Back, by popular demand, my weekly preview capsule package, featuring news, notes and quotes from every L-L League football game on the docket. And here we are in Week 1. My goal is to have these suckers posted by Wednesday night every week — here, and at our new page, the L-L League Insider at www.LANCSPORTS.com, which will launch Friday.

Alrighty then … my 2008 Week 1 caps. Enjoy:

THE GAME: Cedar Crest @ Lebanon, Friday, 7 p.m.
LAST YEAR: Cedar Crest went 1-6 in Section 1 and 2-8 overall; Lebanon went 2-5 in Section 2 and 2-8 overall. … These two teams also hooked up in Week 1 last year, and at Cedar Crest, the Falcons clipped the Cedars 30-19.
KEY STATS: These aren’t the most glamorous stats you’ll ever lay your eyes on, but they are numbers that sum up why these teams struggled so mightily last year: Lebanon’s key stat is 368.7 – that’s how many yards per game the Cedars allowed; 23rd out of 24 teams in the league. … Cedar Crest’s stat is 199.4 – that’s how many yards per game the Falcons averaged last season; 24th and dead last in the league a year ago. … Needless to say both teams are looking to turn those numbers around. This is their first chance to start getting ‘r done.
ABOUT CEDAR CREST: With veteran option specialist Gary Gristick back under center – don’t forget: he only threw three picks last year in 10 games, which is a great number – and ball-hawker LB Joe Sarra back to anchor the D, the Falcons have a lot of optimism. And with holdover backs Charles Kyeremeh and Tyler Bennett back, plus the addition of multi-purpose Lebanon transfer Duran Ramos, Cedar Crest should improve on last year’s total offensive number. That would be a nice start. … Secondary – spearheaded by returning all-star DB Paul Harpel – will be tested Friday by Lebanon’s “Air Raid” passing attack.
ABOUT LEBANON: It’s Year 2 of the “Air Raid” and senior QB James Capello is raring and ready to let ‘er rip. He spent the summer touring major-college campuses, and is garnering plenty of recruiting feelers. And he’ll have All-State WR Jordan Clentimack at his disposal, so opposing d-backs beware: The Cedars are coming, and they’re going vertical early and often. … Key with Lebanon is stopping people. The “Air Raid” should produce plenty of points; the Cedars have to keep people out of the end zone. Period.
NOTABLE: This is the always fun, always physical Cedar Bowl, the annual meeting between the next door neighbors. There’s a lot on the line, most importantly Lebanon County bragging rights not only for the next year, but for all the alums around town.

QUOTABLE: Cedar Crest coach Mike Robinson – “I’m very impressed with James Capello, and his ability to make plays both within the offense and individually after eluding a rush. He’s a good athlete who can hurt you by air or on the run. He looked good in both scrimmages, and he’s a priority for us on defense. … Our goal is to open up with a win. To do that, we need to stop their two top athletes: Capello and Clentimack. … This is a great rivalry and it’s an awesome experience for all the kids involved.”

Lebanon coach Gerry Yonchiuk – “For us, this is like the Super Bowl or the Rose Bowl. This is big for the alumni from both schools, and it’ll be a packed crowd and a great, great night. This game means absolutely everything to both schools.”

THE GAME: Conestoga Valley @ Hempfield, Friday, 7 p.m.
LAST YEAR: Conestoga Valley went 0-7 in Section 2 and 1-9 overall; Hempfield went 3-4 in Section 1 and 4-6 overall. … This was also last year’s season opener. At CV, Hempfield held on for a 30-23 victory – the Black Knights’ fourth win in a row in this series.
KEY STATS: Conestoga Valley’s key stat is 223.6 – that’s how many yards per game the Buckskins averaged last year (just 22nd in the league), when CV went from first to worst in the Section 2 race. The Bucks ran the table and won the section crown in 2006. Last year, CV went winless in the section and brought up the rear. Can CV improve on that 223.6 number? It will be tough, considering two key o-linemen transferred out (Tanner Edgell back to Donegal and Ross Hall to Lancaster Catholic) and incumbent QB Brandon Helm didn’t come back out for the team because he’s concentrating on baseball. It will certainly be tough to move the ball on Hempfield, which gave up just 282.7 yards per game last season – 10th-best in the league. … Hempfield’s key number is 4.4 – that’s the 40-yard dash time of senior QB Jarvis Cummings, who will be a key cog in the Black Knights’ O attack in the coming weeks. New o-coordinator Mike Burke (the former Columbia head coach) has installed a spread offense, and Cummings will jumpstart it – sometimes from his QB spot, sometimes lined up in the backfield, sometimes lined up the slot. Not sure if Jarvis is into nicknames or not. But I’ve already dubbed him ‘Slash’.
ABOUT CONESTOGA VALEY: Buckskins flat-out scuffled last year, winning just one game – 21-20 over Cedar Crest in Week 3 – and plummeted from first to worst in a stunning turnaround. Then, as mentioned, the team lost a few key cogs, which didn’t help matters much. Adam Heiselman, who did get some time under center last season, returns to pilot the O, which should get a huge boost from RB Kevin Kelley, a junior who is back for his third season in the backfield. But the Bucks can’t win with Kelley alone. He’s going to need some major help. … All our best to CV coach Gerad Novak, who lost his mother earlier this week. Our thoughts are with you during this difficult time, Coach.
ABOUT HEMPFIELD: The Knights are feeling fine for any number of reasons. Like the return of Cummings, who will be a jack-of-all-trades player. Like the return of stud LB Eric Macik, who will be one of the top defenders in the league. Like the return of three stud all-star offensive lineman, who should give Cummings tons of time to do his thing, while opening holes for speedy holdover back Nick DeLaleu. Like a good chunk of defenders (led by Macik) returning from a D that finished 10th in the league last season. All very good reasons for the good vibes around this team. A big win here would definitely get everyone’s attention in the Section 1 ranks. … The Knights are an honorable mention pick in the Harrisburg Patriot-News Quad-A state rankings.
NOTABLE: CV dropped in classification – from Quad-A to Triple-A.

