LebCo High School Football: Week 4 Results

This post will serve as a rolling update of Week 4 Football action from around LebCo. With all six teams in action this weekend over the course of three days, we will work to compile some of the best information about the games as we can. Keep checking back regularly for new information about your favorite teams.

The Cedar Crest/Penn Manor & Northern Lebanon/Wyomissing recaps were written primarily by Gavin Sweeney, a local high school student and aspiring sports journalist.

If you like this type of coverage, please let us know by Following us on social media: Twitter/X – @lebcosports1 and Facebook.

For any questions, comments, or discrepancies, please reach out to dan@lebcosports.com.

Saturday

Wyomissing 42, Northern Lebanon 0

Northern Lebanon’s offense began to click during Week 3, but they faced the daunting task of traveling to Wyomissing on Saturday afternoon. To make it more challenging, the weather was hot and sunny, which would affect the Vikings to a greater degree, given the smaller roster.

Wyomissing is a perennial powerhouse who scored an average of nearly 37 points per game last year, making it all the way to the PIAA State Semifinals. Their program has been so legendary that their home field is named after Bob Wolfrum, the current head coach.

In order to compete against the Spartans, Northern Lebanon was going to need everything to go their way. After Bryan Mitzel’s performance last week, Coach Jason Rice gave him the start. If the defense could hold, the feeling was that this might jumpstart the offense to make it a compelling game.

Unfortunately, luck was not on Northern Lebanon’s side. Running back Myles Watson started the game with a beautiful run up the sideline but came up holding his wrist. This ended his day with a stat line of 12 yards on 1 carry. This will be a situation we’ll be closely monitoring as we hope the senior heals soon and can get back onto the field.

Wyomissing’s first scoring drive concluded just under five minutes into the game when Chase Eisenhower capped off the 77-yard drive with a 2-yard touchdown run. Running back Derek Macrina would make the score 14-0 with about a minute left in the 1st quarter.

Early in the 2nd quarter, Macrina again found the end zone before Eisenhower’s turn came again a short time later. By the end of the half, the Spartans led 28-0 as Northern Lebanon was unable to adjust on offense. A missed field goal at the end of the half was one of the few things that did not go Wyomissing’s way, as the Vikings applied pressure to force the miss.

To start the 3rd quarter, Northern Lebanon had a great drive, but it ended with a fumble. Shortly after, Danny Fleischood ran the pigskin in from 6 yards out, making the score 35-0.

Again, in the 4th quarter, Northern Lebanon looked like they were going to put some points on the board. Unfortunately, Wyomissing again forced a turnover, this time in the form of an interception. Tymere Brooks-Gray had the final score of the day with a 10-yard touchdown run. The scoreboard would read 42-0 the rest of the way.

All things considered, in a game against one of the best teams in the State and losing their starting running back, this game could have been much worse. Northern Lebanon’s spirit remained intact as they continuously put pressure on Wyomissing in the 2nd half, although it was not reflected in the scoreboard.

Defensive back Brady Ryan had a standout performance with 10 tackles and an interception. He also had 4 receptions for 22 yards. Brady Ryan had 3 receptions and 4 tackles.

The Vikings (1-3) will look to quickly move on from this loss to focus on next Friday’s home game against Donegal.

Northern Lebanon Stats

Passing: Bryan Mitzel -10/19, 69 yards, 2 INTs

Rushing: Myles Watson – 1 carry, 12 yards (injured 1st play); Jack Kleisath – 8 carries, 22 yards

Receiving: Brady Ryan – 4 catches, 21 yards; Brendan Ryan – 3 catches, 9 yards; Bryce Yocum – 2 catches, 30 yards

Defensive Leaders: Brady Ryan – 10 tackles, INT, 1 pass deflected; Brendan Ryan – 4 tackles, 1 pass deflected; Kael Erdman – 6 tackles; Hayden Adams – 3 tackles

Coach Rice’s Post-Game Thoughts

After the game we spoke with Coach Jason Rice for his thoughts on the game.

Rice began by praising the effort of his team: “Our boys played tough. They played very well. I know anybody can look at the scoreboard, but from my perspective they thought they fought hard. You know you always have people who won’t see that.”

