This post will serve as a rolling update of Week 8 Football action from around LebCo. With one team in action on Thursday and five playing on Friday night, we will work to compile the best information as we can in a timely fashion. This includes talking to many of the coaches and including post-game summaries. Keep checking back regularly for new information about your favorite teams.
The Annville-Cleona/Pequea Valley & Northern Lebanon/Octorara 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.
Friday
Cedar Crest 49, McCaskey 18
Cedar Crest looked to quickly move past their Week 7 loss to powerhouse Manheim Township when they took the road on Friday night to play JP McCaskey. Sitting within the top ten of the District 3 Power Rankings, a win in this game would greatly increase the Falcon’s chances of making the postseason.
Following a defensive stand to start the game, the Falcons looked poised as they drove the field for a quick score, capped off by a 33-yard touchdown pass from Jackson Custer to Jack Waranavage. Early in the 2nd quarter, the pair would unite again, this time for a 15-yard touchdown toss to make the score 14-0. Five minutes later, Crest found the end zone again, this time with a 4-yard touchdown run from Josh Tricoche to make the score 21-0.
With Cedar Crest seemingly in control of the game, McCaskey responded with a score of their own with just over three minutes to go until halftime. However, just twenty seconds later, Isaiah Zimmerman took a 49-yard run to the house to put Crest up 28-6. That score would remain until the two teams headed to the locker rooms as the Red Tornado got an interception on the last play of the 1st half.
Further spoiling McCaskey’s Homecoming, Zimmerman broke off a 46-yard touchdown run less than a minute into the 2nd half. That would be the only score of the 3rd quarter, and the two teams headed to the final frame with Cedar Crest in command, 35-6.
In the 4th quarter, Eli Beard broke a 16-yard run for a touchdown to make the game 42-6. With the game being played under the mercy rule, McCaskey continued to battle and scored to make it 42-12. The Falcons responded again with Kai Speaks finding Skyler Sherman on a 59-yard touchdown reception. McCaskey would score once more as time expired.
Ethan Bowman, the talented Cedar Crest kicker, was once again perfect, going 7/7 on PATs.
Cedar Crest (5-3) will now look ahead to a Week 9 home game against Hempfield.
Cedar Crest Stats
Passing: Jackson Custer – 5/10, 50 yards, 2 TD, INT; Kai Speaks – 1/1, 59 yards, TD
Receiving: Jack Waranavage – 2 receptions, 48 yards, 2 TD; Cameron Tirado – 2 receptions, 38 yards; Skyler Sherman – 1 reception, 59 yards TD; RJ Young – 2 receptions, 9 yards
Rushing: Isaiah Zimmerman – 14 carries, 174 yards, 2 TD; Jackson Custer – 9 carries, 71 yards; Josh Tricoche – 5 carries, 17 yards; Skyler Sherman – 2 carries, 19 yards; Eli Beard – 1 carry, 16 yards; Cameron Tirado – 1 carry, 8 yards
Defensive Leaders: Landyn Kline – 9 tackles, 3 solo, 3 TFL, 1 sack; Garrett Starry – 9 tackles, 3 solo, 1 sack; Tristan Long – 5 tackles, 4 sacks; Malachi Victor – 5 tackles, 1 sack; Wyatt Fox – 3 tackles, 2 solo, 2 sacks; Conner McCracken – 2 tackles, 1 solo, 1 sack
Octorara 28, Northern Lebanon 7
The Northern Lebanon Vikings traveled to Octorara for a Week 8 matchup with the Brave. While the Viking offense has struggled, they were set to get a boost with the return of senior running back Myles Watson, who was now medically cleared following a break to his forearm that was sustained early in the Week 4 clash with Wyomissing.
This was also a special game for Northern Lebanon, as it marked the 500th game in program history.
The scoring got started a little over halfway through the 1st quarter, with Octorara returning an interception 40 yards to take the 7-0 lead. After that, the defensive battle continued as the two teams did not score in either the 2nd or 3rd quarters.
