JEFFREY REINHART jreinhart@LNPnews.com

For your reading pleasure, my L-L League Section 1 preview capsules, featuring everything you want to know — and more — about your favorite Section 1 football teams … listed in predicted order of finish. Enjoy:

WILSON BULLDOGS
COACH: Doug Dahms (3rd season; 20-6 overall).
PIAA CLASSIFICATION: Quad-A.
THE SCHEDULE: Governor Mifflin, Manheim Central, @ Downingtown East, McCaskey, @ Cedar Crest, Hempfield, @ Reading, Manheim Township, @ Penn Manor, @ Warwick.
REINHART SAYS: Where to begin? Annual season-opener against Mifflin should be a titanic tilt, considering the recent history between these two proud programs. In 2006, Mifflin beat Wilson 14-12 in the regular-season opener, and the Mustangs rocked the Bulldogs 47-13 in the District 3 Quad-A semifinals. Last year, Mifflin made it three in a row with a 28-16 win on Opening Night. So you know Wilson is jonesing for a win this time around. If that game doesn’t do anything for you (it will be hyped to the max in Berks County), then Week 2 certainly should, when Manheim Central pays a visit to West Lawn. This will be the first time the Barons the Bulldogs will hook up since 1999, when some kid named Smoker was playing QB for Central. … ‘Dawgs’ will also be licking their chops over these three home games: McCaskey in the Section 1 opener, Hempfield in Week 6 and Township in Week 8. Gotta love home cooking – especially in key section games. … At Reading in Week 7 is a nice rivalry game, and the trip to Warwick in Week 10 could be interesting, especially if Warwick’s new-look offensive line is completely jelled by then. Warwick knocked off Wilson (in West Lawn) last year, so you know the ‘Dawgs already have that one circled. … Let me get this straight: Mifflin, Manheim Central, McCaskey, Hempfield and Township all at home? Must be nice. You could probably scalp some tickets to the visiting crowd in the parking lot those nights.
OFFENSIVE SCHEME: Multiple I.
DEFENSIVE SCHEME: 4-4.
LAST SEASON: 5-2 in Section 1, 9-4 overall. Lost to Harrisburg (17-14 in OT) in the District 3 Quad-A semifinals.
2007 PASSING LEADER: Steve Huber – 138-of-263 (52 percent) for 1,687 yards, 16 TD, 7 picks (121.1 passer rating).
2007 RUSHING LEADER: Jake Stopper – 224 carries for 956 yards (4.3 avg.), 12 TD.
2007 RECEIVING LEADER: Chris Hartzell – 44 catches for 619 yards (14.1 avg.), 7 TD.
TEAM TOTAL OFFENSE: 279.1 yards per game (14th in the league).
TEAM TOTAL DEFENSE: 156.2 yards per game (1st in the league).
KEY PLAYERS LOST: OG-DT-P Craig Birdsell (Section 1 Honorable Mention All-Star P), OG Chris Bollinger (Section 1 Honorable Mention All-Star OG), TE Mark Daniels (Section 1 First-Team All-Star TE), K Ryne Eversgerd (Section 1 Second-Team All-Star K), WR-DB Chris Hartzell (Section 1 Defensive Back of the Year; Section 1 First-Team All-Star WR; Section 1 First-Team All-Star DB), OT Tyler Kemper, RB Mark Little, DB Mike Schifalacqua, RB Jake Stopper (Section 1 Second-Team All-Star RB), DE Peniel St. Julien (Section 1 Second-Team All-Star DE), OT Adam Szablowski (Section 1 Honorable Mention All-Star OT), C Ryan Williams.
KEY PLAYERS RETURNING: LB Andy Capozello, WR-DB Alex Fegley (Section 1 Honorable Mention All-Star WR; Section 1 Honorable Mention All-Star DB), LB Zach Groff, DT Rodney Hill (Section 1 First-Team All-Star DT), LB Jordan Holbert (Section 1 Second-Team All-Star OLB), QB Steve Huber (Section 1 Second-Team All-Star QB), FB Dylan Stopper, DE Jon Wagner, LB Colton Weaver (Section 1 Linebacker of the Year; Section 1 First-Team All-Star ILB), LB Pat Zerbe (Section 1 Honorable Mention All-Star ILB).
ALL EYES ON: Senior LB Colton Weaver – If it seems like this guy has been around forever, he has. Weaver earned a starting gig as a freshman, and he’s been blowing up backfields and decking ball-carriers ever since. … He made 103 tackles last year, and he is the heart and soul of Wilson’s defense – a defense that allowed a paltry 156.2 yards per game in 13 games last year, tops in the league. And thanks to fundamentally sound tacklers like Weaver, the Bulldogs gave up just 1,096 rushing yards in 13 games, the least amount in the league. … This kid is a player. He didn’t earn last year’s Section 1 Linebacker of Year award by mistake. He is the real deal.
THE GOOD NEWS: As if Wilson’s defense wasn’t scary enough last year – still can’t believe the ‘Dawgs yielded just 156.2 yards per game; that’s nutty – seven starters are set to return, including the entire linebacker corps, which is led by fourth-year starter Colton Weaver, the reigning Section 1 Linebacker of the Year. … More good news for the ‘Dawgs: Efficient QB Steve Huber returns for his third season under center. He was 10th in the league in passing efficiency a year ago, throwing for 1,687 yards and 16 TDs. … One of Huber’s favorite targets from a year ago, WR Alex Fegley, also returns, giving Wilson a deep threat. The return of WR Conner Snyder, who missed last year with an injury, should also help in the passing department. … FB Dylan Stopper returns to the backfield. He’s a thumper. As is reigning First-Team All-Star DT Rodney Hill, who will punish you – if Weaver or one of his other LB cohorts doesn’t get to you first. This defense should be downright scary.
QUESTION MARKS: The offensive line took a major hit to graduation, when all five starters from last fall graduated. Zoinks. … Hill, the stud DE, will play both ways, helping out at left guard. And hard-hitting LB Pat Zerbe will also help out at right guard. Zack Gorddard is the new C and the new tackles are Josh Forrey and Jon Wagner. If that group jells and comes together, Wilson will be a total handful. … ‘Dawgs will also miss grinder RB Jake Stopper, who won the L-L League rushing title in his sophomore season. He was a two-time 1,000-yard rusher, and he settled for 956 yards last fall, after he battled some early season injuries.

BREAKING NEWS: QB Steve Huber suffered a knee injury in Wilson’s second scrimmage, and according to this published report, he’ll miss 4-to-6 weeks. Sophomore Zach Zweizig, who missed all of last season with a shoulder injury, will be the starter.

