Hard to believe we’re coming up on the halfway point of the regular season already. Football season always seems to fly by, even when the playoffs extend into late November or early December.

Seems like there’s a good chance of that happening again around here. We’ve already hit the point where the wheat begins to separate from the chaff, to use a biblical reference. We have three very good (and undefeated) teams who stand out — Penn Manor in Section 1, Manheim Central in Section 2 and Elco in Section 3 — plus several other one-loss teams who are clearly playoff contenders (Wilson, Township, Warwick, Cocalico and Lancaster Catholic — I’m looking in your direction). The plotlines should only get more interesting as we head into the second half of the season.

On to the picks…another strong week for Yours Truly in Week 4; I went 10-2 and brought my season total up to 48-16. That’s good enough for second place behind my online colleague, Jeff Reinhart (whose picks for this week can be found here).

SECTION 1

Cedar Crest (2-2, 0-1) at Wilson (3-1, 1-0):The Falcons could easily be 3-1; they led Warwick 20-7 last week before allowing the Warriors to rally and clip them in the end. Wilson’s only loss was to Manheim Central — a game in which the Bulldogs nearly pulled off a miracle comeback of their own. Even though Crest is one of those sneaky-good teams that probably deserves a little more credit, I’m sticking with Wilson. The names on the jerseys change, but the results don’t. I’ll take the Dawgs.

Hempfield (2-2, 0-1) at McCaskey (0-4, 0-1):Boy, is there a tougher team to get a read on than Hempfield? Just when you think the Black Knights had things figured out, they go and turn the ball over six times in last week’s 34-6 shellacking by Penn Manor. I’m tempted to go with an upset pick here — McCaskey has led at halftime in each of its last three games, but hasn’t been able to hold things together in the second half. But, in the end, I’m taking Hempfield. The Knights will be looking to bounce back, and I just get the feeling they’re going to smash-mouth the Red Tornado to death.

Manheim Township (3-1, 1-0) at Warwick (3-1, 1-0): Good neighborhood rivalry here, and a very tough game to call. Township struggled to put up points early in the season, but the Streaks sure righted their ship against Reading last week, pummelling the Red Knights 50-6. Warwick, meanwhile, had to pull off that big comeback against Cedar Crest. The Warriors are one of those teams that just quietly go about the business of winning games. Still, I’m going to lean toward Township. Call it a gut feeling in a 50-50 game. (Cheap plug alert: LancSports.com’s Jeff Reinhart will be blogging live from this one. Feel free to join him).

Penn Manor (4-0, 1-0) at Reading (1-3, 0-1): Batten down the hatches, Red Knights. This could get ugly. Penn Manor has an aggressive, hard-hitting defense and a ton of talent at the skill positions on offense. They’ve only been held under 30 points once — and that was in a 14-10 win over under-rated Lampeter-Strasburg. Reading’s had some issues on defense, which could be a problem on Friday. Give me Penn Manor in a game that’s got ”Mercy Rule” written all over it.

SECTION 2

Conestoga Valley (3-1, 1-0) at Elizabethtown (2-2, 1-0): Another quality matchup here and a tough game to pick. CV is one of the league’s biggest surprises, and the Buckskins appear to be legit. They’ve got arguably the best running back in the league in Kevin Kelley, who continues to rack up 100-yard games in spite of the fact that everyone in the stands knows he’s getting the ball on almost every running down. Kelley’s the reason I’m going with CV here; E-town’s had some issues with run defense, and he’s one of the best.

Manheim Central (4-0, 1-0) at Solanco (2-2, 0-1): The Barons pulled off another Houdini act last week against Cocalico, calmly lining up for the game-winning 40-yard field goal as the clock ticked down. At the time I called it more Manheim Magic, but in reality it was just good coaching, great preparation and flawless execution. Solanco was a trendy darkhorse pick in Section 2 before the season, but I think the Golden Mules get trampled here. Give me the Barons, who will likely spend the rest of the regular season tightening things up on both sides of the ball.

Ephrata (0-4, 0-1) at Cocalico (3-1, 1-0): Think the Eagles are looking for someone to take out their frustration on after coming so close last week in Manheim? Yeah, me too. And that’s not good news for Ephrata, which has gamely hung around in just about every game this season but has no wins to show for it. The Mountaineers will have to wait another week, because I can’t envision a way they knock off Cocalico here. Give me the Eagles.

Garden Spot (0-4, 0-1) at Lebanon (1-3, 1-0): Thanks to the elimination of ties with the advent of an overtime rule, we know there’s going to be a winner here. But these two teams have both struggled so far this season. Garden Spot’s still looking for its first win, while Lebanon picked up its first ‘W’ by holding off winless Ephrata last week. I’m taking the Cedars, because their offense is a little more potent than the Spartans’. But it will not be a game that will be long remembered for its aesthetic appeal.

SECTION 3

Lampeter-Strasburg (2-1, 1-0) at Lancaster Catholic (3-1, 1-0): The marquee game in Section 3 this week pits the surging Pioneers against everyone’s preseason pick to win the section. This will be Catholic’s biggest test between now and Week 10, when the Crusaders host undefeated Elco. L-S is riding a two-game win streak, knocking around winless Garden Spot (42-7) and Columbia (52-6). The Pioneers’ two losses were to a pair of very good programs: Penn Manor (14-10) and Cocalico (34-21). They’re better than their record indicates, folks. Meanwhile, Catholic rebounded from its loss to Manheim Central in Week 3 by Mercy Ruling Donegal last week. QB Kyle Smith threw for three touchdowns in six series’ worth of work in his first action since spraining an ankle while prepping for the Central game. I think L-S will give the Crusaders a battle, but I like Catholic to prevail.  There’s just too much talent, even if Smith’s still a little gimpy. (Cheap plug #2: I’ll be blogging live from this one, so please join me if you can’t make it out to your game on Friday.)

Columbia (0-4, 0-1) at Elco (4-0, 1-0):Hmmm … Elco has the best offense in the league, averaging 380 yards and 39 points per game. Columbia has one of the league’s worst defenses, yielding 407 yards and 48 points per game. I don’t want to pick on the Crimson Tide, but the math doesn’t look good here. I’ll take Elco.

