This post will serve as a rolling update of Week 8 football action across LebCo. With all six county teams in action this weekend, we’ll be compiling the latest details and highlights as the games unfold.
Be sure to check back often for updates on your favorite teams.
The Annville-Cleona/Schuylkill Valley recap was written using information provided by A-C student Jackson Hanley, a proud member of student body & serves as the school’s Student Sports Media Director.
The ELCO/Donegal recap was written 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.
The LebCo Scoreboard
Friday
ELCO 27, Donegal 20
The ELCO Raiders hosted the Donegal Indians for a Friday Night Lights showdown with hopes of qualifying for the district playoffs.
The Indians started things off by driving down the field but threw an interception to Hunter Mehaffey of the Raiders. ELCO couldn’t capitalize on offense, as both teams traded turnovers on downs, resulting in a scoreless first quarter.
As the second quarter kicked off, the Raiders opened with a first down — a good sign, right? You bet. Quarterback Brinley Donmoyer then broke loose for a 78-yard touchdown run, giving the Raiders a 7-0 lead. The Indians responded immediately with a quarterback keeper from Chase Marshall, cutting the deficit to 7-6. After starting the game with a run-heavy offense, the Raiders mixed things up as Ellis Gensamer hauled in a 15-yard touchdown pass to extend the lead to 13-6.
The third quarter began with a cool breeze in the air and Chandler Gass punching in a 2-yard rushing touchdown to give the Raiders a 20-6 cushion. The Indians refused to quit, with Marshall connecting with Jacir Johnson for a 15-yard touchdown that kept them within reach at 20-12. Near the end of the quarter, the Raiders punted for the first time — marking the first punt of the game by either team.
The fourth quarter began with the Indians still hoping for a comeback, but after failing to capitalize, the Raiders put the game away for good. Dalton Pyszka hauled in a 15-yard touchdown reception to seal the deal. The Indians managed one last score on a Leelan Baughman touchdown, but it was too late as the Raiders held on for a 27-18 victory at home.
The Raiders improved to 4-5 and will look to finish the season at .500 next week against rival Northern Lebanon. If they pull off the victory, they will put themselves in position to possibly qualify for the District 3 Playoffs in the exact same manner they did a season ago.
Written by Gavin Sweeney
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Annville-Cleona 14, Schuylkill Valley 7
Entering the season, there were questions about whether the youth of the Annville-Cleona roster would hinder the team’s ability to find success. Instead, the Dutchmen have defied expectations, winning seven of their first eight games. On Friday night, they looked to keep that momentum going as they hosted Schuylkill Valley.
The visiting Panthers entered the matchup with a 5-3 record (4-1 in Section 5) and were determined to spoil Annville’s shot at setting up a potential Section 5 Championship game against Berks Catholic next week.
In the first quarter, Annville’s offense stalled at the 26-yard line, prompting a field goal attempt from reliable kicker Cian Soliday. However, this was one of the rare occasions when his kick missed the mark, leaving the game scoreless. Later in the quarter, Schuylkill Valley had a similar opportunity but came up empty as well, sending the teams into the second quarter still tied 0-0.
The deadlock held until the 1:22 mark of the second quarter, when quarterback John Ditzler broke through on a 6-yard touchdown run. Soliday converted the extra point to make it 7-0, and that score held as the teams headed into halftime.
Midway through the third quarter, Annville struck again — this time in dramatic fashion. Jon Moran broke free for a 92-yard touchdown run, extending the Dutchmen’s lead to 14-0.
The defense held strong for most of the night, keeping Schuylkill Valley off the scoreboard until just 1:36 remained in the game. The Panthers managed to cut the lead in half, but the Dutchmen stood firm to secure the 14-7 victory.
With the win, Annville-Cleona improved to 8-1 on the season and now turns its attention to next week’s showdown at Berks Catholic, where the Section 5 Championship will be on the line.
Hempfield 43, Cedar Crest 13
After a Week 8 victory over McCaskey that brought their record to .500, the Cedar Crest Falcons faced a challenging test on the road against Hempfield on Friday night. The Black Knights entered the game with a 4-4 record and momentum from a win over Exeter.
Cedar Crest struck first as Steven Reyes found Kai Speaks for a 22-yard touchdown pass. Hempfield responded quickly, recovering a fumble and returning it for a touchdown to take a 7-6 lead by the end of the first quarter.
The Black Knights dominated the second quarter, building a 29-6 lead by halftime and adding two more scores in the second half to secure the victory.
