Another round of audio Podcast interviews for you from L-L League football media day last week.
This time, a trip around Section 2, featuring interviews with Conestoga Valley’s Kevin Kelley, Ephrata’s Andrew Donnelly, Elizabethtown’s David Kennedy, Cocalico’s Shiron Hudson, Lebanon’s Arthur Doakes, Solanco’s Brock Snider and Manheim Central’s Justin Gorman.
I chatted with those guys about the upcoming season – among other things.
Enjoy …
Kevin Kelley, Conestoga Valley – Yup, the Buckskins’ scatback has another year of eligibility. Seems like he’s been around forever, and this will be his final season toting the pigskin for CV. And in new coach Tom Nichols’ I-back set, Kelley should get a ton of touches for the Bucks, who will be looking to improve on back-to-back 1-9 seasons – just three seasons after winning the Section 2 title in 2006. Kelley played a big roll as a freshman on that team, and after improving as a soph, he really broke out last fall, rushing for 1,030 yards on 166 carries (a fine 6.2 average) with 11 TDs. He should be even busier this fall for the Bucks. You can listen to the interview with Kelley by clicking on the ‘play’ button above. You can also download the Podcast and play it on your favorite mp3 device by clicking here.
Andrew Donnelly, Ephrata – The Mountaineers would just as soon forget all about last year’s 0-10 finish. It was not a fun time in Ephrata. Just a hunch, but the Mounts will not go 0-10 again this fall, and having Donnelly attacking from both sides of the ball is a big reason why. If you snoop around sites like Rivals.com or Scout.com you might have seen Donnelly’s name and mug shot there the last couple of months. And with good reason. Colleges like West Virginia and Temple have Donnelly on their radar, and recruiters really like his 6-5, 220-pound frame – and how he uses it from the tight end spot and from d-end. Keep an eye on Donnelly and the Mounts this season. They took a ton of lumps last year. Payback starts now. You can listen to the interview with Donnelly by clicking on the ‘play’ button above. You can also download the Podcast and play it on your favorite mp3 device by clicking here.
David Kennedy, Elizabethtown – Last season, when you thought of E-town linebackers, the first person that came to mind was Shane Rosenberry. He was a stud, made tons of plays and was in on seemingly every tackle. His understudy was Kennedy, who didn’t always have the spotlight on him, but very quietly became one of the most underrated LB’s in the L-L. And now that Rosenberry has moseyed on, that spotlight should find Kennedy, who should be the Bears’ top play-making ‘backer in E-town’s new 4-3 D scheme under new coach Mike Cottle. Like Rosenberry, Kennedy will stick you. And he’s amped up for E-town’s new scheme. You can listen to the interview with Kennedy by clicking on the ‘play’ button above. You can also download the Podcast and play it on your favorite mp3 device by clicking here.
Shiron Hudson, Cocalico – So who’s the lucky duck who gets to replace speedster Kyle Fisher as the Eagles’ feature tailback? That would be Hudson, who has some wheels of his own. But he’s a converted slot guy, and hasn’t had to follow many pulling left guards or zig-zag through traffic following a fullback through the line. Hudson was Cocalico’s second-leading receiver last season, hauling in 9 catches for 213 yards (23.7 per grab; nice) and a pair of TDs. He also got 10 carries (mostly on Jet Sweep plays or flanker reverses) and rushed for 107 yards. So he can make plays. Now can he make plays as the feature guy? And how will he mesh with returning stud FB Austin Hartman, who piled up 1,587 yards and 10 TDs in his bust-out soph season? Time will tell. You can listen to the interview with Hudson by clicking on the ‘play’ button above. You can also download the Podcast and play it on your favorite mp3 device by clicking here.
Arthur Doakes, Lebanon – So who gets the preseason tag of best lineman in the L-L League? It very well could be Doakes, who already has a Division I scholarship in his back pocket. The Cedars’ rock-steady 6-6, 350-pounder gave a verbal commitment to Pitt back in July, picking the Panthers over Rutgers, Syracuse, Buffalo and Troy – among others. Doakes will anchor Lebanon’s o-line, and the Cedars will need him, considering All-State QB James Capello has shuffled off to Iowa State, and newcomer Alex Troutman will inherit the keys to Lebanon’s funky – and fun – “Air Raid” offense, which is predicated on quick reads and quick passes. So Doakes and his mates in the trenches will have to be on their toes. Good luck getting around this guy. He’s a good one. You can listen to the interview with Doakes by clicking on the ‘play’ button above. You can also download the Podcast and play it on your favorite mp3 device by clicking here.
