The first LL League championship of the 2023-2024 academic year has concluded, and there is a new old name atop the team standings at the LL League Golf Championships presented by Orthopedic Associates of Lancaster.
Manheim Township, having already won the 2023 Section 1 Championship, shot a combined 19 over to win the League Championship for the first time since 2020 and their 21st overall.
Individually Jesse Shue of Penn Manor won the boys crown, shooting 4 under (the only person to go under par in the tournament). Elle Overly of Warwick was girls champion at 3 over.
2023 Golf Champions League Champion: Manheim Township Boys Champion: Jesse Shue, Penn Manor (-4) Girls Champion: Elle Overly, Warwick (+3) Section 1 Champion: Manheim Township Section 2 Champion: Conestoga Valley Section 3 Champion: Lampeter-Strasburg Section 4 Champion: Annville-Cleona
Be sure to check out the fantastically thorough LL League Golf Coaches’ website for complete results and a comprehensive history of the LL League golf tournament.
At the most recent meeting of the LL League Athletic Director’s Association, Donegal Athletic Director Frank Hawkins was named the Lancaster-Lebanon League Athletic Director of the year for 2023. Presenting Mr. Hawkins his award is Zac Kraft, Athletic Director at Lancaster Country Day and LL League Athletic Director’s Association President.
Donegal AD Frank Hawkins, LL League AD of the Year
At that same meeting the LL League celebrated the retirement of Rich Hinnenkamp, Athletic Director of Lancaster Catholic High School and past President of the LL League Athletic Director’s Association. Mr. Hinnenkamp was honored for his selfless efforts in promoting athletics at Lancaster Catholic and for his 7 years as LL League Athletic Director Association President. Presenting Mr. Hinnenkamp with his award are (left to right): Zac Kraft, Athletic Director at Lancaster Country Day and LL League Athletic Director Association President, Rich Hinnenkamp, and Todd Reitnouer, LL League Executive Director.
Rich Hinnenkamp, Past President of the LL League AD’s Association, having served from 2016 to 2023
Orthopedic Associates of Lancaster is once again holding a Saturday Sports Clinic at their North Pointe Boulevard office. Did you get banged up in a game this week? Get diagnosed and treated, no appointment needed! The clinic runs from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. each Saturday.
Orthopedic Associates of Lancaster is offering FREE sports physicals for student athletes in grades 7-12 during the 2023-2024 school year.
Physicals will be offered the evenings of Wednesday, June 14th and Wednesday, June 21st at the North Pointe Boulevard office, and Monday, June 14th at the Lebanon office. Appointments are required and slots are filling up fast. Call 717-735-6649 to schedule an appointment.
In a ceremony held today honors Senior Scholar-Athletes from around the Lancaster-Lebanon League were honored for their accomplishments academically AND athletically. Each school in the league is permitted to nominate two scholar athletes. Congratulations to this years nominees.
Nominees
Nominee 1
Nominee 2
Annville-Cleona
Noryan Mitchell
Alex Long*
Cedar Crest
Sarah Durning
Grace Tadajweski
Cocalico
Samantha Keck
Tyler Angstadt*
Columbia
Emily Gambler*
Aidan Miller
Conestoga Valley
Rhiannon Henry
Carson Hoover
Donegal
Emma Myers
Landen Baughman
ELCO
Samantha Nelson
Chandler Erhart
Ephrata
Madison Kimmel
Weston Nolt
Elizabethtown
Taryn Hummer
Zackary Lippold
Garden Spot
Melanie Esh
Gabriel Smeltz
Hempfield
Aidan Hodge*
Joseph Fahrney
Lancaster Catholic
Jansen Hoffard
William Scott*
Lancaster Country Day
Milana Breuninger*
Freddie Bloom*
Lebanon
Eve Fenstermaker
Antonio Scaramuzzino
Lancaster Mennonite
Sarah Lefever
Matthew Friesen
Lampeter-Strasburg
Maggie Swarr*
Rowan Kimmel*
Manheim Central
Abigail Reed*
Madison Knier*
Manheim Township
Elle Commerce
Tyler Mullholland
McCaskey
Luci De Syon
Matthew Remash
Northern Lebanon
Erin Shuey
James Voight*
Octorara
Mackenzie Muldoon
Jackson Leaman
Penn Manor
Anne Bibus
Isabell Kligge
Pequea Valley
Brooke Graham
Cameron Beiler
Solanco
Emma Baxter
Josiah Forren
Warwick
Ella Lucas
Ivan Tejada
A committee evaluates the nominees academic and athletic credentials in narrowing the field to six finalists each of male and female nominees. Finalists in the table above are noted with an asterisk. From those finalists, a male and female award winner is named.