NOTABLE: Wilson is ranked ninth in the Pennsylvania Football News preseason Quad-A state poll.
QUOTABLE: Wilson senior OG-DT Rodney Hill – “We’re using last year to fuel our fire. We want to be even better defensively. It will definitely be an advantage having that many guys back on defense, and we feel really good about that going into the season. We have a lot of really good guys coming back on that side of the ball, and we feel great about that. Our defense set the bar high last season, but we want to be even better this year.”

REINHART’S TAKE: I know the o-line needs some help (stat), but Wilson’s defense should be downright frightening, especially with all of those ball-hawking linebackers back in the fold. Bull’s-eye: Wilson is the team to beat in Section 1. Insert big, scary bulldog barking sound here. And watch out for the flying slobber, especially when Weaver and his mates are lowering the boom.

MANHEIM TOWNSHIP BLUE STREAKS
ONLINE: manheimtownshipfootball.com
COACH: Mike Melnyk (10th season; 50-45 overall; reigning Section 1 Coach of the Year).
PIAA CLASSIFICATION: Quad-A.
THE SCHEDULE: Ephrata, @ Red Lion, @ Elizabethtown, @ Reading, Warwick, Cedar Crest, @ Penn Manor, @ Wilson, McCaskey, Hempfield.
REINHART SAYS: Township will help usher in the Jim Vieland Era at Ephrata. Vieland is set to replace longtime Mountaineers’ coach Ken Grove, and this non-league meeting in Week 1 will be Vieland’s first game as a varsity head coach. The Blue Streaks would love to put a damper on those festivities. … Red Lion is new this year, and that’s a rematch of last year’s first-round district game, when Township tamed the Lions 27-7. Tamed the Lions. Man, I have a million of them. … That E-town game in Week 3 should get some hype, too: The Bears scored 20 unanswered points and beat Township – in Neffsville – 20-10 last fall. That was the Streaks’ lone loss in the regular season. … Three straight road games early: at Red Lion, at E-town and at Reading in the Section 1 opener. And check out those last three games: at Wilson (where the Bulldogs will be out for some major revenge after Township completely shut them down in the rain in Neffsville last fall) and then McCaskey and Hempfield at home. Should be an interesting last three weeks, that’s for sure. All three of those games should have major section and/or district playoff implications – or ramifications, whichever you prefer.
OFFENSIVE SCHEME: Multiple I.
DEFENSIVE SCHEME: 4-6.
LAST SEASON: 7-0 in Section 1 (outright champs), 11-2 overall. Lost to Governor Mifflin (28-21 in OT) in the District 3 Quad-A semifinals.
2007 PASSING LEADER: Mark Mellinger – 55-of-95 (58 percent) for 757 yards, 6 TD, 7 picks (130.9 passer rating); Jon Yuko – 34-of-64 (53 percent) for 345 yards, 5 TD, 2 picks (117.9 passer rating).
2007 RUSHING LEADER: Dan Wertz – 271 carries for 1,470 yards (5.4 avg.), 15 TD.
2007 RECEIVING LEADER: Nate Pagan – 49 catches for 670 yards (13.7 avg.), 7 TD.
TEAM TOTAL OFFENSE: 293.8 yards per game (11th in the league).
TEAM TOTAL DEFENSE: 174.8 yards per game (2nd in the league).
KEY PLAYERS LOST: DB C.J. Adams (Lebanon Valley College), DT Robert De La Rosa (Associated Press Quad-A Second-Team All-State; Pennsylvania Football News First-Team Quad-A All-State DT; Section 1 Defensive Lineman of the Year; Section 1 Outstanding Lineman of the Year; Section 1 First-Team All-Star DT; Bucknell), OG-DT Tim Farley (Pennsylvania Football News Second-Team Quad-A All-State DT; Section 1 Second-Team All-Star OG; Towson), NG Mike Gillespie (Lebanon Valley College), OT Gene Gross (Section 1 Second-Team All-Star OT; Case Western University), C Tim Hahn, LB Sam Horn, DB Dan Kauffman (Section 1 First-Team All-Star DB; Johns Hopkins), LB Preston Ketchum, LB Mike Kilpatrick, C Austin Lewis, QB Mark Mellinger (F&M), LB Justin McCarthy (Section 1 Honorable Mention All-Star OLB), LB Doug Minnick (Stevens Tech), WR-DB Nate Pagan (Section 1 Wide Receiver of the Year; Section 1 First-Team All-Star WR; Section 1 First-Team All-Star DB; Section 1 Honorable Mention All-Star KR; Clarion), OG Frank Ranalli (Section 1 Offensive Lineman of the Year; Section 1 First-Team All-Star OG; Widener), DB Jay Robinson (Section 1 Honorable Mention All-Star DB), OT-DT Ben Stabler (Section 1 First-Team All-Star OT; Section 1 Second-Team All-Star DT; Harvard), K David Soldner (Associated Press Quad-A First-Team All-State; Pennsylvania Football News First-Team Quad-A All-State K; Section 1 First-Team All-Star K; Penn State).
KEY PLAYERS RETURNING: TE Adam Bostick (Section 1 Honorable Mention All-Star TE), WR Matt Curcio, LB Chuck Eberly (Section 1 Honorable Mention All-Star OLB), DB Kyle Karpinski, FB-LB Nick Sizemore (Section 1 Second-Team All-Star LB; Section 1 Honorable Mention All-Star FB), RB-P Dan Wertz (Section 1 Second-Team All-Star RB; Section 1 Second-Team All-Star P), QB Jon Yuko.
ALL EYES ON: Senior RB Dan Wertz – No, no, not to see which funky, multi-striped socks he’ll be wearing week to week. Or whether he’ll be sporting a buzz cut, or letting his locks flow from underneath his helmet. Although that’s something I’ll be checking, now that I think about it. Man, I need a life. Anyhoo … what a breakout junior season by this kid, who ran wild after Melnyk implemented the now famous “Razorback” direct-snap offense, with Wertz, more times than not, back there calling signals. He thrived in that attack, rushing for 1,470 yards and 15 touchdowns. He’s not the flashiest back around, but he’s durable and he’s rugged and he can take a hit. And he wears cool socks. He’ll also be the focal point of an offense that will be breaking in five new starters on the line – including Adam Bostick (Pat’s little bro), who switched from TE to RT.
THE GOOD NEWS: Despite wholesale losses to graduation (man, did you catch that impressive list of names under ‘key players lost’ above?), there are some bright spots here. Like the return of Dan Wertz, the “Razorback” hero. … And if you like linebackers, you’ll love Nick Sizemore, who will hit everything and anyone in sight. And QB Jon Yuko, who stepped in when Mark Mellinger cracked his collarbone early last season, and went a spiffy 8-0 as the starter, returns. “Having a returning starting quarterback is definitely a big plus,” Wertz said. “Jon’s been in the system and he knows all the plays – and now we can add some new things around him.” … Yuko knows the ins and the outs of “Razorback”, and he completed 34-of-64 passes for 345 yards and 5 TDs against just 2 picks last year, so he can go up top if called upon. … Yuko (Johnny Yooook to the boys in the office) will have last year’s second-leading receiver, Matt Curcio (25-215), at his disposal, and that’s a plus.
QUESTION MARKS: Holy cow, where to begin? The Streaks, who have gone 19-5 the last two years, got cleaned out by graduation. Melnyk must replace 18 total starters, including the entire offensive line, which was awesome last year. Don’t believe me? Then take a peek above at the accomplishments of the guys who moved on. It is staggering. … Losing K David Soldner will also hurt. He booted a state-record 20 field goals last year (and had 35 in his career, tied for the most in state history), and is in line to win Penn State’s kicking job in 2009. He was automatic on extra points, could hit from 50 on field goals, and nine times out of 10 his kickoffs were in the end zone. He was the ultimate special teams weapon, and he will be sorely missed.
QUOTABLE: Township senior RB Dan Wertz – “We lost a lot of good guys from last year, so we’ll have to work even harder this year if we want to get back to where we were last year. You have to put last year behind you. Last year, obviously, was great. But this is a new year and we have a bunch of new guys … we’ll have to take it one week and one game at a time.”

