LebCo High School Football: Cedar Crest & ELCO Prevail in District 3 Tests

District Playoffs are here! Cedar Crest & ELCO each hosted First Round matchups, each winning to move on to the District 3 Quarterfinals next week.

Below are quick recaps of each game. Throughout the weekend, we will work to update the coverage with stats, quotes from coaches, and other relevant information. Be sure to keep checking back.

The ELCO/Octorara recap was 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.

District 3 Playoffs – Friday, November 1st

ELCO 31, Octorara 6

After a 1-4 start, the ELCO Raiders kept playing their game to finish with a 5-5 record and the #8 seed in the District 3 AAAA Playoffs. On Friday evening, they hosted the Octorara Braves, a team that the Raiders narrowly defeated 24-14 in the heavy fog that accompanied Week 7.

The game started with mistakes being made by both teams in the 1st quarter. Playing aggressively on their first drive, the Raiders went for it on 4th down and fumbled it away. However, the early jitters did not hurt ELCO, as the defense held and forced Octorara into two straight turnovers on downs. Coming up large on defense for ELCO were Austin Yesko, Griffin Kreider, and Mitchell Frederick.

Once the 2nd quarter began, the Braves tried a fake punt but were stopped by linebacker Ethan Busser. This transferred the momentum to ELCO, and they started picking up yards on the ground with carries from Gavin Bicher, Frederick, and Steven Rosado. It was the quarterback Rosado who punched it home with a 2-yard rushing touchdown to give the Raiders a 7-0 lead halfway through the quarter. The Raiders’ defense continued their outstanding play and forced an Octorara punt on the next drive. However, the Octorara defense had a big play of their own, intercepting an ELCO pass attempt at the goal line to regain possession.

Once again, the Raider defense was too good, and a fumble was recovered by Paul Williams, who picked it up, which resulted in the big guy running it back to the end zone for a touchdown, making it 14-0.

In the final minutes before halftime, the Raiders were beginning to look unstoppable. The Braves were eager to add points, but a Zane Trostle interception ended the threat! With two minutes left, the Raiders threatened again with a clutch reception by tight end Dalton Pyszka, setting up a Landon Goodison field goal to extend the lead 17-0 heading into halftime.

In the 3rd quarter, the Braves responded with a 4-yard run for a touchdown courtest of running back Ian Teufert to make the score 17-6. After that, the Braves recovered a fumble heading into the 4th quarter and were looking to close the deficit further.

Once in the 4th quarter, Williams came up with a timely sack to force another turnover on downs. Immediately after that, Frederick capitalized with a 42-yard rushing touchdown to stretch the ELCO lead to 24-6. On the ensuing kickoff, the Braves fumbled it away to give the Raiders the ball again. With the ball once again in their hands, the Raiders satisfied their hunger with rushing yards from Rosado and Frederick, who finished the drive with a 4-yard rushing touchdown making it 31-6. After that, both teams fumbled the ball, but it was too late for any sort of a comeback, icing the game 31-6 with the Raiders moving on to the next round!

The Raiders will now move on to a quarterfinal matchup against top-seeded Lampeter-Strasburg next Friday night.

Cedar Crest 49, Hempfield 29

The last time the Cedar Crest Falcons won a District 3 Playoff game was 1997. On Friday night, they had the chance to break that drought when they hosted the Hempfield Black Knights in the 1st round of Districts. This was a rematch of a tightly contested Week 9 matchup that resulted in the Falcons securing the 31-27 victory.

In the 1st quarter, the Cedar Crest defense came up with a fumble recovery to give their offense a chance to take the lead. Sophomore running back Isaiah Zimmerman delivered, finding his way into the end zone to give the Falcons an early 7-0 lead. Late in the quarter, Hempfield returned the favor, capitalizing on a Cedar Crest fumble to make the score 7-7.

In the 2nd quarter, Cedar Crest responded when Jackson Custer found Jack Waranavage for a 20-yard touchdown via the air. A successful extra point by Ethan Bowman gave Crest the 14-7 lead. The lead did not last long as Hempfield again scored with their second passing touchdown of the night to knot the game at 14-14. Late in the half, the Black Knights again put points on the board as they successfully kicked a 28-yard field goal to take the 17-14 lead into the locker room.

When the Falcons stepped back onto the field to start the 3rd quarter, they did so with a newfound purpose. Early in the quarter, Zimmerman broke a 21-yard run and found the endzone to give the Falcons the 21-17 lead. After a defensive stop, the Falcons again converted with a 65-yard touchdown connection between Custer and Waranavage leading to a hook-and-ladder to Cameron Tirado who broke loose for the score. With less than two minutes left in the quarter, Zimmerman again found the endzone, this time with an 8-yard scamper. Trailing when the quarter began, the Falcons found themselves now on top 35-17 as they were set to enter the final frame.

In the 4th quarter, Hempfield responded with a touchdown of their own. After failing to convert on their two-point try, the scoreboard read 35-23. A short time later, Zimmerman drove the ball across the goal line from 5 yards out to make the score 42-23. Moments later, a 62-yard touchdown pass by Hempfield made the score 42-29. Another quick response by Cedar Crest, courtesy of a 45-yard run by Zimmerman, made the score 49-29. With the rapid succession of scoring over, the final three minutes of the game wasted away to preserve the Cedar Crest victory.

In case you lost count: Isaiah Zimmerman finished the game with five touchdowns!!!

Cedar Crest (8-3) will now travel to play Wilson in the District 3 Quarterfinals. Wilson (9-1) is the #2 seed in the 6A Playoffs.

Previous Results

Week One

Week Two

Week Three

Week Four

Week Five

Week Six

Week Seven

Week Eight

Week Nine

Week Ten

2024 LebCo Football Team-by-Team Season Outlooks