The Roger Allen Story (TCY)

[Big Six]

It dawned on me today that while I've been writing dynasty stories on one forum or another for about six years now, I'd never dedicated any real time or energy to a story based on one of the more addictive sports simulations I've ever encountered.

I have been a HUGE, HUGE college football fan since I was barely old enough to hold a football. When I discovered The College Years, I immediately immersed myself in it and would play for hours. I've had it on one computer after another since the game came out, I believe.

It's time for me to write my first TCY story. Our main character will be Roger Allen, who has just come to Lancaster, Pennsylvania as the head football coach of the Lancaster College Lancers.

The Lancers are a member of the Bowl Championship Series' least prestigious conference, the eight-team Keystone Conference (the Solecismic Eight, located in Pennsylvania and renamed). They've taken a chance on Allen who, at age 31, will become the youngest head coach in the NCAA's top football division.

As the 2004 season approaches, you'll meet Coach Allen, his staff, and his players. You'll then join them as they make their way through the 2004 season, celebrating victories and stewing over defeats. Hopefully you'll get to know them well enough to care about them. I suppose that will be my job--to give you enough insight into the Lancers program and tell a good enough story that we all remain interested.

I don't know how long Coach Allen will last, or where he'll end up. We'll find out, I suppose.

So, the story begins...

[Big Six]

I decided to let the computer handle hiring and firing Coach Allen's staff, so he will be at the mercy of his cyber-AD when it comes to this aspect of his coaching life.

I wish I could say that Lancaster's football fortunes will be guided by a remarkable group of coaches, whose powerful, creative minds and inspiring personalities far exceed those you'd usually find at a smaller school. That, however, isn't the case.

Coach Allen begins his career with a staff that is long on experience, but not much else.

Syndicate coordinator Ben Barlow, 59, is Decent at Soliciting Donations from alumni and friends of the college, but his skills at maintaining the Academic Eligibility of the team's players and handling Syndicate Investigations are Poor. Hopefully Coach Allen will handle his program with enough integrity that the Syndicate won't be on his case, and he's planning on bringing in players who won't encounter much academic difficulty.

The Lancer defense is coordinated by Randal Schwartz, a prickly 58-year-old veteran whose Poor Congeniality might rub many players the wrong way. Coach Schwartz does, however, have an Terrific reputation for Play Calling, and as a whole, he's at least Good at developing players' skills. He's especially Terrific at helping young linebackers reach their potential. He's Poor at helping his players avoid injuries, so the fact that he's Terrific at rehabilitating them is a very good thing.

Offensive coordinator Ian Gallardo, 55, isn't nearly as solid a coach as Schwartz. His Good rating for Congeniality makes him the "good cop" to Schwartz' "bad cop." However, he's a Poor play caller, he's Lousy at developing O-linemen and receivers, and he's no better than Good at anything else he does besides work with running backs. Coach Gallardo prefers the Power I formation, which he's been running for five years.

Lancaster's limited recruiting budget will make it necessary for Coach Allen to recruit regionally, for the most part. Coach J.T. Ballard has the primary responsibility for scouting the players in Pennsylvania and the other Mid-Atlantic states. Unfortunately, Coach Ballard is the poorest evaluator of football talent on the entire Lancaster staff. He's a Very Good judge of offensive line talent, and he's Decent at identifying talented linebackers and defensive backs. However, he wouldn't know a good D-lineman or quarterback if one hit him in the face, his skills at evaluating their talent are flat-out Terrible. He's Fair or Poor with the other position groups.

On the other hand, Coach Allen can trust the judgments of Coach Devin Burgess, whose discerning eye will spot the best players in the Great Lakes area. Unfortunately, Coach Burgess is 68 years old, so he's probably nearing the end of his career.

As limited as Coach Allen's staff seems to be, a quick look at the rest of the Keystone Conference's coaching staffs indicates that Lancaster is probably no worse off in this regard than their conference foes are. That's just a fact of life in the bottom ranks of the BCS.

[Groo]

Great to see another TCY dynasty begin. I look forward to following the Lancaster program, and maybe even stopping by for a homecoming game ;)

[Honolulu Blue]

It's been awhile since I've played TCY or seen a TCY dynasty, so I wish you well, and I'll try to follow along as best I can.

P.S. Remind me, which is worst - "Poor", "Lousy", or "Terrible"?

[Big Six]

Great to see another TCY dynasty begin. I look forward to following the Lancaster program, and maybe even stopping by for a homecoming game ;)

The Lancers appreciate all the support they can get. It looks like Homecoming will take place during Week 8, when Keystone Conference rival Harrisburg comes to town.

Of course, the Lancers' biggest rival is York, whom they'll face in their season finale during Week 13. This year, the game will be played in Lancaster, so I'm expecting to see a big crowd that day.

[Big Six]

It's been awhile since I've played TCY or seen a TCY dynasty, so I wish you well, and I'll try to follow along as best I can.

P.S. Remind me, which is worst - "Poor", "Lousy", or "Terrible"?

Thanks very much. Even if you don't remember all the details concerning TCY, it's still football. :)

Because my computer runs Vista, I can't access the in-game help, so I can't be 100 percent sure about the answer to your question. I'm thinking that "Terrible" is the worst, and that "Poor" is the best of the three.

[Big Six]

Like most of the schools in the Keystone Conference, Lancaster College traditionally takes pride in its academic reputation. Its reputation for Undergraduate Average is considered Good, with 58 points on the 100-point scale that's used to evaluate academic performance.

Lancaster ranks 31st among the 125 BCS programs in overall academic reputation. Stanford (86), Duke (80), California (78), Rice (77), and Northwestern (76) rank highest in this category.

Among the KC schools, Williamsport (59) is ranked highest, at #26 overall--one notch below the Air Force Academy. Lancaster is tied with its traditional arch-rival York at 58.

Allentown is currently the slackest school in the conference. The Steelers rank 102nd, with a score of 38 that is considered only Fair. Troy has the worst academic reputation, with a score of 23.

At the press conference that announced his hiring, Coach Allen indicated his desire to improve the academic standards of his program even more. "I wouldn't take a job at a school that doesn't take what happens in the classroom seriously," the coach said. "A number of programs demonstrate that it's very possible to win football games without sacrificing academic success. We're going to recruit solid student-athletes here, and we'll win on both counts."

[Big Six]

Lancaster College offers majors in most of the subjects undergrads find most popular. A Lancer may concentrate in any area other than Hotel Management, Architecture, Linguistics, or Philosophy.

Right now, every one of Lancaster's academic departments are rated Good, with a score of 58. They rank anywhere from 28th to 32nd among BCS football schools, which is probably based on the number of better schools that offer a particular major.

The French department ranks highest, at #28. Astronomy, Dentistry, Geology, Medicine, and Speech all rank 29th.

(I'm guessing the departmental ratings and rankings will change, based on the performances of Coach Allen's players who choose to major in particular subjects. A brilliant student who wants to be a doctor will probably raise the school's reputation for Medicine, while a rockheaded Trigonometry major would cause the reputation of that department to fall.)

[Big Six]

Coach Roger Allen takes over a Lancaster program that features a fairly typical mix of players for a smaller school. "There are some guys who are going to hold their own very well in this conference," he admitted, under the condition of anonymity. "There are also some places where we're going to need some definite upgrades."

Here are the Lancers' Roster Strength scores. Each position group is rated, with individual scores for the starters and backups. The ratings indicate the Lancers' relative talent, when compared to their counterparts at other schools. For that reason, you can't assume that if Lancaster's reserves at a particular position rate higher than their starters do, that the wrong guys are starting for the Lancers. That means that Lancaster's backups compare more favorably to the players who run second and third string at schools across the country. There's probably less of a difference between the talent of the Lancer starters and reserves at that position, and the starters will probably have to work harder to keep their jobs.


POSITION STARTERS RESERVES
Quarterbacks 17 (Poor) 19 (Poor)
Running Backs 14 (Poor) 4 (Poor)
Fullbacks 34 (Fair) 28 (Fair)
Tight Ends 19 (Poor) 21 (Poor)
Wide Receivers 30 (Fair) 13 (Poor)
Centers 19 (Poor) 6 (Poor)
Guards 33 (Fair) 3 (Poor)
Tackles 17 (Poor) 20 (Fair)
Punters 37 (Fair) 43 (Good)
Kickers 18 (Poor) 30 (Fair)
Defensive Ends 22 (Fair) 16 (Poor)
Defensive Tackles 32 (Fair) 33 (Fair)
Inside Linebackers 12 (Poor) 5 (Poor)
Outside Linebackers 19 (Poor) 25 (Fair)
Cornerbacks 34 (Fair) 18 (Poor)
Safeties 27 (Fair) 25 (Poor)

[Big Six]

Now we'll take a quick position-by-position look at the players who will be taking the field for the 2004 Lancaster Lancers.

The information given for each player should be read "class/height/weight/home town/high school, present rating/potential rating."

If no state is given for a player's home town, assume the guy's from PA.

QUARTERBACK

#18 Norman Griffis (So/6-3/189/Pittsburgh/Oliver, 23/47) will be the starter. He's a mobile quarterback who's best when he's throwing short or medium routes. Promising redshirt freshman #15 Kevin Kanuyh will back Griffis up.

RUNNING BACK

#29 Cris Middleton (So/5-11/202/Lewisburg/Lewisburg, 24/27), whose calling card is speed, gets the nod here. Middleton also has good hands and will be an asset in the passing game. Coach Allen hopes Cris stays healthy; his backups are a motley crew who aren't very good and won't get much better.

FULLBACK

The Lancers are in good hands here with #49 Arnold Moss (Jr/6-0/224/Philadelphia/William Penn, 40/40). Moss is a tough ballcarrier, a good receiver, and a good blocker. #21 Bobby DeMoen, a fireplug sophomore, might also see some action here.

TIGHT END

Right now, #83 Amos Perkins (Sr/6-3/220/Sudbury, OH/Big Walnut, 30/42) is the starter, but he'll be pushed hard by #81 Archie Grosz (R-Fr/6-4/226/Wyandotte, MI/Roosevelt, 15/62). Grosz has the talent to be one of the conference's top players at his position before he's through. Look for the Lancers to run some two-TE sets to get both Perkins and Grosz on the field.

WIDE RECEIVER

#2 A.J. Goldberg (So/5-11/185/Wyncote/Cheltenham, 38/55) will start at flanker. He's a tough kid who will go over the middle and has a knack for big plays. The first team split end will be #81 Ellis Burns (Sr/6-0/188/Northampton/Northampton Area, 32/32), who has the best hands on the team. The rest of the Lancer wideouts are freshmen without much potential.

[Big Six]

CENTER

#50 Neal Harper (Jr/6-2/261/Macedonia, OH/Nordonia, 23/26) starts here, mainly because he's a better run blocker than #54 Phillip Dawson (R-Fr/6-3/251/Bangor/Bangor Area, 4/55), who is raw but possesses great upside.

GUARD

On the left side, the Lancers will start #72 Lionel Arceo (So/6-3/277/Bethel Park/Bethel Park, 32/64). Lionel is a leading contender for All-Keystone honors, and some say he's talented enough to play on Sundays one day. #64 Darrell Bernstein (Jr/6-3/270/Highland, MI/Milford, 23/42), who excels in pass protection, will start at right guard. The Lancers are clearly better here than at any other position on the O-line, with promising freshman #69 Lewis Fox in reserve.

TACKLE

Coach Allen has no concerns about left tackle #77 Doug Allen (Jr/6-5/282/Ridgway/Ridgway Area, 31/35). That can't be said for the situation on the right side, where #63 Marty Petzold (Jr/6-6/283/Ashland, WI/Ashland, 12/29) will fight sophomore #60 Cole Kotler for the starting job. Petzold's experience will probably give him the nod here.

[Big Six]

DEFENSIVE END

The Lancers run a base 3-4 defense, with #74 Curtis Veen (Sr/6-5/263/Marion, OH/Elgin, 38/38) starting at right end and true freshman #98 Vernon Bailey (Fr/6-2/231/Hegins/Tri-Valley, 12/21) on the left side. Veen, one of the team's captains, is a stout run defender. Bailey is the best of a poor lot of contenders for the other position.

DEFENSIVE TACKLE

#91 Tony May (So/6-6/273/Wilkes-Barre/Hanover Area, 32/32) and #99 Rich Elliott (So/6-0/250/Punxsutawney/Punxsutawney Area) give the Lancers two solid choices here. May, who is a particulary good pass rusher for a tackle, will start over the undersized but scrappy Elliott, but both of them will see plenty of action. Freshman #79 Bo Peterson shows a lot of promise.

OUTSIDE LINEBACKER

Senior #48 B.J. Ducrot (Sr/6-1/222/Philadelphia/Lamberton, 29/32) starts on the strong side. He's the leader of the linebacker corps, a disruptive force agaisnt the run and athletic enough to help in pass coverage. Weakside LB #90 Hardy Irwin (Jr/5-11/206/Alverton/Southmoreland, 22/39) is good against the pass, but lacks the size to be a top-flight run stopper. #42 Herman Husak, a senior, can help out against the run.

INSIDE LINEBACKER

The Lancer coaching staff think they have a future star in weakside ILB #47 Sean Whitfield (So/6-1/219/Carlisle/Carlisle Area, 17/55), a solid, every-down player. Beside him, the Lancers will start fellow soph #53 Blake Foulke (So/6-2/222/Langhorne/Neshaminy, 19/25). Foulke is much more effective agaisnt the pass than he is against the run. #44 Kyle Au, a true freshman, can spell Foulke on obvious running downs. #48 Derek Bullock, who is redshirting this year and will have three years of eligibility remaining, has a lot of potential.

[Big Six]

CORNERBACK

#45 J.J. Sturgeon (Sr/6-0/186/Buckingham/Central Bucks East, 35/51) and #43 Edgar White (So/5-10/169/Newcomerstown, OH/Newcomerstown, 29/39) give the Lancers two solid corners. Both Sturgeon and White enjoy the challenge of matching up against opposing receivers in man coverage, and Sturgeon is an especially hard-hitting tackler. Junior #41 J.J. Motz is a solid backup and a decent nickel back.

SAFETY

Free safety #28 Joe Dixon (Sr/6-0/178/Vassar, MI/Vassar, 42/42) is perhaps the best player at his position in the Keystone Conference. Adept in any coverage scheme and a sure tackler, Dixon is a contender for Conference Player of the Year honors. #22 Jackie Webb (Fr/5-11/174/Pennsburg/Upper Perkiomen, 22/27) steps in to start at strong safety as a true freshman.

[Big Six]

KICKER

#5 Leslie Giang (So/5-10/166/Quitman, GA/Brooks Co., 23/30) will handle the placekicking and kickoff duties for the Lancers. He's nothing special, but he'll get the job done.

PUNTER

#4 Nate Blair (Jr/6-2/207/Rockford, IL/Auburn, 47/56) has a powerful leg and should force opposing teams to play on a long field. #12 Kelvin Myers is also a solid punter

KICK RETURNERS

A.J. Goldberg and Edgar White are Lancaster's best return men. Goldberg is a particularly dangerous punt returner, while White is slightly more skilled at running back kickoffs.

[Big Six]

Here is the schedule Coach Roger Allen and his Lancaster Lancers will face during the 2004 season:


WEEK OPPONENT
2 HAWAII
3 at Northern Illinois
4 at Wake Forest
6 at Reading
7 WILLIAMSPORT
8 HARRISBURG
9 at Virginia Tech
10 at Scranton
11 ALLENTOWN
12 at Erie
13 YORK


Home games are listed in ALL CAPS.
Keystone Conference games are highlighted in blue.

The toughest game the Lancers will face is their Week 9 trip to Virginia Tech. The Hokies are ranked #18 in the preseason polls.

This year, the Lancers will play four of their seven Keystone Conference games at home. That should give them a slight edge.

[Big Six]

Week 1, 2004
Since the Lancaster Lancers would not open their season until next week, coach Roger Allen and his staff had more time than usual to dedicate to recruiting.

The young, energetic coach enjoyed recruiting. “I like letting young players know about what we have to offer here at Lancaster,” Allen said. “I can go into a player’s home and tell him and his family that our academic programs are strong, and I don’t have to tell half-truths.”
The regional focus of Lancaster’s recruiting gave Roger more time at home with his wife Mary Grace and their children. The couple had a four-year-old son, Chris, and a two-year-old daughter, Caitlin.

Coach Allen and his staff were looking for a particular kind of player. “Sure, we want him to be good at football,” he said, stating the obvious. “We’re also looking at what kind of potential they have as students. And we don’t have any room in our program for troublemakers, either.”
The Lancer staff wasn’t afraid to set their sights high, either. They were pursuing several Pennsylvania athletes who were strong students and were ranked among the top 1000 players in the nation. And some of these young men seemed to be taking the Lancaster program seriously.

One such player was defensive end Norbert Givens, from Burgettstown High School in western Pennsylvania. Rivals.com rated him the #10 prospect in the state, and the third best at his position; he was #292 and #43 nationally. Norbert was also a straight A student who’d scored 1350 on his SAT, and his attitude was Excellent.

Assistant coach Devin Burgess rated Givens at a 73 on a 100-point scale. “He’s Pretty Good at judging defensive line talent, so I was inclined to believe him,” Coach Allen recalled. “When I visited him and watched more film, my impression was that he was even better than that.” Allen invited Givens to campus and offered him a scholarship.

Among the Lancers’ other early targets were tight end Duane Walczak, guards Sean Belyeu and Zack Starks, and running back Mercury Diable, all from the Keystone State. Belyeu had dreamed of playing for Lancaster since he was in elementary school, and was positively overjoyed when Coach Allen contacted him. Starks, who was the top player in Pennsylvania and the #1 guard prospect in the country, was admittedly a stretch, but Allen’s initial contacts with him were positive.

“Zack wants to major in Music, and our Music program is very good,” said Allen. “We offered him and invited him to campus, and he’s considering our offer.” However, since powerhouse programs like Michigan and Penn State were also courting Starks, Coach Allen knew his chances of landing him were slim.

“We won’t know until we try, however,” the optimistic coach pointed out. “We’re not putting all our eggs in baskets like Zack Starks’.”

[Big Six]

Week 2, 2004

One game into his collegiate coaching career, Roger Allen was still undefeated.

Before a crowd of 20,600 that filled about three-quarters of Lancaster’s stadium on a beautiful 75-degree day, the Lancers came from behind to defeat the Rainbow Warriors, 21-10.

Quarterback Norman Griffis demonstrated his ability to make plays on the ground and in the air. He completed 10 of 18 passing attempts for 111 yards, but was even more productive as a ballcarrier. Running the option deftly, Griffis toted the pigskin 24 times, gaining 139 yards.

The Lancers trailed 10-0 at halftime, and didn’t get on the scoreboard until a minute remained in the third quarter, when reserve fullback Bobby DeMoen capped off a twelve-play drive by plunging into the end zone from two yards out.

The game’s turning point occurred early in the fourth quarter, when Lancaster nickel back Herman Husak jumped a route, picked off a Terrance Benson pass and took it 67 yards for a touchdown. “Herman’s play really turned things around,” said Allen.

Husak’s big play highlighted an excellent effort by the Lancaster defense. Warrior quarterback Benson had Lancer pass rushers in his grille all afternoon long, and the Lancers sacked him nine times. Pass rush specialist Phillip Walker (Sr/6-1/231/Fowler, CO/Fowler) did his job with ferocious intensity, recording three sacks, and was named Player of the Game. Defensive end Curtis Veen racked up 2.5 sacks of his own. Walker, Veen, and Griffis all received National Player of the Week recognition.

Coach Allen allowed himself to bask a little bit in the moment. He watched his players celebrating their victory in the locker room, and listened as Griffis humbly explained to the gathered media why the Lancer offense had operated so efficiently that day. Outside the locker room, he hugged Mary Grace, and hauled Chris and Caitlin into his arms, holding one child on each side.

Allen knew it wouldn't always be this good, but right now, it was.


Here's the box score from the first game of Coach Allen's career:



Hawaii 7 3 0 0 - 10
Lancaster 0 0 7 14 - 21

1Q: 03:39 HAWI - Claude Cotchery 8 pass from Terrance Benson.
1Q: 03:39 HAWI - Ryan Brownell extra point.
2Q: 08:33 HAWI - Ryan Brownell 23 field goal.
3Q: 01:03 LANC - Bobby DeMoen 2 run.
3Q: 01:03 LANC - Leslie Giang extra point.
4Q: 10:33 LANC - Herman Husak 67 interception return.
4Q: 10:33 LANC - Leslie Giang extra point.
4Q: 04:40 LANC - Moe Del Barco 34 run.
4Q: 04:40 LANC - Leslie Giang extra point.

Team Statistics HAWI LANC

First Downs 17 19

Total Rushes 33 46
Net Rushing Yards 102 275
Yards Per Carry 3.0 5.9
Rushing Yards 165 289
Tckld Loss/Yards 2-3 4-8
Sacked/Yards Lost 9-60 1-6

Pass Attempts 34 18
Completions 19 10
Passing Yards 212 111
Yards Per Attempt 6.2 6.1

Interceptions 2 0
Fumbles/Lost 0/0 1/1

Total Plays 67 64
Total Yards 314 386
Yards Per Play 4.6 6.0

3rd Down Plays 5/15 3/13

Penalties 3 11
Penalty Yards 15 60

Avg. Drive Start OWN 27 OWN 30
Time Of Possession 30:01 29:59

[Big Six]

Week 6, 2004

Over the next five weeks, the Lancaster Lancers played three more games, and they experienced three very different outcomes.

