Elizabethtown

Bears

Alec Gibbons (right) and E-Town will try to improve on 3-7 season in a tough Section Two. (Photo courtesy of Scott Krall)

By John Buffone

jbuffone@gametimepa.com

After posting a 3-7 record, Elizabethtown failed to reach the .500 mark for the fifth straight season.

“The work habit this year has been better,” head coach Mike Cottle said. “They’re all in there with a common goal to build the best team possible.”

Heading into 2014, E-Town probably isn’t expected to compete in the demolition derby that is Section Two but that doesn’t seem to weigh on the minds of the Bears too much.

“We have to be considered an underdog. We graduated a lot of kids last year and a lot of teams won’t recognize a lot of our players. So we’re probably the underdog in this section but that’s OK. The kids have come together real well and this group of kids have revitalized me.”

As a team, the Bears rushed for over 1200 years using a wide variety of rushers. One of those key backs was Armani Mongo who will be returning for his senior season. Mongo rushed for 285 yards last year and three touchdowns.

With 2013 starting quarterback Tyler Cottle graduating, head coach Mike Cottle will have a decision to make about who will be under center for E-Town in 2014. Possible candidates include sophomores Kameron Burkholder and Daniel Buckwalter. The two sophomores threw a combined three passes in 2013 with neither registering a completion.

Though they aren’t picked to be the top dog in the section, the Bears’ excitement level for the season to start is just as high as anyone else’s.

“It’s going to great and it’s going to be fun because I’m a senior and it’s my last year,” lineman Zack Semple said. “I realize that for us to be good on the game field, we’re going to have to lay it all out during practice. I know this year I have to come out and give it my all and that goes the same for everyone else.”

Though there are a lot of unproven players stepping up on offense, there are also a lot of chances for said players to break out for E-Town in 2014.

“I think going out and competing as hard as they can every Friday night is a success in high school football,” Cottle said. “If they go out and give it all they got every Friday night, I’m happy.”

Date	Opponent	Time
8/29	@ Donegal	7 p.m.
9/5	vs. Hershey	7 p.m.
9/12	@ Middletown	7 p.m.
9/19	vs. Manheim Central	7 p.m.
9/26	@ Garden Spot	7 p.m.
10/3	vs. Lampeter-Starsburg	7 p.m.
10/10	@ Ephrata	7 p.m.
10/17	vs. Solanco	7 p.m.
10/24	@ Lancaster Catholic	7 p.m.
10/31	vs. Lebanon	7 p.m.

Select any year to see the results

3-7

2013
4-6

2012
0-10

2011
2-8

2010
4-6

2009

Select any year to see the results.

2013

W/L	Team	Score
W	Donegal	20-6
L	Hershey	21-35
L	Lower Dauphin	0-48
L	Manheim Central	7-55
W	Conestoga Valley	37-7
L	Lampeter-Strasburg	13-38
W	Ephrata	48-0
L	Solanco	7-28
L	Cocalico	15-33
L	Lebanon	17-45

2012

W/L	Team	Score
L	Donegal	12-42
L	Hershey	32-36
L	Lower Dauphin	0-38
L	Manheim Central	27-54
W	Conestoga Valley	14-13
L	Lampeter-Strasburg	14-42
W	Ephrata	35-0
W	Solanco	3-0
L	Cocalico	14-42
W	Lebanon	45-22

2011

W/L	Team	Score
L	Cedar Cliff	14-45
L	Hershey	14-51
L	Manheim Township	24-57
L	Solanco	27-48
L	Conestoga Valley	6-32
L	Garden Spot	7-48
L	Cocalico	20-31
L	Manheim Central	14-21
L	Lampeter-Strasburg	0-42
L	Lebanon	13-20

2010

W/L	Team	Score
L	Cedar Cliff	14-28
L	Hershey	7-14
L	Manheim Township	26-28
W	Solanco	27-10
L	Conestoga Valley	14-21
L	Garden Spot	0-20
W	Cocalico	22-21
L	Manheim Central	21-42
L	Lampeter-Strasburg	6-28
L	Lebanon	14-42

2009

W/L	Team	Score
W	J.P. McCaskey	41-27
L	Muhlenberg	7-28
L	Manheim Township	21-31
W	Solanco	28-14
L	Conestoga Valley	28-35
W	Garden Spot	28-0
L	Cocalico	6-26
L	Manheim Central	0-27
W	Ephrata	35-34
L	Lebanon	32-39

2013 Stats

total

Pts for	Pts Against	Turnover Ratio
185	295	-1

Rushing

Rush	Yards	TD
356	1221	16

Passing

Completions	Attempts	Yards	TD
78	158	1293	10

L-L Section Two
Class AAAA
Coach: Mike Cottle (13-37)