A team-by-team glance at Section 4 of the Lancaster-Lebanon League
2024 Berks football coverage
presented by UECU
Coming tomorrow: A team-by-team glance at Section 5.
Twin Valley Raiders
Classification: 4A.
Coach: Brett Myers, third season, 17-7.
| Projection |
| 1. Twin Valley |
| 2. Wyomissing |
| 3. Lampeter-Strasburg |
| 4. Elco |
| 5. Northern Lebanon |
| 6. Donegal |
| 7. Daniel Boone |
| 8. Octorara |
Last season: 5-1 Section 3 tri-champs, 10-2 overall.
2023 postseason: Beat Elco 35-7 in District 3 Class 4A quarterfinal, lost to Manheim Central 65-28 in semifinals.
Need to replace: All-League G Paul McClune, C/LS Noah Roehm, all-league TE and Defensive Lineman of the Year Ean Winchester, all-league DE Kyle Kline, DE Ben Savidge, DT Markell Norris, P Jack Hater, PK Sam Frey.
Who’s back: QB Evan Myers (1,472 passing yards), all-league RB Drew Engle (1,599 rushing yards), all-league second-team RB Evan Johnson (1,089 rushing yards, 15 TDs), second-team all-league WR/KR Ben Grundy, WR Justin Pinciotti, second-team all-league G Greyson Miller, second-team all-league T Aris Drake, all-league C and DE Carter Fauble, all-league LB Lucas Myers.
Key early game: Week 2 home-opener vs. Selinsgrove, which is coming off 13-1-1 season.
Outlook: Raiders have a wealth of experience and talent in the backfield, are again strong on the lines and should be even better than a season ago, when they set the program record for wins.
(Look for a more in-depth report on the Raiders
later this month on MikeDragoSports.com.)
Wyomissing Spartans
Classification: 4A.
Coach: Bob Wolfrum, 38th season, 362-89-1.
Last season: 6-1 Section 4, 12-2 overall.
2023 postseason: Beat West Perry 42-14 for District 3 championship, lost to Northwester Lehigh 33-24 in PIAA semifinal.
Need to replace: QB Logan Hyde, FB/LB Collin Niedrowski, RB and Linebacker of the Year Ryker Jones, RB/LB Drew Forrey, all-league WR Ethan Brower, TE Evan Blickley, Offensive and Defensive Lineman of the Year Caleb Brewer, G CJ Eberhart, G Thomas Weller, CB Marvin Armistead.
Who’s back: Second-team all-league FB Chase Eisenhower (1,092 rushing yards, 18 TDs), RB/WR and second-team all-league CB Justice Hardy, RB/S Derek Macrina, RB/CB Marcus Armistead, RB/CB Wayne Reason, TE/LB Andrew Bresnahan, C Francisco Fabian, G and second-team all-league DE Max Tipton, T Caleb Beane, T Keaton Piacine, G/C Ayden Jimenez, NG Jordan Gwynn, LB Tyler Niedrowski, PK Keegan Maher.
Key early game: Season-opener vs. 14-time PIAA champion Southern Columbia at Wolfrum Field.
Outlook: The Spartans took a big graduation hit, losing seven all-league players, including three Section 4 Players of the Year. There’s talent back, for sure, but they’ll need to find a new QB and will need to build depth.
(Look for a more in-depth report on the Spartans
later this month on MikeDragoSports.com.)
Lampeter-Strasburg Pioneers
Classification: 4A.
Coach: Victor Ridenour, fourth season, 29-8
Last season: 5-2 Section 4, 9-3 overall.
2023 postseason: Beat East Pennsboro 23-20 in OT in District 3 4A quarterfinal, lost to eventual champ Bishop McDevitt 43-7 in semifinals.
Need to replace: All-League QB Trent Wagner, all-league RB Jon Mellinger, all-league WR Dean Herr, all-league WR and DB Damoj Gray, all-league TE Drexton Frank, T Braden Bauer, all-league DE Ezechiel Lukusa, all-league LB Jackson Heeter.
Who’s back: QB/S Howse (moving from RB), TE/LB Emory Fluhr, OL Carson Zook, OL/DL Hudson Crutchfield, OL/DL Collin Shelley, all-league PK Peter Fiorelli.
Key early game: Week 3 battle against old section foe Cocalico will have Pioneers ready for league play, that’s for sure.
Outlook: Pioneers were cleaned out by graduation, losing 16 starters and 10 all-league picks. This re-load will be a true test of the program’s depth.
Elco Raiders
Classification: 4A.
Coach: Bob Miller, 13th season, 64-57.
Last season: 4-3 Section 4, 8-4 overall.
