JEFFREY REINHART jreinhart@LNPnews.com

You better sit down for this one; it might take a while. For you, my L-L League Section 2 football team preview capsules, listed in predicted order of finish. Enjoy:

MANHEIM CENTRAL BARONS
ONLINE: baronsfootball.com
COACH: Mike Williams (28th season; 276-56-3 overall).
PIAA CLASSIFICATION: Triple-A.
THE SCHEDULE: Susquehannock, @ Wilson, Lancaster Catholic, @ Cocalico, Solanco, @ Ephrata, Conestoga Valley, Elizabethtown, @ Lebanon, @ Garden Spot.
REINHART SAYS: Susquehannock (6-4 in YAIAA Division 2 last year) is new to the slate, and the Barons should start finding out what they’re made of on Opening Night. What follows is a four-week gauntlet, including two jaw-dropping non-league games – at Wilson and home with Lancaster Catholic. If those games don’t get your blood boiling, I’m not sure what will. Those are dandies, and are absolute can’t-miss games. … It won’t get any easier after that for the Barons, with the Section 2 opener at Cocalico (which knocked off previously unbeaten Elizabethtown in Week 10 and advanced to Districts last year) followed by Solanco at home. In case you forgot, the Golden Mares beat Central 28-7 last year in Quarryville – it was Solanco’s first win over the Barons since 1991. So you know Central will have r-e-v-e-n-g-e on its minds that night. … Also circle these two home games: Bitter rival CV at home in Week 7 and E-town, also at home, in Week 8. You all remember what the Bears did to the Barons last year over in E-town on a Monday night (56-14). Think Central has the rematch circled? Um, yes – in big capital letters, probably hanging from a sign placed strategically in the weight room.
OFFENSIVE SCHEME: Veer.
DEFENSIVE SCHEME: 4-4.
LAST SEASON: 5-2 in Section 2, 6-5 overall. Lost to Red Land (16-6) in the first round of the District 3 Triple-A playoffs. It was Central’s first opening-round loss in the district playoffs since the Barons fell to eventual champ Lower Dauphin 42-40 on a Hail Mail buzzer-beater in 2002.
2007 PASSING LEADER: Jeremy Knosp – 30-of-49 (61 percent) for 414 yards, 3 TD, 4 picks (136.1 passer rating); Justin Gorman – 24-of-51 (47 percent) for 269 yards, 2 TD, 2 picks (96.5 passer rating).
2007 RUSHING LEADER: Tony Ferrari – 71 carries for 402 yards (5.7 avg.), 5 TD.
2007 RECEIVING LEADER: Mike Stum – 35 catches for 487 yards (13.9 avg.), 3 TD.
TEAM TOTAL OFFENSE: 288.2 yards per game (12th in the league).
TEAM TOTAL DEFENSE: 291.4 yards per game (11th in the league).
KEY PLAYERS LOST: RB Tony Ferrari, RB-LB Scott Garber (Section 2 Second-Team All-Star OLB; Section 2 Honorable Mention All-Star RB), K Justin Myer (Section 2 First-Team All-Star K; Virginia Tech), OT-DT Matt Potts, OG-DT Ryan Snavely (Section 2 Second-Team All-Star OG; Section 2 Honorable Mention All-Star DT), DE Seth Stauffer, WR-DB Mike Stum (Section 2 Second-Team All-Star WR), WR Kyle Wentzel.
KEY PLAYERS RETURNING: C-DT Riley Clugston (Section 2 First-Team All-Star C), TE-LB Travis Ebersole (Section 2 First-Team All-Star OLB; Section 2 Second-Team All-Star TE), OG Austin Groff, OT John Fair, QB Justin Gorman, FB-LB Joe Gruber (Section 2 Honorable Mention FB), LB Lowen Johnson, QB Jeremy Knosp, DE Dakota Royer (Section 2 First-Team All-Star DE), LB Alex Shenk, P Jeff Strait (Section 2 Second-Team All-Star P), RB-DB Dan Trafford (Section 2 Second-Team All-Star DB), OG Joe Weaver.
ALL EYES ON: Senior QB Jeremy Knosp – I picked Knosp for this spot because I’m anxious to see if he can get through a complete season without getting hurt. This kid has had some tough luck. A knee injury wrecked his sophomore season, and shoulder surgery canned his junior year. When he’s healthy, he’s got a nice arm, he’s cool in the pocket and he knows how to direct the Barons’ vaunted Veer attack. … In limited duty last fall, Knosp completed a cool 61 percent of his passes – 30-of-49 – for 414 yards and 3 TDs. But because of the injuries, he’s never really got to show everyone his full skill set. If Knosp can stay healthy, he’ll have enough weapons at his disposal to do some good things. If he doesn’t stay healthy (knock on wood), the Barons will have a very capable QB in junior Justin Gorman, who took over the reins when Knosp went down last year. His numbers weren’t as flashy as Knosp’s – 24-of-51 for 269 yards, 2 TDs, 2 picks – but he’s a good scrambler (not to mention an excellent holder on extra points and field goals, and he might be the Barons’ best cover corner; he’s also the younger brother of reigning Lancaster Newspapers’ Female Athlete of the Year Kelsey Gorman, a Lancaster Mennonite grad. Got all that?). … If Central is going to shake last year’s 6-5 finish and get back in the winner’s circle, the Barons are going to need consistency from the QB spot. If Knosp can play all 10 games (and maybe more), that would be a very good thing for this bunch.
THE GOOD NEWS: Jeremy Knosp is healthy and Justin Gorman has experience, so the Barons are set in the QB department. Now if Knosp can only stay off the disabled list. … Junior DE Dakota Royer is a monster. He led Central’s D in practically every individual category last season, including sacks and tackles. He’s already getting D1 looks, and he’s only going to get better. And more good news – he’s 100 percent healthy after a scare during camp. (We interrupt this segment for a news bulletin: I was over at Central camp one day, and after the morning practice, Royer had to do some extra running. He must have done at least 20 laps – up 100 yards and back 100 yards – and the kid sprinted every single one of them. Sprinted. Top speed. Head up. Arms churning. Legs pumping. Up and back. Up and back. Up and back. Probably at least 20 times. And barely any stopping in between. He’s a freak. We now return to this segment.) … More good news: C Riley Clugston returns to anchor the o-line; TE-LB Travis Ebersole is back to wreak havoc on both sides of the ball; Joe Gruber should slip into the role of the prototypical Central FB-LB kid; RB Dan Trafford can scoot; LB Alex Shenk is a player; and P Jeff Strait has a terrific leg. … Not sure if this is ‘good news’ or not, but Central should have plenty of revenge and redemption on its mind after taking more than a couple of shots on the chin last year (Solanco, E-town, first-round exit in Districts for the first time in memory). The last thing you want is any Mike Williams-coached, Central team playing with a chip on its shoulder.
QUESTION MARKS: Will senior QB Jeremy Knosp make it through the whole season without a trip to the hospital for x-rays? Can the offensive line keep Knosp upright all season? How will Central’s kicking game be without Justin Myer, who is attempting to walk-on at Virginia Tech? Can Central get its mojo back after doing some very un-Central-like things last year? That should cover it. Clean up those question marks, and Central will be on top again. Piece of cake, right?
NOTABLE: Central is ranked ninth in the Pennsylvania Football News preseason Triple-A state poll.
QUOTABLE: Manheim Central senior TE-LB Travis Ebersole – “Our senior group hasn’t won anything, so as a group we feel like we have something to prove, and that we have to win something. We don’t have the feeling of a section or a district championship, so that’s what we’re striving for. … This group of guys flows together. We’re not running the same plays seven times in a row in practice just to learn it and get it down. We’ve jelled and we’re ready for this. We need to do something because it’s been frustrating at times. But we feel like this year could be our year.”