In Week 3, the Lancers traveled to DeKalb, Illinois to take on Northern Illinois, and the Huskies scored 41 points in the first half en route to a 48-7 victory. NIU quarterbacks Tom Hicks and Benjamin Jones shredded the Lancers secondary, combining for 312 yards and four touchdowns. Meanwhile, the Lancers couldn’t generate much offense against the Huskies. Norman Griffis, who had rushed for 139 yards the week before, gained only a single yard on four carries. Neither he nor reserve QB Kevin Kanyuh could make anything happen through the air, either.

Even worse, defensive end Curtis Veen separated his shoulder, and would miss at least five weeks.

One might have expected the Lancers to head into their Week 4 matchup against Wake Forest without much confidence. “It’s never easy to beat a team from a major conference on the road,” Coach Roger Allen pointed out. “I hate to talk about moral victories, but to bounce back from the Northern Illinois game and only lose by three points…I thought we did pretty well.”

The thing that concerned the young coach most was the fact that the Demon Deacons had run the ball almost at will against the Lancers defence. Wake Forest rushed for 268 yards, with Jerome Keck shredding them for 164. “We have to do a much better job stopping the run,” said defensive coordinator Randal Schwartz. Without Veen, that task would become much tougher.

The Lancers had Week 5 off, and Coach Allen and his staff turned their recruiting efforts up another notch. They were rewarded with their first two signings of the season.

Offensive lineman Sean Belyeu, a hometown boy who grew up rooting for the Lancers, surprised nobody when he committed. A 6-4, 287-pound bruiser, Sean was not highly regarded, but Allen thought he was better than his reputation.

The other signee, quarterback Broderick Buchanan, was another story. Buchanan, a dual-threat quarterback from Laurel High in New Castle, PA, could d beat a defense equally well with his arm and with his legs. He was the third-best QB in Pennsylvania, according to rivals.com. Both Buchanan and Belyeu were very good students, with GPAs well over 3.00 and SAT scores above 1200.

The temperature was 42 degrees, and a chilly rain was falling when Lancaster met Reading during Week 6. The contest would be the first Keystone Eight game of the season for both teams, and the Lancers overcame both their opponents and the weather, rolling to a 45-14 victory.

Norman Giffis threw three touchdown passes, two to tight end Amos Perkins and one to wingback Moe Del Barco (So/5-10/205/Abington/Abington. The Lancers defense produced two touchdowns of their own; J.J. Sturgeon had a pick-six, and freshman cornerback Trevor Zawlinski scooped up a fumble and raced 61 yards for a score.

Griffis was named the game’s MVP, on the strength of 109 yards rushing and a 17-22 passing performance that netted 128 yards and three scores.

The only dark moment came when linebacker B.J. Ducrot limped gingerly off the field early in the second quarter. The senior had torn cartilage in his knee, and the team orthopedist’s prognosis wasn’t good.

“There’s a chance I might be back for the York game,” sighed Ducrot. “This isn’t the way I wanted my senior season to go, that’s for sure.” Ducrot had made 16 tackles against Wake Forest. Had he made his final stop in his Lancers career?

The Lancers had routed their first Keystone Eight opponent without much help from Ducrot and without anything from Curtis Veen. Would they be able to continue their success against the rest of their conference foes?

Lancaster's record: 2-2, 1-0 in the Keystone Eight.

[Groo]

Looks like a pretty solid start for such a new program. Nice start to recruiting, also, getting a couple of solid players to sign on.

Keep up the great work!

[Big Six]

Looks like a pretty solid start for such a new program. Nice start to recruiting, also, getting a couple of solid players to sign on.

Keep up the great work!

Thanks, Groo. Norman Griffis has two more years after this one, and Kevin Kanyuh is a good prospect for the future, so the Lancers didn't absolutely have to recruit a QB this year. Buchanan was just too good to pass up, however. His abilities as a runner will make hiim a good fit for the Lancaster offense.

Belyeu might not ever start at Lancaster, but he'll wear the uniform with pride, and he's the kind of student-athlete any school would love to have in their program.

[Big Six]

Week 7, 2004

Lancaster's next game, against Williamsport at home, was selected for a regional telecast. Coach Roger Allen was thrilled to learn this. "It's good to get some exposure for our program," he said. "And it's also good to be able to tell recruits that their families and friends can see them play on TV." Several of those recruits were among the crowd at Lancaster's Memorial Stadium.

The network could not have picked a more exciting game.

Lancaster led 14-0 at halftime, as Norman Griffis threw a 5-yard touchdown pass to Arnold Moss and scored himself on a 12-yard run. Williamsport quarterback Rich Corbett countered with an 8-yard TD scramble of his own, and Wildcats kicker James Ramming connected on a 30-yard field goal to cut the Lancers' lead to 14-10.

Early in the fourth quarter Griffis, who ended the game with 54 yards rushing on 17 carries, tallied again, this time from three yards out. Running back Cris Middleton, who had been disappointed with his performance so far, accounted for 43 yards on the drive, both running the ball and catching it.

However, the Wildcats weren't through yet. Corbett led his team down the field, finally hooking up with Artie Donaldson for an 11-yard TD pass.

Both teams traded defensive stops, and a great punt by Williamsport's Clarence Culbertson pinned the Lancers deep in their own end. The Williamsport defense held once again, forcing Nate Blair to punt from his own end zone and guaranteeing the Wildcats good field position on their next drive.

Corbett engineered another drive, eating up yardage and managing the clock expertly. When he tossed a 2-yard TD pass to Jerome Augustine and scored a two-point conversion to give Williamsport a 24-21 lead with less than a minute to play, it looked like the Wildcats' signal-caller would be the hero of the day.

Norman Griffis wasn't through yet, however.

Ramming pounded the kickoff through the uprights, so Lancaster had to begin from their own 20. Thirty-seven seconds remained on the clock when Griffis lead the Lancer offense onto the field.

He overthrew A.J. Goldberg on first down, but on the next play, he tossed the ball out to Moss in the flat. The fullback followed a convoy of blockers to the Lancaster 47, and Allen called time out.

Another 20 yards or so, and Leslie Giang might have a chance to kick a field goal and send the game into overtime. Griffis had other ideas. "Forget the tie," he told his teammates in the huddle. "We're gonna win this game."

Griffis dropped back and scanned the field, spotting a wide-open Arnold Burns. His pass was on target, and the glue-fingered Burns gathered it in. He sped down the sidelines before he was knocked out of bounds at the one-yard line. The Lancaster crowd had come to life once again, screaming its approval.

Ten seconds remained on the clock, and Allen still had one time out. There would be time for the Lancers to take a shot at the end zone and, if it failed, to send Giang in to try to send the game into overtime.

Arnold Moss took the ball from Griffis on a trap play up the middle. Center Neal Harper made a great block, and Moss plowed into the end zone. Giang's extra point gave Lancaster a 28-24 victory.

The Lancaster students swarmed the field, and a television sideline reporter corralled Coach Allen. "Norman Griffis showed a lot of poise on that last drive," he said. "A team takes its cue from its quarterback in those situations, and Norman really stepped up."

"When you're a kid playing in your backyard, you dream about days like this," said Griffis. "Today it really happened to me, thanks to my teammates."

The high school senior recruits sat together near the Lancaster student section, and they liked what they saw. Defensive end Norbert Givens was impressed with the atmosphere. "The crowd really gets into the game," he noted.

Linebacker Russell Durham, from Pittsburgh, nodded. "I noticed the way the Lancaster players didn't get their heads down when they fell behind. That says a lot about the program."

Zack Starks watched the players celebrate their victory and smiled. Zack was the top player in the state of Pennsylvania, and the third-best prospect at offnsive guard in the entire country. He had allegedly narrowed his college choices down to two: Penn State and Lancaster.

Two days later, he was asked about his visit to the tiny Keystone Eight school. "I really liked it there," he said. "Coach Allen is very easy to talk to, and I liked the guys I met--both the players who are there already and the guys who visited with me.

"I could definitely see myself playing there."

Lancaster's record: 3-2, 2-0 in the Keystone Eight.

[Big Six]

Week 9, 2004

The life of a college football coach is filled with ups and downs, and during the next two weeks, Roger Allen had his taste of both.

First came a disappointing loss to Harrisburg, who came to Lancaster and beat the Lancers, 31-24. Lancaster had no answer for Pioneers quarterback Shawn Black, who completed 22 of 30 passes for 332 yards and three touchdowns. Wideout Cary Ballard hauled in six Black passes for 147 yards and two scores.

Norman Griffis had another good game, rushing 17 times for 89 yards and throwing for 205 more. He connected with Amos Perkins and A.J. Goldberg for touchdowns. A Leslie Giang field goal and a touchdown run by Cris Middleton completed the Lancers' scoring.

The next Monday, Coach Allen announced that senior O-lineman Darrell Bernstein was suspended from the team. "Darrell broke a team rule," the coach said. "He made a poor choice, and he knows it." Bernstein had been a starter at right guard, and Allen liked him, so he hated to have to make the decision to suspend him. Senior walk-on Bo Sigsbee took Bernstein's spot in the starting lineup, because true freshman Lewis Fox didn't seem ready to step in yet.

Nobody was too surprised when #21 Virginia Tech pasted Lancaster, 38-3, in Week 9. The Hokies' vaunted defense, which allowed its opponents only 80 yards rushing per game, outdid itself against the Lancers. Seven sacks and six stuffs resulted in a net of minus 33 rushing yards for Lancaster.

On the brighter side, DE Curtis Veen was back in the Lancers lineup, recording four solo tackles and four assists. "It felt great to get back out there," he said. "My shoulder feels fine."

The sting of the loss to the Hokies was lessened considerably by the events of the next few days. Six high school seniors announced their commitments to play their college ball for Lancaster.

Norbert Givens and Russell Durham, two All-State defensive players, were the first to commit. Both of them had been early targets for Coach Allen, and both would be welcome additions to the Lancer front seven. Defensive tackle Brad Fulton didn't bring quite the same kind of credentials, but he looked like he'd be able to contribute before his career in Lancaster was over.

Center Herman Crownhart, from the town of Morrisville, was an aspiring doctor with a 3.87 high school GPA. He was also among the five best players at his position in the state. And Pete Radecki could punt, kick field goals, and score 1420 on his SAT. Both Herman and Pete fit perfectly into Coach Allen's plans for his program.

Then came the best news of all, the news that started the Internet message boards buzzing.

Zack Starks was coming to Lancaster!

Starks was a 6-6, 299-pound version of the All-American boy. His high school transcript was nearly flawless; his GPA was 3.97. He scored 1470 on his SAT. He sang and played piano and drums, and was thrilled to be a part of the Music Department at Lancaster.

"I was looking for a college that would give me the academic challenges I want, while still helping me grow as a football player," Zack told a gaggle of reporters. A navy-and-gold Lancers cap was perched on his head. "Lancaster can offer me both those things, and I'll only be 60 miles from home. I'm looking forward to helping the Lancers build a winning tradition."

Lancaster's record: 3-4, 2-1 in the Keystone Eight.

[Big Six]

I thought it might be fun to look at the academic performance of the Lancers as the 2004 season nears the home stretch.

On the whole, the Lancaster players are fairly serious about their schoolwork. Eight Lancers have academic Aspirations of 90 of better. The most dedicated students are senior LB B.J. Ducrot, a Differential Equations major, and freshman DE Vernon Bailey, a Business major; each have Aspiration scores of 97.

Walk-on WR Buddy Thomason and redshirt LB Derek Bullock are the team's worst slackers. Sophomore Buddy is nominally majoring in Education, but his real concentration appears to be Work Avoidance. His Aspiration score is a flat zero. Derek has declared a major in Business, and he's barely more eager to hit the books than Buddy is, with an aspiration of 1.

Buddy is Disgruntled about the fact that he doesn't get much playing time, but the comforts he finds in the arms of his girlfriend Karen do much to keep him happy.

Among the Lancers who are key contributors to this year's team, the most passive students are Moe Del Barco (Geology, Aspiration 11), A.J. Goldberg (Algebra, Aspiration 13) and Curtis Veen (Astronomy, Aspiration 19).

On paper, Veen would appear to be the Lancaster player who would be least likely to succeed academically. His Intelligence score of 4 is far lower than that of any of the team's other layabouts. Remarkably, however, Curtis is making all As and Bs and, with the exception of Pokemon Training, his transcript contains legit courses.

Cole Kotler, a sophomore offensive lineman, compensates for his 4 Intelligence with 91 Aspiration, and boasts a report card with an A, three A-, and a B-. Even Archie Grosz, who appears to be about as intelligent as a blocking sled(Intelligence 0) is keeping his head above water academically because he's willing to work a little (Aspiration 36).

The team's smartest players include starters Cris Middleton (Intelligence 95) and Norman Griffis (95), and key reserve LB Keith Au (98). The brainiest Lancer of all, however, is defensive end Deron Monroe, who is redshirting this year and will have four more seasons of eligibility. Monroe's Intelligence tops out at 99.

Only one Lancer is truly in academic trouble. Senior G Bo Sigsbee, who is now starting because Darrell Bernstein couldn't stay out of trouble, is failing his Education course and has no grade higher than a D, despite taking Telemarketing and Professional Wrestling. It is rumored that Mr. Sigsbee, whose real first name is Robert, was dubbed "Bo" because he couldn't consistently spell "Bob" correctly.


A.J. Goldberg isn't stretching his horizons academically, either, with cupcakes like Decibel Production and Modeling on his schedule. Neither is LB Cory Wolfe, whose transcript full of A- and A grades looks a lot worse when one notes the presence of courses like Bartending and Smile Therapy.

The cheesiest course selection, however, belongs to sophomore Carl Neumeyer, an offensive tackle. Neumeyer isn't a bad player; he's appeared in every game but one and projects to be better than any current Lancer at his position. Carl is majoring in Geography, but besides his major, he is taking a "load" of courses including Pokemon Training, Professional Wrestling, Meditation, and Basket Weaving. On the bright side, his lowest grade is the B he's earning in his major.

Once the aspiring noisemakers, bartenders, and Pokemon trainers leave the program, Coach Allen hopes to replace them with a cadre of legitimate student-athletes.

[Big Six]

In any collection of several dozen people, some are bound to be delighted with the current state of their lives, and some are bound to be miserable. Which of the 2004 Lancers are the happiest, and which are farthest down in the dumps?

The biggest smile of all can usually be found on the face of senior tight end Amos Perkins. Life is good right now for Amos. He's the team's second-leading receiver; he's making all As and Bs in Jurisprudence, and looks forward to law school; he has a good, solid relationship with his girlfriend Wendy. No wonder Amos' Happiness score stands at a team-leading 93.

Other happy Lancers of note include cornerback Edgar White (92), injured LB B.J. Ducrot (90), and OT Marty Petzold (90).

There's a woman in the life of each of the 26 happiest Lancers. The most joyful bachelor is guard Lionel Arceo (49 Happiness), and the unhappiest guy with a girlfriend is another O-lineman, tackle Doug Craig.

Backup corner Mercury McMahon, a redshirt freshman, possesses one of the coolest names in all of college football, with a definite Greek mythology flair. The fact that he's dating a girl named Pandora only adds to that vibe.

[Rawhide]

This is a great read. Can't imagine ever naming my son Mercury though!

Thumbs up!

[Big Six]

This is a great read. Can't imagine ever naming my son Mercury though!

Thumbs up!

Maybe it's a nickname. Mercury Morris' real name is Eugene, after all. Then again, Mercury Hayes, who played at Michigan back in the '90s, is really named Mercury.

Thanks for your comments. I'll be updating soon. :)

[Big Six]

Week 11, 2004
<O:p
Two more weeks went by, and the Lancaster Lancers’ season continued to unfold in a promising fashion. Despite their first conference loss, the Lancers found themselves in the thick of the Keystone Eight race. More outstanding recruits came on board, giving Lancers fans hope for an even brighter future

Only 9600 fans turned out on a cold, rainy afternoon in Scranton to watch the Bears take on Coach Roger Allen’s Lancers. The Bears fans who were there went home happy, as they watched the home team score all its points in the fourth quarter and take home a 16-12 victory.<O:p></O:p>
Lancaster led 6-0 at the half, as both teams contended with the challenging weather conditions. The Lancers had the ball inside the Scranton 5-yard line three times, but didn’t score a touchdown, fumbling it away once and settling for two short Leslie Giang field goals. “Looking back, we should have put the game away in the first quarter,” Coach Allen said.<O:p

Halfback Cris Middleton exploded for an 80-yard touchdown run early in the fourth quarter, but the Lancers’ two-point conversion attempt was stuffed. Still, with the way the Lancer defense was playing, it looked like 12 points might be enough to win the game. <O:p

To their credit, the Bears didn’t give up. Quarterback Jared Zorn threw two TD passes, the Lancers lost two more scoring opportunities on a fumble and an interception, and a late field goal gave Scranton a 16-12 victory. Solid performances by safety Joe Dixon (10 tackles, interception) Cris Middleton (12 carries, 121 yards, TD) and Norman Griffis (14-21-156 passing, 16-71 rushing) were largely swept away by the team’s otherwise sloppy play.<O:p

The Lancers’ loss gave them a 2-2 record in the Keystone Eight, leaving them a game behind Erie and York at 3-1. Determined to break their three-game losing streak and motivated by a shot at the conference’s automatic bid to the Oyster Bowl, the Lancers bounced back with a convincing home victory over Allentown, 35-14, in Week 11.<O:p

Lancaster’s defense held the Steel Kings to 222 total yards, and produced another big play—a 78-yard interception return for a TD by Dixon. Meanwhile, the offense hit on all cylinders, gaining 249 yards on the ground and racking up 26 first downs. <O:p

Dual-threat QB Norman Griffis added to his credentials as the Keystone Eight’s most dangerous offensive player. He led all rushers with 106 yards, scoring a touchdown, and completed 12 of 14 passes for two more scores. “He’s got my vote for Player of the Year,” said Allentown coach Howie Kaiser of the Lancaster sophomore, who led the conference both in rushing and passing efficiency.<O:p

Meanwhile, Erie lost at Reading, and York won a close game at Williamsport. If not for the heartbreaking loss to Harrisburg, the Lancers would be tied for the conference lead. Now, they were tied with Erie for second.<O:p

“We can still win the league if we beat both Erie and York,” Coach Allen pointed out. “And, honestly, if we can’t beat both those teams, we don’t deserve the conference championship.” <O:p

And, more good news came in from the recruiting front. A flurry of commitments came in during Weeks 10 and 11, enough to fill Lancaster’s 16-man recruiting class—and the players who accepted the offers to become future Lancers had the talent to become impact players over the next four or five years

Among them were two running backs—halfback Luke Cash and fullback Otis Meyer, and two wideouts—Mickey Carpenter and Julio Edgeworth—who looked like future stars. Both Cash and Meyer had been productive ballcarriers and receivers in high school; Carpenter and Edgeworth both averaged over 20 yards per catch as seniors, and Carpenter gained over 2000 yards receiving. “We had a bunch of offers out to backs and receivers, but none of them had signed,” Coach Allen recalled. “We were glad to see a few guys at those positions come on board.”<O:p

The biggest prize among the later recruits was another O-lineman. Out of the tiny West Virginia town of Circleville came Jim Hamilton, an All-State guard who was #50 in the Rivals.com national player rankings. An aspiring doctor, Hamilton turned down offers from Pitt and Ohio State to come to Lancaster because of the outstanding reputation of its pre-med program.<O:p

“I got to know Zack Starks at a couple of summer camps,” Hamilton said. “We keep in touch pretty regularly. When he signed with Lancaster, he texted me and mentioned how cool it would be for us to play together there.” <O:p

Lancers fans thought it would be pretty cool, too.<O:p

<O:p</O:pLancaster’s record: 4-5, 2-2 in Keystone Eight play.<O:p

[Big Six]

The Lancaster recruiting class of 2005 is now complete. Let's meet the 16 players who have committed to the Lancers for next season:


PLAYER POS HT WT HOME TOWN HIGH SCHOOL
Zack Starks G 6-6 299 Philadelphia Horace Furness
Jim Hamilton G 6-3 261 Circleville, WV Circleville
Norbert Givens DE 6-0 215 Burgettstown Burgettstown
Mickey Carpenter WR 6-3 196 Pottsgrove Pottsgrove
Julio Edgeworth WR 5-9 165 Homer City Homer-Center
Duane Walczak TE 6-3 212 Uniontown Albert Gallatin Area
Broderick Buchanan QB 6-1 182 New Castle Laurel
Otis Meier FB 6-1 226 Pittsburgh Penn Hills
Russell Durham OLB 6-0 202 Pittsburgh Plum
Luke Cash RB 5-11 184 Collegeville Perkiomen Valley
Herman Crownhart C 6-5 272 Morrisville Morrisville Borough
Brad Fulton DT 6-2 235 Oxford Oxford Area
Dixon Sampson C 6-3 249 Rockville, MD Thomas S. Wootton
Pete Radecki P 6-4 204 Philadelphia Stephen Girard
Dwight Rivera DE 6-4 242 Lehighton Lehighton Area
Shaun Belyeu G 6-4 287 Lancaster Manheim Township


As expected, Coach Roger Allen and his staff concentrated their recruiting efforts on Pennsylvania and neighboring states. The few players they did pursue from outside their immediate area signed elsewhere.

