This post will serve as a rolling update of Week 3 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/Delone Catholic recap was written by Gavin Sweeney, a local high school student and aspiring sports journalist.
The Annville-Cleona/Littlestown recap was written using information provided by Annville-Cleona student Jackson Hanley.
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
ELCO 28, Lancaster Catholic 14
The ELCO Raiders entered Week 2 sitting at 0-2, a record that mirrored their 2024 start. A year ago, they turned things around with a gutsy performance, and on Friday night they once again proved they were capable of changing the narrative. Hosting Lancaster Catholic in their first home game since the passing of longtime coach and mentor, Coach Carley, the Raiders delivered a spirited performance that resulted in a 28-14 victory.
From the outset, ELCO’s defense made its presence felt against a Crusaders squad that had scored 90 points in its first two games. The Raiders not only slowed down Catholic’s attack—they completely shut it out for the entire first half. That effort set the tone for the night.
On the offensive side, the Raiders capitalized early. Ellis Gensamer found the end zone in the first quarter to give ELCO a 6-0 lead. In the second, quarterback Gavin Yeiser extended the margin with a rushing touchdown, followed by a successful two-point conversion reception by Kaden Tillison to make it 14-0.
The Raider defense stood tall through three quarters, holding Catholic scoreless. But the Crusaders eventually broke through in the fourth, cutting the lead to 14-7 with just over nine minutes to play.
The response from Coach Miller’s group was exactly what the home crowd was waiting for. Quarterback Brinley Donmoyer used his legs to score and re-establish a two-touchdown cushion with six minutes remaining. Catholic answered quickly to make it 21-14, setting up a tense finish.
But ELCO wasn’t about to let this one slip away. Donmoyer again powered into the end zone with 30 seconds left to seal the win, giving the Raiders their first victory of the season.
The formula was clear: a dominant defensive effort paired with four rushing touchdowns. The result was more than just a victory—it was a statement, and a tribute to Coach Carley’s lasting influence on the program.
With the win, ELCO improves to 1-2. The road ahead is challenging, with matchups against Twin Valley and Wyomissing on deck. Still, the Raiders now carry the kind of momentum that can define a season, knowing they can battle with anyone.
Coach Miller’s Postgame Thoughts
After the game, Coach Miller gave us insight as to how his team prepared for the game against Catholic and how it translated on Friday night:
“Yesterday we read a chapter from a book about facing adversity and never trying to go it alone. Adversity can be a blessing — it reveals who truly has your back and builds bonds. It teaches you to dig deeper. We faced that in the second half, and these players rallied and responded. It made us stronger. We’re proud of their effort from start to finish.”
ELCO Stats
Passing: Brinley Donmoyer – 3/5, 2 INT
Rushing: Brinley Donmoyer – 21 carries, 111 yards, 2 TD (long 32), Gavin Yeiser – 6 carries, 73 yards, 1 TD (long 24), Ellis Gensamer – 7 carries, 52 yards, 1 TD (long 28)
Receiving: Gavin Yeiser – 2 receptions, 99 yards (long 70), Kaden Tillison – 1 reception, 2-point conversion
Defensive Leaders: Nathaniel Zimmerman – 3 assists, 1 TFL, 2 INT; Griffin Kreider – 8 solo, 5 assists, 2 PD; Alejandro Weister – 7 solo, 1 assist, 1 TFL; Dalton Pyszka – 4 solo, 4 assists, 1 sack, TFL; Jonathan Zimmerman – 3 solo, 4 assists; Avery Shenk – 2 solo, 5 assists, 3 TFL; Riley McDonald – 2 solo, 5 assists, 2 TFL; Cody Landis – 2 solo, 5 assists; Chandler Gass – 2 solo, 4 assists; Ethan Bretzius – 7 assists, 1 sack, 2 TFL; Conner Showalter – 4 assists; Paul Williams – 3 solo, 1 sack, 2 TFL; Blake LeGrande – 1 solo, 1 assist, TFL; James Kuhne – 1 solo, 2 assists; Hunter Mehaffey – 1 solo, 1 assist; Cameron Tillison – 1 assist, TFL; Gavin Yeiser – 3 tackles; Connor Savitsky – 1 solo; Dale Kohr – 1 assist
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Delone Catholic 21, Northern Lebanon 13
The Northern Lebanon Vikings traveled to Hanover on Friday night to take on the Delone Catholic Squires under the lights. Coming off a tough loss to Oxford the previous week, the Vikings were looking to regroup as a team and bring a win back to Fredericksburg. The first quarter turned into a defensive battle, with both teams shutting down passing and running plays. However, the Squires managed to string together a drive and capped it with a field goal to take a 3-0 lead into the second quarter.