REINHART’S TAKE: Not sure how that Wilson/Lancaster Catholic non-league stretch will turn out; there is a very legit chance that Central comes out of the non-league portion with a 1-2 record, to be brutally honest. But win or lose, those games should toughen up Central for future endeavors. Like the much-anticipated matchups against Cocalico, Solanco and Elizabethtown. When’s the last time Central-Solanco was called a much-anticipated matchup, by the way? Anyhoo … Just a hunch, but the Barons are getting a wee bit antsy to win something – anything. “We’re very antsy,” senior C Riley Clugston confirmed. “It’s been very frustrating around here lately.” No Section 2 title the last two years. No District 3 title since (gasp) 2005. Tack on last year’s losses to Solanco and Elizabethtown for the first time in more than a decade in both cases, and I’m thinking the Barons are ready to take their frustrations out on somebody. … With wholesale losses to graduation at E-town, and with Solanco breaking in some fresh faces, it says here that the time might be ripe for Central to get its Section 2 title back. After that? Get back to me in November.

COCALICO EAGLES
ONLINE: cocalicofootball.com
COACH: Dave Gingrich (5th season; 23-19 overall).
PIAA CLASSIFICATION: Triple-A.
THE SCHEDULE: Lampeter-Strasburg, @ Exeter, @ Annville-Cleona (Thursday game), Manheim Central, @ Ephrata, Lebanon, @ Elizabethtown, Garden Spot, @ Conestoga Valley, Solanco.
REINHART SAYS: The Week 1 encounter with L-S should be a real dandy. I know L-S lost a good chunk of kids off of last year’s District 3 Triple-A title team. But you know the Pioneers will be reloaded and ready to go. Don’t forget: Cocalico won that game last year, 35-34, when L-S misfired on a late 2-point conversion (I’m pretty sure I’ll be in Denver for the rematch). … I also like the Week 3 game at Annville-Cleona, which will be played on Thursday, Sept. 11. Yep, Thursday. Gingrich is an A-C grad, so Little Dutchmen coach Terry Lehman wanted to do something special. Voila – a Thursday game, in A-C’s refurbished stadium. So that’ll be the only game in town. I want to see packed bleachers, people. … Section 2 opener at home with Manheim Central should be mighty interesting, as will Cocalico’s Week 7 matchup at E-town (Bears will be out for some major revenge there) and Week 10 game at home with Solanco. Circle those games for sure. … I like where the Eagles are flying, folks. Make sure to keep one eye on Denver in the coming months.
OFFENSIVE SCHEME: Veer.
DEFENSIVE SCHEME: 4-4.
LAST SEASON: 5-2 in Section 2, 7-4 overall. Lost to Hershey (34-7) in the first round of the District 3 Triple-A playoffs.
2007 PASSING LEADER: Matt Carty – 38-of-70 (54 percent) for 739 yards, 9 TD, 5 picks (171.2 passer rating).
2007 RUSHING LEADER: Kyle Keller – 250 carries for 1,212 yards (4.8 avg.), 5 TD; Kyle Fisher – 133 carries for 1,203 yards (9.0 avg.), 20 TD.
2007 RECEIVING LEADER: Kyle Fisher – 16 catches for 290 yards (18.1 avg.), 3 TD.
TEAM TOTAL OFFENSE: 349.8 yards per game (5th in the league).
TEAM TOTAL DEFENSE: 306.9 yards per game (14th in the league).
KEY PLAYERS LOST: WR-DB Lee Heist (Section 2 Second-Team All-Star WR; Section 2 Honorable Mention All-Star DB), OG-DT George Heller (Section 2 Second-Team All-Star DT), FB Kyle Keller (Section 2 Second-Team All-Star FB; Albright), LB Trevor Kling (Section 2 Honorable Mention All-Star OLB), P Josh Powell (Section 2 Honorable Mention All-Star P), OG-DE Zeb Rineer (Section 2 Offensive Lineman of the Year; Section 2 Defensive Lineman of the Year; Outstanding Lineman of the Year; Section 2 First-Team All-Star OG; Section 2 First-Team All-Star DE), OT-DE Tyler Rittenour, LB Alex Showalter (Section 2 Second-Team All-Star OLB), WR-DB Guye Weber.
KEY PLAYERS RETURNING: C Blake Bomberger, DT Ben Brugger, QB-DB Matt Carty (Section 2 Second-Team All-Star DB; Section 2 Honorable Mention All-Star QB), RB Kyle Fisher (Section 2 First-Team All-Star RB), LB Joe Lawville, OT Pat McMillan (Section 2 First-Team All-Star OT), K Andrew Prevoznik (Section 2 Honorable Mention All-Star K), TE Ethan Quint, LB Jon Smoker.
ALL EYES ON: Senior RB Kyle Fisher – You probably know by now that Fisher is the L-L League’s King of Speed. He burned up the track last spring in the L-L League Meet, winning all three sprint events – 100, 200 and 400. This kid is scary fast, and if he can get to the corner, fuggetaboutit. … When asked about Fisher, Cocalico coach Dave Gingrich produced perhaps my favorite quote from the L-L League Media Day festivities: “I don’t think there’s a kid in our league who can catch him.” … Agreed. … In my preseason sneak peek column, I picked Fisher to win the L-L League rushing title this season. I’m sticking with that pick, even though he suffered a sprained neck before the second scrimmage. Don’t fret: He’ll be 100 percent for the L-S game.
THE GOOD NEWS: Two of the top skill kids in the L-L League will be back – speedster scatback Kyle Fisher and QB Matt Carty, who had a breakout sophomore season last fall after taking over the starting job about three weeks in. That’s a superb start. … Fisher will be a nightmare to tackle, and Carty is an option whiz. He throws a nice pass, too; betcha didn’t know Carty had the second-best QB efficiency rating in the league last fall, when he completed 38-of-70 passes for 739 yards – that’s 19.4 yards per completion, by the way – with 9 TDs against just 5 picks for a QB rating of 171.2. … More good news: two solid linemen are back – C Blake Bomberger and OT Pat McMillan, a First-Team All-Section pick a year ago.
QUESTION MARKS: Three stud linemen have moved on. Stalwart Zeb Rineer (who walked away with every postseason lineman award in the book last fall; and, I sadly must report, took one of the coolest names in the L-L League with him) graduated, and George Heller and Tyler Rittenour were solid. … The Eagles will also definitely miss FB Kyle Keller, who rushed for 1,212 yards and five scores – and helped blow open holes for Fisher. Wow, what a 1-2 punch those guys were.
NOTABLE: Cocalico is an honorable mention pick in the Pennsylvania Football News preseason Triple-A state poll.
QUOTABLE: Cocalico coach Dave Gingrich – “The vibes are good, the attitudes are good and the work ethic is good. Now it comes down to us just taking it a week at a time. If we get better every week, and if we can compete every week, sure, I think we have a chance to have a good season. But if we start thinking that we have a chance … right now, the only thing we’re thinking about is L-S (in the season-opener). That’s all we can control. We have no control over how good Manheim Central is going to be. Or how good Solanco is going to be. Or how good E-town is going to be. We just want to be a consistent team. If we can raise that level or consistency, we’ll be in good shape.”