2023 Winners
This year’s winners were Aidan Hodge of Hempfield and Madison Knier of Manheim Central.
Madison Knier is a 14-time letter winner for the Barons, having participated in Volleyball, Basketball, and Track & Field, as well as Cheerleading as the school’s mascot for two years. In Volleyball, she was a two-time First Team All-State selection during her Junior and Senior Seasons. She was a four-time league all-star, three-time district all-star, and named to the L-L League All-Academic team her senior year. Additionally, Madison holds the school record for most kills in a single season. In Basketball, she was a three-time All-State Selection: Third team during her sophomore season and first team during her Junior and Senior seasons. She was a three-time L-L League Section MVP and four-time First Team L-L League All-Star. Madison also holds the school’s all-time scoring record with 2,054 career points, ranking her 8th all time in L-L League Girls Basketball history. She was also a Miss PA Basketball nominee for all four years of high school, as well as a PA Gatorade Player of the Year nominee in 2022. In Track & Field, Madison is a four-time L-L League Champion amongst multiple events. She has also earned numerous District 3 medals, having placed second in Javelin and High Jump during her sophomore and junior seasons. Madison is also the Girls’ Track & Field school record holder for both Long Jump and High Jump. As the school’s mascot, Madison has participated in numerous school-wide and community events during her two years as the Baron. She has attended events such as Race for Education, Reading Under the Lights, Manheim Central Pride Night, and numerous pep rallies and sporting events. Madison plans to continue her academic and athletic careers at the University of Pennsylvania, where she will major in Psychology, while competing on the Track & Field team.
Aidan Hodge is arguably Hempfield’s most decorated distance runner. By winning this year’s league meet in the 800 and 1600, he is now a 7-time LL champion on the track. His 1600 time set a new league meet record, previously held by McCaskey standout and Syracuse runner, Nathan Henderson. He heads into this year’s Districts and States looking to add to his hardware collection. Between cross-country and track, Aidan is already a 7-time State Medalist. He won the league and district cross country title as a junior and was named all-state as a senior. He led his cross country team to 3 league titles and a pair of District titles, missing a third by a single point. In the classroom, he is a distinguished honors’ student who has consistently taken high level courses and maintained a 4.78 weighted GPA. He has had straight A’s his entire junior and senior year. He will be attending Ole Miss on a partial scholarship for cross country and track.
A. Landis Brackbill
A. Landis Brackbill was the first Executive Director of the Lancaster-Lebanon League. Brackbill was born and raised in Gap. He attended Salisbury High School and graduated from the F&M Academy. Brackbill had a love for baseball and was a very talented left-handed pitcher. After High School, he was recruited by Jack Coombs, baseball coach at Duke University. While at Duke, Brackbill injured his left arm ending his competitive pitching. Although he had an arm injury, he still was able to pitch some batting practice for the Philadelphia Athletics under manager Connie Mack. Over the years Brackbill had a close relationship with Mr. Mack. He continued at Duke earning a degree to become a mathematics teacher and started his teaching career at Salisbury High School. Brackbill continued his education at the University of Pennsylvania obtaining a Master’s Degree with certification as a secondary principal. He became Principal at Terre Hill High School and later moved to Millersville as principal of Manor High School, which is now Penn Manor. Thank you to the Brackbill family for sponsoring the awards in honor of their father.
SCHOLAR ATHLETES
The Brackbill Award qualifications include the words “exceptional student athletes within the greater community”. To be eligible the recipients must have a minimum of a 3.5 GPA and be participating in two or more varsity sports during their senior year. The Manheim Touchdown Club began awarding scholarships to each of the Brackbill recipients in 2006. Because the Brackbill Award Committee already had in place a process to select the most outstanding female and male student athletes in the Lancaster Lebanon League, the decision was made to provide scholarship awards to the Brackbill winners instead of establishing a separate award. The Brackbill Committee is autonomous and has no relationship to the Manheim Touchdown Club.
