Let’s start off with a question this week. What’s the best athletic department currently operating these days in the Lancaster-Lebanon League? If someone were to stop you in the street and ask that question, there are probably a few names that would immediately bubble up to the surface. Hempfield? Sure, having the second biggest enrollment in all of District 3 certainly helps them out a ton from a numbers perspective, especially when you consider they only trail Reading School District, literally the largest school district in the entire state of Pennsylvania. Manheim Central? No reason not to think of them considering the Barons can usually parlay their football success into success on the wrestling mat or baseball diamond, no doubt. McCaskey? Oh yeah, we’ve seen the Red Tornado throw their weight around from the fall to winter seasons here and there historically, but not so much of late. Lancaster Catholic? Of course, you always have to count on the Crusaders being a threat to do great damage, yes. Manheim Township or Warwick? Well, two suburban districts that are experiencing what feels like nothing but constant land and housing development also put them in a favorable position to take home the honor. But the most honest and truthful answer as to what athletic department locally is taking care of business at a head and shoulders level above all others right now? Lampeter-Strasburg.
I know, you may not have been thinking that way at first glance either. When you do a deep dive into the numbers, however, the results are nothing if not mesmerizing in support of that claim though. Whether it be the football or boys’ basketball teams that candidly always end up stealing the most headlines, the prowess on the girls’ side at L-S is honestly even better when you factor in the field hockey, lacrosse, and basketball teams of the last couple of years to name just a few programs performing at an exceptional level. And oh yeah, don’t forget about the softball team which is also literally the best team in the state at the moment. If you don’t believe me, they have the trophy to prove it. To be frank, the bar has been raised so high at an athletic level at L-S recently that it might honestly be considered a disappointment if any team –girls or boys—doesn’t end up making a postseason appearance at the very least. From there, as we’ve seen when looking at recent historical data, the Pios typically make deep, deep runs in the L-L, District 3, and PIAA tourneys from there, sometimes even walking away with the entire thing. On top of that, it also doesn’t hurt matters when you also have scores of high-level Division 1 athletes walking around the halls of the school either. So, with that in mind, seeing L-S Football get off to such a hot start this season really is not much of a surprise. In fact, maybe the most surprising thing about this year’s bunch is that they didn’t come into their week 8 game at Garden Spot with a perfect record.
Oh, that loss. It must feel like a lifetime ago in Pioneer country. Granted, while both L-S and Warwick lost an embarrassment of riches off last year’s clubs respectively, the prevailing thought was that surely L-S would be better suited to handle it and reload seeing as how the Lampeter-Strasburg football program has been able to establish itself as precisely that- a definitive football program that isn’t some flash in the pan, overnight success story. But on that week 1 night in Lititz earlier this year, the Pios got a rude and unwelcomed introduction to the 2021 season considering the final 45-22 count that ended up in the Warriors’ favor. Since then, however, the Pioneers of the last six weeks likely wouldn’t even recognize that week 1 version of themselves if it was looking back at them in a mirror.
Following their 23-point setback to begin the season, L-S has been on some kind of mission. Sure, they rang up a 6-0 record that span of time, yes, but the way they’ve done so is either welcoming or alarming depending on your rooting interest for L-S I suppose. In those six consecutive victories since the loss to Warwick, L-S has outscored their opponents by an average score of 37-5, including three shutouts—the last of which came against Donegal last week— for an added cherry on top. Suffice to say, while there are other teams clicking at an incredible pace right now around the state, there ain’t many other groups that are performing at that high a level.
Ironically, their opponent on Friday night might have been 1-A in terms of the hottest team in the L-L coming into this weekend.
Simply put, life’s been pretty good if you’re a Garden Spot Spartan of late. If you’re a player or coach, or even just fan in general, you have to be excited and appreciative that the district as a whole has shown a willingness and commitment to help you meet your needs and wants by awarding you with a massive new athletic facilities facelift that includes a much-needed hardwood floor in the main gym, along with a pristine new turf field inside the stadium that Garden Spot brass had been itching to show off heading into this season for the first time amongst other things. As far as the team that calls the brand-new, fast track it’s home, it’s admittedly been a bit of a mixed bag of results for the Spartans on the football field in 2021.