Several of the newest Lancers are among the top recruits in the nation at their positions. In the chart below, RNK represents a player's ranking on the Rivals.com list of the nation's top 1000 players. POS is his ranking among the players at his position, nationwide. ST represents his ranking within his home state, with the second POS column showing his ranking within his state at his position.


PLAYER SCT RNK POS ST POS STATS
Zack Starks 83+ 33 3 1 1 None
Jim Hamilton 93- 50 6 1 1 None
Norbert Givens 73+ 293 43 10 3 79t, 14.5s, 1i
Mickey Carpenter 84- 360 27 12 1 80-2009-25.1r, 15td; 53t, 3.5s, 7i
Julio Edgeworth 69+ 386 31 14 2 73-1674-22.9rec, 14td
Duane Walczak 86+ 557 15 20 1 29-441-15.2rec, 3td; 71t, 4s, 2i
Broderick Buchanan 63+ 744 47 28 2 133-260-1997p, 7td, 7i; 186-1096-5.9r, 8td
Otis Meier 53+ 839 29 29 3 71-440-6.2r, 3td; 32-440-14.0rec, 7td
Russell Durham 66- NR 81 39 3 76t, 1.5s, 3i; 13-237-18.2r, 1td
Luke Cash 47+ NR NR 51 2 224-1007-4.5r, 10td; 29-392-13.5rec, 3td
Herman Crownhart 50+ NR 77 69 5 None
Brad Fulton 48- NR NR 81 6 58t, 6.5s
Dixon Sampson 70- NR 89 36 4 None
Pete Radecki 49- NR 58 90 3 17fg, 41.5pu
Dwight Rivera 44- NR NR 93 6 62t, 9s, 1i
Shaun Belyeu 33+ NR NR NR 15 None

All-State Teams: Starks, Hamilton, Givens, Carpenter, Edgeworth,
Walczak, Durham, Sampson


I'm impressed with the number of All-State players Coach Allen landed. Starks and Hamilton are beasts, and it looks like Givens and Carpenter are just about as good.

The Lancers landed a class full of strong students, and most of them have winning attitudes, too.


PLAYER GPA SAT MAJOR ATTITUDE
Zack Starks 3.17 1260 Kinesiology Excellent
Jim Hamilton 3.99 1560 Medicine Terrific
Norbert Givens 4.00 1350 Differential Equations Excellent
Mickey Carpenter 3.28 1080 Accounting Decent
Julio Edgeworth 2.83 1240 German Good
Duane Walczak 3.19 1180 Kinesiology Good
Broderick Buchanan 3.52 1300 Speech Good
Otis Meier 3.49 1320 Medicine Terrific
Russell Durham 3.50 1310 Computer Science Very Good
Luke Cash 3.55 1390 Jurisprudence Pretty Good
Herman Crownhart 3.87 1420 Medicine Very Good
Brad Fulton 3.64 1330 Jurisprudence Pretty Good
Dixon Sampson 2.94 1240 Spanish Good
Pete Radecki 3.59 1420 French Excellent
Dwight Rivera 3.48 1410 Journalism Decent
Shaun Belyeu 3.17 1260 Kinesiology Good


I rounded the SAT scores up/down, because they're always reported in ten-point increments.

[Big Six]

Week 13, 2004<O:p

Coach Roger Allen faced the assembled reporters in the Lancaster media room. His face was still red from the cold wind that had blown through Memorial Stadium all afternoon long. His Lancaster Lancers had just lost a game when their opponent scored a touchdown in the last sixty seconds for the second consecutive week. <O:p

“To say we should have won those games disrespects our opponents,” Coach Allen said. “It implies they took something that wasn’t theirs. They won, and we didn’t. Simple as that.”<O:p

“Of course, we were hurt by injuries,” he responded when a reporter pointed out the fact that the Lancers had ended the season with several key players banged up. “Every team has injuries. That’s the nature of football. The guys who came in and played are good football players. They’re all good football players at this level.”<O:p

The first set of bad tidings came in the hours following the Allentown game, when it was learned that offensive tackle Doug Craig would miss the last two games of the regular season. Craig, a junior who had started all nine games, had a badly bruised thigh. Two walk-ons, junior Jeremy Wilcox and sophomore Carl Neumeyer, would be called upon to replace him. <O:p

Without Craig or suspended guard Darrell Bernstein, the Lancers struggled to gain yardage on the ground against Erie in Week 12. Norman Griffis was held to nine yards on 14 carries, and Arnold Moss led the team with 30 yards rushing. Still, the Lancers managed to put points on the board. Griffis connected with A.J. Goldberg for two touchdowns, and the Lancers got yet another pick-six, this one by linebacker Kevin Au. The Lancers simply couldn’t stop Erie, who featured two of the league’s top running backs, Scott Kemp and Kelvin Meyer.<O:p

Kemp shredded the Lancers defense for 188 yards, while Meyer added 134 more on 11 carries. Kemp scored once, Meyer twice. including the game-winner, a 29-yard romp with eight seconds left. “We missed B.J. Ducrot big time against them,” said safety Joe Dixon.<O:p

The Lancaster Lancers and the York Crusaders share one of college football’s most heated and historic rivalries. ”It matters to us every bit as much as USC-UCLA matters to them,” pointed out Jack Keller, who played for the Lancers in the 50s and has witnessed 67 Lancers-Crusaders contests. “The schools are 22 miles apart. The rivalry has been almost exactly even over the years (York held a 59-56 advantage entering the 2004 game). All the ingredients are in place for a great rivalry.”<O:p

As it turned out, this season’s game would be played for pride alone. York had already clinched the Keystone Eight title and the trip to Virginia Beach for the Oyster Bowl. Lancaster could, at best, finish 4-3 and tie for third. <O:p

The 2004 contest, coach Roger Allen’s first with the Lancers, would be long remembered as one of the most thrilling games in the history of the rivalry.<O:p

Another cold, rainy day greeted the teams as they took the field. The game-time temperature was 38 degrees. “It’s been like this every week, it seems,” said Arnold Moss.

Cris Middleton opened the scoring for Lancaster, plunging into the end zone from six yards out behind a great lead block from Moss. A Griffis-to-Goldberg completion of 29 yards was the key play of the drive<O:p.

York tied the score early in the second quarter, when Moss was hammered by Crusader DE Walt Benson and coughed up the ball. Grady Brandon , a 248-pound defensive tackle, grabbed it and rumbled 45 yards for a touchdown. The Crusaders took the lead several minutes later, driving the ball down the field on an 11-play, 73-yard drive that culminated in a one-yard TD run by Robert Hanson.<O:p

With just under two minutes to play, the turnover bug bit the Lancers again. Griffis was intercepted by linebacker Rex Banks, and two plays later Terry Sellers ran 29 yards to paydirt. York took a 21-7 lead to the locker room at halftime.<O:p

The Lancers needed a big play, and six minutes into the second half, Moe Del Barco provided one. He took an option pitch from Griffis and sped 61 yards for a touchdown, sprung by a big block from guard Lionel Arceo. The Lancaster crowd, which had been quieted somewhat by the events of the second quarter, came back to life. They screamed even louder when on the Lancers’ next possession, A.J. Goldberg turned a five-yard out route into a 37-yard gain, giving Lancaster first-and-goal from the nine. Two plays later, Allen called a reverse to Goldberg, and the sophomore scored from two yards out. Leslie Giang’s PAT tied the score at 21.<O:p</O:p

Both defenses then stepped up, and the remainder of the second half featured an old-time, hard-nosed battle in the trenches. The York defense made a crucial stop on third-and-one from their own 21, forcing Giang to attempt a 38-yard field goal that sailed wide left. Both punters—York’s Les Diggs and Lancaster’s Nate Blair—kept their opponents pinned deep in their own ends with long kicks, delivered under harsh conditions.<O:p

One such punt by Blair bounced out of bounds at the Crusader 11 with 4:32 remaining. York responded with a game-winning, 89-yard touchdown drive. Quarterback Paul Burke completed five of six passes, keeping the sticks moving, and running backs Hanson and Sellers contributed tough yards when they were needed most. With 33 seconds left, Sellers slammed into the end zone, and Tony Cote’s PAT was good. <O:p

The Lancers refused to hang their heads, despite the heartwrenching way the game ended. “York showed on that last drive why they’re the conference champions,” said Joe Dixon, whose collegiate career had just ended. "Their quarterback [Paul Burke] is a senior. He kept his cool and led his team down the field.”<O:p

The Lancers, therefore, ended the 2004 season with a 4-7 record. Their 3-4 mark in the Keystone Eight tied them for fourth with Scranton and Erie. Lancaster’s four conference losses came by margins of seven, four, seven, and seven points respectively. “We could have easily gone undefeated in the conference,” super-fan Jack Keller said. <O:p

The York Crusaders faced Sun Belt champions North Texas in the Oyster Bowl. Behind first team All-American running back Robert Freeman and a great effort by their defense, the Mean Green won easily, 38-0.

In the Rose Bowl, #1 Tennessee defeated #3 Miami, 27-21, to win the national championship. Stanford quarterback Joey Cavoretto won the Player of the Year Award in a close vote over N.C. State QB Junior Briggs, who earned Coach Allen’s vote on the strength of his 53 touchdown passes. <O:p

Coach Roger Allen’s first season had not been a bad one, although the taste of so many close losses remained bitter throughout the long winter. However, the quality of the players he had returning, plus the strong crop of recruits he would greet in August, led him to believe that better days lay ahead for the Lancaster Lancers. <O:p

Lancaster's record: 4-7, 3-4 in Keystone Eight play.

[Big Six]

Here are the final 2004 Keystone Eight Conference standings:



TEAM OVERALL PCT PF PA CONFERENCE PCT PF PA
York 6 6 0 .500 234 402 6 1 0 .857 200 136
Reading 7 4 0 .636 287 304 5 2 0 .714 211 169
Williamsport 5 6 0 .454 285 315 4 3 0 .571 206 145
Scranton 4 7 0 .363 151 195 4 3 0 .571 110 148
Erie 4 7 0 .363 209 301 4 3 0 .571 186 164
Lancaster 4 7 0 .363 251 288 3 4 0 .428 199 168
Allentown 1 10 0 .090 136 372 1 6 0 .142 116 210
Harrisburg 1 10 0 .090 160 331 1 6 0 .142 116 204


Here's how the Lancers compared to the rest of the Keystone Eight in several team statistical categories. RK indicates the team's rank among the eight teams in their conference.


CATEGORY RK STATS
Rushing Offense 1 428-1739 (4.0); 158.0 ypg
Passing Offense 4 144-261 (55.1%); 1798 yds, 163.4 ypg
Rushing Defense 7 400-1666 (4.1); 151.4 ypg
Passing Defense 2 171-297 (57.5%); 2222 yds, 202.0 ypg
Turnover Margin 4 +3


Here are the team's individual statistical leaders. Seniors' names and statistics are highlighted in blue.


PASSING ATT CMP YDS Y/ATT TD INT
Griffis 233 131 1702 7.30 11 9
Team 261 144 1798 6.88 11 9

RUSHING ATT YDS AVG TD
Griffis 180 635 3.52 5
Middleton 77 460 5.97 4
Moss 77 281 3.64 3
Del Barco 32 213 6.65 1
Team 428 1739 4.06 16

RECEIVING REC YDS AVG YAC TD
Goldberg 35 658 18.8 213 5
Perkins 26 298 11.4 112 4
Middleton 15 202 13.4 74 0
Moss 26 182 7.0 78 1
Burns 8 146 18.2 40 0
Bolton 7 82 11.7 26 0
Del Barco 11 60 5.4 36 1
Grosz 5 58 11.6 11 0
DeMoen 7 57 11.7 26 0
Team 144 1798 12.4 607 11

DEFENSE TCK AST SCK TFL INT PD
Dixon 69 22 0.5 8 4 5
Whitfield 66 32 1.0 9 0 2
Veen 33 14 3.5 9 0 0
May 33 13 4.0 12 0 0
Foulke 33 10 0.0 4 2 3
Webb 29 11 0.0 4 3 5
White 28 3 0.0 1 1 5
Walker 27 8 7.5 8 0 0
Irwin 24 7 1.0 2 0 2
Husak 24 14 3.0 6 1 1
Ducrot 23 6 0.0 2 0 0
Sturgeon 22 7 0.0 1 2 3
Peterson 21 7 1.0 2 2 2
Motz 20 8 1.0 2 2 2
Au 15 8 0.0 1 2 1
Stanberry 14 10 0.0 2 0 2
Perkins 12 0 0.0 0 0 0
Mascia 11 3 1.0 3 0 0
Team 614 314 38.0 98 17 36

KICKING FG FGA LNG XP XPA PTS
Giang 7 10 36 32 32 63

PUNTING NO YDS AVG LNG I20
Blair 63 2291 36.3 55 12


Norman Griffis finished second in the KEC in passing, with a 125.3 rating. He also placed sixth in the conference in rushing.

A.J. Goldberg led the league in receiving yards, and was fifth in receptions.

Lionel Arceo led the conference with 45 key run blocks, and his offensive percentage of 38.0 placed second.

Phillip Walker tied for seventh in the KEC in sacks.

Joe Dixon tied for second in interceptions.

Four Lancaster players made first team All-Keystone Eight: FB Arnold Moss, WR A.J. Goldberg, TE Amos Perkins, and G Lionel Arceo.

Three more earned spots on the second team: QB Norman Griffis, P Nate Blair, and DT Tony May.

Three players were named to the Keystone Eight Academic Team: Griffis (4.0 GPA, Marketing), Perkins (4.0 GPA, Jurisprudence) and C Philip Dawson (3.74 Jurisprudence.) Besides Griffis and Perkins, six other Lancers earned perfect 4.00 GPAs: RB Cris Middleton, P Kelvin Myers, K Leroy Sims, CB Walter Robertson, CB Mercury McMahon, and S Norbert Stanberry.

Lancaster's team GPA was 3.34, the highest of any BCS football program.

[Big Six]

TCY Today, the nation's leading college football magazine, ranks the top recruiting classes in the nation every year. Lancaster's 2005 recruits rank 58th in the nation, and tops among Keystone Eight schools. In fact, Coach Allen out-recruited his KEC peers by a wide margin this year; the only other conference school to crack the top 100 was Williamsport, at #97.

The final coaches' poll looked like this:


Final Coaches' Poll
1 Tennessee 13-0 SEC
2 USC 11-1 P10
3 Miami 10-2 ACC
4 Nebraska 11-2 B12
5 Georgia 10-2 SEC
6 LSU 11-2 SEC
7 N.C. State 11-1 ACC
8 Utah 11-1 MTW
9 UCLA 10-2 P10
10 Minnesota 11-1 B10
11 Michigan 9-3 B10
12 Florida State 9-3 ACC
13 Louisville 11-1 CUS
14 Boise State 11-1 WAC
15 Florida 9-3 SEC
16 Notre Dame 9-3 IND
17 Oklahoma 8-4 B12
18 Virginia Tech 9-3 ACC
19 TCU 10-2 CUS
20 Kansas State 9-3 B12
21 Colorado 9-3 B12
22 Texas Tech 10-3 B12
23 Boston College 9-3 BGE
24 Syracuse 9-3 BGE
25 West Virginia 9-3 BGE

[Big Six]

And, finally, here are the final evaluations for the Lancaster program's 2004 season:


Team Performance 66/100
Academic Performance 77/100
Recruiting Performance 90/100
Television Revenue 59/100
Alumni Donations 2/100
Attendance/Stadium 26/100
Final Grade 52/100


Don't ask me what happened with those ungrateful, cheapskate alumni. Hopefully they'll come around next year. Without their sorry performance dragging the program down, its final grade would be 64.

[Big Six]

Like I did last year, I thought I'd begin the season with a position-by-position look at the Lancers. I hope you find it helpful, because while it's fun to write, it takes a while.


First, the Lancaster offense. I've included the Roster Strength score for each position group.


QUARTERBACK<O:p
Starter: 26 (Fair) Reserves: 26 (Fair)<O:p</O:p
#18 Norman Griffis (Jr/6-3/195/Pittsburgh/Oliver, 30/47) returns for his second year at the controls of the Lancer offense. A second team All-Keystone pick in 2004, Griffis’ ability to make plays as a runner and as a passer makes him one of the league’s most exciting players. #15 Kevin Kanyuh returns as his backup. Promising freshman Broderick Buchanan will redshirt this year.<O:p</O:p
<O:p</O:p

RUNNING BACK<O:p
Starters: 17 (Poor) Reserves: 15 (Poor)<O:p</O:p
The Lancers’ Power I formation makes use of a halfback and a wingback. #29 Cris Middleton (Jr/5-11/206/Lewisburg/Lewisburg, 28/28), who averaged almost six yards per carry last year, and #25 Moe Del Barco (So/5-10/210/Abington/Abington, 12/37) will both see considerable action. Coach Allen thought long and hard before redshirting Luke Cash, who could possibly help the team right away.<O:p</O:p
<O:p</O:p

FULLBACK<O:p</O:p
Starter: 37 (Fair) Reserves: 40 (Good)<O:p</O:p
With #49 Arnold Moss (Sr/6-0/227/Philadelphia/William Penn, 41/41) and #21 Bobby DeMoen (Jr/5-10/215/Crown Point, NY/Central, 29/32), the Lancers are in great shape here. Moss was an All-Keystone pick last season, and he will serve as a captain for the 2005 Lancers. The team’s depth here will allow Otis Meyer to redshirt this year.<O:p</O:p
<O:p</O:p

TIGHT END<O:p
Starter: 28 (Fair) Reserves: 30 (Fair)<O:p</O:p
Fifth-year senior #83 Amos Perkins (Sr/6-3/225/Sunbury, OH/Big Walnut, 31/42) symbolizes what Coach Allen wants the Lancaster program to be about. Amos was both a first team performer and an Academic Team member last year. Perkins, #81 Archie Grosz (So/6-4/234/Wyandotte, MI/Roosevelt, 25/62) and true freshman #85 Duane Walczak (Fr/6-3/219/Uniontown/Albert Gallatin Area, 23/64) will all be looked upon to contribute.<O:p</O:p

WIDE RECEIVERS<O:p</O:p
Starters: 24 (Fair) Reserves: 21 (Fair)<O:p</O:p
Norman Griffis’ favorite target, #2 A.J. Goldberg (Jr/5-11/187/Wyncote/Cheltenham, 39/55) will be once again on the receiving end of a lot of passes. His 35 receptions, 658 yards receiving, and five touchdown catches were all team highs. Big, strong #80 Orlando Brovins (Jr/6-4/212/Rayville, LA/Rayville, 30/30) who did not catch a single pass last year, stepped up during spring drills and will play when the Lancers use two wideouts. Brovins’ emergence made it possible for both incoming freshmen, Mickey Carpenter and Julio Edgeworth, to take redshirt years.<O:p
<O:p
CENTER<O:p
Starter: 32 (Fair) Reserves: 13 (Poor)<O:p
#50 Neal Harper (Sr/6-2/268/Macedonia, OH/Nordonia, 34/34) is ready to make an even bigger impact in his second season as a starter. Promising #54 Phillip Dawson (So/6-3/263/Bangor/Bangor Area, 9/54), an Academic Team selection returns as Harper’s backup.<O:p
<O:p
GUARD<O:p
Starters: 31 (Fair) Reserves: 12 (Poor)<O:p
Left guard #72 Lionel Arceo (Jr/6-3/283/Bethel Park/Bethel Park, 42/64) is the best player on an experienced O-line that returns four full-time starters from last season. A 2004 first team All-Keystone pick, he could be a contender for All-American honors this year. Although the temptation was strong to rush stud freshmen Zack Starks (18/95), Jim Hamilton (13/79), and Sean Belyeu (8/48) into the lineup right away, Coach Allen decided an extra year of weight training and technique work would be better for both of them. That leaves senior #68 Bo Sigsbee (Sr/6-2/288/Tioga/Williamson, 18/18) and #69 Lewis Fox (So/6- 3/265/Middleburg/Middleburg, 8/38) to battle for the right guard position.<O:p
<O:p
OFFENSIVE TACKLE<O:p
Starters: 20 (Fair) Reserves: 32 (Fair)<O:p
Starters #77 Doug Craig (Sr/6-5/287/Ridgway/Ridgway Area, 35/35) and #63 Marty Petzold (Sr/6-6/292/Ashland, WI/Ashland, 17/29) provide plenty of size, strength, and experience. Craig, who starts at left tackle, is very good at protecting Griffis’ blind side. Carl Neumeyer and Jeremy Wilcox are veteran backups.<O:p

