When you get to the ninth week of the year come to the marathon — yet somehow also a sprint oddly enough — that is the high school football season, there are almost always storylines aplenty to go around on the slate, regardless of what the matchup between the two opposing sides may be. Granted, while the head-to-head brawls between two teams fighting it out for divisional title supremacy when coupled alongside those contests which feature two clubs fighting tooth and nail to snatch berths into the postseason typically steal the show –and rightfully so in many respects – that not to intimate in the slightest that the so-called “other” games between combatants are not deserving of the same limelight and attention.
Just take this week’s Lancaster-Lebanon League Section Five tussle between Hamburg and Northern Lebanon as example 1A. To bet on either team, sites such as slot gas138 are available.
This season, when the L-L League expanded into the 37-team behemoth that it is today, there figured to be programs that would certainly make a grand ol’ entrance when it came to making a name for themselves and carving out a new identity for their overall brand given the abrupt change in surroundings. And jeez, has anyone else epitomized that better than the Hamburg Hawks this season?
Throughout the first half of the year, it could not only be argued but easily argued in fact, that no scholastic team found inside the entire state of Pennsylvania had been playing a better brand of football than that of the red and white hailing from the intersection of Interstate of 78 and Route 61. Hard to argue too when you consider that not only had Hamburg been able to amass a 5-0 record immediately out of the chute to begin its 2022 campaign, but it had also done so while scoring at an absolutely silly 52 points-per-game clip in the process.
Of course, when you have such a sensational start, you then in turn create big games for yourself as a result. Case in point, the much-anticipated contest in Week 6 this season when Hamburg rolled into Lancaster city to tangle with Lancaster Catholic.
In that game, while Hamburg continued with its torrid offensive output is given their 35 points scored that evening in the Red Rose city, the Hawks simply ran out of time when it came to having a closing rebuttal to the Crusaders’ test once the final gun sounded as the hosts were able to send their guests back to the northern corner of Berks County with a 38-35 defeat that late September night.
But even following that ballyhooed section defeat, Hamburg continued to light up scoreboards in its next two contests which was best evidenced in combined 61-point outings while coming out of said affairs with a 1-1 clip that came in respective defeats of Pequea Valley when coupled with another hard-fought defeat last time out against Schuylkill Valley to the tune of 41-34 final verdict just one week ago. And through it all, as they prepared to dive head-first into its ninth assignment of the year against Northern Lebanon, the Hawks found themselves squarely on the bubble of their District 3-3A playoff chase with a 6-2 mark as they entered the evening while owning the fifth seed in the six-team bracket that will begin in earnest just 14 days from now.
On the opposing sideline, while Northern Lebanon’s postseason dreams and aspirations have gone by the wayside these last couple of weeks for certain, that’s not too in any way suggest that the Vikings were simply “playing out the string” the rest of the way if you will. You see, this is still the beginning of a relatively new era for Vikings’ football up in Fredericksburg.
In terms of starting off your tenure strong, place a giant check mark next to Jason Rice’s name as he and his squad embarked on their initial 2021 campaign with one another just one year ago. After coming off the gates with a head-turning 3-1 overall mark throughout the first four weeks of the year in ‘21, the Vikes did admittedly struggle down the stretch given their subsequent 1-5 record to close the campaign. Yet even with the wins being in relatively short supply down the final furlong of last year, Northern Lebanon was able to receive the football version of a blood transfusion when the Vikings’ overall body of work was deemed good enough for them to receive a precious bid into the District 3 tournament last season.
Suffice to say, there was good reason for optimism heading into 2022. And for a time, those good vibes and overall good juju seemed fitting as the Vikings found themselves on level ground with a 2-2 overall mark near the midway point of this season as well. Since then, however, perhaps eerily similar to 2021, the wins have been hard to come by down the final jaunt here as Northern Lebanon prepared for a dangerous Hamburg club while also having to juggle the ever-present effects of lugging around a four-game losing skid into its home finale as well.
But even still, especially in this instance here with a coaching staff still trying to imprint their idea of a long-sustaining culture which they almost certainly hope is akin to those of the Northern Lebanon teams near the middle to the latter part of the last decade who seemed to make winning section titles feel similar to that a birthright, each and every time out on the field and under the lights is of the utmost importance to grow and build. And hey, what is a better way to show proof that those building blocks are starting to be laid with cement than to throw what would be a heavy wet blanket onto Hamburg’s season while also sending the Vikings’ senior class out with a W on Senior Night?
