More info & pictures coming soon!

    

 

Mid-Penn Division Champions

1982, 1983, 1986, 

1996, 2000

 

PIAA District III 

Playoffs

1982, 1983, 1986, 1994, 1996,

 2000, & 2004

 

PIAA District III 

AAAA Champions

1986

 

PIAA District III 

AAA Runner-Up

1983 & 2004

 

 


  The Coaches.....


 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

C. G. Boffenmyer    


Roy Burkhart

1919 to 1920

Football at Mechanicsburg started in the fall of 1919.  World War I had just ended.  There were only a handful of players and they were coached by their principal, Roy Burkhart.  Burkhart had to start from scratch.  Equipment was poor & the player had to pay it themselves.  The field was rough, there were no bleachers and only a rope define the playing field.  In Mechanicsburg's first ever football season, the 'Cats won 2 out of 6 games.

 

Year

W

L

T

Pct

Pts

Opp

1919

2

4

0

.333

15

160

1920

3

3

1

.500

85

73

2

5

7

1

.417

 


C. G. Boffenmyer

1921 to 1922

Mechanicsburg's second coach only coaches for two years as well.  Boffenmyer only lost four of sixteen games.  His 1921 team beat Middletown 73 to 10 and Marysville 91 to 7

.

Year

W

L

T

Pct

Pts

Opp

1921

5

3

0

.625

241

70

1922

6

1

1

.857

140

66

2

11

4

1

.733


Harry Mercer

1923 to 1930

Harry Mercer has the best winning percentage of all fourteen Mechanicsburg head coaches.  in his second season, he lead the Wildcats to its first ever undefeated season (10-0).  And, not only did they go undefeated in 1924, they also held their opponents scoreless while racking up the most points ever in a single M-burg season.  That record still stands today.  

Year

W

L

T

Pct

Pts

Opp

1923

8

2

0

.800

301

47

1924

10

0

0

1.000

439

0

1925

5

4

1

.555

147

84

1926

8

1

1

.888

223

43

1927

8

2

0

.777

271

36

1928

7

1

2

.875

117

24

1929

7

2

1

.777

246

25

1930

8

1

1

.888

300

25

8

61

13

6

.827


George Vorbach

1931 to 1936

Vobach was a the 4th coach of the Wildcats & the 3rd consecutive coach to have an overall winning record.  In his last season, his team became the second in school history to go undefeated.  however, they did ties rival Carlisle in the last game of the year.  Mechanicsburg won the South Penn title outright in 1932, '33' '34 & '36 under Vorbach.  His career came to an unexpected end in 1936 when he died from pneumonia.

Year

W

L

T

Pct

Pts

Opp

1931

7

4

0

.636

157

64

1932

8

1

0

.888

151

33

1933

7

2

1

.777

221

59

1934

6

4

0

.600

70

89

1935

3

4

2

.429

86

81

1936

9

0

1

1.000

178

31

6

40

15

4

.727


Four out of George Vorbach's six 

teams won the 

South Penn 

Title outright.

1932, 1933, 

1934, & 1936


John Frederick

1937 to 1942 & 

1945 to 1957

After Vorbach's untimely death, Mechanicsburg was hard-presses to find another exceptional coach.  They found John Frederick for whom the filed at Memorial Park Stadium is now named.  Frederick had attended the University of Illinois and Columbia University.  He coached Bessemer High School in Lawrence County, PA for 9 years prior to coming to Mechanicsburg in1937.  Frederick's term as head coach was interrupted on August 5, 1943 when he had to fulfill his military service in the Navy.  He then returned & resumed his role as skipper  of the 'Cats on August 20, 1945.  Throughout his career, Frederick's teams won or shared 3 South Penn titles.  

Year

W

L

T

Pct

Pts

Opp

1937

7

0

2

1.000

181

6

1938

4

4

1

.500

69

78

1939

4

4

2

.500

105

76

1940

7

2

1

.777

103

20

1941

8

0

0

1.000

162

27

1942

5

1

3

.833

133

45

Term Continued in 1945


Gary Furey

1943

Furey took the head coach position after Frederick left to fulfill his Navel duties.  He coached for only one year ~ four of his team's 5 wins were shutouts!

Year

W

L

T

Pct

Pts

Opp

1943

5

2

2

.714

104

38

1

5

2

2

.714


Tony Cernugel

1944

Cernugel took over for Furey.  he also only coached one year.  Cernugel's team only won one game ~ a 13-6 win over Gettysburg.

Year

W

L

T

Pct

Pts

Opp

1944

1

9

0

.100

52

220

1

1

9

0

.100


John Frederick

1945 to 1957

Frederick fulfilled his military service in the Navy then returned & resumed his role as skipper of the 'Cats on August 20, 1945. 

Year

W

L

T

Pct

Pts

Opp

1945

5

4

2

.555

111

94

1946

7

3

1

.700

220

125

1947

8

1

1

.888

240

105

1948

8

3

0

.727

169

73

1949

8

1

2

.888

221

57

1950

7

2

1

.700

214

91

1951

7

3

1

.700

210

101

1952

9

2

0

.818

174

69

1953

8

2

1

.800

165

58

1954

10

0

1

1.000

279

69

1955

6

5

0

.545

134

94

1956

7

1

2

.875

175

98

1957

6

3

0

.667

125

73

19

131

41

21

.762


JON FREDERICK

COACHED FOR 19 YEARS PRODUCING AN OVERALL RECORD OF 131-41-21 (.761)


Tom Yost

1958

In 1953, Yost started his coaching career as an assistant coach under John Fredrick. In 1958, he stood in as acting head coach until they found another head coach.  Yost spent two years at the University of Pennsylvania as a blocking back on the varsity squad.  He then attended Lock Haven Stat Teacher's College and played end on the football team.  As acting head coach, his team won 4 of their 11 games. 