[Big Six]

Now, a look at the 2005 Lancer defense and special teams:


DEFENSIVE END<O:p
Starters: 9 (Poor) Reserves: 20 (Fair)<O:p
Two new starters appear at this position: redshirt freshman #94 Deron Monroe (Fr/6-1/228/Myerstown/E. Lebanon County, 13/27) and #98 Vernon Bailey (So/6-2/242/Hegins/Tri-Valley, 19/21). Bailey has some experience, and pass-rush specialist #75 Phillip Walker (Sr/6-1/238/Fowler, CO/Fowler, 11/11) is also on hand. Walker led the team with 7.5 sacks in 2004. Again, a future impact player, Norbert Givens (11/81) can enjoy a redshirt season.<O:p</O:p
<O:p
DEFENSIVE TACKLE<O:p</O:p
Starters: 33 (Fair) Reserves: 26 (Fair)<O:p</O:p
Rugged #91 Tony May (Jr/6-6/278/Wilkes-Barre/Hanover Area, 34/34), who stuffed 12 ballcarriers for losses in 2004, returns at nose tackle. Defensive coordinator Randal Schwarz likes to use lots of different sets, so #79 Bo Peterson (So/6-1/247/Lewistown/Indian Valley, 23/27), #70 Emmitt McDaniel (So/6-2/258/Norristown/Methacton, 11/23), and #99 Rich Elliott (Jr/6-0/255/Punxsutawney/Punxsutawney Area, 30/30) will all get lots of playing time. All three reserves appeared in all eleven games last year, and all were on the field for at least 200 snaps. <O:p></O:p>
<O:p
INSIDE LINEBACKER<O:p
Starters: 26 (Fair) Reserves: 11 (Poor)<O:p</O:p
No Lancers player got in on more tackles in 2004 than left inside LB #47 Sean Whitfield (Jr/6-1/227/Carlisle/Carlisle Area, 24/55), and Coach Allen will look for more of the same from him in 2005. Whitfield amassed 101 tackles, 66 solo, and 9 TFL. He’ll have a new partner on the right side, sophomore #46 Derek Bullock (So/6-3/217/Windber/Windber Area, 30/31) , who redshirted in 2004. Bullock is a premier athlete with big-play ability. #53 Blake Foulke (Jr/6-2/228/Langhorne/Neshaminy, 18/25) and #44 Kyle Au (So/6-4/223/Windber/Windber Area, 3/29), Bullock’s former high school teammate, both saw considerable action in 2004. Foulke started eight games after B.J. Ducrot got hurt early last season.<O:p</O:p
<O:p
OUTSIDE LINEBACKER<O:p</O:p
Starters: 20 (Fair) Reserves: 22 (Fair)<O:p</O:p
#90 Hardy Irwin (Sr/5-11/211/Alverton/Southmoreland, 22/39) returns on the left side; quick and athletic, he is very good at pass defense. True freshman #40 Russell Durham (Fr/6-0/215/Pittsburgh/Plum, 11/81) will start right away. Durham’s potential as a pass rusher is, in Coach Schwarz’ words, “frightening.” #52 Seth Mascia (Sr/6-2/214/Eau Claire, WI/Memorial, 25/25) is a reliable backup.<O:p</O:p
<O:p
CORNERBACK<O:p</O:p
Starters: 24 (Fair) Reserves: 14 (Poor)<O:p</O:p
Questions abound at this position, where only #43 Edgar White (Jr/5-10/172/Newcomerstown, OH/Newcomerstown, 31/39) is a proven commodity. White tied for the team lead with five passes defensed in ’04. #41 J.B. Motz (Sr/5-10/183/Levittown/Truman, 22/22) picked off two passes last year as a nickel back; is he ready for full-time duty this season? #25 Walter Cloak (Sr/5-9/163/Saint Johns, MI/Saint Johns, 14/14) will be the nickel back, with Mercury McMahon and Trevor Zawlinski in reserve.<O:p</O:p
<O:p
SAFETY<O:p</O:p
Starters: 16 (Poor) Reserves: 15 (Poor)<O:p</O:p
Free safety #22 Jackie Webb (So/5-11/178/Pennsburg/Upper Perkiomen, 23/27) played well as a freshman last year. Look for him to take another step forward in 2005. Strong safety #31 Norbert Stansberry (Jr/6-0/185/Bloomfield, IN/Bloomfield, 23/29) will have big shoes to fill as he attempts to replace hard-hitting Joe Dixon. A special teams head-hunter, Stansberry also shows potential as a man-to-man defender. Don’t be surprised if Coach Allen makes the secondary a recruiting priority this season, as the Lancers lack depth here.<O:p</O:p
<O:p
KICKER<O:p</O:p
Starter: 28 (Fair) Reserves: 34 (Fair)<O:p</O:p
#5 Leslie Giang (Jr/5-10/170/Quitman, GA/Brooks County, 35/35) will handle the kicking responsibilities once again. Giang doesn’t have a huge leg, but he’s money from distances up to 40 yards. <O:p</O:p
<O:p
PUNTER<O:p</O:p
Starter: 46 (Good) Reserves: 46 (Good)<O:p</O:p
Incumbent #4 Nate Blair (6-2/208/Rockford, IL/Auburn, 49/56)was a second team All-Keystone selection in 2004, but he’ll be pushed hard by incoming freshman #10 Pete Radecki (Fr/6-4/205/Philadelphia/Stephen Girard, 26/63). Blair has the stronger leg, but Radecki’s long-term potential is probably better. <O:p</O:p
<O:p
KICK RETURNERS<O:p</O:p
Primary kickoff returner Edgar White and main punt returner A.J. Goldberg return to their roles for 2005. White was among the conference leaders, averaging 22 yards per return, while Goldberg basically caught the ball and fell down (2.6 average).<O:p</O:p

[Big Six]

Home games appear in ALL CAPS. Keystone Eight Conference matchups are highlighted in blue.


Week 1 at Temple
Week 2 ALABAMA-BIRMINGHAM
Week 3 BUFFALO
Week 5 at York
Week 6 NORTHERN ILLINOIS
Week 7 HARRISBURG
Week 9 at Allentown
Week 10 at Erie
Week 11 WILLIAMSPORT
Week 12 at Scranton
Week 13 READING


The Lancers will appear six times at Memorial Stadium this year, but they'll play four Keystone Eight games on the road. No single opponent looks as tough as Virginia Tech did last year, although Northern Illinois whipped the Lancers pretty badly in '04.

[Big Six]

Week 2, 2005

The Lancaster Lancers opened their 2005 season with a trip to Temple, the first game in a new home-and-home arrangement. The Owls provided a compelling piece of evidence for the existence of a considerable talent differential between the Keystone Eight teams and the rest of Division I, beating the Lancers, 31-6. The Temple defense kept Lancaster out of the end zone all day, holding the Lancers to a pair of Leslie Giang field goals.

When the 2004 Lancers lost, their opponent usually ran the ball against them with great success. This was the case again against Temple, as Blaine Treftz gained 179 yards and Rusty Warren added 76 more. Treftz also scored three touchdowns.

Still, Coach Roger Allen praised the play of several new contributors. Reserve tailback Donny Bolton, a senior who carried the ball only 15 times in '04, gained 62 yards on three carries. Wideout Orlando Brovins caught five passes for a team-high 86 yards. New defensive starters Derek Bullock and Norbert Stansberry each had 12 tackles. "All those guys had been practicing well, and it was great to see their successes carry over into the game. If we keep working hard, things will be just fine."

The team's performance in Week 2 proved Coach Allen's words true. The Lancers gained an even 300 yards rushing and entertained a good-sized Memorial Stadium crowd with a 35-9 victory over Alabama-Birmingham.

Norman Griffis ran the option deftly, picking up 166 yards on 21 carries, and throwing for 153 more. He scored the Lancers' first touchdown on an 18-yard run. Bobby DeMoen scored a touchdown rushing and another one receiving, and new sensation Donny Bolton added 54 more yards and two more scores.

Bolton, a 6'2", 203-pounder, had no single trademark skill, but had no glaring weaknesses, either. "I'd like to be an every-down back," he admitted. "We all would. But we're all getting a fair chance to show what we can do. We push each other and make each other better."

All the Lancer backs were benefiting from the stalwart play of guard Lionel Arceo. Against the Blazers Arceo dominated the line of scrimmage, delivering eight key run blocks that sprung ballcarriers for extra yardage.

Virtually everyone in a Lancer uniform got on the field on a glorious fall afternoon, and the team left the field with a convincing win. "It doesn't get much better than this," said running back Cris Middleton.

Which Lancers team--the one that got pushed around by Temple, or the one that smacked down UAB--was the real one? Or was the truth somewhere in between?

"We'll see," said Coach Allen.

Lancaster's record: 1-1.

[Big Six]

Week 5, 2005

Coach Roger Allen didn't have much time to enjoy his Lancaster Lancers' victory over Alabama-Birmingham before the team doctor delivered some very unwelcome news.

Senior offensive tackle Doug Craig, who had played well in both the team's first games, would miss the next three weeks with a hyperextended elbow. Craig's injury hit the team in an area where it had very little depth, and for a moment Allen considered taking the redshirt off one of his outstanding true freshman O-linemen.

Allen laughed when he was asked how close he came to making that move. "Very close," he replied. "In the end, we decided to trust our experienced guys. Jeremy Wilcox has started before, and I wanted him to have a chance to prove himself again.

The senior walk-on was in the starting lineup when the Lancers took on Buffalo at Memorial Stadium in Week 3. A cold rain that lasted all afternoon couldn't dampen the spirits of the Lancaster players, fans, or coaches, as the Lancers romped to a 48-7 victory.

Buffalo's Donnie Allen took the opening kickoff 101 yards to the house, but the Lancers shut the Bulls out for the next 59:46. Lancaster outgained Buffalo, 564-167. Lancers quarterbacks Norman Griffis and Kevin Kanyuh completed 24 of 29 passes. Griffis threw three TD passes, two to A.J. Goldberg, who caught seven balls for 133 total yards. Goldberg scored another TD on an end-around, and Donny Bolton, whose teammates were now calling him "Mr. Touchdown," ran one in from 12 yards out. Twenty-six different Lancers made at least one tackle. Jeremy Wilcox contributed three key run blocks. A good time was had by all.

The Lancers had a week off before their Game Five date with York. Both teams entered the contest with 2-1 records, and the game was selected as a regional telecast. "After what happened last year, we'd like to wash that taste from our mouths," said senior Amos Perkins.

The Lancers did that, and then some. The Crusaders were six-point favorites, playing at home, but the Lancers hit them hard and often en route to a 48-17 victory.

Once again, the Lancers offense, with Griffis at the controls, worked to perfection, rolling up 556 total yards. Griffis ran for 95 yards, and produced one of the best plays of his career when he froze a Crusader defender with a fake option pitch, tucked the ball away, and tore past him for an 18-yard touchdown run. He hit Goldberg for a touchdown, and connected with big Orlando Brovins on a 50-yard pass-and-run play for another score. Leslie Giang drilled a 41-yard field goal, the longest of his career, and Lionel Arceo delivered seven more key blocks. '

When the Lancers returned to campus, they were greeted by hundreds of joyful students and just as many other fans. "Man, this is fun," said Bolton, whose joy was undiminished by the fact he hadn't scored a touchdown.

At least for the time being, it appeared that the "real" Lancers were a lot different from the team that got beat so soundly by Temple.

Several wins in a row don't hurt a team's recruiting efforts, either; the Lancers discovered this in the days after the big win over York. The first three members of the recruiting class of 2006 came on board, three Pennsylvania boys who decided to play their college ball close to home.

Quarterback Ernest Floyd, from Washington, PA, had been to Lancaster's camp three times. "I like to watch Norman Griffis," he said. "I think my style is a lot like his. I like to run like he does, and I'm working to become a better passer." Floyd, the #5 quarterback in Pennsylvania, thought the Lancaster staff would help him develop his talents, and became the Lancers' first commitment of the year.

Broderick Anderson, a defensive tackle from the picturesquely named town of Mountain Top, particularly liked his history and government classes, and wanted to become a lawyer one day. "When I visited Lancaster, I went to some classes in their Jurisprudence program," he recalled. "I hung out with Amos Perkins (a straight-A student in Jurisprudence), and he really sold me on the academic side of things." Anderson enthusiastically accepted his scholarship offer, bringing his non-stop motor and run-stopping skills to the Class of 2006.

Kennedy Campos was the kind of player who leaped out of a game film. Slightly undersized for an inside linebacker at 210 pounds, he nevertheless stuck anything that moved, ranging from sideline to sideline and punishing ballcarriers. Off the field, however, he was a much, much different person. Soft-spoken and polite, Kennedy's sincere desire to help people led him to aspire to a career in nursing.

"Nobody much teases me about that," Kennedy commented with a grin. People don't usually tease the #1 football player in the state of Pennsylvania, the #1 linebacker in the nation.

Campos seemed like the perfect fit for "Linebacker U.," and Penn State recruited him hard. The Nittany Lions were loaded at his position, however, having signed hotshot ILB Otis Ciszek the year before. Roger Allen kept recruiting Kennedy just as avidly, and was rewarded handsomely when Kennedy committed to Lancaster.

"It was a tough decision," he told his hometown paper, the Carlisle Sentinel. "In the end, I picked Lancaster because I want to be a part of what Coach Allen seems to be building there."

Lancaster's record: 3-1, 1-0 in Keystone Eight play.

[Big Six]

Week 6, 2005

Mike Christopher had been the radio play-by-play voice of Lancaster football for 19 years. He'd described some exciting moments, but it seemed that since Roger Allen came to town, he'd been behind the mic for more than his share of furious finishes.

It's third and nine for the Lancers...the ball's been spotted just short of midfield. Northern Illinois 29, Lancaster 22...just under two minutes to play. The game might come down to this play...

Huskies quarterback Benjamin Jones had been superb, throwing three touchdown passes. The Lancers' three scores had all come on the ground, two by Bobby DeMoen and one by "Mr. Touchdown," Donny Bolton.

Griffis takes a three-step drop...he has a man downfield! It's Goldberg! A.J. Goldberg makes the catch! He's knocked out of bounds by Johnstone, all the way down at the 12-yard-line!

Norman Griffis drops back...throws to Goldberg in the end zone...TOUCHDOWN, LANCASTER!

Dawson to snap...Blair to hold...Giang to kick...and the kick is GOOD! We're tied at 29, with 1:41 to play. Nobody's leaving Memorial Stadium, and nobody's sitting down...

The Lancaster defense got a big stop, and Northern Illinois punted the ball away. Goldberg made a fair catch at his own 34, with 41 seconds to play.

Here we go; first and ten from the 34. Norman Griffis has 41 seconds to lead the Lancers 66 yards...The Lancers run the option! Griffis keeps it...and breaks free! Norman Griffis breaking tackles...finally brought down in Huskies territory! Griffis got a great block from Neumeyer and carried 21 yards, down to the 45. First and ten, Lancers...

Everyone in the stadium had expected a pass, and the Lancers crossed them up by running the option.

Twenty-nine seconds left as Griffis rolls right...looking...throwing...HE'S GOT IT! AMOS PERKINS! Perkins at the 20...the 10...TOUCHDOWNNNNNN, LANCASTERRRRRRRR!

Griffis won the Player of the Game award, on the strength of his 13-for-18 passing performance, good for 222 yards and the two late touchdown passes. The award could have just as easily gone to Lionel Arceo, who continued to deliver key blocks in bunches, but was upset because he'd allowed his first sack of the year.

"It's too early to compare this year's team to other Lancaster teams," Christopher cautioned. "I will say this, though. I don't remember seeing a quarterback here who can pull off fourth-quarter heroics quite the way Norman Griffis can."

Last year, Northern Illinois whipped the Lancers, 48-7. That game, and last season, seemed a long, long way away.


Lancaster's record: 4-1, 1-0 in Keystone Eight play.

[Big Six]

Week 9, 2005

The Lancers made their first appearance in the Top 50 during Week 7, barely making the list in the final spot before their game with Harrisburg. Once again, the game was televised regionally, and more and more fans around the nation began to pay attention to the Lancers.

Coach Roger Allen's program added to its reputation with a 35-17 victory that featured several of the elements that had made its recent victories so impressive. The Lancers' ground game continued to roll; Harrisburg keyed heavily on Norman Griffis, so Cris Middleton was featured most prominently. Middleton gained 127 yards on 11 carries, including a 47-yard romp. And Griffis still managed to score a touchdown, scrambling for a 12-yard score.

Griffis threw two touchdown passes, one each to A.J. Goldberg and Archie Grosz, and Leslie Giang booted four field goals. Despite the fact that this year's Harrisburg team was much better than the 1-10 crew that slogged through the 2004 campaign, the game never seemed close.

The Lancers had an open date for Week 8, and defensive coordinator Randal Schwartz worked his boys hard during the "bye week." The defensive unit responded, stepping up big time for the Lancers' Week 9 contest at Allentown. The Steel Kings moved the ball well enough, but the Lancer defense kept them off the scoreboard and posted the first shutout of the Roger Allen era.

"It was a real team effort," linebacker Hardy Irwin said about his unit's performance. In this case, the remark was more than a cliche. Lots of players got into the act; no Lancer recorded more than seven tackles. Lancaster picked off three Allentown passes, one each by Irwin, J.J. Motz, and Jackie Webb.

When Lancaster had the ball, the O-line, led by Lionel Arceo and Doug Craig, punished the Steel Kings again and again. Arceo's nine key run blocks earned him Player of the Game accolades, and more and more often, his name was listed among the best offensive linemen in the country. Behind the line's yeoman work, Middleton gained 89 yards and scored twice, and Griffis ran for one score and threw for another--once again to Goldberg, who now had six touchdown receptions.

Undefeated through three conference games, Lancaster led Erie and Williamsport by a game. The Lancers would meet these teams during the next two weeks. "The Keystone Eight title is probably at stake here," said Griffis.

Meanwhile, five more recruits committed to Lancaster, led by one of the best running backs in the nation. Brenden Gunn wasn't terribly big--6'0", 186 pounds--but he ran with a punishing style. He had already gained well over 1000 yards, and was well on his way to 2000. "I want to play close to home, and I like the fact that Lancaster runs the ball a lot," Gunn said. "I also like the fact that they throw to their backs pretty often." Defensive end Kyle Diz Pardo, a ferocious pass rusher, and Ohio tight end Broderick Creveling, a productive receiver and devastating blocker, were also highly-regarded prospects, and linebackers Carl Sawahata and Les Belisari brought size and toughness.

Despite the successes he was enjoying, both on the field and on the recruiting trail, Coach Allen tried to keep on an even keel. "Things can turn around in a hurry in this sport," he cautioned. "Last year we were losing lots of close games and wondered if we'd ever win. This season is a long way from being over. Lots can change."

Coach Allen was right, but who was to say things might not become even better?

Lancaster's record: 6-1, 3-0 in Keystone Eight play.

[Big Six]

Week 11, 2005

It was hard to tell who was more joyful--the Lancaster players or their fans. Both groups were celebrating on the turf at Lancaster's Memorial Stadium that Saturday night, because the Lancers' victory over Williamsport clinched the championship of the Keystone Eight Conference and the conference's automatic bid to the Oyster Bowl.

The Lancers had to win games against two of the league's other front-runners to reach this point. In Week 10, Lancaster traveled to Erie and came back with a 35-10 victory.

The Captains did a better job of containing the Lancers' ground game than most of their previous opponents had done. No Lancaster rusher gained more than Cris Middleton's total of 56 yards. Potent offenses can, however, find multiple ways to score, and the Lancers turned to their aerial attack. Norman Griffis threw a career-high four TD passes, two to Archie Grosz and one each to Bobby DeMoen and A.J. Goldberg. Griffis was nearly perfect, completing all but one of his 16 attempts for a total of 220 yards. For good measure, he scored the Lancers' other touchdown, on a three-yard plunge.

Griffis' magical day caught the attention of the national media. ESPN called him "the best quarterback you've never heard of." His quarterback rating was now seventh-best in the nation, and he had thrown 15 touchdown passes and only one interception.

Entering their Week 11 matchup with Williamsport, the Lancers found themselves ranked #29 in the national polls. Confident and loose, the Lancers ran their winning streak to eight games with a 34-7 victory.

Cris Middleton enjoyed a huge day, gaining 149 yards on 16 carries. and he scored the team's first touchdown on a 3-yard run. Sophomore reserve fullback Travis Brockway scored his first collegiate touchdown, and Griffis hit Goldberg and Grosz with TD passes.

Despite these heroics, the star of the game was, once again, Lionel Arceo. Living up to his pre-season billing and then some, Arceo was enjoying a tremendous season. He had delivered 65 key run blocks and allowed only one sack, and his blocking percentage was an impressive 45.7%. By these statistical measures, Arceo was the second-most valuable offensive lineman in the nation.

When the next polls came out, Lancaster was listed at #20 in the fans' poll, and at #23 in the coaches' balloting. "I think we're deserving of our ranking," said Griffis. "We're playing well right now, and we're committed to finishing out the season the same way."

Lancaster's record: 8-1; 5-0 in Keystone Eight play.

