Xander Menapace carries Hawks over Braves
(This story was produced by LNP/Lancasteronline, and published in partnership with MikeDragoSports.com.)
By Matt Aquino — LNP/Lancasteronline
KINZERS — Xander Menapace ran for three touchdowns and passed for a fourth as Hamburg overcame mistakes and turnovers to hold off Pequea Valley 27-20 in a Lancaster-Lebanon League Section 5 game Friday.
With rushing and scoring leader Pierce Mason slowed by injury, Menapace has taken over the Hawks’ offense. He completed 14-for-23 passing for 168 yards and ran 21 times for a career-high 172 yards. He scored on runs of 29, 1 and 9 yards, the last giving the Hawks (3-1, 6-1) a 27-8 lead early in the fourth quarter.
Last week, in a loss at Lancaster Catholic, Menapace ran for a team-high 164 yards. Mason didn’t play. He got seven carries against Pequea.
Over the course of the game both teams committed multiple penalties, costing them field position and allowing the other to convert and gain first downs. Hamburg had four fumbles and lost three.
Perhaps the most crucial fumble was on a kickoff with the Hawks leading 27-14 in the fourth quarter. The Braves (1-3, 1-6) cashed in on that opportunity when senior quarterback Peyton Temple called a keeper and ran it in for a score.
Hamburg responded after the Braves scored a touchdown and two-point conversion to start the second half. It marched right back down the field and punched it in on a run from Menapace. Hamburg took advantage of a crucial pass interference play during the drive.
Correll Cohen caught five balls. It seemed like any time Menapace needed a crucial catch, he would look Cohen’s way.
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Final | |
| Hamburg | 0 | 13 | 7 | 7 | 27 |
| Pequea Valley | 0 | 0 | 8 | 12 | 20 |
Scoring summary
| 2 | Hamburg | Semmel, 18 pass from Menapace (kick failed) |
| 2 | Hamburg | Menapace, 29 run (Clark kick) |
| 3 | Pequea Valley | Stoltzfus, 20 run (Carter kick) |
| 3 | Hamburg | Menapace, 1 run (Clark kick) |
| 4 | Hamburg | Menapace, 9 run (Clark kick) |
| 4 | Pequea Valley | Petersheim, 4 run (kick failed) |
| 4 | Pequea Valley | Temple, 4 run (kick failed) |
Team statistics
| Hamburg | Pequea Valley | |
| First downs | 17 | 11 |
| Rushes-yards | 37-274 | 33-139 |
| Passing yards | 168 | 37 |
| Total yards | 442 | 176 |
| Passes | 14-23-0 | 3-8 |
| Fumbles-lost | 4-3 | 3-0 |
| Punts-average | 20.0 | 36.2 |
| Penalties-yards | 5-50 | 5-35 |
Individual statistics
RUSHING
Hamburg: Menapace 21-172, Ruiz 6-49, Mason 7-23, Moore 3-20.
PASSING
Hamburg: Menapace 14-23-0–168.
RECEIVING
Hamburg: Correll 5-85, Semmel 3-44, Werley 2-25, Brady 2-6.