Donegal (0-4, 0-1) at Peqeua Valley (1-3, 0-1):If you had told me before the season that I’d pick Pequea Valley to win in three consecutive games, I would have said you were nuts. But here I am, still on the Braves’ bandwagon. Sure, they got trampled by winless Annville-Cleona last week, ending their winning streak at one. I think Donegal will be able to move the ball against PV’s struggling defense, but I don’t think the Indians will be able to slow down Ben Myers and the Braves’ offense, either. Give me PV.

Annville-Cleona (1-3, 1-0) at Northern Lebanon (2-2, 0-1): The Little Dutchmen rushed for an astounding 448 yards in last week’s win over Pequea Valley, their first triumph of the season. Those numbers have to give you pause, even when they come against a defense as porous as PV’s. But I can’t see that happening against Northern Lebanon, one of those sneaky teams that has always found its way into the section race in recent seasons. Sure, they got knocked around pretty good by Elco last week, but I like the Vikes.

We local scribes have taken some heat in recent years by our steadfast refusal to let go of the old “Manheim Magic” cliche whenever Manheim Central pulls off another one of its famous Houdini acts to win a close game. And I can see the point; the phrase first started showing up in newsprint 20 years ago, when the Barons beat Elizabethtown by identical 15-14 scores in consecutive weeks — first to claim the L-L League Section Two crown, and again in the District 3 Class AAA title game.

Since then, according to the Lancaster Newspapers library, the phrase has been used 167 other times. So I’ll be the first to admit it’s gotten a lot of mileage (for the record, the LNP library puts my personal “Manheim Magic” tally at three. I think it may have missed a few.)

But if you don’t use the term “magical” to describe the way Central somehow wriggled its way out of Cocalico’s death grip to post a 17-14 victory earlier tonight, what other term would you use?

Because the Eagles had Central dead to rights. They shut down Central’s ground game, harassed quarterback Justin Gorman, kept Dakota Royer off the offensive stat sheet and moved the ball well against the Baron defense.

And yet, as they so often do, the Barons found a way to prevail.

It was a narrow escape, though. Cocalico appeared to have the game in hand when quarterback Matt Carty (who played a phenomenal game) called his own number on an option play midway through the fourth quarter.

Faking a pitch to running back Austin Hartman, Carty kept the ball, cut upfield and found an open lane down the sideline, stiff-arming a Central defender out of his way. His path appeared clear for a 48-yard TD run that would have put the Eagles up two scores with just over seven minutes left. It would have been Carty’s third touchdown of the night, and it likely would have clinched the victory.

But Carty was hit by one last defender — the Barons’ Dan Trafford, hustling to catch up to him — at the Central 3-yard line, mere steps from the end zone. The ball popped loose and bounced all the way through the end zone, across the back line. By rule, the officials called it a touchback and gave the ball to the Barons, who rallied to tie the game at 14.

Sure enough, the dreaded “M-M” phrase begin circulating around the pressbox. But we hadn’t seen anything yet.

As the minutes wound off the clock, it appeared the game was headed for overtime, especially when a shotgun snap eluded Central QB Justin Gorman with the Barons driving in Cocalico territory with under a minute left. Gorman fell on the ball at the Cocalico 37, and Central was forced to spend its last time out with 44 ticks on the clock. The Barons faced a third-and-23 from there.

When Gorman hit Derek Hart for a 15-yard gain in the middle of the field, overtime seemed certain. Because the Barons couldn’t spike the ball to stop the clock — it was fourth down. And surely they couldn’t get their field goal unit lined up in time. Even if they did, the kick would be a 40-yarder — almost certainly too far for any high-school kicker to make.

Wrong. And wrong.

With the clock at 17 seconds and counting, the Barons coolly rushed their field goal unit onto the field. Kicker Taylor Groff calmly lined up and blasted a kick that split the uprights — and would’ve been good from about five yards further back.

Magical.

There. I said it.

It was an incredible football game filled with more twists than an Auntie Anne’s factory tour — and one that Cocalico certainly could have (should have?) won. The Eagles have nothing to hang their heads about. They’re a very good team, probably a district title contender in their own right. And chances are they could run into the Barons again in November. Here’s hoping it develops that way — it would be one heck of a football game.

But would it top the one I just witnessed?

That would be some trick.

Well, we’ve made it through the non-league portion of the schedule and are rto get into section play, which is always my favorite time of year. No more having to chase down stats for the Fleetwoods and Interboros of the world in the vain hope of making an informed guess. Now we can concentrate on the L-L League. In short, it’s my time to shine.

I had a good week last week, going 13-3. That boosts my season record to 38-14, which leaves me a game behind my online colleague, Jeff Reinhart, in the race for bragging rights among my sportswriting brethren. Considering my lukewarm start, I’m happy to be (cue theme to “The Jeffersons”) movin’ on up.

Feel free to compare and contrast my picks with Jeff’s. His predictions are here.

One more cheap plug to get out of the way — be sure to check out LancSports.com’s main page for the preview videos Jeff and I shot for this week’s games. We’re offering a quick, two-minute breakdown of each game on the docket. We’ll be doing those for the rest of the season, so get used to seeing our ugly mugs popping up from time to time.

Onto the picks, starting with Section One…

Hempfield (2-1) at Penn Manor (3-0):The Knights are coming off their most impressive win of the season, a 47-20 throttling of Carlisle last week. They’ve won two straight and seem to have shaken off that Week 1 upset loss to Conestoga Valley. Penn Manor Mercy Ruled Exeter 49-14 last week and looked very impressive doing so. The Comets were my preseason Section One sleeper team, and it looks like they’re awake. I like them to hold off an improving Hempfield squad in Millersville. Give me the Comets.

Cheap plug alert: Jeff Reinhart will be blogging live from the game, so feel free to join him on LancSports.com if you can’t make it out there.

Reading (1-2) at Manheim Township (2-1):The Red Knights snapped a two-game skid last week with a 13-0 victory over Governor Mifflin, while Township knocked off Elizabethtown 31-21 to ease the sting of its Week 2 loss to Red Lion. The Blue Streaks are expecting Reading to be sky high after their victory over Mifflin, and the Knights’ speed in the backfield and size up front need to be respected. Still, Township is the more proven of the two teams, and it’s playing at home. I’ll take the Streaks.