REINHART’S TAKE: Cocalico’s Veer is tricky, especially with Carty, a solid pitch man, and Fisher, the L-L League’s Fastest Man, back there. Keller will be missed, but if the new fullback (Joe Lawville) can be a solid 1-2 punch with Fisher, and if the new o-linemen can come together quickly, the Eagles will be a major player in this race. … I’m still wiping egg off my face for picking these guys to finish dead last in Section 2 last year. I’d be a total idiot to make that prediction again. That’s why I’m not.

ELIZABETHTOWN BEARS
ONLINE: etownfootball.com
COACH: Jeff Polites (9th season; 42-40 overall; reigning Section 2 Coach of the Year).
PIAA CLASSIFICATION: Quad-A – up from Triple-A last year.
THE SCHEDULE: @ McCaskey, Muhlenberg, Manheim Township, @ Solanco (Saturday game), @ Conestoga Valley, Garden Spot, Cocalico, @ Manheim Central, @ Ephrata, Lebanon.
REINHART SAYS: Digging that opener at McCaskey. Should be a fun, fun night at the Barney Ewell Complex. … Muhlenberg was in Districts last year, so Week 2 will be a tester for sure. Should also be a fun night in Week 3, when Township heads to E-town. The Blue Streaks led the Bears 10-0 at the half last year, before E-town stormed from behind and won 20-10 – in Neffsville. It was Township’s lone loss in the regular season, and the win really jumpstarted the Bears on their way to a 9-0 start and to a share of the Section 2 crown with Solanco. … Oh, and hang a big gold star next to Week 8: E-town at Manheim Central. Yeah, that game might get some hype, you think?
OFFENSIVE SCHEME: Wing-T.
DEFENSIVE SCHEME: 4-4.
LAST SEASON: 6-1 in Section 2 (co-champs with Solanco), 10-2 overall. Lost to Lampeter-Strasburg (21-0) in the District 3 Triple-A quarterfinals.
2007 PASSING LEADER: Preston Faith – 49-of-96 (51 percent) for 740 yards, 7 TD, 3 picks (133.6 passer rating); Kyle McNeil – 37-of-76 (49 percent) for 532 yards, 8 TD, 4 picks (131.7 passer rating).
2007 RUSHING LEADER: Jordan Hallman – 118 carries for 1,197 yards (10.1 avg.), 13 TD.
2007 RECEIVING LEADER: Nate Koach – 43 catches for 696 yards (16.2 avg.), 7 TD.
TEAM TOTAL OFFENSE: 366.8 yards per game (2nd in the league).
TEAM TOTAL DEFENSE: 230.0 yards per game (5th in the league).
KEY PLAYERS LOST: OT-DT Chris Burger (Section 2 Second-Team All-Star OT), OG Anthony Durante (Section 2 Second-Team All-Star OG), QB-DB Preston Faith (Section 2 Honorable Mention All-Star QB; Kutztown), RB-D-P Jordan Hallman (Section 2 First-Team All-Star RB; Section 2 First-Team All-Star P; Section 2 Second-Team All-Star KR; Section 2 Second-Team All-Star DB; East Stroudsburg), WR-DB Nate Koach (Section 2 First-Team All-Star WR; Section 2 Second-Team All-Star DB; Kutztown), TE-DE Travis Leber (Section 2 Honorable Mention All-Star DE), C-LB Sean McMullen (Section 2 Linebacker of the Year; Section 2 First-Team All-Star C; Section 2 First-Team All-Star ILB; Kutztown), DE Josh Sabulsky (Section 2 Honorable Mention All-Star DE), LB Oliver Thayer, RB-LB Andrew Weller (Section 2 First-Team All-Star OLB; Section 2 Honorable Mention All-Star RB).
KEY PLAYERS RETURNING: OT Shawn Buller, OT Evan Good (albeit injured), RB Conrad Heisey (Section 2 Honorable Mention All-Star RB), OT Jamie Kehler, OG-DT Alex Kirchner (Section 2 First-Team All-Star DT; Section 2 Honorable Mention All-Star OG), QB Kyle McNeil, RB-LB Shane Rosenberry (Section 2 Second-Team All-Star ILB).
ALL EYES ON: Senior QB Kyle McNeil – He was the ‘other guy’ last season; the QB that didn’t start, but came in after a series or two – before coming out after a series or two. Then the whole process started all over again. … McNeil split the duties last year with Preston Faith. Known for his big arm and drop-back skills, McNeil completed 30-of-59 passes for 423 yards and 7 TDs against 4 picks. He can deliver the ball down the field with the best of them. … No sharing any duties this fall; the gig belongs to McNeil. And he should have the athleticism – and definitely the arm strength – to keep the job all to himself. He’ll have a boatload of new guys surrounding him – E-town lost 21 seniors from last year’s team – but if he can show off that cannon arm, the Bears will definitely be in the hunt. … Hampton University and Robert Morris University have already offered McNeil a scholarship, so he’s on a lot of people’s recruiting radar already.
THE GOOD NEWS: Four studs return – Bruising RB Conrad Heisey (rushed for 797 yards and 7 TDs last fall); spunky DT Alex Kirchner is an animal and hits everything that moves; Kyle McNeil, who split the duties with Preston Faith last year, but should more than be ready for primetime all by himself; and Shane Rosenberry will be one of the top linebackers in the L-L League – and will help out Heisey in the backfield. … More good news: revolving o-tackles Shawn Buller and Jamie Kehler return. … There’s a pretty good vibe going on in this program at the moment. That’s always a good thing.
QUESTION MARKS: There are 21 of them, actually. That’s how many seniors graduated from last year’s team, which shared the Section 2 title and won a first-round District 3 Triple-A playoff game. … Simply put, E-town lost the house, including section all-stars all over the place. Man, that was one heck of a senior class. I could drop a gazillion names here, but one peek at the ‘key players lost’ column should cover it. … And this just in from the dreaded injury department – returning o-lineman Evan Good suffered a season-ending knee injury in the preseason, so the Bears will have to plug in somebody new there.
QUOTABLE: Elizabethtown senior OG-DT Alex Kirchner – “Last year’s seniors left us something to work for, and we’d love to do better than them, so it’s great knowing that they set the bar higher. They were great leaders. They taught us a lot. Now we hope to use what they taught us to our advantage. … The whole town played such a big part in what we did last year. There weren’t many people from around town that weren’t at Thompson Stadium or at one of our road games. The town is behind us, so we’d love to recapture that vibe.”

