2013 in review

By Steve Navaroli and Mike Rubin

Division I

Central York coach Brad Livingston made somewhat of a surprise move when he named all-state volleyball player Dylan Hose as his starting quarterback. Hose responded by tossing 17 touchdowns, leading the Panthers to the Division I regular season title with a 5-0 league mark.

Dallastown, which lost only to Central in league play, won its first two District 3 Class AAAA playoff games before losing at perennial power Cumberland Valley. Led by 1,447 yards and 14 touchdowns from Robert Catchings, and Malik Lewis’ 51 catches for 799 yards and nine scores, the Wildcats notched another 10-win season.

Behind YAIAA rushing leader Jeff Delaughter (1,484 yards, 14 touchdowns) and receiving leader Logan Hall (56 catches, 936 yards, 10 TDs), Spring Grove qualified for districts for the second straight season, finishing 6-5 overall.

A year removed from a one-win season, Red Lion lost its first three games in 2013. However, rookie coach Jesse Shay helped an improving Red Lion squad go 4-3 the rest of the way. Senior quarterback Blake Cahill completed 52 percent of his passes, including 12 touchdowns.

William Penn junior quarterback James Way completed 118-of-211 passes, good for 1,671 yards and 17 touchdowns, plus ran for 1,127 and eight more scores. However, the other side of the ball was a struggle for the 4-6 Bearcats, who gave up 339 points.

Injuries forced a South Western team that likes to run into more of a passing game in 2013. Quarterback Tyler Sterner filled in admirably, throwing 17 touchdowns for the Mustangs.

Division II

In coach Eric Lam’s first season at the helm, Dover rolled to a perfect 5-0 Division II record, then earned the program’s first District 3 playoff victory, a 34-6 triumph against Milton Hershey. Isaiah Green (1,190 yards, 14 TDs) and Dylan Ledbetter (809, 8) were workhorse running backs for the Eagles.

West York responded from a season-opening, five-game losing streak to go 4-1 in league play during the first losing season in coach Ron Miller’s eight years ended on a high note as the young Bulldogs showed promise.

In his first year at New Oxford, coach Jason Thurston got off to a great start as the Colonials defense allowed more than 17 points only once in their first eight games, including two shutouts. Wesley Beans averaged a league-best 10.1 yards per carry, finishing with 1,411 yards and 20 touchdowns.

Keyed by an opening night win, Susquehannock rebounded, earning three wins, which was more than the previous four years combined. Although a tough four-game stretch followed, the Warriors earned a pair of Division II wins to finish 2-3 in the league.

Another rookie head coach, Jon Scepanski, was faced with a rebuilding season at Northeastern. However, things ended on a high note as the Bobcats knocked off Kennard-Dale, 35-14.

Kennard-Dale pulled off a stunning 27-20 upset at perennial district playoff qualifier East Pennsboro in Week 3, but the Rams’ season went into a tailspin after that high point.

Division III

Bermudian Springs saw its 29-game winning streak come to a devastating halt on the last play of the game in Week 9 against Littlestown. Despite losing 23 players from 2012, Bermudian was still able to put together a 10-2 season, including a District 3 Class AA first-round playoff win against Hamburg. The Eagles’ season ended with a quarterfinal loss to Berks Catholic.

Biglerville lost 18 players from a 2012 team that saw the Canners finish a program-best 9-3. The 2013 campaign started strong as Biglerville opened the season with a win against James Buchanan, but it would be the Canners only win of the season. Senior running back Joe Hurda led the way for the Canners, rushing for 940 yards and 12 touchdowns.

A year after winning the District 3 Class A title, Delone Catholic finished 2013 with a 4-6 record. They were without senior fullback Matt Guiffreda for a three-game span in the middle of the season. Despite only playing in six games, Guiffreda finished with 651 yards and 10 touchdowns. Senior receiver Pat Staub was one of the league's top receivers and quarterback Jake Wiles’ favorite target with 32 receptions for 491 yards and four touchdowns.

Eastern York said goodbye to all-state running back Alex Cooley but welcomed a backfield tandem of David Livelsberger and Clayton Miller. They finished with 934 and 811 rushing yards, respectively, and combined for 16 of Eastern York’s 26 offensive touchdowns on the season. The duo helped lead Eastern York to a 5-5 season.

Fairfield completed the program’s best season in 2013. The Green Knights recorded their first winning season in addition to earning the program’s second appearance in the District 3 Class AA playoffs. They were led on the ground by senior running back Nick Mort, who finished with 1,476 yards and a league-leading 23 touchdowns.

It was a turbulent season for Hanover, who just days before their homecoming game lost their head coach Mike Ketterman. Interim Bill Reichart stepped in to assume the duties. Hanover was given a welcome surprise two games into the season when senior running back Trace Russ stepped onto the field. In just eight games, he rushed for 813 yards. Hanover finished 1-9.

It was another unbelievable year for Mike Lippy and Littlestown. Behind YAIAA Division III Player of the Year, quarterback Trevor Hildebrand, Littlestown finished the season as the Division III champions with a 12-1 record, including a last-second 12-10 victory against Bermudian Springs to snap the Eagles’ 29-game winning streak. The Bolts defeated District 3 Class AA perennial powerhouse Wyomissing in the playoffs to advance to the championship game before falling to Berks Catholic.

York Catholic finished 8-4 overall and had the league’s top quarterback in Hakeem Kinard. York Catholic’s aerial assault hammered teams and led them to the District 3 Class A title game, where the Irish fell to Steel-High. Kinard finished the year with 1,730 yards passing and a touchdown to interception ratio of 20-8.

York County Tech had a strong offense all season long. One of the areas that held it back was its defense. York Tech was on the wrong end of one of the most exciting high school football games of the year, a 58-40 loss to Fairfield. They finished the season 3-7 overall. They were led on the ground by seniors Calvin Savory and Dalmar Dickson. The two led the way with 1,200 and 811 yards, respectively, combining for 25 touchdowns.

A slow start to 2013 ended with momentum for York Suburban and first-year coach Jeremy Jones. The former offensive coordinator at West York, Jones took over a Suburban squad that graduated most of its skill players to graduation. The Trojans ushered in two new quarterbacks who split time -- Thomas Merkle and Sawyer Robinson -- both of whom return this fall. Merkle threw for 1,377 passing yards, but the Trojans need to do a better job protecting the ball. Suburban committed 28 turnovers last year.

Mid-Penn

It was a farewell tour for Gettysburg in 2013. It was the Warriors last year as a member of the Mid-Penn Conference. Gettysburg started out the season 0-3 but then went on a six-game winning streak in the middle of the season. The Warriors earned a trip to the District 3 Class AAA playoffs where they lost in the first round to Cocalico.

At Red Land, the Patriots opened with two straight wins but fell short of a playoff return and finished 4-6. Running back John Ford finished his career as Red Land’s all-time leading rusher and closed his career with a 213-yard performance in a loss to Susquehanna Township.

Northern York entered 2013 having lost 25 seniors to graduation and welcomed a new head coach in Garrett Mowery. Just two starters returned on either side of the ball, and both were on defense. One, four-year starting linebacker Richard Settle, turned in an All-Mid-Penn Colonial Division first-team performance. The Polar Bears finished 3-7, closing the season with a 24-10 loss to West Perry.