[BYU 14]

Good stuff Big Six, this is every bit as good as your OOTP diaries

[Big Six]

Good stuff Big Six, this is every bit as good as your OOTP diaries

Thanks very much, BYU 14. I'm glad you're enjoying it. I'm having a lot of fun with it myself, and knowing that others are following the story makes it that much more enjoyable.

[Big Six]

Coach Allen has recently received commitments from the final members of Lancaster's 16-man recruiting class. This year's class contains several defensive players with game-changing potential, and a good assortment of exciting skill players on offense.

The Lancers expanded their recruiting efforts to lure in a few players from outside the immediate area, including outstanding recruits from Missouri and California.



PLAYER POS HT WT HOME TOWN HIGH SCHOOL
Kennedy Campos ILB 6-1 210 Carlisle Carlisle Area
Brenden Gunn RB 6-0 186 Prospect Park Interboro
Broderick Creveling TE 6-4 225 Blanchester Blanchester
Jesse Camacho RB 5-9 170 Arnold, MO Fox
Kyle Diz Pardo DE 6-4 225 Philadelphia Penn William
Levon Givens S 5-10 179 New Castle Shenango Area
Jamal Herndon CB 5-8 159 Montclair, CA Montclair
Sean Willmer WR 6-1 192 Pittsburgh Penn Hills
Ernest Floyd QB 6-2 185 Washington Trinity
Phillip Hayes CB 5-11 161 Niagara Falls, NY Niagara Falls
Les Bellisari ILB 6-3 226 Pittsburgh Oliver
Ken Ravenola S 5-10 167 Warren Warren Area
Broderick Andersen DT 6-0 237 Mountain Top Crestwood
Carl Sawahata ILB 6-5 219 Harrisburg Central Dauphin
Kelvin McGregor S 5-11 185 Baltimore, MD Parkville
Ricky Dawson CB 5-10 158 Pittsburgh Plum



This year's recruits include some of the nation's most highly regarded high school stars, players who earned All-State and, in two cases, All-Nation recognition. Most were listed among the top 1000 players in the country by Rivals.com (RNK column), or among the best 100 at their position (POS column) Almost all were among their state's top players (ST column) and among the top 10 in their state at their position (second POS column).



PLAYER SCT RNK POS ST POS STATISTICS
Kennedy Campos 86- 15 1 1 1 111 tckls, 4.0 sacks, 3 int, 10-144-2 rcv.
Brenden Gunn 85- 44 6 3 2 273-1838-11 rush, 41-593-8 rcv.
Broderick Creveling 98-- 76 1 3 1 39-994-10 rcv.
Jesse Camacho 93-- 98 9 2 1 286-1850-15 rush, 48-948-7 rcv.
Kyle Diz Pardo 89- 139 22 5 1 77 tckls, 12.0 sacks, 3 int.
Levon Givens 80- 164 6 10 2 70 tckls, 4.5 sacks, 7 int, 34-164-2 rush.
Jamal Herndon 91-- 298 25 48 6 40 tckls, 4.5 sacks, 7 int, 46-447-4 rush, 15-400 rcv.
Sean Willmer 64- 340 23 24 1 47-977-6 rcv.
Ernest Floyd 67- 381 39 27 5 75-159-1076-7-3 pass, 171-1133-8 rush.
Phillip Hayes 69- 686 46 41 3 50 tckls, 5.0 sacks, 13 int, 13-136 rush, 15-288-4 rcv.
Les Bellisari 57- 749 40 43 3 90 tckls, 5.5 sacks, 1 int.
Ken Ravenola 67+ 769 51 45 4 74 tckls, 5.5 sacks, 15 int, 42-261-1 rush.
Broderick Andersen 61- 934 65 54 3 73 tckls, 6.5 sacks.
Carl Sawahata 54+ NR 67 65 6 109 tckls, 4.5 sacks, 2 int.
Kelvin McGregor 59- NR 85 36 4 51 tckls, 2.5 sacks, 6 int, 15-136-4 rcv.
Ricky Dawson 44+ NR NR 91 4 37 tckls, 1.0 sacks, 11 int, 11-233-1 rcv, 23-135-0 rush.

Players highlighted in red made their All-State Team.
Players highighted in blue made their All-State Team and the All-National Team.


I'm not terribly concerned about the players whom Coach Allen didn't think were as good as they were scouted, even the double minus guys. They're probably still very, very good.

The players Coach Allen is bringing in look like they'll have game in the classroom too. Look at some of these SAT scores...



PLAYER GPA SAT MAJOR ATTITUDE
Kennedy Campos 3.31 1070 Nursing Decent
Brenden Gunn 3.00 1060 Accounting Pretty Good
Broderick Creveling 3.54 1400 Social Work Very Good
Jesse Camacho 3.47 1310 Geology Good
Kyle Diz Pardo 3.66 1360 Differential Equations Fair
Levon Givens 3.06 1220 German Pretty Good
Jamal Herndon 3.65 1380 Differential Equations Terrific
Sean Willmer 3.84 1490 Communications Good
Ernest Floyd 3.68 1580 Dentistry Pretty Good
Phillip Hayes 3.80 1460 Dentistry Very Good
Les Bellisari 4.00 1430 Nuclear Engineering Excellent
Ken Ravenola 3.18 1180 Kinesiology Fair
Broderick Andersen 3.09 1130 Jurisprudence Pretty Good
Carl Sawahata 3.37 1490 Marketing Good
Kelvin McGregor 3.96 1550 Medicine Pretty Good
Ricky Dawson 3.52 1160 Education Decent

[Big Six]

Week 12, 2005


The snow started falling in the Scranton area on Thursday night, and by Saturday morning, seven inches of the white stuff had accumulated. It took the Lancaster Lancers twice as long to make the trip up to the home of the Bears than it usually would, but that didn’t seem to dampen their enthusiasm one bit. A win against Scranton would clinch the Keystone Eight title and extend the Lancers’ season into December.

Most fans believed a Lancaster victory was easy to predict. After all, Scranton had won only once all season, a 25-24 upset of Erie. However, coach Roger Allen wasn’t taking the Bears lightly, and neither were his players.

“They’re tough, and they’re going to play hard for 60 minutes,” Allen said of the Bears. “I don’t think either team is going to move the ball very well in this weather. The game could turn around on one mistake."

Events would prove Coach Allen’s suppositions to be true.<O:p</O:p

For the first time in many years, college football viewers would see a number in front of “Lancaster” when the Lancers’ score crawled across the bottom of their screens. The Lancers were ranked between 20<SUP>th</SUP> and 25<SUP>th</SUP> in every poll, standing at #23 in the coaches’ balloting.
<O:p</O:p
Lancaster got on the scoreboard first. Lancers cornerback Edgar White picked off a pass and gave his team the ball on the Scranton 25; four plays later, Cris Middleton rammed the ball into the end zone from a yard out. Leslie Giang nearly slipped on the icy turf as he attempted the extra point, but the ball wobbled through the uprights to give Lancaster a 7-0 lead.
<O:p</O:p
Scranton quarterback Luke Gibson was an Alabama boy, and he wasn’t used to snow. He recovered from his early interception to complete three consecutive passes on a drive that the Lancers finally halted on their own 16. Dean Martinson, one of the more reliable kickers in the conference, then booted a 33-yarder to put his team on the board.

Midway through the second quarter, Scranton had the ball on their own eight-yard line. Gibson dropped back and threw a short pass in the direction of Bo Kaplan. The ball skipped off Kaplan’s hands into the arms of Lancaster linebacker Sean Whitfield, who joyfully romped 18 yards with it into the end zone. Twice Gibson had made mistakes; twice the Lancers had made him pay.
<O:p</O:p
Several minutes later came the scariest play of the Lancers’ season.
<O:p</O:p
Lancaster had the ball, first and ten from the Scranton 40. Norman Griffis took a shotgun snap and scanned the field for a receiver. He never saw Scranton defensive end Luke Flowers, who beat his man and roared in on Griffis from his blind side. Flowers, 6’4” and 227 pounds, drove Griffis into the frozen turf, and the Lancaster quarterback grimaced as he slowly rose to his feet. He gamely tried to play on, but the pain was too severe. His ribs were badly bruised, and he was through for the day.
<O:p</O:p
Griffis’ backup, junior Kevin Kanyuh, was as good a second string quarterback as there was in the Keystone Eight. He wasn’t the same kind of playmaker Griffis was, but he was a solid player who would start for many teams. More comfortable in the pocket than running the option, Kanyuh found the snowy conditions tough to work in. He threw three interceptions, and two of those were turned into Scranton touchdowns, both scored by RB Dean Long.
<O:p</O:p
Trailing 17-14 with just over three minutes to play, Kanyuh reached into Griffis’ bag of tricks and led the Lancers down the field. And, even though he didn’t enjoy running the ball nearly as much as Griffis, he nevertheless raced into the end zone from ten yards out to score a game-winning touchdown.
<O:p</O:p
So, just as they’d done on several previous occasions, reporters gathered to hear comments by a Lancaster quarterback who had just led his team to victory. This time, however, the quarterback was Kevin Kanyuh.

"Our defense played well and gave us a chance to win the game. I knew I needed to focus on one play at a time, and not let the pressure get to me," Kanyuh said.

One game stood between the Lancers and a perfect Keystone Eight record. Would they have to play that game without Norman Griffis? And if they did, could Kevin Kanyuh lead them to victory again?

Lancaster's record: 9-1; 6-0 in Keystone Eight play.

[Big Six]

Week 13, 2005

After the thrilling Scranton game, the Lancaster Lancers' final 2005 contest was rather anticlimactic. Before a large, appreciative crowd that showed up on a rainy, chilly afternoon, the Lancers blasted Reading, 55-10 to put the finishing touches on a perfect Keystone Eight season.

Norman Griffis wasn't feeling good enough to start, so Kevin Kanyuh was back under center for the Lancers. The Lancers stuck with a conservative game plan, running the ball effectively against a Reading defense that seemed overmatched. Lancaster's defense produced another touchdown as well; Edgar White picked off a pass and returned it 58 yards for a touchdown.

Donny Bolton, who had been less of a factor over the last few weeks, returned to the spotlight against Reading. He led the team with five receptions, hooking up on a 24-yard TD play with third-string QB Chad Coffey. "Mr. Touchdown" also scored his fifth rushing TD of the season on a 15-yard run.

The fans got to see Griffis briefly, too. More to work the kinks out of his arm than anything else, Griffis entered the game early in the second quarter and connected with A.J. Goldberg for a 71-yard touchdown pass--the longest of either player's career.

Bolton and the team's other 14 seniors enjoyed the final home game of their college football careers, and they and their teammates looked forward to their trip to Virginia Beach for the Oyster Bowl.

They would take a 10-1 record and a #21 ranking into their matchup with the champion of the Sun Belt Conference, #46 New Mexico State. No matter what happened there, however, the Lancers would forever be able to claim the distinction of an undefeated season in the Keystone Eight and an undisputed conference championship--which they won by three full games over their nearest competitors.

Lancaster's record: 10-1; 7-0 in Keystone Eight play.
National ranking: #21 overall.

[Groo]

Great job so far in only your second season! Good luck the rest of the way.

[Big Six]

Great job so far in only your second season! Good luck the rest of the way.

Thanks, Groo. I'm honestly surprised at the way the Lancers turned things around this year. Several of their losses in 2004 were close, and they had a lot of returning starters, but to go from 4-7 to 10-1 in one year...that's good stuff.

I'll post an Oyster Bowl update soon. Thanks for reading and commenting.

[Big Six]

Week 16, 2005
Oyster Bowl: Virginia Beach, VA


New Mexico State 0 7 0 0 - 7
Lancaster 14 10 10 14 - 48

Team Statistics NMST LANC
First Downs 16 29

Total Rushes 32 56
Net Rushing Yards 120 374
Yards Per Carry 3.7 6.6
Rushing Yards 141 395
Tckld Loss/Yards 7-13 4-15
Sacked/Yards Lost 1-8 1-6

Pass Attempts 21 17
Completions 7 11
Passing Yards 140 122
Yards Per Attempt 6.6 7.1

Interceptions 0 0
Fumbles/Lost 1/1 0/0

Total Plays 53 73
Total Yards 260 496
Yards Per Play 4.9 6.7
3rd Down Plays 2/11 8/13

Penalties 8 6
Penalty Yards 65 55

Avg. Drive Start OWN 26 OWN 35
Time Of Possession 26:02 33:58

1Q: 11:52 LANC - Archie Grosz 9 pass from Kevin Kanyuh.
1Q: 11:52 LANC - Leslie Giang extra point.
1Q: 03:38 LANC - Cris Middleton 1 run.
1Q: 03:38 LANC - Leslie Giang extra point.
2Q: 11:44 LANC - Cris Middleton 1 run.
2Q: 11:44 LANC - Leslie Giang extra point.
2Q: 08:51 NMST - Allen Lareche 2 run.
2Q: 08:51 NMST - Alfred Quinn extra point.
2Q: 00:18 LANC - Leslie Giang 34 field goal.
3Q: 04:13 LANC - Cris Middleton 28 run.
3Q: 04:13 LANC - Leslie Giang extra point.
3Q: 00:23 LANC - Leslie Giang 34 field goal.
4Q: 09:26 LANC - Moe Del Barco 5 run.
4Q: 09:26 LANC - Leslie Giang extra point.
4Q: 01:03 LANC - Donny Bolton 4 run.
4Q: 01:03 LANC - Leslie Giang extra point.



Even with their star quarterback restricted to signaling plays into the game from the sidelines, the Lancaster Lancers played what coach Roger Allen called "as good a game as we've played in two years" against New Mexico State in the Oyster Bowl.

Football fans across the nation watched the #21 Lancers roll to a 48-7 victory before a smallish crowd in Virginia Beach, VA.

Starting quarterback Norman Griffis could have played if he'd needed to, but reserve Kevin Kanyuh looked like he'd been running the Lancer offense all along. He completed 11 of 17 passes for 122 yards, and gained 75 yards on 16 carries. Playing most of the game with a sizeable lead, Lancaster kept the ball on the ground, rushing for 374 yards. Cris Middleton and Moe Del Barco each gained over 100 yards; Middleton scored three touchdowns and Del Barco added one. Donny Bolton also ran for a score in his final collegiate game.

Bolton gave the O-line much of the credit for the team's ability to gain yards on the ground. "Guys like Lionel [Arceo] and Neal [Harper] are opening holes that anyone could run through," he said. "When your line plays that well, you're going to move the ball."

With 2890 yards rushing in 12 games and a 5.6 yard average, the Lancers were among the three best teams in college football at running the ball. Only Florida State, the #1 team in the nation, and high-powered Kansas State had picked up more yardage on the ground than the Lancers. Middleton led the team with 892 yards, and Griffis added 708 more; five additonal backs gained at least 150.

"We've really jelled this year, especially late in the season," agreed Arceo. "We had all five of the guys who started at the end of the year coming back, and we knew we had a chance to do something special. We committed ourselves to getting better every week."

From left to right, the line featured Doug Craig, Arceo, Harper, Bo Sigsbee, and Marty Petzold. For tackles Craig and Petzold, and guard Sigsbee the Oyster Bowl was their final appearance in a Lancer uniform, and they went out in fine style.

The Lancers enjoyed every moment of their trip to Virginia Beach. They toured an aircraft carrier at the nearby naval base at Norfolk and met the Oyster Bowl Queen and her court at the Oyster Bowl Parade.

For Coach Allen and his 2005 Lancers, a memorable season came to an end. The young coach couldn't help looking forward to 2006. "We have some very talented players who redshirted their first year, so you haven't seen what kinds of players they are," Allen pointed out. "They're going to be good."

Lancaster's final 2005 record: 11-1; 7-0 in Keystone Eight play.
National ranking: #17.

[Big Six]

Here are the 2005 Keystone League standings:


TEAM OVERALL PCT PF PA CONF. PCT PF PA
Lancaster 11 1 0 .916 435 161 7 0 0 1.000 262 78
Reading 5 6 0 .454 251 395 4 3 0 .571 173 212
Erie 5 6 0 .454 235 295 4 3 0 .571 168 160
York 6 5 0 .545 289 302 4 3 0 .571 198 179
Williamsport 5 6 0 .454 196 285 4 3 0 .571 154 161
Allentown 3 8 0 .272 253 393 2 5 0 .285 177 240
Harrisburg 4 7 0 .363 231 351 2 5 0 .285 180 216
Scranton 1 10 0 .090 169 392 1 6 0 .142 132 196


The Lancers compared very favorably to their Keystone League opponents in almost every statistical category. They finished third in the nation in total yards rushing, trailing only Kansas State (2961) and Florida State (2927). No team matched the Lancers' 5.6 yards per rushing attempt.


Rushing Offense 1 510-2890 (5.7); 240.8 ypg
Passing Offense 3 166-253 (65.6%); 2248 yds, 187.3 ypg
Rushing Defense 2 401-1498 (3.7); 124.8 ypg
Passing Defense 1 145-292 (49.6%); 1794 yds, 149.5 ypg
Turnover Margin 2 +8


Here are the team's individual statistical leaders. Senior players and their stats are highlighted in blue.


PASSING ATT CMP YDS TD INT
Griffis 212 141 1912 18 3
Kanyuh 38 22 277 1 3
TEAM 253 166 2248 20 6

RUSHING ATT YDS AVG TD
Middleton 115 892 7.8 10
Griffis 167 708 4.2 5
Bolton 29 267 9.2 6
Del Barco 43 245 5.7 1
DeMoen 39 231 5.9 5
Moss 49 186 3.8 1
Kanyuh 34 157 4.6 2
TEAM 510 2890 5.7 32

RECEIVING
Goldberg 41 723 17.6 9
Grosz 27 461 17.0 5
DeMoen 20 172 8.6 2
Moss 17 115 6.7 0
Middleton 16 148 9.2 0
Brovins 15 274 18.2 1
Perkins 11 145 13.1 2
Bolton 11 140 12.7 2
TEAM 166 2248 13.5 20

DEFENSE TCK AST SACK TFL INT DEF
Bullock 58 19 0.0 8 0 4
Stanberry 53 21 0.0 1 2 2
Whitfield 50 18 1.0 10 1 3
Webb 50 15 1.0 9 3 6
May 33 10 0.5 5 0 0
Bailey 31 7 5.0 10 0 0
Motz 29 3 1.0 2 0 3
White 29 11 0.0 1 2 7
Durham 27 12 0.0 2 0 2
Mascia 25 4 0.0 2 0 1
McDaniel 22 3 6.0 7 0 0
Irwin 21 10 0.0 1 1 3
Peterson 18 5 3.0 6 0 0
Monroe 16 13 5.0 7 0 0
Walker 14 4 4.0 4 0 0
MacPherson 14 6 1.5 2 0 3
Cloak 13 6 0.0 3 0 3
Elliott 12 5 1.5 5 0 0
McMahon 12 1 0.0 1 1 5
TEAM 616 185 31.0 90 11 45

KICKING FGA FGM LNG XP XPA PTS
Giang 20 25 41 51 52 111

PUNTING NO YDS AVG LNG In20
Blair 33 1232 37.3 58 14


Norman Griffis led the KEC in passing rating (167.3) by a wide margin.
Cris Middleton placed second in the conference in rushing and tied for the lead in rushing touchdowns.
A.J. Goldberg led the conference in receiving TDs, finished second in yards receiving, and ended up fourth in total receptions.
Leslie Giang was far and away the conference's most productive placekicker. He finished fourth in the nation in field goals made.
No offensive lineman in the conference came close to Lionel Arceo's production. He led the conference and placed third in the nation in key run blocks with 70. Lionel was on the field for 224 passing plays, and allowed only one sack.

Not surprisingly, a large number of Lancers earned post-season honors from the Keystone Eight Conference.

Named to the first team All-Conference squad were QB Norman Griffis, RB Cris Middleton, FB Bobby DeMoen, WR A.J. Goldberg, TE Archie Grosz, C Neal Harper, G Lionel Arceo, and CB Edgar White.

Second team honors were earned by FB Arnold Moss, T Doug Craig, P Nate Blair, K Leslie Giang, and OLB Hardy Irwin.

Lionel Arceo became the first Lancaster All-American of the Roger Allen era. He was named to the second team at guard.

QB Norman Griffis (3.60, Marketing), C Phillip Dawson (3.60, Jurisprudence), K Leslie Giang (3.01, Jurisprudence), and CB Mercury McMahon (3.87, Journalism) were named to the Keystone Eight Academic Team.

Three Lancers are carrying perfect 4.0 averages: freshmen Jim Hamilton, Zack Starks, and Pete Radecki. Cris Middleton has the highest average among the upperclassmen at 3.97. Illinois pulled slightly ahead of Lancaster on the list of programs with the highest GPAs. The Fighting Illini collectively earned a 3.12, while the Lancers were close behind at 3.10.

[Big Six]

The final grades are in for Coach Allen's 2005 season. Needless to say, they're better than his 2004 marks were...


Team Performance 79/100
Academic Performance 71/100
Recruiting Performance 90/100
Television Revenue 67/100
Alumni Donations 82/100
Attendance/Stadium 40/100
Final Grade 71/100


The alumni really opened their wallets this year, and getting the national telecast of the Oyster Bowl pumped up the TV revenue.