REINHART’S TAKE: Do not expect another 9-1 run. But don’t completely write the Bears off, either, even with the wholesale graduation losses. There will be plenty of new faces in a lot of important places. But there is definitely a good thing going on in this program at the moment, and momentum can be a cool thing – especially when it carries over. That’s the hope in Bears’ camp; that E-town (insert bear growling sound here) can pick up where it left off, and recapture the magic. With all these new kids, it might take some rabbits and top hats – and some smoke and mirrors – for the Bears to repeat last year’s success. But I have a sneaking suspicious that some of that momentum is going to carry over – even if all the non-league games don’t go so hot.

SOLANCO GOLDEN MULES
ONLINE: solancogoldenmules.pa.usfootballnet.com
COACH: Joe Pearson (4th season; 11-20 overall).
PIAA CLASSIFICATION: Triple-A.
THE SCHEDULE: @ Penn Manor, @ Kennard-Dale (Saturday game), @ Oxford, Elizabethtown (Saturday game), @ Manheim Central, Conestoga Valley, @ Lebanon, Ephrata, @ Garden Spot, @ Cocalico.
REINHART SAYS: They’re installing new sod on the athletic playing fields at Solanco, so the Golden Mules were forced to switch some games around. End result: Just three home games and seven road trips – including all three non-league games right out of the box. So it will not be an easy road to another section title (shared crown or otherwise). And how about these two games to open the section slate: home with E-town (on a Saturday night) and at Manheim Central. Circle Week 10 as well: at Cocalico. … Seven road games? Wowzer. … And while I’m thinking about it, is there any school in Lancaster County that has longer road trips than Solanco, which is situated in Quarryville? I’m guessing no. My former editor used to joke that to get to Quarryville, you drive to the end of the earth and turn right. Or was it left? Anyway, have fun filling up those buses with gas – seven times.
OFFENSIVE SCHEME: Shotgun Wing-T.
DEFENSIVE SCHEME: 3-5.
LAST SEASON: 6-1 in Section 2 (co-champs with Elizabethtown), 7-4 overall. Lost to West York (23-7) in the first round of the District 3 Triple-A playoffs.
2007 PASSING LEADER: Ben Miller – 54-of-110 (49 percent) for 697 yards, 7 TD, 8 picks (108.8 passer rating).
2007 RUSHING LEADER: Mike Brooks – 88 carries for 669 yards (7.6 avg.), 5 TD.
2007 RECEIVING LEADER: Mike Brooks – 21 catches for 288 yards (13.7 avg.), 4 TD.
TEAM TOTAL OFFENSE: 238.7 yards per game (20th in the league).
TEAM TOTAL DEFENSE: 276.9 yards per game (9th in the league).
KEY PLAYERS LOST: K Kyle Beane (Section 2 Second-Team All-Star K), RB-DB Mike Brooks (Section 2 First-Team All-Star RB; Section 2 First-Team All-Star KR; Section 2 First-Team All-Star DB; Robert Morris), DB Dustin Collins, TE-DE Henry Glackin (Section 2 First-Team All-Star TE; Section 2 Second-Team All-Star DE; Towson), OT Jim Kalupson (Section 2 First-Team All-Star OT), RB-LB Neil McGettigan (Section 2 Second-Team All-Star ILB; Geneva), RB Pat Nieto, DB Austin Marsh, OG-DE Josh Waters (Section 2 First-Team All-Star OG; Section 2 Second-Team All-Star DE).
KEY PLAYERS RETURNING: OG-NG Bryan Boulden (Section 2 Second-Team All-Star NG), LB Mike Buffington, WR-LB Jared Cartwright (Section 2 Honorable Mention All-Star OLB), C Zach Chubb (Section 2 Honorable Mention All-Star C), OT Nolan Crawford, FB Jordan Elvey (Section 2 Honorable Mention All-Star FB), LB Sam Johnson, LB Trevor Marsh, QB-P Ben Miller (Section 2 Honorable Mention All-Star P).
ALL EYES ON: Senior QB Ben Miller – He pilots one of the L-L League’s most innovative offenses, the Shotgun Wing-T. It has all the traits of an old-school Wing-T set, but Miller is lined up in the shotgun 99.9999 percent of the time, so they’ll throw out of it a little more. Funky stuff. But it works for Solanco. … The Mules chewed up a lot of yards on the ground a year ago, on the way to sharing the Section 2 title with E-town. So Miller’s passing stats didn’t exactly jump off the page: 54-of-110 for 697 yards, 7 TDs and 8 picks. Fancy? Not really. But Miller was steady. Operating behind a solid line, he was really good at getting the ball into the hands of the Mules’ playmakers, like Mike Brooks, who will be sorely missed. … Once again, Miller will be called upon to find his playmakers and take care of the ball. That formula certainly worked last year.
THE GOOD NEWS: Some key cogs will return, including QB Ben Miller. He should have a pretty good line in front of him – a line featuring three returning starters in OT Nolan Crawford and returning all-stars OG Bryan Boulden and C Zach Chubb. That’s a heckuva start no matter how you slice it.
QUESTION MARKS: Solanco did lose some thumpers, including Henry Glackin, Pat Nieto and Neil McGettigan, plus the fleet Mike Brooks, who was all over the place last season (including in the end zone after a wild 95-yard interception return for a TD in Solanco’s unforgettable 28-7 win over Manheim Central). Miller on Brooks: “He made life a little easier, that’s for sure. He’d make a little cut and – bang! – he was gone.”
QUOTABLE: Solanco senior QB Ben Miller – “Last year was fun, but it was last year. We have to move on and see if we can do it again. … Everyone has been working hard. Nobody is taking it easy; nobody is trying to get away with anything. We know what we did last year, and we do feel like we’ve arrived. We don’t feel like doormats anymore. We’ll do our best to do it again, but we know we can’t take anyone lightly just because we won it last year. We have to stay on an even keel. … We’ll play as if we’re doing the hunting – not being the hunted. That’s how we’ll play.”

