What we know now about Section 4 of the Lancaster-Lebanon League
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Lampeter-Strasburg, Twin Valley, and Wyomissing each spent most of last season ranked among the Top 10 teams in the state in Class 4A.
The top contenders for the Lancaster-Lebanon League Section 4 title each returned to the state rankings this season and should again wage an intense battle for the section crown.
Twin Valley and Wyomissing are unbeaten; Lampeter-Strasburg took a Week 2 loss to Warwick but has faced a strong schedule, one that should have it well-prepared to open league play Friday against Donegal.
Octorara also heads to league play at 2-1 but it, like the other four teams in the section, simply don’t have nearly the firepower of the three teams at the top of this power-packed section.
Here’s a quick look at the three top contenders:
Wyomissing (3-0)
The Spartans again challenged themselves with a front-loaded schedule that includes state-ranked Southern Columbia and non-PIAA powerhouse Academy of the New Church.
They put up 28 third-quarter points at Southern in a 49-27 Week 1 win. They trailed into the third quarter against New Church before slamming the door in the fourth for an impressive 29-26 win.
Spartans coach Bob Wolfrum was concerned throughout the offseason about an entirely rebuilt offensive line but it has held up well, giving All-State pick Justice Hardy and potential program career rushing leader Chase Eisenhower plenty of working room.
Wyomissing is one of just two teams in the 37-team league to rush for over 1,000 yards.
Hardy is averaging 12.7 yards per carry, with five TDs. Danny Fleischood is averaging 9.6 yards. Brady Eisenhower, a first-year starter at quarterback, has been efficient; he’s completing 72 percent of his throws with six TDs.
The defense and special teams are as good as ever, giving this team a chance to be even better than last year’s, which went 10-3, two of the losses coming to Lampeter-Strasburg, including one in overtime in the District 3 Class 4A championship game.
The Spartans, ranked No. 4 in the state in 4A, open league play Friday at Northern Lebanon.
They’ll have to wait for their biggest tests, in Week 8 against Twin Valley and Week 10 at Lampeter.
Twin Valley (3-0)
A bunch of people thought the Raiders would be down a notch after graduating four-year starting quarterback Evan Myers, record-setting back Evan Johnson, and Section 4 Outstanding Lineman Carter Faubel.
Think again.
The Raiders have been completely dominant through three weeks, posting a league-high 174 points – more than every team in the state but one.
Drew Engle, who missed most of last season due to injury, is as good as ever; he’s averaging 13.2 yards per carry and has five TDs.
All-League linebacker Lucas Myers, in his first full shot at tailback, has been even more productive; he is averaging 18.9 yards per carry with seven TDs.
Maverik Foster, a first-year starter at quarterback, has been efficient with 349 passing yards, five TDs, and no interceptions.
The defense, led by Myers and linemen Greyson Miller and Mark Minardi, has been as dominant as ever; only three teams in the 37-team league have allowed fewer yards.
Twin Valley’s three losses last season came against only state-ranked teams: Wyomissing and Lampeter-Strasburg (twice).
The Raiders, ranked No. 8 in the state in 4A, open league play Friday at Elco, a team they beat 51-7 last year.
We’ll have to wait a while to see them challenged: They’ll likely mercy-rule everyone on the schedule before they head to Wyomissing in Week 8 and play Lampeter-Strasburg in Week 9.
Lampeter-Strasburg (2-1)
It was unrealistic to think the Pioneers could be as good as last year’s PIAA finalist after graduating 15 all-league picks, including Section 4 Linebacker of the Year Emory Fluhr and quarterback Caileb Howse, an outright magician who willed his team to a district championship-game victory over Wyomissing.
They opened the season ranked No. 8 in the state in 4A, in large part out of respect for a program that has been a consistent winner.
The early results indicate the Pioneers are not quite at that state-caliber level but still will be a tough out and a threat to any team in Section 4.
They opened with a 45-44 shootout victory over Solanco, the preseason favorite in Section 3. A week later they slugged it out in a defensive back against Warwick, losing 14-7 after yielding a touchdown on a fourth-quarter flea flicker.
It was more of the same last week in a defensive battle against Cocalico, one they pulled out 10-6 with a touchdown with 1:25 remaining. Twice during that 14-play, 68-yard drive Lampeter went for it on fourth down and pulled it out.
“We knew the game was on the line at that point,” Pioneers coach Victor Ridenour told LancasterOnline.com. “Our kids wanted it. It was good to see their eyes that way.”
The Pioneers might not have the talented skills players they did a year ago but they’ve got some big linemen and they play with the mentality of a winner.
“Everything we want to accomplish is still attainable,” Ridenour told LancasterOnline.com after the loss to Warwick.
The Pioneers open league play Friday night at home against Donegal. Things don’t serious until the final two weeks of the season, when they play at Twin Valley and host Wyomissing. By that point they should be in position to re-claim the section title.
