Football banquet

Walt Price, a 1956 graduate of Columbia High School and a recent inductee into the first CHS Athletic Hall of Fame, was the featured speaker at Sunday’s high school football banquet held at the Taste of Styles.
Price, who taught 40 years in the Donegal School District, was proud of his induction into the CHS Hall of Fame.
“I’ve been inducted into the National Wrestling Hall of Fame and out of all the ones I’ve been in, nothing is more special than Columbia High School,” Price said.
He spoke of the four people, who were also inducted into the Hall of Fame that put the desire, determination and instilled discipline in him -- Harry Smoker, Elmer Kreiser, Tom Donan and Hubie Peters.
Smoker was the principal at CHS while Price was a student; Kreiser was the junior high football coach, while Donan was the varsity coach and Price met Peters during the summers on the playgrounds in Columbia.
“They made an impression on me and helped shape by future,” Price said.
The former educator and wrestling coach at Donegal and Manheim Central said he taught more than 7,00 kids and they all left an impression on him.
He also spoke to the seniors, underclassmen, parents and coaches. He urged the parents to be supportive on their son’s sport and not try to make their son into something they are not, or relive their high school days through their sons.
“Parents need to help promote the sport and be supportive,” Price said.
He concluded his remarks saying that getting an education at Columbia helped make him successful.
“The opportunities are here. I believe in it and don’t ever make excuses about being from Columbia,” he said.
The varsity coaching staff presented the following awards:
Players of the Game
• Daniel Boone: Marcus Fischer and Dakota Lightfoot.
• Pequea Valley: Yahya McIntyre and Lightfoot.
• Donegal: Kevin McCarty and Lightfoot.
Season Awards
• Offensive Back of the Year: Lightfoot.
“He had a great season offensively. Other coaches in the section told me they weren’t looking forward to facing him,” said head coach Jason Shoff.
• Offensive Lineman of the Year: McCarty.
“He played every position and had the highest blocking grade,” said Adam Aston, assistant coach.
• Wide Receiver of the Year: McIntyre.
• Defensive Back of the Year and Leading Tackler: Lightfoot.
• Defensive Lineman of the Year: McCarty.
• Linebacker of the Year: Joey Charles.
• Special Teams Most Valuable Player: Clark Meshey.
• Scout Team Most Valuable Player: John Markley.
• Rookie of the Year: Marcus Fischer.
• Helmet Awards for participating in the program in grades 9-12: Jason Combs, Matt Kreiser, Lightfoot, McCarty, McIntyre and Bobby Schoelkopf.
The varsity coaching staff made remarks about the season and introduced the freshman team that went undefeated this past season.
Former Columbia quarterback Ray McCarty served as master of ceremonies, while the Rev. Ron Bachman gave the invocation.