Wilson (2-1) at McCaskey (0-3):The Bulldogs bounced back from their near-miss loss to Manheim Central by holding off Downingtown East 40-35 last week. McCaskey’s struggles continued, as the Tornado dropped a 37-6 decision at Coatesville. That was McCaskey’s 13th straight loss, tying the Tornado with Ephrata for the longest skid in the L-L League. McCaskey gets five projected defensive starters back from academic suspension this week, which should help. But I don’t think it will provide enough of a boost to beat Wilson. I’ll take the Bulldogs.

Warwick (2-1) at Cedar Crest (2-1):Crest upended Section Two surprise Conestoga Valley 24-21 last week, while Warwick had its way with winless Ephrata, winning 18-7. There’s a lot to like about the Falcons, who appear to be on the upswing under new coach Tom Waranavage, but Warwick has established a consistent — if widely unrecognized — winning program under Bob Locker. I like the Warriors.

In Section Two this week:

Cocalico (3-0) at Manheim Central (3-0):Probably the marquee game on the docket and the renewal of a pretty intense rivalry between the Eagles and the Barons, who had an extensive District 3 playoff history before Cocalico joined Section Two a few years back. Since then, things have gotten even more tense. Central completed an impressive run through its non-league schedule with last week’s 42-12 triumph over Lancaster Catholic, while Cocalico just destroyed Annville-Cleona 62-7 for its second straight Mercy Rule victory. I’m giving Central the nod here; they’ve got the edge in experience, they’ve played a tougher schedule and they’re playing at home. This could wind up being Cocalico’s only loss of the regular season, but I think it will be a loss. Give me Central.

Cheap plug alert No. 2: If you can’t make it out to Manheim to watch this one, be sure to join me here at LancSports.com for my live blog. I’ll fill you in on what you’re missing, and update scores from around the league.

Solanco (2-1) at Elizabethtown (1-2):A battle of two teams that seem to be headed in opposite directions; Solanco has won two straight since falling to Penn Manor in its season opener, while E-town is 0-2 since its 41-27 triumph over McCaskey in Week 1. The bad news for Solanco is that its top rusher, B.J. Enck, went down last week with an apparent hip injury during the Golden Mules’ first drive against New Oxford. The good news is two other backs — John Fisher and Ryan Kutz — each rushed for more than 100 yards in the Mules’ victory. So if Enck can’t go, the Mules should be covered. I like them to win this one; E-town has a talented offense, but its defense has had some issues against the run — and that’s Solanco’s specialty. Give me the Mules.

Conestoga Valley (2-1) at Garden Spot (0-3):CV is probably my favorite story to emerge this season. After going 1-9 last year, they’ve already doubled their win total under new coach Tom Nichols, the former Coatesville skipper and a CV alum. Sure, the Buckskins stumbled a bit against Cedar Crest last week (losing 24-21), but they’ve been a pleasant surprise in Section Two. And I like them to bounce back this week; with Kevin Kelley, the league’s leading rusher (592 yards through three games) primed to run wild against Garden Spot’s struggling defense. The Spartans are going through growing pains, and Friday night could be another long game. Give me CV.

Lebanon (0-3) at Ephrata (0-3):Now that we’ve got overtime to break ties at the end of regulation, we know that one of these teams will get off the schneid. A little extra pressure on the Mounts, whose slide is up to 13 games. Lebanon has discovered the life without star QB James Capello can be long and lonely, but the Cedars’ struggles can’t be laid at the feet of his successor, Alex Trautman. He’s got 492 passing yards through three games. The problem is Lebanon’s non-existent ground game (its top rusher has 42 yards on the year) and its porous defense. Still, I like the Cedars here. Ephrata has scored a league-low 14 points and averaged a league-low 140 yards per game on offense through three weeks, and Lebanon should be able to cobble together enough offense to squeak one out. I’ll take the Cedars.

And, finally, in Section Three:

Northern Lebanon (2-1) at Elco (3-0):Probably the game of the week in Section Three, as two teams hoping to mount a challenge against the seemingly unstoppable Lancaster Catholic juggernaut square off. Elco’s offense, engineered by veteran QB Aaron Achey, has put up some sick numbers so far. Achey has completed 70 percent of his passes (32 of 46) for 567 yards and seven scores and has yet to be picked off. He’s also the Raiders’ top rusher (191 yards, two TDs) and is the top tackler on defense with 20. Is there anything he can’t do? He should be able to lead Elco past Northern Lebanon, one of those teams that’s always dangerous yet seldom respected. I like Achey and the Raiders.

Lancaster Catholic (2-1) at Donegal (0-3):Pity poor Donegal. The Indians have slogged their way through three lopsided non-league losses, only to draw the prohibitive Section Three favorite and a District Three title contender in their section opener. The only bright spot for Donegal is that Catholic QB Kyle Smith is doubtful for the game after suffering a high ankle sprain while preparing for Manheim Central eight days ago. Even if Smith can go, he’ll be hobbled. Still, that won’t be enough for Donegal to pull off an upset; sophomore backup Sean Gibbons did a respectable job in the Crusaders’ loss to Central, and Catholic just has too much talent for the Indians to overcome. I like the Crusaders to bounce back in a big way.

Pequea Valley (1-2) at Annville-Cleona (0-3):Give it up for the Braves, who snapped the league’s longest losing streak (29 games) last week with a 35-25 victory over Fleetwood. That win gave Curtis Waltman his first career coaching victory in his third year at the helm, so it was a long time coming. And guess what? PV has a good shot at making it two in a row. Annville has struggled on both sides of the ball, but the Dutchmen’s defense has been the main problem. And one thing PV can do well is put up points. The Braves’ defense is shaky, but they’re facing an offense that has managed just 20 points and 17 first downs in three weeks. Advantage, PV.