REINHART’S TAKE: Sizing up the Section 2 race is impossible (trust me: I’ve lost sleep over the subject), especially after what happened last year, when Solanco (no title 1991) and E-town (no title since 1987) shared the section crown; Central failed to win the section for the second year in a row; Ephrata, the kings of bad luck, lost practically every game in the final two minutes; and Cocalico came out of nowhere and forced the co-title after knocking off E-town in Week 10. … Solanco’s ‘key players lost’ column looks pretty scary at first glimpse. But as I leafed through the ‘key players returning’ column my eyebrows raised a few times. The Mules have a really nice pack (mules, pack, get it?) of players coming back – players who have now tasted a section title and a district playoff game. If last year doesn’t jack this group up to defend their title and get back to Districts, I’m not sure what will. Happy days in Quarryville – despite all the bus trips.

GARDEN SPOT SPARTANS
COACH: Matt Zamperini (3rd season; 8-13 overall).
PIAA CLASSIFICATION: Triple-A.
THE SCHEDULE: @ Warwick, Hempfield, @ Lampeter-Strasburg, @ Conestoga Valley, Lebanon, @ Elizabethtown, Ephrata, @ Cocalico, Solanco, Manheim Central.
REINHART SAYS: I really dig this non-league slate, with three local teams in Warwick, Hempfield and L-S on the Spartans’ docket. Those will all be fun games to keep an eye on for sure. … The Spartans get CV and Lebanon – which went a combined 3-17 last year – right out of the chute in Section 2 play, so Garden Spot has a shot (on paper, in August, at least) to make some early hay in the section race. The better the Spartans do early the better, because the last three weeks are brutal: at Cocalico and at home with Solanco and Manheim Central, and none of those games is hardly a walk in the park.
OFFENSIVE SCHEME: Multiple I.
DEFENSIVE SCHEME: 5-2.
LAST SEASON: 2-5 in Section 2, 3-7 overall.
2007 PASSING LEADER: Tyler Horst – 118-of-224 (53 percent) for 1,425 yards, 14 TD, 6 picks (121.4 passer rating).
2007 RUSHING LEADER: Andersan Beamer – 90 carries for 538 yards (6.0 avg.), 6 TD.
2007 RECEIVING LEADER: Sean Beahan – 47 catches for 746 yards (15.9 avg.), 8 TD.
TEAM TOTAL OFFENSE: 273.3 yards per game (15th in the league).
TEAM TOTAL DEFENSE: 337.4 yards per game (20th in the league).
KEY PLAYERS LOST: WR-DB Sean Beahan (Section 2 Wide Receiver of the Year; Section 2 First-Team All-Star WR; Section 2 First-Team All-Star DB; West Chester), OL-DL Mike Hecker, QB Tyler Horst (Section 2 Second-Team All-Star QB; Temple for baseball), OL-DE Jesse Lapp, OT-DT Brandon McGarvey, WR-DB Brad Troop.
KEY PLAYERS RETURNING: RB-LB Andersan Beamer (Section 2 Honorable Mention All-Star ILB), C-DE Zac Boley, WR-DB Derek Deshaw (Section 2 Honorable Mention All-Star DB), DB Tyler Eby, TE Max George, QB-DB Weston Martin, OT Doug Musser, TE-DE Nic Olsen, NG Jon Schonour, FB-LB Joe Strangarity (Section 2 First-Team All-Star ILB; Section 2 Honorable Mention All-Star FB), K-P David Stoltzfus (Section 2 Honorable Mention All-Star K).
ALL EYES ON: Senior LB Joe Strangarity – Raved about this kid in a preseason Podcast online (click the link on his name, won’t you), and I’ll say it again here: he’s got a huge ticker and an even bigger heart. He just makes plays. Period. Far from the biggest dude around, but he’s got an incredible mean streak, and he doesn’t stop running until the whistle blows. And he’s usually on the bottom of the pile, after making the tackle. … Spartans’ will need his D: Garden Spot finished 20th in the league in total defense a year ago, yielding 337.4 yards per game; and the Spartans gave up 2,285 rushing yards, which is entirely too many. If they have any chance in the crowded Section 2 hunt, those numbers must improve. Strangarity is the guy who can definitely help in that department. … Get to Garden Spot this fall and watch Strangarity play a game. He’ll be the muddiest guy walking off the field, guaranteed.
THE GOOD NEWS: The ‘key players lost’ column is a tad imposing (did you check out Beahan’s honors from last year?), but the cupboard isn’t completely bare here. RB Andersan Beamer is poised for a breakout season running the ball. QB Weston Martin got some time under center last season when Tyler Horst missed the last couple of games with a knee injury. He completed just 15-of-38 passes (for 251 and a TD) and was picked off three times. But he’s got some skills, and should bring athleticism to the table. … WR Derek Deshaw and TE Max George should be reliable targets. … Two-way lineman Zac Boley missed a good chunk of last year with an injury, but he’s healthy. … And Joe Strangarity, the defensive ringleader, is a tough, tough nut.
QUESTION MARKS: Who in the world replaces Beahan, the reigning Wide Receiver of the Year and two-way First-Team All-Star? How will Weston Martin do in his first extended duty under center? There will be some new guys on the line; can they keep Martin upright? And can the Spartans’ D be better? That’s probably the biggest question mark of all. Find those answers, and Garden Spot will make some noise.
QUOTABLE: Garden Spot coach Matt Zamperini – “You coach kids and you teach kids and you do all you can to develop them, but I really truly believe that it comes down to those 11 kids on the field making the decision on a Friday night that they’re not going to give up. Coach Pearson (at Solanco) and Coach Polites (at Elizabethtown) didn’t coach their kids last year any differently than they did before. It came down to a group of kids who decided that’s what they wanted, and they went out and took it. They had the chemistry and they had the heart. I see a lot of that in our senior class.”