Rivals.com ranked Lancaster's latest recruiting class sixteenth best in the nation! Hopefully the players will turn out to be as good as advertised.

Here's a look at the final poll of the 2005 season:


1 Nebraska
2 UCLA
3 Florida State
4 Miami
5 Boise State
6 Georgia
7 USC
8 Oklahoma
9 Tennessee
10 West Virginia
11 LSU
12 Penn State
13 Michigan
14 Michigan State
15 Boston College
16 Florida
17 Lancaster
18 Oregon
19 Syracuse
20 Kansas State
21 Notre Dame
22 Washington
23 Colorado State
24 Wisconsin
25 Colorado



How 'bout them Lancers? :)

[Big Six]

I decided to do something different with the season preview this year. Here's the projected offensive starting lineup for the 2006 Lancaster Lancers, defending champion of the Keystone Eight Conference:


POS NO NAME CL HT WT CUR/FUT HOME TOWN/HIGH SCHOOL
QB 18 Norman Griffis Sr 6'3" 201 38/47 Pittsburgh, PA/Oliver
RB 29 Cris Middleton Sr 5'11" 211 29/29 Lewisburg, PA/Lewisburg
FB 21 Bobby DeMoen Sr 5'10" 219 31/32 Crown Point, NY/Central
WR 2 A.J. Goldberg Sr 5'11" 191 43/56 Wyncote, PA/Cheltenham
TE 81 Archie Grosz Jr 6'4" 243 37/62 Wyandotte, MI/Roosevelt
LT 78 Jim Hamilton Fr 6'3" 280 33/79 Circleville, WV/Circleville
LG 73 Zack Starks Fr 6'6" 328 51/95 Philadelphia, PA/Horace Furness
C 59 Dixon Sampson Fr 6'3" 276 19/84 Rockville, MD/Thomas S. Woolton
RG 72 Lionel Arceo Sr 6'3" 288 50/64 Bethel Park, PA/Bethel Park
RT 60 Carl Neumeyer Sr 6'5" 290 11/41 Pottstown, PA/Pottstown


The Lancers offensive is not at all subtle. Coach Roger Allen and offensive coordinator Ian Gallardo both like to pound the ball on the ground, and few teams in college football do it as well as the Lancers did last year. And, since the Lancers return an All-American guard and five other All-Keystone Conference players on the offensive side of the ball, don't expect anything less from this year's team.

QB Norman Griffis was the K8's Offensive Player of the Year and MVP in 2004. His ability to run the option leads some to overlook his passing ability; Griffis takes pride in his ability to move a team through the air.

A full stable of productive running backs gives the Lancer offense plenty of weapons. Cris Middleton gained almost 800 yards and scored 10 touchdowns this year; he and fullback Bobby DeMoen made first team All-Keystone Eight. They'll both be pushed hard by talented freshmen who will allow Coach Allen to keep his ballcarriers good and fresh.

When the Lancers take to the air, Griffis can count on his favorite target, A.J. Goldberg. The senior is a two-time All-K8 selection, and he's caught 14 TD passes in two seasons. Tight end Archie Grosz emerged as a dangerous receiver during 2005 as well.

The Lancer offensive line is led by guard Lionel Arceo, who is one of the best O-linemen in the nation. Arceo, whose punishing blocks often pave the way for big gains, made second team All-America in 2005. Three highly-touted redshirt freshmen will start for Lancaster this year: guard Zack Starks, tackle Jim Hamilton, and center Dixon Sampson. Coach Allen shifted Hamilton from guard to tackle, at least for this year, in order to get him onto the field. Senior Carl Neumeyer will start at right tackle.

Here are some of the other players who could play key roles for the Lancers' offensive unit this year:


POS NO PLAYER CL HT WT CUR/FUT HOME TOWN/HIGH SCHOOL
QB 15 Kevin Kanyuh Jr 6'0" 197 22/62 Fairmount, IN/Madison-Grant
RB 25 Moe Del Barco Jr 5'10" 217 16/37 Abington, PA/Abington
RB 45 Luke Cash Fr 5'11" 210 41/54 Collegeville, PA/Perkiomen Valley
FB 35 Otis Meier Fr 6'1" 252 31/55 Pittsburgh, PA/Penn Hills
WR 82 Julio Edgeworth Fr 5'9" 180 40/79 Homer City/Homer-Center
WR 80 Orlando Brovins Sr 6'4" 216 29/31 Rayville, LA/Rayville
WR 8 Mickey Carpenter Fr 6'3" 218 39/66 Pottstown, PA/Pottsgrove
TE 83 Broderick Creveling Fr 6'4" 244 29/95 Blanchester, OH/Blanchester


Kanyuh, the hero of last year's Lancer win over Scranton and the team's Oyster Bowl victory, is a steady quarterback who proved his ability to lead the team last year. Freshmen Cash and Meier will both play a lot; their upside is tremendous. When the Lancers use two wideouts, Edgeworth will get a chance to showcase his skills. Brovins and Carpenter are both big, tough receivers who are dangerous after the catch. True freshman Creveling has unbelievable potential and will make an impact right away.

Coach Allen has recruited some tremendously talented offensive players since he's arrived in Lancaster. They should begin to make their presence felt on the field this season, and if they do, they'll combine with the team's experienced stars to create some real fireworks. Much depends on the ability of the young linemen to hold their own at the college level.

[Big Six]

Lancaster has a new defensive coordinator this year, and while he has some very talented players to work with, there are also a few question marks present, too.

Wendell Carr replaces Randal Schwartz, who retired after helping shape the 2005 Lancers into the second-best defensive unit in the conference. Carr, 66, brings even more experience to the job. He's a Terrific play caller, and his congenial personality makes him easy for players to approach.

Here are the projected starters for the 2006 Lancers defense:


POS NO PLAYER CL HT WT CUR/POT HOME TOWN/HIGH SCHOOL
LDE 98 Vernon Bailey Jr 6'2" 251 28/28 Hegins, PA/Tri-Valley
LT 99 Rich Elliott Sr 6'0" 260 36/36 Punxsutawney, PA/Punxsutawney Area
RT 91 Tony May Sr 6'6" 284 35/35 Wilkes-Barre, PA/Hanover Area
RDE 74 Norbert Givens Fr 6'0" 247 40/81 Burgettstown, PA/Burgettstown
WOLB 96 Walter Roberson Jr 6'2" 221 13/26 Lake Elsinore, CA/Temescal Canyon
WILB 47 Sean Whitfield Sr 6'1" 235 38/55 Carlisle, PA/Carlisle Area
SILB 46 Derek Bullock Jr 6'3" 221 39/39 Windber, PA/Windber Area
SOLB 40 Russell Durham So 6'0" 226 33/81 Pittsburgh, PA/Plum
LCB 43 Edgar White Sr 5'10" 177 35/39 Newcomerstown, OH/Newcomerstown
RCB 37 Ricky Dawson Fr 5'10" 172 12/59 Pittsburgh, PA/Plum
FS 22 Jackie Webb Jr 5'11" 185 36/36 Pennsburg, PA/Upper Perkiomen
SS 31 Norbert Stanberry Sr 6'0" 191 39/39 Bloomfield, IN/Bloomfield




Tony May, who excels against the run, will be the leader on the D-line. Expect the Lancers to use a four-man front more often, with Rich Elliott moving into the starting lineup. May should be able to handle the shift to a three-technique with ease. Vernon Bailey, a three-year starter, and promising redshirt freshman Norbert Givens will start at end.

Three players with starting experience return to the linebacker corps: Sean Whitfield, Derek Bullock, and Russell Durham. Whitfield should end his career among the all-time leaders in tackles at Lancaster. Bullock and Durham played wll as first-time starters last year.

Coach Allen plans on redshirting star recruit Kennedy Campos this year. Campos is a natural inside linebacker, and rather than shift him to the outside, Allen plans on letting him replace Whitfield next year and have four full years of eligibility.

Edgar White is a skilled, experienced corner, but his partner, true freshman Ricky Dawson, will have to grow up in a hurry. Again, Coach Allen has a star recruit waiting in the wings at this position: Jamal Herndon. If Dawson struggles, expect the coaches to pull the redshirt off Herndon and give him a shot.

Safeties Jackie Webb and Norbert Stanberry are returning starters. Webb is a ballhawk with great speed, and Stanberry is a hard hitter.

Here are some of the key defensive reserves on this year's Lancer squad:


POS NO PLAYER CL HT WT CUR/POT HOME TOWN/HIGH SCHOOL
DE 94 Deron Monroe So 6'1" 236 23/27 Myerstown, PA/E. Lebanon Co.
DT 79 Bo Peterson Jr 6'1" 257 28/28 Lewistown, PA/Indian Valley
ILB 53 Blake Foulke Sr 6'2" 234 24/25 Langhorne, PA/Neshaminy
ILB 44 Kyle Au Jr 6'4" 231 7/29 Windber, PA/Windber Area
CB 26 Mercury McMahon Jr 5'10" 175 15/15 Ambler, PA/Wissahickon
CB 32 Trevor Zawilinski Jr 6'1" 176 8/8 Kewaunee, WI/Kewaunee
S 30 Toby MacPherson Jr 5'11" 186 18/38 Sunbury, OH/Big Walnut



Monroe made some impact as a pass rusher last year. Peterson will be in the rotation at tackle; he's got a non-stop motor. Foulke and Au have experience, and both have made some big plays for the Lancers over the past two years. McMahon will be the nickel corner. Zawilinski and MacPherson are both demons on special teams.

And here are the team's kicking specialists:


POS NO PLAYER CL HT WT CUR/POT HOME TOWN/HIGH SCHOOL
K 5 Leslie Giang Sr 5'10" 174 40/40 Quitman, GA/Brooks County
P 12 Kelvin Myers Sr 6'1" 203 36/43 Medina, OH/Buckeye
P 10 Pete Radecki Fr 6'4" 210 28/63 Philadelphia, PA/Stephen Girard


Placekicker Leslie Giang is very accurate inside the 40, and the Lancers offense can usually move the ball well enough to leave him with short field goal tries. Kelvin Myers and Pete Radecki will battle for the punting job.

The Lancers' offense ought to be productive enough for the team to win most games by outscoring their opponents. 2006 is a transition year for the Lancers, whose coaching staff chose to redshirt all the stud defensive players from last year's recruiting class except for one.

Coach Allen believes his decision was the right one. "I have faith in our experienced guys to get the job done again," he explained. "Our young guys are looking forward to getting on the field, and the extra year will get them ready to step right in when they're needed next year."

Will Coach Allen be able to implement this plan, or will the needs of the present force him to call on some of his young bucks this year?

[Big Six]

Lancaster will play seven home games in 2006, including three contests against non-conference opponents at Memorial Stadium.

Coach Roger Allen was hoping to schedule at least one more prestigious team, but as he explained off the record, "nobody we asked for a game accepted our offer. We were willing to travel, but we still couldn't work something out. Our guys want to test themselves against some top-tier competition."

Here's the 2006 Lancaster schedule:


Week 3 ALABAMA-BIRMINGHAM
Week 4 WAKE FOREST
Week 5 at Williamsport
Week 6 NORTHERN ILLINOIS
Week 7 at York
Week 8 ERIE
Week 10 ALLENTOWN
Week 11 at Reading
Week 12 HARRISBURG
Week 13 at Scranton
Week 14 TEMPLE



Home games are listed in ALL CAPS.
Keystone Eight conference games are highlighted in blue.

[Big Six]

Week 4, 2006

With two weeks off at the beginning of the season, the Lancaster Lancers got starterd on the real business of the 2006 campaign later than most teams. Once they hit the field, however, they hit it in style, winning two games against non-conference opponents.

Against Alabama-Birmingham in Week 3, several of Coach Roger Allen's first recruits made their college football debuts in fine style. Running back Luke Cash carried 19 times for 119 yards and a touchdown, and tackle Jim Hamilton earned Player of the Game recognition for his eight key run blocks. True freshman tight end Broderick Creveling caught a touchdown pass. Defensive end Norbert Givens was in on eight tackles and a sack, and guard Zack Starks handled UAB's star DT, Junior Barlow, fairly well.

Quarterback Norman Griffis didn't run the ball as often as he usually did in either of the two previous years, but that was fine with him. "I like to run, but when you have running backs as good as ours are, you might be better off handing off." Cash and Cris Middleton, who gained 96 yards and scored, led a rushing attack that accounted for 269 yards.

When Edgar White picked off a Clothesline Henson pass and took it 81 yards to the house, the Lancers iced a 35-24 victory. The near-capacity crowd that came out to Memorial Stadium on a perfect fall day got a real treat.

An even bigger crowd showed up the next week to watch the Lancers take on the Wake Forest Demon Deacons. The ACC school got on the board first, with Bill McKenzie capping off an eight-play drive with an eight-yard TD run.

The Lancers answered with a drive of their own, mixing runs and passes. Luke Cash smashed in from six yards out, and Leslie Giang's PAT tied the score. Late in the half, Cash scored again on a three-yard run to put the Lancers up by a touchdown. Except for an injury to Cris Middleton, who limped off the field with a painfullly pulled quad, the first half went about as well as it could have for the Lancers.

Lancaster ran its lead to 14 points when Deon Simmons, a junior non-scholarship running back, scored his first collegiate touchdown on a one-yard plunge. When Giang added a 27-yard field goal, many in the crowd thought the Lancers were on their way to an easy win.

The Demon Deacons weren't about to give in, however. Running back Brad Wiggins exploded off tackle and ran 65 yards for a touchdown, and McKenzie scored on a six-yard run to pull the Deacs back within three.

The Wake Forest defense forced Lancaster to punt, and on their next possession, the Deacs drove to the Lancaster 21. There, on third and two, Sean Whitfield stopped McKenzie for no gain, and Mike Walsh tied the game with a 38-yard field goal.

Regulation time ended with the score still tied at 24, and the game went into overtime. Wake Forest won the toss and elected to play defense first.

The Lancers took the ball at the 25 yard line. Cash carried the ball twice, and caught a short pass from Griffis, but the Wake defense hemmed him in and tackled him just short of the first down marker. Giang came in and drilled a 33-yard field goal.

The Deacs took the ball next; if they scored a touchdown, they would win the game. On first down, they gained seven yards on a pass from Raymond White to tight end Mark Meyer. A holding penalty set the Deacs back ten yards, and on second down, Derek Bullock smacked McKenzie down for a two-yard loss. White underthrew his receiver on third down, so Wake Forest faced fourth-and-15 from their 30.

Wake Forest coach Tyrone Lannen decided to go for the win. White hit Meyer on an out route, but Jackie Webb stopped him several yards shy of a first down. The Lancers had pulled out an overtime victory.

Coach Lannen defended his decision after the game. "Mike Walsh is a very good kicker, but 47 yards is right at the end of his range. If he makes the kick, we tie the score and we start all over again. If he misses, we lose. I wanted to go for the win, and so did our players. I give Lancaster a lot of credit for stepping up and stopping us."

Two tough wins gave the Lancers a 13-game winning streak that went back over a year. How long would the streak continue?

Lancaster's record: 2-0.

[hoopsguy]

Very enjoyable dynasty so far. I feel sorry for the rest of your conference ... I can't imagine their recruits will be able to hang with the Lancaster studs over the next few seasons.

[Big Six]

Very enjoyable dynasty so far. I feel sorry for the rest of your conference ... I can't imagine their recruits will be able to hang with the Lancaster studs over the next few seasons.

Thanks for the comment, hoopsguy. I'm glad you're enjoying the Lancers' story.

I checked the rosters of the other teams in the Keystone Eight, and according to the Lancers' staff, at least two of the other teams in the league have players who seem to be just about as talented as the guys Lancaster has.

Reading has brought in some talented players in the past two recruiting classes, but two of their most promising guys are academically ineligible. Only one player on Lancaster's roster is an academic casualty right now, and he's a guy who arrived before Coach Allen did.

York has a few very good young players, too. They have two sophomore O-linemen with potential ratings above 90, and a linebacker and a DB who project to be just about as good.

Lancaster has six guys with potential ratings that high. G Zack Starks and TE Broderick Creveling are already key contributors as freshmen; Creveling's a true freshman. S Levon Givens and DT Broderick Andersen are redshirting; both of them have fantastic upside, but they're both really, really raw. And there are two RBs, Jesse Camacho and Brenden Gunn, who project that high; with Luke Cash and Cris Middleton on board, there was no need to rush Camacho and Gunn.

[Big Six]

Week 6, 2006

Two wins in close games--one on the road, one at home--extended the Lancaster Lancers' winning streak and kept them on a list of undefeated teams that was growing shorter by the week.

A disappointingly small crowd of 8000 fans turned up in Williamsport to watch the Lancers and Wildcats do battle. The fans who attended were treated to a tight game in which both defenses played very well. Williamsport actually gained more yards rushing than Lancaster--103 to 102--the first time in over a year that an opponent had outrushed the Lancers.

The Lancers proved that they were more than a one-dimensional team, however. Quarterback Norman Griffis fired touchdown passes to freshman TE Broderick Creveling and senior WR A.J. Goldberg, and fullback Moe Del Barco smashed into the end zone from six yards out to sew up a 24-20 Lancaster victory.

"We missed Cris Middleton today," said Coach Roger Allen. "His speed gives us a dimension that none of our other running backs provides. The thought of burning Brenden Gunn's redshirt was becoming slightly more tempting, but Allen held off.

Next came the Lancers' traditional meeting with #39 Northern Illinois. Last year's game was a thriller, and this year's was no different. The Lancers led 14-3 at halftime, Luke Cash scoring on a six-yard run and Creveling hauling in an 18-yard TD pass from Griffis.

In the second half, Goldberg made a beautiful grab in the end zone to extend the Lancers' lead, and Leslie Giang booted a field goal to put the Lancers ahead 24-7. The relentless Huskies bounced back, and pulled within three points late ih the fourth quarter on two TD passes from Lorenzo Harding to Omar Summers. "We were lucky to get away with a victory," said safety Jackie Webb, who led the Lancers with 11 tackles.

The largest crowd in years filled Municipal Stadium to watch the Northern Illinois game, and the buzz on the Lancaster campus was reminiscent of the program's glory days of the late 1950s. Students painted their chests and festooned the stands with signs; Lancaster blue and gold were seen all over town. Talented high school players who visited the campus were impressed by the atmosphere, and many of them, who would otherwise been disinclined to attend a small school, came away impressed with what Lancaster could offer.

Lancaster's record: 4-0, 1-0 in the Keystone Eight.
National ranking: #15.

[Big Six]

Week 8, 2006

Next on Lancaster's schedule was their annual rivalry game against York. The White Knights hosted this year's game, and some fans expected the Lancers to win with ease. York had struggled to a 1-4 record, losing two of three non-conference games at home and suffering a 29-17 loss at Scranton. Still, the energy surrounding the rivalry might light a fire under the Knights, especially at home.

The day of the game was sunny and cool, perfect weather for football. However, any hopes York fans had for an upset were quickly dispelled, as the Lancers scored on their first two possessions and never looked back.

Lancaster's defense played "championship-caliber football," in the words of defensive coordinator Wendell Carr. Linebacker Derek Bullock was all over the field, racking up 15 tackles, including 12 initial hits. The Lancers' pass defense was solid as well; York's freshman QB, Nicky Eagle, completed only 12 of 32 attempts, as Lancaster players were in his face almost every time he dropped back to pass.

Luke Cash found his groove again, gaining 132 yards, and Moe Del Barco added 54 more as the Lancers' ground game returned to form. "Our O-line has some new guys this year, but we're really starting to come together," said All-American guard Lionel Arceo. "I'm glad I got to play with these guys this year."

A sellout crowd braved a steady rain and 47-degree temperatures to watch the Lancers take on Erie in Week 8. The Captains were a tough, veteran-laden team, and they led, 17-14, going into the fourth quarter. Junior RB Rondell Garcia, who had led the K-8 with almost 1000 yards rushing in 2005, hammered between teh tackles with authority, scoring both Erie touchdowns. For the first time all season, it seemed like the Lancers' defense might be wearing down.

"We need to give the defense a break," said Norman Griffis to his offensive teammates as he watched the exhausted Lancers defense come off the field after recording a crucial stop. "Let's hold on to the ball, drive, and score."

The Lancers responded with an eight-play, 77-yard drive that ended with a one-yard TD pass from Griffis to A.J. Goldberg. The huge crowd roared its approval, but then they noticed that Goldberg wasn't getting up. The senior wideout had to be taken from the field on a cart, and the prognosis wasn't good. Goldberg tore cartilage in his knee, and would almost certainly miss the rest of the regular season. "I might be back for a bowl game, if we get there," he said.

Erie took the ball, and the Lancaster defense produced a big play. Captains quarterback Will Cole dropped back to pass from his own 6, and was hit hard by Lancaster linebacker Walter Roberson. The ball squirted loose, and Lancers DE Vernon Bailey recovered it at the one-yard line. Griffis tried to sneak the ball into the end zone and was dropped for a loss, but Luke Cash scored on the next play.

