It's been a difficult three weeks for the Braves - tough opponents, bad weather, three losses.  First the team visited Lancaster Catholic who is leading the section and highly ranked in the state.  No surprise that Catholic defeated the Braves 62 to 7.  Then it was a home game against ELCO who is also having a very good season.  And the weather was awful!!!  The offense struggled with the elements and ELCO piled up yards on the ground for a 41 to 0 win, the first time the Braves were shut out this season.  One more tough game in the most difficult part of the schedule was played in miserable weather again this past Friday at Lampeter Strasburg, a team scheduled to move up to Section 2 next season.  The offense again struggled with the elements and the talented LS team won 35 to 0.  This week winless Columbia comes to the PV Stadium.  Let's hope for better weather and fill the seats to cheer the team on!

 

If you have been to a game, you know the O can move the ball and rack up some yards and points, but did you know -

 

            Ryan Clarke has caught 15 passes for 141 yards

            Charles Mercer has 224 yards rushing on 54 trys

 

 

PV took on a winless Donegal team Friday night at home and took an early 14 to 0 lead.  But the Indians fought back on a couple of big plays to tie the score at 14 in the second quarter.  After pinning Donegal near their own goal line, the defense caught QB Kolb in the end zone for a safety.  Score at half, 16 to 14.  But in the second half Donegal again came up with some big plays and put two more TDs on the board.  The Braves got into the red zone several times, but crucial mistakes ended the drives without a score.  A fourth quarter drive ended with Ben Myers taking it one yard into the end zone to get within six.  With time running out, Charles Mercer blocked the Indian's field goal attempt and returned the ball to midfield.  But with only seconds left there just wasn't enough time to get to the end zone.  Final Score 28-22.  Next week, at Lancaster Catholic.

 

After getting a taste of victory last week the Braves faced an AC team that was tougher than their 0 and 3 record showed.  The Little Dutchman had their running game in high gear with Junior Rickey Snyder picking up a school record 326 yards and scoring six touchdowns.  The PV offense moved the ball well and put up some good numbers with Ben Myers throwing for 376 yards and four TDs.  Chad Tyson had 134 in pass receptions and a touchdown.  Tyler Schmitt had seven catches for 68 yards and two TDs.  But 32 points just weren't enough to win this one.  Next week, Donegal at home.  Come cheer the team on to their second victory of the season.

 

If you liked the Fleetwood game photo and the ones in the program check out www.tammyheagy.smugmug.com

Thanks for letting us use your photos Tammy!

 

You can watch coverage of the Fleetwood game at www.wfmz.com/bigticket

 

And check out the podcast interviews with Ben, Ray, and Coach Waltman at www.lancasteronline.com Click on blogs and scroll down to the View from the Pressbox. 

Click on the link for the practice and game schedule.  I will try to keep it up to date.

Chad Tyson heads for the end zone after catching a pass from Ben Myers for the final touchdown of the game

Photo by Tammy Heagy

 

 

The team traveled to Fleetwood Friday night and come home with their first WIN of the season.  In fact, the first win in several seasons (the streak had grown to 29) and the first for Coach Waltman.  Congratulations everyone!  The Braves took the opening kickoff and put together a nice drive, but couldn't quite reach the end zone.  The defense played  tough and the first quarter ended scoreless.  Early in the second quarter Charles Mercer took the ball 56 yards for the Brave's first TD.  Brooke Lacock added the extra point.  But by half time the Tigers had knotted the game with a kick return for a touchdown.  Tied at half.  Fleetwood took the lead briefly when they returned the second half kickoff for another TD.  But the Braves stayed focused and scored the next three touchdowns, a 15 yard pass from Myers to Schmitt, a 19 yard pass from Myers to Tyson, and a 40 yard pass from Myers to Ray Ball.  Brooke add the extra point to all three.  A couple of costly mistakes allowed Fleetwood to stay in the game with two TDs of their own, but both extra point tries failed.  With a slim lead, the Braves finally put the game away with about 2 minutes to go with another Myers to Tyson TD on a 45 yard pass completion.  Brooke was perfect as she added the extra point.  Final Score, Braves 35, Fleetwood, 25.  Next week, the team takes on winless Annville Cleona in Annville.

 

Upper Dauphin traveled to the PV Stadium last Friday for the first game of the season.  Hopes were high as the team took the field and after receiving the opening kick-off the offense took control and drove down the field for a touchdown.  UD answered right back on their first possession with a 69 yard TD play.  PV got the ball with good field position after the kick off but couldn't move the ball.  Upper Dauphin's offense then took control of the game.  The Braves got back on the scoreboard in the second half and were at the goal line when time ran out.  Final score Upper Dauphin 49, Pequea Valley 12.  Next game is at Reading Central Catholic on Friday.  Come support the team!

Game Schedule  

Sat   8/22      Home   Kennett (scrimmage)           10:00 am

Fri    8/28      Home   Octorara (scrimmate)             4:00 pm

Fri   9/04      Home  Upper Dauphin                                7:00 pm

Fri   9/11       Away    Reading Central Catholic   7:00 pm

Fri   9/18       Away    Fleetwood                                      7:00 pm

Fri   9/25       Away    Annville Cleona                          7:00 pm

Fri   10/02    Home  Donegal                                           7:00 pm

Fri   10/09    Away    Lancaster Catholic                   7:00 pm

Fri   10/16    Home  ELCO                                                 7:00 pm

Fri   10/23    Away    Lampeter Strasburg                   7:00 pm

Fri   10/30    Home   Columbia                                       7:00 pm

Fri   11/6       Home  Northern Lebanon                       7:00 pm

 

Mark your calendars and come out and support the team!

