This was the scene at nearly every high school football game in central Pennsylvania on Friday night as a storm popped up that brought heavy downpours and lightning that wreaked havoc on the schedule. Three games involving Lebanon County teams, including this one at Annville-Cleona, were postponed to today. Meanwhile three other games were played. (LEBANON DAILY NEWS GLEN GRAY)
Again, the undermanned Palmyra football team battled admirably. Again, it wasn't enough to keep the Cougars from remaining winless in 2012.

Despite another spirited effort, Palmyra fell to 0-8 on Friday night after a 35-19 Mid-Penn Keystone Division setback at Mechanicsburg.

Palmyra trailed 28-7 at the half before outscoring the Wildcats (4-4) 12-7 in the second half to make the final score respectable.

The Cougars scored the first points of the game when Mason Laudermilch scored from a yard out in the first quarter, giving Palmyra a 7-0 lead. However, Mechanicsburg scored the next five touchdowns of the game to build a 35-7 lead in the third quarter.

"We started out really well," head coach Chris Pope said. "We drove down the field but got stopped at the 5-yard line."

Dino Faiola scored from 12 yards out in the third quarter to break the Wildcats' scoring spree, and Mitchell Cooper found the end zone after hauling in a 17-yard pass from Laudermilch in the fourth quarter to pull Palmyra to within 35-19, but that was as close as it would get.

"We had a letdown in the third quarter for about six minutes," Pope said. "But other than that we played well."

Faiola finished with 139 yards on 16 carries, and Cooper hauled in seven aerials for 109 yards in the loss. (See box score below for more statistics on this game.)

Elsewhere Friday night:

H.S. football

roundup

  • Elco 7, Columbia 6, suspended: In
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    Myerstown, the Raiders and Crimson Tide made it to the second quarter before heavy rain and lightning forced a stadium evacuation and cancellation.

    Elco, which honored its seniors prior to kickoff, will carry a one-point lead into today's restart at 1 p.m. On their first possession, the Raiders rolled 55 yard on six plays, capped off by a 27-yard touchdown run by wildcat quarterback Cameron Strause. Soccer-transplant Clayton Bauder drilled the extra point for a 7-0 cushion.

    Columbia, which punted on its first three opportunities, answered early in the second quarter on a 21-yard scoring strike from Kyle Warfel to Will Kreiser. The Tide tried a fake on the point after, only to have Raider defender Nick Sprenkle break up the pass in the end zone. That proved to be the final play of the night, as the game will resume with Columbia kicking to Elco with 9:41 left before halftime.

  • Pequea Valley at Annville-Cleona, suspended: In Annville, the Little Dutchmen only got 3:34 into the first quarter of their Homecoming clash before a drenching thunderstorm halted the contest for the night.

    The game, which was scoreless when play was suspended, will be resumed this morning at 11 a.m. A-C has the ball and is facing a

    Elco s Nick Sprenkle knocks the ball away from Columbia s Nick Nobile during a two-point conversion attempt Friday night in Myerstown. The game was suspended in the second quarter with the Raiders winning 7-6 and will be continued today at 1 p.m. (LEBANON DAILY NEWS JEREMY LONG )
    second down and 8 on their own 44 yard-line with 8:26 left in the first quarter.

  • McCaskey at Cedar Crest, postponed: A heavy rain and lightning storm caused for an unfortunate postponement of Cedar Crest's Senior Night on Friday night, as the game was cut short just six plays into the game.

    McCaskey started the game with the ball and ran six plays before a delay due to lightning. Aaron Swinton of McCaskey had two rushes for nine yards before the game was called to a halt.

    The game was rescheduled for today at 7 p.m. back at Cedar Crest High School.

    MECHANICSBURG 35, PALMYRA 19

    Palmyra 7-0-6-6 - 19
    Mechanicsburg 7-21-7-7 - 35

    First Quarter

    P - Laudermich 1 run (Lohr kick)

    M - Hennesy 1 run (Dubis kick)

    Second Quarter

    M - Brown 21 run (Dubis kick)

    M - Hennesy 8 run (Dubis kick)

    M - Brown 59 run (Dubis kick)

    Third Quarter

    M - Miller 3 run (Dubis kick)

    P - Dino Faiola 12 run (kick blocked)

    Fourth Quarter

    P - Cooper 17 pass from Laudermilch (kick failed)

    M - n/a

    P - M
    First downs 19 - 11
    Rushes-yards 30-353 - 30-285
    Passing 14-33-2 - 7-13-1
    Passing yards 192 - 85
    Total yards 447 - 370
    Punts 3-29 - 4-38
    Fumbles-lost 1-1 - 0
    Penalties-yards 5-55 - 12-100

    INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS

    Rushing: P - Dino Faiola 16-139, Anthony Faiola 3-6, Laudermilch 9-37, Joey Hess 12-71

    Passing: P - Laudermilch 14-33-2, 192 yards

    Receiving: P - Cooper 7-109, Slobozien 2-28, Harro 3-39, Binner 1-9, Beecher 1-5