REINHART’S TAKE: My gut tells me that Garden Spot will be better, even though that non-league slate will be a real grinder. … Key games are the first two section tilts. If the Spartans can open up 2-0 in league games, look out. Remember what E-town and Solanco did last year? That could be Garden Spot this year, especially if the Spartans can steal a game or two in the non-league, and get off to a quick start in Section 2.

LEBANON CEDARS
COACH: Gerry Yonchiuk (3rd season; 4-16 overall).
PIAA CLASSIFICATION: Triple-A.
THE SCHEDULE: Cedar Crest, @ Spring Grove, Elco, Ephrata, @ Garden Spot, @ Cocalico, Solanco, @ Conestoga Valley, Manheim Central, @ Elizabethtown.
REINHART SAYS: Cedar Bowl in Week 1 at home with Cedar Crest is always a treat. If you’re a Lebanon County football fan, circle that one for sure. … Cedars have another backyard rival scrap at home in Week 3 against Elco. I think I dubbed that game the ‘Bologna Bowl’ last year. Wonder if it stuck? … Tough final two weeks for Lebanon – home with Manheim Central and at E-town. … Who knows? If the “Air Raid” is flying high by then, the Cedars could have a major say in who wins Section 2.
OFFENSIVE SCHEME: Air Raid.
DEFENSIVE SCHEME: 3-4.
LAST SEASON: 2-5 in Section 2, 2-8 overall.
2007 PASSING LEADER: James Capello – 176-of-287 (61 percent) for 2,077 yards, 17 TD, 11 picks (134.0 passer rating).
2007 RECEIVING LEADER: Jordan Clentimack – 60 catches for 885 yards (14.3 avg.), league-high 11 TD.
TEAM TOTAL OFFENSE: 307.9 yards per game (9th in the league).
TEAM TOTAL DEFENSE: 368.7 yards per game (23rd in the league).
KEY PLAYERS LOST: OG-DT Dan Gettle, C-DT Tom Houser (Section 2 Second-Team All-Star C; West Point Prep), WR-LB Duran Ramos (Section 2 Second-Team All-Star WR; Section 2 Honorable Mention All-Star KR; transferred to Cedar Crest), LB Joel Ramos (Section 2 Honorable Mention All-Star ILB), OG Kevin Wolfe.
KEY PLAYERS RETURNING: OT-DE Brian Boyd, OG Cameron Burke, QB James Capello (Section 2 Second-Team All-Star QB), WR-DB-K Jordan Clentimack (Associated Press Triple-A Second-Team All-State; Section 2 First-Team All-Star WR; Section 2 Honorable Mention All-Star K; Section 2 Honorable Mention All-Star DB), LB Keith Jenkins, OT-DE Charles Lee (Section 2 Second-Team All-Star OT); Section 2 Second-Team All-Star DE), WR Colton Muraira, WR-DB Brian Quinones, LB Chris Seltzer, WR-DB Nate Zidik.
ALL EYES ON: Senior QB James Capello – Unless you frequent my blog, I’ll bet you didn’t know that Mr. Capello has his very own Web page. You can find it here. Impressive. Very impressive. … After missing most of his sophomore season with a cracked collarbone, Capello came back with a flourish last fall, completing 176-of-287 passes for 2,077 yards and 17 TDs. He was the sixth-ranked QB in the league playing in Lebanon’s fun-and-gun “Air Raid” attack. … After spending this summer competing at college camps, he seems poised for a big senior season, especially with All-State WR Jordan Clentimack also back in the fold. … Is being recruited by Youngstown State, Temple, Akron, Bowling Green, Eastern Michigan and Ohio – among others.
THE GOOD NEWS: QB James Capello is back for Year 2 of the “Air Raid”, Lebanon’s no-huddle, pass-happy attack hand-crafted by current Auburn University o-coordinator Tony Franklin. Capello will also have his favorite target – Jordan Clentimack, who hauled in 60 catches, including a league-high 11 TD grabs, last year – back in the mix. … Three o-linemen will also return, including both tackles (Brian Boyd and All-Star pick Charles Lee). … Capello will have three other experienced wideouts at his disposal: Colton Muraira, Brian Quinones and Nate Zidik.
QUESTION MARKS: Defense, defense, defense. The Cedars gave up 368.7 yards a game last season – 23rd in the league. That must improve, because as cool as “Air Raid” can be, Lebanon has to stop people if it wants to be a player in the Section 2 race. … Multi-purpose back Duran Ramos, who caught 51 passes for 492 yards and also excelled on special teams last fall, transferred to Cedar Crest. So the Cedars will be minus one of their top playmakers. … C Tom Houser, a Section 2 All-Star, will be missed in the trenches.
QUOTABLE: Lebanon coach Gerry Yonchiuk – “Our strength is definitely our passing attack. We’re a lot more confident offensively because this is the second year in this system. James’ understanding of the offense is outstanding. When we throw the ball, our confidence level is very, very high at this point. … No question, our defense has to be better. In terms of practice-wise, everything we’ve done in the preseason has been defense first, so we feel that we’ve got to be improved on that side of the ball. Our kids are getting to the ball quicker and they’re tackling better. And we seem to be more physical than we’ve been in the past on defense; that’s really showed up in our preseason drills.”