QUOTABLE: Conestoga Valley coach Gerad Novak – “They know what it’s like to get knocked down. They know what it’s like to be 1-9. They know that it’s not a good feeling. Now they have to change it.”

Hempfield senior Eric Macik – “We have a lot of good players coming back, but we have to show it on the field. Last year was kind of frustrating – as was the year before. So guys are ready to go with good attitudes.”

Hempfield coach Bob Forgrave — “A lot of CV’s game is about Kevin Kelley and his ability to effectively run the football. I think we have to be more physical on both sides of the ball and make good decisions at the QB spot. Jarvis has a year under his belt, and he should be much improved.”

THE GAME: Eastern York @ Columbia, Friday, 7 p.m.
LAST YEAR: Eastern York went 1-9 last season. The Knights’ lone victory came in Week 7 – a 27-24 win at Kennard-Dale, after trailing 21-0 in the first half; Columbia went 5-2 in Section 3 and 8-3 overall, including a 27-26 loss (in OT) to eventual champ Delone Catholic in the first round of the District 3 Double-A playoffs. … This was also last year’s season opener. At Eastern York, Columbia drilled the Golden Knights 50-6. … The Crimson Tide has dominated this series of late. In 2006, Columbia won 41-14, and in 2005, the Tide won (gulp) 76-7. Zoinks.
KEY STATS: Eastern York’s key stat is 376 – that’s how many points the Knights gave up last season. That’s 37.6 points a game, and that’s an awful lot. Hence Eastern York’s 1-9 record. … Columbia’s key stat is 413.8 – that’s how many yards per game the Tide averaged last year, by far tops in the L-L League. A lot of the offensive weapons from that team have moved on. But that’s a heckuva number for the new group to aim for, isn’t it?
ABOUT EASTERN YORK: The Knights are a Double-A program that compete in Division 2 of the York-Adams Interscholastic Athletic Association. Eastern York went 1-5 in the division last season. … Jeff Shutter is in his 11th season as head coach. This is actually his second stint with the Knights. He left for a couple of years to be an assistant coach at Franklin & Marshall. … Knights lost three-year starting QB Mike Kraft, a volleyball standout, to graduation. … RB Jared Smeltzer is expected to be the new feature back. … Eastern York will break in a new D scheme this season, ditching its 4-4 for a 3-3 stack look.
ABOUT COLUMBIA: As mentioned, the Tide lost some serious ammo from last year’s team, like QB Mike Seibert, his favorite target, WR Colby Tuell, and RB Ben Guiles, who led the L-L League in rushing yards (1,665) and rushing touchdowns (22). Those guys will be missed, as will trenchman extraordinaire Brian Groff, an All-State pick. … Good news is that another rugged lineman – all-star OT Kevin McCarty – returns to anchor the line. And two skill kids who touched the ball plenty – RB Dakotah Lightfoot and WR Yahya McIntyre – are back, which should help. They’ll need new QB Matt Kreiser, a senior, to take care of the ball.
NOTABLE: Columbia has changed classifications – from Double-A down to Single-A.

QUOTABLE: Columbia coach Jason Shoff – “Eastern runs a spread-gun offense, and they have good balance of run and pass, and the nature of that offense has a lot of counters, so to be successful on defense we must read our keys and play our responsibilities. … We’re inexperienced in a lot of positions, so this will be a good test to see how well we can focus on our responsibilities playing at game-speed.”

THE GAME: Elizabethtown @ McCaskey, Friday, 7 p.m.
ON THE RADIO: WPDC-AM 1600.
LAST YEAR: Elizabethtown went 6-1 in Section 2 (and shared the section championship with Solanco) and went 10-2 overall, including a 21-0 loss to eventual champ Lampeter-Strasburg in the District 3 Triple-A quarterfinals; McCaskey went 3-4 in Section 1 and 3-7 overall. … I wish I could tell you a little more about this series, but the only thing I have in front of me (thanks CM), is that McCaskey leads the series 1-0-1. The tie was a 0-0 deadlock in their last meeting in 1991. Obviously, these teams haven’t hooked up in quite a while.
KEY STATS: Elizabethtown’s key stat is 366.8 – that’s how many yards per game the Bears averaged a year ago, second-best in the league. After losing 21 seniors to graduation, it might be tough topping that number. … McCaskey’s key stat is 233.2 – that’s how many yards per game the Red Tornado averaged last year, just 21st in the league. McCaskey is hoping that number goes up – like where E-town’s number was a year ago.
ABOUT ELIZABETHTOWN: Good news and bad news in E-town. We’ll start with the bad news first – like the loss of those 21 seniors, who helped the Bears win their first section title and advance to Districts for the first time since 1987. And to make the transition even stickier, returning o-lineman Evan Good suffered a season-ending knee injury in camp, and the depth chart took another hit. The good news is that a couple of key cogs from last year’s high-powered, hard-hitting team are set to return, like QB Kyle McNeil (who shared the snaps with Preston Faith last year, but will take all the snaps this fall), RB Conrad Heisey (a thumper who is tough between the tackles), RB-LB Shane Rosenberry (another thumper and heat-seeking missile on D) and two-way stud Alex Kirchner, a complete and total gamer who will anchor the o-line at guard and blitz like a madman from d-tackle. … Good vibes in E-town. The town fell in love with this team a year ago, and I have a feeling that love affair will have a carryover effect. But a repeat performance won’t be easy.
ABOUT McCASKEY: A lot of new faces here, like at feature back, where Tyler Schmalhofer and Dajuan Simms will replace speed demon Jerome LaRue. … QB situation is a bit unsettled. Adrian Westbrook is the incumbent, but Nate Shaeffer looked good in camp, before tweaking a knee. Coach Scott Feldman said Shaeffer is ready to go, and that he’s expecting to play both guys against E-town. … Speaking of Feldman, I thought McCaskey’s coach had some very revealing remarks, which appeared in a Lancaster Sunday News article last week. Talking about his roster, which is under 60 kids, Feldman said: “(Football is) a time-consuming game, and it’s hard to be good at it, and we just don’t have a lot of kids right now who are willing to do it.” Then he said: “I don’t think we’ll have football at McCaskey in another couple of years if we don’t change some things.” Yowzer. That one got my radar up. Feldman is already making some changes. He’ll have his players in his homeroom every morning for first period, so he can keep tabs on their grades and their organizational skills, among other things. “And I’ll mix some football in there,” Feldman said in the Sunday News story.
NOTABLE: E-town switched classifications – from Triple-A up to Quad-A.