REINHART’S TAKE: I don’t see the Streaks repeating. Of course, when Mellinger went down last year, I didn’t see them going 7-0, either. Then Melnyk dropped “Razorback” on everyone, and Township took off like gangbusters. … That said, I don’t see this group going belly-up. All the new starters this season played behind all of those all-star studs the last year or two, so they’ll know the drill. If the new o-linemen can get on the same page, and if Wertz and Yuko can recapture the magic of “Razorback”, and if Sizemore can make plays in the middle on defense, and if the special teams can overcome the loss of Soldner, and, and, and. Somehow, some way Township will find a way to be in this race, gang. Too much pride (and talent, despite the cap-and-gown losses) in this program for a 180.

HEMPFIELD BLACK KNIGHTS
ONLINE: hempfieldfootball.vicid.com
COACH: Bob Forgrave (2nd season; 4-6 overall).
PIAA CLASSIFICATION: Quad-A.
THE SCHEDULE: Conestoga Valley, @ Garden Spot, @ Carlisle, Penn Manor, McCaskey, @ Wilson, @ Cedar Crest, Reading, Warwick, @ Manheim Township.
REINHART SAYS: The opener against CV is a nice local matchup, although Hempfield has dominated this series of late, winning the last four games in a row – including last year’s 30-23 triumph in Witmer. I wonder how long Hempfield will keep the Buckskins on their schedule, since CV dipped down to Triple-A, starting this season. We shall see. … Garden Spot and Carlisle (2-8 last season) are new additions. I like the Garden Spot game; another nice local matchup there, and the Spartans have some good skill kids coming back, so that could be interesting. … Circle Week 5 and Week 6 – at home with McCaskey and then at Wilson. Those games will be enormous in the section chase – as will the last two: home with Warwick and at Township. … Here me now and believe me in late October (or at least until you’re finished reading this capsule): The Black Knights will be players, not pretenders.
OFFENSIVE SCHEME: Multiple Spread.
DEFENSIVE SCHEME: 4-3.
LAST SEASON: 3-4 in Section 1, 4-6 overall.
2007 PASSING LEADER: Jarvis Cummings – 18-of-69 (26 percent) for 347 yards, 4 TD, 4 picks (75.9 passer rating).
2007 RUSHING LEADER: Eric Macik – 147 carries for 766 yards (5.2 avg.), 7 TD.
2007 RECEIVING LEADER: Manny Mendez – 5 catches for 122 yards (24.4 avg.), 2 TD; Eric Macik – 5 catches for 105 yards (21.0 avg.), 2 TD.
TEAM TOTAL OFFENSE: 249.4 yards per game (19th in the league).
TEAM TOTAL DEFENSE: 282.7 yards per game (10th in the league).
KEY PLAYERS LOST: OT Matt Clawges, C Matt Clement, WR Tanzil Cole, LB Derek Dornes, LB Mark Merrifield, OT-LB Aaron Moul (Section 1 First-Team All-Star OLB; Slippery Rock University), DB Jordan Saunders (Section 1 Second-Team All-Star DB), LB Mike Schusko, TE-DE Sean Sheehe (Towson University for lacrosse).
KEY PLAYERS RETURNING: C Justin Bloom (Section 1 Honorable Mention All-Star C), DT Aidan Cadzow (Section 1 Honorable Mention All-Star DT), QB Jarvis Cummings (Section 1 Honorable Mention All-Star QB), RB Nick DeLaleu (Section 1 Honorable Mention RB), OG-DE Jason Dougherty (Section 1 Second-Team All-Star OG; Section 1 Honorable Mention All-Star DE), TE Jim Forgrave, WR-DB Justin Fuhrman (Section 1 Honorable Mention All-Star KR), K Dan Haldeman (Section 1 Honorable Mention All-Star K), DT Brandon Kline, OT James Korman (Section 1 Honorable Mention All-Star OT), RB Spencer Lehr, FB-LB Eric Macik (Section 1 First-Team All-Star LB; Section 1 Honorable Mention All-Star RB), DE Evan Mann, DB Drew Schanz (Section 1 Honorable Mention All-Star DB), WR Manny Mendez, P Logan Smith (Section 1 First-Team All-Star P).
ALL EYES ON: Senior QB Jarvis Cummings – The fleet, dual-threat signal-caller ran a couple of 4.4 40s this summer, including one at the Pitt camp. His athleticism has impressed Forgrave so much, that he’ll line Cummings up in the backfield and in the slot, giving Hempfield’s offense (which was stagnant at times last season) some serious wrinkles – and opposing defenses something to worry about.
THE GOOD NEWS: Forgrave has fortified his assistant coaching staff with three names you’ve probably heard before, starting with former Columbia coach Mike Burke, who will be the offensive coordinator. Also on board are former Hempfield and Millersville University tight end (and former Marauders’ assistant coach) Mark Harmon, who will coach the wideouts and tight ends, and former Hempfield lineman Win Heisey, who will coach the guys in the trenches. … Hearing very good things about Hempfield’s offensive line, which is always a plus. That’s where it all starts in prep football: in the trenches with the big boys. Have big boys, will compete. And the Knights appear to have the goods to compete, especially with C Justin Bloom, OG Jason Dougherty and OT James Korman, all returning Section 1 All-Star picks, back to anchor the o-line. Gotta love that start up front. … Cummings, an option whiz, has one year of varsity experience under his belt, and with a new offensive coordinator in tow, we’ll see what kind of an arm he’s got. Cummings didn’t throw too much last season – he was just 18-of-69 for 347 yards with 4 TDs and 4 picks — but that could change if the Knights go vertical. Cummings can motor, and the Knights, as mentioned, will use him all over the place. … Eric Macik is a stud on both sides of the ball. Keep an eye on him. We should be hearing plenty from Macik – and from the Knights; trust me – in the coming weeks.
QUESTION MARKS: Burke is the Knights’ new offensive coordinator, and if you know anything about the former Columbia coach, you know he’s a passing guru. So will Hempfield go up top a little more this season? That’s the million-dollar question as camp opens. FYI: Former Manheim Central QB Billy Beecher, a sophomore, transferred to Hempfield. He got some time under center for the Barons last season (he started under center and scored a TD in Central’s loss to Red Land in the first round of Districts), and Barons’ coach Mike Williams always raved about Beecher’s potential. Keep an eye on that. Beecher could definitely benefit from Burke’s tutelage. … Also file the linebacker corps under question marks. Macik is back, and he’ll be one of the best in the league. But the Knights must replace three regular LB’s from a year ago, including Section 1 First-Team All-Star pick Aaron Moul.
QUOTABLE: Hempfield senior QB Jarvis Cummings – “(Coach Burke) has been a pretty big influence. He’s definitely thrown a lot more into our game offensively, and he’s helped me out with my form and doing a better job finding receivers and reading defenses. And now I have the ability to call an audible at the line. … Our senior leadership is really there. This group of seniors really wants to go out with a bang. We want to be right there at the top of the section come Week 10.”

