This post will serve as a rolling update of Week 5 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 Northern Lebanon recap was written by Braydin Adams.
The ELCO recap was written by Asher Parham.
The Annville-Cleona recap was written with information provided by Jackson Hanley.
The Cedar Crest recap was written with information provided by assistant editor Gavin Sweeney.
The Palmyra recap was written with information provided by Luke Johnson.
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.
Palmyra 26, Waynesboro 0
Palmyra returned home Friday night looking to bounce back from a tough rivalry loss to Hershey. The Cougars entered the night at 2-2 and had an opportunity to get back above .500 in front of the Homecoming crowd against Waynesboro.
From the beginning, Palmyra’s defense made it clear that points were going to be difficult to come by.
On Waynesboro’s opening possession, Sid Harrison came away with an interception to give the Cougars the ball in plus territory. Palmyra was unable to turn the takeaway into points, but the defense quickly created another opportunity when Jaxin Robinson recorded an interception of his own.
The Cougars finally broke through with 4:09 remaining in the first quarter. Quarterback Roman Russek connected with Anthony Pinko for a 23-yard touchdown pass, giving Palmyra the first points of the night.
Palmyra’s special teams soon joined the action. Chris Kleinfelter blocked a Waynesboro punt, setting the Cougars up with another short field.
Russek capitalized on the opportunity, scoring on a six-yard touchdown run with 15 seconds remaining in the opening quarter to extend Palmyra’s lead to 13-0.
Waynesboro’s turnover problems continued on the final play of the first quarter when the Indians lost a fumble, giving the Cougars another opportunity to add to their advantage.
Palmyra once again made the takeaway count. Russek finished the ensuing possession with a one-yard touchdown run early in the second quarter, giving the Cougars a 19-0 lead.
Waynesboro eventually began to find some offensive success and moved into Palmyra territory later in the quarter, but the Cougars defense came up with a fourth-down stop to end the threat.
Palmyra then put together a drive of its own, reaching the Waynesboro 11-yard line late in the half before being stopped on fourth down. The Cougars defense immediately responded with a three-and-out, preserving the 19-0 advantage heading into halftime.
The defenses controlled much of the third quarter. Palmyra turned the ball over on downs on its opening possession of the half, but Waynesboro answered with a three-and-out.
The Indians received another opportunity when the Cougars lost a fumble later in the quarter. Waynesboro took advantage of the field position and drove to the Palmyra 21-yard line, putting the shutout in jeopardy.
Once again, the Cougars defense delivered. Palmyra came up with another fourth-down stop to keep Waynesboro off the scoreboard and carry the 19-0 lead into the fourth quarter.
The Cougars finally added some insurance early in the fourth. Russek connected with Robinson for a six-yard touchdown pass with 11:18 remaining, extending the advantage to 26-0.
Palmyra later missed a field goal attempt, but the Cougars did not need any more points. The defense finished what it had started, keeping Waynesboro off the scoreboard through the final whistle to secure the 26-0 Homecoming victory.
It was a complete defensive effort from Palmyra. Harrison and Robinson provided early interceptions, Kleinfelterblocked a punt, and the Cougars repeatedly came through on fourth down whenever Waynesboro threatened. The result was Palmyra’s first shutout of the season.
Offensively, Russek accounted for all four touchdowns. The senior quarterback threw scoring passes to Pinko and Robinson while adding two rushing touchdowns of his own.
After dropping last week’s rivalry matchup at Hershey, Palmyra responded with an impressive performance on both sides of the ball. The Cougars improve to 3-2 through the first half of the regular season and will look to build on the Homecoming victory when they host Northern York next Friday night.
Northern Lebanon 27, Donegal 15
It is hard to believe we have officially made it to the halfway point of the 2026 high school football season. On Friday, September 25, the Northern Lebanon Vikings hosted the Donegal Indians. Both teams entered the night looking to bounce back after suffering their first losses of the season the week before.
The game started with a banger for the Indians, as a punt return down to the Northern Lebanon 40-yard line gave Donegal an early chance to strike. However, the Vikings defense came up with a big fourth-down stop to take over on downs.
Northern Lebanon wasted no time using that stop to its advantage. Junior quarterback Trystan Dorrittie connected with Bryce Yocum for a 29-yard touchdown, and Brady Ryan followed by rushing in the two-point conversion to give the Vikings an early 8-0 lead.
The Vikings continued to make plays on defense. Vinny Moyer came up with a big third-down sack to get the ball right back into the hands of the Northern Lebanon offense.