Columbia (0-3) at Lampeter-Strasburg (1-2):The Pioneers shook off a two-game slide to start the season with last week’s 42-7 victory over struggling Garden Spot, and now they get another team looking for its first victory to open section play. Columbia has been outscored 137-33 in three games and is allowing 387 yards per game on defense. Those numbers don’t scream out “potential upset.” I like L-S to continue its resurgence after falling to a pair of 3-0 teams in Cocalico and Penn Manor in the first two weeks. Give me the Pioneers.

After a slow start in the opening week, I bounced my way back to respectability with my performance in Week 2: a 15-4 record, moving me up to 25-11 this season. I think my strategy of actually thinking  about the picks beforehand may have helped me a bit, so we’ll do the same for Week 3.

Lots of good games on the docket this week, and the action starts a night early. Tonight, Annville-Cleona makes the long trip to Denver to take on Cocalico in a Thursday Night Special. Kickoff is slated for 7 p.m. If you don’t feel like making the hellish drive up Rt. 222 (through all that one-lane construction), why don’t you stay home and visit LancSports.com? My colleague, Jeff Reinhart, will be blogging live from the game. You can check out his live blog here.

And you can see his Week 3 picks here.

On to the picks, starting with tonight’s game…

Annville-Cleona (0-2) at Cocalico (2-0):The Little Dutchmen have gotten off to a rocky start, scoring just seven points in the first two games (a 44-0 loss to Palmyra and a 23-7 setback against Hamburg last week). Cocalico, on the other hand, is flying high. The Eagles dusted Lampeter-Strasburg 34-21 in Week 1 and blasted Exeter 35-10 last week. Look for more of the same this week. The Eagles and their prolific ground attack (352 yards per game) will roll. I’ll take Cocalico.

As for Friday’s games…

Manheim Central (2-0) at Lancaster Catholic (2-0):If you haven’t heard about this one, it’s time to get out of your cave. Two district and state title contenders in their respective classes locking horns in Week 3 — you’ve got to love that, unless you’re being asked to pick a winner. Central, which is ranked No. 5 in the state in Class AAA by the Harrisburg Patriot-News, is certainly more battle-tested; the Barons held off AAAA powerhouse Wilson 29-27 in a classic game last week, while Catholic, the Patriot’s No. 1 Class AA team, crushed Ephrata 35-7. That’s why I’m giving the slight edge to the Barons in this one. I’ll take Central to win a squeaker. (NOTE: Jeff Reinhart will be blogging live from this one, providing up-to-the-minute updates and scores from around the league. Click here to join him.)

Exeter (1-1) at Penn Manor (2-0): Quietly, the Comets are off to another strong start in Section One. After years of struggling, it looks like they’re starting to develop a consistent winner under coach Todd Mealy. Will it be enough to eclipse Wilson this year? Who knows…but I can tell you that Penn Manor will be 3-0 heading into next week’s Section One opener. Exeter has some weapons on offense, but not enough to scare the Comets, who will be celebrating the 40th anniversary of their football program in their home opener. I’ll take Penn Manor. (Shameless plug alert: I’ll be blogging live from this one. So if you’re one of the few people not watching the Catholic-Central game or reading Jeff Reinhart’s live blog, be sure to stop in and say hello.)

Carlisle (2-0) at Hempfield (1-1):The Black Knights bounced back last week with a rout of Garden Spot after getting upended by upstart Conestoga Valley in Week 1, but this week should provide a stiffer test. Carlisle is coming off back-to-back wins against Mechanicsburg and Central Dauphin East. Sure, those teams are both 0-2, but it looks like the Herd is rolling. Look for that to continue this week. Give me Carlisle.

Cedar Crest (1-1) at Conestoga Valley (2-0):Is there a better early-season story than CV? I think not. In his first year at the helm, former Coatesville coach and CV alum Tom Nichols has the Buckskins feeling great about themselves. They’ve sprung back-to-back upsets on a pair of Section One teams — Hempfield and Warwick — and have one of the league’s top talents in RB Kevin Kelley. Who would’ve thought CV would be 3-0 heading into Section Two play? Not me, but that’s the way it’s going to shake out. Give me CV over the Lebanon County invaders.

McCaskey (0-2) at Coatesville (1-1): The most interesting thing about this one could be what’s happening on the sidelines. Former McCaskey coach Scott Feldman, who resigned last spring, is an assistant with the Red Raiders under one of his former staffers, Matt Ortega. McCaskey has gotten off to a rough start under new coach David Given, but there are still some encouraging signs. The Red Tornado has a good ground game with “Moose and Juice” — fullback Demarcus Sumpter and tailback Markeith Williams. The problems are on defense, where McCaskey is missing several starters due to academic issues. They won’t be back until next week, which means it could be another long night for McCaskey this week. I’ll take Coatesville.

Ephrata (0-2) at Warwick (1-1): The Mountaineers have lost 12 straight dating back to last year, and 16 of their last 17 going back to 2007. So it’s safe to say the program is struggling. Those struggles should continue this week. Warwick hasn’t taken good care of the ball this year — the Warriors are minus-8 in turnovers through two games — but their defense is strong. That will be enough to lift them here. I’ll take Warwick.

Wilson (1-1) at Downingtown East (2-0): The Bulldogs nearly pulled off a miracle in Manheim last week, rallying from a 26-7 deficit with 20 straight points to take the lead midway through the fourth quarter. Sure, they wound up losing, but what a fight they put up. Clearly, the loss of 20 starters from last year’s District 3 championship team hasn’t affected the Bulldogs the way it would a mere mortal program. Look for them to bounce back this week. Give me the ‘Dawgs.

Governor Mifflin (1-1) at Reading (0-2):The Red Knights, fresh off their loss to Pottsville in the Lump of Coal game (couldn’t they think of a better trophy — or a catchier name — for this rivalry game?), will have their work cut out for them against Mifflin. The Knights are great at forcing turnovers, but have just 13 first downs in two games. That’s not a recipe for success. I’ll take Mifflin.

Elizabethtown (1-1) at Manheim Township (1-1):Tough to get a read on this one. Is E-town the solid team that ran through McCaskey in Week 1, or the below-average group that couldn’t manage 50 rushing yards in last week’s 28-7 loss to Muhlenberg? We’ll get a better idea this week, when the Bears visit Neffsville. The last two games in this series went down to the wire, and that should be the case again this time around. Township is still looking to hit its stride offensively, but I’ll take the Blue Streaks in this one.