Early in the 4th quarter, Octorara put up some insurance when they broke a 39-yard touchdown run to make it 14-0. Facing a do-or-die situation, Northern Lebanon quickly responded with an 80-yard touchdown pass from freshman quarrterback Blake Burdick to Brady Ryan to make it 14-7.
However, the worn Northern Lebanon defense could not stop Octorara’s rushing attack as Ian Teufert scored his second touchdown of the quarter. A strong defensive stand by Octorara on the next possession forced the Vikings to punt. Octorara was again able to convert, this time through the air, with a 39-yard touchdown to make it 28-7.
The Vikings (2-6) will turn the page and begin preparing for a Week 9 matchup against Daniel Boone.
Coach Rice’s Post-Game Thoughts
Following the game we caught up with Coach Jason Rice to talk about the game.
About his offense, Rice said: “We were able to move the ball a little bit tonight, but put up as many points as you want to see. At least we took a step in the right direction.”
He pointed to getting his senior running back as having a major impact on the game. Rice said: “We had Myles Watson back. The dude is just a baller who knows what to do with the football when it’s in his hands. We’ll continue to feed him the rock. We’re going to be able to get better quality reps because of some other changes we are planning on offense.”
About his defense, Rice said: “We had another solid defensive performance tonight. Until the fourth quarter, their only score was off of the defensive touchdown on their end.”
Rice finished by talking about what it will take to get better the rest of this year and moving into 2025: “Let’s focus on the work. What can we do Monday through Thursday? Friday is going to play itself out, however plays itself out but what are we gonna do Monday through Thursday to put ourselves in a position or to be ready to compete when that balls kick to start Friday night?”
Governor Mifflin 56, Lebanon 18
Lebanon took to the road to play against a tough Governor Mifflin squad. While winning is always the goal, the Cedars were looking for positives that could be building blocks heading into next season.
In the 1st quarter, Governor Mifflin asserted their dominance on the scoreboard to build a 14-0 leader. However, Lebanon’s offense showed signs of life with some big plays that landed them deep in Mustang territory. Both times, they came away without any points.
Things took a bad turn with a quick Governor Mifflin touchdown to start the 2nd quarter. They then took a 28-0 lead with a pick-6. They’d then add another touchdown to make it 35-0 with just over four minutes remaining in the half.
Even with Mifflin pouring it on, Lebanon continued to punch back. The Cedars found a way to get the ball from quarterback Brandyn Castro to electric playmaker Malachi Briddell for a 56-yard touchdown to remove the goose egg from the scoreboard.
On the next drive, Mifflin responded with a long touchdown pass to reestablish their lead. Backbreaker? Not in this case, as Castro would throw up a Hail Mary with time expiring in the half. Briddell was there to haul in his second touchdown reception of the night as the two teams headed to their respective locker rooms with the score 42-12.
In the 3rd quarter, the Mustangs added another offensive touchdown, followed by their second interception return for a touchdown to make the score 56-12.
Late in the 4th quarter, Lebanon’s Kai Rivera would score on a screen, giving the Cedars their third offensive touchdown of the evening.
Lebanon (0-8) will continue to build on positives as they work towards a Week 9 showdown with Ephrata.
Gettysburg 42, Palmyra 14
Palmyra made the trip to take on Gettysburg in Week 8 action. While the Cougars have not found a victory since defeating Lebanon during the season’s first game, they have created issues for their opposition in most of their contests. This game would not be any different, as it was played very tightly in a textbook case, with the final score not indicative of the entirety of the game.
Late in the 1st quarter, Gettysburg got on the board to take a 7-0. Palmyra would respond halfway through the 2nd quarter when quarterback Roman Russek was able to push across the goal line following a valiant effort by the Gettysburg defense. Playing aggressively, Palmyra tried unsuccessfully for an onside kick. This gamble had little effect, as the Palmyra defense stood firm to force another change of possession.