REINHART’S TAKE: Opposing secondaries beware. Here comes Season 2 of “Air Raid”. I picked Lebanon to finish third here last year, and that pick didn’t pan out very well. Now that they have a year of the “Air Raid” under their belts, it says here that the Cedars will be better – maybe not finishing-in-third-place better. But I’m not expecting another 2-8 season – not with James Capello winging it to a returning All-State wideout Jordan Clentimack. Don’t underestimate the Cedars, gang. They will be better. … I can’t put a bow on the Cedars’ capsule until I say this: Best press box food in the L-L League? Hands down: Lebanon. The home economics classes at the high school prepare a meal during school on Friday, and they put out the spread for home football games. Soup. Sandwiches. Crackers. Fruit tray. Cheese. Desserts. Soda. And, of course, Lebanon bologna. Yum-o. Now if I can only finagle my way into covering a game at Lebanon this season …

CONESTOGA VALLEY BUCKSKINS
ONLINE: cvbucks.com
COACH: Gerad Novak (14th season; 66-69 overall).
PIAA CLASSIFICATION: Triple-A – down from Quad-A last year.
THE SCHEDULE: @ Hempfield, Warwick, @ Cedar Crest, Garden Spot, Elizabethtown, @ Solanco, @ Manheim Central, Lebanon, Cocalico, @ Ephrata.
REINHART SAYS: Three Section 1 Quad-A neighbors right out of the chute, which is cool. It could also payoff for CV, which bumps from Quad-A down to Triple-A this season, so any victories there would help in the race for all important district power points. … The Buckskins have a shot to do some damage in the section with a pair of back-to-back home dates: Week 4 with Garden Spot and Week 5 with Elizabethtown, and then Week 8 with Lebanon and Week 9 with Cocalico. Rival game at Central in Week 7. … I know there were a few defections from this proud program (keep reading), and there are just 11 seniors on the preseason roster, so the quicker the start the better for the Bucks – who are just two years removed from snatching Section 2 away from Central and winning a district playoff game.
OFFENSIVE SCHEME: Shotgun Spread.
DEFENSIVE SCHEME: 4-3
LAST SEASON: 0-7 in Section 2, 1-9 overall.
2007 PASSING LEADER: Brandon Helm – 42-of-103 (41 percent) for 553 yards, 7 TD, 4 picks (100.5 passer rating); Adam Heiselman – 16-of-41 (39 percent) for 305 yards, 2 TD, 7 picks (83.5 passer rating).
2007 RUSHING LEADER: Kevin Kelley – 152 carries for 838 yards (5.5 avg.), 7 TD.
2007 RECEIVING LEADER: Jedd Dillman – 17 catches for 289 yards (17.0 avg.), 5 TD; Kevin Kelley – 17 catches for 194 yards (11.4 avg.), 0 TD.
TEAM TOTAL OFFENSE: 223.6 yards per game (22nd in the league).
TEAM TOTAL DEFENSE: 315.2 yards per game (16th in the league).
KEY PLAYERS LOST: WR-DB Jedd Dillman (Section 2 First-Team All-Star DB; Section 2 Honorable Mention All-Star WR), OT-DE Bryan Dixon, OG-DT Tanner Edgell (Section 2 First-Team All-Star DT; Section 2 Second-Team All-Star OG; transferred to Donegal), LB Juan Figueroa, OG Ross Hall (transferred to Lancaster Catholic), WR-DB Josh Hendershott, OT Brandon Jordan, C-DE Simeon Mellinger.
KEY PLAYERS RETURNING: DB Alex Brown, DE Andrew Burkholder, QB Adam Heiselman, RB Kevin Kelley (Section 2 Second-Team All-Star RB; Section 2 Honorable Mention All-Star KR), WR-LB Conner Kruis, LB Joel Leicy, OT Oceng Loluk, DB Julian Morales, WR-DB Stefan Sensenig, DT Joel Slaymaker (Section 2 Honorable Mention All-Star DT), WR Leonard Williams.
ALL EYES ON: Junior RB Kevin Kelley – Hard to believe this kid is only a junior. He burst onto the scene as a freshman, when he piled up 785 yards and 9 TDs – that after missing the first two games of the season. He also scored a TD the night CV knocked off Central – in Manheim. And he helped the Bucks get into the District 3 playoffs, where they earned a first-round win over Muhlenberg. … Kelley followed up his fine freshman season with 855 yards and seven scores (plus 17 receptions out of the backfield; second-most on the team) last fall. With Tanner Edgell and Ross Hall gone (keep reading), Kelley might not find as many holes early on as he’s been accustomed to. But he’s a player. And the Bucks will definitely need him.
THE GOOD NEWS: Kevin Kelley is back to shoulder the load in the running game. He’s a durable back and will drag would-be tacklers. And he’s got some breakaway speed. … QB Adam Heiselman, who takes over full-time for the departed Brandon Helm (keep reading), did get some snaps last year. He completed just 16-of-41 passes for 305 yards and he was picked off seven times. But he did rush for 244 yards – second on the team – and score a pair of TDs. … Heiselman will have some help on the flanks: wideouts Stefan Sensenig, Conner Kruis and Leonard Williams all return.
QUESTION MARKS: Three names to drop right off the bat: Veteran linemen Tanner Edgell and Ross Hall are no longer with the program. Edgell transferred back over to Donegal, from where he came, and Hall transferred to Lancaster Catholic, where he’ll likely switch to offensive tackle (from guard) and block for junior stud QB Kyle Smith. And thirdly, QB Brandon Helm decided not to come back to the team so that he can concentrate on baseball. Yikes.
QUOTABLE: Conestoga Valley junior RB Kevin Kelley – “Last year was really frustrating, and right away we started talking about making changes … about finding a way to dig down deep inside and pull through this. And I think you’ll see that on Friday nights: CV will work hard. And if we don’t win, the other team is going to say we worked hard and played a great game. … Last year is in the past; we really can’t think about it. We’re excited for a new season. We’ll have some younger guys coming up that will play some big, big roles this season. But I’m excited to see how it goes because we have a lot of potential. … You can’t go much more down that what happened to us last year. We need to get things turned around, so everyone must contribute. It can’t be the same two or three guys racking up the yards and the touchdowns. We all have to do this.”

REINHART’S TAKE: The Bucks went from first to worst last season – 7-0 and section champs in 2006 to 0-7 and at the bottom of the pile in 2007. So the only way to go for CV is back up. How high will the Bucks climb? A rung or two. The losses on the line will sting, and Kelley was right: this can’t be a one-man show. Some other guys better step up – pronto – because the Bucks can’t afford anymore defections … let alone more 1-9 campaigns.

