Top Players to Watch in Section 5 of the Lancaster-Lebanon League
2024 Berks football coverage
presented by UECU
None of the five sections in the Lancaster-Lebanon League has been more tightly contested or fun to watch over the last two seasons than Section 5.
A season ago it ended in a three-way tie with Annville-Cleona, Lancaster Catholic, and Schuylkill Valley sharing the title. A year before the championship came down to the final week of the season when Catholic held off Schuylkill Valley 44-41 in a wild shootout.
Now, with Berks Catholic added to the mix, the section should be deeper and more competitive than ever.
Fourteen first-team all-league picks return, led by Annville-Cleona’s Jonathan Shay, last year’s Section 5 Defensive Lineman of the Year. He’s one of three returning first-team picks at A-C.
The Little Dutchmen took a bit of a graduation hit, losing Defensive Back of the Year Cael Harter and Offensive Lineman of the Year Darrian Holloway.
The most decorated returning player in the section is Lancaster Catholic’s Brandon Way, a three-way first-team pick at Athlete, defensive back, and kick returner.
Schuylkill Valley is the only team with three different returning first-team selections: Wide receiver Kowen Gerner, linebacker Luke Spotts, and placekicker Reese Wamsher.
Here’s your first look at the top players in Section 5 for the 2024 season. Later this week we’ll take a look at the top players in Section 4.
(This is part one of a five-part series and a collaboration between LNP/Lancaster On-Line and MikeDragoSports.com. Jeff Reinhart of LNP contributed player capsules.)
Brendan Ackley
FB/LB
Kutztown
A 1,000-yard season out of the backfield netted all-league honors for the Cougars’ fullback and put him in position to become the program’s all-time rushing leader.
After going for 952 yards as a sophomore and 1,052 on 174 carries a year ago Ackley is within 569 yards of the program record of 2,573, set by Calin Laing nearly 20 years go.
His coach, Larry Chester, describes Ackley as a hard runner and “old-school” type player, whether he’s powering his way out of the backfield or bringing down opposing ballcarriers from his spot at linebacker.
Ackley will be a key performer on both sides of the ball for a Kutztown team looking to move up in Section 5 after consecutive 3-7 finishes.
Another grand out of the backfield will make Ackley just the second player in program history to top 1,000 yards more than once.
He is one of just five 1,000-yard backs returning to the league this season.
Kowen Gerner
WR/OLB
Schuylkill Valley
Gerner was a home-run hitter for the Panthers last season, averaging 20.3 yards on his team-leading 48 catches; he took a program-record 11 of them into the end zone.
His 976 receiving yards were third-most in the 37-team Lancaster-Lebanon League and he threatened to break a 40-year-old program record established by Dave Golden, the only Schuylkill Valley receiver to top 1,000 yards in a season.
At 6-2, and with the ability to break free off the line, Gerner proved a difficult defensive assignment. He often used his height and athletic ability to out-jump smaller defensive backs and consistently win 50-50 balls.
Gerner used his speed and size effectively at outside linebacker, where he made 75 tackles, broke up two passes, intercepted one and recovered a pair of fumbles.
Gerner was a was a first-team all-league pick and a second-team All-Berks selection at wide receiver.
Bryce Gumby
(PhilMarPhoto)
RB/WR/DB/KR
Berks Catholic
After averaging a team-best 9.1 yards per carry as a junior Gumby is sure to get more touches in the Saints’ Wing-T this season, either out of the backfield or as a receiver.
The 6-foot, 185-pound senior is a triple threat: He intercepted a team-high five passes as a junior and earned second-team all-league honors as a kick returner.
He went for 580 rushing yards in a part-time backfield role.
“Bryce has great athletic ability and ball skills,” said Saints coach Dave Stahler.
Gumby could also see time at wide receiver; he showed off his pass-catching skills at the Chris Nunn Memorial Combine, helping the Saints win the Quarterback Challenge. He flashed his athleticism at the Berks skills competition by winning the L-Cone Drill, ahead of Exeter’s Jayden Zandier and teammates Devyn Sutton and Jackson Kozik.