2023 postseason: Beat Big Spring in opening round of District 3 4A Tournament, lost to Twin Valley 35-7 in quarterfinals.
Need to replace: Two-time Offensive Back of the Year Jake Williams (2,401 yards, 30 TDs), FB/LB Elliot Kreider, WR Sara Miller, all-league G Carter Kemper, DB Lee Tobias.
Who’s back: QB Steven Rosado, all-league C Tupac Vasquez-Disla, OL Paul Williams, OL Luke Bailey, all-league DE Paul Williams, all-league second-team DE Brady Stoops, all-league second-team DT Brayden Malloy, LB Mitchell Frederick, LB Gavin Bicher, DB Justin Smucker, DB Austin Yesko, DB Zane Trostle, DB Griffin Kreider.
Key early game: Week 3 league opener at Lancaster Catholic.
Outlook: Raiders will look like a completely different team without Jake Williams in the backfield but they’ve got the depth and experience up front on both sides of the ball to remain competitive.
Northern Lebanon Vikings
Classification: 4A.
Coach: Jason Rice, fourth season, 10-21.
Last season: 3-4 Section 5, 4-6 overall.
2023 postseason: DNQ.
Need to replace: All-League DE Tanner Feagley, Linebacker of the Year Luke Shaffer, all-league LB Moises Gonzalez.
Who’s back: QB Kael Erdman, RB Myles Watson, WR Brendan Ryan, WR Brady Ryan, WR Bryan Mitzel, all-league T Hayden Adams, OL/DL Eli Thompson, OL/DL Russell Beers.
Key early game: Week 1 vs. Pine Grove and Week 2 at Oxford are winnable games and can set the tone.
Outlook: Vikings return seven starters on each side of the ball but there’s not much depth on either line. The competition is sure to be much steeper than it was in Section 5.
Donegal Indians
Classification: 4A.
Coach: Anthony Sottasante, second season, 3-7.
Last season: 1-6 Section 4, 3-7 overall.
2023 postseason: DNQ.
Need to replace: QB Brock Hammaker, RB Tyler Sload, DT Brycen Rineer, LB James Turbedsky, all-league DB Ruben Mumper.
Who’s back: QB Leelan Baughman, RB Quinn Weymers, RB DeAndre White, RB Leland Baughman RB/LB Cayden Leaf, WR/DB Denzel Fisher, OL/DL Matt Crider, C/NG Owen Winters, G/DT Brady Allessie, T/DT Hunter Parduski, LB Matt Lopez, LB Uri Alkinburgh, LB Caidyn Leaf.
Key early games: Soft non-league schedule, against Middletown, Columbia, and West York, gives Indians a chance for some early success.
Outlook: Indians starting over again after losing key offensive pieces.
Daniel Boone Blazers
Classification: 5A.
Coach: J.D. Okuniewski, second season, 1-9.
Last season: 0-6 Section 3, 1-9 overall.
2023 postseason: DNQ.
Need to replace: QB Dean Rotter, RB Jake Myers, RB Freddy Lacey, all-league LB Ethan Kryman, OL/DL Jordan Meyer.
Who’s back: QB/S Hayden Moyer, RB/WR/S Max Heffner, RB/LB Anthony High, RB/LB Jayden Williams, WR/LB Harrison Delissaint, WR/CB Darius Cruz, TE/LB Jayden Salata, WR/DB Blake Elliott, C/DL Trent Lenker, OL/DL Maddox Roy, OL/DL Jorge Pingarron, OL/DL Jabrae Pratt, LB/S Ryan Poore, LB Chase Kitchen, LB Bradley Floria, CB Darius Cruz.
Key early game: Season opens with “Pig Iron Bowl” vs. Exeter; it doesn’t get any bigger than that in Birdsboro.
Outlook: Rough, injury-plagued season, followed by an offseason that saw several players transfer out. Lack of experience and depth will be a factor.
(Look for a more in-depth report on the Blazers
later this month on MikeDragoSports.com.)
Octorara Braves
Classification: 4A.
Coach: Ed Smith, second season, 2-8.
Last season: 0-7 Section 4, 2-8 overall.
2023 postseason: DNQ.
Need to replace: QB Braeden Wood, RB Colton Focht, all-league DT Gabe McComsey.
Who’s back: QB/TE Mason Prokay, QB/WR Collin Wood, RB/WR Chandler Stoltzfus, FB/LB Austin Kurtz, RB/DB Ian Teufert, WR Mehkai Lambert, C/DL Ben Eberhardt, NT Cion Brown, DL Shaun Myrick, DL Chase Tuel.
Key early game: Week 4 at Daniel Boone could be Braves best chance to snap 14-game league losing streak.
Outlook: Still in rebuilding mode.