Delone Catholic carried that momentum into the next frame, punching in a 3-yard touchdown run by WR Chris Costelloto extend the lead to 9-0. Northern Lebanon’s offense continued to struggle without star player Brady Ryan, who was sidelined with an injury sustained in the clash with Oxford.
The Vikings’ defense, however, provided a spark. DT Landon Graby came up with a tackle for loss and DB Ryan Clemmer hauled in an interception, shifting momentum. That energy soon carried over to the offense, as QB Bryan Mitzel scrambled outside the pocket and found TE Bryce Yocum for a touchdown. The extra point was blocked, but the Vikings had cut the deficit to 9-6 heading into halftime.
Coming out of the break, the Vikings had the ball but fumbled under pressure from the Squires’ defensive line. Delone capitalized quickly, extending their lead to 15-6 on a 3-yard rushing touchdown by RB Colin Redding.
The fourth quarter brought plenty of fireworks. Refusing to go quietly, Mitzel connected with Yocum once again, this time on an 80-yard strike for Yocum’s second touchdown of the night. That big play energized the Vikings and made it 21-13, keeping hope alive.
Northern Lebanon’s defense once again stood tall, forcing a punt to give the offense one last chance. But the comeback attempt came up short, as the Vikings turned the ball over on downs and fell by a final of 21-13.
With the loss, Northern Lebanon drops to 1-2 on the season. They’ll look to bounce back and apply lessons from this loss when they return home to face perennial powerhouse Wyomissing next Friday evening.
Coach Rice’s Postgame Thoughts
“It was a tough one. Really, not a lot of things went in our favor tonight. We couldn’t establish much momentum on the offensive side of the ball. Defensively, we struggled wrapping up, and they were breaking a lot of our tackles. They were fundamentally sound tackling us when we had the ball.
We also had guys playing out of position. We were down to our fourth different guy at running back, which forced us to shift another player to slot receiver to fill that role. We’re also down to our fourth or fifth linebacker. I’m not making excuses — that’s not my intent — but we’re banged up right now. Guys are fighting and pushing through some lingering injuries. We’ve got a few ankles that just aren’t healing, and it’s tough when we don’t have our full roster out there to compete.
With that said, I’m proud of the guys who stepped up and kept competing. When you look at the 20-13 final, a play here or a play there could’ve swung the game our way. It just seemed like every chance we had to get back into it, something came up to push us back. That’s tough, especially making that long trip and coming home with this outcome.
Credit to Delone — they fought hard, they played tough, and they were fundamentally sound. That’s an area where we need to pick it up: tackling better, blocking better, running routes better. But we’ll get back to work next week as we head into league play. Hopefully, we can get some guys rested up this weekend and see what we can get going for the rest of the season.”
Conrad Weiser 28, Lebanon 6
The Lebanon Cedars traveled to Robesonia on Friday night looking to cut down on the mistakes that had plagued them in their first two losses of the season. Facing a 2-0 Conrad Weiser team fresh off a win over rival ELCO, the Cedars focused not only on competing but also on building momentum and showing progress. For a program still finding its footing, benchmarks such as limiting turnovers and finally putting points on the scoreboard were key measures of success.
From the opening kickoff, Lebanon showed the fight that has defined their season. With the Scouts threatening to take an early lead, Malachi Briddell made a huge defensive play, intercepting a pass in the end zone to keep the game scoreless. The Cedars capitalized on the momentum, marching down the field and finishing the drive with a 3-yard touchdown run from quarterback Elijah Read to claim a 6-0 lead early in the second quarter — the team’s first points of 2025.