Lampeter-Strasburg (0-2) at Garden Spot (0-2):My vote for the league’s biggest hard-luck team in the early season goes to L-S, which has lost two straight to a pair of quality programs — Cocalico and Penn Manor. But the Pioneers should finally taste a victory this week. Garden Spot has been outscored 59-13 in its first two games and has managed just 12 first downs. I like the Pioneers to roll in this one.

Lebanon (0-2) at Elco (2-0): Great side note to this game — the two teams have combined to sell white T-shirts promoting and raising funds for autism awareness. All proceeds from the sale of the $8 shirts goes to local autism organizations. Since my son’s on the autism spectrum, this strikes a chord with me. I’d like to salute both programs for participating. As for the game itself, Elco has the look of a team that could make Lancaster Catholic sweat a little bit in Section Three. QB Arron Achey is a dual threat on offense and a key cog on defense. I like the Raiders to knock off Lebanon, which is suffering through some growing pains. Give me Elco.

Interboro (2-0) at Donegal (0-2): It hasn’t been a good start for Jeff Polites’ tenure at Donegal; the former E-town coach has watched his team get off to an 0-2 start after losing an overtime heartbreaker to Eastern York last week. The Indians are near the bottom of the league in total offense and total defense, and I can’t see those numbers improving much this week. Interboro, the three-time Delaware Valley League champion,  is rolling. And the Buccaneers will continue to do so against Donegal. Give me Interboro.

Pequea Valley (0-2) at Fleetwood (0-2): This could be the week it happens for PV, which has lost 29 straight games since 2006. Who did they beat for their last victory? Fleetwood. The Tigers don’t look very fierce this season — through two games, they’ve yet to score a point. Scoring hasn’t been the problem for PV — stopping teams has. So this plays into the Braves’ hands. I like PV to bring Curtis Waltman his first triumph at the Braves’ helm.

Northern Lebanon (1-1) at Hamburg (1-1): The Vikings struggled against the run in last week’s loss to New Oxford, which churned out more than 400 yards on the ground. That’s going to have to improve if the Vikes want to stop the Hamburglers. And I think it will — The Vikes aren’t nearly as bad as they appeared last week. Give me Northern Lebanon.

Daniel Boone (2-0) at Columbia (0-2): There are ominous signs that this could be a long season for the Crimson Tide, which has watched its defense get shredded in back-to-back losses to Eastern York and York Suburban. Columbia has given up 536 rushing yards and has been outscored 88-26 in the last two weeks. If they want to avoid their first 0-3 start since 1977, those stats need to improve in a hurry. Unfortunately, I don’t see it happening. Give me Boone.

And the last game on the docket — a Saturday Night Special…

Oxford (1-1) at Solanco (1-1):Jeff Reinhart will be blogging live for those folks reluctant to make the long haul to Quarryville. The Golden Mules are coming off a 28-7 drubbing of Kennard-Dale last week and appear to be on the right track as they prepare for the third of their seven home games on the schedule. The Hornets dropped a 48-21 decision to Avon Grove last week and are coming off an 0-10 campaign in 2008. I like Solanco in this one.

Thanks to Clubber Lang for one of my favorite lines from the “Rocky” series.

My predictions were truly painful last week. So bad, in fact, that yours truly is currently looking up at all his sportswriting brethren in the race for the title of “Top Prognosticator.” I went 10-7, while my online colleague Jeff Reinhart is leading the way at 13-4. You can read his predicitions here.

So it’s time to shake things up and make a few changes. This week, I actually (ahem) did some research before making my bold predictions. And, if all else fails, I can revert to my normal method — flipping a coin. We’ll see if I do any better this week. Read on…

Cedar Crest (1-0) at Conrad Weiser (0-1): The Falcons got the Tom Waranavage era underway in style with a 33-14 drubbing of crosstown rival Lebanon in the 38th Cedar Bowl, while CW dropped a 28-14 decision to Whitehall. Weiser’s got some weapons, but I’m looking for the Falcons to pull off a second straight win. I’ll take CEDAR CREST.

Columbia (0-1) at York Suburban (0-1): Neither team wrapped themselves in glory in their season openers, as the Crimson Tide got flushed by Eastern York (35-20) and York Suburban got drubbed by Dallastown (42-7). It’s tough to get a feel for this one, so I’ll go to the coin flip. (PAUSE). OK. It was heads. Give me YORK SUBURBAN.

Conestoga Valley (1-0) at Warwick (1-0): How ’bout them Buckskins last week, knocking off favored Hempfield in Tom Nichols’ coaching debut? The CV alum certainly got his tenure off to the right start, beating the Black Knights 28-10. Warwick, meanwhile, just keeps on keepin’ on. They started their quest for another District 3 Class AAAA playoff appearance with a 24-0 shutout of Garden Spot. I like the Warriors here, though they’d better cut down on the turnovers — they committed five in their win over the Spartans. If they do that again, they’ll pay. Still, give me WARWICK. (Note: Jeff Reinhart will be blogging live for LancSports.com from this one).

Eastern York (1-0) at Donegal (0-1): Eastern continues its non-league jaunt through Section Three, this time taking on the Indians in Mount Joy. Donegal got dusted 42-6 by Daniel Boone last week in Jeff Polites’ first game on the sidelines, and it looks like they could struggle this year. Look for those struggles to continue this week. I’ll take EASTERN YORK.

Elizabethtown (1-0) at Muhlenberg (1-0): I got to see the Bears last week, when they knocked off McCaskey 41-27 in Mike Cottle’s debut on the sidelines, and there was a lot to like. Mitch Weidman ran wild, QB Andy Breault was effective in a limited role and the Bears rolled. But they did get gouged on the ground a bit, and they’ll have to tighten that up this week. Muhlenberg lost to Upper Perkiomen 20-13, but they’re no slouch. Still, I like the Bears in this one. So I’ll take E-TOWN.

