the first L-L League back to rush for 2,000 yards in the regular season since Lebanon Catholic’s Tommy Long eclipsed that mark in 1996.
** Solanco RB B.J. Enck, fresh off a 212-yard effort against Garden Spot, needs 174 rushing yards for 1,000.
** Lampeter-Strasburg RB Chad Frey, who romped for 172 yards last Friday against Northern Lebanon, needs 143 rushing yards for 1,000.
** Warwick RB Chris Schaffer, the reigning LancSports.com Player of the Week after galloping for 177 yards last Friday against Hempfield, needs 129 rushing yards for 1,000.
** Manheim Central thumper Joe Gruber needs 125 rushing yards for 1,000.
** McCaskey RB Markeith “Juice” Williams needs 75 rushing yards for 1,000. And what a nice milestone that would be in an otherwise forgettable season for the Red Tornado.
** Lancaster Catholic RB Jordan Stewart, who missed the first two games this season, needs 35 rushing yards for 1,000. That’s a heck of a pace for missing two games.
** Pequea Valley QB Ben Myers, who leads the L-L League in completions, pass attempts and passing yards, needs 59 passing yards for 2,000.
** Elizabethtown QB Andy Breault needs 98 passing yards for 1,000.
** Penn Manor QB P.J. Rehm needs 23 passing yards for 1,000.
** Warwick QB Jordan Donmoyer, who missed a game earlier this season, needs 5 passing yards for 1,000.
** Lancaster Catholic QB Kyle Smith needs 16 completions for 100.
** Elco QB Arron Achey needs 10 completions for 100.
** Manheim Central QB Justin Gorman needs 4 completions for 100.
** Cocalico needs 139 rushing yards for 3,000.
** Pequea Valley needs 2 passing yards for 2,000.
Other numbers and knickknacks …
** Just three L-L League teams have allowed less than 1,000 rushing yards and less than 1,000 passing yards through nine games – ManheimCentral (871 rush, 719 pass), Lancaster Catholic (815 rush, 817 pass) and L-S (969 rush, 984 pass).
** Two L-L League teams have not reached 1,000 rushing yards and 1,000 passing yards this season – Garden Spot (750 rush, 841 pass) and Donegal (840 rush, 621 pass).
** Six (6) L-L League teams have rushed for 2,000 or more yards – Cocalico (2,861); Conestoga Valley (2,272); L-S (2,199); Solanco (2,188); Manheim Township (2,171) and Elco (2,012).
** Here’s an odd one – Three L-L League teams have a minus-28 scoring margin: Cedar Crest, Elizabethtown and Hempfield have all been outscored by exactly 28 points this season. What are the odds of that?
** Cocalico QB Matt Carty is the only regular, full-time starting L-L League signal-caller yet to throw an interception this season. He did miss 2 ½ games, but has not thrown a pick in 54 pass attempts.
** Pequea Valley has five (5) players with 17 or more catches: Chad Tyson (league-high 43), Tyler Schmitt (38), Mike Rice (25), Ray Ball (17) and Ryan Clarke (17).
** L-L League leading rushers among quarterbacks – Arron Achey, Elco (1,109 yards); P.J. Rehm, Penn Manor (620 yards); Matt Carty, Cocalico (583 yards); Tanner Dresch, Northern Lebanon (559 yards); Adrian Westbrook, McCaskey (503 yards); Justin Gorman, Manheim Central (478 yards).
** L-L League rushing touchdown leaders – Kevin Kelley, CV (22); Brian Sourber, Manheim Township (18); Austin Hartman, Cocalico (17); Jason Stewart, Reading (16); Arron Achey, Elco (13); Justin Gorman, Manheim Central (12); Jordan Stewart, Lancaster Catholic (12); Chris Schaffer, Warwick (11).
** L-L League touchdown reception leaders – Tyler Purvis, Lancaster Catholic (11); Tyler George, Elco (7); Eric Ondo, Elco (7); Tyler Beck, Wilson (6); Christian DelRocini, L-S (6); Michael Burke, Columbia (5); Kyle Rissell, Cocalico (5).
** L-L League passing touchdown leaders – Kyle Smith, Lancaster Catholic (31); Arron Achey, Elco (20); Ben Myers, Pequea Valley (16); Zach Zweizig, Wilson (15); P.J. Rehm, Penn Manor (13); Gary Gristick, Cedar Crest (12).
Your handy-dandy Week 10 Podcast is recorded and posted and ready for your listening pleasure.
Not sure where the last 10 weeks went, but here we are – the regular-season finales are on tap and ready for kickoff.
The Section 3 championship picture will come into focus Friday when first-place Lancaster Catholic welcomes Elco (Keith blogging live at LancSports.com, don’t forget).
If the Crusaders win, they get the title outright. If Elco wins, there will be a tie. And if Elco and L-S both win, there would be a three-way split of the pie.
Everyone else is playing for pride or for District 3 power points. Still mucho to decide in those classifications, and several L-L League teams are perched right on the proverbial bubble.
I’ll chat about those scenarios and preview all the Week 10 games for you here …
You can listen to the Podcast by clicking on the ‘play’ button above.
You can also download the Podcast and play it on your favorite mp3 device by clicking here.
Nine is devine.
Your handy-dandy Week 10 Podcast is recorded and posted and ready for your listening pleasure.