Although the wins were in short supply throughout the first quarter pole of the season, Garden Spot certainly had a puncher’s chance in all but one of their first four losses, including an agonizing 27-24 overtime loss in week 1 against nearby Route 23 neighbor, Twin Valley, to begin the campaign. However, starting with their week 5 game against Pequea Valley, Garden Spot must have found the secret sauce during that week of prep considering that the Spartans have been able to turn things around magnificently following their 0-4 start given that Spot came this week’s home game against L-S while riding a two-game winning streak. A winning streak which by the way came via the tune of two shutouts in a pair of contests that amounted to a combined final score of 92-0 following triumphs over PV and Lebanon respectively.
Needless to say, while the primary colors on display on Friday night in New Holland would be blue and white given their shared school colors, it would be another color, red, which would truthfully be the most important hue of the evening. Why red? Why who would be able to remain red-hot heading into the final two games of the regular season slate of course given both squads came into the night playing their best ball of the entire season of course. Granted, while it may not have ended up being their most stellar night of play so far this season, L-S ultimately sent a message to the rest of their listening audience that even an opposing team’s best counterpunch can essentially be shrugged off by this group of Pioneers.
Speaking of the counterpunch, Garden Spot came off the gates landing haymaker after haymaker to begin the contest. Case in point, the Spartans’ initial offensive drive of the contest which began with a bang given the first down runs picked up thanks to the efforts of Tristin Sadowski and Joel Martin respectively, a pair of scampers authored by the senior duo which ushered the hosts’ opening series out to near the midfield stripe. From there, almost before anyone inside the refurbished stadium had a chance to settle into their seats, Garden Spot sophomore quarterback, Kye Harting, called his own number and ran around the left end unabated all the way to the end zone, making his 44-yard touchdown jaunt serve notice to the visitors from Lampeter that this wasn’t going to be some leisurely stroll through the park considering the very early 7-0 Garden Spot lead with just over three minutes and change having ticked off the first-quarter clock.
Then, with their offensive already having provided a spark, the Spartans’ defensive troops were up to the task at hand as well. In fact, L-S’ opening offensive series ended rather abruptly after just three plays. Abruptly being the keyword there given a Garden Spot sack thanks to the handiwork of junior defensive lineman, Tyler Hurst, who brought the Pioneers’ punt team onto the field.
So, after taking over possession of the ball once more following the three and out posted by way of their defense, Garden Spot was out to prove that their previous series was no fluke. Sure enough, it wasn’t. And yes, while the Spartans’ second series wouldn’t end inside one of the newly-painted blue end zones with gray lettering written into it, a 42-yard field goal booted home on the right leg of the senior kicker, Walker Martin, made it an eyebrow-raising 10-0 advantage in favor of Garden Spot with 5:46 now left to play in the opening stanza.
As if that wasn’t already enough, the flow of the game which so clearly going in Garden Spot’s favor at that point in time only continued onward. In fact, after yet another L-S three and out following the Martin field goal, the Spartans took over once again while nearly knocking on the door of yet another score following the Pioneers’ short punt. This time, however, Garden Spot wouldn’t be able to inflict any more damage upon the scoreboard considering that the Spartans’ field goal attempt to go up by baker’s dozen was blocked, ending yet another promising Garden Spot march.
Needless to say, it was apparent at that point in time that the L-S offense needed to get things cranked into gear to at the very least make Garden Spot feel slightly less confident with the way in which the Spartans had literally dominated. Well, fortunately for the visitors, their offense would indeed get rolling.
In terms of the L-L’s best quarterback and wide receiver tandems, Berkeley Wagner to Beau Heyser must be among the very short list of nominees. Luckily –and not a moment too soon as far as the L-S contingent was certainly concerned—a Wagner to Heyser strike to the tune of 25-yards on the first play of the Pios’ third possession got the high-powered attack into motion. From there, L-S’ senior triggerman kept the ball in the sky as a Wagner to Austin Cole pitch and catch down the seam, plus a Garden Spot penalty added on top, quickly ushered the L-S attack all the way down to Spartans’ 20-yard line. So, with Wagner helping set the table as far as L-S being able to prance right down the field against the Garden Spot defense, it seemed apropos that he himself would have the honors of crossing the goal line first for the Pios on this night, something which he was able to do by way of his 16-yard quarterback keeper for a key touchdown with cut the Garden Spot lead down to a much more manageable 10-7 count which is where the score would remain once the final 1:23 ticked off the first-quarter clock.