QUOTABLE: Elizabethtown coach Jeff Polites – “McCaskey likes to get the ball into space, and they have the athletes who can make your guys miss. So we’ll have to be fundamental in our pursuit and be good team tacklers. We’ll have to take great angles to the ball. … Coach Feldman runs a great program, so this should be a lot of fun, as far as openers go. It will be a nice test, that’s for sure.”

McCaskey coach Scott Feldman – “E-town looks like a very good football team, and they’ll give us a lot of problems if they get the lead and shorten the game. … We feel it’s very important for us to start fast, get a lead and put them in catch-up mode, where they can’t afford to chew up a lot of clock with their running game. … We feel we match up well if we can make them throw it – but stopping the run will be a problem. … This should be a very good game. We got beat up pretty good (in our second scrimmage) at Cumberland Valley, so we’ll have to get our confidence back.”

THE GAME: Ephrata @ Manheim Township, Friday, 7 p.m.
LAST YEAR: Ephrata went 2-5 in Section 2 and 2-8 overall; Manheim Township went 7-0 overall (and won the Section 1 crown outright) and finished 11-2 overall, including a gut-wrenching 28-21 loss (in OT) to Governor Mifflin in the District 3 Quad-A semifinals. … This was also last year’s season opener. At Ephrata, Township blanked the Mountaineers 27-0.
KEY STATS: Ephrata’s key stat is 8 – that’s how many starters return for the Mountaineers, four on each side of the ball. And not every one of those guys was a full-time, full-season starter. So there is plenty of youth here, with a bunch of fresh faces in plenty of important places on both sides of the ball. … Township’s key stat is 174.8 – that’s how many yards per game the Blue Streaks allowed last season, second-best in the league. Township’s D was scary a year ago. The Streaks lost a bunch of those kids to graduation. But with heavy hitter Nick Sizemore back patrolling the middle from his LB spot, that number is certainly attainable again. The Streaks will need to be stingy on D, while the O breaks in five new linemen.
ABOUT EPHRATA: This will be a transition season for the Mountaineers, who are not only breaking in a battalion of new starters – most notably at QB, where senior lefty Lance Kopp will take the snaps, replacing all-star Blake Crowther – but Ephrata has a new head coach: Jim Vieland, who stepped in for longtime coach Ken Grove. The former Hempfield assistant has a tall order: Doing some major rebuilding (while construction is going on all around the school campus and athletic areas) and doing it against a brutal schedule, which starts with the reigning Section 1 champs on Friday, followed by a trip to Section 3 favorite Lancaster Catholic next week, followed by the annual George Male Trophy scrum against backyard rival Warwick.
ABOUT MANHEIM TOWNSHIP: What a three-year run by the Blue Streaks, who won the section crown outright last fall, after earning a co-crown in 2005. … This year’s outfit can probably be summed up in one word – “Razorback”. Yep, it’ll be the first full season of “Razorback”, Township’s tricky offensive package, which features QB Jon Yuko lined up all over the place, and direct snaps going to (among others) Yuko, feature back Dan Wertz (who rushed for 1,400 yards last season) and even FB Nick Sizemore. If you thought Township operated out of a bunch of funky sets last year (starting around Week 4, when “Razorback” made its much-ballyhooed debut), wait until you see this group, which is breaking in five new starting o-linemen. … Don’t underestimate the loss of All-State kicker David Soldner. He might have been the biggest weapon in the L-L League the last couple of years.
NOTABLE: Vieland is one of two new head coaches in the league this season, joining Reading’s Preston McKnight, who replaced Victor Brown.

QUOTABLE: Ephrata coach Jim Vieland – “Township is very multiple. They can hit you with that pro-set formation and pound the ball, and then they can go to “Razorback” and spread you out. They did quite a lot with Wertz and Sizemore out of the “Razorback” in their scrimmages … they even had Sizemore playing quarterback a few times. … We have to figure out which set they’re going to be in, and take it from there. That’s the key. … Township’s kids have learned to win, and they’re coming off a great year. This will be a big task for us.”

Manheim Township coach Mike Melnyk – “Ephrata has a new staff, so that presents a challenge in the first game because you don’t really know what they’re going to run. Their new coach has them playing solid football, and his new energy will provide a spark. … Anything can happen in Week 1 – can you say, Michigan-Appalachian State?”