REINHART’S TAKE: Just a hunch, but Hempfield will be back with the lead pack this season. Yeah, yeah, I know: I said the same thing last year (“Forgrave will help Knights get back in lead pack,” is the direct quote from the football tab supplement preview, if you absolutely must know). But I really, truly mean it this time. Honest. If that o-line can blow open some holes for Macik and speedy RB Nick DeLaleu, and – more importantly – keep Cummings upright, assuming Hempfield might wing the ball around a little more, then I have no reason to believe that the Knights won’t go at least .500 and make the postseason. There. I said it. Again. … I absolutely love that Burke helped out the O this summer, by the way. We always talked around the office about how we thought Burke would do coaching a Quad-A program (his Columbia teams were always Single-A or Double-A). Even though he won’t be calling all the shots on Friday nights, I guess we’ll find out how much of an influence he is on Cummings and Hempfield’s skill kids. And here’s all you need to know about Hempfield’s offense: Last year, in Forgrave’s first season on the job, the Knights operated out of a base ‘Pro Set’ scheme – and averaged 249.4 yards a game, just 19th-best in the league. This season, according Forgrave’s preseason questionnaire, Hempfield’s offense is something called ‘Multiple Spread’. I don’t know about you, but Multiple Spread sounds a whole heckuva lot cooler than Pro Set. We’ll see if the new scheme pays off in higher per-game averages (and more victories) for the Knights. I’m guessing yes.

WARWICK WARRIORS
COACH: Bob Locker (8th season; 36-38 overall).
PIAA CLASSIFICATION: Quad-A.
THE SCHEDULE: Garden Spot, @ Conestoga Valley, @ Ephrata, Cedar Crest, @ Manheim Township, Reading, @ McCaskey, Penn Manor, @ Hempfield, Wilson.
REINHART SAYS: Garden Spot is new, and I really like that opener. Both teams will be breaking in new quarterbacks, so that game should be mighty interesting – as will Week 3 at Ephrata in the annual George Male Trophy game. Talk about backyard rivals. Warwick won last year, 28-14. … Warwick must go on the road for three section toughies: at Township, at McCaskey and at Hempfield. Yikes. … And look who’s sitting there in Week 10: Wilson, which rallied valiantly, but fell to Warwick 14-12 last year in West Lawn. The rematch could have some major implications. … Man, those road games are killers.
OFFENSIVE SCHEME: I.
DEFENSIVE SCHEME: 4-3.
LAST SEASON: 6-1 in Section 1, 9-2 overall. Lost to Central Dauphin (36-19) in the first round of the District 3 Quad-A playoffs.
2007 PASSING LEADER: Jon Resch – 139-of-234 (59 percent) for 2,144 yards, 24 TD, 8 picks (163.4 passer rating).
2007 RUSHING LEADER: Eric Resch – 274 carries for 1,193 yards (4.4 avg.), 16 TD.
2007 RECEIVING LEADER: Zach Snyder – 63 catches for a league-high 1,055 yards (16.7 avg.), 8 TD.
TEAM TOTAL OFFENSE: 362.7 yards per game (3rd in the league).
TEAM TOTAL DEFENSE: 304.5 yards per game (13th in the league).
KEY PLAYERS LOST: OG-DE John Cunningham (Section 1 First-Team All-Star OG; Section 1 First-Team All-Star DE), WR-DB-K Matt Fitzpatrick (Section 1 Honorable Mention WR; Section 1 Honorable Mention All-Star K), C Tommy Greenfield (Section 1 First-Team All-Star C; Stevens Tech), OT-DT Jason Griffith (Section 1 First-Team All-Star OT; Section 1 First-Team All-Star DT), TE-LB Sean Hoffman, QB Jon Resch (Lions Club Section 1 Player of the Year; Section 1 Offensive Back of the Year; Section 1 Outstanding Back of the Year; Section 1 First-Team All-Star QB; New Mexico Military Institute), OG Jason Snavely, WR-DB Zach Snyder (Pennsylvania Football News First-Team Quad-A All-State WR; Section 1 First-Team All-Star WR; Section 1 First-Team All-Star DB; Section 1 Honorable Mention All-Star KR; Kutztown), OT Jon Weidler (Susquehanna University).
KEY PLAYERS RETURNING: DE Carson Geib (Section 1 Honorable Mention All-Star DE), LB Dan Martin (Section 1 Honorable Mention All-Star ILB), DT Brent Ober, RB-DB Eric Resch (Section 1 First-Team All-Star RB; Section 1 Second-Team All-Star DB), FB-LB Chris Schaffer, LB Cody Taft, WR-DB Randy Yost (Section 1 Second-Team All-Star WR; Section 1 Second-Team All-Star DB).
ALL EYES ON: Senior RB-DB Eric Resch – He was a workhorse a year ago, taking the ball early and often – and doing great things with it – as one of the centerpieces in a powerhouse offense that cranked out 362.7 yards per game – third-best in the league. With his big brother Jon, the multiple postseason award-winning QB – not to mention all five starting o-linemen – lost to graduation, Resch will very likely be called upon to carry the load until the Warriors find their balance on O. He’s also switching to free safety on D, so he can roam and, undoubtedly, make plenty of tackles.
THE GOOD NEWS: First and foremost, Eric Resch, who led the league with 274 carries last season, returns to the backfield. The Warriors will most definitely need him, especially with a new QB (Randy Yost or soph lefty Jordan Donmoyer) and five new o-linemen in front of him. The first couple of games it could be Resch right, Resch left and Resch up the middle. And he might line up in the slot a little more, so Warwick can get him the ball in the passing game. Wrinkles – gotta love those. … Good nucleus returns on D, including All-Star picks Carson Geib at DE, Dan Martin at LB and Yost at DB.
QUESTION MARKS: The entire offensive line graduated. And those guys were really, really good. The spotlight will be on that new group early on. … Depth will also be a major question mark: Locker had just 46 kids on his preseason roster. That’s a tad on the low side for a Quad-A program. … Have to hang a question mark next to the QB spot, since that lucky duck will be replacing Jon Resch, who had a whopper of season a year ago. Yost and Donmoyer were both taking snaps in camp, so we’ll have to see who wins that battle.
QUOTABLE: Warwick senior QB-WR-DB Randy Yost – “We’re feeling really good and we’re expecting to get better every year and to keep winning every year. The vibe is really good here right. … It’s great that we’ve raised the bar. It’s a bigger challenge, but it made us all work harder in the off-season.”