Exeter (1-0) at Cocalico (1-0): Easy to pick this one — I’ll take the Eagles (Ha! I kill me!). But seriously, folks…Cocalico has developed into a traditional contender in Section Two, while Exeter is coming off back-to-back 0-10 seasons. Sure, they won last week (23-14 over Lower Merion), but Cocalico’s 34-21 victory at Lampeter-Strasburg was more impressive, and came against a better team. I’ll take COCALICO.

Garden Spot (0-1) at Hempfield (0-1): The Black Knight faithful were not pleased after their team fell to CV last week, but they don’t need to worry in this one. Garden Spot is breaking in a lot of new people at important positions, and it showed in last week’s loss to Warwick. I think coach Bob Forgrave and the Knights right the ship this week. Give me HEMPFIELD.

Hamburg (0-1) at Annville-Cleona (0-1): The Little Dutchmen got pasted by Palmyra in their season opener, falling 44-0. Hamburg nearly knocked off Elco before falling 21-19. So they had a better performance against a good team. Good enough for me. Give me HAMBURG.

Lancaster Catholic (1-0) at Ephrata (0-1): As we suspected in the preseason, the Crusaders are loaded — as evidenced by their 42-0 bombardment of Trinity last week. That Catholic won so impressively with several starters sidelined for disciplinary reasons speaks to the depth of talent on the roster. Meanwhile, Ephrata dropped a 14-0 decision to Manheim Township. I think the Mounts will improve this year, but they’re worlds away from upsetting Catholic. Look for the Crusaders to roll in their tuneup for next week’s clash with Manheim Central. CATHOLIC wins in a romp.

Penn Manor (1-0) at Lampeter-Strasburg (0-1): The Comets were my darkhorse pick to win the Section One title in the preseason, and I’m liking that pick a lot after seeing how they dismantled Solanco 47-21 last week. L-S hung tough with Cocalico, and the Pioneers are going to be a force in the Section Three race. But I think they’ll have to overcome an 0-2 start. I like PENN MANOR.

Pequea Valley (0-1) at Reading Central Catholic (1-0): The Braves’ losing streak is at 28 games and counting after last week’s 49-12 loss to Upper Dauphin. That’s not good. The fact that they’ve got Reading Central Catholic, fresh off its 21-6 win over Maryland School for the Deaf last week, is worse. Give me READING CC in this one. 

Pine Grove (0-1) at Elco (1-0): The Cardinals dropped a 20-12 decision to Northern Lebanon last week, while Elco held off Hamburg. Everyone likes Elco and L-S to battle Lancaster Catholic in Section Three. I don’t know about that, but I like the Raiders here. Give me ELCO.

Reading (0-1) at Pottsville (0-1): Incidental note that only I care about…Pottsville is about four miles from my home town, and one of my fondest high-school memories is playing a huge game in the stadium there. Great venue. Anyway, the Crimson Tide fell to Allentown Central Catholic 40-14 last week, while Reading got blasted by York, 35-7. This rivalry game is known as the “Lump of Coal” game, and was won by Reading last year. I like the Tide to get revenge. POTTSVILLE all the way.

Red Lion (0-1) at Manheim Township (1-0): Red Lion got blanked by Cumberland Valley 35-0 last week, while Township shut out Ephrata. I like the Blue Streaks’ “Razorback” offense (you Michael Vick fans out there probably know it as The Wildcat), and I like them to go 2-0 with a win here. Give me TOWNSHIP.

Spring Grove (1-0) at Lebanon (0-1): The Cedars found that life without graduated QB James Capello isn’t much fun last week. But the problem wasn’t under center — new chucker Alex Trautman did fine — it was on the ground, where the Cedars gained just two yards. Ouch. I like SPRING GROVE here.

York (1-0) at McCaskey (0-1): Yes, the Red Tornado lost its 12th straight game to Elizabethtown last week. But there were some encouraging signs. Their ground game looked solid, with “Moose” (Demarcus Sumpter) and “Juice” (Markeith Williams) running wild. But the passing game was nearly non-existant, and the defense was ravaged by the loss of five starters to academic issues dating back to last spring. In light of all that, it’s going to take a bit for the Tornado to get going. I’ll take YORK.

Kennard-Dale (0-1) at Solanco (0-1): Bad news here for the Golden Mules, who lost two-way standby Brock Snyder to a broken collarbone in last week’s loss to Penn Manor. He might be gone for the season. Kennard-Dale, meanwhile, fell to Spring Grove 30-18. I like the Mules to bounce back here and get a win. Give me SOLANCO.

Northern Lebanon (1-0) at New Oxford (1-0): New Ox knocked off Waynesboro 27-7 last week in spite of three lost fumbles, while Northern Lebanon held off Pine Grove. I’m going with a coin flip. (PAUSE). It’s tails. Sorry, Vikings. Give me NEW OXFORD.

And finally…this is one you may have heard a thing or two about.

Wilson (1-0) at Manheim Central (1-0): I’ll be blogging live from this one for LancSports.com, and it’s going to be a great one. Normally, losing 20 starters from the previous season would be a hurdle for teams to overcome, but that’s not the case in West Lawn. The Bulldogs broke in their new starters with a 42-7 rout of Governor Mifflin, holding the Mustangs to just 143 total yards. Meanwhile, Manheim Central had a 35-0 lead after one quarter on its way to a 58-0 rout of Susquehannock. This is a tough one to pick, but I’m going with the homestanding Barons. They gave Wilson a tussle last year in West Lawn, and most of the starters were there. They’re at home, and they’re hungry. Give me CENTRAL.

Be sure to check with LancSports.com on Friday night. We’ll be updating scores as they happen on our ticker, and we’re the fastest place to get your L-L League finals. Enjoy the games!

Yeah, yeah. Monday morning quarterbacks are supposed to spout off on Mondays. Give me a break. I was enjoying my Labor Day weekend. But here are a few tidbits from Friday night’s Week One action: 

So after weeks of “voluntary” preparation, two-a-days, scrimmages and film analysis, the L-L League’s 24 teams finally got to strap on the pads and start hitting for real last Friday. For some, Opening Night was a triumphant performance that allowed them to grab the crucial early-season momentum.