THE GAME: Garden Spot @ Warwick, Friday, 7 p.m.
LAST YEAR: Garden Spot went 2-5 in Section 2 and 3-7 overall; Warwick went 6-1 in Section and 9-2 overall, including a 36-19 loss to Central Dauphin in the first round of the District 3 Quad-A playoffs.
KEY STATS: Garden Spot’s key stat is 337.4 – that’s how many yards per game the Spartans allowed last year, just 20th in the league. Garden Spot knows that number must improve if the Spartans have any shot of hanging with the lead pack in Section 2. … Warwick’s key stat is 362.7 – that’s how many yards per game the Warriors cranked out last year, third-best in the league. That included these numbers: 1,193 and 16. That’s how many rushing yards and how many rushing touchdowns returning all-star Eric Resch racked up, respectively, last season. Resch is back, but he’ll be operating behind a new QB and five new o-linemen, so time will tell if Warwick can match that 362.7 number.
ABOUT GARDEN SPOT: There should be some familiarity with the Spartans’ O, considering senior QB Weston Martin started the final two games under center last season when Tyler Horst went down with a knee injury. And RB Andersan Beamer returns, and he’s poised for a nice season, especially if the line can mesh. That line did take an early hit when C Zac Boley, who missed a good chunk of time with an injury last year, got hurt again. He’s questionable for the Warwick game, and could be out longer. The Spartans will need him to anchor the line.
ABOUT WARWICK: The Warriors are feeling fine after back-to-back trips to the postseason (albeit both ended in first-round losses to Central Dauphin), plus last year’s glittering 9-1 romp through the regular season, which included a victory at Wilson. … QB will be an area to keep an eye on. Randy Yost, a standout WR, will get the start under center in Week 1. I know the Warriors are also excited about lefty sophomore Jordan Donmoyer, and they’ll likely get him in there when the time is right. Also heard that Warwick’s o-line – all five of them are first-year starters, remember – more than held their own in the scrimmages, so that’s encouraging. … Resch is a major stud. But he can’t do it himself. He’s going to need some help from the new skill people. If he gets help, Warwick will contend again – even though there are just 46 kids on the roster.

QUOTABLE: Garden Spot coach Matt Zamperini – “Warwick looks good up front. They have good size, they move well and they look pretty physical. Across the board they are athletic and they look like a good football team. And they have Resch, who is a quality back. … We’ll have to play up and we’ll have to play good football to be successful.

Warwick coach Bob Locker – “I’m very impressed with Beamer, who I think is a potential 1,000-yard back. And (senior LB Joe) Strangarity is a tough kid on defense who flies to the ball and makes a lot of plays. This won’t be an easy game. We’ll have to be at our very best.”

THE GAME: Hamburg @ Elco, Friday, 7 p.m.
LAST YEAR: Hamburg went 7-4 last fall, including a 35-0 loss to Northern York in the first round of the District 3 Triple-A playoffs; Elco went 2-5 in Section 3 and 4-6 overall.
KEY STATS: Hamburg’s key stat is 4 – that’s how many games the Hawks won in the second half of the regular season last year to punch their ticket to Districts. So this program definitely has some nice momentum, and with the entire O backfield set to return, Hamburg is thinking big. … Elco’s key stat is 1,467 and 12. That’s how many all-purpose yards QB Arron Achey accumulated (808 passing, 659 rushing) and how many TDs he accounted for (6 passing, 6 rushing) last season. Just a hunch, but those numbers should skyrocket this season.
ABOUT HAMBURG: Hamburg is a Triple-A program that competes in Section 2 of the Berks I-C League. The Hawks went 5-2 in the section last season. … Plenty of returning talent in the skill areas, with QB Jared Ruppert, RB Marvin Cottrell and FBs Jordan Ernst – the team’s former starting QB – and Nate Shefter. … Ernst, an All-Berks pick at DB, anchors the secondary. … This is the 40th season of football at Hamburg High. … Head coach is Joe Sinkovich, who went 19-13 in his first three seasons. … All three of Hamburg’s non-league games are against L-L League foes: Elco, Annville-Cleona in Week 2 and Northern Lebanon in Week 3.
ABOUT ELCO: The Raiders feature one of the top dual-threat quarterbacks in the L-L League, junior Arron Achey, who is back for his third term as starting QB. He can beat you with his arm and his happy feet. He has some key weapons back surrounding him, like FB Ben Arnold and WR Kyle Wenger. And Justin Weatherholtz should be a two-way stalwart at RB and LB. Numbers – or lack thereof – could catch up to Elco later. I counted 35 guys on the preseason roster, so there will be a bunch of kids going two-ways.
NOTABLE: Elco changed classifications – Triple-A up from Double-A last year.

QUOTABLE: Elco coach Mark Evans – “Hamburg looks like us in a lot of ways. They have really solid skill kids with experience, and they have a young, inexperienced line. They’re well-coached, and the Cottrell kid can flat-out fly. So with their Wing-T and off-tackle and outside toss plays, we better be disciplined. I think this battle will be won or lost up front.”

THE GAME: Lampeter-Strasburg @ Cocalico, Friday, 7 p.m.
ON THE TUBE: This game will be televised live by Blue Ridge Cable 11. Pregame is 6:30 p.m. And who knows? Maybe yours truly will pop up in the pregame or halftime festivities. Now who wouldn’t want to tune in for that?
LAST YEAR: L-S went 6-1 in Section 3 (and shared the section championship with Lancaster Catholic) and went 12-3 overall, including a 35-21 win over Gettysburg in the District 3 Triple-A championship, and a 27-20 loss to Garnet Valley in the PIAA Eastern final. … This is a rematch of last year’s season opener. At L-S, Cocalico pinned a 35-34 loss on the Pioneers, when L-S misfired on a potential go-ahead 2-point conversion late in regulation.
KEY STATS: Lampeter-Strasburg’s key stat is fourth – as in the Pioneers finished fourth in the L-L League in total offense (356.9 yards a game) and fourth in the L-L League in total defense (229.5 yards a game) last fall. … A couple of key stats to drop on Cocalico’s side, like 349.8 (how many yards per game the Eagles cranked out last season, fifth-best in the league); like 1,203 (how many yards Kyle Fisher rushed for last season, and that was second-most on the team); like 20 (how many TDs Fisher rushed for last fall, second-most in the league); and 9.0 (that’s how many yards Fisher averaged per carry, which is a dynamite number). If you haven’t figured it out by now, Fisher will be a key cog in the Eagles’ attack in the coming weeks.
ABOUT LAMPETER-STRASBURG: The Pioneers will be opening defense of their District 3 Triple-A championship, and they’ll be doing it with a new-look lineup, since 18 key contributors from last year’s team graduated. … But there are some key holdovers returning, like grind-it-out FB Joe Good and speed-rushing d-ends Zach Halpin and Christian DelRocini. Those two should pick up where Seth Rolko and All-State pick Anthony Cintron left off. … Key will be finding two replacements: First for multi-purpose back Justin Taylor, who won practically every postseason award out there last year; and two, for catalyst Rob Zimmerman, a gritty RB and LB who was the team’s vocal and spiritual leader. … It looks like junior Chad Frey should be the feature back, replacing Taylor. He’s got some wheels. … New QB Blake Brubaker, a senior, was injured late in the camp and might miss a good chunk of time. In the meantime, DelRocini will likely take the snaps. Brubaker was also slated to start at safety, so he’ll be missed on both sides of the ball. … Don’t overlook these cats. Everyone will look at the wholesale graduation losses (it’s impossible not to). But don’t be surprised if they’re banging on the door again come November.
ABOUT COCALICO: The Eagles got a major scare prior to their second scrimmage when speedy RB Kyle Fisher suffered a sprained neck after falling during a tackling drill. When asked about Fisher’s stats for the L-S game, Cocalico coach Dave Gingrich responded with a four-word email: “Kyle is 100 percent,” it read. And there were a couple of exclamation points after it for good measure.
NOTABLE: Cocalico is an honorable mention pick in the Pennsylvania Football News preseason All-State Triple-A rankings.

