BY JEFF FALK

FREDERICKSBURG – Following two highly successful campaigns, the Northern Lebanon football program took a step back last season. So was it an aberration, or the beginning of a downward trend?

It is a question that only the Vikings’ class of 2018 will get a chance to answer.

There is some pressure on Northern Lebanon as the 2017 scholastic season unfolds. But the Vikings sport a strong senior class of 13 student-athletes, who have experienced their share of success, in football and other sports.

Northern Lebanon won back-to-back Lancaster-Lebanon Section Three championships in 2014 and 2015, and qualified for the PIAA District Three postseason both years. But last season, the Vikings came back to the pack with a somewhat disappointing 4-6 campaign.

“They were part of the 2015 team,” said Northern Lebanon head coach Roy Wall of his 12th-graders. “They know what it’s like to win. They know what it’s like to lose. They have an opportunity to create their own legacy.

“Last year doesn’t matter,” Wall continued. “Every season is different. Every year I’ve been here we’ve had a good group of guys. We expect to win all of our games. If you expect .500 you’re setting yourself up for defeat.”

Last year’s club didn’t have the senior numbers that this year’s has. The Vikings were beset with some key early injuries and were never able to quite pick themselves off the canvas.

But that’s not to say that 2016 was without highlights.

“On the first play of the third game, we lose Luke Funck,” said Wall, who’s in his eighth season at Northern Lebanon and in his 29th overall coaching. “Then we lose Hunter Wallace. We didn’t have too much in our senior class. It was a struggle.

“Our non-conference schedule is more demanding than it’s been in the past,” continued Wall. “We lost some close games. All in all, we played a lot of younger kids. Three of our losses were by a total of 16 points. We weren’t that far away.”

Northern Lebanon’s 13 seniors comprise a significant portion of the squad’s overall roster of 33 members. In addition to their experience, as a group they are talented, balanced and versatile.

“It’s going well,” said Wall. “You can’t really judge until you go up against an opponent. We’re really not that deep. I’m really pleased with the first 22 (players), but we only have another 11. So we’re not real deep.

“Once we get into competition, I’ll know what I’m looking at,” added Wall. “I think we have an opportunity to be very, very good. We have experience, Even though we had to rebuild from 2014 and 2015, we weren’t horrible last year. We beat the (Lancaster-Lebanon, Three) section champs (Annville-Cleona) at their place. We’re right there. Depth is a concern, but we have some talent.”

With athletic, three-sport, senior Michigan Daub at the controls, the Viking offense is well armed at the quarterback position. But Daub is just as much a threat with his decision-making and running ability as he is with his throwing.

Seniors Stevie Herb and Luis Negreiros form a competent and sometimes explosive backfield tandem. After taking over for Funck as Northern Lebanon’s feature back last year, Herb gained over 750 rushing yards in his seven starts.

The Vikings’ receiving corp is paced by speedy senior Christian Trader, who averaged 27 yards per reception a season ago. That group also includes seniors Caleb Light and Isiah Davila.

“He’s a great athlete,” said Wall of Daub. “He could be a strong athlete in any sport he plays. He can be the best player on the field. He’s the heart and soul of our team. Offensively, he’s going to have his hands on the ball a lot.

“Our goal is to win all our games. That doesn’t change,” Wall added. “That’s what we set out to do every year. There’s only three stats that matter in football – points for, points against and turnovers. We’re going to do whatever it takes to win. It’s a matter of doing what needs to be done. We have some tough, scrappy kids.”

But ultimately the guys who will make the Vikings go are the men in the trenches. Along the line, Northern Lebanon will receive contributions from seniors Blaise Bressler, Alex Martz, Tom Schwartz, transfer Ryan Walker, Cole Messimer, Brendan Madiera and Tajae Adams, and junior Ethan Herb.

“We want to get better on the defensive side of the ball,” said Wall. “That’s been our goal in camp, to get better defensively. We have a number of linemen who started for us last year.

