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November
29, 2001
Here
are wrap-up capsules for the area
schools:
MECHANICSBURG
WILDCATS
Record:
9-2, 5-0 Capital Division champions
Stat
leaders: QB Ryan Melick (40-85-3, 685 yds.); RB Dan
Lewis (290 carr., 2,437 yds., 31TD); WR Dave Bushey (19
rec., 315 yds.)
Biggest
win: Wildcats 14, Hershey 13 (Sept. 29). Both teams
wound up in the District playoffs, and this defensive
struggle rested on one missed PAT kick. The 247 total
yards for Hershey might have been the defensive feat of
the season by the Wildcat defense.
Toughest
loss: Spring Grove 19, Wildcats 3 (Nov. 9). Six
turnovers spoiled a great run by a team that rebounded
from a disastrous 2000 campaign.
Looking
ahead: You don't replace a Dan Lewis, or a Peter
Thomas, or an Erick Hoffman, or... The Wildcats have holes
to fill, but the return of the Bathon triplets and Melick
under center for two more seasons will help. Look for a
return to Rich Lichtel-style football, which means a
serious mark-up from the 8.5 passes per game stat from
this season.
Spring
Grove beats Wildcats
By
Bill Wolfe, November 10, 2001
HANOVER n- All during their 9-1
regular season, the Mechanicsburg Wildcats thrived on a
potent mix of Dan Lewis on offense and a host of hitters
on defense. The Wildcats got a whole lot of both Friday
night in their District 3 Class AAA semifinal at South
Western High School in Hanover.
But despite 191 yards from Lewis
and a defensive effort that held York County champion
Spring Grove to 174 yards of total offense, Mechanicsburg
lost 19-3, and the result had nothing to do with how far
Lewis ran or how hard the Wildcats hit.
"We just turned the ball
over too many times," said Mechanicsburg head coach
Rich Lichtel. "You can't do that when you're playing
a playoff team like Spring Grove."
The Wildcats turned the ball over
six times Friday, and all 19 Rocket points came as a
result. Despite outgaining Spring Grove 304 yards to 174,
Mechanicsburg was never able to dent the end zone, at
least not when it counted.
The only time a Wildcat touched
the end zone was when Lewis ran it in from 5 yards out
with 1:38 to go in the first half. That touchdown would
have cut a 12-0 Spring Grove lead in half. But the
Wildcats were called for illegal motion on the play, and
two plays later Bobby Phillips kicked a 25-yard field goal
for the only Mechanicsburg score of the night.
The Rockets may have never gotten
to the end zone themselves if not for Mechanicsburg's
generosity, which began in the first quarter.
Wildcat quarterback Ryan Melick
was sacked near midfield and fumbled with just under 5
minutes to go in the quarter. Protests that Melick's arm
was moving forward didn't reverse the call, and Spring
Grove took over. Quarterback Wes Yohe finished off the
drive on the first play of the second quarter with a
1-yard plunge. The Rockets went for two points after the
touchdown and failed to score, leaving it at 6-0.
On Mechanicsburg's next drive,
Lewis fumbled on the second play at the Wildcat 25-yard
line.
Three plays later, Rocket
fullback Ben Redding carried it in from 5 yards out.
Another failed pass attempt at a two-point conversion left
the score at 12-0.
For the rest of the game, the
Rockets managed only 56 yards of offense, but they didn't
need any more than they already had.
"You give a team like that
good field position and it's gonna burn you," said
Lichtel. "We didn't really have any problems with
their offense, but we gave them the ball in good field
position both times they scored."
Mechanicsburg had two chances to
score before the half ended.
On the drive after the Redding
touchdown, the Wildcats drove to the Rocket 2-yard line,
but a procedure penalty put the ball back to the 7, and
three plays later the Rockets blocked a Phillips field
goal attempt.
Phillips' 25-yarder came on the
next drive, and after the half, it looked as if Lewis, who
had 59 yards in the first half, would take matters into
his own hands.
The senior tailback returned the
opening kickoff in the third quarter 27 yards out to the
Mechanicsburg 42, then burst out of the chute 53 yards on
his first five carries.
But after gaining 5 yards on the
fifth carry, he fumbled again at the Rocket 10. Zack
Toomey recovered for Spring Grove, and the last real
chance Mechanicsburg had at scoring was gone.
After a 62-yard punt by the
Rockets, Melick fumbled a handoff to fullback Peter
Thomas. Spring Grove failed to move the ball again, but
the Rocket defense began to hold, and Mechanicsburg traded
punts until midway through the fourth quarter.
"Their defense was
tough," Thomas said. "I personally didn't think
they would be as good as they were, but they made us work
for everything."
With 4:44 remaining in the game
and the Wildcats desperate for a score, Lichtel called a
screen pass from his own 3-yard line.
Melick threw the ball outside,
but not high enough to get over the 6-foot-3 Toomey, who
caught the ball and walked into the end zone for the
game's final score.
When it was all over, a dejected
Lewis and Thomas, two of the senior Wildcat captains,
consoled one another at midfield long after the rest of
the team had walked off.
"We like to be confident,
not cocky, but I think we got cocky this week," Lewis
said. "We didn't think they would be good, and you
can't take a team lightly in the playoffs. They made plays
and we didn't, it's as simple as that. We shot ourselves
in the foot all night"
Lewis ends his season with a
Central Pennsylvania record 2,437 yards, breaking the old
mark set by Scotland's Jason Scott in 1998.
Lewis ends his career with 4,803
yards and 60 touchdowns. Lichtel had nothing but praise
for his team and for Lewis after the end of a 9-2 season
that included a Mid-Penn Capital Division championship.
"This
was a special group that played hard and played for each
other," Lichtel said. "And (Lewis) was as good a
back as there was in this area. He's a load, and he never
stopped playing hard. These kids never knew the meaning of
the word 'quit.'"
By
Bill Wolfe, November 8, 2001
Anyone looking at Dan Lewis'
offensive numbers might be tempted to think the
Mechanicsburg tailback is the sole reason the Wildcats are
back in the District 3 Class AAA playoffs for the first
time since 1994. After all, 2,246 yards and 31 touchdowns
from one man can take a team a lot of places.
But anyone who overlooks the
Mechanicsburg defense will miss another big reason these
Wildcats have won nine consecutive games and are one win
away from a district final.
"Defense wins games, and our
defense never loses focus," says Mechanicsburg head
coach Rich Lichtel. "Shutting people down comes first
for us."
Well, maybe second, depending on
who gets the opening kickoff. If the Wildcats kick it
away, the defense gets first crack. But if the Wildcats
get the ball first, it's safe money that bets on a Lewis
touchdown to get the ball rolling. Either way, the
Wildcats are having a ball this season.
"You know Danny's gonna
score," says senior cornerback Erick Hoffman, one of
Mechanicsburg's captains and toughest defenders. "The
defense knows that, so the defense can have fun. And we
know what we have to do to win football games."