The offense kept rolling from there. Ryan rushed for a four-yard touchdown early in the second quarter to extend the Vikings’ lead to 14-0 after the PAT attempt was blocked. Ryan has continued to establish himself as one of the top rushing threats in the area through the first half of the season.
Donegal started to find some offensive rhythm and drove down the field before finally breaking through. Quarterback Chase Marshall connected with Mason Zink for an 11-yard touchdown pass. The two-point conversion attempt was unsuccessful, leaving Northern Lebanon with a 14-6 advantage.
Ryan answered again for the Vikings, taking a snap out of the Wildcat formation and rushing five yards for his second touchdown of the night. The PAT attempt was unsuccessful, but Northern Lebanon had pushed its advantage to 20-6.
The Indians showed they were not going to stop fighting and drove down the field again, but the Northern Lebanon defense held strong. Donegal’s defense then came up with a big play of its own when Joseph Schober intercepted Dorrittie, giving the Indians possession at the Vikings’ five-yard line.
Northern Lebanon’s defense prevented Donegal from reaching the end zone, forcing the Indians to settle for a field goal. That made the score 20-9 heading into halftime and gave Donegal some hope going into the break.
The Vikings immediately fired out of the gate to start the second half. Ryan took the opening kickoff more than 60 yards to the house, giving him his third touchdown of the night and extending Northern Lebanon’s lead to 27-9.
Donegal continued to battle. Marshall connected with Angel Mendez for a touchdown to cut into the deficit. The two-point conversion attempt was unsuccessful, leaving the score at 27-15.
The Indians later drove down the field again with an opportunity to make things interesting, but Christian Spencer came up with a big interception to give Northern Lebanon the ball back at its own 19-yard line.
Northern Lebanon’s defense continued to overwhelm Donegal in the fourth quarter. Landon Copenhaver added another interception, taking away another opportunity for the Indians to cut into the Vikings’ lead.
From there, Northern Lebanon spent much of the fourth quarter working the clock and protecting its advantage. The Vikings finished the job, responding to their first loss of the season with a 27-15 victory at home.
After the game, Head Coach Nate Monroe pointed to the way his team handled adversity, both during the game and coming off its first loss of the season.
“Another game where we faced adversity, and all we had to do was just play our game and bounce back. There are some things we’ve got to clean up offensively and still some things defensively we also have to clean up. But again, when we play our brand of football, anything is possible as long as we keep making plays.”
It was exactly the type of response Northern Lebanon was looking for after last week’s difficult trip to Wyomissing. Ryanagain provided big plays in multiple phases with two rushing touchdowns, a two-point conversion and a kickoff return for a score, while the Vikings defense repeatedly came through when Donegal threatened.
For Monroe, those responses are part of a mentality he wants his team to carry with it throughout the second half of the season.
“Play as a family and keep our heads on right, great things will happen. That’s just the mentality that will be preached. High energy, high effort, play as a family, and great things can happen. I could not be more proud of these kids. When adversity hits, we battle back and we step to the occasion.”
Dorrittie also felt the Vikings established themselves early and were able to maintain that mentality even when things became rocky at times.
“Overall, we set the tone early on, and we carried that momentum throughout the game. Even if it was rocky at times, we got through it. We’re ready for the rest of the season, and we’re ready for anybody.”
The victory moves Northern Lebanon to 4-1 at the halfway point of the regular season. After showing plenty of fight against one of Pennsylvania’s perennial powers a week ago, the Vikings followed it by bouncing back with a win, another encouraging sign as they move into the heart of their Section 4 schedule.
Northern Lebanon will remain at home next Friday night when the Vikings host Conrad Weiser.
Annville-Cleona 35, Columbia 28
Annville-Cleona hit the road Friday night looking to build on last week’s impressive victory over Lancaster Catholic. The Dutchmen entered the night at 2-2 and had an opportunity to make it two straight wins in Section 5 play against Columbia.
A-C established control early with its defense and field position. Columbia received the opening kickoff but went three-and-out, giving the Dutchmen their first possession at their own 44-yard line.
Yamaliel Navarro quickly helped move Annville-Cleona into the red zone with a run to the Columbia 18-yard line. The Dutchmen continued to work their way toward the goal line before quarterback John Ditzler finished the drive with a one-yard sneak. The extra point gave A-C a 7-0 lead with seven minutes remaining in the first quarter.
The Dutchmen immediately created another opportunity on special teams. Columbia muffed the ensuing kickoff, and Tyler Gingrich recovered it for Annville-Cleona. A-C took advantage of the short field, with Navarro finishing the possession on the ground for a touchdown that stretched the lead to 14-0 with 4:31 remaining in the opening quarter.