Bryce Keller
RB/LB
Annville-Cleona
Every Veer attack needs that grinder guy who will take the tough, clock-chewing, chain-moving carries up the gut. That’s Keller’s role for the Dutchmen, and he’s coming off a season in which he gouged defenses for 810 rushing yards with seven TDs.
The Dutchmen shared the section crown and went back to the D3-2A playoffs last season.
Keller earned all-league honorable mention status at running back for his ground-and-pound efforts. Steady as she goes. Keeps his legs churning. Gets the extra yardage. Unsung hero.
Logan Nawrocki
QB
Schuylkill Valley
Nawrocki moved into the starting role at quarterback midway through his sophomore season and became one of the league’s most productive passers as a junior, when he became just the third in program history to top 2,000 yards.
He completed 53 percent of his throws for 2,045 yards and 21 touchdowns – just one shy of the program record — with just seven interceptions. His 144.2 passing efficiency rating was fourth-best in program history.
The 6-1, 195-pounder matched a program single-game record by throwing five TD passes in a 49-21 win over Kutztown.
“He’s an accurate passer with good arm strength,” said Panthers coach Bruce Harbach. “He does not make a lot of mental mistakes. He’s like another coach on the field.”
With 2,548 passing yards over two seasons Nawrocki is withing 1,201 yards of the program record.
Jon Shay
RB/TE/DE
Annville-Cleona
The Dutchmen’s multi-purpose threat almost never comes off the field. He runs. He catches. He tackles. He punts. You name it, Shay did it for the Section 5 tri-champs.
Shay had his fingerprints all over it: 276 rushing yards with five TD runs; 13 receptions for 187 yards with a pair of TD grabs; 71 tackles, including four hits for losses, three sacks and a pair of QB hurries; and he averaged 33.3 yards per punt for good measure.
His jaw-dropping haul: Section 5 Defensive Lineman of the Year, with first-team all-league first-team honors at defensive end and punter, second-team honors at Athlete, plus a spot on the MikeDragoSports.com Big 37 team.
He’s an animal. And tireless. The Dutchmen will wind him up and let him go.
Mason Sherry
RB/LB
Kutztown
Sherry didn’t get as many touches as his backfield mate, Brenden Ackley, but he made the most of them, averaging 7.6 yards and scoring a team-leading 11 touchdowns.
The breakout junior season saw him earn all-league honors at running back.
He was a key part of an offense that produced 352 total yards per game, tops among Section 5 teams.
Sherry finished with 697 yards and should add to that total after a productive offseason in the weight room.
“He innately sees things (out of the back),” says Cougars coach Larry Chester, “he’s quick enough to get it (to break plays), he’s strong enough. He’s a runner.”
Sherry will also start at outside linebacker.
Tyler Shuey
QB
Hamburg
Shuey enjoyed a breakout season like no others, setting program records by throwing for 2,762 yards and 25 touchdowns in his first season at quarterback. He became the first Berks passer to top 2,000 yards in the regular season and his 2,566 passing yards in the regular season were the most in the 37-team league.
Shuey became the first Berks quarterback to open a season – or begin his career, for that matter – with three straight 300-yard passing performances.
The all-league quarterback threw for 356 yards against Halifax, 303 against Warrior Run, and 347 against Fairfield, fueling a 3-0 start. He also threw for 288 yards against Section 5 champ Lancaster Catholic, giving him four of the five highest single-game performances in program history.
Shuey is the only Hamburg quarterback to top 2,000 yards in a season.
Overall, he completed 170-of-304 passes, a 55.9 completion rate, setting a program record for completions in a season. Against Fairfield he completed 17-of-21 passes.
He was also a threat with his feet, rushing for 535 yards and scoring a team-high 12 TDs.
Shuey was a second-team All-Berks selection at quarterback.
Luke Spotts
TE/LB
Schuylkill Valley
Spotts never comes the field for the Panthers.
He’s a starting tight end and linebacker, plays on all the special teams and is arguably the most well-rounded player on a team expected to win its first Section 5 championship.
