Annville-Cleona Dutchmen Football – 2025 Season Outlook

Last season, the Dutchmen went 4-6 while competing in the new-look Section 5. Injuries hampered their cause throughout the year, but the team continued to battle. Unfortunately, several close contests tilted the way of the opposition, including one-score losses to Biglerville and Littlestown.

The program graduated a great deal of talent, most notably Jon Shay, the team’s leader who is now at Shippensburg. Shay was a 1,000-yard rusher and a force on defense, accounting for 15 total touchdowns while also recording 90 tackles, 13 of them for loss. He was named Lebanon County Co-MVP by LebCoSports.com following the season.

The Dutchmen also said farewell to Bryce Keller, now at LVC. Keller had a tremendous year running the offense at quarterback, while also rushing for 637 yards and 15 touchdowns. Several other key contributors also graduated, leaving Annville-Cleona looking youthful entering 2025.

Despite the roster turnover, Coach Matt Gingrich remains optimistic. “I think the defense has a chance to be much better than it’s been, so I really think those are our strengths. I think we’re really young at quarterback. I think we’re really young in the backfield. That’s not saying that we’re not talented, but it’s just really young,” he said. Gingrich added, “If we stay healthy, we could be very good on both sides of the ball.”

On offense, the Dutchmen return two ball carriers who showed flashes last season: Devon Englehart and Yama Navarro. At quarterback, junior Lane Peters is expected to take the majority of snaps, bringing some valuable experience from time under center last year. His top target will be senior Jon Moran, an explosive playmaker capable of breaking a game wide open.

Defensively, the Dutchmen will again be youthful, but experience gained last year should pay off. Linebackers Hudson Sellers and Luke Wentling (DL), along with Jaxon Speece anchoring the defensive line will look lead the unit across the first two levels, giving an inexperienced secondary the opportunity to grow into their roles.

When asked about goals for the season, Wentling emphasized the importance of discipline and unity: “I think one of the biggest things for me, and a goal for our team, is just working together more—playing as one team, not individuals—and also working on our knowledge of the game and our aggression.”

Much of Annville-Cleona’s success will hinge on limiting costly mistakes and continuing to grow through game reps. The players have invested heavily in offseason training, both in the weight room and in sharpening their football IQ. Gingrich explained, “It doesn’t mean we’re going to win or lose, but I feel really good with our knowledge. We’ve done everything that we need to do already. Now it’s about staying healthy and being at peak performance going into the season.”

As Gingrich often says, one of the main goals for his players is to put them in the position where they can “shut their brains off and just go play football.”

If they can do that, expect these youthful Dutchmen to make some noise in the always-tough Section 5. They’ll put their preparation to the test on Friday night when they open at home in a non-league matchup against Biglerville—a chance to avenge last year’s stinging three-point loss.