Columbia showed signs of life on its next possession, using a long run on third-and-short to reach the A-C 25-yard line. Max Ortwein helped halt the threat with Annville-Cleona’s first sack of the night, and the Dutchmen defense eventually forced a turnover when Columbia fumbled and A-C recovered at its own 28.
The Dutchmen were unable to capitalize on that takeaway, going three-and-out, but the defense continued to keep Columbia from finding any rhythm. After another Tide punt, Annville-Cleona took over backed up at its own six-yard line and mounted a lengthy drive.
That possession carried deep into Columbia territory. A-C reached the Columbia 45 with 7:05 remaining in the half and later moved into the red zone at the 19. The drive eventually stalled, however, and Columbia got the ball back late in the second quarter.
The Tide tried to create something before halftime, aided by a pass-interference penalty on the Dutchmen that moved the ball 15 yards. A-C’s defense held firm enough to preserve the shutout, sending Annville-Cleona into halftime with a 14-0 advantage.
The Dutchmen added to their lead midway through the third quarter. Navarro scored his second rushing touchdown of the night with 6:25 remaining, pushing the margin to 21-0.
Columbia responded immediately, returning the ensuing kickoff for a touchdown to break up the shutout and cut the lead to 21-7 with 5:51 left in the third.
Annville-Cleona needed only 37 seconds to answer. Devon Englehart broke loose for a 35-yard rushing touchdown, restoring the three-score advantage at 28-7 with 5:14 remaining in the quarter.
Columbia continued to push into A-C territory later in the third, reaching the Dutchmen 30-yard line, but Annville-Cleona carried its 28-7 advantage into the fourth quarter.
The complexion of the game changed almost immediately. Columbia recovered an Annville-Cleona fumble and returned it for a touchdown just 10 seconds into the fourth quarter, cutting the lead to 28-14.
Once again, the Dutchmen found an answer. Navarro scored his third rushing touchdown of the night with 7:31 remaining, completing the hat trick and extending Annville-Cleona’s advantage to 35-14.
What looked like a comfortable finish quickly became tense.
Only 19 seconds after Navarro’s touchdown, Columbia struck on a long touchdown pass to make it 35-20. Annville-Cleona blocked the extra point, preserving a 15-point advantage with 7:12 remaining.
The Tide were not finished. Columbia’s passing attack continued to give the Dutchmen problems, and another touchdown followed. This time, Columbia converted the two-point attempt, suddenly pulling within 35-28 with 4:25 remaining.
Annville-Cleona took over needing to burn some clock and picked up a first down at its own 40. Columbia eventually got the stop it needed, however, and regained possession with 2:46 remaining and a chance to drive for a potential tying score.
The Dutchmen defense delivered the game’s decisive play almost immediately. On Columbia’s first play of the possession, Maddox White intercepted the pass, giving Annville-Cleona the ball at the Columbia 30-yard line with 2:21 remaining.
From there, A-C was able to run out the clock and finish the night in victory formation, escaping Columbia with a 35-28 win.
Navarro led the scoring effort with three rushing touchdowns, while Ditzler added a one-yard quarterback sneak and Englehart broke off a 35-yard touchdown run. Annville-Cleona also received several major contributions from its defense and special teams, including Gingrich’s recovery of a muffed kickoff, Ortwein’s first-quarter sack and White’sgame-sealing interception.
The Dutchmen controlled most of the night and led 28-7 entering the fourth quarter, but Columbia’s late surge turned the finish into a one-possession game. When the lead was threatened, A-C’s defense ultimately came up with the play it needed most to secure the victory.
Annville-Cleona improves to 3-2 overall and has now won back-to-back games after its 1-2 start. The Dutchmen will face a tough test in Week 6 when they return home to host Berks Catholic.
Wyomissing 50, ELCO 13
ELCO returned home to Myerstown Friday night looking to build off last week’s 21-12 victory over Conrad Weiser. The Raiders entered the night at 2-2, but waiting for them was perennial power Wyomissing, which arrived looking to build momentum of its own after picking up its first victory of the season against Northern Lebanon.
The Spartans wasted little time showing just how explosive they could be. Wyomissing broke a 69-yard touchdown run just 52 seconds into the game to grab an early lead.
ELCO attempted to answer, but a fourth-down attempt came up short with 6:28 remaining in the opening quarter. Less than a minute later, Wyomissing struck again, breaking loose for a 53-yard touchdown run to add to its advantage.
The Spartans found the end zone once more with 51 seconds remaining in the quarter, putting ELCO in an early 21-0 hole.
