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Yama Navarro
Annville-Cleona has established itself as one of the area’s most dangerous rushing teams this fall, and senior Yamaliel “Yama” Navarro has been right in the middle of the Dutchmen’s success.
Navarro delivered one of his biggest performances during A-C’s 35-20 victory over Lancaster Catholic, carrying 24 times for 253 yards and a touchdown. His biggest run came at a critical moment in the fourth quarter. With the Dutchmen backed up at their own 5-yard line, Navarro broke loose for a 95-yard touchdown that stretched A-C’s advantage to 35-13 and helped secure an important Section 5 victory.
The performance earned Navarro LebCo Athlete of the Week honors.
As impressive as that night against the Crusaders was, Yama followed it with an even bigger rushing total.
A week later against Columbia, Navarro carried 38 times for 265 yards and scored 3 touchdowns as the Dutchmen earned a 35-28 road victory. He scored in the first, third, and fourth quarters, with his final touchdown giving A-C a 35-14 advantage before the Crimson Tide made a late push.
The back-to-back performances have pushed Navarro to 799 yards on 121 carries with 8 touchdowns this season. He has surpassed 100 rushing yards in 4 games, providing the leading edge of an Annville-Cleona ground attack that is averaging approximately 325 yards per game.
Navarro is hardly doing it alone.
Devon “Devo” Englehart provides the other half of a formidable 1-2 punch and has rushed for 560 yards of his own. Against Columbia, Englehart added 103 yards and a touchdown on just 12 carries as A-C accumulated 402 yards on the ground.
Together, Navarro and Englehart have already combined for 1,359 rushing yards, helping the Dutchmen win back-to-back Section 5 games and improve to 3-2 as they move into the heart of league play.
For Navarro, those accomplishments come with an unusual element to his high school experience. He is a student at New Covenant Christian School but competes for Annville-Cleona through the athletic co-op between the two schools.
A-C head coach Matt Gingrich has watched Navarro fully embrace being part of the Dutchmen program despite attending school elsewhere.
“Yama has been an amazing player for us,” Gingrich said. “He has fully committed to our program, overcame a serious injury as a 9th grader, and managed playing sports here while going to another school.”
That injury was a torn LCL suffered during Navarro’s freshman year. The recovery took time and initially made it difficult for him to earn playing time, but Navarro eventually worked his way back.
“Yama works hard in the weight room, on the field, and on the track for us in the spring!” Gingrich added.
That work has Navarro aiming high during his senior season. He wants to reach 1,500 rushing yards and score at least 18 touchdowns, but his biggest goal extends beyond his individual numbers. Navarro wants to help the Dutchmen make a run to States.
He sees his role simply as doing whatever he can to help A-C win games and extend its season.
Navarro also credits New Covenant classmates Alex Shaffer and Talan Vanderploog for supporting him and helping him improve through strength and conditioning work.
Football is not Navarro’s only sport. He also competes in basketball and Track & Field, with the latter giving him another opportunity to work under Gingrich and continue developing his athleticism.
His competitive nature is a major part of what attracts him to sports.
Navarro said he enjoys “being able to compete against other players and try my best.”
That mentality also comes through when he describes himself.
“I’ll outwork anyone,” Navarro said.
Away from training and competition, things get considerably more relaxed. Navarro enjoys playing Fortnite, although his answer when asked for a fun fact about himself still brought things back to the sport that occupies much of his time: “I love playing football.”
He hopes he will have the opportunity to keep playing after graduating from New Covenant. Navarro wants to pursue college football while potentially studying physical therapy, although he is still deciding on his exact academic path.
For now, his focus remains on his senior season and helping Annville-Cleona continue what has become one of the area’s most productive rushing attacks.
With 799 yards already behind him and the Dutchmen riding consecutive Section 5 victories, Yama has put himself in position to chase the ambitious goals he set before the season while helping A-C pursue something even more important: a postseason run.
Congratulations to Yama on earning LebCo Athlete of the Week honors, and best of luck to him and the Dutchmen as they continue into the heart of their season.
Photos by Allison Page
LebCo Female Athlete of the Week: Kaley Ruhl
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