Part of what the Wildcats do is
stuff the opposing running game. Only Camp Hill and
Cumberland Valley do better at holding down an opponent's
rushing numbers. The Wildcats surrender only 86.2 yards
per game on the ground, compared to 84.2 for Camp Hill and
72.1 for CV. Perhaps not coincidentally, those three teams
made the district playoffs.
And if teams think they'll throw
over the Wildcat run stuffers, think again. Mechanicsburg
gives up only 91.6 yards per game through the air. Only
Camp Hill (156.4) tops that 177.8 total yards per game
average. And only CV (6.8) and Camp Hill (9.7) do better
than Mechanicsburg's 10.5 points per game allowed figure.
Taken together, those numbers
begin to look every bit as impressive as Lewis'. And
Mechanicsburg's other defensive captain, middle linebacker
Peter Thomas, says having Lewis on the field keeps the
attention off the defense.
"People want to key on Dan.
They want to stop him, and that's fine," Thomas says.
"But we take pride in what our defense can do. You
might stop Dan, but then you have to score on us to
win."
The only team to do either this
season was CV. The Eagles opened the season with a 24-0
win over the Wildcats, holding Lewis to just 59 yards on
15 carries. But when the Wildcats came back a week later
to down Carlisle 21-14, the season turned around.
"That really did it,"
Hoffman says of the win over the Thundering Herd.
"(Going) 0-2 would have changed everything. But we
got so much confidence from that game. Nobody had to say
anything about winning after that game."
The Wildcats may not have talked
about winning because they had something else on their
minds: fun. Lichtel says this team has been one of his
easiest to coach, simply because they get along so well.
"Win or lose, every season
is a long season," says the 21-year head coach.
"But this has been an easy ride. These weeks have
gone so fast because this is a great group to work with.
They have fun all week, then on Friday they get totally
focused on winning. This team is special."
"We do business," says
Thomas. "As captains, we have to keep the ship going
in the right direction. We like to have fun, but when
Friday comes we're all business."
The Wildcats will be back in
business Friday when they take on Spring Grove at South
Western High School in Hanover. The Rockets are 9-1 and
York County Section I champions. They live and die with
junior quarterback Wes Yohe, who besides being the signal
caller is also the team's leading rusher.
"They're scrappy,"
Lichtel says of the Rockets. "They don't have many
stars, but they're very well-coached and disciplined. They
won't beat themselves."
The lone defeat for the Rockets
was to Central York, a 28-6 setback Oct. 5. In that game,
an aggressive Central York defense sacked Yohe 10 times.
That number gets Hoffman excited.
"Really? Ten sacks?"
Hoffman said. "That's what we want to do defensively.
We can take people out of their game."
And just in case anyone forgets
who these Wildcat defenders are, Hoffman has a reminder.
"We
have Danny, and he's the superstar," says Hoffman,
"but our defense is just a scrappy bunch of no-names
who play hard for each other. We know what's up."
District
3 football playoff capsule
Class AAA
No. 3 Mechanicsburg Wildcats (9-1, Mid-Penn Capital
champions)
vs. No. 2 Spring Grove Rockets (9-1, YAIAA Div. I
champions)
When: Friday, 7:30
Where: South Western High School
At stake: A spot in the finals, Nov. 16 or 17
Coaches:Mechanicsburg, Rich Lichtel, 21st year;
Spring Grove, Gregg Trone, 11th year
Key players:Mechanicsburg n RB Dan Lewis, sr., 259
carr., 2,246 yds., 31TD; QB Ryan Melick, so., 34 comp., 68
att., 573 yds., 4TD, 1INT, 2TD (rush); WR Dave Bushey,
sr., 17 rec., 298 yds., 4TD;
Spring Grove n QB Wes Yohe, jr., 39 comp., 82 att., 754
yds., 6TD, 6INT, 94 carr., 488 yds., 10TD (rush); DL Zach
Toomey; RB Mike Polashuk, sr.
How they got here: Mechanicsburg n Steamrolled through
final nine games after opening with 24-0 loss at CV. Only
Hershey was a real threat in a 15-14 win. Last half of
schedule was among easiest in the Mid-Penn, but the
Wildcats handled bad teams the way they should have,
winning final five games by 40-7 average, including three
shutouts.
Spring Grove n Won first league title in 10 years Only
loss was to Central York 28-6 in a game where QB Wes Yohe
was sacked 10 times.
Breakdown:
Two teams who haven't been here in a while. Mechanicsburg
made it to the Class AAA finals in 1994, losing to Manheim
Central 40-7. Spring Grove hasn't been this far since
1983, the second year District 3 held a postseason
playoff. This is also the first division title for the
Rockets since 1991. Since then, it's been a long, long
road back. In fact, the next eight Rocket teams produced
losing records. Last season they were 8-2. For
Mechanicsburg, it's a strong rebound from a year ago, when
many thought the Wildcats had the personnel to challenge
for a district title. Instead, they went 3-7. ... The
Rockets don't have anyone with the star po wer of Dan
Lewis, but they do have a scrappy quarterback who can run
as well as throw. Junior Wes Yohe averages just over eight
passes per game, but his completions go for an average of
19.3 yards per catch. A Mechanicsburg defense that prides
itself on shutting down offenses will have to zero in on
Yohe. Central York did that and slammed the door on the
Rockets. Yohe was sacked 10 times in a 28-6 loss. ...
Stopping the Wildcats means first stopping Lewis, and
trying to do that will be Rocket defensive tackle Zach
Toomey, and 6-foot-3, 235-pounder. Toomey leads a defense
that ranks third in the YAIAA with only 196.6 yards
allowed per game. The defense also has a plus-10 turnover
ratio. But Mechanicsburg has lost only six fumbles all
season, and quarterback Ryan Melick has thrown only one
interception, and that was all the way back in the fourth
game of the season. Protecting the ball hasn't been a
problem. Spring Grove head coach Steve Wiles thinks his
Rockets are physical enough to stand up to Mechanicsburg.
"It should be a great, snot-knocking football
game," Wiles says. Be careful what you wish for,
coach...
