2023 Lancaster-Lebanon League Section 1 Preview
Tagged under: Conference Previews, District 3, News
Brian Ptashinski | August 15, 2023
Here is your preview on Section 1 of the Lancaster-Lebanon League for the upcoming football season.
CEDAR CREST FALCONS 6A PIAA CLASSIFICATION COACH Rob Wildasin (46-43 8th season)
2022 Season in Review: (5-5 overall, 2-4 Section 1)
Key Games: 9-22 Wilson, 10-6 at Manheim Twp, 10-20 at Hempfield, 10-26 Lebanon
Players to Watch: OL-DL Christian Weaber: OL Nick Lambros: QB Jackson Custer: DL Tristan Long: OL-DL Cam Simone: RB-DB Alex Abreu: RB-DE Fernando Marquez: TE-DE Aiden Schomp
What to Expect: Plenty of experience up front with Simone, Long, Lambros and Weaber. Jackson Custer will be calling the signals once again for the Falcons. Marquez and Abreu will certainly get their share of touches as well.
Overall: A playoff appearance is not out of the question for the Falcons. A tough stretch of games where they will be on the road 3 of their last 5 games of the season.
HEMPFIELD BLACK KNIGHTS 6A PIAA CLASSIFICATION COACH George Eager (20-12, 4th season)
2022 Season in Review (9-3 overall, 6-0 Section 1) Coach Eager named Coach of the Year in Section 1. Lost 42-7 to Manheim Twp in D3-6A Semifinal
Key Games: Opening 3 games with Dallastown, at York and at Central York and then opening up league play at McCaskey then Manheim Twp, Penn Manor and Wilson in consecutive weeks and then at Exeter on Oct 13.
Players to Watch: QB Jackson Landis: WR-KR Micah Gates: OL-DL- Deyvid Palepale(Lineman of the Year) C Quentin Sneed WR-DB Elias Sherrick
What to Expect: Led by USC Commit Palepale along with Shaffer and Sneed to be the cogs up front. Sherrick, Gates and Landis will keep the pressure on any teams defense. Hempfield will have to replace several starters from last year.
Overall: Black Knights have the potential to repeat as sectional champions but there are a few teams lying in wait, if they slip up along the way.
MANHEIM TOWNSHIP BLUE STREAKS 6A PIAA CLASSIFICATION COACH Mark Evans (88-40, 13th season)
2022 Season in Review: (9-4 overall, 4-2 section 1) Lost to Harrisburg 44-6 in 6A-D3 championship
Key Games: Tough opening half of the season as they face perennial powers Cumberland Valley, then on 9/8 Harrisburg comes calling at Hempfield 9/22, week 10 at Wikson.
Players to Watch: QB-Hayden Johnson: RB-LB Declan Clancy: RB-DB-KR Nick Good: WR-DB Landon Kennel(section 1 Co-Receiver of the Year)
What to Expect: Plenty of returners coming back to make another run in the playoffs. QB Hayden Johnson, who is nearing the 5,000 yard mark passing and has plenty of weapons to work with Landon Kennel, Nick Palumbo Don Rodriguez to name a few.
Overall: No question that the Blue Streaks are loaded with talent at skill positions. The question mark is up front on the line and how quickly they come together. Secction title could be decided on that last game with Wilson.
MCCASKEY RED TORNADO 6A PIAA CLASSIFICATION COACH Ben Thompson (3-17 3rd season)
2022 Season in Review: (1-9 overall, 0-6 section 1)
Key Games: John Bartram opening game then 3 game stretch of competing with playoff teams from 2022: Elizabethtown, Cedar Cliff and Hempfield.
Players to watch: QB Jalen Cintron: WR-KR DeAndre Jones: RB-LB Steven Lavender: WR-DB Quimeak Talton: OL Alexis Beriguete: OL Adrias Collazo
What to Expect: McCaskey has not made playoffs in ten years. Red Tornado does have key players back especially up front and they have quality skill players as well. Cintron is looking like to be starting QB and has weapons in Lavender, Jones and Talton.
Overall: Red Tornado look to improve from 1 win season a year ago and maybe a mid pack finish and a possible playoff berth can be attained.
PENN MANOR COMETS 6A PIAA CLASSIFICATION COACH John Brubaker (21-57 9th season)
2022 Season in Review (5-5 overall, 3-3 section 1)
Key Games: Tough stretch of five games away from home is six weeks, that includes three consecutive weeks on the road at Solanco, Cedar Crest and Reading then a backyard match-up at home versus Hempfield. then at Wilson and home with Manheim Twp in mid October.
Players to Watch: RB-LB Kyle Schmidtke: DB Kyle Furnier: TE-DE Dhamir Wesley: RB-LB Mikey Hollister: OL-DL-Sekai Lewis: RB-LB Willard Smith: OL Kyle Sullenberger: OL Carter Rachor
What to Expect: Penn Manor does not lack experience or size in the trenches with Rachor, Sullenberger and Rachor returning. On the defensive side of the ball Dhamir Wesley is a dynamic edge rusher. The question will be at QB as J.J Boas and Colin Robinson vying for that position.
Overall: The Comets have been right on the edge of making the playoffs that past couple of seasons with back-to-back 5-5 seasons. The question is if they get get over the hump this year?
READING RED KNIGHTS 6A PIAA CLASSIFICATION COACH Troy Godinet (3-7, 2nd season)
2022 Season in Review (3-7 iverall, 1-5 section 1)
Key Games: Muhlenberg in week 2. at Wilson on 9/15, Central York 10/19
Players to Watch: OL Keyshawn Efese: WR Kahlil Samuel: WR Jahsir Wilson: RB Alexis Alverado: DB Xavier Beatty: RB-LB Gabriel Laws DB Cameron Small: OL Romello Fuentes
What to Expect: The strength for Reading will be defensive line. The Offensive line led by Keyshawn Efese and Romello Fuentes will provide protection for a new quarterback TBA. Gabriel Laws, expected to make some plays from LB position.
Overall: Reading is the x-factor in this section, if things work out and if they get QB position solidified, a playoff bid is a possibility.
WILSON BULLDOGS 6A PIAA CLASSIFICATION COACH Doug Dahms (178-38, 18th season)
2022 Season in Review: (8-3 overall, 5-1 section 1) Lost to Harrisburg 32-21 6A-D3 quarterfinals
Key Games: two three opening games on the road in Philadelphia at Roman Catholic opening game then MLK on 9/8. Central Dauphin comes in on 9/1. Governor Mifflin on 9/29 followed by trip to Hempfield and then week 10 at home with Manheim Twp.
Players to Watch: WR Austin Valukevich: TE Brady Kline: OL-DL Jack Dendall: QB Tommy Hunsicker: OL A.J Matta: WR-DB-KR Edison Case: OL-LB Ryan McMillan: OL-DL Logan Kurzweg
What to Expect: The Bulldogs are loaded once again on offense as the only issue will be who will be carrying the rock from the RB position? The return nine players on the offensive side of the ball,Tommy Hunsicker is a solid dual-threat weapon at QB and has plenty of talented receivers with Kline, Valukevich and Case all to give defenses fits. The O-Line will be led by Kurzweg and Dendall. However, the issues will be on defense as they will have to replace eight starters.
Overall: The Bulldogs have not had a losing season since 1963 and not expected to happen any time soon as they are on track to capture their 30th league championship but Hempfield and Manheim Twp are nipping at their heels.
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