At 6-2, 215 pounds, he’s a key run-blocker and a big target for Logan Nawrocki; the two of them hooked up 22 times last season.
He’s just as important on defense where he was third on the team with 80 tackles, recorded seven tackles for loss, broke up five passes, picked off two balls and had three sacks. His best game came in a 7-6 win over Northern Lebanon when he recorded nine tackles, four for loss, with a sack and a quarterback hurry.
“On the defensive side of the ball he just hustles,” said Panthers coach Bruce Harbach. “He’s always around the ball. That’s the mark of a good football player.”
Spotts was a first-team all-league pick at linebacker and a second-team pick at tight end as a junior. He was a first-team all-league pick at tight as a sophomore when he led the team with 27 catches.
(Andy Blackburn/LNP photo)
David Stefanow
QB
Lancaster Catholic
Stefanow enjoyed a solid season behind center in his debut for the Crusaders, who shared the section title and went back to the District 3 playoffs.
Stefanow’s stat line: 85-for-139 for 1,291 yards with 13 TD tosses. He will be the top returning QB (per passer efficiency rating) in the league. Stefanow had a 111 rating; the five guys ahead of him all graduated. ‘
Stefanow earned honorable mention all-league honors.
Heady. Field general. Knows the playbook and where to get the ball. He will be a calming influence for a Crusaders’ squad doing some retooling in the skills department.
(Andy Blackburn/LNP photo)
Brandon Way
RB/DB
Lancaster Catholic
Way was a showstopper on both sides of the ball, using his quick feet to make people miss — and to make head-turning plays seemingly on a weekly basis.
He was a first-team all-league at defensive back as the Crusaders shared the Section 5 title and qualified for districts.
He’s likely to get more touches out of the backfield this season after 1,800-yard rusher Elijah Cunningham graduated. Stay tuned.
Way can also get you in special teams; he returned a punt 79 yards for a TD last season against Octorara. He’s in on so many snaps; big-play rep makes him worth the price of admission.
Tyler Werley
WR/S
Hamburg
Werley earned all-league honors after averaging 22 yards per catch as a junior. The wide receiver figures to have an even bigger year now that he’ll be Tyler Shuey’s No. 1 target.
Shuey had other great options last season, when he could throw to tight end Mason Semmel or wideout Cohen Correll, among the most productive receivers in program history.
Werley had 28 receptions for 624 yards and five TDs despite missing the Hawks’ final three games with an injury.
He set a program record in the season-opener with 253 receiving yards and matched another with three TD receptions — of 87, 27, and 54 yards — in a win over Halifax.
The 6-2, 185-pound senior has more records on the horizon.
His 1,086 career receiving yards are just 44 shy of Semmel’s record. He needs just 19 receptions to top Correll’s career mark of 81 and seven TD catches to match Semmel’s career mark of 17.
Werley also will start at free safety.
Others to watch
- Eric Bennethum, OL/DL, Berks Catholic
- Eli Blatt, PK, Hamburg
- Logan Cammauf, RB/LB, Schuylkill Valley
- Zach Dresch, TE/LB, Lancaster Catholic
- Blaise Ernst, RB/CB, Hamburg
- Jeremiah Garber, C, Pequea Valley
- Cooper Hohenadel, RB/FS, Schuylkill Valley
- John Kowalski, WR/DB, Schuylkill Valley
- Jackson Kozik, TE/DE, Berks Catholic
- Colten Mathias, QB, Kutztown
- Cameron McClair, QB,PK, Columbia
- Palmer Reber, OL/DL, Berks Catholic
- Astian Reppert, T/DE, Hamburg
- Alexander Reyes, G, Kutztown
- Luke Rupp, C/LB, Columbia
- Hudson Sellers, LB, Annville-Cleona
- Drew Tibbins, LB, Pequea Valley
- James Undercuffler, TE, Kutztown
- Malachai Victa, OL/DL, Annville-Cleona
- Reese Wamsher, PK, Schuylkill Valley
- Charlie Warren, WR/DB, Lancaster Catholic
