JEFFREY REINHART jreinhart@LNPnews.com
For you … it’s my Lancaster-Lebanon League Section 2 All-Star football team.
I picked the top 11 players (in my humble opinion) on each side of the ball, plus a punter, a kicker and one special teams player.
These picks are based on my own observations, and include some notable items about each player that I selected.
The envelope please …
OFFENSE
QB – James Capello, senior, Lebanon – Staggering season for the Cedars’ outstanding signal-caller. His numbers were simply jaw-dropping: 220-of-326 for 2,897 yards with 31 touchdowns against nine picks; 145 keepers for 792 yards and 8 rushing scores. Tack on a pick six on D, and Capello accounted for 40 TDs this season for Lebanon, which advanced to the District 3 playoffs for the first time in school history. Of course, the Cedars coughed up a 34-10 second-half lead and fell to Garden Spot. But no matter. Capello wowed everyone this season, and he’ll be a Division 1 QB (in the MAC, perhaps?) next fall. Book it.
RB – Kyle Fisher, senior, Cocalico – The kid with the freakishly fast wheels lived up to all the preseason hype, putting up some ridiculously crooked numbers for the Eagles, who went 10-2 (both losses to Manheim Central) and advanced to the second round of the District 3 Triple-A playoffs. Observe: 137 carries for 1,714 yards (that’s an insane 12.5 yards per carry) and 25 rushing TDs. Fisher also caught a team-high 14 passes for 240 yards and three scores. And nobody around here will ever forget his 91- and 96-yard kickoff returns for touchdowns in the same game against Central in Week 4. Heck of a football player – and might be even better in track, which he’ll try and conquer once again next spring.
RB – Kevin Kelley, junior, Conestoga Valley – Could have gone a couple of different directions with this pick (Fisher’s teammate, Austin Hartman, had a breakout soph season; Garden Spot’s Andersan Beamer really came on in the postseason; Elizabethtown had a couple of backs worthy of All-Star status). I went with Kelley because he was a 1,000-yard back (1,030, with 11 TDs, to be exact), and because he was one of the few bright spots on a Buckskins’ team that went 1-9, and that win wasn’t until Week 10, when CV beat winless Ephrata. It was Kelley’s first 1,000-yard season, and he did it in coach Gerad Novak’s final season at the helm. Oh by the way, Novak is Kelley’s guardian, and it’s sort of a heart-tugger story. Too long to tell here. So I won’t. He’ll be back for his fourth season as the Bucks’ feature back next fall.
WR – Jordan Clentimack, senior, Lebanon – He was an All-State pick last year, and his numbers from this fall certainly warrant a repeat to that list. After his 11th and final game, Clentimack led the L-L League in receptions (84), receiving yards (1,412) and TD grabs (18). The TD mark was surpassed by Lancaster Catholic’s Travis Jankowski. Clentimack finished his career with 156 catches for 2,628 yards and 31 TD grabs. The 2,628 yards are the most in L-L League history. So yeah, the Cedars are going to miss this kid for sure.
WR – Tyler Eby, senior, Garden Spot – What a fantastic breakout season for Eby. When the season started, everyone wondered how in the world the Spartans would replace multiple All-Star WR Sean Beahan. Eby stepped in and went right to work, finishing the season with 49 catches for 976 yards (19.9 per catch) and 12 TD grabs. His highlight game came against Lebanon in the regular season, when Eby had seven catches for 174 yards and three TDs in the Spartans’ win. Garden Spot went on to beat Lebanon again in the first round of the District 3 Triple-A playoffs, and Eby and crew reached the district semifinals before falling to eventual district champ West York.
TE – Dakota Royer, junior, Manheim Central – Since I have absolutely no clue what offensive position Royer plays, I’m sticking him at tight end for my All-Stat squad. Heck, this blue-chip recruit (Penn State, Pitt, Maryland and Stanford have already offered) can play anywhere he wants on my team. So I’m putting him at tight end. Heck, he’s got the size (6-3, 220) and he certainly had the receiving numbers this season – 56 catches for 1,099 yards (20 yards per grab) and five TDs. He also thrived on D. I’ll get to that later.
C – Riley Clugston, senior, Manheim Central – Tough, feisty kid. Scrapper. Loves trench warfare. Barons are going to miss his tenacity in the middle.
OG – Alex Kirchner, senior, Elizabethtown – Pound for pound one of the toughest kids in the L-L League. Loved slugging it out in the trenches on both sides of the ball. Might have been know a tad more for his defensive, but Kirchner and his crazy Mohawk haircuts helped blow open a lot of holes in the Bears’ Wing-T attack. E-town will miss his work ethic and especially his leadership qualities.
OG – Bryan Boulden senior, Solanco – One of the most underrated two-way lineman not only in Section 2, but across the league. Really did a lot of dirty work for the Golden Mules, who burst back onto the scene last year, sharing the Section 2 crown and going to the District 3 playoffs for the first time in forever. No repeat in either category this season for Solanco, but the Mules were pesky in the trenches, thanks to Boulden.
