A team-by-team glance at Section 2 of the Lancaster-Lebanon League

ExeterFootballGovernor MifflinMuhlenberg

By Mike Drago Last updated Aug 26, 2024

Exeter's Jayden Zandier powers ahead against Muhlenberg. (Emily Grube photo)

2024 Berks football coverage

presented by UECU

Coming tomorrow: A team-by-team glance at Section 3.

Exeter’s Aidan Daubel tries to pull down Gov. Mifflin’s Grady Garner. (PhilMarPhoto)

Exeter Eagles

Classification: 5A

Coach: Matt Bauer, 16^th season, 113-56.

Last season: 4-2 Section 2, 8-3 overall.

2023 postseason: No. 9 seed lost to No. 8 Hershey 28-27 in opening round of districts.

Projection

1. Exeter

2. Conestoga Valley

3. Ephrata

4. Gov. Mifflin

5. Elizabethtown

6. Muhlenberg

7. Lebanon

Need to replace: All-League TE Zach Zandier, all-league center Matt McConnell, all-league DT Ryan McConnell, all-league DB and P Nate Pashley.

Who’s back: QB Riley Martinez (1,397 yards, 17 TDs), all-league RB Jayden Zandier (1,358 yards), all-league T and DE Logan Wegman, WR/S Carter Redding, TE/LB Genuine Stutzman, all-league LB Aidan Dauble, C/DE Joel Ummarino, CB Pharrell Caceres, LB Casey Gerhart, LB Tyler Flanders, T/DT Kevin Oswalt, PK Robbie Gaston.

Key early game: League opener Week 4 at Gov. Mifflin rekindles old Berks 1 rivalry.

Outlook: With return of All-State play-maker Jayden Zandier, QB Riley Martinez, and potentially the top lineman in the section in Logan Wegman the Eagles could be looking at their second title in three seasons since move to the LL.

(Look for a more in-depth report on the Eagles

next month on MikeDragoSports.com.)

Conestoga Valley Buckskins

Classification: 5A

Coach: Jeff Scepanski, third season, 14-8.

Last season: 5-1 Section 2, 9-3 overall.

2023 postseason: No. 6 seed beat No. 11 Dover in opening round, lost to eventual champ Cocalico 42-10 in quarterfinals.

Need to replace: QB Liam Cheek, WR Kyle Jankowski, TE Dominic Epstein, Section 2 Offensive Lineman of the Year Soren Stoltzfus, all-league G Tal Stoltzfus, DE Shymier Hernandez.

Who’s back: Section 2 Offensive Back of the Year Jayden Johnson (1,038 rushing yards, 451 receiving yards, 24 TDs), C/DE Justin Corson, G/DT Tal Stoltzfus, T Jay Stauffer, Section 2 Linebacker of the Year Seth Morgan, all-league DB Isiah Sensenig.

Key early game: Season-opener vs. Penn Manor should provide good test for Bucks.

Outlook: With five all-league picks and 14 starters back, including dynamic RB Jayden Johnson, Bucks will be top challenger to Exeter.

Ephrata Mountaineers

Classification: 5A.

Coach: Kris Miller, eighth season, 26-41.

Last season: 5-1 Section 3 tri-champ, 12-2 overall.

2023 postseason: No. 5 seed beat Lower Dauphin, Garden Spot and Hershey before falling in District 3 final to Cocalico.

Need to replace: QB and all-league P Sam McCracken, Section 3 Defensive Back of the Year Jeremiah Knowles, Section 3 Linebacker of the Year Quintin Pfautz, all-league ATH and DB Angel Collazo, all-league DL Charlie Lydamore, all-league LB Montgomery Sensenig

Who’s back: RB Brayden Brown (1,344 rushing yards, 14 TDs), WR/DB Nick Keller, WR/DB Nate Conover, T/DT Jackson Nolt, OL/DL Brennan Frymoyer, all-league DE Jackson Nolt, OL/LB Landon Pilon, LB Chase Prange.

Key early game: Mounts find out right away, in Week 2 vs. Manheim Central, what they’re made of.

Outlook: Replacing QB Sam McCracken will be a chore but Mounts will continue to be a tough out, what with Brayden Brown running behind a veteran offensive line that pushed people around last season.

Gov. Mifflin Mustangs

Classification: 6A

Coach: Nick Morrissey, first season.

Last season: 3-3 Section 2, 5-6 overall.

2023 postseason: Lost to Pleasant Valley 28-19 in Eastern Conference Class 5A/6A title game.

Need to replace: FB/LB Brandon Jones, T/DE Kabine Toure, T/DT Stew Janowski, CB Chase Rapp.

Who’s back: QB Javien Pletz, all-league ATH/CB/KR Reese Hohl, FB Grady Garner (708 rushing yards), RB/S/P Travis Jenkins, WR Jahmier Johnson, TE/LB Derek Dinatale, TE/LB Dylan Worley, OL/DL Gavin Kelly, OL/L Presley Rinker, OL Cooper Seifert, DL Ismael Ayala, CB Stephan Mayo.

Key early game: Season-opener against Pleasant Valley at Mifflin Stadium will set the tone for season.

Outlook: Mustangs have more starters back than any team in the section, lots of experience on the front line and a fullback in Grady Garner who fits perfectly with the offense. However, a difficult schedule, with Wilson, Perkiomen Valley, and Hempfield as non-leaguers, will make it a challenge to end up above .500.

(Look for a more in-depth report on the Mustangs

next month on MikeDragoSports.com)

Elizabethtown Bears

Classification: 5A.

Coach: Keith Stokes, third season, 10-11.

Last season: 2-4 Section 3, 2-8 overall.

2023 postseason: DNQ.

Need to replace: QB Trent Kauffman, QB Brayden Huber, RB/LB Hayden Haver, WR/DB Saquan Shakespeare, WR Avery Kopcha, WR Alexis Cintron, WR/DB Drew Hitz, TE Ian Brosey, DE Dominic Lindsey, LB Zac Steffe.

Who’s back: RB Brady Moran, G Greyson Seamen, G Connor Frey, S Jacob Engle, CB Caleb Krider.

Key early game: Brutal test right out of the gate, with a season-opener on the road against two-time defending District 3 5A champ Cocalico.

Outlook: Bears are the only team in the section without a single returning all-league pick. That doesn’t bode well.

Muhlenberg Muhls

Classification: 5A

Coach: Rob Flowers, first season.

Last season: 1-5 Section 2, 1-9 overall.

2023 postseason: DNQ.

Need to replace: QBs Anthony Cipolla and Aaden Lopez, all-league WR Isaiah Dodson, DL Tucker Bellanca, LB Wes Clemison, DB Kyle Archie.

Who’s back: RB/S Cameron Small, RB/CB Freddy Lacey, WR/LB Michael Miller, WR Ariel Cruz, TE/DE Dequan Small, G Zavier Otero, T Samson Evans, T Tony Ferreria, C Conner Cantner, DT Jack Carmona, DT Justin Jacquez, DE Romeo Grullon, DE/LB Ryan Rosenberry, LB Jeffrie Collado, S Josiah Urbaez.

Key early game: Border War in Week 2 vs. Reading High.

Outlook: Muhls starting over again with new head coach and needing to replace 10 starters. There are some winnable games at the front of the schedule if they can pull things together quickly.