QUOTABLE: L-S coach John Manion – “Last year Cocalico wanted to come out and prove they were back, and they sure did. I don’t think you’ll see any surprises this year. I think you’re looking at two teams that will come out and play hard. … I think you have to give them the upper hand with what they have coming back. And it’s at their place. … Fisher causes fits because when he gets the ball, if he gets to the edge, and if you don’t get him there, he’s going to get some big yards. The key with Fisher is that you have to get him down with your first tackler, because if you don’t, and he gets in the open field, you’re not going to catch him.”

Cocalico coach Dave Gingrich – “L-S is definitely not rebuilding. They’re reloaded. They looked great in both of their scrimmages, and we’re very impressed with them both offensively and defensively. … Offensively, they get the ball to a lot of different weapons. I know I’m very concerned with stopping Joe Good, who doesn’t go down on one hit. … Defensively they fly to the ball – their d-line and linebackers clean up everything. … It will take our best effort to make this a competitive game.”

THE GAME: Palmyra @ Annville-Cleona, Friday, 7 p.m.
ON THE RADIO: WQIC-FM 100.1.
LAST YEAR: Palmyra went 0-7 in Mid-Penn Keystone Division and 1-9 overall; Annville-Cleona went 1-6 in Section 3 and 2-8 overall. … This is a rematch of last year’s season opener. At Palmyra, the Cougars pinned a 13-0 loss on the Little Dutchmen.
KEY STATS: Palmyra’s key stat is 2.6 – that’s how many yards per carry the Cougars’ averaged on offense. That’s a heckuva lot of 2nd-and-8s and 3rd-and-6s. … Annville-Cleona’s key stat is 207.3 – that’s how many yards per game the Dutchmen averaged last fall, just 23rd in the league. There are more than enough weapons returning this fall for that number to improve.
ABOUT PALMYRA: The Cougars are a Triple-A program that compete in the Mid-Penn Liberty Division. … Chris Pope is in his second year as head coach. His offensive coordinator is former Manheim Central standout and current Columbus Destroyers QB Matt Nagy, who will be implementing an Arena League-style run-and-shoot offense in his first year on the job. … Top returning rusher is senior Jared Borell, who had 229 yards last season. … Last year’s QB, senior Mike Balshy, switched over to wideout, making room for soph Jason Rice, who will pilot Nagy’s offense. … Could be strong in the trenches with three o-linemen back in the fold: juniors Ryan Nahodil (LG), Jyi Smith (RG) and Trent Baker (C) all return. … Top defender is returning LB Frank Landis.
ABOUT ANNVILLE-CLEONA: Finally. A real, live home game for the Dutchmen, who have been waiting for this game since 2005 – that’s the last time Annville-Cleona played a home game. … Three kids to keep an eye on here: two-way line stalwart Dominic Frattaroli, who will dominate in the trenches; QB Nate Myers, who needs to cut down on the picks and make plays; and slot man Dean May, who could take a lot of pressure off Myers if he can do some damage on the ground – and deep, as a home-run hitter.
NOTABLE: This is Annville-Cleona’s first home game since 2005. The Dutchmen spent the last two seasons playing 20 road games because of construction at the school. This will also be A-C’s first home night game. The Dutchmen will play under the lights for the first time this season.

QUOTABLE: Annville-Cleona coach Terry Lehman – “Palmyra is our biggest rival, and they have some nice players and some nice size. … We had an OK scrimmage against Halifax. We moved the ball on offense, but gave up some big plays on defense. That’s what we must guard against vs. Palmyra. … I really think coming out of camp that we’re going to surprise some people this year. We have the tools to score points, and I think our defense is going to be OK. And the team is excited about playing the first home game under the lights.”

THE GAME: Pequea Valley @ Upper Dauphin, Friday, 7 p.m.
LAST YEAR: Pequea Valley went 0-7 in Section 3 and 0-10 overall; Upper Dauphin went 0-8 in the Twin Valley Conference and 1-10 overall last season. … This is a rematch of last year’s season opener. At Pequea Valley, the Trojans beat the Braves 33-6. It was Upper Dauphin’s lone win last season, as the Trojans went on to lose their last 10 games in a row. That’s 21 losses in a row between these two programs coming into this one.
KEY STATS: Pequea Valley’s key stat is 425.0 – that’s how many yards per game the Braves allowed last season, dead last in the L-L League. … Upper Dauphin’s key stat is 417 – that’s how many points the Trojans gave up last year, an astronomical amount.
ABOUT PEQUEA VALLEY: So what will senior WR Sean Persch do for an encore, after piling up 2,400-plus all-purpose yards and earning an All-State bid last fall? All eyes will definitely be on the Braves’ playmaker, who will also shine on special teams. … PV must improve on D, and cut down on turnovers. Do so, and there is enough offensive firepower here to win some games – or, at the very least, keep everyone honest.
ABOUT UPPER DAUPHIN: The Trojans are a Double-A program that compete in the Twin Valley Conference. … Head coach is former Shamokin boss Carmen DeFrancesco, who has a 96-70 career mark. This is his second season with Upper Dauphin, which went downhill after the Pequea Valley game last season. Check out these numbers: In the Trojans’ final 10 games, they were outscored 411-19, were out-gained 3,210 yards to 1,319 yards, and had a minus-17 turnover ratio over that 0-10 clip. … Incumbent QB Anson Amour switched to TE, leaving the duties to junior Ty Koppenhaver, who guided the JV squad last season. … Three of the six returning starters on D are on the defensive line.

