After going 0-10 in 2011, Elizabethtown snapped back with a respectable 4-6 showing last fall, including a 4-3 mark in tough-as-nails Section 2 of the L-L League. Can the Bears continue their upward trend this season? Below is their Countdown to Camp preview.
SCHOOL NAME: Elizabethtown Bears
COACH: Mike Cottle
LAST YEAR: 4-6 overall, 4-3 in L-L Section 2
LAST 5 YEARS: 16-35
RETURNING STARTERS: 7 on offense; 6 on defense
KEY PLAYERS: OG-DE Austin Brinser; QB Tyler Cottle; OT-DT Bryce Grohol; OG-DE Francisco Guzman; WR-DB Jordan Kwamanakweenda; RB-DB Nick Lonardi; TE-LB Luke Longenecker; RB-DB Arthur Quaye; RB-DB Gabe Fuhrman; FB-LB Armani Mongo.
OFFENSIVE OVERVIEW: First, a fond farewell to Kirby Breault, who caught 114 passes for 1,600 yards with 13 TD grabs the last three seasons for the Bears, driving opposing DBs mad while making big catch after big catch. He’s at Juniata now, and his production will be tough to replace. As far as returning skill kids go, E-town is ahead of the curve with two key kids back — QB Tyler Cottle passed for 558 yards and six TDs and speedy RB Arthur Quaye galloped for 765 yards and six TD scores last fall. Expect bigger numbers from those two out of the Bears’ “Wing-T” scheme this time around, particularly with guards Austin Brinser and Francisco Guzman and tackle Bryce Grohol all returning to the trenches. That’s a plus. FB Armani Mongo, who rushed for 327 yards and four TDs last season, also returns.
PODCAST: KIRBY BREAULT INTERVIEW
DEFENSIVE OVERVIEW: A couple of ball-hawkers to be aware of here — MLB Luke Longenecker had 58 tackles, a pick and a fumble recovery and strong safety Jordan Kwamanakweenda — who is the clubhouse leader for coolest last name in the L-L — had 60 stops, a pick and a fumble recovery last fall. D-ends Guzman (16 tackles) and Brinser (4 tackles, 1 sack) and tackle Grohol (30 tackles, 1 sack, 1 fumble recovery) have experience and will anchor the front four in E-town’s “4-3” scheme. Secondary should be in good hands with Kwamanakweenda, Quaye (10 tackles, 1 pick), Gabe Fuhrman (36 tackles) and Nick Lonardi (29 tackles) all returning to combat the passing game. First up on the to-do list for camp: Find two linebackers to flank Longenecker. Hit-machine/graduation loss Josh Cooper (91 tackles) will be tough to replace.
BIGGEST GAME: August 30 vs. Donegal. It’s the season opener, and it’s the return of a wonderful, old-school L-L backyard rivalry game.
MORE ELIZABETHTOWN BEARS: 2013 SCHEDULE
REINHART’S CRYSTAL BALL: Nice bounce-back season for the Bears in 2012, posting a winning record in Section 2 — with stalwarts Manheim Central, Cocalico and Lampeter-Strasburg doing their thing — while going 4-2 down the stretch after an otherwise uneventful 0-4 start on the heels of a winless 2011 campaign. So it looks like E-town is heading back in the right direction. And there are plenty of pieces here to keep the Bears moving onward and upward. Unfortunately, they’re stuck behind the Manheim Centrals, Cocalicos and Lampeter-Strasburgs of the feed chain at the moment. Replace Breault and plug in some new LBs and a .500 season isn’t out of the question in E-town.