EPHRATA MOUNTAINEERS
ONLINE: ephratamounts.com
COACH: Jim Vieland (1st season).
PIAA CLASSIFICATION: Triple-A.
THE SCHEDULE: @ Manheim Township, @ Lancaster Catholic, Warwick, @ Lebanon, Cocalico, Manheim Central, @ Garden Spot, @ Solanco, Elizabethtown, Conestoga Valley.
REINHART SAYS: Baptism by fire, what? Welcome to the show, Jim Vieland, who was handed quite the schedule in his first season as boss after replacing longtime coach Ken Grove. … You won’t get a much tougher non-league schedule than this. Wowzer. … Ephrata’s first three opponents went a combined 26-4 in the regular season last year. Township (a Quad-A district semifinalist last season) and Catholic (a Double-A district semifinalist last season) are two of the elite programs in District 3 — and those games are on the road — and Warwick (even with a revamped offensive line and a new QB) has been to Districts the last two years; plus, that’s the backyard scrap with the George Male trophy up for grabs in one of the best rivalries in Lancaster County. … I’m trying to find something positive to say about Ephrata’s schedule. Ah, here’s something: At least the Mountaineers get section heavyweights Cocalico (Week 5), Manheim Central (Week 6) and Elizabethtown (Week 9) at home. How’s that?
OFFENSIVE SCHEME: Pro/Multiple.
DEFENSIVE SCHEME: 4-3
LAST SEASON: 2-5 in Section 2, 2-8 overall.
2007 PASSING LEADER: Blake Crowther – 71-of-135 (53 percent) for 847 yards, 3 TD, 4 picks (106.7 passer rating).
2007 RUSHING LEADER: Blake Crowther – 218 carries for 1,159 yards (5.3 avg.), 18 TD.
2007 RECEIVING LEADER: Curt Kolp – 28 catches for 309 yards (11.0 avg.), 2 TD.
TEAM TOTAL OFFENSE: 323.6 yards per game (8th in the league).
TEAM TOTAL DEFENSE: 316.5 yards per game (17th in the league).
KEY PLAYERS LOST: OT-DE Jordan Becker (Section 2 Honorable Mention All-Star DE), WR Derek Carbaugh, QB-DB Blake Crowther (Lions Club Section 2 Player of the Year; Section 2 Offensive Back of the Year; Section 2 Defensive Back of the Year; Section 2 Outstanding Back of the Year; Section 2 First-Team All-Star QB; Section 2 First-Team All-Star DB; Valley Forge), LB Josh Fritz, WR-DB Curt Kolp (Section 2 Honorable Mention All-Star WR), FB-LB Woody Miller (Section 2 Second-Team All-Star RB; Section 2 Honorable Mention All-Star ILB; Kutztown), RB-LB Joel Yoder (Section 2 Honorable Mention All-Star RB; Section 2 Honorable Mention All-Star KR), OG-DT James Zimmerman (Section 2 First-Team All-Star DT; Section 2 Second-Team All-Star OG), WR Jordan Zwally.
KEY PLAYERS RETURNING: K Chris Beatty, OL-DT Dylan Binkley, RB-DB Andrew Burkholder, TE-DE Andy Donnelly, OT-DE Zach Hoffman, QB-DB Lance Kopp, QB-DB Tim McQuate, RB-DB George Murray, FB-LB Brody Myers, WR-DB Justin Richardson, OL-DL Darren Stauffer, OL-DL Chaz Storm, Brandon Swinko, FB-TE-LB Chad Tothero, LB-DB Kee Yang, C-DT Zach Zimmerman.
ALL EYES ON: Head coach Jim Vieland – The former Hempfield assistant is calling the shots in Ephrata. This is his first full-time head-coaching gig. He is replacing a guy (Ken Grove) who ran this program the last 18 years. So yeah, it’s safe to say a lot of eyes will be on him. And since he’s taking over a team that is returning a grand total of eight starters – four on each side of the ball – he gets a free pass because this will be a rebuilding season of sorts in Ephrata.
THE GOOD NEWS: The good news is that the fine folks in Ephrata stuck to their guns and hired the head coach they wanted. They could have had that Cantafio fellow, but that got really messy. Remember? … In the end, Vieland was their guy, and they brought him on board to take over for Grove, who stepped down after 18 years on the Mountaineers’ sidelines last fall. … Vieland previously served as an assistant coach at Hempfield – for 10 years under Tom Getz as an offensive and defensive line coach, special teams coordinator and JV coach; and last year under Bob Forgrave as the Black Knights’ offensive coordinator.
QUESTION MARKS: The most obvious spot is QB, where Ephrata must replace reigning Section 2 Lions Club Player of the Year and Section 2 Offensive and Outstanding Back of the Year Blake Crowther. What a senior season he strung together, passing for 847 yards and 3 TDs and rushing for 1,159 yards (tops in Section 2) and scoring 18 TDs. He was also the Section 2 Defensive Back of the Year. … Junior Lance Kopp and senior Tim McQuate were battling it out for the starting QB job in camp, and a little birdie told me that Kopp had the edge to step into Crowther’s enormous shoes. … With just four guys back on both sides of the ball, it’s safe to say there are question marks pretty much all over the place. … And the Mounts are also dealing with some off-the-field issues, like construction at the school forcing them to move their practice site away from War Memorial Field; War Memorial Field still undergoing some upgrades, including new lights; their locker rooms being switched; and the team does not have an athletic trainer. Fun times.
QUOTABLE: Ephrata coach Jim Vieland – “I knew coming in that we’d be young, and that we’d have to teach these kids how to win. We have to get the younger guys experience – fast. And going into this season, the seniors’ record (the last two years) is 4-16. So we have some challenges. But I think we’re feeling pretty good. We had a good scrimmage against Columbia, and we did a nice job on defense when we scrimmaged Hempfield. So I like where we’re heading.”

REINHART’S TAKE: It will be odd not seeing Ken Grove pacing the sidelines in Ephrata (I’ll miss his weekly calls to chat football), but give Vieland a little time. He’s got an ultra young squad, and he’ll be breaking in new starters all over the place. … The schedule (the non-league portion in particular) is brutal. I know I wouldn’t wish those first two games on anybody. But that’s the deck Vieland was dealt, and if nothing else, the Mounts will get some major experience on the fly.