If nothing else, the ultra-quick L-S rebuttal to Garden Spot’s early salvo had to make those in attendance feel as if the giant had been poked and prodded long enough and that the Pioneers would quickly take command of this game and run away with it. Oh, on the contrary, I’m afraid.
In fact, after what felt like yet another lightning-quick L-S offensive series that ended with a punt, it was the Garden Spot special team’s turn to enter the mix. Yes, after their defensive mates had been able to bow their necks and stave off another L-S series, the Spartans opted to bring the heat on the punt to see what would happen. In short, the plan went off without a hitch considering the punt itself was blocked, an occurrence that led to Garden Spot senior skill guy, Gavin T. Miller, scooping and scoring with the pigskin in his mitts from seven yards out, ballooning the Spartans’ lead back up to ten at 17-7 following a Walker Martin PAT with 11:06 left before the intermission.
By now, whether Lampeter-Strasburg had expected to find themselves in a dog fight, the Pioneers were now certainly right in the middle of one with Garden Spot currently playing a marvelous first half of football. However, from that moment on, L-S was able to turn things around and never look back.
Following what could have resulted in a devastating scoop and score from a mentality standpoint, the Pioneers answered the dinner bell marvelously in the drive that followed. That is to say of course that perhaps the most important play of the entire game wasn’t a play at all considering that Garden Spot jumped offsides on a 4th & 4, allowing the L-S offense to trot back onto the field for a fresh set of downs. Then, with a new lease on life on their side, the Pios began dinking and dunking their way down the field with chunk plays at a time. The most instrumental play of the series however came on a 3rd & 4 with the ball at the Garden Spot 37-yard line.
For some teams, throwing a one-on-one fade route down the sideline is an extremely low percentage play. Of course, if you have Beau Heyser at your disposal, shoot, just go ahead and throw that thing up. Needless to say, that’s exactly what Berkeley Wager proceeded to do with Heyser then coming down with the key grab, a pitch, and catch which ushered the Pios’ attack all the way down to the Spartans’ 8-yard line. From there, Wagner proceeded to play the role of Houdini by somehow eluding the chase of three oncoming Spartan defensive players in hot pursuit of a sack, instead of spinning out of the oncoming threat to find a wide-open safety blanket named Beau Heyser sitting all by his lonesome on his route in the end zone to help bail his quarterback out of trouble, a strike between the two which helped the guests get back within three at 17-14 with 7:15 before recess.
Then, with their defense rising up and forcing another Garden Spot punt on the ensuing series, the L-S offense continued to hum right along.
As far as their next scoring drive was concerned, L-S decided to feature a heavy dose of Giovanni Malatesta. Wise move there considering the Pios’ shifty senior running back was able to methodically slice and dice his way through the Spartans’ defensive troops to help bring the offensive attack down with him to the precipice of a go-ahead score for the guests. And hey, when you do a majority of the heavy lifting, you might as well get rewarded for it, right? Sure enough, Malatesta was able to tote the rock one more time on the drive, this time darting into the end zone from 17-yards out to give the Pioneers’ their initial lead of the evening at 22-17 with 2:29 remaining in the half following a successful 2pt run courtesy of L-S junior wideout, Hunter Hildenbrand.
It was rather self-explanatory at this point that the L-S snowball was racing downhill at an alarming rate as far as Garden Spot being able to contain it. The bad news for the hosts though was that the hits just kept on coming in the final two minutes and change.
Following a sack tallied by future Coastal Carolina Chanticleer, Nick Del Grande, which led to yet another Spartans’ punt, L-S took the reins back over while starting out at their own 38-yard line.
Sure, while staring at a 3rd & 20 attempts while backed up inside your own territory certainly isn’t the most auspicious way to try and make a living, having Berkeley Wagner call his own number can also get you out of a lot of jams too. Case in point, the senior quarterback’s keeper for a 40-yard dash on said third and long which moved the L-S attack into the Garden Spot side of the field with the ball now resting at the Spartans’ 29-yard line. Then, following a long pass to Hildenbrand which got the Pios down to the 8-yard line, the Wagner to Heyser duo proved lethal again as another 8-yard scoring strike amongst the pair resulted in a backbreaking score just before the first half horn which sent L-S into the intermission with the ownership of the 29-17 cushion.
Granted, while L-S had all the momentum known to mankind at the end of the first 24 minutes, Garden Spot seemed up to challenge once the third began in earnest.
