Cedar Crest wallops winless Penn Manor in Section 1 opener
2024 Berks football coverage
presented by UECU
(This story was produced by LNP/Lancasteronline, and published in partnership with MikeDragoSports.com.)
By Jeff Reinhart — LNP/Lancasteronline
MILLERSVILLE — Safe to say Cedar Crest’s football team had a collective bad taste in its mouth last week after it turned the ball over an agonizing seven times in a 16-point setback against Warwick.
“That would be the understatement of the season,” Cedar Crest coach Nick Lambros said.
Cedar Crest got Week 4 off on the right foot Thursday night, rediscovering its offense, taking care of the ball, and rolling to a 58-7 victory over Penn Manor in the Lancaster-Lebanon League Section 1 opener for both.
Jackson Custer had a pair of touchdown passes and a TD keeper and Isaiah Zimmerman had a pair of TD runs as the Falcons (3-1) soared past the Comets (0-4).
It was just what the doctor ordered for Cedar Crest, which was humming right along at 2-0 before throwing four interceptions and losing three fumbles last week against Warwick.
The Falcons had only one hiccup against Penn Manor, which has now been outscored 170-15 in 16 quarters.
Three first-quarter touchdowns put Cedar Crest in the driver’s seat. Zimmerman had an 8-yard TD run, Custer a 6-yard TD keeper, and Custer lobbed a 35-yard TD pass to Jack Waranavage for a 21-0 cushion with 25 seconds to go in the first quarter.
Custer’s 22-yard keeper set up Zimmerman’s run, and Custer’s 35-yard pass to Cristhian Viveros set up Custer’s scoring keeper.
Then came the Falcons’ only hiccup: Penn Manor quarterback Conner Smeigh heaved a 74-yard TD strike to Collin Robinson on the last play of the first quarter, giving the Comets had some life.
The Falcons answered when Josh Tricoche slammed in from a yard out. Zimmerman’s 21-yard rumble set up that score. On Cedar Crest’s ensuring possession, Custer and Waranavage hooked up again, this time on a perfect 61-yard strike for a 35-7 lead.
The Falcons tacked on a safety for a 37-7 edge when Penn Manor’s punt snap went through the end zone.
Cedar Crest made it 44-7 at the half — and triggered the mercy rule — when Cameron Tirado zoomed 11 yards for a TD run with 1:16 to go in the second quarter.
And that was basically that. Cedar Crest piled up 338 yards in the first half, 470 yards in the game, amassed 20 first downs and didn’t punt.
Zimmerman tacked on a 28-yard TD romp on Cedar Crest’s first drive of the second half, and Kai Speaks capped it with a 9-yard TD sprint midway through the fourth quarter.
Custer had a 100/100 night behind center, completing 6-of-7 passes for 138 yards and rushing for 100 yards on eight keepers.
Zimmerman carried 12 times for 108 yards, and Waranavage had two catches for 96 yards.
And a nod to Cedar Crest defensive back Luke Oriel, who had an interception to set up Waranavage’s 35-yard TD grab, and to Falcons’ linebacker Julius Santana, who pounced on a fumble to thwart a Comets’ fourth-quarter drive.
“The biggest thing our kids needed was to get their confidence back,” Lambros said. “They had a great week of practice and I thought they found themselves again. We got busted in the mouth (by Warwick), and at the end of the day, you don’t find out who you are until you get busted in the mouth. This game was good for our confidence.”