He pointed out how Wyomissing’s reputation factored into the game and how his players responded to the challenge: “There’s always a mental aspect of the game going against a team like Wyomissing. Much respect to them. They’re a solid program. Coach Wolfrum does a great job year in and year out and have a rich football history. I’m just glad our guys didn’t back down and  stepped up to play physical football on the defensive-side.”

He touched on how he used the game as a coachable moment to prepare for future games: “I talked to my guys afterwards. I said there’s really three things that can help you compete to win any game. Two of them on our offense and one of them on defense. On offense, it is care for the football and protect it at all cost and then keep the football. Get first downs, put together drives, and ultimately put the ball in the end zone. We did struggle to do that offensively.” 

He continued on that front: “Defensively, it comes down to one simple thing. Tackling. We had too many tackles that were left out on the field too many broken tackles, not finishing plays on that side of the ball. So therefore, Wyo was able to do those those two things on there end.”

On the injury to Watson and who stepped up to fill the void: “With Myles, we’re still waiting on the official diagnosis, but he did leave a halftime to go to the doctor with a forearm injury. We’re going to wait and see what the doc has to say and then adjust from there. Jack Kleisath and Jake Emborsky stepped in the running back spot. We had skill guys on the outside who stepped up to carry more of the load than usual. Our line dug in and played hard for all four quarters. I’m really proud of them.” 

When it came to missed chances, Rice focused on building momentum within games: “We had solid first down plays, but just really struggled on second and third down.  We just have to become more consistent and capitalize as we gain momentum, especially against a tough opponent.”

Looking ahead to the next game, Rice said: “We’ll continue just make that as we go into his next week, you got homecoming coming up, so always always good atmosphere. Donegal will come to town and we’re very excited to lineup and play football again this coming Friday.”

Friday

Muhlenberg 54, Lebanon 36

On Friday night, Lebanon hosted Muhlenberg in a game that was initially slated to be played on the road. After an ongoing issue with Muhlenberg’s home field, the game was moved to Alumni Stadium as of Thursday morning. This gave the Cedars a chance to showcase their growth to the home crowd following a frustrating game last week against Conrad Weiser.

Their opponent, Muhlenberg, entered the game with a 2-1 record, showing great improvement over last year when they won their only game against Lebanon. That was a 13-7 final score that witnessed both teams struggling to get their offenses going.

Entering this year’s game, Muhlenberg had the clear advantage on paper. However, Lebanon is focused on growth under first-year head coach Tyler Pritchett. In our preview, we wrote: “The measure for Lebanon’s rebuild should not be measured by wins & losses. Rather, the Cedars must focus on finding victories within the game, regardless of the outcome. This game offers another opportunity for them to grow.”

In the game, Muhlenberg raced out to a 14-0 lead. Lebanon responded with a touchdown to cut the deficit to 14-6 before the 1st quarter came to a close.

The 2nd quarter was not as closely played. It could even be described as disastrous for Lebanon, as Muhlenberg racked up 33 points over the course of 12 minutes. Lebanon did score once, and the scoreboard read 47-12 at the half.

In the 2nd half, Lebanon did not fold. In fact, they held Muhls scoreless in the 3rd quarter and tacked on a touchdown of their own. In the 4th quarter, Muhlenberg would score once more, but Lebanon ran their own point total to 36.

This offensive output was the highest for a Lebanon team since the first game of the 2020 season when they defeated Northern Lebanon 39-7. Beyond that, it came as the Cedars could have easily quit, content with another loss. Instead, they continued fighting. This will be something worth watching as they continue their journey through the 2024 season and beyond.

In the game, Brandyn Castro found Malachi Briddell for three touchdown strikes. The dynamic Briddell also ran for a 21-yard touchdown. Castro also hit Jamil Gordon to make it four touchdown passes for the senior signal caller.

The next glimpse we will have of the Cedars is their Week 5 matchup against Exeter.

We are working to get the more detailed stats from this game.

Twin Valley 51, ELCO 7

ELCO’s 2023 season ended with a District 3 Playoff loss at Twin Valley. To begin 2024, Twin Valley has continued to show that they are quickly becoming one of the premier teams in Pennsylvania. The Twin Valley Raiders entered Week 4 with a 3-0 record with wins over Olney, Berks Catholic, and Selinsgrove, outscoring those opponents 151-26.