The Orthopedic Associates of Lancaster LL League Boys Volleyball and Softball championships will be contested on Wednesday, May 17th, both at 7 p.m.
Boys Volleyball pits the 2 section champions in a battle for the trophy with Section 1 Champ Warwick taking on Section 2 Champ Manheim Central. Warwick will be the home team for the match held at Manheim Township. The contest will start at 7 p.m. 2023 Boys Volleyball Bracket
In Softball, it is an all section 1 affair as Section 1 Champion Hempfield takes the field against the Section 1 Runner Up Warwick yet again this season. Hempfield, as a Section Champion, will be the home team. First pitch is at 7 p.m. at Millersville University. Please note the following about the Softball finals: All tickets are $5. The ticket table (only entrance to the field) will be located at the gate to the softball field, behind Pucillo Gymnasium; please do not drive down the road behind the gym. Bleachers are available for general seating & plenty of room for individuals to sit in their own chairs, around the entire field. Restrooms are available inside the lobby of Pucillo Gymnasium (through the doors closest to the field) Parking is in the stadium parking garage & lot in front of the parking garage. The Penn Manor High School lot may also be an option. There will not be concessions provided at these events and there are not plans to stream the finals at this time. 2023 Softball Bracket
The Orthopedic Associates of Lancaster LL League Track and Field Championships were contested this past weekend at Hempfield
McCaskey won their third straight Girls Track and Field LL League Championship while Conestoga Valley won the boys crown, their first since 2012. Individual event winners were:
The Lancaster Lebanon League does not sponsor junior high championships, but the de facto track and field championship meet is the annual Coaches’ Meet. On the girls side, Hempfield came away with the team trophy. Cedar Crest captured the boys title. Complete results are here.
The Orthopedic Associates of Lancaster LL League Championships in Girls Lacrosse, Boys Lacrosse and Boys Volleyball get underway next week.
Boys volleyball is up first on Monday, May 15th. Both semifinals will be hosted by Section 2 Champion Manheim Central. Section 1 Champion Warwick vs Garden Spot at 5 p.m. Section 2 Champion Manheim Central vs Cedar Crest at 7 p.m. 2023 Boys Volleyball Bracket
The Girls Lacrosse semifinals will be played on Tuesday, May 16th at Conestoga Valley. Section 2 Champion Lampeter-Strasburg plays Hempfield at 5:30 p.m. Section 1 Champion Manheim Township plays Cocalico at 7:30 p.m. 2023 Girls Lacrosse Bracket
The Boys Lacrosse semifinals will be played on Tuesday, May 16th at Ephrata. Section 2 Champion Cocalico plays Hempfield at 5 p.m. Section 1 Champion Manheim Township plays Lampeter-Strasburg at 7 p.m. 2023 Boys Lacrosse Bracket
The Orthopedic Associates of Lancaster LL League Baseball Championship quarterfinals are set to take the field Thursday, May 11th.
Section Champions will host the quarterfinals: Northern Lebanon at Hempfield at 4:30 p.m. Lampeter-Strasburg at Manheim Central at 4:30 p.m. Warwick at Lancaster Catholic at 4:30 p.m. Donegal at Ephrata at 7 p.m. Semifinals will be on Saturday, May 13th at Ephrata’s War Memorial Field, with finals slated for Monday, May 15th at Clipper Magazine Stadium. 2023 Baseball Bracket
On the other diamond, the Orthopedic Associates of Lancaster LL League Softball Champoinship quarterfinal round is 87.5% set. The second place team out of Section 4 is yet to be determined by games to be played later today. Annville-Cleona, Pequea Valley and Lancaster Catholic are all still in contention. Section Champions host the quarterfinals at 4:15 p.m. on Friday, May 12th: Manheim Central at Solanco, 4:15 p.m. Warwick at Northern Lebanon, 4:15 p.m. Ephrata at Donegal, 4:15 p.m. Annville-Cleona, Pequea Valley or Lancaster Catholic at Hempfield, 3:30 p.m. Semifinals will be Monday, May 15th at Millersville University. The finals will be May 17th at Millersville. 2023 Softball Bracket