For others, not so much. Read on…

DARK KNIGHTS: The most eye-opening outcome was Conestoga Valley’s 28-10 thumping of heavily favored Hempfield. Yep, you read that right. The Buckskins, who were coming off a 1-9 campaign in 2008 and breaking in a new coach in Tom Nichols, running roughshod over the consensus pick as Section One champs by Lancaster Newspapers.

(Perhaps now would be a good time to say I picked Wilson to repeat.)

Kevin Kelley, who seems to have been playing for CV for 10 years now (really, he’s just a four-year starter and a senior), galloped through the Hempfield defense for 234 yards and three touchdowns on 25 carries. He’s the LancSports.com player of the week for that performance, beating out several strong nominees.

Give it up for CV, which got the Nichols Era off to a great start. We’ll see if their emergence is a sure-fire trend or a one-week anomaly this week, when they take on Warwick in Lititz on Friday. (Cheap plug alert: visit LancSports.com for Jeff Reinhart’s live blog Friday night at 6:45)

As for Hempfield…yikes. That’s not how the Black Knights wanted to start the season, especially after talking so frankly about wanting to contend for the section crown in training camp. Sure, they churned out nearly 300 yards on the ground, but they also completed just 1 of 3 passes for a whopping 10 yards. And their defense allowed CV to rack up 307 yards of total offense.

Well, they can’t hit the “reset” button and get a do-over against the Bucks, but they can even their record this week, when they host Garden Spot. The Spartans are smarting from a 24-0 loss to Warwick, where they forced five turnovers but somehow still managed to post a goose egg on the board.

If Hempfield doesn’t turn it around this week, it could get ugly fast. The Knights close their non-league schedule against Carlisle on Sept. 18, then open section play against Penn Manor — which has the look of a title contender after stomping Solanco 47-21 in its season opener.

TORNADO GETS THE WIND KNOCKED OUT OF ITS SAILS: You can look at the outcome of McCaskey’s 41-24 loss at Elizabethtown Friday and think “New coach, same results.” But you’d be wrong.

If you read between the lines, you’ll see that McCaskey was missing five defensive starters, thanks to that familiar Tornado bugaboo: academic ineligibility. How can a player who’s been in school for just four days be ineligible, you ask? Well, it dates back to last spring, where several players were failing and did not attend summer school — therefore, allowing their ineligibility to carry over to the fall. So they’ll all miss the first three games of the season.

Of course, the Tornado coaching staff only found out about this issue after Thursday night’s practice, which gave them no time to prepare for the losses. And it showed on Friday, when the Bears ran over, through and around the Tornado defense to the tune of 454 total yards. Mitch Weidman did the most damage, racking up 137 yards and three TDs on just 13 carries. He also added a momentum-crushing 97-yard kickoff return for a score, just seconds after the Tornado had grabbed a 7-0 lead on a 76-yard option run by Markeith Williams.

Incidentally, Williams and fullback Demarcus Sumpter have the looks of a potent backfield tandem. They were certainly one of the few bright spots for McCaskey on Friday, combining for 297 rushing yards between them. They’ve already got a catchy nickname: “Moose and Juice.”

The “Moose” is Sumpter, a 5-8, 210-pound bruiser who racked up 127 yards on 10 carries. The “Juice” is Williams, who had 167 yards and four TDs on 14 attempts. McCaskey might have its share of hurdles to overcome this season, but production from its ground game won’t be one of them.

CRUSADERS ROCK: Lancaster Catholic sure got out of the gate fast on Friday, trouncing Mid-Penn nemesis Trinity 42-0. It was sweet revenge for the Crusaders, who hadn’t beaten the Shamrocks in three years.

Kyle Smith, whom you may have heard a thing or two about lately, completed 10 of 16 passes for 214 yards and four touchdowns in his 2009 debut. He even added 15 yards and another score on the ground. The Crusader defense yielded just 108 total yards and posted the first of what could be a lot of goose eggs on the scoreboard. Catholic is loaded, people. Buckle in for a long ride.

CENTRAL ROLLS: Remember last year, when everyone said Manheim Central’s precocious junior class was a year away from being a powerhouse after they fell to West York in the District Three Class AAA final?

Yeah. Those people were right.

The Barons are simply loaded with talent this year, as evidenced by their 58-0 drubbing of overmatch Susquehannock in Week 1. Central held a 440-72 advantage in total yards, completed all three of the passes it attempted and only punted the ball once. It took the Barons exactly one quarter to build a Mercy Rule-worthy lead of 35-0, and didn’t get much prettier as the game progressed.

Of course, Susquehannock might not be the greatest measuring stick out there. But the next two weeks will show us just how good these Barons are. They host perennial Section One powerhouse Wilson on Friday night (you’ll probably read a thing or two about that, both here and in print, in the coming days), then visit Section Three favorite Lancaster Catholic on Sept. 18 (ditto).

Wilson, of course, reached the PIAA Class AAAA semifinals last season before falling in triple overtime. Catholic made it to the Class AA semis before bowing out as well. Both teams are defending District Three champs in their respective classes, and both appear to be talented and deep again this time around.

Last year, the ‘Dawgs and the Crusaders handed Central back-to-back losses to drop the Barons’ record to 1-2 at the end of non-league play. Of course, Central gave Wilson everything it could handle before falling — one of the few teams to do so during the regular season — and lost to Catholic in tropical storm conditions. I think it’s a safe bet the Barons will be out for revenge this time around.

(Cheap plug alert #3: Be sure to check out LancSports.com on Friday night for my live blog from the Central-Wilson game. And Jeff Reinhart will be bringing you the action from Central-Catholic the following week).

Now that The Huddle is up and running, keep checking back here for more updates. I’ll have more on the upcoming Central-Wilson game later this week, as well as my thoughts on the other big games in Week 2. Stay tuned.

Well, Media Day is in the books. Nothing like interviewing 24 coaches in 4 1/2 hours. My head is so full of cliches it’s about to split. But I’ll just try to do this entry one word at a time, because I don’t want to overlook so many quality words and phrases.

Anyway, the last session involved the eight teams in Section One. Last year, Wilson ran away with the whole thing and wound up making a deep run into the state playoffs. But the Bulldogs have lost, in coach Doug Dahms’ estimation, “Every single player from that team.”

