The Roger Allen Story (TCY)

Big Six · 11-11-2009, 02:13 PM

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 · 11-11-2009, 02:41 PM

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 · 11-11-2009, 06:19 PM

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 · 11-12-2009, 07:41 AM

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 · 11-12-2009, 11:58 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 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

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 · 11-12-2009, 12:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 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"?

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 · 11-12-2009, 12:12 PM

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 · 11-12-2009, 12:19 PM

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 · 11-12-2009, 12:42 PM

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.

Code:

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 · 11-12-2009, 01:14 PM

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 · 11-12-2009, 01:31 PM

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 · 11-12-2009, 02:00 PM

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 · 11-12-2009, 02:14 PM

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 · 11-12-2009, 02:21 PM

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 · 11-12-2009, 02:32 PM

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

Code:

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 · 11-13-2009, 10:03 AM

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 · 11-13-2009, 10:16 AM

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:

Code:

 
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 · 11-13-2009, 10:41 AM

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 · 11-13-2009, 11:47 AM

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 · 11-13-2009, 12:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 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!

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 · 11-13-2009, 12:35 PM

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 · 11-13-2009, 01:11 PM

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 · 11-13-2009, 01:50 PM

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 · 11-13-2009, 02:07 PM

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 · 11-13-2009, 07:37 PM

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

Thumbs up!

Big Six · 11-16-2009, 07:08 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rawhide

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 · 11-16-2009, 08:40 AM

Week 11, 2004

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.>>
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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

“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.”

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.”

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.

“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.”

Lancers fans thought it would be pretty cool, too.

Lancaster’s record: 4-5, 2-2 in Keystone Eight play.

Big Six · 11-16-2009, 08:54 AM

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

Code:

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.

Code:

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.

Code:

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 · 11-16-2009, 09:02 AM

Week 13, 2004

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.

“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.”

“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.”

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.

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.

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.

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.”

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.”

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.

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.

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.

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

Big Six · 11-16-2009, 01:13 PM

Here are the final 2004 Keystone Eight Conference standings:

Code:

 
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.

Code:

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.

Code:

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 · 11-16-2009, 01:21 PM

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:

Code:

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 · 11-16-2009, 01:23 PM

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

Code:

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 · 11-16-2009, 01:32 PM

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
Starter: 26 (Fair) Reserves: 26 (Fair)
#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.

RUNNING BACK
Starters: 17 (Poor) Reserves: 15 (Poor)
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.

FULLBACK
Starter: 37 (Fair) Reserves: 40 (Good)
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.

TIGHT END
Starter: 28 (Fair) Reserves: 30 (Fair)
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.

WIDE RECEIVERS
Starters: 24 (Fair) Reserves: 21 (Fair)
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.

CENTER
Starter: 32 (Fair) Reserves: 13 (Poor)
#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.

GUARD
Starters: 31 (Fair) Reserves: 12 (Poor)
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.

OFFENSIVE TACKLE
Starters: 20 (Fair) Reserves: 32 (Fair)
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.

Big Six · 11-16-2009, 01:36 PM

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

DEFENSIVE END
Starters: 9 (Poor) Reserves: 20 (Fair)
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.

DEFENSIVE TACKLE
Starters: 33 (Fair) Reserves: 26 (Fair)
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. >>

INSIDE LINEBACKER
Starters: 26 (Fair) Reserves: 11 (Poor)
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.

OUTSIDE LINEBACKER
Starters: 20 (Fair) Reserves: 22 (Fair)
#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.

CORNERBACK
Starters: 24 (Fair) Reserves: 14 (Poor)
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.

SAFETY
Starters: 16 (Poor) Reserves: 15 (Poor)
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.

KICKER
Starter: 28 (Fair) Reserves: 34 (Fair)
#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.

PUNTER
Starter: 46 (Good) Reserves: 46 (Good)
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.

KICK RETURNERS
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).

Big Six · 11-16-2009, 01:53 PM

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

Code:

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 · 11-16-2009, 02:16 PM

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 · 11-16-2009, 06:14 PM

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 · 11-16-2009, 07:03 PM

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 · 11-17-2009, 01:12 PM

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 · 11-18-2009, 12:52 PM

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 · 11-18-2009, 03:58 PM

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

Big Six · 11-19-2009, 11:48 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BYU 14

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 · 11-19-2009, 02:08 PM

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.

Code:

 
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).

Code:

 
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...

Code:

 
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 · 11-19-2009, 02:21 PM

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.

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^th and 25^th in every poll, standing at #23 in the coaches’ balloting.

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.

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.

Several minutes later came the scariest play of the Lancers’ season.

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.

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.