The ELCO Raiders got off to a rough start in the first two weeks but found something special with the Week 3 win on the road at Lancaster Catholic, a game they trailed 14-0. However, the adjustment to not having All-State running back Jake Williams carrying the ball has been a struggle. If it’s any indication as to how valuable Williams is to an offense, it is important to point out that, as a true freshman, he is now #1 on Bloomsburg’s depth chart entering Saturday’s game against Seton Hill.

Yes, Twin Valley won this game. They built a 44-0 lead by halftime. However, ELCO did not quit. They kept battling. In the 3rd quarter, they caused a turnover on downs, then drove down the field. When they got close to the end zone, quarterback Steven Rosado was able to finish the drive when he ran the ball in from 1 yard out. Landon Goodison successfully kicked the field goal to make it 44-7. Twin Valley would score once more in the 4th quarter.

While ELCO was nowhere close to winning, they may have proved something to themselves that will serve them well for the rest of the season. However, they will have another tough challenge in Week 5 when they are set to host Wyomissing.

For a more in-depth look at this game, check out Andy Herr’s article at EasternPAFootball.com, linked here.

ELCO Stats

Passing: Steven Rosado – 1/8, 26 yards, 2 INT

Rushing: Steven Rosado – 9 carries, 46 yards, TD; Gavin Yeiser – 2 carries, 14 yards; Mitchell Frederick – 7 carries, 14 yards; Brinley Donmoyer – 3 carries, 7 yards; Ellis Gensamer – 3 carries, 4 yards; Griffin Kreider – 1 carry, 4 yards; Zane Trostle – 2 carries, 1 yard

Receiving: Justin Smucker – 1 reception, 26 yards

Defensive Leaders: Brady Stoops – 6 tackles, 1 assist; Griffin Kreider – 2 tackles, 3 assists; Justin Smucker – 3 tackles; Gavin Bicher – 3 tackles; Zane Trostle – 3 tackles, 1 assist;

Kicking: Landon Goodison – 1/1 PAT

Coach Miller’s Post-Game Thoughts

“These kids battle. Every play. Every day. It’s in their nature. I need to do a better job of preparing them and putting them in a position to succeed as an 11-man unit acting as one, from the first snap of the game to the last.”

Hamburg 27, Annville-Cleona 14

On Friday night, Annville-Cleona hosted Hamburg to kick off their Section 5 schedule. The Dutchmen were coming off a tough Week 3 loss to Littlestown. However, they were looking to find the offensive rhythm that they had during their Week 2 runaway victory over Hanover. In order to do this, they would need to figure out Hamburg, who entered the game having had a week extra to prepare after Fairfield had to forfeit last week’s game due to a lack of available players.

The increased preparation by the Hawks could have been the reason for Annville seemingly being out of sync. Hamburg struck first to take a 7-0 lead following an early three-and-out by the Dutchmen. The score would remain that way until halfway through the 2nd quarter when Jonathon Shay had a 3-yard run into the end zone. On the very next drive, Hamburg took a 13-7 lead.

In the 3rd quarter, Hamburg added to their lead. In the 4th, Annville was again showing that they were not going to go away easily. However, the comeback did not go according to the script as the Dutchmen gave away the ball via a fumble and were then stopped on 4th down on the next drive. Hamburg added another touchdown to build the 27-7 lead. Shay would eventually be given the opportunity to score again to make it 27-14. An unsuccessful onside kick virtually ended any comeback hopes that still existed.

This game was marred by miscues that resulted in penalties and turnovers for the Dutchmen. They struggled to find their flow or regain their footing after Hamburg’s early challenge. They also had to play without strong-legged kicker Cian Soliday, who missed the game with an injury, forcing a change in playcalling that ultimately affected the game.

For as frustrating of a game as this may have been for Annville, it will definitely be used as a learning tool as they turn the page and begin looking ahead to Week 5’s game against Columbia.

