A team-by-team glance at Section 1 of the Lancaster-Lebanon League
2024 Berks football coverage
presented by UECU
Coming tomorrow: A team-by-team glance at Section 2.
(Chris Knight/LNP photo)
Manheim Township Blue Streaks
Classification: 6A
Coach: Mark Evans, 13th season, 100-41.
Last season: 6-0 league, 12-1 overall.
2023 postseason: No. 1 seed won two games before losing to No. 2 Harrisburg 34-28 in OT in District 3 championship game.
| Projection | |
| 1. | Manheim Township |
| 2. | Wilson |
| 3. | Hempfield |
| 4. | Penn Manor |
| 5. | Reading High |
| 6. | Cedar Crest |
| 7. | McCaskey |
Need to replace: Section 1 Offensive Back of the Year and QB Hayden Johnson, Section 1 Receiver of the Year Landon Kennel, Section 1 Defensive Lineman of the Year Eli Rodriguez, DL Julian Larue, all-league LB Nick Palumbo, all-league DB Antonio Vazquez, all-league PK/P Hunter Nguyen.
Who’s back: Section 1 Linebacker of the Year and 1,110-yard rusher Declan Clancy, second-team all-league C Owen Marks, all-league T Tom Capizzi, second-team all-league DT Taylor Veilleux.
Key early games: Season-opener at Cumberland Valley followed by home opener vs. Central York, two of the premier programs in District 3.
Outlook: Blue Streaks graduated more top-shelf talent than any team in the section but also have more coming back than their top rivals. Plus, they get Section 1 foes Wilson and Hempfield at home. Week 10 finale against Bulldogs could be the decider.
Wilson Bulldogs
Classification: 6A
Coach: Doug Dahms, 19th season, 185-42.
Last season: 5-1 league, 7-4 overall.
2023 postseason: No. 5 seed lost at No. 4 Cumberland Valley 20-14 in District 3 quarterfinals.
Need to replace: QB Tommy Hunsicker, RB/LB Nick Fiorini, all-league WR and second-team DB Edison Case, WR Austin Valukevich, Section 1 Outstanding Lineman Jack Dendall, all-league C Logan Kurzweg, CB Jonah Pertet.
Who’s back: RB Correll Akings (30 receptions, 478 rushing yards, 7 TDs), RB/LB Ethan Harding, RB/LB EJ Brownback, RB/DB Monty Greer, second-team all-league WR Madyx Gruber (28 receptions, 10 TDs), TE Brady Kline (14 receptions), TE/DE Michael Glover, G/DT Derek Reiniger, T/DT Avery Manera, second-team all-league LB Christo Hunsicker, second-team all-league DE Cam Zullinger.
Key early game: Week 2 home opener against Plymouth-Whitemarsh, coming off a 9-2 season and District 1 quarterfinal appearance.
Outlook: Finding the right QB will be a key because the Bulldogs have an ample supply of skill players. O-line will require a mini-rebuild. As always, in the hunt for a record 29th Section 1 title.
(Look for a more in-depth report on the Bulldogs
next month on MikeDragoSports.com.)
Hempfield Black Knights
Classification: 6A
Coach: George Eager, fifth season, 23-19.
Last season: 2-4 league, 3-7 overall.
2023 postseason: DNQ.
Need to replace: QB Jackson Landis, all-league second-team RB Eli Walls (714 rushing yards), all-league WR Micha Gates (59 catches, 831 yards), all-league NG and second-team G Mike Shaffer.
Who’s back: RB/S Grayson Dole, WR/LB Brayden Charles, WR/CB Cam Margeson, WR/LB Orion Abrams, WR and second-team all-league LB Dominic Acevedo, TE/LB David Ennis, TE/DL Phillip Krauser, all-league LB Brody Gebhard, PK Brady Biscoe.
Key early game: Week 2 home opener vs. York High.
Outlook: Black Knights have a huge hole to fill at QB but otherwise return a lot of experience, especially at WR, on O-line, and on defense, where they lost only a couple starters. Ready to bounce back after a big drop-off last season.
Penn Manor Comets
Classification: 6A
Coach: John Brubaker, 10th season, 25-63.
