Recap
Logan Cammauf not about to quit before Panthers wrap up title
Lancaster Catholic 29, Schuylkill Valley 40
Leesport, PA — (This story was produced by LNP/Lancasteronline, and published in partnership with MikeDragoSports.com.)
By Jason Guarente — LNP/LancasteronlineThey were shouting from the sideline for Logan Cammauf to fall down. Schuylkill Valley was ready to run out the clock.
Cammauf kept going. The 6-foot, 165-pound junior won’t allow himself to give up on a play. He needed 2 yards for a clinching first down. He took it 64 yards for a touchdown.
“I don’t even know how to explain it,” Cammauf said. “I went left, saw a wide-open hole. My line did a great job blocking and I just ran.”
The electrifying rush, capped with a stiff arm at the 5-yard line, ended four quarters of drama and two seasons of disappointment for the Panthers.
Schuylkill Valley defeated Lancaster Catholic 40-29 to clinch the Lancaster-Lebanon League Section 5 championship Friday night.
As the players gathered in a joyous postgame huddle, Logan Nawrocki and Cooper Hohenadel suddenly burst away from the group and ran toward the bench.
It was a puzzling sight at first. Then their mission became clear. They grabbed the nearest water cooler and returned to drench coach Bruch Harbach in an ice cold shower.
“I’ll take it any time,” Harbach said with a smile.
This rivalry is personal to Harbach, who won two state championships at Catholic before seeming to retire in 2017. It has become personal to the players because of recent results.
Schuylkill Valley (7-0, 8-2) lost to Catholic each of the past two seasons, including a blowout at Crusader Stadium in Week 10 last year. That forced the Panthers to share the section title.
“What a great victory for these kids,” Harbach said. “They earned it. Who knows how far they want to go? That’s up to them. They don’t want this season to end and neither do I.”
Cammauf carried 12 times for 103 yards and three touchdowns. He powered in for a 6-yard score on Schuylkill Valley’s next-to-last possession to give the Panthers a 34-29 lead with 3:49 remaining.
Those stats were a fraction of Cammauf’s contribution. He blocked a punt late in the second quarter that led to a score. He wrecked drives as a linebacker.
Cammauf brings toughness from the chores he once completed on his family’s dairy farm. Forty-eight minutes on Friday nights doesn’t seem too daunting by comparison.
“He’s like our foundation,” Nawrocki said. “He gives it his all every play. Every play you can count on him.”
Brandon Way carried 23 times for 244 yards and three touchdowns for Catholic. Way broke free for scores of 94 and 65 yards on his first two attempts.
Catholic (5-2, 6-4) went ahead 29-28 when David Stefanow connected with Zach Dresch for a 48-yard TD with eight minutes left. That was the Crusaders’ only lead after the first quarter.
It looked like Catholic might put together a game-winning drive late in the fourth. The Crusaders marched to Schuylkill Valley’s 19 before a botched handoff and two penalties ultimately led to an interception by Dillon Lackner.
Cammauf carried three times in an effort to run out the clock. Instead, the junior ran it to the house. He said it was the best play of his high school career.
“No. 1,” Cammauf said. “Section champions. That won it for us.”
Schuylkill Valley was tired of sharing. The Panthers wanted this prize all to themselves.