Annville-Cleona Stats

Passing: Bryce Keller – 3/9, 43 yards, INT; Lane Peters – 0/1

Rushing: Jonathon Shay – 15 carries, 102 yards, 2 TDs; Yamaliel Navarro – 18 carries, 90 yards; Devon Englehart – 10 carries, 38 yards; Bryce Keller – 14 carries, 5 yards; Jonathan Moran – 1 carry, -1 yard

Receiving: Max Ortwein – 1 reception, 19 yards; Jonathan Moran – 1 reception, 13 yards ; Jonathon Shay – 1 reception, 13 yards

Defensive Leaders: Jonathon Shay – 10 tackles, 5 solo, 2 TFL, 1 sack; Hudson Sellers – 10 tackles, 6 solo, 3 TFL; Kaidavin Ginting – 6 tackles, 4 solo, 2 TFL; Ivan Kreider – 8 tackles, 4 solo, 2 TFL; Bryce Keller – 6 tackles, 2 solo, 1 TFL; Jaxon Speece – 2 tackles, 1 solo 1 sack; Luke Wentling – 5 tackles, 2 solo, 2 TFL

Kicking: Ivan Kreider – 2/2 PAT

Coach Gingrich’s Post-Game Thoughts

We checked in with Annville-Cleona’s Coach Matt Gingrich after he had some time to reflect on the game. Here’s what he had to say.

Gingrich led off by talking about the overall trends with his Dutchmen and how they affected the outcome: “We played much better, but not good enough. We are improving a lot in some aspects of our team, but not all of them. Being at a small school, we must get better collectively, or we can’t win games. It takes a lot for us to win a game and we need all parts to do that. Right now, we’re not working well cohesively and it shows on the field.” 

Talking specifically about the defense, Gingirch said: “The defense played very well, but unfortunately we have to play man coverage. We only gave up three plays which resulted in three touchdowns.” 

On the missed opportunities that kept the Dutchmen from scoring, Gingrich had this to say: “Offensively, we actually did pretty good until we got into the red zone. We had three or four times we should’ve scored and came away without points.”

Shippensburg 47, Palmyra 13

Following a Week 1 win over Lebanon, the Cougars found themselves in two games against Mechanicsburg and Hershey, where their opponents kept chipping away. Traveling to Shippensburg on Friday night to take on the 3-0 Greyhounds meant another opportunity to build on some of the positives taking hold in Coach Pavone’s program. In order to do that, they knew that they would need to knock Shippensburg off of their game. If the playcalling against Hershey was an indication, the Palmyra coaching staff would be more than willing to call an aggressive game.

Early on, the game seemed like it would be a dogfight. The score was 13-7 after the 1st quarter following a Travis McDannell touchdown. Palmyra then forced a turnover, creating an uncomfortable situation for the home team. But Shippensburg recovered to intercept the ball a short time later and converted the change of possession into another touchdown.

On the ensuing kickoff, Justin Kaplan caused some fireworks when he returned the kickoff for a touchdown. After another Ship touchdown, the score was 26-13 as the teams broke for halftime.

The 2nd half was all Shippensburg as they regained their rhythm, methodically adding to their lead and eventually ending with 47 points. The Greyhound defense played off of that energy to hold Palmyra scoreless the rest of the way.

Palmyra Stats

Passing: Ryan Kowalski 7/15, 69 yards, 2 INT; Roman Russek – 1/2; Talon Speck – 0/1

Rushing: Travis McDannell – 4 carries, 51 yards, TD; Braxtin Risser – 11 carries, 13 yards; Justin Kaplan – 2 carries, 11 yards; Ryan Kowalski – 6 carries, 8 yards; Roman Russek – 2 carries, 8 yards; Xavier Smith – 1 carry, 4 yards

Receiving: Talon Speck – 2 receptions, 25 yards; Liam Setcavage – 2 receptions, 21 yards; Nate Holt – 1 reception, 13 yards; Justin Kaplan – 1 reception, 10 yards; Braxtin Risser – 1 reception, -1 yard

Defensive Leaders: J. Kaplan – 9 tackles, 6 assists; T. Comarnitsky – 4 tackles, 6 assists; B. Hoover – 4 tackles, 3 assists; J. Altebrando – 3 tackles, 2 assists, TFL, X. Smith – 3 tackles, 1 assist, TFL; T. McDannell – 2 tackles, FR;

Special Teams: Justin Kaplan – 98 yard kickoff return, TD, 1/1 PAT

Thursday

Cedar Crest 58, Penn Manor 7

Following a tough Week 3, the Falcons were determined to turn the page when they arrived at Millersville University for a Thursday night clash with the Comets. Cedar Crest not only played better from the opening kickoff, they were a dominant force on the field.

