Columbia-Donegal

For the last two years when Columbia and Donegal played their annual high school football game, it was the league opener in the L-L League.
For many years prior to that, the two longtime rivals that are separated by Chickies Hill, played the final game of the regular season.
Usually attached to that final game of the regular season was a championship or playoff berth.
Remember the final game of the 1999 season when the Indians beat Columbia 3-0? The section ended in a three-way tie as the result of that game.
And during the many years of the rivalry, there have been a number of great games, outstanding players and memorable moments.
This year, there is no section title at stake, or, a District Three playoff berth. Donegal won’t be going to the playoffs for the second straight year. Columbia on the other hand is going to the District Three Class A playoffs.
Both teams have struggled this year.
The Tide and Indians come into the game with identical 2-7 overall records and 1-5 section marks.
There are also a lot of similarities.
• Both teams beat Pequea Valley.
• Both teams played Eastern. Columbia lost its season opener to the Golden Knights, while the Indians beat the Knights a week later.
• Both teams played Daniel Boone. Columbia shocked Daniel Boone in overtime, while the Indians were blanked in the opener by the Blazers.
• Both teams like to run the football. Columbia’s Dakota Lightfoot has rushed for 1,386  yards and scored 13 times this season. Donegal’s Kyle Witmer has rushed for 1,224 yards and scored 10 times.
• Both teams are improved on defense, but have weak areas. Donegal’s is against the pass, while the Tide has trouble stopping the run.
NOTES: Kickoff is 7:30 p.m., which is a half later later than Columbia has started its games all season.
Last year, four teams from Section 3 made the playoffs. This year, going into the final week of the regular season, the Tide, Lancaster Catholic, Elco and Northern Lebanon are guaranteed spots, while L-S, who had a magical run through the playoffs last year needs some help to get in.
Daniel Boone, who faced both teams, is ranked in the top 10 in Class AAA.
In all, 15 L-L League teams could qualify for the playoffs, which begin next week.

Who is Daniel Boone

Columbia closes its non-league schedule tomorrow night with perhaps the toughest team on their schedule.
No, its not Lancaster Catholic, rather the Daniel Boone Blazers who went deep[ into the District Three playoffs last season and a team the Tide dominated when they played a few years back.
Boone is 2-0 on the season with convincing opening wins over Donegal by a 40-0 score and Susquehannock last week by a 35-14 score.
The Blazers play in Division One of the Berks Inter-County League and have a number of key players back from a team that went 9-4 a year ago.
Coach Dave Bodolus is getting credit for turning the Boone program into a District Three Class AAA power. When the Tide played them before, Boone wasn’t that good and the Tide owns a two-game winning streak over the Blazers..
Leading the way for the Blazers will be quarterback Jon Monteiro, who threw for five touchdown passes against Donegal.
Monteiro’s favorite targets are Zach Keely, who is also an all-state defensive back and Mitchell Steed.
Monteiro is just a junior and in his first year as a starter.
It will be the last tune-up for the Crimson Tide, who starts league play next week against defending Section 3 co-champ Lampeter-Strasburg.
Like it has been all year, kickoff is 7 p.m. tomorrow night.

This week's edition

This week's edition of the Columbia Ledger has five pages of graduation pictures and stories; along with the awards that were given at the Senor Recognition Banquet, the middle school along with the Park and Taylor Elementary Schools.

Also, just a reminder about the events this weekend in Columbia -- the Columbia Consolidated Fire Department hosts its annual Native American Powwow on Saturday and Sunday.

The Cruisin Columbia Car Show will fill the downtown streets on Saturday.

This week's edition

This week's edition of the Columbia Ledger has five pages of graduation pictures and stories; along with the awards that were given at the Senor Recognition Banquet, the middle school along with the Park and Taylor Elementary Schools.

Also, just a reminder about the events this weekend in Columbia -- the Columbia Consolidated Fire Department hosts its annual Native American Powwow on Saturday and Sunday.

The Cruisin Columbia Car Show will fill the downtown streets on Saturday.

Coming next week....

It’s a busy week for the Columbia School District and we will have it all covered for you in next week’s Columbia Ledger.
The Park and Taylor Elementary Schools finish the school year up this week with their annual awards’ nights. We’ll tell you who the award winners are and have a few pictures.
The seventh and eighth grade students at Columbia High School will be recognized when the annual Smiley Awards are presented.
The biggest event of the week happens Friday night when more than 100 students at Columbia High School will be part of the school’s graduating class. Watch for stories and plenty of pictures in next week’s edition on the big event of the spring.
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Who wins!

While the Columbia basketball season ended last Saturday, local fans might be interested in a Class AA Eastern semi-final tomorrow at Reading's Geigle Complex at 1 p.m.

It matches Strawbery Mansion against Trinity.

The winner goes to the Eastern finals on Wednesday opposite either Imhotep (another Public League School) or Holy Cross, which is a merged school from District 2 formed by combining two Catholic schools, one being Bishop Hanan. Remember them?

So who wins?

If it comes down to coaching, give the nod to Larry Kostelac.

If it comes down to bench play, again give the nod to the Shamrocks.

Guard play will be extremely critical in this one, because I think SM is better up front.

I'll take Mansion!