Hempfield coach Bob Forgrave wasn’t buying it. “I’m sure Wilson will cry about all the players they’ve lost,” he said with a chuckle. “But Wilson is Wilson. They’re a good program and they’ll just reload.”

Still, the buzz around the room is that there’s a good chance for parity in the league’s toughest section this year. Wilson is still Wilson, but Manheim Township, Penn Manor and Hempfield should all have tough teams this year. McCaskey and Cedar Crest both have new coaches looking to turn their programs around. And since just about every Class AAAA team in the district makes the playoffs, it’s safe to say Section One will have its share of qualifiers.

I was very impressed with McCaskey’s new leader, David Given. The Arizona transplant is intent on turning the Tornado into a running team, which could be interesting. He’s also a huge fan of the option, calling it “the best offensive play ever conceived.” So it’s a safe bet we’ll be seeing the Tornado running that play a few times this year. Given knows he’s got his work cut out for him — the Tornado did go 0-10 last year — but he seems determined to get the job done.

Keep checking back with LancSports.com and The Huddle for training camp updates next week. The first up on my travel agenda is McCaskey. I’ll be there on Monday to get some video footage of Given’s first official practice at the McCaskey helm. From there, I’ll be jetting around to as many camps as I can visit.

It’s almost football season, baby. The most wonderful time of the year.

Just finished visiting with all eight Section Two coaches as Media Day continues. Looks like your section favorite is (huge shocker) Manheim Central, which brings back a ton of veterans from last year’s squad. That team made a deep run into the District Three Class AAA playoffs — something of a surprise, given the amount of underclassmen the Barons had on that roster.

But this year, those underclassmen are all seasoned seniors. And, as coach Mike Williams said, the difference in maturity between a junior and a senior is striking. While Williams wouldn’t say much about his team’s prospects (and, really, what coach ever does), it’s clear he has high hopes.

Another team generating some buzz in the room was Cocalico, which also returns a small army of talent from last year’s district playoff team. The Eagles lost speedster Kyle Fisher, but have a lot back in the fold — especially up front. Coach Dave Gingrich listed a section crown as one of his goals, so we’ll see if the Eagles have the talent to back it up.

More to come.

Greetings, and welcome back to The Huddle! Keith Schweigert reporting in from the first of three sessions at the Lancaster-Lebanon League’s Football Media Day, which is being held at Enck’s at Kreider Farms, just south of Manheim.

I’ve just finished a whirlwind tour of the league’s eight Section Three squads, interviewing coaches and sitting in with a few players.

The consensus around the room is that Lancaster Catholic and Elco are the top contenders this year. The Crusaders bring back a wealth of experience and depth from a team that made it all the way to the state Class AA semifinals last season, including quarterback Kyle Smith, whom you may have already heard a thing or two about.

Smith, by the way, chatted briefly about his college plans. He said he probably won’t make a decision about a possible destination until after the season, hoping to minimize the distraction on his team. He added that he made getting to all the team’s offseason camps a priority this summer, which cut down on the amount of recruting trips and college camps he could attend.

Elco, meanwhile, brings back a ton of experience as well. Most of the coaches I talked to see them as a possible title contender.

I’ll check back later with more details. The Section Two teams have arrived, and it’s time to take another trip around the room.

By Kevin Freeman 

I wanted to expand a bit on the item that appeared in both the Intelligencer Journal and New Era concerning the meeting of Lancaster-Lebanon League officials Wednesday afternoon.

When voting to accept the league’s realignment for the 2010-11 season, two proposals were put to a vote, one that passed and one that did not.

First, the proposal that passed. Ephrata athletic director Tommy Long asked the association to vote to change boys’ lacrosse from two sections to one. Long explained the reasoning behind the proposal.

“This is something the coaches wanted to do this year,” Long said. “We looked at how teams were qualifying for the district playoffs and the feeling was that our teams are so strong that they are beating up on each other, thereby hurting their chances for making the district playoffs.”

 Garden Spot AD Todd Reinouer spoke up against the move, saying that the weaker teams would take a beating. With one section, the weaker teams would be beaten  by more than just the strong teams in their section in the current two-section set-up.

“(In the one-section set-up, the weaker teams) would only have to play the stronger teams once and it would also give those weaker teams six opportunities to schedule six nonleague opponents of equal talent,” Long said. “Having one section would also enable the stronger teams to play other more talented teams.”

Under the one-section league, teams would play 12 league matches and then schedule as many as six nonleague matches.

Ten schools voted for one section, five voted against the measure and nine schools (presumably without lacrosse teams) abstained. 

Note, too, that the league will add Lancaster Mennonite and Cedar Crest in 2010.

The other item, the one defeated by the association, would have moved L-L football from a three-section league to a four-section league.

Greg Fantazzi, the AD at Pequea Valley, made the four-section proposal.

“Going from three to four sections helps the smaller schools be a little more competitive within the league and would give them a chance to win a seciton title,” he said. “It would also allow the smaller schools to find nonleague opponents that would be on the same competition level, so that they could build the program.”

Under his four-section plan, Fantazzi said Section Four would have one less school than the other three sections but that Pequea Valley would be willing to find the extra nonleague games.

“For smaller schools, it’s tough to compete against a team like Manheim Central,” he said. “Our numbers are in the 30s and theirs are in the 60s. That makes it difficult. The idea is to create a little more parity.”

The motion received only three favorable votes. Ephrata and Elizabethtown joined Pequea Valley in voting for the measure. Two schools, Lancaster Mennonite and Lebanon Catholic (schools without football) abstained.

Although the motion was defeated, Fantazzi said he expects to bring the measure up for another vote in the future.

In other decisions made by the association, cross country coaches will not have to designate their top eight runners prior to a meet. Under the new rule, each meet is an open meet whereby all runners from a particular school would “score” if he or she finished high enough. … Realignment is now based on enrollments from grades 7, 8 and 9 instead of grades 8, 9 and 10. … Annville-Cleona was voted the league’s sportsmanship award for the spring. Penn Manor was voted the sportsmanship award for the 2008-09 school year.