Less than five minutes into the 1st quarter, the Falcons got on the board when sophomore running back Isaiah Zimmerman rushed for a 7-yard touchdown to add to his already phenomenal season. Late in the 1st quarter, Cedar Crest added another score when quarterback Jackson Custer kept it himself and successfully crossed the goal line. After a quick change of possession resulting from a Luke Oriel interception, Cedar Crest scored the second time in less than thirty seconds, and Custer found Jack Waranavage for a touchdown through the air.

Moments later, the action continued when Penn Manor scored on their first play of the ensuing drive, connecting on a 74-yard touchdown pass to get on the board. Despite this score by Penn Manor, the Falcons were seemingly beginning to fire on all cylinders as they mounted a 21-7 lead by the end of the 1st quarter.

In the 2nd quarter, Josh Tricoche finished a Cedar Crest drive when he punched it in from 1 yard out. After another successful PAT by Ethan Bowman, the visitors led 28-7. A short time later, Custer found Waranavage for another touchdown, this time a 63-yard strike. As Penn Manor began feeling the heat, a special teams miscue resulted in a defensive safety for Cedar Crest to give them a 30-point advantage. After receiving the ball again, Cameron Tirado had an 11-yard rushing touchdown to give the Falcons an impressive 44-7 lead as the game entered halftime.

In the 3rd quarter, Zimmerman added his second touchdown of the evening when he broke a 28-yard run to hit paydirt. With a 51-7 lead, more backups for Cedar Crest began to come onto the field, slowing the scoring as the clock continued to run with the game in the mercy rule. In the 4th quarter, Cedar Crest added one more touchdown when Kai Speaks scored on a quarterback keeper from 12 yards out. This was the last time the scoreboard operator would be called upon, as the score remained 58-7 the rest of the way.

In observing the game, the defense was just as dynamic as the offense. Oriel had a key interception in the 2nd quarter as the Falcons broke away. Garrett Starry and Connor McCracken caused havoc, muting any Penn Manor response. Julius Santana had a sack, along with a forced fumble, which he recovered. We look forward to bringing you the official defensive stats in the coming days.

In another impressive display of kicking, Bowman was perfect on PATs, going 8/8.

Cedar Crest (3-1) will be seeking win #4 when they take on another formidable opponent when they travel to take on Wilson next Friday night.

Cedar Crest Stat Leaders

Passing: Jackson Custer – 6/7, 138 yards, 2 TD

Rushing: Isaiah Zimmerman – 12 carries, 108 yards, 2 TD; Jackson Custer – 8 carries, 100 yards, TD; Josh Tricoche – 8 carries, 37 yards, TD; Cam Tirado – 3 carries, 42 yards, TD

Receiving: Jack Waranavage – 2 receptions, 96 yards, 2 TD; Cam Tirado – 3 receptions, 8 yards

Defensive Leaders: Garrett Starry – 10 tackles, 3 solo; Malachi Victor – 9 tackles, 3 solo, 1 TFL; Kaeleb Fees – 4 tackles, 2 solo; Joe Arnt – 4 tackles; Julius Santana – 2 tackles, 1 solo, 1 sack, FF, FR; Wyatt Fox – 3 QB hits

Kicking: Ethan Bowman – 8/8 PAT

Coach Lambros’s Post-Game Thoughts

Speaking after reviewing film from the game, Coach Lambros told LebCoSports.com:

“I’m very proud of the bounce back attitude the boys played with Thursday. They washed themselves of the Warwick mistakes and played a clean game. Proud of our leaders for stepping up at practice and during the game when things got tough. Our kids are resilient, and they showed it Thursday.”

Week 4 Game Previews

Previous Results

Week One

Week Two

Week Three

2024 LebCo Football Team-by-Team Season Outlooks