Prediction: Mechanicsburg 28, Spring Grove 13
Here are the 2001 Mid-Penn
Conference football all-stars, as selected by the coaches
of the 33 Mid-Penn football-playing schools:
CAPITAL DIVISION
Offensive
Player of the Year:Dan
Lewis, RB, Mechanicsburg
Defensive Player of the Year: Peter Thomas, LB,
Mechanicsburg
Coach of the Year: Rich Lichtel, Mechanicsburg
First team offense: QB Andy Scola, jr., Hershey; RB
Dan Lewis, sr., Mechanicsburg; RB Joe Brockington, jr.,
Palmyra; RB Josh Bauer, sr., Hershey; WR Aaron Bricker,
sr., Hershey; WR Quinton Cobb, jr., Susq. Twp.; TE Erick
Hoffman, sr., Mechanicsburg; OL Travis Brown, sr.,
Mechanicsburg; OL Aaron Stein, sr., Susq. Twp.; OL Dustin
Golebieski, sr., Hershey; OL Aaron Snair, sr.,
Mechanicsburg; C Matt Whetstone, jr., Hershey; P Kyle
ream, so., West Perry; PK Bobby Phillips, sr.,
Mechanicsburg;
First team defense: DL Travis Brown, sr.,
Mechanicsburg; DL Aaron Stein, sr., Susq. Twp.; DE Jason
Manotti, jr., Mechanicsburg; DE Andrew Bathon, jr.,
Mechaincsburg; LB Peter Thomas, sr., Mechanicsburg; LB Joe
Brockington, jr., Palmyra; LB Matt Otey, jr., Hershey; LB
Aaron Snair, sr., Mechanicsburg; DB Erick Hoffman, sr.,
Mechanicsburg; DB Luke Pettigrew, jr., Middletown; DB
Tyler Trettin, sr., Hershey; Ret. Spec., Pettigrew,
Middletown;
Second team offense: QB Ryan Gaither, jr., Susq.
Twp.; RB Chuck Stiles, sr., Middletown; RB Matt Otey, jr.,
Hershey; RB Doug Briddell, sr., Susq. Twp.; WR John
Reeder, sr., West Perry; WR Luke Pettigrew, jr.,
Middletown; TE Brandon Fields, sr., Palmyra; OL Mike
Mutterspaugh, jr., Mechanicsburg; OL Ryan Graybill, sr.,
Palmyra; OL Josh Brennan, jr., West Perry; OL Brandon
Adams, sr., Hershey; C Greg Bauman, sr., Mechanicsburg; P
Andrew Bathon, jr., Mechanicsburg; PK Wes Portzline, jr.,
West Perry;
Second team defense: DL Mike Mutterspaugh, jr.,
Mechanicsburg; DL Joe Erno, sr., Hershey; DE Ryan Cooley,
jr., Hershey; DE James Reisinger, sr., West Perry; LB Zach
Shatto, jr., West Perry; LB Adam Germak, sr., Middletown;
LB Tim Dollard, sr., Hershey; LB Chuck Stiles, sr.,
Middletown; DB David Robinson, jr., West Perry; DB Tim
Bathon, jr., Mechanicsburg; DB Mark Lapkowicz, sr., Susq.
Twp.; Ret. Spec., John Reeder, sr., West Perry.
By
Bill Wolfe, November 1, 2001
Mechanicsburg running back Dan
Lewis (41) can set the school record for yards in a single
season this week. Lewis has 1,887 yards rushing this
season. Ryan Priest holds the Wildcat mark with 1,902
yards in 1981. Lewis and the Wildcats will earn a District
3-AAA playoff berth with a win over visiting Greencastle
Friday. (George Vaites/Special to The Sentinel)
There aren't too many things that
can prevent Dan Lewis from becoming Mechanicsburg's first
2,000-yard single-season rusher this Friday.
If the bus breaks down, no
problem. The Wildcats can walk the seven or so blocks from
the high school to Frederick Field. If Greencastle puts 11
men in the box to stop him, that's OK, too. Keying on
Lewis hasn't done the trick this season, either.
Lewis has pretty much had his way
with every defensive scheme thrown at him this season,
with the exception of the opening game at Cumberland
Valley. But even in that 24-0 Mechanicsburg loss, Lewis
was the lone offensive bright spot for the Wildcats. He
had 53 yards rushing on nine carries in the first half,
but with his team in a 24-0 hole, Lewis had only three
carries for 6 yards the rest of the way.
But oh, what a ride it's been
since then.
Lewis has spent the last eight
games running wild on the Mid-Penn. Since the CV game, he
has 1,828 yards on 219 carries, and all of his 26
touchdowns have come during that span. His 1,887 yards
have him on the cusp of a school record, Ryan Priest's
1,902 yards set back in 1981, and Rich Lichtel, who was
Priest's head coach back then, says he'll try his best to
get Lewis the record.
"He's so close now he's
focused on it, and why shouldn't he be?" Lichtel
says. "You don't have this opportunity all the time,
so you want to stay with what will get him the
numbers."
And for those who think records
should come after team goals, Lewis and his teammates have
taken care of that. He's part of a Wildcat team that is
8-1 and ready to clinch a District 3 Class AAA playoff
berth with a win Friday.
That, says Lewis, gives him and
his teammates more to focus on than just his rushing
numbers.
"We try so hard to just
focus on Greencastle, but we know we'll get Spring Grove
in first round of districts," Lewis says. "We do
what we have to do, but it's hard to not think about the
playoffs."
And of the school record, Lewis
echoes his coach.
"There's no way I can't be
focused on it now," he says. "I walk by (Ryan
Priest's) jersey everyday. I don't know if mine deserves
to be there, but it's inspiration to go get that extra
yard."
Lewis has been getting plenty of
extra yards since his sophomore season, when he rushed for
1,259 yards and 13 touchdowns. He followed that with a
1,107-yard, 16 TD performance last season. This season,
he's a different runner, he says.
"As a sophomore, I just
closed my eyes and ran as hard as I could," he says.
"I'm a more patient runner now."
And a more physical one. His
position coach, George Eisenhauer, says there are some
similarities between Lewis and Priest.
"They have a lot in common.
They are both such hard-nosed running backs,"
Eisenhauer says. "Danny will put a hit on someone. He
can be his own blocking back, and Ryan was that way."
There are no hard numbers to
verify it, but the bulk of Lewis' yardage comes after the
first hit, and the second, and sometimes the third. At
5-foot-10, 200 pounds, Lewis can take the pounding. That,
says Lichtel, is what sets Lewis apart from some other
backs.
"He's special because of his
strength and durability. He hasn't been in the training
room in three years," Lichtel says. "He really
punishes people."
Lewis has been so good this year
that when he has just an above average night people wonder
what went wrong.
"When you have a back who
can get 200 yards a game, when he doesn't you think you're
doing something wrong," Eisenhauer says. "But
we're not. Teams are just trying to stop him with
everything they have."
And even that usually isn't
enough. Since CV, Lewis' worst game was a 167-yard, one
touchdown performance in a 15-14 win over Hershey. He's
averaged 228.5 yards per game and 8.35 yards per carry
since the opener, and he credits it all, like every great
back, to his line.
"People who know anything
about football know a back is nothing without a
line," Lewis says. "I give our offensive line
credit for everything."
But Lichtel knows these numbers
don't happen for every back. He's had some good ones
before, and he puts Lewis right up there among the best.