But as would be readily apparent right from the get-go, the Hawks would prove themselves to be anything but hospitable houseguests.
In fact, Hamburg’s attack began from literally the very first play of the game. There, on the opening kickoff, junior wide receiver, Cohen Correll, ripped off a big return to begin the evening as the guests set up shop at their own 47-yard line. From there, following a long run up the gut of the Vikings’ defense courtesy of sophomore running back, Leland Moore, down to the NL 37-yard line, aided alongside a pass from senior quarterback, Xander Menapace to the aforementioned Correll, the Hawks suddenly found themselves situated on the Northern Lebanon 10-yard line within the blink of the eye. And yet, not even a holding penalty would stop the visitors on their opening march as a 20-yard touchdown jaunt from Moore opened the scoring as Hamburg raced out to a 7-0 lead following the PAT booted home by sophomore kicker, Eli Blatt, just 41 seconds into the contest.
The bad news for Northern Lebanon? Hamburg’s defense was up to snuff as well in the early going.
Despite seeing the Vikings also storm their way into enemy territory with their first touch on the night too, Mason Semmel and Bradley Zettlemoyer decided to have an impromptu meeting with one another in the Northern Lebanon backfield on a 3rd & 15 with the ball situated at the Hamburg 38-yard line as the tandem sack by the two Hawks led to a forced fumble which was pounced upon by yet another sophomore in the Hamburg rotation, safety Tyler Shuey, as the timely takeaway allowed the Hawks to regain possession at their own 48-yard line.
And while Hamburg would surge into Vikings’ territory yet again on this drive too, a key defensive stop by way of the Northern Lebanon defensive troops inside the red zone on a 4th & 2 attempt allowed the hosts to regain possession, albeit while taking over at their own 13-yard line.
However, Northern Lebanon probably felt like they were encountering a bad case of déjà vu.
On this drive, while Vikings were able to make some hay on this series as well, thanks in large part to a dart thrown by a freshman quarterback, Kael Erdman, into the arms of junior tight end, Luke Shaffer, as the pair was able to hook up for the 18-yard pitch and catch which helped usher the attack out of the shadow of their own goalposts and out to their own 33-yard line, another theft tallied by the Hawks defensively –also culminating in a Tyler Shuey fumble recovery for the second time in as many drives – gave the ball right back to the ever-potent Hamburg offensive unit with the ball resting at the Vikings’ 37-yard line.
This time around, Hamburg was able to recapture some of that same magic that they had enjoyed offensively to begin the night.
Ignited in no small way by a critical 4th & 3 conversion which came via the legs of Xander Menapace to prolong the series, the senior triggerman would then help punctuate what he himself had helped initiate moments earlier as Menapace’s 26-yard touchdown scramble out of the pocket up the Hawks’ cushion to a 14-0 count following another Blatt PAT with 5:14 still left to play in the opening period.
At this juncture, it was clear that Northern Lebanon needed to find some sort of rebuttal before things potentially went very sideways against them. Good news for the hometown patrons then as their Vikes proceeded to do exactly that.
Sparked with a nice return on the ensuing kickoff, NL sophomore return man, Myles Watson, continued to be the instrumental piece on special teams all evening long as he would then allow his offensive mates to set up shop at their own 46-yard line to begin their third drive of the evening.
And with their 9th grader manning the controls of the offensive attack from behind center, Northern Lebanon was no worse for the wear. In fact, Erdman came out slinging the rock all around the yard on this drive as a 16-yard strike to Shaffer which was followed promptly with a 29-yard hookup to senior wideout, James Voight, quickly propelled the Vikings down to the Hamburg 17-yard line. From there, the connection from Erdman to Voight proved worth its weight in gold for Northern Lebanon as a means to conclude this particular series as the 13-yard touchdown between the pair lobbed into the back corner of the north endzone at Frederick Gahres Stadium cut the Hawks’ advantage in half following a PAT knocked home by sophomore kicker, Garrett Bohn, as Hamburg was able to maintain their 14-7 lead into the second frame once the final 1:08 ran off the first quarter clock.
