A team-by-team glance at Section 5 of the Lancaster-Lebanon League
2024 Berks football coverage
presented by UECU
Schuylkill Valley Panthers
Classification: 3A.
Coach: Bruce Harbach, fourth season, 17-17
Last season: 6-1 Section 5 tri-champ, 9-3 overall
2023 postseason: Beat Littlestown 45-21 in District 3 Class 3A quarterfinals, lost to eventual champ Wyomissing 48-0 in semifinals.
Need to replace: RB Dominic Giuffre, all-league DB Colby Crills, DT Alex Rider, DE Jayden Gulley, T/DE Theo Wysocki.
Who’s back: All-League second-team QB Logan Nawrocki (2,045 yards, 21 TDs), RB and all-league second-team S Cooper Hohenadel, FB/LB Logan Cammauf, all-league WR Kowen Gerner (48 receptions, 11 TDs), TE and all-league LB Luke Spotts, WR/DB John Kowalski, WR/DB Dillon Lackner, G/DL Noah Sonon, T/DL Gabe Kier, all-league PK Reese Wamsher.
Key early game: None, really. Panthers won’t be tested until Week 6 against Berks Catholic.
Outlook: One year after earning a third of a league title Panthers are well-stocked and in position to claim their first outright football championship.
(Look for a more in-depth report on the Panthers
later this month on MikeDragoSports.com.)
Lancaster Catholic Crusaders
Classification: 2A.
Coach: Chris Maiorino, fifth season, 25-16.
Last season: 6-1 Section 5 trip-champ, 9-2 overall.
2023 postseason: Lost District 3 opener to West Perry, 49-20.
Need to replace: Section 5 Offensive Back of the Year Elijah Cunningham, all-league WR Josh Acker, WR RJ Gonzalez, all-league G/DT Storm Haney, DT Eric Salapeh.
Who’s back: QB David Stefanow (1,291 yards, 13 TDs) all-league RB/KR/DB Brandon Way (717 rushing yards, 8 TDs), WR/DB Charlie Warren (22 receptions), WR/LB Andrew Schwanke, WR/DB Colton Hegener, TE and second-team all-league LB Zach Dresch, OL/DL Gabe Cherasaro, OL/DL Anthony Leone.
Key early game: Week 2 at Delone Catholic could prove as a barometer for the Crusaders.
Outlook: Crusaders are coming off two straight section titles and have been beaten just once in league play in that span. They’ll be a tough out once again even after some heavy graduation losses.
Hamburg Hawks
Classification: 4A.
Coach: Matt Hoffert, third season, 15-8.
Last season: 3-4 Section 5, 6-5 overall.
2023 postseason: Lost to Berks Catholic 40-21 in Eastern Conference Class 4A championship game.
Need to replace: All-League TE Mason Semmel, WR Cohen Correll, DB Alex Benz.
Who’s back: All-League QB Tyler Shuey (2,764 yards, 25 TDs), RB Leland Moore, RB Blaise Ernst, all-league WR Ty Werley (28 receptions), WR/DB Ethan Horvath, WR/DB Daniel Brady, OL/LB Logan Monroe, OL/DL Astian Reppert, DB Misael Oviedo, PK Eli Blatt.
Key early game: Week 4 league-opener at Annville-Cleona.
Outlook: With record-setting QB Tyler Shuey and some of his play-makers returning Hawks positioned for another winning season.
(Look for a more in-depth report on the Hawks
later this month on MikeDragoSports.com.)
Berks Catholic Saints
Classification: 3A.
Coach: Dave Stahler, first season.
Last season: 3-4 Berks 4, 5-6 overall.
2023 postseason: Beat Hamburg 40-21 for Eastern Conference Class 4A championship.
Need to replace: QB Will Hess, RB/DB Michael Bradley, FB/LB Devin Garcia, all-league LB Connor Pennington, LB Luke Impellizzeri, all-league OT and DT Owen Reber, DE Joey Polinsky.