"He'll never say it about
himself, but I think he's one of the best backs in the
state," Lichtel says. "Ryan was that kind of
back, and so was Steve Brown. He's humble, and kids look
up to him. He's a leader by performance."
And no one in the Mid-Penn has
performed like Lewis this year.
Greencastle Blue Devils (3-2
Colonial, 4-5 overall)
at Mechanicsburg Wildcats (5-0 Capital, 8-1 overall)
Friday, 7:30
Coaches: Greencastle,
Chuck Tinninis; Mechanicsburg, Rich Lichtel
Last week: Greencastle 31,
James Buchanan 7; Mechanicsburg 35, Palmyra 0
Key players: Greencastle n
RB Daniel Reese, 75 carr., 310 yds., 4TD, 4 rec., 24 yds.;
QB Daniel Chlebowski, 60 comp., 148 att., 700 yds., 4TD,
7INT. RB Dave Izer, 70 carr., 314 yds., 3TD, 4 rec. 23 yds.
Mechanicsburg n TB Dan Lewis, 231 carr., 1,887 yds., 26TD;
ILB/FB Peter Thomas
Breakdown: The Capital
champs cap off their regular season with what should be a
big win over the struggling Devils (Beating JB 31-7
doesn't get a team out of trouble). Mechanicsburg wants
Dan Lewis to reach 2,000 yards this week. He needs 113 to
do it. Odds are he'll have that by halftime.
Prediction: Mechanicsburg
44, Greencastle 0
Wildcats
follow Lewis
By
L.D. Kerstetter, October 20, 2001
Talking about Dan Lewis gets to
be pretty easy with the numbers he puts up. The senior
running back rushed for 268 yards and four touchdowns
Friday night in Mechanicsburg's 38-14 thumping of
Susquehanna Township at John H. Frederick Field.
The win clinched a tie for the
Mid-Penn Capital Division crown for the Wildcats. They
need either a win at Palmyra next Friday or a loss by
Hershey next week to clinch the title outright. A Hershey
win (the Trojans beat West Perry 50-21 Friday night)
combined with a Mechanicsburg loss next week is the only
way there could be a tie.
Lewis' totals for the year are
quite impressive: 201 carries for 1,666 yards and 22
touchdowns over eight games. That's 208 yards per game.
Redundant or not, the Wildcat tailback deserves all the
ink and praise he gets from everyone --- except himself.
"I wouldn't be anything
without my line," is a typical Lewis comment.
"Sometimes I look to the outside first at the line.
That's when I get tackled for short gains, when I should
be turning it upfield. They (the Indians) could hit. They
were all there at the point of attack. Our defense did a
good job. We knew they had a passing game."
Despite what the senior tailback
said, he must be making a lot of good decisions on when to
turn it upfield and when to take it outside.
Yet despite Lewis' heroics, this
is far from a one-man show, and Lewis would be the first
to admit it. His backfield partner and blocker, tough
Peter Thomas, is as good as any linebacker in the area.
Mechanicsburg coach Rich Lichtel is even more emphatic.
"Peter is a great
linebacker, the best in the area," Lichtel said.
"He and Aaron Snair are great anchors for our
defense. They're all smart kids, too, Lewis, Thomas, Snair,
all of them."
After the teams traded punts on
their first possessions, the Wildcats turned to Lewis,
Lewis, and a fake to Lewis and a 34-yard completion from
sophomore quarterback Ryan Melick to Thomas out of the
backfield. Then more Lewis, just one time, for a 5-yard
score and a 7-0 Mechanicsburg lead.
The Wildcat defense played well
against the pass and the run early on. Defensive linemen
Mike Mutterspaugh, Travis Brown and Jon Black (owner of
the team's only sack) blocked up the middle to allow
Thomas (16 tackles and one particularly blistering hit in
which he separated the ball from the Indian tight end),
Snair and Andrew Bathon to take what was left.
"The bonding this team does
off the field helps with what we do on the field,"
Thomas said. "The line did a great job keeping their
offensive linemen off me. That's why I make so many
tackles. It's not always about what I do."
Back to Lewis and the offense.
With all 11 Indian defenders looking for Lewis to carry on
every single down, Melick carried out a beautiful fake to
Lewis and hid the ball long enough to freeze the Township
defensive backs. That left Mechanicsburg's David Bushey
wide open for a 26-yard touchdown.
The Susquehanna Township defense
then held the Wildcats, inspiring their offense. Quick-out
passes from Indian Ryan Gaither to Quinton Cobb was a good
combo. With that working, a draw to running back Doug
Briddell netted 21 yards to the Wildcat 2-yard line.
Briddell scored from there to pull Township within 14-7.
Lewis was not only quick and
strong with the ball, but also knew how to follow his
blockers, as highlighted by a 36-yard run in the second
quarter. The Wildcats got the ball to the 1-yard line with
second-and-goal after a Melick-to-Erick Hoffman pass and
an Indian penalty. But Susquehanna got big and stopped
Mechanicsburg, including a fourth down handoff to Lewis.
But the Wildcats did what they
had to do, holding the Indians to one net yard in their
three offensive plays before their punt. Especially big on
two of those passes and throughout the game was hard-nosed
cornerback Wes Brenner, who broke up four passes,
intercepted one other, and was in on seven tackles.
"He (Indian wideout Cobb,
who Brenner matched up with frequently) was much faster
than I was and I had to respect that," Brenner said.
"He didn't catch any balls behind me, but he beat me
a couple of times and they didn't get the ball to him. I
know I always have Bushey behind me to help me out. But
I've picked him up in the past, too."
With little room at the end of
the end zone for the Indians to punt and a good punt
return by Bushey, the Wildcats got the ball on the
Township 18-yard line with time running down in the half.
With less than 90 seconds left, Lewis scored his second TD
to get the lead at halftime to 21-7.
The Indians (5-3 overall, 2-2
division) continued to use the Gaither-to-Cobb combination
effectively on a short outside hook to start the second
half. They marched down the field, with Briddell breaking
a 37-yard run. But it took a great fake by Gaither and a
10-yard scamper to keep the Indians well within reach at
21-14. They also looked like they had stolen a large dose
of the momentum.
But on the third play of
Mechanicsburg's next possession, Lewis stole the thunder
right back with a spectacular 46-yard run, making Indians
miss tackles and carrying another load of them on his
back. Stopped again, the Wildcats built the lead back to
24-14 on a Bobby Phillips 28-yard field goal. Phillips
also made all five extra point attempts.
It was on the next series, with
Township driving, that Hoffman snatched the ball at the
26-yard line on a pass intended for Mark Lapkowicz and
returned it 72 yards to the Indian 2-yard line. Lewis ran
it in from there for his third score and an insurmountable
31-14 lead.
"Our coaches did a great job
handling their speed and their variations and spread
formations," Lichtel said. "That interception by
Erick Hoffman took the wind out of them (early in the
fourth quarter)."
