There’s no contesting that football is inherently an exciting sport. Let’s be honest, if baseball didn’t already trademark the phrase eons ago, the game played with the oblong ball would probably be “America’s Pastime.” And hey, maybe it is in all reality, even without that moniker having to go along with it officially. But for all the adjectives, narratives, and characteristics (insert any word of your choosing here quite frankly) that help make football what it is, sometimes it can seem well, downright boring. Just stay with me here a sec please.
It should be noted up front that this is not in any way to be misconstrued as a slight. So far from it in fact that one could argue that the less drama and the more mundane the season is on the whole, that would in essence be a defining characteristic of greatness in a sense to where you never even let the opposition get within reach of you. And for a handful of teams that call Lancaster-Lebanon League Section Four their home neighborhood, through the first five weeks of the campaign, yeah, maybe the heart-stopping moments and collective fingernail-chewing has been in relatively short supply. Just look at Lampeter-Strasburg for example.
In oh so many ways, this is nothing new. If you’re from this neck of the woods in the south/central pocket of the state, Lancaster County in particular, seeing the L-S Pioneers –no matter what the sport – be anywhere but near or at the top of the heap is a rare sight to put it mildly. For years now, it’s been somewhat ironic that for a school often referred to by its initials that are separated by a dash, L-S, the Pioneers are anything but familiar with the concept of L’s in general if we were to remove that tiny dash. See what we did there?
Anyway, as most have just naturally come to expect from them, the 2024 Lampeter-Strasburg football team has mimicked the same cues of their established brethren of yesteryear. How emphatically you ask? If you like sum totals, 183-51 are the numbers you’re looking for. On the other hand, if averages are more your cup of tea, you’d like 27. For those are the total scores in which L-S has outscored their first half of opponents in the ten-game slate thus far with the latter being the average margin of separation come the end of the night. Suffice to say, when you’re more routinely flirting with the idea of inflicting the mercy-rule into effect rather than needing to draw up a last-ditch Hail Mary pass to emerge victorious, yeah, it hasn’t exactly been white-knuckle time for the Pios quite yet this season. So, for their troubles, L-S entered this week quite handsomely while possessing the #6 spot in Pennlive’s weekly 4A statewide poll while also coming in on the #10 line here on EasternPAFootball.com’s shared list of 3A & 4A squads from around the commonwealth given their body of work to date.
Rest assured though; the tests are coming. And consider this, is there a better division in all the state than L-L Section Four? Hard to find a coherent argument to counter that when it boasts the #1, #4, and #6 teams slotted in the state rankings between Twin Valley, Wyomissing, and yes, L-S respectively. But that’s another couple of weeks in waiting for that round-robin whirlybird. Here though, this week at least, that same level of Pioneers’ dominance needed to be on display for their short trek down the road, Route 41 to be exact, into Atglen for a date with the homestanding Octorara Braves.
For Octorara, while maybe their fanfare to this point in the season isn’t exactly on the same level as their three divisional counterparts as mentioned above on a comparative basis per se, it’s not as if the Braves should be treated as some sort of also-ran here. For a program itself that is just as old as its players found in this year’s senior class at 18 years of age coming into 2024, it’s been a steady climb up the hill for Octorara these last two decades.
First there was the move. Well, moves in the plural, that came in 2018 when the Braves jolted from their only known home, the Chest-Mont League and District 1, into the western world of District 3 and the Lancaster-Lebanon League, landing in a handful of L-L divisions that have seen the Braves wage more “fair” fights if you will in terms of roster sizes of opponents and the like since changing conference addresses. Finally, in 2021, Octorara checked off a big box in terms of their growing up, making it to the postseason for the first time in program history, a feat perhaps spurred by their decision to move locales a few years prior. Fast forward to the here and now, and it seems as if the Octorara football program is on the right flightpath.
Speaking of newness, how’d you like being just the second head man in charge ever? That’s the role that Braves’ second-year boss, Ed Smith, a disciple of the Braves’ infantile stages considering his 2010 alumni status, finds himself in leading these days just across the Lancaster line in Chester County. This season, after posting a 2-8 mark in his first go round a year ago, Octorara has already made better on that win total through the first half of 2024 alone, coming into the evening with a 3-2 record. Ironically though, none of those three triumphs came on home soil however as Octorara has gone into Berks County thrice this season and come back triumphant heroes on each occasion in taking down the likes of Hamburg, Kutztown, and Daniel Boone respectively. And speaking of protecting the home turf, this week against L-S marked the second time in as many weeks that a top-tier team in the entire state would come calling following top-ranked Twin Valley’s visit to campus last weekend. But all that is to say, while likely aided with the benefit of a downright miserable night conditions-wise with a concoction of fog, wind, and an overall slick track given the just annoying-enough rain showers that persisted throughout this whole week, what better time than the present to spring an absolutely colossal, program-defining upset?
Unfortunately for the home patrons most of all, it became abundantly clear right from the start that this would be an affair that L-S would largely treat as nothing more than a trip to the office to clock in and clock out without much pomp.
