Youth Football Weekly Round-Up: October 3, 2024

This feature recaps last weekend’s action from the youth football organizations that chose to partner with LebCoSports.com.  Much of the reporting below is written by the dedicated volunteers within these organizations.  

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     Falcon Youth Football

Red Rose Midget Football League Age group information 

@ Penn Manor

B (3-2)    Cedar Crest 7, Penn Manor 0

C (3-2)    Penn Manor 28, Cedar Crest 0

D (2-3)    Comets 27, Falcons 0

The Falcon “B” Team was engaged in a defensive battle for four quarters of player, with the only score coming courtesy of a 4-yard Tate Speraw touchdown pass to tight end Chance Endy. The Cedar Crest defense did the rest.

The Falcon “C” Team hit the field on Saturday evening, looking to build on last week. Penn Manor had other plans, setting the tempo on the first possession of the game. Cedar Crest tried to battle back but was unable to find the end zone. Chase Reesman‘s interception and a reception by Noah Wagner were the highlights of the game for the Falcons. Look for Cedar Crest to rebound from this loss and use it as a lesson to continue to grow.

On a rainy Saturday afternoon, the Falcon “D” Team had a rough go of it against Penn Manor. The Falcons hung in there as long as they could but trailed 21-0 at the end of the 1st half. The 2nd half went much better, with Crest forcing a fumble on the first play. They couldn’t capitalize on the turnover, as the Penn Manor defense was stout up front. The day ended with a 27-0 defeat, but the Falcons never gave up and fought for all four quarters. They will use this as a learning experience ahead of this week’s game against Columbia.

Up Next: The Falcons will hit the road again, this time for a clash with Columbia.

The Cedar “B” Team was fueled by Patrick Fields, who came back this week from injury. Fields scored two rushing touchdowns. Jullian Rodriguez Rivera scored two touchdowns and accounted for two extra points, while Demoni Woodson took a kick return to the house. The defensive line was spectacular in pressuring Penn Manor throughout the game, securing the victory for the Friendship Cedars.

The Cedar “C” Team pulled off a 6-0 win behind the offensive efforts of Ethan Hernandez and Grayson Painter. It was Painter who scored the game’s only touchdown, but big runs from Hernandez throughout kept the Cedars rolling. Defensively, the Cedars were led by Yandres “Yan” Vasquez, who proved to be virtually unstoppable from his position on the d-line, getting in the backfield on nearly every play. Ayden Hinds had multiple big hits and tackles that prevented big plays. The game’s only turnover came thanks to Angelo Malave, who intercepted a pass to give the Cedars the ball back, which resulted in a Painter rushing touchdown.

The Cedar “D” Team was led by running back Alexciel Pagan, who led the team in rushing and scored on a 60-yard touchdown run. Christian Bowers converted the extra point on a QB sneak. The Cedars led 7-0 late in the game, but the Comets snatched the 14-7 victory. Kali Gardner and Katelyn Fields were among the defensive standouts for Lebanon.

@ Tri-Community Panthers

Midgets (0-4)    Games Postponed

Ponies (0-4)        Games Postponed

Peewees (0-4)    Games Postponed

Up Next: 

Youth Football Weekly Round-Up: September 26, 2024

      Myerstown Panthers

Berks Area Youth Football League Age group information 

v Hamburg Hawks

Midget (3-1)       Panthers 21, Hawks 7

Mites (4-0)         Panthers 19, Hawks 12

Mighty Mites (1-4)  Hawks 14, Panthers 0

The Panther Midget squad set the tone early in their matchup against the Hawks, with Braiden Harris returning the opening kickoff for a touchdown. The Panthers’ offense dominated throughout the 1st half, adding two more scores while their defense held strong, keeping the Hawks scoreless. In the 2nd half, the Panthers’ defense continued to excel, preventing Hamburg from reaching the end zone until late in the fourth quarter. Myerstown sealed a commanding 21-7 win, showcasing a balanced performance on both sides of the ball.