Brock Snider, Solanco – What a fun team the Golden Mules are to be around. They all seemingly have a great sense of humor and there is terrific camaraderie around the program. Take L-L media day for example. Snider, an award-winning baker (true story), and a couple of his teammates showed up with coffee cake and cookies for the media to munch on. Great stuff (especially the sugar cookies; thanks guys). It’s that togetherness that could lead to a mighty interesting season for these cats. Don’t overlook Solanco’s seven home games, including all three non-league games right out of the chute, plus the first four of five games overall in Quarryville. Balance is the key here; Snider, who rushed for 304 yards last season, will be a key cog in what the Mules hope to accomplish. And when I come to Quarryville this season, I’m expecting coffee cake and cookies in the press box, fellas. You can listen to the interview with Snider by clicking on the ‘play’ button above. You can also download the Podcast and play it on your favorite mp3 device by clicking here.
Justin Gorman, Manheim Central – Mighty interesting season for Gorman last fall. He started out as the backup QB and a starting WR and DB. He even caught 10 passes, averaging 17.8 per grab with a TD. But when starting QB Jeremy Knosp went down with an injury late in the regular season, Gorman stepped in quite nicely. Knosp had completed 102-of-185 passes (55 percent) for 1,802 yards and 13 TD, so Gorman had some big shoes to fill. He did – completing 60-of-108 passes (56 percent) for 929 yards and 6 TDs (plus another 280 rushing yards and 7 TDs) while leading the Barons to the Section 2 title and back to the District 3 Triple-A championship game. And who will ever forget his 99-yard TD keeper in Central’s district quarterfinal win at Cocalico? That was a District 3 record run, by the way. After a summer visiting some major Division I colleges (Colorado, Memphis and North Carolina State, to name a few), Gorman will have the QB keys from Day 1 this season – a season he and several veteran Barons are hoping has a very happy ending. One last note on Gorman: If the name sounds familiar, it should. His mom is Lancaster Mennonite’s girls’ basketball coach; his sister is a former three-sport standout athlete at Lancaster Mennonite, and she was the Lancaster Newspapers Female Athlete of the Year two years ago; and his dad was an assistant coach for Donegal’s girls’ soccer team, which won the Double-A state title this past spring. Busy family. You can listen to the interview with Gorman by clicking on the ‘play’ button above. You can also download the Podcast and play it on your favorite mp3 device by clicking here.
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Kevin Kelley, Conestoga Valley – Yup, the Buckskins’ scatback has another year of eligibility. Seems like he’s been around forever, and this will be his final season toting the pigskin for CV. And in new coach Tom Nichols’ I-back set, Kelley should get a ton of touches for the Bucks, who will be looking to improve on back-to-back 1-9 seasons – just three seasons after winning the Section 2 title in 2006. Kelley played a big roll as a freshman on that team, and after improving as a soph, he really broke out last fall, rushing for 1,030 yards on 166 carries (a fine 6.2 average) with 11 TDs. He should be even busier this fall for the Bucks. You can listen to the interview with Kelley by clicking on the ‘play’ button above. You can also download the Podcast and play it on your favorite mp3 device by clicking here.
Andrew Donnelly, Ephrata – The Mountaineers would just as soon forget all about last year’s 0-10 finish. It was not a fun time in Ephrata. Just a hunch, but the Mounts will not go 0-10 again this fall, and having Donnelly attacking from both sides of the ball is a big reason why. If you snoop around sites like Rivals.com or Scout.com you might have seen Donnelly’s name and mug shot there the last couple of months. And with good reason. Colleges like West Virginia and Temple have Donnelly on their radar, and recruiters really like his 6-5, 220-pound frame – and how he uses it from the tight end spot and from d-end. Keep an eye on Donnelly and the Mounts this season. They took a ton of lumps last year. Payback starts now. You can listen to the interview with Donnelly by clicking on the ‘play’ button above. You can also download the Podcast and play it on your favorite mp3 device by clicking here.
David Kennedy, Elizabethtown – Last season, when you thought of E-town linebackers, the first person that came to mind was Shane Rosenberry. He was a stud, made tons of plays and was in on seemingly every tackle. His understudy was Kennedy, who didn’t always have the spotlight on him, but very quietly became one of the most underrated LB’s in the L-L. And now that Rosenberry has moseyed on, that spotlight should find Kennedy, who should be the Bears’ top play-making ‘backer in E-town’s new 4-3 D scheme under new coach Mike Cottle. Like Rosenberry, Kennedy will stick you. And he’s amped up for E-town’s new scheme. You can listen to the interview with Kennedy by clicking on the ‘play’ button above. You can also download the Podcast and play it on your favorite mp3 device by clicking here.