REINHART’S TAKE: It’s been an awesome two-year run for the Warriors – 6-5 and a trip to Districts in 2006; 9-2 and a return trip to Districts last fall; both times to Districts resulted in first-round losses to Central Dauphin – and there are enough pieces back in the fold for the run to continue. But that offensive line is going to need some help, toot sweet. … Resch might eclipse 300 touches this season, while the new QB and trench guys get their feet wet. … New guys or not, it says here that if Warwick can come out of the non-league slate no worse than 2-1, the Warriors just might have another run in them.

McCASKEY RED TORNADO
ONLINE: mccaskeyfootball.tripod.com
COACH: Scott Feldman (11th season; 59-47 overall).
PIAA CLASSIFICATION: Quad-A.
THE SCHEDULE: Elizabethtown, @ York High, Coatesville, @ Wilson, @ Hempfield, Penn Manor, Warwick, @ Cedar Crest, @ Manheim Township, Reading.
REINHART SAYS: Absolutely love the opener against Elizabethtown. I know the fine folks at McCaskey like to schedule non-league games against other big ‘city schools’ (in practically every sport, come to think of it). But I thought adding E-town was awesome. There is a great vibe going on over at E-town, especially after the Bears went 10-2, shared the Section 2 crown and made Districts last year. So I’m really looking forward to this season opener; it’s probably my favorite Week 1 game, now that I stop and think about it. … Annual slugfest non-leaguers against York High and Coatesville will be testers: York High, which pinned a 42-0 loss on McCaskey last fall, went 10-2 last season, falling to Wilson in the District 3 Quad-A quarterfinals; Coatesville went 5-5 against a rugged District 1 schedule last year, including a wild 36-33 win over McCaskey. … Section 1 gauntlet starts with a trip to West Lawn, where the Bulldogs will be waiting (and salivating), two weeks removed from a non-league tester against Manheim Central. Winner there gets an early leg-up in the Section 1 race. … Another road tester in Week 5 at Hempfield. Wow, McCaskey will find out where it stands right away, no? … And do circle Week 9 at Township: that’s usually an interesting game. And I’m sure the Streaks still haven’t forgotten that the Tornado knocked them off in a District 3 Quad-A first-rounder in 2006.
OFFENSIVE SCHEME: Spread Option.
DEFENSIVE SCHEME: 4-3.
LAST SEASON: 3-4 in Section, 3-7 overall.
2007 PASSING LEADER: Adrian Westbrook – 36-of-74 (49 percent) for 606 yards, 2 TD, 5 picks (112.8 passer rating); James Bouder – 55-of-94 (59 percent) for 583 yards, 1 TD, 7 picks (99.2 passer rating).
2007 RUSHING LEADER: Jerome LaRue – 120 carries for 669 yards (5.6 avg.), 9 TD.
2007 RECEIVING LEADER: Daniel Pena – 28 catches for 471 yards (16.8 avg.), 3 TD.
TEAM TOTAL OFFENSE: 233.2 yards per game (21st in the league).
TEAM TOTAL DEFENSE: 295.5 yards per game (12th in the league).
KEY PLAYERS LOST: QB James Bouder, LB Aaron Conestrare (Section 1 Honorable Mention All-Star OLB), RB-LB Xavier Dominguez (Section 1 Second-Team All-Star ILB), TE-LB Ryan Feldman (Bloomsburg), OT-DT Tim Figueroa (Section 1 Honorable Mention All-Star DT), C Brian Gantz (Section 1 Honorable Mention All-Star C), RB Jerome LaRue (Section 1 First-Team All-Star RB; Section 1 First-Team All-Star KR; Milford Academy), WR-DB Daniel Pena (Section 1 Second-Team All-Star WR; Section 1 Second-Team All-Star DB), C Rob Supplee.
KEY PLAYERS RETURNING: OT Clint Banzhof, WR-DB Leequan LaRue, NG Hector Nunez, LB Jeremy Rosario, RB-DB Taylor Schmalhofer, QB Adrian Westbrook, OG Kyle Weik, WR-DB Brandon Williams.
ALL EYES ON: Senior WR-DB Brandon Williams – The Red Tornado’s quarterback competition – pitting incumbent Adrian Westbrook against Nate Shaeffer, both juniors – went on into training camp (although Shaeffer missed some time with a knee bruise), so when one of those guys wraps up the job, he’s going to need a reliable set of hands to throw to in crunch time. That’s where Williams should come in. … He’s got good size – 6-3, 200 – soft hands and he’ll go over the middle. Williams played alongside stalwart Daniel Pena (team-high 28 catches for 471 yards, 3 TD) last season. He did grab seven balls for 97 yards (13.8 avg.), so his experience should definitely help out Westbrook and/or Shaeffer when the going gets tough. … Williams will have another burner lined up on the other flank: Junior WR Leequan LaRue, who averaged 29.5 yards per catch on his four receptions last season.
THE GOOD NEWS: Should he win the QB job outright, Westbrook will bring some familiarity to an offense that will return just five regulars – and two of them are wideouts: Williams and LaRue. Westbrook stepped in when James Bouder went down with an injury last season, and he filled in quite admirably, completing 36-of-74 passes for 606 yards and 2 TDs against 5 picks. He also rushed for 105 yards on keepers. For the record, Shaeffer completed just 1-of-4 passes for 31 yards in limited duty last season. … Having OT Clint Banzhof and OG Kyle Weik back will help. There will be three new starters around them, but they should help blow open some holes for new feature backs Taylor Schmalhofer and Dajuan Simms – who will step in for bottle rocket Jerome LaRue.
QUESTION MARKS: The Tornado lost some serious speed (Jerome LaRue, Daniel Pena) from the skill spots, and lost some serious beef (Tim Figueroa, Brian Gantz, Rob Supplee) in the trenches. McCaskey also got cleaned out at linebacker, losing three animals to graduation: Xavier Dominguez, Aaron Conestrare and Ryan Feldman, Coach Feldman’s son. Those guys will be missed.
QUOTABLE: McCaskey coach Scott Feldman – “Speed and athleticism at the skill positions is our No. 1 strength and line play and depth along both lines is our No. 1 weakness. But we’re excited for the season start.”