However, it wasn’t necessarily all sailing on glass-like waters for the Pioneers early on. At least not when Octorara opted for –and turned out being successful in– their fake punt venture following a quick three plays and out on their initial set of downs to start the contest with senior running back, Austin Kurtz, having the honors in giving the Braves their initial first down of the contest on the trick play of sorts to provide a spring in Octorara’s collective step.
But those good vibes would be all too short-lived.
Ironically enough, after coming up short of the yard to gain over their next three offensive plays, the Octorara punt operation this time around would cruelly go against the hosts with a high snap overhead that led to a bounding ball that was left spinning on the wet, natural grass surface before ultimately being pounced on by the Octorara special teams unit to mitigate disaster.
The downside of course was not just the fact that Octorara gave the ball over on downs to their guests right then and there for better or worse following said snafu, but the fact that it allowed the Lampeter-Strasburg offense to trot onto the field just 11 yards away from paydirt was even more devastating.
Sure enough, the visitors needed just one play to reach the endzone as an 11-yard touchdown strike thrown by way of L-S senior quarterback, Caileb Howse, to another senior classmate, wideout Emory Fluhr, put the Pios up by a quick 7-0 count following a Peter Fiorello PAT with 7:58 left to play in the opening frame.
Now, perhaps hard to predict at the time, but the floodgates were formally opened en masse.
True to form, L-S’ second drive was just as fruitful as its first. Sparked by a tough run tallied by way of yet another Pioneer senior, running back Mason Hostetter, which got things rolling right out of the chute, L-S was already living on Octorara’s side of the field after just a few short plays in the aftermath of the Hostetter carry. And while the white-clad Pioneers would then be faced with the task of staring down a 3rd & 4 play not long afterwards, not even that seemed to phase L-S all that much given how Howse would hook up with, you guessed it, another senior, Danny Weichler having the honors here, as Weichler hauled in a dart across the middle on said third down play before shrugging off a would-be Braves’ tackler in the process en route to a 35-yard touchdown reception which made it a 14-0 count in their favor following Fiorello’s second PAT of the still young evening considering there was still 3:51 left to tick off the first quarter clock.
Problem was, not even the L-S defense let Octorara up for much air on Friday night either.
Case in point, a fumble recovery on the ensuing Braves’ series courtesy of another member in the somewhat endless cupboard of L-S senior talent, Preston Schonour here, as the Pios’ stalwart gave the ball back to his offensive mates deep inside Octorara territory to boot.
1:30 would be all it would take to add on.
Similar to the drive previous that saw L-S start things off with a strong run behind the Pioneers’ venerable offensive line, L-S continued to live by the phrase, “Run to win.” True to form, Dominic Brown would have the honors of the first tote as Brown got things rolling downhill with a hard and determined run on the first play of the Pios’ next series. And yes, he too is a senior you probably would’ve already surmised if you’re sensing a prevailing theme. Fittingly, considering he himself largely helped to set the table, Brown was rightfully awarded with his just desserts in relatively short order as his 11-yard run around the left side of the line was good enough not just for the touchdown in the moment, but also for helping to create the 21-0 bulge up on the scoreboard that remained in place once the final 60 seconds eventually bled off the first quarter once and for all with the Pioneers already in firm control of things.
The bad news for Octorara? L-S would be just as lethal in the second stanza as they had been in the first.
Here, after holding Octorara to another short series which saw the Braves punt it away in the early stages of the second frame, L-S just kept ringing it up on this their fourth time with the rock thus far. And on this drive, the Pioneers flashed an incredible proficiency in playing balanced football.
Yes, there was the 10-yard gallop by Brown which helped get things in motion on the very first play no doubt, but there was also the 19-yard toss from Howse to, you’re never going to believe this, a senior, Aven Cunningham, which propelled L-S all the way down to the precipice of tallying yet another score while just sitting just 10 yards away. For the historical purposes however, the march would end in the 1-yard variety, Dominic Brown’s 1-yard touchdown run to be exact, as Brown’s second score packaged up with Peter Fiorello’s fourth PAT of the night upped the Pioneers’ cushion out to a 28-0 difference with all of 9:59 still to play in the first half.
Did we mention that the L-S defense was largely playing lights out at this point? Well, if we hadn’t, please allow Christian Nolt to do all the talking with his pads as Nolt diagnosed the pre-snap read perfectly on an Octorara 4th & 1 attempt on the Braves’ ensuing possession before shooting the gap from his defensive back position to effectively stonewall the Braves’ recipient of the bubble screen and stop him dead in his tracks, giving the ball back to the white-hot L-S offense on another short field following the exchange in possession. And yes, he too is a member of the L-S 2025 graduating class as well.
Suffice to say, there was hard to find many cavities in L-S’ overall performance up until this point. Yet if there is work to clean up from this one, the largest portion of it most certainly would be found in this drive, the Pioneers’ fifth offensive series of the ballgame.