The Raiders received a spark immediately afterward when Gavin Yeiser returned the ensuing kickoff 37 yards, but ELCO was unable to turn the field position into points.
Wyomissing continued to control the game in the second quarter, adding another touchdown with 5:40 remaining before breaking a 60-yard touchdown run with 2:57 left in the half.
ELCO continued to battle despite the deficit. Quarterback Brinley Donmoyer connected with Yeiser for a 24-yard completion with 2:18 remaining, helping the Raiders put together their best offensive stretch of the first half.
Yeiser eventually finished the drive with a touchdown with 48 seconds remaining, getting ELCO on the scoreboard.
Wyomissing, however, managed to add a field goal before the break, sending the Raiders into halftime facing a 37-7 deficit.
The Spartans continued applying pressure after halftime, recording a sack early in the third quarter before breaking a 40-yard touchdown run with 9:40 remaining to extend their lead to 44-7.
ELCO found another answer later in the quarter. Donmoyer connected with Darryl Legrande for a 25-yard touchdown pass with 4:06 remaining. The Raiders attempted a fake on the ensuing two-point conversion, but the attempt was unsuccessful, leaving the score at 44-13.
The Raiders’ defense came up with a takeaway in the fourth quarter, recording an interception with 9:31 remaining to stop a Wyomissing possession.
Wyomissing added one final touchdown with 2:04 remaining, bringing the final score to 50-13.
It was a difficult night for ELCO against a Wyomissing team that repeatedly created explosive plays, particularly on the ground. The Spartans scored on runs of 69, 53, 60 and 40 yards as the Raiders struggled to contain Wyomissing’s rushing attack.
Still, ELCO continued to compete despite falling into an early hole. Yeiser provided a spark in multiple phases, including his 37-yard kickoff return and touchdown, while Donmoyer helped create opportunities through the air. His 25-yard touchdown connection with Legrande gave the Raiders their second score of the night.
ELCO falls to 2-3 on the season with the 50-13 loss and will look to regroup as the Raiders continue through their Section 4 schedule.
Manheim Township 38, Cedar Crest 12
Cedar Crest traveled to Manheim Township Friday night looking to keep its perfect start to the 2026 season alive. The Falcons entered the Section 1 matchup at 4-0, while the Blue Streaks had some history of their own within reach, looking to secure the 500th victory in program history.
The Falcons received the opening kickoff, but it was Manheim Township that struck first.
After Seth Hensinger blocked a Cedar Crest punt, the Falcons defense prevented the Blue Streaks from reaching the end zone. Rowan Crispeno still converted the opportunity, knocking home a 40-yard field goal to give Township a 3-0 lead with 7:01 remaining in the first quarter.
Two drives, two Township scores.
The Blue Streaks marched 50 yards in just under three minutes, punctuating the drive with a two-yard touchdown run from PJ Myers. Manheim Township extended its lead to 10-0 with 2:23 remaining in the opening quarter.
Manheim Township was more than comfortable playing the game in a phone booth early on, holding Cedar Crest to just one first down in the opening quarter.
Three drives, three Township scores.
With 11:18 remaining in the half, Dayne Byler connected with Aiden Zulick on a five-yard touchdown lob to make it 17-0. The big play on the drive came when Byler found London Banks for a 33-yard gain.
Cedar Crest finally began to put together a promising drive after a strong kick return from Kai Speaks and good yardage from Steven Reyes. The Falcons moved themselves into position for their first points of the night, but the drive ended with a missed field goal.
Four drives, four Township scores.
With 4:01 remaining in the half, Byler found Banks again, this time on a 22-yard touchdown lob. Following Crispeno’sextra point, the Blue Streaks had stretched the advantage to 24-0.
Five Township drives, five Township scores.
With 53 seconds remaining before halftime, Byler weaved his way through the Cedar Crest defense for a 19-yard touchdown run, putting Township ahead 31-0.
The Falcons did have a touchdown wiped out by a penalty during the first half, but there was no denying the Blue Streaks’ dominance through the opening 24 minutes.
Whatever happened inside the Cedar Crest locker room at halftime produced a response, as the Falcons came out looking like a completely different team.
With 6:02 remaining in the third quarter, Reyes connected with Speaks for a 24-yard touchdown, finally putting Cedar Crest on the scoreboard and cutting the deficit to 31-6.
Speaks had been putting on a show throughout the night, making several impressive catches with defenders all over him, including the touchdown grab that gave the Falcons some life.
Cedar Crest’s defense then came up with a huge stop, and the offense wasted no time taking advantage.