REINHART’S TAKE: The Tornado is just two years removed from winning a District 3 Quad-A playoff game, so those feelings should still be fresh around the program. And if McCaskey can get off to a quick start (momentum would be a very good thing going into the Section 1 opener at Wilson, I must say), there are enough weapons here offensively to make a run at getting back to .500 – and making a playoff push. Breaking in three new starters on the o-line won’t be easy – two of them will be sophomores; C Andrew Arroyo and LG T.J. Ford – but with Williams and LaRue on the flanks, the Tornado should move the ball. But they better stop it.

CEDAR CREST FALCONS
ONLINE: falconfootballclub.com
COACH: Mike Robinson (5th season; 14-26 overall).
PIAA CLASSIFICATION: Quad-A.
THE SCHEDULE: @ Lebanon, Conrad Weiser, Conestoga Valley, @ Warwick, Wilson, @ Manheim Township, Hempfield, McCaskey, @ Reading, @ Penn Manor.
REINHART SAYS: Cedar Bowl right out of the gate at Lebanon. That’s always fun for Lebanon County bragging rights. It also means the Falcons’ D better be on its toes, because Lebanon features its ‘Air Raid’ offense with senior QB James Capello at the helm. Crest is the reigning Cedar Bowl champ; Falcons clipped the Cedars 30-19 last year. … Conrad Weiser fell to Lampeter-Strasburg in the first round of the District 3 Triple-A playoffs a year ago. … Crest gets Hempfield and McCaskey at home at midseason, and those could be key games in the section race.
OFFENSIVE SCHEME: Wing-T.
DEFENSIVE SCHEME: Multiple.
LAST SEASON: 1-6 in Section 1, 2-8 overall.
2007 PASSING LEADER: Gary Gristick – 59-of-130 (45 percent) for 640 yards, 1 TD, 3 picks (84.7 passer rating).
2007 RUSHING LEADER: Kyle Youtz – 108 carries for 494 yards (4.6 avg.), 3 TD.
2007 RECEIVING LEADER: Sam Moyer – 14 catches for 268 yards (19.0 avg.), 0 TD.
TEAM TOTAL OFFENSE: 199.4 yards per game (24th in the league).
TEAM TOTAL DEFENSE: 343.7 yards per game (21st in the league).
KEY PLAYERS LOST: DB Tanner Hoch, DE Xavier Jordan, OT-DT Brandon Kline (Section 1 First-Team All-Star OT; Section 1 Second-Team All-Star DT; Kutztown), OG Robert Knutson (Section 1 Honorable Mention All-Star OG; Albright), TE Sam Moyer, DT Zach Reidinger, DB Tyler Snook (Widener), LB Logan Trout, OT Andrew Trovinger, C-DE Alan Wolfe (Section 1 Second-Team All-Star C; St. Vincent), RB Kyle Youtz (Section 1 Honorable Mention All-Star RB; Stevens Tech).
KEY PLAYERS RETURNING: RB Tyler Bennett, QB-P Gary Gristick (Section 1 Honorable Mention All-Star P), DB Paul Harpel (Section 1 Honorable Mention All-Star DB), LB Jon Heisey (Section 1 Honorable Mention All-Star ILB), LB Elliot Irwin, RB Charles Kyeremeh, K Brendon Levengood (Section 1 Honorable Mention All-Star K), OT Mike Meagher, RB-LB Duran Ramos (Section 2 Second-Team All-Star WR; transferred from Lebanon), LB Joe Sarra (Section 1 First-Team All-Star OLB), RB Sean Sellers.
ALL EYES ON: Junior LB Joe Sarra – Want to know why the Falcons went 2-8 last year? Check the numbers. Cedar Crest gave up a whopping 2,043 rushing yards and yielded 343.7 yards per game last season. The Falcons were ranked 21st in the league and dead last in Section 1 in team D. It goes without saying, then, that Cedar Crest must (m-u-s-t, must) tighten up on defense if it hopes to hang with the Wilsons and Manheim Townships of the world. That’s where Sarra hopes to come in. A Section 1 First-Team All-Star pick last year, the OLB gained 25 pounds this summer in hopes of becoming an even heavier hitter. And he said he wants to be a better leader of the troops on the field. Not bad for a rising junior. Follow Joe, boys. He should be a heck of a leader.
THE GOOD NEWS: Odd that I’d start with a kicker, but I must say that Brendon Levengood should be one of the top kickers in the league this fall. He booted seven field goals a year ago – including a pair of 38-yarders – so he should be money should the Falcons stall in the Red Zone. … Gary Gristick returns at QB. He didn’t have the greatest rookie season ever – 59-of-130 for 640 yards, 1 TD pass – but he was only picked off three times. And with 10 varsity games under his belt, he should definitely have a better handle on the Falcons’ option attack. He’ll also have another weapon at his disposal in Lebanon transfer Duran Ramos, a Section 2 All-Star selection last season after catching 51 passes for 492 yards and a TD for the Cedars. Ramos will likely play FB for the Falcons, blocking for holdover backs Charles Kyeremeh (48-270, 3 TD) and Tyler Bennett (61-253, 3 TD). “He’s fit right in,” Sarra said of Ramos. “He hasn’t missed a beat.” … Cedar Crest should also benefit from the return of a pair of returning defensive all-stars in DB Paul Harpel and LB Jon Heisey. You can never, ever have too many returning all-stars, right?
QUESTION MARKS: The o-line will need some tweaking, and that’s never a fun place to start. Cedar Crest definitely lost some studs there, including First-Team All-Star Brandon Kline at OT and Honorable Mention All-Star pick Robert Knutson at OG. … All-Star pick Kyle Youtz, who rushed for a team-high 494 yards in an injury-riddled season last fall, also moved on.
QUOTABLE: Cedar Crest senior LB Joe Sarra – “I know I’m sick of losing, and I think all the guys here are sick of losing. Everyone is tired of failing, so we’re putting in the time and doing what we need to do to be successful. The losing has made us all work even harder. Not one of us stopped working this entire off-season … every single person, from Coach Robinson all the way down, has worked so much harder since the end of last season.”