QUOTABLE: Pequea Valley coach Curtis Waltman – “Upper Dauphin is going to be a good test for us to start off the year. They are coached by Carmen DeFrancesco, who won numerous district titles while coaching at Shamokin. His teams are always well prepared and play tough, physical football. … They’re a lot like us in terms of school size, and both programs have struggled the past couple of years. … It should be a good game for both teams to see how much they’ve improved since last year.”

THE GAME: Pine Grove @ Northern Lebanon, Friday, 7 p.m.
LAST YEAR: Pine Grove went 4-4 in the Twin Valley Conference and 5-5 overall; Northern Lebanon went 4-3 in Section 3 and 7-4 overall, including a 38-13 loss to Gettysburg in the District 3 Triple-A playoffs. … This is a rematch of last year’s season opener. At Pine Grove, the Vikings got off to a quick start with a 34-3 victory.
KEY STATS: Pine Grove’s key stat is 68 – as in 68 kids on its roster, which is a pretty big roster for a Double-A program. This program is just one year removed from making the District 11 playoffs, and with 20 seniors on board, the Cardinals have big expectations this season. … Northern Lebanon’s key stat is 256.3 – that’s how many yards per game the Vikings’ stingy D allowed last season, sixth-best in the league; and Northern Lebanon was ranked No. 1 in team D for a good stretch early last season. With seven starters back on D, the Vikings will very likely be stingy there again.
ABOUT PINE GROVE: The Cardinals are a Double-A program that compete in the Twin Valley Conference during the regular season, and District 11 in the postseason. … Head coach is Jeff Sampson (3rd season, 11-11 overall). … QB in Cardinals’ Veer attack is third-year starter Brent Becher. His favorite target is fourth-year starter Lee Krammes at WR. … Three starters return on the o-line, which is a bonus.
ABOUT NORTHERN LEBANON: Must replace stalwarts Travis Dresch and Austin Hormel, but a terrific nucleus returns, including QB Matt Nolan, twin brother trenchmen Rob and Nick Dzwonchyk and converted WR Terry Clark, who will get first dibs on Dresch’s RB spot. … This is the first of three home games in a row for the Vikings, who roared to a 6-0 start last season. They’d love a repeat.

QUOTABLE: Northern Lebanon coach Jack Beidler – “Pine Grove is a really good football team. They look good up front and they’re an experienced team. They have a very good Veer offense and a very good running game, and we’ll need to shut that down. And their defense is very fast and physical. … It will be Veer vs. Veer.”

THE GAME: Solanco @ Penn Manor, Friday, 7 p.m.
LAST YEAR: Solanco went 6-1 in Section 2 (and shared the title with Elizabethtown) and 7-4 overall, including a 23-7 loss to West York in the first round of the District 3 Triple-A playoffs; Penn Manor went 0-7 in Section 1 and 1-9 overall, the lone victory a 36-21 triumph over Cocalico in Week 3. … These teams got together in last year’s season opener. In Millersville, Solanco won 27-14.
KEY STATS: Solanco’s key stat is 276.9 – that’s how many yards per game the Golden Mules allowed last year, good for ninth-best in the league. Solanco was quite stingy on D, and that spearheaded the Mules’ first section-championship team since 1991; Penn Manor’s key stat is 1,069 – that’s how many yards scatback Carl Christmas rushed for last year … tied for the lead in Section 1 with Warwick’s Eric Resch. The Comets thought they were getting Christmas back this season (and they certainly could have used him). But it turns out that he used up all of his eligibility (he had earlier transferred from McCaskey), and after petitions from District 3 and the PIAA were denied, Christmas was denied another season with Penn Manor. Now that’s a bummer.
ABOUT SOLANCO: Mules are looking for a golden encore after sharing the Section 2 crown with E-town last year. They really hung tough after getting thumped by the Bears 40-7 in Week 6, winning their last four games in a row to share the crown. … Senior QB Ben Miller is back to pilot Solanco’s Spread Wing-T attack; it’s not an offense you see everyday, and Miller runs it well. He’s efficient. He gets the ball to his playmakers. And, most importantly, he doesn’t turn it over very often.
ABOUT PENN MANOR: Comets were winless in Section 1 in coach Todd Mealy’s debut, so you know they’re jonesing to taste the W column. … The loss of Christmas will sting, but TE Cody Booth is one of the best in the business, and QB Mike Treier – who has spent more time on the disabled list than under center the last two years – is healthy (knock on wood), and he runs the option quite well. … A fast start would do wonders for this group, which I heard played quite well in their final scrimmage against Susquehannock – Manheim Central’s Week 1 opponent.

QUOTABLE: Solanco coach Joe Pearson – “Penn Manor has some very athletic kids with experience, and we’ll need to prepare to face that. Penn Manor vs. Solanco are always hard-hitting games, and I would expect the same this year.”

Penn Manor coach Todd Mealy – “Solanco is a very scary opponent because they’re a team with a lot of confidence because they’re coming off a successful season. They’re big up front, but at the same time, we anticipate getting on the field on Friday. I think they know what they’re going to get from us, and we have a good idea of what we’re going to get form them. It’s exciting. This should be a nail-biter.”

