The 12 to Watch in 2012: Kennard-Dale DB Dan Hare

This is Part 8 in our continuing blog series, which looks at 12 players to watch during the upcoming YAIAA football season. A reminder, there is one major change from last year's list: In an effort to profile a wider range of teams, I'm only picking one player from each school for the list.

Previous playersRB Alex Cooley, Eastern York

RB/OLB Marquis Fells, Central York

QB James Dougherty, York Catholic

C/DT Brody Kern, West YorkQB Dustin Crouse, Littlestown

RB Dillon Thomas, South WesternRB/WR Jaime Nixon-Alark, York Suburban

FS Dan Hare

Kennard-Dale, Sr.

2011 stats: 52 tackles, 4 interceptions

14-49 passing, 202 yards, 1 TD, 4 INT; 143 rushes, 577 yards, 4.04 avg., 9 TDs

The Rams’ 2011 season might not have been one to remember, but Hare still managed to turn more than a few heads. On offense, the soon-to-be-senior spent most of his time at quarterback, where he excelled as a runner. In the team’s season opener against York Catholic, Hare led an 18-play, 91-yard drive that ended in a tiebreaking touchdown with 11 seconds left. He finished the season ranked second on the team in rushing. 

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But much of Hare’s best work came on the defensive side of the ball.

He snagged two of his four interceptions in that win over York Catholic, and ranked third on the team in tackles despite battling injuries during the year. Hare was named a Class AAA third-team all-state choice at safety by the Pennsylvania Football News, one of just two YAIAA non-senior players to earn third-team or better honors from the PFN. (Littlestown rising senior quarterback Dustin Crouse earned Class AA second-team honors.)

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Other Rams to watch: Rising seniors Zach Wilkinson (QB), Dylan Moynihan (RB) and Oakley Dieter (RB) all factored into the picture on offense last season. Moynihan was also Kennard-Dale’s second leading tackler, with 61 stops from his linebacker position.