Lancaster Catholic is No. 1 in the state in Double-A
Some random L-L League football news and notes …
CRUSADERS GRAB TOP SPOT – The Harrisburg Patriot-News released its brand-spanking-new state rankings Monday, and Lancaster Catholic is No. 1 in Double-A. The Crusaders are 12-1 overall, have won 10 games in a row, own Section 3 and District 3 championships, and will take on District 4 champ Loyalsock in a PIAA Eastern semifinal game Saturday at 1 p.m. in Shamokin. Happy to report Keith and I will both be making the trip to Kemp Memorial Stadium; Keith will be blogging live and I’ll be putting together some audio and video reports. Check us out at LancSports.com on Saturday. The No. 2-ranked team in Double-A, by the way? None other than Philadelphia West Catholic, which knocked off Lancaster Catholic last year in the Eastern final. Those two would each meet again if the Crusaders can beat Loyalsock, and if West Catholic (11-2) can beat North Schuylkill (13-0).
BARONS NO. 2 – Speaking of the Harrisburg Patriot-News state rankings, Manheim Central, fresh off its 42-7 romp over Conrad Weiser in the District 3 Triple-A semifinals, bumped up to No. 2 in that poll. The Barons are 13-0 overall, and will go for their 16th district championship Friday against Susquehanna Township. I will be blogging live from that game at LancSports.com, by the way. Selinsgrove (13-0) owns the No. 1 spot in the Patriot-News poll, and the Seals will face Allentown Central Catholic on Friday in a sub-regional/state quarterfinal game. Central, which couldn’t meet Selinsgrove until the state final, will play a home-and-home non-league series against Selinsgrove starting next season.
IRONMAN – Here’s a cool stat for you: Lancaster Catholic senior Ross Hall, one of the top two-way linemen in the L-L League and District 3, has never missed a start in his prep career, which spans two teams and 50 games. Hall started as a freshman for Conestoga Valley, and played in all 12 games with the Buckskins in 2006 (when CV won the Section 2 crown and a district-playoff game), then all 10 for CV in 2007 before transferring to Lancaster Catholic prior to his junior year. In 2008, Hall started all 15 games for the Crusaders, and he’s started all 13 games for Catholic so far this season. When Hall trotted out to the Hersheypark Stadium turf last Friday night in the Crusaders’ 42-6 win over Delone Catholic in the District 3 Double-A championship game, it was his 50th career game – and 50th career start. Hall didn’t even start playing football until 7th grade, and he’s never played in a JV game – strictly varsity. And he’s never missed a start. Hall has seven scholarship offers in his back pocket – Akron, Buffalo, Monmouth, New Hampshire, Old Dominion, Richmond and Villanova have all offered.