On the first play of the ensuing drive, Isaiah Zimmerman bounced to the left and found nothing but open field. The senior raced 66 yards for a touchdown, and although the two-point conversion attempt was unsuccessful, Cedar Crest had suddenly cut the deficit to 31-12 with 2:08 remaining in the third quarter.
For as dominant as Manheim Township had been during the first half, Cedar Crest had taken control of the third quarter and was beginning to create some momentum.
But the Blue Streaks had an answer.
Facing third-and-five with 1:11 remaining in the quarter, Byler found Chase Fletcher across the middle. Fletcher broke a tackle and took off for a 75-yard touchdown reception, putting Township back in control at 38-12.
The 75-yard strike put the wind back in the Blue Streaks’ sails just as Cedar Crest had begun making its push. Neither team would score again, leaving Manheim Township with the 38-12 victory and the 500th win in program history.
For Cedar Crest, the loss marks its first of the season after an impressive 4-0 start. The Falcons faced a 31-point halftime deficit against one of Section 1’s perennial powers but responded by scoring the first 12 points of the second half and putting together their best stretch of football in the third quarter.
Speaks continued to show his big-play ability in the passing game, while Zimmerman’s 66-yard touchdown run provided another example of how quickly the Falcons can strike. Just as importantly, Cedar Crest did not simply go away after a difficult first half. The Falcons responded and made things interesting before Township’s 75-yard touchdown restored control.
Cedar Crest falls to 4-1 and now faces another major Section 1 challenge. The Falcons will travel to Wilson next week looking to respond to their first setback and regain the momentum that helped produce their strong start to the season.
Muhlenberg 64, Lebanon 8
Lebanon traveled to Muhlenberg on Friday night looking to turn the page following last week’s difficult homecoming loss to Elizabethtown. The Cedars entered the matchup at 0-4 and still searching for their first victory of the season, while the Muhls came in at 1-3 after earning their lone win against rival Reading.
There was also history surrounding the matchup. Lebanon entered the night having lost 56 consecutive games, meaning another loss would give the Cedars the longest losing streak in Pennsylvania high school football history.
Early on, Lebanon showed plenty of fight and kept Muhlenberg off the scoreboard for much of the opening quarter. The Muhls finally broke through with 7:24 remaining in the first, then struck again less than two minutes later to take a 14-0 advantage.
The Cedars kept the deficit there through the remainder of the opening quarter, but the game began to get away from them in the second. Offensive miscues gave Muhlenberg additional opportunities, and the Muhls capitalized by finding the end zone three more times.
Lebanon could have crumbled as the deficit grew, but the Cedars continued to compete and came up with a turnover on downs to temporarily stop the Muhlenberg momentum.
Unfortunately for Lebanon, the next possession ended with a pass being intercepted and returned for a touchdown. The pick-six extended Muhlenberg’s advantage to 42-0 with 4:49 remaining before halftime.
The Cedars caught a break a short time later when a Muhlenberg punt return was erased by offsetting penalties. However, a bad snap on the ensuing play resulted in a safety, pushing the score to 44-0 with 2:09 remaining in the half.
Muhlenberg added another touchdown just two plays later on a long run to make it 51-0. On Lebanon’s next play from scrimmage, the Muhls intercepted another pass and returned it for a touchdown, extending the advantage to 58-0 with 1:23 remaining.
Lebanon ran out the remainder of the clock and headed into halftime facing a 58-point deficit.
Despite the score, the Cedars came out of the locker room and found some positives early in the second half. Lebanon broke off a couple of big runs to move into scoring position and finally began threatening the Muhlenberg goal line.
A quick pass to Chris Robles moved the Cedars to the two-yard line. Robles later took over at quarterback in a Wildcat role and powered his way into the end zone, giving Lebanon its first points of the night.
Quarterback Henne Cortes followed by keeping the ball for a successful two-point conversion, cutting the score to 58-8.
Muhlenberg added another touchdown before the end of the third quarter to make it 64-8. Neither team scored in the fourth, leaving that as the final.
For Lebanon, it was another difficult result in a season that has already presented its share of adversity. But even facing a large halftime deficit, the Cedars came back out in the second half, created some explosive plays and put together a scoring drive rather than simply allowing the game to play out.
The loss drops Lebanon to 0-5 and extends its losing streak to 57 games, giving the Cedars the longest such streak in Pennsylvania high school football history. It is a distinction no program wants, but one that Lebanon will hope eventually becomes nothing more than a historical footnote when the program is able to turn things around.
For now, the Cedars will continue searching for that breakthrough while working through the second half of their 2026 schedule.
LebCo High School Football: Week 4 Results
2026 LebCo Football Team-by-Team Season Outlooks
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