Granted, while it would eventually culminate in the visitors adding to their already sizable lead, it wouldn’t be without its fair share of hiccups. In fact, the Pioneers scored touchdowns twice on this drive, only to see those go all for not as a penalty-laden L-S series was quickly unfolding. That said, when you can call upon a special teams ace the likes of junior kicker, Peter Fiorello, to help bail you out, life isn’t all that bad. And true to form, Fiorello responded in kind to the task asked of him by booting a 44-yard field goal through the uprights to make it a now 31-0 L-S lead with 3:03 left in the first half.
1:17? Yeah, they’d be good with that.
After taking over yet again after holding Octorara to a turnover on downs the Braves’ next time out on the field following the Fiorello kick, the Pios wouldn’t even need all of those 77 seconds in order to travel 54 yards.
Getting 15 of it right off the bat certainly didn’t hurt matters, such as the case when Caileb Howse rattled off a determined chain-moving run from his quarterback spot to get things in gear on the very first play of course. From there, Howse went back to the thick, misty skies for a 20-yard hookup with Danny Weichler once more in the half as the L-S tandem moved the ball down to the Octorara 19-yard line. From there, Emory Fluhr was cleared for takeoff as Fluhr promptly bolted to the house for the 19-yard touchdown run on the very next play, effectively sending L-S into the locker room and the halftime break with the wind of a 38-0 lead in their sails and the mercy-rule set to commence come the start of the second half following what was a largely flawless, methodical, and overall mature outing by the Pioneers throughout the first two dozen minutes.
Now, with a running clock being the impetus for this contest ending even earlier than planned, the opportunities presented on both sidelines figured to be in somewhat modest supply all things considered just given the facts at hand. But don’t bother trying to sell that notion to Octorara’s Chandler Stoltzfus that is. He wasn’t buying it.
On a night when the Braves’ highlights were admittedly somewhat hard to garner up and find, Stoltzfus tallied what was not only his team’s best singular play of the night, but perhaps for the entire game overall, as the burly Octorara senior running back bounced off tackles like a pinball wizard while en route to a 32-yard dash down the L-S sideline after breaking contain to get the Braves on the opposite side of the field. Unfortunately though, the resistance presented by the Pioneers collectively remained just as potent here too as Octorara was again turned away on downs to put the punctuation mark on this particular offensive series before the rapidly-moving third frame would end in that same 38-0 margin of separation.
So, with just a final dozen minutes left to play but not much in the way of anything to stop the clock, the only question left lingering was whether or not someone would be able to find the endzone one final time. Well, someone would. And that someone would be the exact same cast of characters who had done so all evening.
Here, with time winding down after having the keys to operate the L-S offense throughout the entire second half, Pioneers’ sophomore quarterback, Asher Jones, got plenty of reps to add into his toolkit moving forward as his career figures to flourish. But none of those repetitions put forth on Friday night at Octorara likely felt as good as one of his final ones which resulted in Jones’ 1-yard touchdown run standing up to help put the finishing touches on a decisive final 45-0 verdict in L-S’ favor over Octorara once the latter half of fourth quarter later concluded in due time.
All told, while sometimes a score can be somewhat deceiving as to what had actually taken place, that was simply not the case here. For on this night, Lampeter-Strasburg would punt only once, score points on six of their seven offensive possessions prior to ending the game with a kneel-down, highlighted by five of which ended in trips to the endzone. Rest assured, if there were any naysayers into L-S’ overall acclaim coming in, for this night at least, the doubters have no choice but to remain silent.
NEXT UP: Next week, L-S heads back to the home confines where they await the Northern Lebanon Vikings, a team that came out on the short end of the stick against Twin Valley by a 42-0 difference on Friday evening. After that, a road date with ELCO looms on the horizon in Week 8 before what may very well be the hardest finishing double-dip both near and far presented to anyone considering the Pioneers will line up against both Twin Valley and Wyomissing in the final pair of games to end the regular season slate in Weeks 9 and 10. Arduous, yes, but if any program is equipped to take on the premise found in that kind of challenge, you’d be hard-pressed to find one better suited for it than Lampeter-Strasburg.
For Octorara, speaking of tough back-to-back weeks, they don’t come much harder than the pair of 49-7 and 45-0 respective defeats inflicted by Twin Valley and L-S in these last two. That said, the biggest thing in Braves’ camp is that they cannot get overly discouraged to the point where their very real progress made could potentially veer off-track. As mentioned, this is a Braves’ program that hopefully –and seems to—have finally found its footing for long-term sustainability. And when you get right down to it, that’s what you’re really seeking in all of this. Sure, banner and flash in the pan years are nice and all, but consistently becoming a force to be reckoned with is what everyone is truly striving for in this arena. Yet while this road on which they travel is candidly tough to ho, the Braves need only look at their opponent standing across the field from them on this Friday night for evidence that it can be done. Here’s to hoping that it can, and that the next 18 years of Octorara football see highlights that perhaps the first 18 just weren’t quite able to yield. First up in that trying to make the most of that steady climb upwards? An evenly matched road game at ELCO next weekend against a Raiders’ crew which will enter next week with 2-4 overall mark.