Lewis later got his fourth
touchdown on a 22-yard run off a dive play that he broke
to the outside.
"We're a family on this
team," Lewis said. "I've been looking at his
butt (Thomas', who lines up at fullback right in front of
the tailback) and I'm very used to it. Week after week, we
get stronger and stronger. We get closer to each other and
closer to reaching our goals, which includes a spot in
districts."
Mechanicsburg
is now a perfect 4-0 in the Capital Division and 6-1
overall, its only loss at the hands of Cumberland Valley.
The Wildcats win the Capital Division outright with a win
at Palmyra next Friday.
Mechanicsburg
shuts down West Perry
By
Keith Lehman, October 13, 2001
Mechanicsburg head coach Rich
Lichtel's offensive strategy has been simple this season.
Give the ball to Dan Lewis. Then, give the ball to Dan
Lewis some more.
However, slowly but surely, the
word "balance" is starting to be included in the
scheme of the Wildcat playbook.
In addition to Lewis' 198 yards
and three touchdowns Friday, sophomore quarterback Ryan
Melick threw for 123 yards and a touchdown to lead the
Wildcats to a 40-0 shutout over the West Perry Mustangs in
Elliottsburg.
"We have said all year the
passing game was slowly going to come," said Lichtel.
"Each game it is going to get better and
better."
That means Melick is going to get
better and better. The sophomore was poised in the pocket
Friday, completing five of the six passes he attempted,
including a 47-yard toss to fullback Peter Thomas down the
right sideline for a first-quarter touchdown.
"The line is just
great," said the reserved Melick, who lets his game
do the talking. "I couldn't have got the passes off
without the line."
Mechanicsburg (6-1, 3-0 Capital)
took control, and essentially won the game, on three
consecutive offensive plays from scrimmage halfway through
the first quarter.
The Wildcats received the kickoff
and wasted no time giving the ball to Lewis. The senior
was contained early, gaining only 13 yards on his first
four carries.
With the Mustang defense keying
on Lewis, Melick dropped back to pass off a play action
fake to Lewis, then found wideout Dave Bushey all alone in
the middle of the field for a 45-yard gain to the Mustang
4-yard line. After Thomas took the ball to the one, Lewis
plowed over for the score. Bobby Phillips added the PAT
and the Wildcats led 7-0.
After a Mustang three-and-out
series, Bushey returned the punt to the West Perry 47. On
the first play from scrimmage, Melick checked down to his
third receiver Thomas, who was streaking down the sideline
on a wheel pattern. After hauling in the pass, Thomas
picked up a fine block from Bushey and raced the rest of
the way for the touchdown.
The next Mustang drive also
resulted in three plays and a punt. Wildcat Wes Brenner
returned the punt 38 yards to the Mustang 38. Again on the
first play from scrimmage, Lewis ripped off tackle, leaped
over a Mustang defender, and scampered 38 yards for his
second score of the night.
In just over a three minute span,
the Wildcats had ripped off 21 points.
Two field goals by Phillips and
another touchdown from Lewis and Thomas accounted for the
rest of the Wildcat scoring.
West Perry was shut out for the
first time this season. The usually dangerous pass
offense, led by sophomore quarterback Kyle Ream, never got
untracked, as Ream was just 2-for-12 for 15 yards.
"I'm disappointed,"
said West Perry head coach Al Ream. "They did a great
job on defense, though. They got pressure in our face.
They were rolling their coverage, so we couldn't look
backside. We got some things going, but they were
short-lived."
And, that credit has to go to
that tough Wildcat defense. Allowing only 15 points a game
and 3.3 yards per rush, the Wildcats limited the Mustangs
to only 59 yards rushing while posting the goose egg.
And although he scored two
touchdowns, Thomas wanted to talk about that defense after
the game.
"(A shutout) means a lot to
the team," said Thomas. "We have played solid
defense a lot of games, but have had breakdowns late.
Tonight, we dominated from beginning to end. We played
tough the whole game, and that is what we have to do to
win."
And, the balance on offense won't
hurt either, especially if the Wildcats run the table and
advance to districts.
"Our pass defense is
good," said Lichtel. "We have played good
passing teams. It is counter-productive. When we score,
the defense is going to get tested because the other team
is behind. I think playing Hershey and Big Spring helped
condition us for defending the pass."
West Perry (2-5, 1-2 Keystone)
saw its modest two-game winning streak come to an end with
the disappointing loss.
"We learned a lot about
ourselves tonight," said Ream. "We'll get better
next week. It is easy when you are successful. When you
aren't successful, you find out where the character is.
We'll bounce back."
Ream also admitted this Wildcat
team may be the best team his squad has faced this season.
"They have a nice football
team," said Ream. "A good football team. They
outplayed us. They are the best team we've seen. They just
flat out played us tough. My hat is off to them, and I
wish them well the rest of the season and playoffs."
The Wildcats know they have to
take one game at a time, then maybe, just maybe, they can
utter the 'p' word.
"I think our chances are
great," said Melick of the playoff opportunity.
"We just have to take it game-by-game."
Mechanicsburg hosts another
aerial attack Friday when the Wildcats welcome the
Susquehanna Township Indians to Memorial Park. Kickoff is
7:30.
Wildcats
maul Bulldogs
By
L.D. Kerstetter, October 6, 2001
It's a very simple scheme for
Mechanicsburg football --- Dan Lewis to the left, Dan
Lewis to the right, and Dan Lewis up the middle.
By that time you have a first
down and the touchdowns soon follow. Then you throw the
ball in the hands of the defense and dare people to beat
you.
Lewis ran for 225 yards and three
touchdowns as Mechanicsburg spoiled Big Spring's
homecoming Friday night with a 42-6 win at Newville.
Lewis reached 1,200 rushing yards
for the season in his sixth game. He has 15 touchdowns on
the season for the 5-1 Wildcats, who are rolling downhill
in a wagon with no brakes and nothing in its road to stop
it.
"The line is opening up the
holes and the timing is right," Lewis said. "In
the first half, the holes were closing fast, so I got
closer to Pete Thomas and followed him. He's a great
blocker. I prefer to get outside. But I'll run over
someone if I have to.
"Last year, Big Spring beat
us in overtime on our home field, so it wasn't hard to get
motivated for this game."
Mechanicsburg took the ball on
its first possession and methodically marched 65 yards for
a touchdown. QB Ryan Melick started things off with a
34-yard pass to Dave Bushey to set the Bulldogs defense
back on its heels. Lewis got the score from 9 yards out to
put the visitors up 6-0.
Big Spring began moving the ball
on its next possession through the air with a pass from
Ryan Leonard to Colby Rickabaugh for 33 yards. But Thomas
picked off Leonard's third pass at the Mechanicsburg
37-yard line and ran it back to the Bulldog 28. After one
first down, Bobby Phillips kicked a 37-yard field goal for
a 9-0 lead.