Cedar Crest added a late score when Isaiah Zimmerman broke free for a 73-yard touchdown run, finishing the game with 174 rushing yards. The final score was 43-13 in favor of Hempfield.
With the loss, Cedar Crest falls to 4-5. The Falcons will now prepare for Thursday night’s annual Cedar Bowl against Lebanon.
Daniel Boone 26, Northern Lebanon 23
Northern Lebanon hoped to carry the momentum from a strong offensive performance in Week 8 — when Bryan Mitzelthrew for a school-record five touchdowns in a 56-31 loss to Octorara — into Friday night’s matchup against Daniel Boone.
The Blazers struck first in a battle between two teams eager for a win, taking a 7-0 lead by the end of the first quarter.
Early in the second quarter, the Vikings stopped a Daniel Boone scoring threat and responded with a methodical drive capped by Mitzel connecting with Bryce Yocum on a 32-yard touchdown pass to tie the game at 7. Northern Lebanon regained the lead moments later after recovering a short kickoff. Christian Spencer punched it in from two yards out, giving the Vikings a 14-7 advantage with under seven minutes remaining in the half.
Daniel Boone answered with a long drive and touchdown, but a missed extra point kept Northern Lebanon ahead, 14-13. Johnny Hilton added a field goal before halftime, giving the Vikings a slim 17-13 lead.
The third quarter saw mistakes begin to cost Northern Lebanon. A fumble led to a Daniel Boone rushing touchdown, giving the Blazers their first lead of the night. Later, a bad snap on a punt attempt handed Daniel Boone another short field, which they converted into a score to extend their lead to 26-17.
In the fourth quarter, the Vikings responded with Spencer’s second short rushing touchdown of the night, closing the gap to 26-23. Northern Lebanon’s defense forced a Daniel Boone punt with just over two minutes remaining, but the comeback attempt fell short.
Ultimately, Daniel Boone’s dominant running game controlled the pace and decided the outcome.
Northern Lebanon falls to 1-8 and will look to finish the season on a high note when they host ELCO on Friday night.
Red Land 22, Palmyra 13
For much of the season, Palmyra’s defense looked strong, but the offense struggled to put points on the board. That all changed in Week 8, when the Cougars erupted for 43 points against Gettysburg — their best offensive performance since 2021.
On Friday evening, Palmyra looked to carry that momentum into a home matchup against Red Land at LVC’s Arnold Field. On paper, the Patriots were a formidable opponent, entering the game with a 6-2 record. Still, Cougar fans knew that Palmyra’s own 3-5 record didn’t reflect just how close the team was to a winning mark, and the Cougars were eager to prove it.
Palmyra struck first when quarterback Roman Russek ran in a touchdown, giving the Cougars a 7-0 lead. Red Land responded with a field goal and a 70-yard punt return, taking a 10-7 lead into halftime.
The score remained unchanged through the third quarter, but Red Land pulled away in the fourth with two more touchdowns, building a 22-7 advantage.
Palmyra refused to go quietly. With six minutes remaining, Braxtin Risser hauled in a touchdown pass to bring the score to 22-13. That would be as close as the Cougars would get.
The loss drops Palmyra to 3-6 on the season. They will look to finish strong when they travel to Northern York next Friday.
Ephrata 57, Lebanon 12
The Lebanon Cedars entered their road game against Ephrata looking to prove they were better than their 0-8 record suggested. While the matchup seemed favorable on paper, it’s worth noting that outside of the first two games, Lebanon had not been shut out this season. In Week 9, they faced a 4-4 Ephrata squad fighting to remain in postseason contention.
Lebanon struck first when Malachi Briddell ran 19 yards for a touchdown, giving the Cedars a 6-0 lead just six minutes into the game. Ephrata responded before the end of the first quarter, taking a 7-6 lead. The Mounts then added three more touchdowns in the second quarter to take a 28-6 advantage into halftime.
In the second half, Ephrata continued to put pressure on Lebanon, scoring once in the third quarter — slowed briefly by a Briddell interception — and then adding 22 more points in the fourth quarter as Lebanon’s defense wore down.
Despite the large deficit, Lebanon never quit. In the game’s final moments, Gauge Soliday, primarily the team’s kicker, found the end zone to finish the scoring.
Lebanon will close out the season with a Thursday night trip to Cedar Crest for the annual Cedar Bowl.
Week 8 Results
Week 8 Recap: Cougars Roar! Palmyra Offense Breaks Loose Against Warriors
2025 LebCo Football Team-by-Team Season Outlooks
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