The Panther Mites overcame early struggles to secure a hard-fought 19-12 victory against the Hamburg Hawks. After a scoreless 1st quarter, the Panthers’ offense found its rhythm in the second, with key runs setting up a 30-yard touchdown by Corbin Showalter. However, defensive errors allowed the Hawks to answer, leaving the score tied 6-6 at halftime.
In the 3rd quarter, with the Panthers facing a critical fourth-and-long deep in their own territory, Tucker Robert turned what looked like a lost play into magic. Breaking free from a pile of defenders, Robert slipped past would-be Hawks with incredible footwork before bursting into open space. He powered down the sideline for a spectacular 48-yard touchdown, electrifying the crowd and giving the Panthers the lead.

The Panthers’ defense stepped up, stopping the Hawks on their next possession, and Showalter added another score before Hamburg returned the kickoff for a touchdown, cutting the lead to 7 points. A late turnover by the Panthers gave the Hawks one last chance, but the defense held firm, forcing a turnover on downs with just 40 seconds remaining to seal the win. The defense was gritty throughout the game, captained by Luca Kirelawich at middle linebacker. Defensive ends Carson Varner and Wesley Bowman delivered stellar performances, keeping the Hawks’ offense in check.

The Panther Mighty Mites fell to the Hawks in a tough defensive battle. Getting the offense going proved challenging for the Panthers as they struggled to gain traction throughout the game. However, the defense kept them in the fight, with standout performances in the first half by Cade Brown, Leeland Bucher, Logan Witmer, Lucas Witmer, and Leland Zellers.

The Hawks led 7-0 at halftime, but despite continued offensive struggles in the 2nd half, the Panthers’ defense stayed strong. Joseph Noll and Patrick Lehman made key plays, holding the Hawks to a single touchdown in the 4th quarter. The Panthers will look to regroup and find their rhythm on offense as they prepare for next week’s game.

Up Next: Myerstown will host Schuylkill Valley next Sunday weekend at ELCO High School.

  Northern Lebanon Vikings

CFA – Federal Conference Age group information 

@ Middletown Blue Raiders

Midgets (6-0)    Vikings 24, Blue Raiders 0

Ponies (3-3)       Vikings 19, Blue Raiders 0

Peewees (2-4)   Blue Raiders 13, Vikings 0

Smurfs               Exhibition/Skill Development

The Midget Vikings continued their undefeated season with a decisive 24-0 victory over the Middletown Raiders. Quarterback Sam Kline led the Vikings to a strong 1st half performance, accounting for three touchdowns. In the half, he faked a jet sweep and took off for a 55-yard touchdown run. He later connected with wide receiver Nolan Anspach for a 15-yard touchdown pass. Ty Martin also contributed a touchdown, catching a 13-yard pass from Kline and sprinting 82 yards to the end zone.

At halftime, the Vikings switched to quarterback Nolan Anspach, who continued the team’s momentum. He completed passes to Markus Miller, Chris Camasta, and Ty Martin, resulting in a touchdown pass to Martin in the 4th quarter. The Vikings’ offensive line provided excellent protection throughout the game, thanks to the solid blocking of Cam Kramer, Darren Shifflet, Gage Freed, Jackson Walter, and Jacob Bomberger.

Defensively, the Vikings were led by the Bennethum brothers, Justin and Luke, who made numerous big plays. Ray Hoy, Dante McFarland, and Johnny Appleton also contributed solid defensive performances.

With the win, the Vikings solidified their position as a top contender in the league.

The Viking Smurfs continued to put the pieces together on Sunday against the Middletown Blue Raiders. They were fast and aggressive on both sides of the ball. Long runs from Grady Wiest and Clayton Meyer set the tone for the game. Meyer scored on a 1st half run through the middle of the Blue Raider defense, and Trey Moyer added another tally on a short QB boot. Defensively, Liam Monk and Parker Smith were all over the field for the Vikings. The team continues to progress and build, playing Viking football from start to finish.

The Viking Peewee team came away with a win over the Raiders: 19-0, while the Viking Ponies fell 13-0 to the Raiders.

Up Next: Northern Lebanon will enjoy a bye next week before returning to action on October 12th against Steelton.

Photos by Susan Dengler

 Palmyra Cougars

      CFA – Federal Conference    Age group information 

Bye Week

Midgets (2-3)       Bye

Ponies  (4-1)        Bye

Peewees (2-3)     Bye

Smurfs                 Bye

During their bye week, the Cougars organized a team trip to see Bucknell & Lehigh battle it out in a double OT thriller.

Up Next: Palmyra will travel on Sunday to face Lower Dauphin.