THE GAME: Susquehannock @ Manheim Central, Friday, 7 p.m.
LAST YEAR: Susquehannock went 6-4 overall last fall, with losses to Spring Grove, York High, West York and Red Lion – the last three were all in the district playoffs; Manheim Central went 5-2 in Section 2 and 6-5 overall, including a 16-6 loss to Red Land in the first round of the District 3 Triple-A playoffs.
KEY STATS: Susquehannock’s key stat is 9 – that’s how many defensive starters the Warriors’ lost to graduation from last year’s team. And Susquehannock will return just three starters on offense, meaning fifth-year coach Tom Waranavige will be breaking in at least 17 new starters this season; Manheim Central’s key stat is 0 – as in the number of Section 2 championships and District 3 Triple-A titles the Barons have won had since 2005. A big, fat zero. You think these guys are due, or what?
ABOUT SUSQUEHANNOCK: The Warriors are a Triple-A program that competes in Division 2 of the York-Adams Interscholastic Athletic Association. Susquehannock went 5-1 in the division a year ago, its lone loss was to eventual division champ West York. … Keep an eye on senior QB Patrick Miller. He’ll be hard to miss – all 6-4, 210 pounds of him.
ABOUT MANHEIM CENTRAL: Limped through an injury plagued season a year ago, which culminated with a first-round flameout in the District 3 Triple-A playoff for the first time since 2002 (Hail Mary loss to Lower Dauphin). … Caught Central’s second scrimmage, against Bethlehem Catholic, and the Barons definitely had a swagger about them. They were intense. Focused. All business. No goofing around. No not knowing the plays. No silly mental errors. It was a completely different team. That could spell trouble for everyone else, because the Barons are antsy to win some trophies. … Senior QB Jeremy Knosp, who missed time with injuries the last two years, looked sharp in the preseason, and he’ll get the starting nod against Susquehannock. His backup, junior Justin Gorman, also looked good, and could lead the team in a snap. Those guys will get help in the trenches from vet C Riley Clugston. … DE Dakota Royer is already getting D1 looks. He’s incredible. … Central better take care of business here, because next Friday the Barons head to Wilson, followed by a home date against Section 3 favorite Lancaster Catholic in Week 3.

QUOTABLE: Manheim Central coach Mike Williams – “Susquehannock has a nice quarterback and they run an aggressive 4-4 defense. They’re a Wing-T team, but they diversify it a little bit, and they’ll spread it around and run some option. They call it a “pistol” offense – they’ll put the quarterback in the shotgun with a back directly behind him. We don’t see that very often. … The first game is always extremely important. Winning your first game – especially against a really good opponent – is always important. The next two weeks (at Wilson and home with Lancaster Catholic) are only going to get tougher for us, so we want to do well in our opener.”

THE GAME: Trinity @ Lancaster Catholic, Friday, 7 p.m.
LAST YEAR: Trinity went 7-0 in the Mid-Penn Capital Division and 12-1 overall, including a 25-0 loss to Delone Catholic in the District 3 Double-A title game; Lancaster Catholic went 6-1 in Section 3 (sharing the title with Lampeter-Strasburg) and 9-3 overall, including a 28-18 loss to Delone Catholic in the District 3 Double-A semifinals. … This is a rematch of last year’s season opener. At Trinity, the Shamrocks edged the Crusaders 15-14.
KEY STATS: Trinity’s key stat is 6 – that’s how many shutouts the Shamrocks’ D pitched a year ago, when Trinity rolled to a 12-0 start before stumbling against upstart Delone Catholic in the district title game; Catholic’s key stat is 219.1 – that’s how many yards per game the Crusaders yielded last season, third-best in the league. Catholic was also just one of two teams to hold Trinity under 210 yards rushing in a single game last season. So that’s encouraging.
ABOUT TRINITY: The Shamrocks are a Double-A program that compete in the Mid-Penn Patriot Division. … Hulking OT Nick Kindler, an All-State pick last fall, has given a verbal to West Virginia. Trinity is loaded in the trenches, and Kindler (6-6, 275, Sr.) is the linchpin. … QB is Ted Spinelli, who took over midway through last season and passed for 643 yards out of the Shamrocks’ Wing-T set. … Head coach is Jeff Boger, who has compiled a fine 65-22 mark in his tenure. … D is sparked by return of all four linebackers, including Spinelli. … New feature back Christian Kuntz had 12 TD runs last year – as the backup. … Sixty (60) kids on the preseason roster.
ABOUT LANCASTER CATHOLIC: Junior All-State QB Kyle Smith is back to lead the O, which cranked out 346 yards a game last season. Smith passed for 2,595 yards and 27 TDs, and led the league in passing efficiency. He’s got D1 coaches lining up already. … Itching to beat somebody after falling to Delone Catholic in the district semis last year. Delone went on to shutout Trinity a week later in the district final, so both teams are coming off season-ending losses to the same team.
NOTABLE: Catholic is ranked eighth and Trinity is an honorable mention pick in the Harrisburg Patriot-News Double-A state rankings. … Catholic is ranked 10th in the Pennsylvania Football News preseason Double-A state poll.

QUOTABLE: Lancaster Catholic coach Bruce Harbach – “Trinity is an outstanding football team with a lot of good athletes. They were very impressive in their two scrimmages. I just hope we can stop their offense … and their defense is very aggressive and will put a lot of pressure on the quarterback. … We’ll have to control the ball and keep their offense off the field. We’ll have our work cut out for us. … it should be an interesting game.”