Conrad Weiser, however, responded before halftime with two touchdowns, including one in the final seconds of the half, to take a 14-6 lead into the break. The Scouts added a rushing touchdown in the third quarter and another midway through the fourth to eventually pull away for the win.
Despite the 28-6 final, Lebanon (0-3) left Robesonia with encouraging signs. By scoring first, limiting turnovers, and battling until the end against a heavily favored opponent, the Cedars showed clear steps forward. The foundation is being built for future success, and Friday’s performance proved that progress is already underway.
Littlestown 21, Annville-Cleona 13
Despite a young roster, the Annville-Cleona Dutchmen started the season strong with gritty wins over Biglerville and Hanover, entering Friday night’s matchup against Littlestown with a 2-0 record. The Dutchmen hoped to make it 3-0 when hosting the Thunderbolts, who were hungry for their first win of the season. Last year’s meeting ended in a close 27-21 loss for Annville-Cleona, and Friday’s contest promised to be another tight battle. A win would mark the Dutchmen’s first 3-0 start since 2015.
Littlestown struck first, driving down the field and keeping their drive alive with a 4th-and-1 that required the chain gang to measure. The Thunderbolts eventually scored on a 6-yard touchdown pass to take the early lead.
Annville-Cleona answered immediately. After a kickoff return to the 25-yard line, Jon Moran took the first play from scrimmage 75 yards for a touchdown. Cian Soliday added the PAT to tie the game at 7-7.
The Thunderbolts regained control before halftime, with a rushing touchdown following another 4th-down conversion, and tacked on a late TD to take a 21-7 lead into the locker room. While the Dutchmen’s defense, led by a key sack from Hudson Sellers, slowed Littlestown’s uptempo offense, the Thunderbolts were able to stay ahead on the scoreboard. The Annville-Cleona defense also forced four fumblers in the half, but did not come up with any of them.
Annville-Cleona fought back in the second half. Midway through the third quarter, Lane Peters scored on a quarterback sneak, and a blocked extra point kept the score at 21-13. The Dutchmen had a chance to close the gap further, but a 34-yard field goal attempt by Cian Soliday was blocked near the end of the third quarter. That would be as close as Annville-Cleona would get, as Littlestown held strong to secure the win.
The Dutchmen fall to 2-1 on the season but can take positives from the effort. They will regroup and look ahead to next week’s game at Hamburg.
Coach Gingrich’s Postgame Thoughts
Following the game, Coach Gingrich shared his insights on where his team will need to improve in order to prevent outcomes like the one Friday night:
“We’ve had a great year every day at practice. We’ve been getting better, and it’s been one of the most enjoyable years of my career. But last night, we just weren’t there. I don’t know what it was, but we couldn’t get the guys to be present in the moment. If we made a bad play, we kept thinking about it. If we did something good, we worried about that too, and it showed.
We really struggled to move the ball in the first half and couldn’t find any rhythm. By the time we did, it was too late. I always tell the players that you can’t win a game in the first half, but you can lose it — and we gave up all 21 points in the first half. Our youth showed last night, and unfortunately we’re just too young right now to overcome that kind of start. Hopefully, we can learn from it and grow.”