In the second quarter, while Hamburg would have the brakes put on their offensive attack, at least early on, the Hawks were ultimately able to recapture that same potency.
Sure enough, after being stymied on their initial drive to begin the second frame, Hamburg went back out on offense eager to strike once they took back over possession at the Vikings’ 43-yard line with 9:38 left before recess.
Here, after being kickstarted with a 13-yard tote from their feature back on this night, Leland Moore, the white-clad Hawks immediately found themselves at the NL 30. Then, with the ground game clearly working in their favor, another Menapace QB run, this of the 8-yard variety on 3rd & 1, moved the visitors down to the NL 13-yard line. From there, Moore was able to reap some well-earned fruits for his labor exerted all evening long in the form of nearly 40 carries by the time the night was over as the sophomore’s 10-yard touchdown run here made it a 21-7 affair in favor of Hamburg with 7:20 left before the break on the heels of Blatt’s third consecutive PAT of the contest.
Another short field you say? Why that would also end in yet another eventual Hamburg score.
After limiting Northern Lebanon to a three-and-out following Moore’s TD gallop, the Hawks would regain possession with the ball sitting right atop the midfield stripe before embarking on their ensuing offensive drive following the Moore touchdown gallop.
And while the running game might have stolen the show up until that point –at least in the form of actual scoring plays as far as Hamburg was concerned — the dimes thrown by Xander Menapace throughout were nonetheless impressive. Case in point, a dart with sophomore wideout, Ty Werley, being on the receiving end, as the slant pattern between the duo put the Hawks on the precipice of another score as they raced down to the Northern Lebanon 11-yard within a flash. But speaking of the running game, Hamburg has a not-so-secret weapon that they can unleash in short-yardage situations. Not-so-secret because it’s hard to hide the most physically imposing player on the field found in a senior two-way lineman, Charles Sheppard, but the 286lb stalwart was most certainly light on his feet for this task as Sheppard’s 6-yard touchdown run to conclude this drive upped the Hamburg lead to a 28-7 count with 2:46 left before the half which by and large felt like an early dagger to Northern Lebanon’s chances from there on out.
Um, yeah. Not really.
Needing to score, the Vikings were up to the challenge here as well.
In executing the two-minute drill with perfection almost down to the precise second, Northern Lebanon’s eventual 75-yard march in the final two minutes and change before the halftime intermission was nothing if not impressive.
To begin the proceedings, Erdman was able to find his favorite target all game long, James Voight, as the pair’s 24-yard pitch and catch allowed Northern Lebanon to race down to their 49-yard line with a jolt of momentum. From there, a bubble screen to you guessed it, James Voight, ushered the Vikings’ attack down to the Hamburg 39-yard line. There, with the chemistry between the two being nothing if not demonstrably in sync, the 38-yard touchdown throw from Erdman to Voight, the pair’s second such meeting in the endzone inside the first half, formally allowed the Vikings to trot up the steep asphalt incline from the field into the locker room with an extra pep in their collective step all while despite staring at a 28-13 deficit once halftime entertainment provided by the Hamburg marching unit went into effect just 39 seconds of game clock later.
That extra bounce in their gait? Yeah, Northern Lebanon didn’t lose it during the halftime respite either.
Here again, the yardage that Myles Watson was able to procure from his return specialist role on this evening was extremely pivotal to the Vikings’ collective success all game long. Case in point, another impressive return by the NL 10th grader, this one inside Hawks’ territory to the 44-yard line, allowed Northern Lebanon to have yet another relatively short field to begin this drive as well. Ironically, just in the way the Vikings’ previous offensive drive was able to round into form via the Kael Erdman to James Voight lethal tandem, their 36-yard hookup on a key 3rd & 3 play here not only moved the sticks, but it also vaulted the hosts all the way down to the Hamburg 1-yard line. And from there, even despite an impressive tackle for loss tallied by Hamburg’s Charles Sheppard on the ensuing play from scrimmage, a 5-yard touchdown run by Erdman would clip the Hamburg lead down to a much more manageable 28-19 difference with 9:32 still left to go in the third.
Big plays you say? Hamburg would like to participate.