THE GAME: Wilson @ Governor Mifflin, Friday, 7 p.m.
LAST YEAR: Wilson went 5-2 in Section 1 and 9-4 overall, including a 17-14 loss (in OT) to Harrisburg in the District 3 Quad-A semifinals; Governor Mifflin went 12-2 overall, including a 49-14 setback to Harrisburg in the District 3 Quad-A championship game. The Mustangs’ other loss last season was a 34-31 setback (in OT) to Manheim Township way back in Week 2. It was the second year in a row that Mifflin won 12 games. … Last year, Mifflin knocked off Wilson 28-16 in the season opener in West Lawn.
KEY STATS: Wilson’s key stat is 156.2 – that’s how many yards per game the Bulldogs’ gritty D allowed last season, tops in the L-L League; Governor Mifflin’s key stat is 99 – that’s how many career victories longtime coach Mick Vecchio has piled up in his 18 years at the helm of the Mustangs.
ABOUT WILSON: The Bulldogs got some terrible news when third-year starting QB Steve Huber went down with a knee injury in Wilson’s scrimmage against CD East last Friday. He’ll miss 4-for-to-6 weeks, meaning untested sophomore Zach Zweizig will get the snaps early on. Zweizig (cool, two z’s in one name) missed all of last season with a shoulder injury, so he’s never, ever taken a varsity snap. … Good chunk of last season’s rugged defense returns, including seven starters and all four linebackers, led by fourth-year starter Colton Weaver, the reigning Section 1 Linebacker of the Year, and senior Pat Zerbe, who is getting recruiting feelers from Tennessee and Pitt. This D could be scary good. And they’ll need the D early on without Huber in there.
ABOUT GOVERNOR MIFFLIN: Starting QB Casey Hughes went down with a broken left wrist in the Mustangs’ first scrimmage, and he won’t be taking any snaps for now. He will, however, get the nod at d-back. “The loss of their first-year quarterback may or may not change their game plan,” Wilson coach Doug Dahms said. We shall see. … For now, sophomore Vince Garipoli will be under center for the Mustangs. He’ll get some help from holdover backs Jordan Perez and Pat Haggerty.
NOTABLE: Wilson is an honorable mention pick in the Harrisburg Patriot-News Quad-A state rankings.

QUOTABLE: Wilson coach Doug Dahms – “Mifflin is as tough as always. They have lots of speed and they’re very aggressive. … I expect them to be confident and come to West Lawn ready to play. … The loss of Huber at QB throws a wrinkle into our plays. Hopefully our running game will be strong enough to give Zweizig some experience and confidence.”

THE GAME: Reading @ York High, Friday, 7 p.m.
LAST YEAR: Reading went 3-4 in Section 1 and 3-7 overall; York High went 10-2 overall, including a 38-12 loss to Wilson in the District 3 Quad-A quarterfinals. The Bearcats’ other loss was a 34-0 setback to Harrisburg in Week 5. … In last year’s season opener in York, the Bearcats dropped Reading 12-0.
KEY STATS: Reading’s key stat is 714 – that’s how many yards shifty RB Fruquan Gaston rushed for last fall. And he wasn’t a full-time starter when the season opened, which made that number even more impressive. He’ll be a key player in the Red Knights’ new spread option attack; York High’s key stat is 3 – the Bearcats’ top three skill kids are all set to return this season, including a major Division 1 college recruit.
ABOUT READING: Preston McKnight takes over for Victor Brown, who compiled a 9-31 record in his four years on the job. McKnight, who coached professionally in the Arena League, and is the former head coach of Schuylkill Valley, implemented an up-tempo spread option attack, which he is hoping pays dividends, and jumpstarts an offense that finished in the middle of the pack in the league last season (13th; 282 yards a game).
ABOUT YORK HIGH: As mentioned, the Bearcats’ top three skill kids from a year ago are set to return, including pass-happy QB Brandon Davis, RB Brandon Walker, who piled up more than 600 rushing yards after grabbing the starting job later in the season last fall, and WR Malik Generett, who has made a verbal commitment to accept a scholarship offer from UConn in the Big East. … Bearcats went 6-0 in Division 1 a year ago, and they’re the overwhelming favorites to repeat. … Head coach is Matt Ortega, who is in his fifth season on the job. He’s Scott Feldman’s former d-coordinator at McCaskey.

QUOTABLE: Reading coach (and Reading grad) Preston McKnight (to the Reading Eagle) – “The kids here understand the expectations academically, and in terms of performance on the field. How ever many games we’re fortunate enough to win is secondary to improving their lives. The kids understand that about me. I’m here because people helped me, and I want to help them get whatever it is they want to get in life.”

THE GAME: Daniel Boone @ Donegal, Friday, 7:30 p.m.
LAST YEAR: Daniel Boone went 3-3 in Berks I-C Section 1 and 9-4 overall, including a 35-14 loss to Gettysburg in the District 3 Triple-A semifinals; Donegal went 4-3 in Section 3 and 6-4 overall.
KEY STATS: Daniel Boone’s key stat is 12 – that’s how many starters the Blazers are set to return this season, more than any other team in Berks I-C Section 1. … Donegal’s key stat is 327.3 – that’s how many yards per game the Indians’ Wing-T attack churned out last season, good for seventh-best in the league.
ABOUT DANIEL BOONE: Contrary to popular belief, even though we live in the Daniel Boone School District, I have zero rooting interest in this game. Hardy-har-har. … Head coach is sixth-year man Dave Bodolus, who has compiled a 41-17 mark. … Plenty of skill kids to go around here, with 1,000-yard rusher Nate Green, Berks County receiving leader Zach Kelley and steady TE Kyle Yarmush all back in the fold. They will be key targets for new QB Jon Monteiro.
ABOUT DONEGAL: Soph Matt Kolp won the starting QB gig in the preseason, and he will pilot Donegal’s trusty Wing-T attack. And keep an eye on senior Kyle Witmer, who should get plenty of touches from his FB spot. He’s the lucky ducky replacing three-time 1,000-yard rusher Blaine Miller, who took all of those yards and touchdowns along with him when he graduated. … Plenty of veterans to go around here, particularly on the o-line. So I’m feeling Donegal.

QUOTABLE: Donegal coach Bill Groff – “Daniel Boone is a well-coached, physical football team, and they throw the ball very well. … I thought our kids performed well in both scrimmages, and they’re looking forward to the regular season.”