While the Cougars were able to move the ball, especially behind the hard running of Travis McDannell, a battle between the two defenses was taking shape. Knowing this, Gettysburg took a chance of their own late in the 2nd quarter and successfully converted on a fake punt. They then scored on a quarterback sneak to take a 14-7. A pick-6 made it 21-7 with less than a minute to go in the half.
Early in the 3rd quarter, Gettysburg again found the end zone to take a 28-7.
With just under eight minutes to go in the game, Palmyra was able to cut the Gettysburg lead when Alex Csongradi was able to rush in from 5 yards out to make it 28-14. However, Gettysburg would pile on two more touchdowns before the final whistle.
McDannell had over 100 yards rushing in the 1st half. An injury early in the 2nd half limited his ability to futher impact the game.
Palmyra (1-7) will look ahead to a Week 9 road trip to take on Red Land (1-7).
Coach Pavone’s Post-Game Thoughts
Following the game, we reached out to Coach Chris Pavone for his thoughts on the game. This is what he had to say:
“I’m really proud of our kids and the way they fought tonight. They faced a lot of adversity but kept at it. The score wasn’t an indicator of things, as it was a 14-point game with about five minutes left. We had a number of opportunities that we needed to continue to work to take advantage of. There were definite flashes of growth, and I have to continue to work to keep getting better.”
Lampeter-Strasburg 52, ELCO 7
ELCO knew that they would have their hands full with Lampeter-Strasburg, a team perennially loaded with playmakers that can make life difficult for any team.
Just over two minutes into the 1st quarter, LS made one of those plays when they returned a pick-6 for a 25-yard touchdown to make the score 7-0. With the ELCO defense well-suited for the early attacks from the Pioneers, the game would be limited to just one score for the entirety of the quarter.
When LS had a chance to score points early in the 2nd quarter, they came via a short field goal to make it 10-0. It would take until time was expiring in the half until anyone would score again, coming in from a touchdown pass from 12 yards out. The two teams headed to halftime with the score 17-0.
Just over a minute into the new half, the Pioneers scored on a rushing play to make the score 24-0. ELCO quickly responded with a 77-yard touchdown pass from Steven Rosado to Justin Smucker to make it 24-7.
Unfortunately, LS was intent on putting the game away, beginning with a touchdown run with just about seven minutes left in the 3rd quarter. On the ensuing possession, an interception was returned 68 yards to make the score 38-7. With just over a minute left in the quarter, LS would again score to make it 45-7.
The Pioneers went on to add another touchdown as the clock ran the entirety of the 4th quarter.
ELCO (4-4) will aim to get back into the win column when they travel to Donegal in Week 9.
Thursday
Annville-Cleona 41, Pequea Valley 31
The Annville-Cleona Dutchmen traveled to Pequea Valley High to take on the Braves for Thursday Night Football! Annville was looking to rebound following a tough loss to Lancaster Catholic, while Pequea was seeking their third straight win after wins over Columbia and Hamburg.
In the 1st quarter, it was punch after punch as both teams battled on the defensive side, with defensive backs Jonathan Moran, Aidan Blauch, and Logan Radocha making plays to slow the Braves. This allowed the Dutchmen to strike first with a rushing touchdown from senior quarterback Bryce Keller on a fourth and goal. During that drive, running back Jonathon Shay paced the Dutchmen, a theme that would become common throughout the night. However, once the Braves got the ball, they said, “Hey, if you can do it, I can do it better,” and got a rushing touchdown from Drew Tibbins to make the score 7-7.
Once the 2nd quarter started, the Dutchmen put together a long drive after being pinned down on their own 4-yard line. Annville switched it up by turning to running back Devon Englehart before Shay was able to finish the drive with his first touchdown on the night to make the score 14-7 following Levi Kreider’s successful PAT. For the rest of the half, the Annville defense stood tall, with the defensive line pressuring the quarterback, which was punctuated with a big sack by Ivan Kreider.