Shiron Hudson, Cocalico – So who’s the lucky duck who gets to replace speedster Kyle Fisher as the Eagles’ feature tailback? That would be Hudson, who has some wheels of his own. But he’s a converted slot guy, and hasn’t had to follow many pulling left guards or zig-zag through traffic following a fullback through the line. Hudson was Cocalico’s second-leading receiver last season, hauling in 9 catches for 213 yards (23.7 per grab; nice) and a pair of TDs. He also got 10 carries (mostly on Jet Sweep plays or flanker reverses) and rushed for 107 yards. So he can make plays. Now can he make plays as the feature guy? And how will he mesh with returning stud FB Austin Hartman, who piled up 1,587 yards and 10 TDs in his bust-out soph season? Time will tell. You can listen to the interview with Hudson by clicking on the ‘play’ button above. You can also download the Podcast and play it on your favorite mp3 device by clicking here.
Arthur Doakes, Lebanon – So who gets the preseason tag of best lineman in the L-L League? It very well could be Doakes, who already has a Division I scholarship in his back pocket. The Cedars’ rock-steady 6-6, 350-pounder gave a verbal commitment to Pitt back in July, picking the Panthers over Rutgers, Syracuse, Buffalo and Troy – among others. Doakes will anchor Lebanon’s o-line, and the Cedars will need him, considering All-State QB James Capello has shuffled off to Iowa State, and newcomer Alex Troutman will inherit the keys to Lebanon’s funky – and fun – “Air Raid” offense, which is predicated on quick reads and quick passes. So Doakes and his mates in the trenches will have to be on their toes. Good luck getting around this guy. He’s a good one. You can listen to the interview with Doakes by clicking on the ‘play’ button above. You can also download the Podcast and play it on your favorite mp3 device by clicking here.
Brock Snider, Solanco – What a fun team the Golden Mules are to be around. They all seemingly have a great sense of humor and there is terrific camaraderie around the program. Take L-L media day for example. Snider, an award-winning baker (true story), and a couple of his teammates showed up with coffee cake and cookies for the media to munch on. Great stuff (especially the sugar cookies; thanks guys). It’s that togetherness that could lead to a mighty interesting season for these cats. Don’t overlook Solanco’s seven home games, including all three non-league games right out of the chute, plus the first four of five games overall in Quarryville. Balance is the key here; Snider, who rushed for 304 yards last season, will be a key cog in what the Mules hope to accomplish. And when I come to Quarryville this season, I’m expecting coffee cake and cookies in the press box, fellas. You can listen to the interview with Snider by clicking on the ‘play’ button above. You can also download the Podcast and play it on your favorite mp3 device by clicking here.
Justin Gorman, Manheim Central – Mighty interesting season for Gorman last fall. He started out as the backup QB and a starting WR and DB. He even caught 10 passes, averaging 17.8 per grab with a TD. But when starting QB Jeremy Knosp went down with an injury late in the regular season, Gorman stepped in quite nicely. Knosp had completed 102-of-185 passes (55 percent) for 1,802 yards and 13 TD, so Gorman had some big shoes to fill. He did – completing 60-of-108 passes (56 percent) for 929 yards and 6 TDs (plus another 280 rushing yards and 7 TDs) while leading the Barons to the Section 2 title and back to the District 3 Triple-A championship game. And who will ever forget his 99-yard TD keeper in Central’s district quarterfinal win at Cocalico? That was a District 3 record run, by the way. After a summer visiting some major Division I colleges (Colorado, Memphis and North Carolina State, to name a few), Gorman will have the QB keys from Day 1 this season – a season he and several veteran Barons are hoping has a very happy ending. One last note on Gorman: If the name sounds familiar, it should. His mom is Lancaster Mennonite’s girls’ basketball coach; his sister is a former three-sport standout athlete at Lancaster Mennonite, and she was the Lancaster Newspapers Female Athlete of the Year two years ago; and his dad was an assistant coach for Donegal’s girls’ soccer team, which won the Double-A state title this past spring. Busy family. You can listen to the interview with Gorman by clicking on the ‘play’ button above. You can also download the Podcast and play it on your favorite mp3 device by clicking here.
