LANCASTER – L-L League football news and notables, while bunkering in for Hurricane Sandy …
BULLDOGS IN CHARGE: Wilson, compliments of its grind-it-out 14-7 win at Penn Manor on Friday, is 6-0 and alone atop the Section 1 heap. The Bulldogs have clinched at least a tie for the section championship, and can clinch it outright with a win Friday at Warwick. Penn Manor is 5-1, and needs a home win over Cedar Crest and a Warwick upset to tie the Bulldogs for the crown. Wilson's Section 1 winning streak is up to 35 in a row, and the Bulldogs are seeking their fifth undefeated run through Section 1 in a row. And that deserves a wow. ... Video: Wilson's Dominic Nigrelli here and Dominic Moyer here.
EAGLES CLOSING IN ON SOLO CROWN: Cocalico took care of business in Week 9, drilling Elizabethtown 42-14 to remain alone atop the Section 2 chase at 6-0. Big game for Spencer Moser, who had three TD runs and a TD catch for the Eagles, who won their sixth game in a row since a Week 3 home non-league setback to Governor Mifflin. Cocalico closes out its league slate Friday at Ephrata in a nifty backyard rivalry game. And this meeting will have more buzz around it since Ephrata coach Scott Shelley and his o-coordinator, Phil Kauffman, were longtime Cocalico coaches. Should be a fun night. If the Eagles win, they'll clinch their first Section 2 championship since coming up from Section 3 in 2004. If Ephrata springs the upset and if Manheim Central beats Solanco, the Barons would force a tie for the title. … Cocalico coach Dave Gingrich still rocking the mustache.
SPARTANS CHASING PERFECTION: Garden Spot improved to 9-0 overall after thumping Columbia 44-14 in Week 9. Four TD runs for Adam Haas in the victory, which gave the Spartans at least a tie for the Section 3 crown – in Garden Spot's first season down from Section 2. Donegal, which fell to Garden Spot 34-23 in Week 4 in the Section 3 opener, is 4-1 and needs a home win over Annville-Cleona and for Pequea Valley to pull off an upset at home against Garden Spot to force a tie. Don't have the year in front of me (sorry), but the Spartans are going for their second 10-0 regular-season run in program history. My favorite Garden Spot stat: Spartans have forced 31 turnovers and are a plus-20 in turnover ratio – both tops in the league.
FUMBLEROOSKI: Hempfield returned not one but a pair of fumbles for touchdowns on Friday in the Black Knights' 22-14 come-from-behind win over Warwick, which led 14-0 before Hempfield scored 22 third-quarter points. Joey Gamble, back in the saddle after missing the last five-plus weeks with a broken arm, scooped up a fumble and went 20 yards for a score. And Tyrell Wickersham took a fumble recovery 45 yards to the house later in the third and the Knights – playing with a full roster for the first time since Week 3 – rallied past Warwick.
SHUTOUT BLUES: Solanco has suffered three shutout losses in a row; 24-0 to Conestoga Valley, 3-0 to Elizabethtown and 35-0 to Ephrata in Week 9. The Golden Mules have scored a league-low 63 points – none since Week 6 in a 35-21 Section 2 win over Lebanon in Quarryville. Solanco has lost via shutout five times this season. … Ephrata, meanwhile, was coming off back-to-back shutout losses before it whitewashed Solanco.
TOUCHDOWN MAKERS: Big performances by the following L-L League backs in Week 9 …
* Lancaster Catholic RB Roman Clay had four TD runs, covering 56, 9, 59 and 48 yards, respectively, in the Crusaders' 49-0 romp over Cedar Crest.
* Manheim Township RB Raycol Martinez had four TD runs, covering 7, 6, 8 and 4 yards respectively, in the Blue Streaks' 50-27 victory over McCaskey.
* McCaskey's Aaron Swinton scored three different ways against Manheim Township: 27-yard run, 4-yard TD catch and an 85-yard kickoff return. Swinton has 11 touchdowns in the last three games.
* Ephrata's Blake Weaver had three touchdowns in the Mounts' 35-0 win over Solanco; he had a 30-yard TD run and a pair of TD catches, covering 57 and 28 yards, respectively.
* As mentioned, Cocalico RB Spencer Moser had four TD – three runs and a catch - in the Eagles' 42-14 win over Elizabethtown.
* Manheim Central RB Ian Hanselman had three TD runs, covering 6, 15 and 54 yards, respectively – all in the first half – in the Barons' 49-7 runaway over Conestoga Valley.
* Donegal RB Dylan Maxwell had three TD runs, covering 3, 3 and 21 yards, respectively, in the Indians' 54-6 demolition over Northern Lebanon.
* Elco's Adam Shoemaker scored all three of Elco's touchdowns – runs of 19, 3 and 64 yards, respectively – in the Raiders' 21-13 win over rival Annville-Cleona.
* As mentioned, Garden Spot's Adam Haas had four TD runs – 2, 21, 2 and 3 yards, respectively – in the Spartans' 44-14 win over Columbia.
THIS AND THAT: Lampeter-Strasburg scored eight TD in its 56-7 win over Lebanon. Eight different Pioneers' players scored against the Cedars. … Garden Spot's D has picked off 18 passes – most in the league. … Donegal has just eight turnovers – least in the league. … Penn Manor came into its Week 9 showdown against Wilson with a league-low four turnovers. Bulldogs forced the Comets into five turnovers Friday – three picks and two fumbles – in Wilson's 14-7 win. Jimmy Brooks had two picks and Dominic Nigrelli returned a pick 82 yards for a TD for the Bulldogs. … Pequea Valley has recovered a league-best 15 fumbles.
JEFF REINHART: jreinhart@pnco.com
ON TWITTER: @JeffReinhartPN