Last season: 3-3 league, 4-6 overall.
2023 postseason: DNQ.
Need to replace: TE and all-league DE Dhamir Wesley, all-league G Kyle Sullenberger, all-league DT Tyrell Washington, DB Kyle Rothan.
Who’s back: QB Collin Robinson, RB and all-league KR Adrian Smith (8.7 yards-per-carry rushing average), WR/DB Nate Ruiz, C/DT Jamaal Millisock, G/DT Matt Neumann, T/DT Xavier Mays, PK/P Zach Jeffers.
Key early game: Tough opener on tap at Conestoga Valley, a top contender in Section 2. Lost 27-0 to Bucks last season.
Outlook: Comets, with at least eight starters back on each side of the ball and solid special teams performers, have a chance to move up. Deep along both lines.
Reading High Red Knights
Classification: 6A
Coach: Troy Godinet, third season, 6-14.
Last season: 0-6 league, 1-9 overall.
2023 postseason: DNQ.
Need to replace: RB Cameron Small, RB/DB Dequan Small, WR Jahsir Drayton, all-league DL Michael Odeyemi, DB Manuel Cordero
Who’s back: QB Kayson Fritz, QB Jason Plylaharn Jr., all-league RB Alex Alvarado, FB and second-team all-league LB Gabriel Laws, WR and all-league DB Xavier Beatty, WR/CB Jeremiah Camara, WR/DB Kahlil Samuel, TE/DE Kenly Rivera, C Efrain Bonilla, all-league G Romello Fuentes, G Bryant Del Carmen, all-league second-team T Keyshawn Efese, DE Jamier Jacobs, DT Julio Castro, LB King Blanding, LB Zumar Boston, CB Khalis Reyes, CB Idris Weaver.
Key early game: Week 2 vs. Muhlenberg. Always a big rivalry game for the Red Knights.
Outlook: Red Knights have a deeper, more experienced roster than a year ago with several potential play-makers and an offensive line that could be as big as any in Section 1. Chance to move up.
(Look for a more in-depth report on the Red Knights
next month on MikeDragoSports.com.)
Cedar Crest Falcons
Classification: 6A
Coach: Nick Lambros, first season.
Last season: 4-2 league, 8-3 overall.
2023 postseason: No. 7 seed lost district opener to eventual champ Harrisburg.
Need to replace: All-League RB Fernando Marquez, all-league TE Aiden Schomp, all-league C Nick Lambros, all-league G Cam Simone, all-league LB Caleb Dorshimer, Section 1 Defensive Back of the Year Owen Chernich.
Who’s back: QB Jackson Custer (1,063 yards, 10 TDs), all-league second-team WR Jack Waranavage (20 receptions), TE Seth Warren, OL Alex Kissinger, all-league DT Tristan Long, LB Malachi Victor.
Key early game: Week 3 at Warwick.
Outlook: Falcons are one of the few teams in Section 1 that returns an experienced QB. Otherwise, they took the heaviest graduation hit in the section, losing 11 all-league players. With a new head coach and lots of spots to fill they could take a step back after their best finish in years.
McCaskey Red Tornado
Classification: 6A
Coach: Ben Thompson, fourth season, 5-25.
Last season: 1-5 league, 2-8 overall.
2023 postseason: DNQ.
Need to replace: All-League RB Josh Monzon-Morales, RB/LB Steven Lavender, WR/CB Quimeak Talton, LB Isaiah Myers, LB Luis Santiago.
Who’s back: QB Jalen Cintron (1,309 yards, 17 TDs), RB/LB Marquise Washington, RB/CB Jalil Johnson, all-league WR/KR/DB DeAndre Jones (34 receptions, 7 TDs), WR Alisay Ramos, OL/DL Alexis Beriguete, OL/DL Adrias Collazo, OL/DL AJ Martin, OL/DL Henry Snider, LB Sam Ruggiero, S Ben Cadet.
Key early game: Week 3 vs. Elizabethtown. Bears were one of just two teams Red Tornado beat last year.
Outlook: Red Tornado have a wealth of experience back on both sides of the line, a dynamic QB in Jalen Cintron and a triple-threat in DeAndre Jones, one of the league’s premier returning players.
