This post will probably make Kyle Smith uncomfortable.
Lancaster Catholic’s sensational senior quarterback normally sidesteps praise as though it were a blitzing linebacker. I’ve probably interviewed him 100 times since he first stepped under center for the Crusaders as a sophomore, and I’ve never once heard him accept a compliment without quickly passing the credit along to his teammates. Though he plays the most glamorous position on the field, Smith is the ultimate team-first guy.
But let’s face it: It’s nearly impossible to conceive of Lancaster Catholic winning the state championship this season without Smith calling the signals. Saturday’s 21-14 victory over Greensburg Central Catholic capped his brilliant three-year career as the Crusaders’ starting quarterback and provided a perfect ending to his record-breaking season.
The most impressive thing about Lancaster Catholic’s victory on Saturday is how the game was won. The snowy conditions — thanks for ignoring common sense by deciding not to postpone the game, PIAA — meant that the Crusaders had to scrap about half of their playbook. They simply couldn’t call as many pass plays as they would have liked.
On paper, at least, that was a huge advantage for Greensburg Central Catholic. Indeed, to hear how they players were whooping it up when they arrived at the stadium and saw the ground covered in white, the Centurions certainly thought so.
But even though was held to season lows in completions (four) and passing yards (35), Smith was still a factor in the game. Two of those completions came on the Crusaders’ decisive scoring drive — one to Purvis, who made a circus catch while slipping to the ground, and another to tight end Andrew Millay to give the Crusaders a first down inside the GCC 10.
Smith capped that march himself, stretching the ball across the goal line on a quarterback sneak from inside the 1. Initially, he appeared to be stopped short, but he willed himself forward and got the ball across the line just before his knees hit the ground to give the Crusaders their first lead with 5:29 left in the third quarter.
Catholic’s defense did the rest. Though Greensburg’s star running back, David Miller, eclipsed the 100-yard mark and the Centurions wound up outgaining the Crusaders in total yards, Catholic kept them off the scoreboard for the final three quarters.
As the Crusaders and their ecstatic fans celebrated with the championship trophy on the Hersheypark Stadium sidelines, Smith paused to reflect on a brilliant 16-week campaign. Though he never admitted it prior to the season, it was clear that winning a state title was his ultimate goal, ever since the Crusaders bowed out in last year’s semifinal round.
That’s why Smith decided to forgo most of the individual quarterback camps this summer, preferring to attend 7-on-7 camps and summer workouts with his teammates. That decision could ultimately cost Smith an athletic scholarship at a big-time college program — something he’s certainly talented enough to warrant.
The gold trophy he and his teammates earned on Saturday vindicated that decision. And Smith said it was worth it.
“I knew that the entire season,” he said. “It doesn’t take a state championship for me to realize that the right thing to do was to stay home and work out with my teammates. I’m actually glad I did. I got to form a special bond with them, one I’ll never forget. This is just icing on the cake for me, really. They worked so hard, and I’m just glad I could be a part of it.”
Smith’s lack of scholarship offers has been one of the biggest mysteries of the season. It’s been written about and talked about to death, and yet we’re no closer to an answer. He’s got offers on his plate from Richmond and Akron — respectable schools, certainly, but a kid with Smith’s size, talent and brains should be buried under a pile of recruiting letters and scholarship offers by now. Getting an offer from the University of Georgia to join the team as a preferred walk-on is a start, but there should be some concrete offers coming his way.
Smith said all season long that the recruiting would take care of itself — he had a football season to concentrate on. Now that the season’s over, I’d expect him to start getting serious about his college plans. And, perhaps, some coach somewhere will see the talent L-L League fans have been marveling at for the last three years and come to his senses.
But no matter where he winds up playing next fall, Smith’s legacy in the L-L League and in the Pennsylvania record books remains secure. He broke three state records this season: career passing yards (8,544), career touchdown passes (118) and TD passes in a single season (50).
More importantly, he helped Catholic become the second L-L League team to win a state title, joining Manheim Central (which won its first crown in Snow Bowl I back in 2003). Catholic, Central (three times), Conestoga Valley and Wilson are the only L-L League teams to make it to the championship game.
The L-L League has produced some great quarterbacks over the years. Two L-L alums — Wilson grads Kerry Collins and Chad Henne — are currently on NFL rosters, and Henne’s a starter. Then there’s the other QBs in the pantheon: Jeff Smoker, Pat Bostick, Matt Nagy, Perry Patterson, Jordan Steffy — it seems like a new superstar comes along every two or three years.
Of all the QBs listed above, Smith played for the smallest school, and went up against a Section 3 schedule. For those who argue he doesn’t belong among the elite of Pennsylvania signal-callers, that’s the only ammunition available.
The point can be argued to death. My take is simple: Talent is talent. And in his three years here, Smith was clearly one of the best.





