Vintage performance sends Cocalico to 5A final
2023 Berks football coverage presented by
Utilities Employees Credit Union
(This story was produced by LNP/Lancasteronline, and published in partnership with MikeDragoSports.com.)
By Jason Guarente — LNP/Lancasteronline
CAMP HILL — The last time Cocalico felt the sting of defeat was 12 weeks ago, when the weather was hot and the season was a blank canvas.
The Eagles didn’t know where they were headed then. They hoped it was deep into the District 3 playoffs. But at 0-1 how could they be sure?
That loss to Warwick was necessary. It made the next three months possible.
Third-seeded Cocalico dismissed No. 2 Cedar Cliff 31-13 in the Class 5A semifinals at West Shore Stadium Friday night.
Cocalico (11-1) will host No. 5 Ephrata in the championship game. The Eagles will try to capture back-to-back titles for the first time.
“The Warwick game had to happen,” guard Hunter Frable said. “We came into that game so high-headed. I thought we were the best team in the world after last year with all the players we had returning. It was a very humbling moment.”
This was a vintage Cocalico performance. Four quarters that could be stuffed into a time capsule and replayed whenever anyone asked what the program was all about.
The Eagles were tougher up front. They grinded out long drives. They frustrated their opponent by never letting it have the ball. They prevailed through submission.
The five guys up front, tackles Ja’Den Hudgens and Logan Brubaker, guards Frable and Cole Hooper and center Derek Brubaker, set the tone early. They sprung Aaryn Longecker for an 83-yard touchdown run on the fourth play. That was foreshadowing.
“We’re blowing them off the line 5 yards and our running back is not getting touched until he gets to 10,” Hooper said. “It works pretty good when you get that.”
Cocalico wasn’t at full strength, as hard as that might be to believe. Adam Laudenslager, one of the team’s best lineman, was out. So was fullback Sam Steffey.
It didn’t matter.
Dane Horning, Steffey’s backup, carried 32 times for 114 yards for two scores. The sophomore has rushed for 529 yards in his three games as the featured back.
Cocalico coach Bryan Strohl warned his players not to lean on injuries like a crutch.
“If we lose you can say, ‘Look, we didn’t have two captains,’” Strohl said. “But if you make excuses your whole life, you’re not gonna be successful. We tried to remind them that without those two guys, we still have plenty in this locker room.”
Cocalico built a 10-0 lead at halftime and was ahead 17-0 after three quarters. The Eagles had the ball for more than 27 of the first 36 minutes. They limited Cedar Cliff to four possessions during that time.
Quarterback Josh Myer expertly ran the triple option. Longenecker finished with 140 yards rushing and two TDs. Myer churned up 94 yards on the ground.
Everyone says next man up when injuries strike. Cocalico lived it.
“We all love each other,” Frable said. “We teach that Cocalico football is a brotherhood and we mean it. We play for our brothers who are hurt. So they can get another week.”
The defense had its own moments. Dane Bollinger ended a drive with a sack. Bryce Nash recovered a fumble. Tim Porter picked off a pass.
Cocalico has been on a mission since Warwick. They ran the table in Section Four. They beat Manheim Central. They beat Lampeter-Strasburg. They beat Wyomissing. Teams that were still playing this weekend. The Eagles became what everyone thought they were during training camp.
Next they get Ephrata. Their backyard rival and their opponent in the first scrimmage. The matchup is as big as they come.
“They might have to get extra bleachers at Eagle Stadium,” Hooper said, “But we love it.”
The team that was humbled in Week 1 is humbling everyone else now. Cocalico is one win from painting another district trophy on its canvas.