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.

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 · 11-19-2009, 02:46 PM

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 · 11-19-2009, 08:49 PM

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

Big Six · 11-20-2009, 08:21 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Groo

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 · 11-20-2009, 08:57 AM

Week 16, 2005
Oyster Bowl: Virginia Beach, VA

Code:

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 · 11-20-2009, 11:49 AM

Here are the 2005 Keystone League standings:

Code:

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.

Code:

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.

Code:

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 · 11-21-2009, 06:42 PM

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

Code:

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:

Code:

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?

11-12-2009, 01:31 PM	#11
Big Six High School Varsity Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Williamsburg, Virginia	Meet the 2004 Lancers: Offensive Line 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. Last edited by Big Six : 11-12-2009 at 01:31 PM.

11-12-2009, 02:14 PM	#13
Big Six High School Varsity Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Williamsburg, Virginia	Meet the 2004 Lancers: Secondary 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.

11-12-2009, 02:21 PM	#14
Big Six High School Varsity Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Williamsburg, Virginia	Meet the 2004 Lancers: Special Teams 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.

11-13-2009, 10:03 AM	#16
Big Six High School Varsity Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Williamsburg, Virginia	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’.” Last edited by Big Six : 11-13-2009 at 10:03 AM.

11-13-2009, 02:07 PM	#24
Big Six High School Varsity Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Williamsburg, Virginia	Don't worry...be happy 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.

11-11-2009, 02:41 PM	#2
Big Six High School Varsity Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Williamsburg, Virginia	Meet the Lancers staff 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.

11-11-2009, 06:19 PM	#3
Groo Mascot Join Date: May 2009	Great to see another TCY dynasty begin. I look forward to following the Lancaster program, and maybe even stopping by for a homecoming game

11-12-2009, 07:41 AM	#4
Honolulu Blue Dynasty Boy Join Date: Jan 2001 Location: Michigan	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"?

11-12-2009, 12:12 PM	#7
Big Six High School Varsity Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Williamsburg, Virginia	Hitting the books 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."

11-12-2009, 12:19 PM	#8
Big Six High School Varsity Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Williamsburg, Virginia	Breaking down the academic profile 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.)

11-12-2009, 12:42 PM	#9
Big Six High School Varsity Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Williamsburg, Virginia	Position by position, who's got game? 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. Code: 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) Last edited by Big Six : 11-12-2009 at 12:43 PM.

11-12-2009, 01:14 PM	#10
Big Six High School Varsity Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Williamsburg, Virginia	Meet the 2004 Lancers: Offensive Backfield/Receivers 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.

11-12-2009, 02:00 PM	#12
Big Six High School Varsity Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Williamsburg, Virginia	Meet the 2004 Lancers: Defensive Line & Linebackers 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.

11-12-2009, 02:32 PM	#15
Big Six High School Varsity Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Williamsburg, Virginia	Lancaster's 2004 Schedule Here is the schedule Coach Roger Allen and his Lancaster Lancers will face during the 2004 season: Code: 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. Last edited by Big Six : 11-12-2009 at 02:34 PM.

11-13-2009, 10:16 AM	#17
Big Six High School Varsity Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Williamsburg, Virginia	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: Code: 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 Last edited by Big Six : 11-13-2009 at 10:16 AM.

11-13-2009, 10:41 AM	#18
Big Six High School Varsity Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Williamsburg, Virginia	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.

11-13-2009, 11:47 AM	#19
Groo Mascot Join Date: May 2009	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!

11-13-2009, 12:35 PM	#21
Big Six High School Varsity Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Williamsburg, Virginia	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. Last edited by Big Six : 11-13-2009 at 12:36 PM.

11-13-2009, 01:11 PM	#22
Big Six High School Varsity Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Williamsburg, Virginia	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. Last edited by Big Six : 11-13-2009 at 01:11 PM.

11-13-2009, 01:50 PM	#23
Big Six High School Varsity Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Williamsburg, Virginia	Tales Out of School 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. Last edited by Big Six : 11-13-2009 at 01:53 PM.

11-13-2009, 07:37 PM	#25
Rawhide High School Varsity Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: Australia	This is a great read. Can't imagine ever naming my son Mercury though! Thumbs up! __________________ Be not afeard. The isle is full of noises, sounds, and sweet airs, that give delight, and hurt not. Sometimes a thousand twangling instruments will hum about mine ears; and sometimes voices, That, if I then had wak'd after long sleep, will make me sleep again; and then, in dreaming, The clouds methought would open and show riches ready to drop upon me, that, when I wak'd, I cried to dream again.