The Lancers turned another Erie turnover into a touchdown to complete a 35-21 victory that was much closer than the score would indicate. Cash, who scored three touchdowns (two runs, one reception) was named the Player of the Game. Still undefeated, with a winning streak that now extended 17 games, Lancaster seemed to be riding an unstoppable wave of momentum.

But would the good times continue to roll, with Cris Middleton and, now, A.J. Goldberg on the sidelines?

Lancaster's record: 6-0, 3-0 in the Keystone Eight.
National ranking: #13.

[bulletsponge]

nice read.

you going to tell us where Arceo gets drafted when he does?

[Big Six]

nice read.

you going to tell us where Arceo gets drafted when he does?

Thanks, bulletsponge.

I agree; Arceo ought to be picked on the first day of the draft. I'm going to start a parallel FOF NFL league, mainly for the purpose of following the graduates who make it in the NFL.

[Big Six]

Week 10, 2006

After a week off, the Lancaster Lancers returned to the field for a Week 10 matchup against K-8 rival Allentown. The game ended up much closer than any of the 26,400 fans that packed Memorial Stadium had expected and, once again, Coach Roger Allen's Lancers pulled out a victory with some last-minute heroics.

The Steel Kings came into the game with a 3-3 record, and were 12-point underdogs to the #13 Lancers. Nobody told the Steel Kings, however, and at halftime, they led 24-7.

Senior captain Edgar White rallied his defensive teammates at halftime. "This is embarrassing," he told them. "They're walking all over us...and at OUR place. That's unacceptable."

Inspired by White's words, the Lancer defense looked like an entirely new group of players in the second half. The offense, which had produced only one score in the first half (the first TD reception of freshman Julio Edgeworth's career), also picked up the pace. A sustained drive stalled out in the red zone, but Leslie Giang booted a 29-yard field goal.

A minute into the fourth quarter, the Lancers drove down the field again. Norman Griffis connected with Mickey Carpenter for 35 yards, and two plays later Griffis hit Broderick Creveling in the end zone for a 2-yard score.

With six minutes to play, Lancaster had the ball at their own 21. Mixing runs by Luke Cash and passes to Edgeworth and Creveling, the Lancers drove down the field. When Cash took an option pitch from Griffis and raced 12 yards for the game-tying touchdown, the fans rocked the old stadium to its foundation.

"DEE-FENSE! DEE-FENSE!" The crowd exhorted the Lancers, who responded by holding Allentown to a three-and-out. The Steel Kings' punter had the ball glance off the side of his foot, and White's fair catch gave Lancaster the ball on their own 41. Could Norman Griffis lead the team on another game-winning drive?

On first down, Griffis ran the option. When a Steel Kings defender bore down on him, he deftly flipped the ball to Cash. Zack Starks creamed another Steel King, and Cash raced 18 yards to the Allentown 41.

Allentown's defense then stepped up, stuffing Griffis on a quarterback draw and covering Lancer receivers so well that he had to throw the ball away twice. Kelvin Myers punted the ball away, and with 56 seconds remaining, Allentown took over at their own 9-yard line. It looked like the game would go into overtime.

Allentown coach Howie Kaiser decided to go for a game-winning score. Quarterback Rob Rasmussen wound up and threw a long pass down the sideline, intended for Troy Browning. Lancaster's Ricky Dawson picked off the ball as the crowd erupted once again. Rasmussen buried his face in his hands on the sideline as his teammates consoled him.

Forty seconds remained, and Lancaster had the ball on the Allentown 36. Giang began warming up on the sideline.

Griffis threw incomplete on first down, and on the next play he rolled to his right and looked for an open man. He spotted Creveling and fired the ball in his direction. The freshman tight end grabbed it and stepped out of bounds on the Allentown 19.

With 15 seconds remaining, the Lancers called for a running play that, at worst, would place the ball in the middle of the field for Giang. Instead, Luke Cash took the handoff, got a huge block from fullback Otis Meier, and raced into the end zone.

Lancaster 31, Allentown 24.

The Steel Kings' last-second Hail Mary pass was intercepted by Jackie Webb, and the Lancers' undefeated season was still intact.

Luke Cash was, understandably, the hero of the day. His 187 yards on 17 carries and his two late touchdowns were among the biggest keys to the Lancers' come-from-behind win. However, as Cash pointed out, the victory was a true team effort.

"If Broderick doesn't make those big catches, we're not in position to score," Cash told a reporter on the field. Creveling, who caught five Griffis passes for 100 yards and a touchdown, was emerging as one of the top tight ends in the conference.

The only dark cloud over the Lancers' happy afternoon rolled in when Griffis woke up the next morning with a knee so stiff he could barely walk. The team medical staff diagnosed the injury as a ligament strain, and the quarterback was listed as "questionable" for the Lancers' next game. It was possible that the Lancers would have to play without Griffis, Cris Middleton, and A.J. Goldberg--three All-Conference players--when they traveled to Reading next week. The quality of the young skill position players Coach Allen had recruited--guys like Cash, Edgeworth, Carpenter, Creveling--would be once again put to the test.

Coach Allen remained optimistic. "We've won big games with Kevin Kanyuh at quarterback," he pointed out. "And our younger guys have been stepping up all year long."

Lancaster's record: 7-0; 4-0 in Keystone Eight play.
National ranking: #15.

[Big Six]

The Lancaster recruiting class of 2006-2007 is now complete. Let's meet the 16 newest Lancers:


PLAYER POS HT WT HOME TOWN HIGH SCHOOL
Chester Newhart T 6-5 276 Big Lake, MN Big Lake
Corwin Lang DT 6-0 241 Stoneham, MA Stoneham
Brad Bernhard DE 6-2 241 Somerset, PA Somerset Area
Reuben Hitchcock T 6-4 272 Newtown, PA Council Rock
Luke Tymeson K 6-1 173 Wantagh, NY Wantagh
Kim Olshansky T 6-9 308 Bedford, PA Bedford
Al Shields WR 5-10 167 Collegeville, PA Perkiomen Valley
Justin Dodge QB 5-11 191 Mechanicsburg, PA Cumberland Valley
Dexter Jagger C 6-1 251 Mechanicsburg, PA Cumberland Valley
Stanley West OLB 6-2 214 Frederick, MD Frederick
Eugene Rivers G 6-2 263 Newtown, PA Council Rock
Lone Wolf Johnson S 6-2 189 Lewisberry, PA Red Land
Scottie Fletcher OLB 6-4 228 Shillington, PA Governor Mifflin
Tom Dotson S 5-11 182 Allentown, PA Salisbury
Tony Shea FB 6-2 235 Cookstown, MN Central
William St. Louis DT 6-6 284 Altoona, PA Altoona Area



Once again, Coach Roger Allen managed to attract some of the nation's best high school talent to Lancaster. Newhart is a real catch, and Lang will possibly step in and start as a freshman. Allen was able to reinforce several positions where the Lancers were relatively weak.

All-State players are highlighted in blue. There's an All-National selection in this year's class, too; he's highlighted in red.


PLAYER SCT RNK ST POS ST STATS
Chester Newhart 85++ 19 1 1 1 None
Corwin Lang 95-- 66 3 1 1 90 tckls,9.5 sacks
Brad Bernhard 74+ 71 17 2 1 74 tckls, 12.0 sacks
Reuben Hitchcock 77+ 103 15 4 1 None
Luke Tymeson 85+ 110 3 8 2 18 FG, 47.4 punt avg.
Kim Olshansky 68+ 160 21 5 2 None
Al Shields 81- 186 19 6 1 70-1780-8 rcv.
Justin Dodge 53+ 507 49 19 4 131-250-1759-7-7 pass, 189-912-6 rush
Dexter Jagger 56+ 536 27 21 2 None
Stanley West 44++ 570 35 18 2 34 tckls, 3.5 sacks, 2 int.
Eugene Rivers 61+ 664 60 26 2 None
Lone Wolf Johnson 56+ 675 36 28 1 62 tckls, 3.5 sacks, 11 int.
Scottie Fletcher 54+ 708 42 31 4 82 tckls, 7.0 sacks, 5 int.
Tom Dotson 43- NR 67 47 5 61 tckls, 3.0 sacks, 8 int.
Tony Shea 44+ NR 42 25 4 56-359-3 rush, 27-340-2 rcv.
William St. Louis 35- NR NR 100 5 42 tckls, 6.5 sacks


Coach Allen deliberately recruits players who excel academically, too. It's rare for him to offer a scholarship to a player who hasn't earned at least a 3.00 GPA in high school, or who hasn't scored 1100 or better on his SAT.

However, the chance to get a guy named Lone Wolf Johnson on his team was too much to resist. :)


PLAYER GPA SAT MAJOR ATTITUDE
Chester Newhart 3.73 1470 Electrical Engineering Terrific
Corwin Lang 3.67 1430 Sociology Fair
Brad Bernhard 3.75 1330 Electrical Engineering Good
Reuben Hitchcock 3.72 1480 Nuclear Engineering Good
Luke Tymeson 4.00 1400 Medicine Pretty Good
Kim Olshansky 3.35 1290 Nuclear Engineering Very Good
Al Shields 3.42 1190 Communications Good
Justin Dodge 3.64 1520 History Good
Dexter Jagger 3.52 1540 Metallurgy Terrific
Stanley West 3.20 1260 Marketing Pretty Good
Eugene Rivers 3.90 1520 Mechanical Engineering Decent
Lone Wolf Johnson 3.19 1050 Social Work Good
Scottie Fletcher 3.55 1260 Education Terrific
Tom Dotson 3.92 1470 Sociology Pretty Good
Tony Shea 3.29 1150 Differential Equations Very Good
William St. Louis 3.99 1440 Differential Equations Terrific

[Big Six]

Week 12, 2006

The Lancaster Lancers ran their record to 9-0 and clinched their second straight Keystone Eight Conference championship with wins in Weeks 11 and 12.

If the Lancers and their fans didn't already know it, they learned just how tough senior quarterback Norman Griffis really was. Shaking off the effects of a sprained knee, the team's captain and leader started games against Reading and Harrisburg. He took every snap in a thrilling 41-38 overtime victory over Reading, and played in the Lancers' 45-14 defeat of Harrisburg until the outcome of the game was decided.

"When your quarterback mans up like Norman did, it inspires everyone to play hard," said freshman lineman Jim Hamilton. "He's a great leader and we all respect him very much."

"I'm not running the ball nearly as much this year," Griffis pointed out. "That's a result of our game plan; my knee doesn't have anything to do with it." Instead, when the Lancers ran their trademark option, Griffis was pitching the ball to the team's halfbacks much more often.

Luke Cash, who entered the Reading game with 980 yards rushing, gained another 187 yards. Cris Middleton, who like Griffis was listed as "questionable" for the game, carried 11 times and picked up 95 more.


Griffis got it done through the air against Reading, throwing TD passes to Cash, Broderick Creveling, and Julio Edgeworth, and leading the team on its game-winning drive. Leslie Giang's 29-yard field goal provided the winning margin, but the victory wasn't secure until ILB Sean Whitfield picked off a Reading pass in the end zone.

Still, much of the credit for the victory went to Griffis; for the tenth time in three years, the quarterback was credited with pulling off Late Heroics.

Hapless Harrisburg didn't present the Lancers with nearly as much of a challenge. Gaining yards nearly at will against the Harrisburg defense, the Lancers accumulated over 300 yards rushing once again. Cash (29 carries, 187 yards) and Middleton (15 carries, 110 yards) each scored touchdowns, as did Griffis, who romped 30 yards for a score on one of his two carries.

The real star of the game was Jim Hamilton, who delivered six of the team's 20 key run blocks. Hamilton, the big West Virginia "hillbilly," was adapting extremely well to his shift from guard to tackle, and Coach Roger Allen wondered if he'd make the change permanently.

As the players celebrated their conference-winning victory, Coach Allen thought about how far the Lancaster program had come. For three straight games, fans had packed Memorial Stadium to its 26,400-seat capacity. The Lancers were riding a 19-game undefeated streak, and were nationally ranked. Their games were occasionally televised regionally, a rare event for a small school.

Things were going well, and Coach Allen reminded himself to pause from time to time and enjoy the ride while it lasted.

Lancaster's record: 9-0; 6-0 in Keystone Eight play.
National ranking: #14.

[Big Six]

Week 14, 2006

The Lancaster Lancers completed their undefeated 2006 regular season with a convincing 27-10 victory on a rainy day in Scranton and an exciting, emotional 17-10 win over Temple on Senior Day.

The Lancaster offense and defense each distinguished themselves against Scranton. The offense controlled the ball for nearly 35 minutes, as Luke Cash and Cris Middleton churned out yardage on the muddy field. Cash, thriving as the Lancers' feature back, toted the ball 35 more times for 179 yards. Middleton, who was enjoying life as a change-of-pace back after being the main man the year before, gained 57 more on 10 carries.

"We're winning, so it doesn't matter who's getting the carries," said Middleton, expressing the kind of attitude any coach would want from an influential senior player.

Cash knew that he was, in effect, playing for his job next season. There were two running backs with glittering credentials--Jesse Camacho and Brenden Gunn--redshirting this year, and most so-called "experts" believed they were both far more talented than Cash.

"I don't think it's going to be a problem," said Cash. "Our system gives more than one back the opportunity to run the ball. I've watched Cris handle the situation this year, and I'm going to try to demonstrate the same kind of attitude next year. Brenden and Jesse are good guys."

There was no need for Cash to say much. His production--he had gained nearly 1400 yards rushing--spoke loudly enough.

While the offense was rolling up yardage, the defense was stopping Scranton in its tracks. Scranton gained only 80 yards rushing, and the Lancaster defense sacked QB Dennis Duncan four times.

The Lancers had all kinds of reasons to be pumped up for the Temple game. The Owls were the last team to defeat them; they'd whipped the Lancers 31-6 at Temple in last season's opening game. And, for the team's 16 seniors, it would be the last time they played before their home fans.

Eleven of the seniors were starters: backs Griffis and Middleton; receiver A.J. Goldberg; offensive linemen Lionel Arceo and Carl Neumeyer; D-lineman Tony May; linebacker Sean Whitfield; defensive backs Edgar White and Norbert Stanberry; specialists Leslie Giang and Kelvin Myers. The other five--LB Keith Foulke, RB Bobby DeMoen, DT Rich Elliott, OT Cole Kotler, and WR Buddy Thomason--had all been on the field in at least ten games as seniors. Players like Griffis, Goldberg, and White were among the all-time best in Lancaster history at their positions, and Arceo was arguably the most acclaimed Lancer ever. The fans who filled Memorial Stadium realized what this class of seniors had meant to the program, and their appreciation was sincere and hearty.

The day was cold but sunny, good football weather. The Lancers and Owls traded field goals in the first quarter, and neither team managed to score during the remainder of the half.

Temple took the ball to start the second half and drove 72 yards for a touchdown to take a 10-3 lead. Unlike most of the Lancers' opponents, the Owls were able to move the ball well enough against the Lancaster defense to mount time-consuming drives. And their defense was stout enough to stop Luke Cash from running wild; they held Cash to 33 yards on 16 carries that day.

Lancaster, however, could strike quickly. On the next play from scrimmage, Griffis hooked up with speedy freshman Julio Edgeworth on a 70-yard scoring play. Then, after the Lancers defense forced the Owls to punt the ball away, Griffis connected with another first-year player--tight end Broderick Creveling--for a 48-yard gain down to the Temple 3. From there, Luke Cash scored what turned out to be the game-winning touchdown.

Redshirt freshman Norbert Givens, who racked up 12 tackles and two sacks from his defensive end position, was named the Player of the Game. But, as Givens put it so well, "Today belongs to the seniors."

Lancaster's record: 11-0; 7-0 in Keystone Eight play.
National ranking: #14.

[Big Six]

Week 16, 2006
Oyster Bowl: Virginia Beach, Virginia

The Lancaster Lancers returned to Virginia Beach to fulfill the Keystone Eight Conference champion's commitment to the Oyster Bowl. This year, the Lancers faced a much tougher opponent than the New Mexico State team they routed the year before. The #19 North Texas Mean Green lived up to their name, and defeated Coach Roger Allen's Lancers, 38-22.

The Lancers defense had no answer for North Texas QB Kenneth Croom, who connected with Dwight Alston and Seth Campbell for two touchdown passes apiece. Croom threw for 317 yards, and the Mean Green outgained the Lancers 465-320.

In his final collegiate game, Norman Griffis went 8-20 for 223 yards. He threw one TD pass, a 22-yard strike to Luke Cash, and was intercepted twice. Cash gained 70 yards on 14 carries and added 92 more on three receptions, but otherwise, the Lancers offense was unable to get much done.

Another senior, LB Sean Whitfield, led both teams with 15 tackles, and Cris Middleton overcame a sore thigh muscle to gain 36 yards on seven carries in his final game in Lancaster blue and gold.

There was one Lancer senior who could realistically imagine a future that involved professional football. Lionel Arceo had not been quite as dominant as a senior as he had been in 2005, but was still considered a solid NFL prospect. For every other graduating memberof the team, the loss to North Texas would be the final chapter in the story of his life as a football player, and it would be a chapter they would look back upon with sadness.

Still, the seniors could look back at much more that had happened to them over the past few years with happiness and pride. "We won 22 games in two years," Griffis pointed out. "We won 20 games in a row, we won two conference championships, and we won a bowl game.

"It's been a hell of a ride."

Lancaster's final 2006 record: 11-1.
Final national ranking: #15.

[bulletsponge]

well its for the best. dont want too much success too soon, gotta aim for something

[Big Six]

well its for the best. dont want too much success too soon, gotta aim for something

That's true, bulletsponge. I've been trying to get big-time schools to accept games with Lancaster so I can see how the Lancers match up against the best possible competition. Maybe now that Lancaster has had two 11-win seasons in a row, I can get the big boys to agree to a game. I'll probably have to have Lancaster go to their place, but that's fine.

[Big Six]

The Keystone Eight conference standings for 2006 looked like this:


TEAM OVERALL PCT PF PA CONF. PCT PF PA
Lancaster 11 1 0 .916 351 250 7 0 0 1.000 223 130
Reading 5 6 0 .454 317 304 4 3 0 .571 237 163
Williamsport 5 6 0 .454 210 287 4 3 0 .571 163 189
Allentown 6 5 0 .454 237 284 3 4 0 .428 177 195
Erie 4 7 0 .363 211 299 3 4 0 .428 152 193
Scranton 4 7 0 .363 228 262 2 5 0 .285 144 134
York 3 8 0 .272 196 254 2 5 0 .285 118 149
Harrisburg 2 9 0 .181 157 323 2 5 0 .285 123 184



Lancaster's ground game wasn't quite as productive as it was in 2005, but the Lancers still ranked fifth in the nation in rushing yardage. As usual, the
RK column indicates Lancaster's rank among K-8 teams.


Rushing Offense 1 527-2310 (4.3); 192.5 ypg
Passing Offense 2 145-252 (57.5%); 2180 yds, 181.5 ypg
Rushing Defense 1 395-1405 (3.5); 117.0 ypg
Passing Defense 7 194-357 (54.3%) 2662 yds, 221.8 ypg
Turnover Margin 1 +12



The team's low ranking in pass defense is due more to the fact that Lancaster's opponents couldn't run the ball against them. Since Lancaster usually had a lead, most teams were playing catch-up, and throwing the ball a lot.

Here are some individual statistics for the 2006 season.


PASSING ATT COM YDS TD INT
Griffis 246 140 2119 18 8
TEAM 252 145 2180 19 8

RUSHING ATT YDS AVG TD
Cash 281 1449 5.2 14
Middleton 57 421 7.4 4
Del Barco 51 228 4.5 1
Griffis 106 145 1.4 2
TEAM 527 2310 4.4 23

RECEIVING NO YDS AVG TD
Edgeworth 36 660 18.3 5
Creveling 33 519 15.7 5
Cash 19 258 13.5 3
Goldberg 12 224 18.6 4
Middleton 11 109 9.9 0
Grosz 9 123 13.6 1
Del Barco 8 101 12.6 0
Meier 7 56 8.0 0
TEAM 252 2180 15.0 19

DEFENSE TCK AST SCK TFL INT PD
Whitfield 70 27 2.0 9 1 3
Bullock 67 20 0.0 10 0 1
Webb 66 20 0.0 11 3 8
Stansberry 61 23 0.0 12 4 8
Givens 58 27 12.0 16 0 0
Durham 48 13 1.0 7 0 2
Dawson 34 7 0.0 1 3 2
White 33 9 0.0 0 3 4
McMahon 25 2 1.5 3 1 3
May 22 9 2.0 7 0 0
Elliott 21 7 3.5 5 0 1
Bailey 16 6 5.0 7 0 0
Roberson 14 11 3.5 5 0 1
Zawilinski 13 2 1.5 1 0 0
Monroe 12 4 4.0 6 0 0
Peterson 12 7 0.0 1 0 0
TEAM 646 200 36.0 104 17 34

KICKING FG FGA LG XP XPA PTS
Giang 14 18 44 43 43 85

PUNTING NO YDS AVG LG In20
Myers 58 1940 33.4 53 20



Graduating seniors' names and stats are highlighted in blue.