OT – Charles Lee, senior, Lebanon – Imposing, space-eating lineman helped keep James Capello off the turf, which was mucho important in the Cedars’ “Air Raid” attack, when Lee and his mates spent a good chunk of their Friday nights pass-protecting. It all starts with the line, and with Lee anchoring that line, Lebanon had its best season ever – 7-4 and a trip to Districts for the first time in school history.
OT – Pat McMillan, senior, Cocalico – Kyle Fisher, Austin Hartman and Matt Carty would not have put up the gaudy rushing stats they compiled without guys like McMillan slugging it out in the trenches blowing open holes. Fisher didn’t need many holes, actually. But you know what I mean. In Cocalico’s Veer attack, the linemen had some complicated blocking schemes, and McMillan anchored that group, which helped the Eagles gouge out 4,478 rushing yards (tops in the league, by a mile and a half) and average 428 yards per game – second-best in the league.
SPECIAL TEAMS — Derek Deshaw, senior, Garden Spot — Had the longest kick return for a TD in the L-L League this season, a 97-yarder against Manheim Central. He can return kicks for me any day.
KICKER – David Stoltzfus, senior, Garden Spot – The reliable lefty booter had a nice season for the Spartans, kicking four field goals along the way – including a 40-yarder (the second-longest boot in the league this season) in the win over Warwick. Automatic on extra points, and had a bunch of touchbacks on kickoffs for Garden Spot, which blew up the District 3 Triple-A bracket as the No. 10 seed, advancing all the way to the semifinal round.
DEFENSE
DE – Dakota Royer, junior, Manheim Central – 132 tackles, 11 sacks. Full athletic scholarship offers from Penn State, Pitt, Stanford and Maryland already in his back pocket. Yeah, that about covers it. Next …
DE – Ethan Quint, senior, Cocalico – Was a very reliable back-side blitzer for the Eagles, who won 10 games and went to the second round of Districts. Cocalico didn’t get much pub for its D (those O numbers got must of the attention, and rightfully so), but Quint was one of the cornerstones.
DT – Alex Kirchner, senior, Elizabethtown – Also picked him at OG. Tenacious, tenacious competitor. Not the biggest or strongest dude around, but he’s relentless. Always had the dirtiest uniform after the game.
DT – Bryan Boulden, senior, Solanco – Also picked him at OG, so Kirchner and Boulden will go on both sides at OG and DT for my squad. And that’s just fine and dandy with me.
LB – Joe Strangarity, senior, Garden Spot – Energizer Bunny. Four-year starter at LB for the Spartans, and he finished his fine career with more than 400 tackles. Gamer. Never stopped running or battling until the whistle blew. Four most popular words coming from the PA guy in the press box from a Spartans’ game: “Strangarity with the tackle.” Garden Spot will truly miss Jo-Jo.
LB – Shane Rosenberry, senior, Elizabethtown – Teamed with Kirchner to create some of the best Mohawk haircuts the L-L League has ever seen. I’m serious. My favorite was when he shaved a big ‘E’ into the side of his head before the Manheim Township game. Beautiful. Always played downhill and is a punishing, bruising tackler. Real nose for the ball. Did pretty well carrying the ball on offense, too. But Rosenberry will be remembered for decking unsuspecting ball-carries from his LB spot. Ferocious player.
LB – Travis Ebersole, senior, Manheim Central – Missed a few games early on after tweaking a knee against Wilson. But he came back with authority. Highlight was his pick late in the fourth quarter to thwart Mechanicsburg’s last-gasp drive in the district semifinals.
LB – Kyle Ueberroth, senior, Cocalico – As mentioned, the Eagles’ D didn’t always get a lot of ink (or blog-post notes). But Ueberroth was the ring-leader of a bunch that went 6-1 in Section 2 and won a district playoff game. Great pursuer and tackler. He was the rah-rah guy in the middle.
DB – Casey Ebersole, junior, Manheim Central – Had a breakout season at wideout, and was equally tough as a cover-corner, with seven picks.
DB – Derek Deshaw, senior, Garden Spot – Had an excellent season on the corner for the Spartans, including a pair of pick-six plays – 47 yards for an interception and return against Conestoga Valley and 47 yards for a pick and taking it to the house against Ephrata. Also excelled on special teams. Deshaw did quite a bit (some of it behind the scenes) for the Spartans, who went all the way to the district semifinals.
DB – Matt Carty, junior, Cocalico – Got most of the headlines for his QB play, operating the Eagles’ tricky Veer scheme. But he can pop you on D from his safety spot.
PUNTER – Jeff Strait, senior, Manheim Central – Major weapon in the punting department. He boomed some great ones in the postseason, helping the Barons escape some sticky jams. Also played some corner and on special teams for the first time in his career. But he’ll be remembered for his booming left foot.