11-16-2009, 08:40 AM	#27
Big Six High School Varsity Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Williamsburg, Virginia	Week 11, 2004 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.>> 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. 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. 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. 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. 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. 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. 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. “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.” 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.” 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. “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.” Lancers fans thought it would be pretty cool, too. Lancaster’s record: 4-5, 2-2 in Keystone Eight play. Last edited by Big Six : 11-16-2009 at 08:41 AM.

11-16-2009, 09:02 AM	#29
Big Six High School Varsity Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Williamsburg, Virginia	Week 13, 2004 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. “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.” “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.” 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. 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. 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. 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.” 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. 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. 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. 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. 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. 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. 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. 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. 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.” 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. 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. 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. Lancaster's record: 4-7, 3-4 in Keystone Eight play. Last edited by Big Six : 11-16-2009 at 09:04 AM.

11-16-2009, 01:21 PM	#31
Big Six High School Varsity Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Williamsburg, Virginia	More 2004 season notes 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: Code: 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

11-16-2009, 01:23 PM	#32
Big Six High School Varsity Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Williamsburg, Virginia	The grades are in And, finally, here are the final evaluations for the Lancaster program's 2004 season: Code: 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. Last edited by Big Six : 11-16-2009 at 01:25 PM.

11-16-2009, 01:32 PM	#33
Big Six High School Varsity Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Williamsburg, Virginia	2005 Lancers Preview: Offense 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 Starter: 26 (Fair) Reserves: 26 (Fair) #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. RUNNING BACK Starters: 17 (Poor) Reserves: 15 (Poor) 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. FULLBACK Starter: 37 (Fair) Reserves: 40 (Good) 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. TIGHT END Starter: 28 (Fair) Reserves: 30 (Fair) 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. WIDE RECEIVERS Starters: 24 (Fair) Reserves: 21 (Fair) 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. CENTER Starter: 32 (Fair) Reserves: 13 (Poor) #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. GUARD Starters: 31 (Fair) Reserves: 12 (Poor) 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. OFFENSIVE TACKLE Starters: 20 (Fair) Reserves: 32 (Fair) 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. Last edited by Big Six : 11-16-2009 at 01:35 PM.

11-16-2009, 01:36 PM	#34
Big Six High School Varsity Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Williamsburg, Virginia	2005 Lancers Preview: Defense and Special Teams Now, a look at the 2005 Lancer defense and special teams: DEFENSIVE END Starters: 9 (Poor) Reserves: 20 (Fair) 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. DEFENSIVE TACKLE Starters: 33 (Fair) Reserves: 26 (Fair) 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. >> INSIDE LINEBACKER Starters: 26 (Fair) Reserves: 11 (Poor) 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. OUTSIDE LINEBACKER Starters: 20 (Fair) Reserves: 22 (Fair) #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. CORNERBACK Starters: 24 (Fair) Reserves: 14 (Poor) 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. SAFETY Starters: 16 (Poor) Reserves: 15 (Poor) 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. KICKER Starter: 28 (Fair) Reserves: 34 (Fair) #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. PUNTER Starter: 46 (Good) Reserves: 46 (Good) 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. KICK RETURNERS 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). Last edited by Big Six : 11-16-2009 at 01:41 PM.

11-16-2009, 01:53 PM	#35
Big Six High School Varsity Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Williamsburg, Virginia	Lancaster's 2005 Schedule Home games appear in ALL CAPS. Keystone Eight Conference matchups are highlighted in blue. Code: 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.

11-16-2009, 02:16 PM	#36
Big Six High School Varsity Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Williamsburg, Virginia	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.

11-16-2009, 06:14 PM	#37
Big Six High School Varsity Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Williamsburg, Virginia	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. Last edited by Big Six : 11-18-2009 at 12:53 PM.

11-16-2009, 07:03 PM	#38
Big Six High School Varsity Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Williamsburg, Virginia	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. Last edited by Big Six : 11-18-2009 at 12:53 PM.

11-17-2009, 01:12 PM	#39
Big Six High School Varsity Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Williamsburg, Virginia	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. Last edited by Big Six : 11-18-2009 at 12:52 PM.

11-18-2009, 12:52 PM	#40
Big Six High School Varsity Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Williamsburg, Virginia	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.

11-18-2009, 03:58 PM	#41
BYU 14 Coordinator Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: The scorched Desert	Good stuff Big Six, this is every bit as good as your OOTP diaries

11-19-2009, 02:21 PM	#44
Big Six High School Varsity Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Williamsburg, Virginia	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. 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^th and 25^th in every poll, standing at #23 in the coaches’ balloting. 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. 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. Several minutes later came the scariest play of the Lancers’ season. 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. 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. 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. 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. Last edited by Big Six : 11-19-2009 at 02:29 PM.