Following the halftime break, the Dutchmen marched down the field with another steady diet of carries by Shay and Englehart. Shay found the end zone on a 26-yard rush to extend the lead to 21-7. The Braves responded with Tibbins picking up a 29-yard touchdown to cut the game to one score. On the ensuing kickoff, Englehart had a huge return deep into the Braves’ territory. With the Dutchmen in scoring position, they immediately capitalized on the connection of Keller to Shay for a 3-yard touchdown pass to make the score 28-14. Not letting Annville get off that easily, Pequea immediately the Braves scored with a kick return touchdown from Lebran Woods to make the game 28-20.
With the scoring picking up, Annville suffered a fumble to give Pequea the chance for a tying score. While the Braves did their best to take advantage of the opportunity, the Annville defense held them to just a field goal to make it 28-23 going into the final quarter.
Once the 4th quarter began, the frustrated Dutchman looked to absolve themselves from the earlier mistake. They came out swinging with another touchdown from Shay on fourth down to make it 34-23. On Pequea’s next possession, the Annville defense forced a fumble of their own. Shay made them pay as he added to his touchdown total with a 28-yard run for his fifth score of the evening.
With the score now 41-23, Pequea kept fighting and scored a touchdown, along with a successful two-point conversion. The Braves tried an onside kick, but the Dutchmen recovered and went into victory formation to ice the game.
Annville-Cleona (4-4) will travel to Schuylkill Valley next Friday evening.
Annville-Cleona Stats
Passing: Bryce Keller – 5/7, 62 yards, TD
Receiving: Jonathon Shay – 4 receptions, 61 yards, TD; Jonathan Moran 1 reception, 1 yard
Rushing: Jonathon Shay – 20 carries, 188 yards, 4 TD; Bryce Keller – 15 carries, 54 yards, TD; Devon Englehart – 10 carries, 18 yards; Jonathan Moran – 1 carry, 3 yards
Defensive Leaders: Jonathan Moran – 15 tackles, 11 solo, fumble recovery; Jonathon Shay – 11 tackles, 8 solo, 2 TFL, 1 sack; Devon Englehart – 6 tackles, 4 solo, forced fumble; Hudson Sellers – 6 tackles, 4 solo; Kaidavin Ginting – 5 tackles, 2 solo, TFL; Malacai Victa – 3 tackles, 2 solo, TFL; Preston Bomgardner – 2 solo tackles, TFL, fumble recovery; Ivan Kreider – 1 sack
Kick Returns: Devon Englehart – 3 kickoff returns, 103 yards, long – 86 yards
Kicking: Levi Kreider – 5/6 PAT
Coach Gingrich’s Thoughts
Following the game, we checked in with Coach Matt Gingrich.
On the match-up and win over Pequea Valley, Coach Gingrich started off by saying: “It was great to get a win tonight against the rebuilt and up-and-coming Pequea Valley team. They’re much better than they’ve been. Coach Choi does a great job with them. It’s his second year back after taking a hiatus and you can tell he’s the guy in charge again, because they’re much better.”
On his offense that put up 41 point behind a strong game by Shay: “We did a decent job upfront. Job assignments and execution was OK, but it was better than it’s been. Our backs and receivers played their butts off. Jon Shay had five touchdowns and put forth one of the best performances I’ve seen in a long time.”
About his defense and the major weakness that made the game much closer than he felt it should have been: “On defense, we actually did a much better job, but our special teams struggled as we gave up three big returns. With the 31 points, a lot of it comes from special teams defense.”
On one of the unsung heroes of the game, Gingrich said: “Jon Moran had a huge game despite not catching a ball. I want to say he probably had 10+ tackles. He was our best defensive player by far. He did touch the ball twice, but was huge on defense.”
When it came to the big drive that changed the course of the game, Gingrich said: “The turning point was in the second quarter when we got the terrible kick return and then executed a 24 play, 96 yard drive to a touchdown with a minute left in the second quarter. Since the drive started in the first quarter, we held the ball for about 12 minutes. It was the series that changed everything.”
Previous Results
Week One
Week Two
Week Three
Week Four
Week Five
Week Six
Week Seven
2024 LebCo Football Team-by-Team Season Outlooks
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