On the other side of the ball,
the Wildcats began to dominate the line of scrimmage
behind Thomas, Travis Brown, Jason Manotti, Andrew and Dan
Bathon, and Aaron Snair.
Leonard was often forced to run
for his life in the backfield, that is, when he wasn't
being wrestled to the ground by Manotti and his partner
Andrew Bathon. Manotti was involved in five sacks, giving
him eight in two games. Bathon had three sacks and tipped
two passes.
"I read and react to the
tight end and close down when he blocks down,"
Manotti said. "My main responsibility is outside,
though. The coaches have drilled that point into my head.
Being ranked third in conference, the defense felt like it
had a point to prove."
Another Wildcat drive ended again
with Lewis in the end zone. They went for a two-point
conversion and failed.
Mechanicsburg went for the
quick-hitter on its next possession and succeeded. Melick
used a good ball fake to freeze the Bulldog defense,
sending Tim Bathon out of the backfield on a post pattern
for a 69-yard catch-and-run touchdown.
Big Spring did move the ball
through the air, Leonard getting 101 yards passing in the
first half. Rickabaugh was at the receiving end of four
passes for 64 yards. Cody Stum also provided a different
target, catching two for 18 yards. But the Bulldogs
couldn't finish drives, stalling around the 30-yard line
each time they got going.
"I was pleased with our mix
of run and pass," Big Spring coach Bob Baker Jr.
said. "We seem to throttle down when we get inside
the 30. Maybe it's just the defense getting tougher. I
took a lot of good things from this game. Mechanicsburg is
a good football team."
On the opening drive of the
second half, Bulldog running back Scott Cohick ran hard
out of the backfield to give Mechanicsburg one weapon to
think of. Rickabaugh caught a Leonard aerial for 13 yards.
Then a hand-off to Cohick with Leonard acting the
lead-blocker turned around in the opposite direction when
Cohick handed to Rickabaugh. Rickabaugh passed to Mark
Graham, who was wide open in the end zone for the TD. The
score became an interesting 22-6.
But Mechanicsburg was on a
mission. And it wasn't that the Bulldogs were playing soft
they weren't. Ryan Donovan led Big Spring with seven
tackles followed by Rickabaugh, Cohick and Corey Furman
with five each. But two of those players are defensive
backs and the others are linebackers. So many of the
tackles were being made down field.
The Wildcats turned right around
and marched back down the field to score another
touchdown, this time by quarterback Melick on a run.
"Melick is throwing very
well," Mechanicsburg coach Rich Lichtel said.
"He's getting better every week. We try not to give
him too much at one time. But we are still a running game
and a defense. We are mature and very poised. If there is
someone on the team that doesn't get enough credit, it's
Thomas. He's like another coach on our team at linebacker
(9 tackles and an interception) and is underrated on
offense (48 yards rushing and a TD)."
Thomas got his touchdown early in
the fourth quarter before Lewis ended it with a 27-yard
jaunt. That was his last carry and it pushed him over the
200-yard mark for the game.
Jens Weyant (sack), David Wickman,
and Brandon Stum also played hard for the Bulldogs (1-5),
who get back into Colonial Division play next Friday at
James Buchanan.
Mechanicsburg (5-1) travels to
West Perry next Friday.
Preview
Capsules
October
5, 2001
Mechanicsburg
Wildcats (2-0 Capital, 4-1 overall)
at Big Spring Bulldogs (0-2 Colonial, 1-4 overall)
Friday, 7:30 p.m.
Coaches: Mechanicsburg,
Rich Lichtel; Big Spring, Bob Baker Jr.
Last week: Mechanicsburg
14, Hershey 13; East Penn 21, Big Spring 14
Key players: Mechanicsburg
n TB Dan Lewis, 132 carr., 975 yds., 12TD.
Big Spring n WR Colby Rickabaugh, 30 rec., 334 yds., 1TD;
QB Ryan Leonard, 42 comp., 92 att., 469 yds., 3TD, 4INT;
RB Scott Cohick, 52 carr., 247 yds., 3TD; WR Mark Graham,
13 rec., 154 yds., 2TD.
Breakdown: Not the sexiest
matchup on the crossover schedule. Last season this was
the game of the year, with the Bulldogs battling back from
14 down to win 28-27 on a 2-point conversion in overtime.
This season, it's the Bulldogs who are struggling and the
Wildcats who are thinking division title. The stat to
watch is how much rushing yardage the Bulldogs give up n
190.6 ypg. Dan Lewis rushes for 195 all by himself. Both
numbers could go up this week.
Prediction: Mechanicsburg
42, Big Spring 14
By
L.D. Kerstetter, September 29, 2002
A week ago Mechanicsburg head
coach worried about his team being jinxed at times. Friday
night, Lichtel found some luck.
Hershey scored against
Mechanicsburg with just 43 seconds to play in regulation
to pull within 14-13 of the host Wildcats. But kicker
Keith Hoover sliced the extra point kick to give the
Wildcats the Mid-Penn Capital Division win at
Mechanicsburg's John H. Frederick Field.
"You can't help but think at
that point, 'What if they miss?' Mechanicsburg defensive
lineman Travis Brown said. "It's not exactly the way
that you want to win, but we'll take it."
Dan Lewis rushed for 177 yards
and one touchdown for the Wildcats (4-1, 2-0). Fullback
Peter Thomas scored the other TD, acting the perfect
complement to Lewis. Hershey (3-2, 1-1) got both its
scores in the second half from Andy Scola's accurate
passing.
The Trojans scored the apparent
tying touchdown earlier in the fourth quarter on a Scola
pass to Bricker, but got called for having a player across
the line of scrimmage on the pass.
Mechanicsburg held and got the
ball back, but gave the ball back after one first down.
With 1:58 remaining, Hershey took over on the
Mechanicsburg 42-yard line and a good portion of the
momentum.
After Wildcat linebacker Erick
Hoffman made four tackles in five plays (he also had an
interception in the game), things began to brighten up for
Mechanicsburg. Then Brown made a huge play, corralling
quarterback Scola as he ran out of the pocket, stripping
him of the ball, and recovering the fumble himself. With
1:01 to go, it looked like the end for Hershey.
But Mechanicsburg fumbled.
Scola then hit Tyler Trettin from
24 yards out for the score to get the Hershey back into
the game. Then the huge miss. Who would have guessed?
Maybe the Wildcats are a team of destiny.
"I thought we had it when I
recovered the fumble, but you never know," said
Brown, who had six tackles (three for loss) and two hard
hits as the passer released. "We knew he (Scola)
liked to roll out to throw the ball, and we tried to keep
him contained. He's a heck of a passer."
Safety Wes Brenner, who had an
interception in this game, recovered Hershey's attempted
on-side kick and the game was over.
Mechanicsburg took the lead in
the first half on two relatively short scoring drives.