REINHART’S TAKE: Cedar Crest has been a head-scratcher the last couple of years. It wasn’t too long ago that the Falcons were battling it out for Section 1 supremacy and going to Districts on a yearly basis. But the program has hit a speed bump the last couple of years – 1-13 in Section 1 and 3-17 overall the last two seasons combined. That’s never any fun. And like Sarra said, losing gets sickening after a while. Can the Falcons snap out of this funk and be players in the race again? If Sarra has anything to say about it, yes. I’ll say a fast start would be peachy (like a repeat in the Cedar Bowl, for instance). Keep your fingers crossed.

READING RED KNIGHTS
COACH: Preston McKnight (1st season).
PIAA CLASSIFICATION: Quad-A.
THE SCHEDULE: @York High, Pottsville, @ Governor Mifflin, Manheim Township, @ Penn Manor, @ Warwick, Wilson, @ Hempfield, Cedar Crest, @ McCaskey.
REINHART SAYS: Killer non-league slate features York High (10-2, District 3 Quad-A quarterfinalist last year), Pottsville (District 11 lynchpin, 5-6 last year, but PIAA Triple-A finalist two of the last three years) and Governor Mifflin (12-2, District 3 Quad-A finalist last year). Welcome aboard, Coach McKnight, the former Schuylkill Valley coach who took that program to the District 3 playoffs in his third year on the gig. … Section 1 opener is no walk in the park either: Defending outright champ Township right out of the chute. … Circle Week 7 at home against Wilson. Nothing like a good rivalry game to get your juices flowing, right?
OFFENSIVE SCHEME: Spread Option.
DEFENSIVE SCHEME: Multiple Front.
LAST SEASON: 3-4 in Section 1, 3-7 overall.
2007 PASSING LEADER: Malcolm Williams – 51-of-113 (45 percent) for 692 yards, 2 TD, 8 picks (88.3 passer rating).
2007 RUSHING LEADER: Malcolm Williams – 118 carries for 854 yards (7.3 avg.), 12 TD.
2007 RECEIVING LEADER: Francis Camara – 21 catches for 260 yards (12.4 avg.), 1 TD.
TEAM TOTAL OFFENSE: 282.9 yards per game (13th in the league).
TEAM TOTAL DEFENSE: 313.0 yards per game (15th in the league).
KEY PLAYERS LOST: LB Andrew Badillo (Section 1 Honorable Mention All-Star OLB), DB Corey Baldwin, WR-LB Francis Camara (Section 1 First-Team All-Star OLB; Section 1 Second-Team All-Star WR; Holy Cross), C Chris Feliciano (Section 1 Honorable Mention All-Star C), QB Robert Kresge, DE Demetrius Lindsey (Section 1 Honorable Mention All-Star DE), LB Tamar Phelps (Section 1 Second-team All-Star OLB), QB-DB Malcolm Williams (Section 1 Honorable Mention All-Star QB; Temple), LB Travis Wynn.
KEY PLAYERS RETURNING: LB Josh Appling, TE-DE Demrick Cook (Section 1 First-Team All-Star DE), RB Fruquan Gaston (Section 1 Second-Team All-Star RB), LB Nick Kubacki, OT Darryl Pringle (Section 1 Second-Team All-Star OT)
SPOTLIGHT ON: Senior RB Fruquan Gaston – The Red Knights’ shifty running back came out of nowhere last season. At the start of the season he was playing behind Francis Camara, who ended up shifting to the slot once dual-threat QB Malcolm Williams had more success with his feet instead of his arm. That left the feature back spot to Gaston, who really came on like gangbusters toward the end of the season. He ended up averaging 6.9 yards per pop – 714 yards on 104 carries – and he scored seven touchdowns. Gaston won’t sneak up on anybody this season. And now that Williams has moved on, he’ll probably be called upon to shoulder a bit more of the load.
THE GOOD NEWS: There is some beef here, notably First-Team Section 1 All-Stars Demrick Cook at TE and DE and Darryl Pringle at OT. Pringle already has a scholarship offer from Temple in his back pocket. … As mentioned, Fruquan Gaston should be one of the top backs in the league this season. He’s quick. … QB job is a battle between juniors Yamil Echavarria and Freddy Pena. … Stumbled across this cool note about Reading’s program: Did you know that this will be the 117th season that Reading High has fielded a football team? Wow. The Knights’ record over that clip? 499-541-45, which means Reading’s first win this season will be the 500th victory in the history of the program. That’s pretty cool. … FYI: Reading High was the first school in Berks County to have a varsity football team. The Knights have been around since 1892.
QUESTION MARKS: Can Echavarria and/or Pena be the dual-threat QB Williams chiseled himself into by the middle of last season? Can someone replace Camara in the slot and be that home-threat threat in passing situations? Can the Knights replace a trio of really good linebackers (Camara, Travis Wynn and All-Star pick Andrew Badillo)?
NOTABLE: McKnight, a 1983 Reading High grad, is in his 23rd season as a coach. He’s worked at the professional level, as an assistant with the Arena League’s Reading Express. He’s worked at the collegiate level, as an assistant at Kutztown University. And he’s worked at the high school level, where he’s served as head coach at Schuylkill Valley and as an assistant at Governor Mifflin.
QUOTABLE: Reading senior DT Demrick Cook – “(Coach McKnight) has brought a lot of discipline, and the guys are listening because he’s got a lot of knowledge about the game. He tells us to do something and we do it. There’s been no playing around. So it’s been a good transition. … We’re starving right now. We want to compete in be in line for the playoffs. It’s been frustrating the last couple of years. So we’ve been working so hard because this senior class really, really wants to win.”