In fact, after holding the white-hot Pioneers’ offense to just three plays and out to begin the third frame, the Spartans went back on the offensive attack once they got the ball back. Speaking of which, a long pass play from Kye Harting to Tristin Sadowski certainly helped the cause as the ironic connection between the Spartans’ top two quarterbacks was good for a 21-yard gainer on 3rd & 11, moving the Spot advance down to the L-S 29-yard line. From there, the Spartans would be able to navigate their way all the way down to the Pioneers’ 5-yard line following yet another Harting bomb, this time junior wideout, Blake Weaver, putting Garden Spot within a whisker of making things very interesting once again. Unfortunately, as far what felt like the entire town of New Holland was concerned given how many Spartan-backers had shown up on Friday night to support their team, that would be all the further the threat would go. Beset by key penalties later in the drive, the Spartans had to settle for a Walker Martin field which he proceeded to kick through the uprights per usual, a kick which trimmed the L-S lead back down to nine at 29-20 with 5:45 left to play in the third.
In short, the opening offensive series for L-S in the second half on Friday night was nothing more than a minor blip on the radar.
After being set up with marvelous field position following a long kickoff return by way of senior running back, Payton Cunningham, the Pios began their ensuing drive following the Martin field goal inside Garden Spot territory at the 40-yard line. From there, another personal foul penalty whistled against the Spartans moved L-S down to the 13-yard line. Then, with Wagner executing his stellar ball-handling skills when trying to decide whether to give or keep on his reads which had helped moved L-S down the field even further, a 1-yard Wagner touchdown run made it a 16-point affair in favor of L-S at 36-20 which is where things would remain following the 4:24 of the third quarter.
Once inside the final dozen minutes, L-S only continued to keep their foot on the gas.
In fact, on the first play from scrimmage once inside the final stanza, a nice run up the heart of the Garden Spot defense from sophomore running back, Jonathan Mellinger, L-S looked up and saw themselves ready to kick down the door again at the Spartans’ 16-yard line. Fittingly, seeing as how he helped move the attack down that far, Mellinger was able to have the honors of scoring the Pioneers’ next score with a 3-yard burst to give L-S the now gargantuan 43-20 buffer with 8:57 left to play.
Even still, with time running out and the outcome already having been decided, L-S’ offense showed no signs whatsoever of slowing down.
Ignited by a fantastic cut-back run against the grain by Payton Cunningham once again while dodging would-be Spartan defenders along the way on their ensuing offensive series, the Pioneers were on the doorstep once again at the Garden Spot 23-yard line. And much in the same vein as the drive which had preceded it as far as the running back who helped get down the field this far finishing things off in style, Cunningham too was able to reap the benefits of his hard-earned labor with a 3-yard touchdown plunge of his own, a run which helped put the exclamation mark on L-S’ dizzying 50-20 comeback victory over Garden Spot.
NEXT UP: Hmm. What to make that of that one if you’re in L-S’ camp? For starters, it must be comforting to know that even if you only have your off-speed pitch working any given night, you may end up being 30-points better than a divisional foe once all is said and done. To be sure, there are plenty of things L-S can take with them from Friday night’s triumph to brush up on as they head into the final two games of the regular-season slate. And yes, while next week’s game against a fast-rising Ephrata squad will help solve a lot of the unanswered questions as far as the L-L Section Three chase is concerned this season, make no mistake about it. This is an L-S team that has its sights set on bigger fish to fry. You know, the kind that can help get you to Hershey on a cold night in December? Yeah, suffice to say, if L-S is clicking on all cylinders on any given Friday night, this is a team that is a legitimate threat to make a run at a state title. A feat that once again, would be par for the course given the heights this program has now ascended to.
As far as Garden Spot is concerned, Friday night’s bout with L-S was impressive in its own right. In fact, for much of the first half, the Spartans appeared to be better the team out on the field against a mighty L-S squad, albeit that the scoreboard didn’t read in their favor to indicate that. That said, if Garden Spot can replicate that same kind of effort against the likes of Lancaster Catholic and Donegal to end the 2021 campaign, there is no reason not to believe that the Spartans don’t have a puncher’s chance at coming out victorious in either or both of those final two contests. Not only that, but with a roster, this year that appears heavy on the junior and sophomore flavor along with a new alignment coming next year with the Berks/L-L merger, keep an eye on what is happening in New Holland in the years to come. There’s good reason to buy what the Spartans are selling.