Lewis was the target of the first seven plays and nine of
the first 12. The other three were passes from sophomore
Ryan Melick to wideout Dave Bushey, who finished with four
catches for 53 yards.
Brown and Eston Heller were in
the Trojan backfield on almost every play in the first
three Hershey series. Thomas was also a force at
linebacker, finishing the game with eight tackles while
leveling some hard hits.
Mechanicsburg got a good mix on
its two scoring drives, both in the second quarter. Melick
and Bushey began looking like a good combination while
Lewis did his regular thing, running both over and around
would-be tacklers.
Finally, Thomas broke the ice
from the 5-yard line, scoring Mechanicsburg's first
touchdown on his first carry.
The Wildcat defense played
strongly as a unit. As soon as a hole opened, linebackers
and safeties filled the void. Linebacker Aaron Snair made
some bone-throttling hits while Tim Bathon was very active
from the defensive backfield, getting a second-half
interception.
Lewis got the second TD from 27
yards out, and the Wildcats looked determined. With the
defense holding the Trojans to 59 first-half yards, it
looked as if Hershey would need a mini-miracle to come
back. It got just that.
While Mechanicsburg played
mistake-free ball in the first half, their first
second-half blunder changed the whole complexion of the
game. Hershey got the break it needed when the Wildcat
snapper spiraled one over punter Andrew Bathon's head. The
28-yard loss set the Trojans up deep in Mechanicsburg's
territory.
On the very next play, Scola hit
Matt Otey for 25 yards inside the 10-yard line. Two more
plays, and Hershey cut the Mechanicsburg lead to 14-7.
Lichtel knew he had a tiger by the tail now.
"This was a very good
game," Lichtel said. "These were two tough teams
playing old-fashioned football. Hershey is tough and
resilient, just like their coach (Gump May). But I'm proud
of our guys. They're very resilient, too.
"We had shut down their
running game pretty good. The bad snap was the turning
point in the game. They hit two long passes. It seems in
tough games we control the momentum, but then give up the
big play to let the other team back in."
Despite the score, the Wildcat
defense continued to play well. But May surprised everyone
with a fake punt from his own 25-yard line, needing 10
yards for a first down and getting 15. Quarterback Scola
made the carry.
Jason Manotti made a huge play
for the defense. With Hershey at the Mechanicsburg 30-yard
line, Manotti sacked Scola on fourth down, his second sack
in the game.
Mechanicsburg road Lewis' strong
back and legs right back down the field. But Lewis coughed
up the ball, giving Hershey another chance. In the end,
though, the Trojans couldn't deliver.
Preview
Capsules
September
27, 2001
Mechanicsburg
(4-1 overall, 2-0 Capital) travels to Big Spring next
Friday.
Hershey Trojans (1-0 Capital,
3-1 overall)
at Mechanicsburg Wildcats (1-0 Capital, 3-1 overall)
Friday, 7:30 p.m.
Coaches:Hershey, Gump May;
Mechanicsburg, Rich Lichtel.
Last week: Hershey 41,
Palmyra 0; Mechanicsburg 52, Middletown 14.
Key players: Hershey n RB
Matt Otey, 46 carr., 274 yds., 3TD; RB Josh Bauer, 27 carr.,
190 yds., 2TD; QB Andy Scola, 20 comp., 32 att., 256 yds.,
1TD; WR Aaron Bricker, 16 rec., 313 yds., 4TD.
Mechanicsburg n TB Dan Lewis, 99 carr., 798 yds., 11TD.
Breakdown: There's no
question about it, the Mechanicsburg blowout of Middletown
sits near the top of shocking scores this season. The
question is, does the score say more about the Blue
Raiders or more about the Wildcats? Sooner or later, Lewis
will run up against a defense that will make life
difficult, and the Wildcats will need some other outlets
if they want to keep putting points on the board.
Mechanicsburg's leading receivers, Dave Bushey and Erick
Hoffman, each have two receptions on the year. The good
news this week, though, is that Palmyra ran for over 6
yards per carry last week against the Trojans, and Joe
Brockington is no Dan Lewis.
Prediction: Mechanicsburg
21, Hershey 10.
Wildcats
devour Blue Raiders
By
Jeff Pratt, September 22, 2001
Running the ball is a two-step
process for Mechanicsburg senior Dan Lewis --- or so it
seems.
Step one, see the hole and hit
the hole. Name another back in the area who does it finer
than Lewis right now.
Step two, see the solo defender,
beat the solo defender.
"One person can't tackle Dan
Lewis. No way," Mechanicsburg football coach Rich
Lichtel said.
Middletown defenders will still
be grasping in their sleep tonight, because the Blue
Raiders got the Lewis two-step plan right smack in the
kisser Friday night at John H. Frederick Field.
Step one was easy, especially
with a Wildcat offensive line that ripped apart the
Middletown interior on both sides of the ball.
Step two was a thing of beauty.
Lewis used spins, stiff arms, brute strength and speed to
pile up 279 yards rushing and six touchdowns in the
Wildcats' 52-14 rout in what was supposed to be a tight
Mid-Penn Capital Division matchup.
And as for the soft-spoken Lewis,
well, he was just doing his job ... very, very well.
"You don't think about
anything out there," the senior said. "I just do
what's right when it's time."
This two-step plan might be that
simple for the north-south runner. It took Middletown
(2-2) 23 carries until it held Lewis for no gain, and the
Blue Raiders did that just three times all night.
Otherwise, Lewis had his way with the Middletown defense
thanks to gaping holes and ankle-breaking moves.
"My line made holes big
enough to drive a truck though tonight," Lewis said.
"I owe everything to them."
"It's just attitude,"
Wildcat right tackle Travis Brown said. "We know we
have a heck of a back, and we just want to block for him.
That's what this team is all about --- camaraderie
And resilience, or so says
Lichtel. The Wildcats (3-1) actually needed that trait
early Friday night. Sounds funny in a 52-14 win, but it
was true.
Middletown's Luke Pettigrew
returned the opening kickoff of the game 93 yards for a
touchdown to silence the Wildcat fans just seconds into
the game.
And when Mechanicsburg
quarterback Ryan Melick came up short with his throw on a
flee flicker just three plays later, Pettigrew had an
interception, and the Wildcats had issues.
"I was mad," Lichtel
said. "But I wasn't worried then. I never
worry."
It turned out to be merely a
flesh wound for Mechanicsburg, and Lewis and the line went
about tearing gaping holes into the Middletown defense.
After the Wildcat defense forced
a punt, Lewis ripped off a 13-yard run on first down, and
the pounding started.
The first drive featured five
Lewis runs for 43 yards to the Blue Raider 1-yard line.
Lewis dove in from there for a tie game. He set up the
score with a nifty 17-yard run where he sidestepped a
defender at the line of scrimmage and broke two tackles on
his way to the 1-yard line.