Who’s back: QB Zach Suski, RB/KR/DB Bryce Gumby, RB/LB Nate Rose, RB/LB Aiden Curley, WR/S Devyn Sutton, WR Scott Duffy, TE/LB Jackson Kozik, OL/DE Eric Bennethum, OL/DL Palmer Reber.
Key early game: Saints get litmus test right out of the shoot with home-opener against Section 4 favorite Twin Valley.
Outlook: Move to Section 5 will help Saints’ final record but a stacked non-league lineup will make it tough to get back over .500.
(Look for a more in-depth report on the Saints
later this month on MikeDragoSports.com.)
Annville-Cleona Dutchmen
Classification: 3A.
Coach: Matt Gingrich, ninth season, 54-40.
Last season: 6-1 Section 5 tri-champ, 7-4 overall.
2023 postseason: Lost District 3 Class 2A semifinal to eventual champ Camp Hill 34-14.
Need to replace: QB Cam Connelly, all-league RB and Defensive Back of the Year Cael Harter, Offensive Lineman of the Year Darrian Holloway, all-league G Damien Miller, C Alec Tetzlaff, DE Tim Montijo.
Who’s back: RB and all-league LS Bryce Keller, RB/TE/P and Defensive Lineman of the Year Jon Shay, C/DE Preston Bomgardner, G/DT Alex Hemperly, LB Hudson Sellers.
Key early game: Week 4 league-opener vs. Hamburg will set the tone.
Outlook: Dutchmen took one of the heaviest graduation hits in the section with loss of eight all-league players, including their QB, top RB and top lineman. Will likely slide back to the middle of the pack after contending past two seasons.
Kutztown Cougars
Classification: 3A.
Coach: Larry Chester, 11th season, 29-68.
Last season: 2-5 Section 5, 3-7 overall.
2023 postseason: DNQ.
Need to replace: All-League DT Tyler Hallock, LB Jayce Gruber, DB Ethan Lafferty.
Who’s back: QB Colton Mathias, all-league FB Brendan Ackley (1,052 yards), all-league RB Mason Sherry (12 TDs), RB/CB Jayden Swoyer, RB/CB David Bates, TE/LB James Undercuffler, all-league second-team G Alexander Reyes, G Gavin Hallock, T/DT Tyler Wicke, DB Wyatt Stoess.
Key early game: Week 1 “Hall of Fame” rivalry game vs. Fleetwood.
Outlook: Cougars have shown progress in recent seasons; veteran backfield could help them inch forward this season.
(Look for a more in-depth report on the Cougars
later this month on MikeDragoSports.com.)
Columbia Crimson Tide
Classification: 2A.
Coach: Brady Mathis, third season, 5-15.
Last season: 1-6 Section 5, 2-8 overall.
2023 postseason: DNQ.
Need to replace: RB and all-league LB Stud Campbell, Receiver of the Year Artie Poindexter, WR Quincy Stewart, WR and all-league DB Demari Simms, all-league DE Phoenix Noel.
Who’s back: QB/FS Cameron McClair, WR/LB Loudon Rupp, TE/LB Miguel Aviles, all-league second-team OL Luke Rupp, DE Kymere Binder, OL/DL Hayden Quinn.
Key early game: Week 4 league-opener vs. Lancaster Catholic.
Outlook: Tide saw huge graduation purge, with loss of six all-league selections. Too much to overcome in this top-heavy division.
Pequea Valley Braves
Classification: 3A.
Coach: Mike Choi, eighth season, 22-48.
Last season: 1-6 Section 5, 2-8 overall.
2023 postseason: DNQ.
Need to replace: RB Dontae Petersheim, TE Michael Patterson, G Logan McGrane, DB Myles Furlong.
Who’s back: QB Anthony Stoltzfus, RB/LB Drew Tibbins, RB/DB Trevor Vollmer, RB/DB Cayden Carter, TE/LB Adam Shultz, OL Edgar Gonzalez-Martinez, OL/LB Andrew Blank, all-league C Jeremiah Garber.
Key early game: Week 1 at Renaissance Academy Charter gives Braves a chance for an early ‘W’ against a struggling program.Outlook: Back of the pack once again.