Spring Football started with a 7 on 7 scrimmage at Oxford on Friday, the 15th of May.  The team looked good in their matching shorts and shirts and performed well for so early in the season.  More 7 on 7 scrimmages are on the calendar throughout the spring and summer to get prepared for the fall season.

Special thanks to Jen and Steve Schmitt for heading up this new fundraiser. 

Also to John Scheuer and Ernie Girvin for supervising the car wash. And to June Erickson for help with the food stand.

 

 

 

Braves Fall to Northern Lebanon in the Final Game of the Season

 

The football season is over.  And again the final score of 46 to 7 didn't reflect the way the team played.  They took the opening kickoff and marched down the field only coming up short when the Vikings intercepted a pass in the endzone.  NL put together a drive of their own with the Braves defense fighting them every inch of the way.  The first quarter ended with the Vikes up 6 to 0.  Two running backs from Northern Lebanon went over 1,000 yards for the season, with many of them coming in the second quarter.  The Vikings took a 26-0 lead to the locker room at half time.  They added two more touchdowns in the third quarter as the Braves offense again moved the ball well, but was unable to finish a drive in the endzone.  The only touchdown of the night came as time was running out when senior Nick Lacock ran the ball in from a few yards out.  His sister Brooke added the extra point.  The offense picked up 23 first downs (four more than NL) and had 264 yards in the air and 91 yards on the ground.  They defense fought hard only allowing 102 passing yards, but with two star running backs was hard pressed to shut down the ground game.  Even though the season ends without a win, the team played hard in every game and provided some exciting moments for their fans.  Thank you players, especially the seniors for your efforts.  Thanks to the coaches, managers, cheerleaders, and fans too. 

 

PV travelled to Columbia Friday night to take on the only other Section Three team without a league win.  The first quarter ended in a scoreless tie as both teams moved the ball but couldn't put any points on the board.  A fumble returned for a touchdown started the scoring for the Tide early in the second quarter.  The Braves tied the score a few minutes later when Ben Myers found Chad Tyson in the endzone for a TD.  But the speed of the Tide's Yahya McIntyre and Dakotah  Lightfoot was too much for the Braves D and Columbia scored three more times to end the half up 27 to 6.  The Braves came back to score twice in the second half, both to Sean Persch who is now the LL League record holder for most career receiving yards.  CONGRATULATIONS SEAN!!  Final score, Columbia 52- PV 20.  Next week at Northern Lebanon.

 

Six senior players and their parents were honored before the last home game Friday night, Nick Lacock, Matt Himes, Willie McCusker, Sean Persch, Justin Martin, and Michael Ray. Zach Martin was also honored. Thanks guys and best of luck in the future.  In spite of the lopsided final score of 54 to 6, it was an exciting game on a cool clear night.  The Braves kept it close through most of the first half and if a few things had gone their way the score could have been much closer.  The only TD of the night came in the third quarter when Ben Myers connected with Sean Persch.  As the newspaper said "Persch had a huge night, catching 15 passes for 241 yards..."  The offense had a total of 286 yards through the air.  Next week the team journeys to Columbia who is also winless in league play this year.  Come out and support the team!

 

It was a beautiful night for football.  It was homecoming.  But it was also undefeated Lancaster Catholic on the field, with a roster of almost 70 players and a QB who will probably go on to play college ball for a D1 school.  The Crusaders put the game out of reach early, scoring on every possession.  But the Braves didn't give up and fought hard the entire game.  The offense put a touchdown on the board in the 2nd quarter when Ben Myers found Tyler Schmitt in the endzone.  Brooke Lacock added the extra point.  The Braves found the endzone again in the 4th quarter when Sean Persch caught a pass from Myers for the TD.  Brooke again added the extra point.  The defense held Catholic scoreless in the 4th quarter.  While the score was lopsided, the team showed a lot of spirit in spite of having many players on the sidelines in street clothes.  Ray Ball suffered an ankle injury and had to be carryed from the field.  Michael Ray took a hard shot and had to leave in the ambulance.  ( He spent a night in the hospital, but is home and will be OK). The team showed a lot of heart and has nothing to be ashamed of.  Next week - away at ELCO.

 

The team went to Mt Joy on a rainy Friday and came home on the short end of the score, 55 - 13.  If you were there and it seemed like #33 had the ball all the time and ran through every little hole in the defense, you were right.  Donegal's Kyle Witmer had a career high 220 yards rushing and scored four touchdowns.  The Braves held their own through the first quarter but failed to capitalize on some Donegal mistakes, including a fumbled punt, ending the quarter down 7 - 0.  In the second quarter the Indians blew the game open, scoring 32 points.  But the Braves came out hot after the intermission and put two quick touchdowns on the board.  The first came when Ray Ball took a corner pass from Ben Myers and ran it down the sideline for the TD but the extra point kick went wide.  The very next possession Myers connected with Ryan Clarke who took it into the endzone.  Another PV touchdown in less then four minutes.  Brooke Lacock added the extra point.  That ended the Braves scoring and Donegal added another couple touchdowns.  It was nice to see Sean Persch back on the field, cast and all.