“We can be gouged for 200 yards rushing,” continued Wall. “There were times last year when we couldn’t get off the field defensively. We couldn’t get that stop on defense. That’s been our main focus. And we can’t rest on our laurels on offense.”

Northern Lebanon will open its season on Friday, August 25th – so-called Week Zero – at Fred Gahres Stadium against its long-time rival from the north, Pine Grove.

 

 

 

 

To purchase images in this article email jkfalk2005@yahoo.com, or to view more go to https://lebanonsportsbuzz.com/photo-gallery/.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

2017 Northern Lebanon Football Roster

Seniors	#	Off Pos	Def Pos	HT	WT
Tajae Adams	50	OL	DL	5’11’’	180
Blaise Bressler	35	RB	LB	5’11’’	170
Michigan Daub	3	QB	DB	6’1’’	190
Isiah Davila	8	RB	LB	5’10’’	168
Stevie Herb	5	RB	LB	5’10’’	165
Caleb Light	86	SE	DB	6’0’’	160
Brendan Madeira	59	OL	DL	5’10’’	205
Alex Martz	55	OL	DL	5’11’’	245
Cole Messimer	73	OL	DL	6’1’’	210
Luis Negreiros	22	RB	LB	5’10’’	180
Tom Schwartz	53	OL	DL	6’1’’	220
Christian Trader	11	SE	DB	6’0’’	158
Ryan Walker	70	OL	DL	5’10’’	235
Juniors
Brandon Criswell	74	OL	DL	6’0’’	308
Nicholas Goodyear	75	OL	DL	6’4	220
Ethan Herb	68	OL	DL	5’7’’	165
Austin Kofroth	78	OL	DL	5’10’’	185
Spencer Linton	4	RB	DB	5’7’’	145
Nate Lum	54	OL	DL	6’4’’	225
Eyan Margut	2	QB	DB	6’0’’	175
Phil Sanger	52	OL	DL	5’11’’	200
Tyler Shearer	7	RB	DB	5’10’’	170
Larson Stichler	56	OL	LB	5’10’’	195
Caleb Wilson	71	OL	DL	6’1’’	210
Sophomores
Ethan Borcky	12	QB	DB	5’11’’	160
Chase Bressler	23	RB	DB	5’10’’	145
Devin Carrol	72	OL	DL	5’9’’	275
Alex Folmer	25	SE	DB	5’10’’	150
Nate Leedy-Reidel	27	SE	DB	5’11’’	165
Addison Steiner	51	OL	LB	5’6’’	150
Josh Werni	60	OL	LB	5’7’’	165
Nickols Winters	21	SE	LB	5’8’’	145
Freshman
Kirby Kornhaus	32	RB	LB	5’9’’	160

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

  2017 Northern Lebanon Football Schedule

DATE	OPPONENT	TIME	LOCATION
08/25	Pine Grove	7:00 PM	Northern Lebanon High School
09/08	@Cedar Crest	7:00 PM	Northern Lebanon High School
09/15	@Daniel Boone	7:00 PM	Northern Lebanon High School
09/22 *	Pequea Valley	7:00 PM	Pequea Valley High School
09/29	York Suburban	6:30 PM	York Suburban High School
10/06 *	Donegal	7:00 PM	Donegal High School
10/13 *	@Annville-Cleona	7:00 PM	Northern Lebanon High School
10/20 *	@Elco	7:00 PM	Northern Lebanon High School
10/27 *	@Columbia	7:00 PM	Columbia High School
11/03 *	@Lancaster Catholic	7:00 PM	Lancaster Catholic High School

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

NORTHERN LEBANON FOOTBALL

       COACHING HISTORY

Roy Wall (2010-2017)

Jack Beidler (1999-2009)

Carl Fischl (1981-1998)

Frank Wickenheiser (1980)

Ron Brewer (1976-79)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

0