Annville-Cleona Stats
Passing: Lane Peters – 2/8, 20 yds; Bode Garney – 0/1, 0 yds
Rushing: Jonathan Moran – 14 carries, 135 yds, 1 TD; Lane Peters – 8 carries, 32 yds, 1 TD; Devon Englehart – 8 carries, 41 yds; Yamaliel Navarro – 5 carries, 24 yds
Receiving: Jonathan Moran – 1 reception, 13 yds; Max Ortwein – 1 reception, 7 yds
Defensive Leaders: Hudson Sellers – 11 tackles (8 solo, 3 assists), 3 TFL, 1 sack; Armani Santos – 9 tackles (6 solo, 3 assists), 2 TFL, 1 sack; Logan Radocha – 8 tackles (6 solo, 2 assists), 1 INT; Danny Shay – 7 tackles (3 solo, 4 assists), 1 INT; Dominick Smith – 6 tackles (2 solo, 4 assists); Jaxon Speece – 6 tackles (4 solo, 2 assists); Devon Englehart – 7 tackles (5 solo, 2 assists), 1 TFL, 1 INT; Levi Kreider – 5 tackles (2 solo, 3 assists), 2 TFL; Jonathan Moran – 4 tackles (2 solo, 2 assists), 2 INT; Luke Wentling – 7 tackles (3 solo, 4 assists); Jordan Nickens – 2 tackles (2 assists), 1 TFL; Max Ortwein – 2 tackles (2 solo); Dan Bright-Walck – 2 tackles (2 solo); Jaylynn Moyer – 2 tackles (1 solo, 1 assist); Daniel Shuey – 1 tackle (1 solo); Isaac Morse – 1 tackle (1 assist); Kaidavin Ginting – 3 tackles (3 assists)
Scoring: Lane Peters – 1 rushing TD (6 pts); Jonathan Moran – 1 rushing TD (6 pts); Cian Soliday – 1 PAT (1 pt);
Special teams: Cian Soliday – 1/2 PAT, 0/1 FG (blocked 34 yd attempt), 3 KO, 2 TB; Yamaliel Navarro – 2 KR, 34 yds, 17.0 avg
Touchdowns: Lane Peters – 1 rushing TD; Jonathan Moran – 1 rushing TD
Warwick 34, Cedar Crest 12
After Week 1’s comeback win over Lower Dauphin, the Cedar Crest Falcons were hoping to carry that momentum into Week 3’s home opener against Warwick. Coming off a tough loss to Spring Grove, the Falcons aimed to correct mistakes from the first two games and showcase growth ahead of the Section 1 schedule. However, they faced a 2-0 Warriors team fresh off a win against Lampeter-Strasburg, making for a formidable challenge.
Warwick struck first, taking a 7-0 lead halfway through the opening quarter on a rushing touchdown. The Warriors added another score early in the second quarter to push the lead to 13-0.
Cedar Crest responded with a 13-yard touchdown run by Isaiah Zimmerman, cutting the deficit to 13-6.
The Warriors answered with two more rushing touchdowns before halftime, taking a 27-6 lead. They added another score midway through the third quarter, extending their advantage to 34-6.
On the very next play, Zimmerman ripped off a 55-yard touchdown run to bring the Falcons within 34-12, but that would be the final scoring for the home team.
Cedar Crest (1-2) showed flashes of life but could not overcome the Warriors’ balanced attack. The Falcons will look to regroup and get back on track next Friday when they host Penn Manor.
Hershey 48, Palmyra 0
After opening the season with a win over Lebanon, the Palmyra Cougars faced a tough Week 2 matchup against one of Keystone’s top teams, Mechanicsburg. While the 35-7 loss was lopsided, it provided valuable lessons for the young squad to build on.
In Week 3, Palmyra looked to apply those lessons in a heated rivalry clash against Hershey, who entered the game 1-1 following a win over Milton Hershey and a close loss to Shippensburg. As expected, the game promised intensity and physical play, and it delivered from the first snap.
Hershey struck first in the opening quarter, taking a 7-0 lead. The Trojans extended their advantage midway through the second quarter when an 80-yard pick-six shifted momentum firmly in their favor, making it 14-0. With less than a minute left before halftime, Hershey scored again on a short rushing touchdown to take a 21-0 lead into the break.
The Trojans continued to dominate in the second half, keeping Palmyra off the scoreboard and adding more points to seal the victory.
Palmyra (1-2) will now look to regroup and refocus as they travel to LVC’s Arnold Field next Friday, hoping to regain traction as there are seven more weeks left to change the narrative.
Week Two Coverage
Starry’s Pick-Six Ignites Rally, But Cedar Crest’s Comeback Attempt Stalled by Rockets
Clutch Defense, Timely Kicking Power Annville-Cleona Past Hanover
Northern Lebanon Goes Toe-to-Toe with Oxford in Fierce Home Opener
ELCO Shows Heart and Relentless Effort in Tribute to Coach Carley
Week 2 Results
2025 LebCo Football Team-by-Team Season Outlooks
ProSeal
Penn Realty