"That's just reaction,"
Lewis said. "You don't think about things like
that."
Middletown answered with an
11-yard scoring pass from freshman QB Jon Bailes to Adam
Germak.
But the Wildcats came right back
with an eight-play, 65-yard scoring drive to re-tie the
game a minute into the second quarter. This time Lewis
carried six times for 44 yards, including a 1-yard dive
for the score.
From that point on, the
Mechanicsburg defense dominated as mush as Lewis did.
Middletown managed 51 yards of offense and three first
downs on its first two possessions, and just 43 yards and
two first downs the rest of the game.
"Our line is very good, and
it showed on defense," Lichtel said. "Travis
Brown, Jon Black, Dan Bathon, they all had great games on
defense. They're all tough kids."
With the defense in command,
Lewis took control of the game in the next 5 minutes.
After Mechanicsburg defender
Erick Hoffman picked off a Middletown pass near midfield,
Lewis broke off a 46-yard TD run four plays later for a
20-14 lead (the extra point hit off the upright). This
time the senior tailback simply ran over Middletown's Ryan
Weaver at the line of scrimmage, then used a stiff-arm to
push off Pettigrew around the 10-yard line on his way to
the score.
"I don't mind running over
people if I have to," Lewis said. "I prefer to
get around them. The stiff arm, I know when I need to use
that. I like to get outside if I can."
After the Wildcat defense forced
a punt on Middletown's next series, Mechanicsburg's
offense took over at its own 48-yard line with 7 minutes
to play in the half. After a 23-yard Lewis TD run was
called back on a holding penalty, he responded with a
27-yard TD run on the very next carry, plus a two-point
conversion run for a 28-14 lead.
This time, Lewis went nearly
untouched straight up the gut of the Blue Raider defense
thanks to fullback Peter Thomas and offensive linemen
Brown, Greg Bauman, Kevin Hellam, Mike Mutterspaugh and
Aaron Snair.
"Those two touchdowns in a
row right there, those felt really good," Lewis said.
"We just knocked everything out of them. We took
control of the game at the line of scrimmage."
"It was by no means easy
pushing those guys around," Brown said. "But we
knew what we had to do and we worked hard."
Bobby Phillips' 38-yard field
goal gave the Wildcats a 31-14 lead at the half, and Lewis
broke the game open for good in the third quarter with
scoring runs of 23 and 22 yards. Both runs featured Lewis
cutting hard through big holes in the middle of the line
(step one), then slipping past lone defender on the way to
the end zone (step two).
It looked so easy, Lewis sat out
the entire fourth quarter as backup Andrew Bathon totaled
41 yards on 11 carries. Melick put the final score on the
board with a 1-yard dive to set up next week's big Capital
Division showdown with Hershey.
"I think it was a blessing
in disguise not having anyone know too much about us going
into this year," Lichtel said. "I guess they
will now."
"We'll just keep working,
keep blocking," Brown said. "It certainly
doesn't get any easier next week, does it?"
Lewis
propels Mechanicsburg for a win over Carlisle
By
Bill Wolfe, September 8, 2001
If anyone from Carlisle wants the
number of that truck that ran over the Thundering Herd
Friday night, it's 41, and it was driven by Dan Lewis.
Lewis, Mechanicsburg's senior
tailback, rumbled over, around and through the Carlisle
defense for 231 yards and two touchdowns, helping the
Wildcats hang on to a big early lead for a 21-14 win at
John H. Frederick Field in Mechanicsburg.
In a game of almosts for Carlisle
--- the Herd nearly broke kickoff and punt returns for
touchdowns, and wide receiver Tri Le had the ball slip
through his hands at the Mechanicsburg 10-yard line on the
game's final play --- Lewis was a sure thing for
Mechanicsburg. He bulled his way for all 59 of
Mechanicsburg's yards on the opening drive, carrying four
times, the last an 11-yard touchdown run to make the score
6-0 after less than 90 seconds.
By halftime, he had another
11-yard score and 158 yards on the ground. Carlisle had
all of 55 yards of total offense.
"I give all credit to my
line," Lewis said. "Tractor-trailers could have
run through there tonight. That line was the best all
night."
The Mechanicsburg line popped
holes in the Herd's front four. When Carlisle defenders
finally caught up to Lewis, it was rare the first one
brought him down.
"That's a combination of his
running and our poor tackling," said Carlisle head
coach Brent Stroh. "He's certainly a tough kid, but
we didn't do the little things you have to do to stop a
guy like that."
On the flipside, Mechanicsburg
kept the Carlisle offense in check, allowing tailback Matt
Walters to gain 47 yards on 13 carries in the first half,
but limiting the rest of the Herd attack to just 8 yards.
"We came out determined to
play hard, and that's what we did," said
Mechanicsburg middle linebacker Peter Thomas, who nearly
broke Carlisle fullback Brian Cantalupi's facemask with a
shot in the first quarter. "We were fired up, and we
talked about coming out and hitting right away."
When Mechanicsburg wasn't
stopping the Herd, the Herd stopped itself. On its first
drive after Lewis' first touchdown, Carlisle drove to the
Wildcat 32 before Tim Bathon made a leaping, juggling,
falling-down interception of an Aaron Bouder pass. In the
second quarter, Cantalupi dropped a pitch from Bouder that
Mechanicsburg's Eston Heller recovered at the Carlisle
8-yard line. That turnover led to Lewis' second score
three plays later.
It was a first-half performance
reminiscent of last week's second-half, when the Herd
squandered a 6-0 lead and fell 21-12 to South Western.
"We found our heart in the
second half tonight, but we have to find one that beats
for four quarters," said Stroh. "I'm proud of
our fourth quarter, but we can't wait to start playing
until we're behind."
Down 21-0 after a Dave Bushey
touchdown reception, Carlisle started to claw back.
Walters, who earlier in the third quarter endured a
vicious hit by Thomas on a fourth-and-1 play, took another
fourth-down carry across the line of scrimmage, but this
one went 9 yards and into the end zone to give Carlisle
its first score.
Spurred by the touchdown, the
Herd defense shut down a tiring Lewis, holding him to 17
yards on his next seven carries. After Mechanicsburg
punted to the Carlisle 13, Walters took the first handoff
from Bouder and sprinted 87 yards to paydirt, using a
downfield block from Brad Nailor on Mechanicsburg corner
Erick Hoffman.
With 8:23 to go the crowd was
buzzing, but Thomas wasn't buying it.
"I was never worried,"
said the senior captain. "I felt good about our
offense going back out there, and I knew we wouldn't give
up another score."
Carlisle held again and forced
another punt, only to fumble the ball away with 4:26
remaining. Lewis and Thomas, who ran for 50 yards at
fullback, then carried the Wildcats to the Carlisle 13
before penalties forced a fourth-and-goal from the 23. The
Herd took over after a 10-yard Lewis | 