[Groo]

#15 this season, a bowl game, and another good recruiting class, and they should start lining up to test themselves on Lancaster, rather than the reverse.

Keep up the great work, Lancers!

[Big Six]

#15 this season, a bowl game, and another good recruiting class, and they should start lining up to test themselves on Lancaster, rather than the reverse.

Keep up the great work, Lancers!

Thanks, Groo. You've backed Coach Allen and the Lancers from the beginning. :)

The Lancers' 2006 recruiting class was ranked #26 in the country, so you're right, it was another good, solid class. I'm expecting their 2007 lineup to be full of freshmen and sophomores, in fact.

Lancaster's academic program was also ranked highly: #14 in the nation. Coach Allen is demonstrating that it's possible to win football games with true student-athletes, at least in the Keystone Eight Conference.

Here are the final rankings for 2006:


1 USC
2 Utah
3 Miami (FL)
4 Tennessee
5 Georgia
6 UCLA
7 Nebraska
8 Oklahoma
9 Penn State
10 Stanford
11 Michigan State
12 Wisconsin
13 Florida State
14 Kansas State
15 Lancaster
16 North Texas
17 TCU
18 LSU
19 Central Florida
20 Boise State
21 Northern Illinois
22 Virginia Tech
23 South Carolina
24 Michigan
25 Iowa



And here are the final grades for the 2006 Lancaster program:


Team Performance 80/100
Academic Performance 70/100
Recruiting Performance 89/100
Television Revenue 20/100
Alumni Donations 63/100
Attendance/Stadium 56/100
Final Grade 65/100



They're a little lower than they were in '05, but I'll take 65/100 any day.

The list of Lancaster players who earned post-season honors is a long one.

TE Broderick Creveling was named a Freshman All-American. This honor is reserved for true freshmen; redshirt frosh aren't eligible.

Three Lancers made Academic All-American: RB Luke Cash, OT Jim Hamilton, and DE Norbert Givens.

The Keystone Eight Conference MVP was QB Norman Griffis. Cash was named the Offensive Player of the Year, and Creveling was chosen as Offensive Freshman of the Year.

Twelve Lancers were named to the All-Keystone Eight Conference first team: Griffis, Cash, Creveling, WR Julio Edgeworth, G Zack Starks, Hamilton, K Leslie Giang, P Kelvin Myers, Givens, LB Sean Whitfield, and CB Edgar White.

Three more were selected to the All-K8 Second Team: G Lionel Arceo, LB Derek Bullock, and S Jackie Webb.

Cash, Hamilton, Giang, Myers, and Givens all made the All-K8 Academic Team, as did C Phillip Dawson and LB Russell Durham.

[Big Six]

Preseason 2007

The retirement of offensive coordinator Ian Gallardo meant that, for the second straight year, Coach Roger Allen will be working with a new wingman.

The Lancers hired another wily veteran, 68-year-old Donnie Everett. Known for his Terrific play-calling ability and his Excellent skills at developing the talents of quarterbacks and running backs, Coach Everett is new to the Power I offense that has been the trademark of Lancaster's teams since Allen arrived on the scene. Don't expect any major changes, however, as Allen has recruited a stable full of players whose talents are suited to the hard-hitting, run-based offense for which the Lancers have become known.

I've had the computer hire Coach Allen's staff members so far, but I think I'm taking control of that myself now. I'd like to see him hire a coordinator who will be around for a while, rather than a series of "wily veterans."

Here are the projected starters for the 2007 Lancaster Lancers offensive unit:


POS NO NAME CL HT WT HOME TOWN/HIGH SCHOOL
QB 11 Ernest Floyd Fr 6-2 217 Washington, PA/Trinity
RB 45 Luke Cash So 5-11 214 Collegeville, PA/Perkiomen Valley
RB 39 Brenden Gunn Fr 6-0 203 Prospect Park, PA/Interboro
FB 35 Otis Meier So 6-1 259 Pittsburgh, PA/Penn Hills
WR 82 Julio Edgeworth So 5-9 186 Homer City, PA/Homer-Center
TE 83 Broderick Creveling So 6-4 252 Blanchester, OH/Blanchester
LT 60 Chester Newhart Fr 6-5 296 Big Lake, MN/Big Lake
LG 73 Zack Starks So 6-6 330 Philadelphia, PA/Horace Furness
C 59 Dixon Sampson So 6-3 287 Rockville, MD/Thomas S. Wootton
RG 78 Jim Hamilton So 6-3 288 Circleville, WV/Circleville
RT 72 Kim Olshansky Fr 6-9 312 Bedford, PA/Bedford



The keys to the Lancers' powerful offensive machine will be handed to redshirt freshman Floyd, whose ability to run and pass should remind fans of Norman Griffis. Floyd will be expected to step right in and replace Griffis, who graduated with career totals of 5733 yards passing, 57 TD passes, and well over 1000 yards rushing. The redshirt freshman might be a better passer right now than Griffis ever was.

Cash and Gunn give the Lancers two backs with the potential to gain 1000 yards each. Cash, of course, greatly exceeded that figure in '06, and Gunn has the talent to be every bit as good, or better. Meier is a fine lead blocker who can also run and catch the ball.

Edgeworth stepped in when A.J. Goldberg was injured and gave the Lancers a dangerous deep threat at wide receiver, and Creveling could develop into an All-American at tight end.

The offensive line will feature new starters at tackle: highly touted true freshmen Newhart and Olshansky. Hamilton will move to his natural position, and pairs with Starks to give the Lancers a pair of guards that are considered the best in all of Division One. Sampson is rock-solid at center.

Here are some key reserves, as well as a few other promising young players who could make an impact this year:


POS NO NAME CL HT WT HOME TOWN/HIGH SCHOOL
QB 15 Kevin Kanyuh Sr 6-0 204 Fairmount, IN/Madison-Grant
RB 23 Jesse Camacho Fr 5-9 199 Arnold, MO/Fox
WR 8 Mickey Carpenter So 6-3 224 Pottstown, PA/Pottsgrove
WR 4 Sean Willmer Fr 6-1 210 Pittsburgh, PA/Penn Hills
TE 81 Archie Grosz Sr 6-4 248 Wyandotte, MI/Roosevelt
OL 54 Phillip Dawson Sr 6-3 282 Bangor, PA/Bangor Area


Kanyuh returns for a fourth season as the Lancers' backup QB, and he's perfectly capable of leading the team. Camacho's talent might force Coach Allen to work him into the backfield rotation. Carpenter and Willmer will get plenty of playing time when the Lancers use more than one wideout. They're both big and strong. Grosz has been a starter, and he'll see lots of playing time, too. Dawson is the best of the O-line reserves.

All eleven of the projected offensive starters on this year's team are players who have been recruited by Coach Allen; they're all freshmen or sophomores. Allen's efforts to upgrade the talent level of the Lancaster program have been successful, and now it's time to see if the younger players are ready to produce another winning season.

[Big Six]

Preseason 2007

Coach Roger Allen's starting defense will feature a little more experience than his young offense, but there are still a number of players with very little collegiate experience (if any) on whom the Lancaster defense will depend heavily in 2007.


POS NO NAME CL HT WT HOME TOWN/HIGH SCHOOL
DE 94 Deron Monroe Jr 6-1 242 Myerstown, PA/Eastern Lebanon Co.
DT 77 Broderick Andersen Fr 6-0 247 Mountain Top, PA/Crestwood
DT 79 Bo Peterson Sr 6-1 265 Lewistown, PA/Indian Valley
DE 74 Norbert Givens So 6-0 253 Burgettstown, PA/Burgettstown
OLB 55 Scottie Fletcher Fr 6-4 242 Shillington, PA/Governor Mifflin
ILB 50 Kennedy Campos Fr 6-1 220 Carlisle, PA/Carlisle Area
ILB 46 Derek Bullock Sr 6-3 224 Windber, PA/Windber Area
OLB 40 Russell Durham Jr 6-0 232 Pittsburgh, PA/Plum
CB 27 Jamal Herndon Fr 5-8 181 Montclair, CA/Montclair
CB 42 Phillip Hayes Fr 5-11 187 Niagara Falls, NY/Niagara Falls
SS 22 Jackie Webb Sr 5-11 188 Pennsburg, PA/Upper Perkiomen
FS 38 Levon Givens Fr 5-10 204 New Castle, PA/Shenango Area



Monroe is leading a great battle for one of the DE spots. His non-stop motor makes him a disruptive pass rusher. Highly regarded freshman Andersen combines with veteran Peterson at DT. Givens, who excelled on the field and in the classroom as a freshman, is on his way to stardom.

Campos has big shoes to fill, as he's called upon to replace All-Keystoner Sean Whitfield. He's expected to fill them, and then some. Bullock has improved steadily since he arrived in Lancaster and is poised for a big senior season. Durham returns for his third season as a starter. Fletcher will start as a true freshman, as Durham did.

Herndon and Hayes will probably get the nod at corner. Both have tremendous potential; will they suffer some growing pains this year? Senior Webb, a defensive captain, starts at safety, and he'll be paired with stud freshman Givens.

Among the top defensive reserves are:


POS NO NAME CL HT WT HOME TOWN/HIGH SCHOOL
DE 75 Kyle Diz Pardo Fr 6-4 249 Philadelphia, PA/Penn William
DE 98 Vernon Bailey Sr 6-2 257 Hegins, PA/Tri-Valley
LB 44 Kyle Au Sr 6-4 239 Windber, PA/Windber Area
LB 96 Walter Roberson Sr 6-2 228 Lake Elsinore, CA/Temescal Canyon
CB 26 Mercury McMahon Sr 5-10 181 Ambler, PA/Wissahickon
CB 37 Ricky Dawson So 5-10 182 Pittsburgh, PA/Plum
S 20 Ken Ravenola Fr 5-10 182 Warren, PA/Warren Area


Expect to see Diz Pardo and Bailey on the field a lot, as the Lancers rotate in all four defensive ends. Seniors Au and Roberson have proven themselves in the past, and could easily step in if something happens to a Lancer LB. Au is the Lancer special teams captain. McMahon and Dawson will battle for the nickel corner position; it's been Mercury's for two years, but Ricky started in '06. Ravenola is Webb's heir apparent.

Last year, the Lancers allowed about eight points per game more than they had in 2005. Defensive coordinator Wendell Carr has a year under his belt now, and his unit has a good mix of experience and youthful talent. I wouldn't be surprised to see Lancaster's defense return to its 2005 standard this year.

Now, let's meet the Lancers' kicking specialists:


POS NO NAME CL HT WT HOME TOWN/HIGH SCHOOL
K 14 Luke Tymeson Fr 6-1 191 Wantagh, NY/Wantagh
P 10 Pete Radecki So 6-4 215 Philadelphia, PA/Stephen Girard


Tymeson was considered one of the top 10 kicking prospects in last year's recruiting class, and should be a fixture in Lancaster for the next four years. Radecki has patiently waited for his chance, and is talented enough to make the most of it.

[Big Six]

2007 NFL Draft

Roger Allen watched the NFL draft more closely than usual in 2007. For the first time, he had a former player who was highly regarded enough to be on NFL teams' draft boards.

Guard Lionel Arceo enjoyed an incredible junior season, in which he earned second team All-American honors. His senior year wasn't nearly as remarkable. The presence of more talented players on the Lancers O-line meant the team didn't depend on Lionel as heavily as they had in 2005. And, when they did, Lionel didn't seem to perform with the same dominance he'd shown as a junior. He didn't repeat as an All-American; in fact, he was named to the All-Keystone Eight second team, while two of his fellow offensive linemen made the first team.

Nevertheless, Arceo was regarded by NFL scouts as a decent pro prospect. He was listed as one of the ten best available players at his position, with a projected rating of 5.2.

The Indianapolis Colts selected Arceo in the third round, and he reported to camp with a real shot at a roster spot. The Colts' projected starters at guard were Kevin Taylor, a 10-year veteran who would be a free agent at the end of the 2007 season, and six-year veteran Bethel Merriday, a 330-pound behemoth.

Lionel was thrilled to be drafted by the Colts. "I'm going to enjoy playing for Kyle Prescott," he said. "Coach Prescott is the kind of man who earns your respect right away."

The Colts had experienced both highs and lows during the past few years, usually finishing a game or two on either side of .500. "I'm going to go into camp and compete for a job, and see what happens," said Arceo. "I know the game will be much more intense in the NFL. I believe I'm ready."

[Groo]

I love that you are running FOF as well, and watching your players continue in the NFL. Very interesting already, and adding the extra flavor is awesome.

[Big Six]

I love that you are running FOF as well, and watching your players continue in the NFL. Very interesting already, and adding the extra flavor is awesome.

Thanks, Groo. I wouldn't be surprised to see some of the very talented recruits Coach Allen has brought to Lancaster get a shot at the NFL, too. Lionel Arceo was on the team when I started the dynasty, and as good as he was, some of the players who have arrived in Lancaster over the past couple of years have even bigger upsides.

[Big Six]

In 2007, Lancaster Lancers will play the most ambitious schedule they've attempted since Roger Allen became the head coach. The Lancers will make the short trip to Happy Valley to play the powerful Penn State Nittany Lions. Furthermore, Lancaster will play four of their seven Keystone Eight Conference games away from Memorial Stadium.


Week 2 ALABAMA-BIRMINGHAM
Week 3 at Penn State
Week 5 at York
Week 6 NORTHERN ILLINOIS
Week 7 at Harrisburg
Week 8 RUTGERS
Week 9 ALLENTOWN
Week 10 ERIE
Week 11 at Williamsport
Week 12 SCRANTON
Week 13 at Reading



Home games are listed IN BOLD TYPE.
Conference games are highlighted in blue.

[Big Six]

Week 3, 2007

The first weeks of the 2007 season brought as much hardship to the Lancaster Lancers as they'd endured for some time. They won their season opener against Alabama-Birmingham, but two key members of their revamped offensive unit went down with injuries. Then, the Lancers discovered that they might still have some work to do before they could run with the big dogs--and that they were clearly not ready to do so unless they were at full strength.

The skies over Memorial Stadium were stormy when the Lancers took the field against UAB, but for a while it looked like nothing but sunshine for Coach Roger Allen, his players, and their fans. The Lancer defense pushed the Blazers around all day, holding them to a pair of field goals. And, for three quarters, the offense ran roughshod over the UAB defense, too.

Then, within the span of five plays from scrimmage early in thefourth quarter, two Lancers were forced to leave the field with injuries. The first was running back Luke Cash, who limped off with a badly sprained ankle. Then, true freshman OT Chester Newhart injured his shoulder and left the game, grimacing in obvious pain. The final score--Lancaster 25, Alabama-Birmingham 6--was good news, but the prognoses for the two injured players were not. Neither would be available for the Lancers' next game at Penn State.

Even though Cash rushed for over 1400 yards in 2006, the Lancaster staff believed he might be easier to replace than Newhart. Brenden Gunn gained 91 yards against the Blazers, including an exciting 47-yard touchdown romp. Another redshirt freshman, Jesse Camacho, had impressed everyone with his talents since he arrived on campus. Newhart's injury forced Coach Allen to shift Jim Hamilton back to tackle and insert Phillip Dawson into the lineup at guard. Dawson and Sean Belyeu would probably both see lots of action against the Nittany Lions.

Coach Allen could predict that many of his players might be distracted by the atmosphere at Penn State's Beaver Stadium. "Don't you dare think you don't belong on the field with those guys," Allen cautioned them. "You've won a lot of football games the past couple years. If you execute and keep hitting for four full quarters, you can win this game, too."

Midway through the second quarter, the game was tied at 14. Ernest Floyd threw the first two TD passes of his collegiate career, one to Julio Edgeworth and one to Brenden Gunn. The huge crowd at Beaver Stadium and many more watching on television probably thought they were in for an exciting contest.

They weren't. The Nittany Lions spent the remainder of the afternoon putting a 45-0 beatdown on the reeling Lancers. Coach Allen made sure every man in uniform got into the game; players like third-string quarterback Clyde Baptiste, a senior who hadn't thrown a pass in a game since 2004, got a chance to tell their grandchildren they once played before nearly 100,000 fans at one of the most historic stadiums in America.

The Lancers couldn't afford to mope about their 59-14 loss at Penn State for long. After a bye week, they would begin their Keystone Eight season with a game at the home of their arch-rival, the York Crusaders.

Lancaster's record: 1-1.

[Big Six]

Week 6, 2007

Had the beatdown the Lancaster Lancers received at Penn State destroyed the Lancers' mojo? Coach Roger Allen had to wonder, after his Lancers dropped two close games to fall to 1-3 on the season.

He knew that Lancaster fans hated to lose to York more than anyone, but that's exactly what happened during Week 5. The way it happened--with the Crusaders driving down the field with time running out and scoring with eleven seconds left to defeat the Lancers, 17-10--made it even worse.

Brenden Gunn carried a heavy load for the Lancaster offense, and the freshman running back played well. His 20 carries yielded 128 yards, all but 24 of the Lancers' total. "We missed Chester Newhart today," said Coach Allen. "He might be only a freshman, but he really helped our offensive line jell. Without him, it seemed like we lacked the same cohesion."

Lancaster's inability to score negated a stout performance by the Lancer defense. First-year LB Kennedy Campos was all over the field, racking up eighteen tackles and playing the way a guy who was one of the best high school players in the country ought to play when he gets to college.

A chilly rain was falling when the Lancers met Northern Illinois in Week 6. Still playing without Newhart or running back Luke Cash, the Lancers continued to struggle. Quarterback Ernest Floyd wasn't able to consistently move the team down the field, and another late touchdown cost the Lancers the game; the Huskies scored with 1:37 remaining to sew up a 23-16 victory.

Fans who had become used to the cool efficiency of a veteran signal-caller like Norman Griffis were frustrated by the on-again, off-again play of young Floyd. His howitzer-like arm was far stronger than Griffis' was, and there was no way Griffis could have ever matched the 25-yard laser Floyd fired to Julio Edgeworth for the Lancers' second touchdown. And while freshman placekicker Luke Tymeson had a stronger leg than former Lancer Leslie Giang, Tymeson botched an extra point and misfired on an easy 30-yard field goal attempt. Things Lancaster fans had started to take for granted were no longer such sure things.

"We're living with the fact that we're young, and we're banged up," Coach Allen told the fans on his weekly radio show. "I'm not making excuses, because injuries are part of football, and being a freshman or a sophomore doesn't mean you can't be a really good college football player. I'm just saying that there are reasons why we aren't playing as well right now as you've seen us play the last couple years."

Would Lancers fans be patient, or would they turn away from the team unless it bounced back quickly?

Lancaster's record: 1-3, 0-1 in Keystone Eight play.

[Big Six]

Week 8, 2007

When Roger Allen was playing high school football in Dover, Ohio, his coach used to tell him and his teammates "you can't lose if the other team doesn't score." Allen, who played fullback and linebacker, took those words to heart, and when he began his coaching career and thought about the kind of team he wanted to build, he always envisioned it playing rugged defense.

The 2007 Lancaster Lancers were showing signs of being just that kind of team. They allowed two consecutive opponents to score a single touchdown apiece during Weeks 7 and 8. Meanwhile, the Lancers offense was getting healthier by the week, and the result was a pair of victories that evened the team's record.

Coach Allen knew that if his team struggled against Harrisburg, they were in for a long, long season. The Lancers scored 14 points in each of the first three quarters and cruised to a 42-7 victory in front of a sparse crowd that seemed even smaller inside Harrisburg's 43,000-seat stadium.

Ernest Floyd seemed to channel the spirit of Norman Griffis, taking control of the game through the air and on the ground. Floyd carried the ball only six times, but scored touchdowns on half those carries. He completed 12 of 16 passes before surrendering the bridge to Kevin Kanyuh, who tossed a TD pass to Broderick Creveling. Both Creveling and Julio Edgeworth gained over 100 yards receiving, and running backs Brenden Gunn and Jesse Camacho combined for 98 yards on the ground. Gunn smashed into the end zone twice on short runs. One of Gunn's scoring runs came courtesy of a crushing block by Chester Newhart, who was back in the lineup at left tackle.

The next week, Gunn and his teammates ran all over Rutgers, putting 27 more points on the board against a defense that hadn't allowed more than 17 points all season. While Luke Cash continued to mend, Gunn rushed 23 times for 152 yards and scored on a 28-yard jaunt. Camacho also found the endzone, and Floyd continued to pass accurately (17-31 on the day).

It was, however, the Lancaster defense that truly stepped up against Harrisburg and Rutgers. Neither opponent gained more than 250 total yards against the Lancers, and neither rushed for more than 60. The Lancers sacked Harrisburg quarterbacks five times, with Norbert Givens doing the honors twice. Kennedy Campos intercepted a pass against Harrisburg, and recorded 12 tackles against Rutgers. Safety Levon Givens, no relation to Norbert, picked off passes in both games.

"We're playing with some swagger now," said Givens' safety partner, senior captain Jackie Webb. "We're lining up and sticking people. We don't run our mouths; that's not our way. We like to talk with our pads."

They were getting their message across loud and clear.

Lancaster's record: 3-3; 1-1 in Keystone Eight play.