REINHART’S TAKE: Reading has gone 9-31 (all under former coach Victor Brown) since reaching the District 3 Quad-A title game in 2003. But the Knights are hoping their fortunes change under McKnight. Can they? Reading usually has enough weapons to keep everyone honest. A fast start would help, so the Knights can gain some momentum for the Section 1 wars. I’m sniffing an upset or two along the way from this crew.

PENN MANOR COMETS
ONLINE: pennmanorfootball.com
COACH: Todd Mealy (2nd season; 1-9 overall).
PIAA CLASSIFICATION: Quad-A.
THE SCHEDULE: Solanco, Lampeter-Strasburg, @ Exeter, @ Hempfield, Reading, @ McCaskey, Manheim Township, @ Warwick, Wilson, Cedar Crest.
REINHART SAYS: I like Solanco and L-S back-to-back, even though Penn Manor, a Quad-A program, is dropping down a class in both games. Oh well. Those should be fun games for the county, and you can never go wrong there. … Key game is right out of the chute in Section 1: at Hempfield. You already heard me say that I like the Knights’ chances this season, so here’s a great chance for the Comets to throw a monkey wrench into the race right away – and they’d love to do it against their former coach (Forgrave).
OFFENSIVE SCHEME: Option.
DEFENSIVE SCHEME: 4-4.
LAST SEASON: 0-7 in Section 1, 1-9 overall.
2007 PASSING LEADER: P.J. Rheam – 32-of-78 (41 percent) for 409 yards, 3 TD, 7 picks (75.6 passer rating); Mike Treier – 17-of-50 (34 percent) for 379 yards, 1 TD, 8 picks (72.3 passer rating).
2007 RUSHING LEADER: Carl Christmas – 224 carries for 1,069 yards (4.8 avg.), 7 TD.
2007 RECEIVING LEADER: Cody Booth – 25 catches for 400 yards (16.0 avg.), 3 TD.
TEAM TOTAL OFFENSE: 253.9 yards per game (18th in the league).
TEAM TOTAL DEFENSE: 331.8 yards per game (19th in the league).
KEY PLAYERS LOST: RB-DB Carl Christmas (Section 1 First-Team All-Star RB), LB Bevan Embry, C-LB Tyler Klugh (Section 1 Honorable Mention All-Star ILB), DE Derek Putt, OT-DT Ben Schober (Section 1 Second-Team All-Star DT; Section 1 Honorable Mention All-Star OT).
KEY PLAYERS RETURNING: TE-DE Cody Booth (Section 1 Second-Team All-Star TE; Section 1 Second-Team All-Star DE), OL Zach Fisher, WR Aaron Frederick, OL-DL-P Zach Johns (Section 1 Honorable Mention All-Star P), WR Tyler Musser, LB Sean Noll, QB-DB P.J. Rheam, OL-LB Jake Rebman, RB Brandon Spangler, QB-DB Mike Treier.
ALL EYES ON: Senior QB Mike Treier – All eyes will be on Treier to see – bless his heart – if he can stay healthy. This kid has been hit by the injury bug a multitude of times. In his sophomore season he broke his ankle, and then broke the other ankle later that year during basketball season (I mean, what are those odds?). And in his junior year he sprained his MCL and separated his shoulder in separate football incidents. “I’m not one of those guys who is going to slide or step out of bounds,” Treier said. “That’s not my nature.” It is Treier’s nature, as an option QB, to take on would-be tacklers, to try and squeeze into teeny, tiny holes, to spin and lunge and try and get that extra yard. That is Treier in a nutshell. And if he can stay healthy this season, Penn Manor won’t go 1-9 again. He’s that valuable. And that good – when he’s healthy.
THE GOOD NEWS: As mentioned, option specialist – but the oft-injured – Mike Treier returns at QB. He’s a grinder. Two-way all-star Cody Booth also returns. He’s a playmaker on both sides of the ball, and is definitely someone to keep an eye on. Both o-guards – LG Zach Fisher and RG Jake Rebman – will return to try and keep Treier, um, injury free. And All-Star punter Zach Johns returns, which should help out in special teams. … And just to pad this good news section out a little bit: this is Mealy’s second year on the job, so the good news is that everyone in the program should know his system and what he’s preaching by now. He’s always been a defensive-minded coach. If Penn Manor can improve there, people won’t overlook them.
QUESTION MARKS: Scatback Carl Christmas, who shared the Section 1 rushing title with Warwick’s Eric Resch last season (both backs finished with 1,069 yards in 10 regular-season games), has moved on (albeit begrudgingly), leaving a gaping hole in the backfield. Christmas, who earlier in his prep career transferred over from McCaskey, ran out of athletic eligibility, even though he played as a junior-eligible a year ago. The Comets appealed to the folks in the District 3 office – and later to the folks in the PIAA office – to let Christmas play for the team for one more year. But District 3 and PIAA both said no. … Senior Sean Noll will likely be the new feature back, replacing Christmas. … The loss of stud two-way lineman Ben Schober will also hurt. He was an all-star on both sides of the ball, and he will be missed on both sides of the trenches. … The Comets also lost a pair of linebackers, including Tyler Klugh, an all-star pick. … The center (Dan Glatfelter) and tackles (LT Derek Souder and RT Doug Nase) will be wet behind the ears at the outset, and the quicker they jell the better.
QUOTABLE: Penn Manor senior QB Mike Treier – “Our confidence is back, and I think we can surprise some teams this season. I’d pretty much bet any money that nobody is going to pick us to win the section. What we want is for teams to have to worry about us again. And who knows? Maybe some teams will look past us, and we’ll surprise some people.”

REINHART’S TAKE: Can Penn Manor top last year’s one victory – and can the Comets finally win a Section 1 game under Mealy? If Treier stays healthy, the short answer is yes. But can the Comets recapture the magic from two years ago, when they made the District 3 Quad-A playoffs? There’s probably too many new faces in the trenches to make that happen. Baby steps, people. Baby steps. But enjoy Mr. Whirling Dervish himself, Mike Treier.