Year

W

L

T

Pct

Pts

Opp

1958

4

7

0

.363

115

202

1

4

7

0

.363

 


Coaches Sabol & Yost


Joe Sabol

1959 to 1962

Sabol is a native of Shamokin, and a graduate of Coal Twp. High School ('54).  He played football for 4 years and was captain of the team in 1953.  He went on to play for Penn Stats under Rip Engle for 4 seasons.  In 1957, he was team captain, All--American and captured all-East Honors.  Sabol coached at Central Dauphin High School as an assistant for one year before coming to M-burg.  In 1962, his 'Cats team beat Cumberland valley 52 to 0.

Year

W

L

T

Pct

Pts

Opp

1959

1

9

1

.100

90

248

1960

4

6

0

.400

135

165

1961

6

5

0

.545

206

116

1962

7

3

0

.700

236

90

4

18

23

1

.439


Tom Faulkner

1963 to 1964

Faulkner coached the 'Cats for two seasons.  They won only one game in 1963.  They beat Hershey 7 to 6.  Faulkner did have a better second year.  they won their first 4  games they played.  However, the season took a turn for the worse when they lost 5 of their last 6 games. 

Year

W

L

T

Pct

Pts

Opp

1963

1

9

0

.100

90

248

1964

4

5

1

.439

107

161

2

5

14

1

.263


Louis Derubies

1965 to 1969

Coach Derubies with clipboard

 

Derubies, a Ganister, PA native, played football for Grove City HS.  he graduated from Edinboro State College in 1952 earning varsity letters all four years he played football.  Derubies coached football for 11 years before coming to Mechanicsburg.  In 1966, his team scored at least 20 points in every game except one. 

Year

W

L

T

Pct

Pts

Opp

1965

6

4

0

.600

143

91

1966

7

3

0

.700

234

125

1967 7 3 0 .700 223 127
1968 4 5 1 .444 123 125
1969 3 6 2 .333 126 182
5 27 21 3 .563

Ed Books

1970 to 1971

Ed Books coached the 'Cats for two seasons.  In his first season the Wildcats broke even.  They started out strong winning 5 of their first 6 games.  Steve Diehl kicked a 37 yard field goal to beat Hershey 15-14.  The they lost their remaining four games.

Year

W

L

T

Pct

Pts

Opp

1970 5 5 0 .500 114 151
1971 3 7 0 .300 126 182
2 8 12 0 .400

Ray Erney

1972 to 1976

Erney, a well respected coach in the area, had success coaching Palmyra before coming to Mechanicsburg. Over a period of five years as the Wildcats coach, Erney produced 22 wins, 28 loses & 3 ties.  he later went on to coach at Dickinson College & rival Carlisle High School.

Year

W

L

T

Pct

Pts

Opp

1972 4 5 2 .444 227 168
1973 6 5 0 .545 107 160
1974 3 6 1 .333 116 232
1975 5 5 0 .500 114 116
1976 4 7 0 .364 141 211
5 22 28 3 .440

Jack Mackert

1977 to 1980

Mackert had coached for several seasons as an assistant for Mechanicsburg before being named head coach.  His first two seasons were winning campaigns.  he is the only coach to produce an overall even record.

Year

W

L

T

Pct

Pts

Opp

1977 6 4 1 .600 106 94
1978 7 3 1 .700 206 73
1979 5 6 0 .455 179 207
1980 3 8 0 .273 113 207
4 21 21 2 .500

Rich Lichtel

1981 to 2007

Lichtel, was a QB fro Bloomsburg State College (PA) where he set a number of school passing records.  After college, Lichtel played for the Baltimore Colts top farm team.  He was an assistant coach under Derubies, Books, & Erney.  He then returned to Bloom to be an assistant for 4 years.  In 1981, he was hired as the head coach of the 'Cats.  Over the past 26 years, Lichtel has help his football players receive over $2 million in college scholarships and grants.  His 1982, '83, '86 & '94 teams won division titles.  The 1986 team won the District III AAAA Championship 21-20 of Carlisle.  The 2004 team reached the District III AAA finals, but fell to Manheim Central.


Six of Lichtel's quarterbacks, including  his first five, have received full scholarships to play college football.

Chris Bowen, Boston University

Shawn Abner, Georgia

Scott Erney, Rutgers

Chris Hakel, William & Mary

Doug Erney, William & Mary
Zach Frazer, Notre Dame


Year

W

L

T

Pct

Pts

Opp

1981 9 2 0 .818 293 67
1982 10 2 0 .833 302 73
1983 12 1 0 .923 410 71
1984 8 3 0 .727 226 101
1985 4 5 1 .444 158 143
1986 10 3 0 .769 239 136
1987 6 5 0 .545 161 106
1989 2 9 0 .182 137 254
1990 7 4 0 .636 208 137
1991 4 7 0 .363 138 224
1992 7 4 0 .636 195 147
1993 4 6 0 .400 112 176
1994 8 3 0 .727 236 157
1995 5 6 0 .455 168 219
1996 7 3 0 .700 193 147
1997 4 6 0 .400 180 229
1998 3 7 0 .300 133 240
1999 3 7 0 .300 198 148
2000 7 3 0 .700 235 205
2001 9 2 0 .818 331 124
2002 6 4 0 .600 168 125
2003 7 3 0 .700 185 154
2004 10 3 0 .769 330 285
2005 2 8 0 .200 69 315
2006 3 7 0 .300 194 243
2007* 3 7 0 .300
26 160 120 1 .579

2007 was co-coached by 

Chris Hakel & Jeff Costello


Chris Hakel

2008- Present

2008 12 1 0 .923
2009 0 0 0 ..000
1 12 1 0 .579