After beginning their initial offensive drive of the second half with another short field following Cohen Correll’s kickoff return just a hair shy of the midfield stripe, Hamburg’s offense was not only well-rested but eager to pounce. And pounce they would as a 23-yard run up the gut via Leland Moore on a 3rd & 3 propelled the Hawks down to the Northern Lebanon 30-yard line. From there, Xander Menapace continued to deal while working inside the pocket as his 17-yard hookup with fellow senior, Kevin McFarland, moved the Hamburg march down to the Vikings’ 13. And from there, the not-so-secret weapon worked his way into the fold once more as lineman Charles Sheppard’s 3-yard touchdown run, his second of the contest, allowed the Hawks to enjoy some much-needed breathing room at 34-19 with 6:45 still left in the third frame.
And try as they might, Northern Lebanon was about to bear witness to Hamburg seemingly putting this one away once and for all.
This time, not even the realization of starting a drive off 89 yards away from their endzone would do much of anything to deter this Hamburg drive as well. Sure enough, with Leland Moore continuing to carry the mail as had for much of the evening up until that point, a 38-yard connection from Menapace to Cohen Correll also sprinkled in allowed the Hawks to saunter down to the Northern Lebanon 16-yard line. From there, Correll would be able to reap the benefits of his earlier labor as well by ending up on the receiving end of a 5-yard touchdown reception from the right arm of Menapace shortly thereafter, upping the Hawks’ cushion to a 41-19 difference which is where things would remain over the final 1:22 of the third quarter.
But even when the game may have felt out of reach by this time, Northern Lebanon continued to fight and scrap.
For proof of that, look to the third and final touchdown toss between Kael Erdman to James Voight as their latest – seen here in the form of a 53-yard touchdown bomb – cut the Hamburg cushion down to a 41-27 gap, with 6:11 still left to play in the game.
However, that would be all the closer the hosts would get for the remainder of the evening as Hamburg promptly and wisely began to bleed and milk the game clock for each precious second on its ensuing offensive drive following Voight’s third TD grab, forcefully making the Vikings stare uphill from there on out. Of course, when you have the likes of Leland Moore residing in your running back room, a more than capable runner who performed more than admirably with the assignment that the Hawks’ coaching staff put in front of him as his handful of runs on Hamburg’s final drive not only moved the sticks for a fresh set of downs consistently, but it is also essentially put the game out of reach. Ironically, while Moore might have been the bell cow who helped moved his troops down the field on this series, it would be another yet another back in the Hawks’ deep rotation, senior Ronny Parra, who would culminate the drive in style with a 5-yard touchdown plunge to end the scoring once and for all, effectively allowing Hamburg to not only travel westward home on I-78 with a 48-27 triumph over Northern Lebanon now tucked away in their back pocket for their spoils, but it also kept the Hawks right in the thick of things as far as the District 3 tournament was most concerned heading into the final week of the regular season.
NEXT UP: As mentioned, this was an outing that Hamburg could ill afford to drop. And while the Hawks were found engaging in back-and-forth warfare against the Vikings on this night for quite some time, some key takeaways earlier in the first half largely proved to be the missing link for which ailed Northern Lebanon in terms of being able to claw even closed down the final furlong. Not bad when you can pair that with their potent offense, eh? Rest assured, the Hawks will need to have both facets –including special teams — clicking come next Friday night when they welcome the Columbia Crimson Tide into town next week in what feels like a mirror-image in terms of the stakes the Hawks found themselves in heading into this Friday night in Fredericksburg as well, in that a letdown and possible setback is a non-negotiable item of discussion.
For Northern Lebanon, while the Vikings saw their 21-point defeat at the hands of their Berks County brethren culminate in what is now a five-game losing skid, there is more than enough reason for the promise that brighter days within the NL football camp are likely rapidly approaching up on the horizon. And yes, while it is always hard to say goodbye to seniors classes each year –especially given the effort James Voight put up in his final curtain call in this one in particular– with more than capable underclassmen sprouting up at keys positions all over the field for the Vikings, this feels like a program that is on the verge of inflicting some serious damage upon the L-L League sooner rather than later, especially competing within the realm of Section Five. In short, the Vikings living up to their namesake by pillaging the competition just as they have done for years not all that long ago.
