Octorara picks up program-record 7th win in L-L League Section 4 thumping of Annville-Cleona

ATGLEN — Octorara has more than it has ever had, football-wise. But the Braves are far from content.

On a cool Friday night on their home turf, the Braves manhandled Annville-Cleona 53-7 in a Lancaster-Lebanon Section Four clash. Mixing just the right amount of passing with a grueling running attack that produced big plays, Octorara notched the first 53 points of the game and led 39-0 at the break.

With the convincing triumph, Octorara improved to 3-1 in Section Four and 7-2 this season. That seventh win represents the most in any of the program’s previous 15 seasons.

Not only did the victory keep Octorara in the running for a section championship, it also solidified the team’s standing in the District Three power rankings. In the latest rankings, the Braves were situated 10th in Class 4A — which takes 10 teams for the postseason.

Octorara scored on its initial possession of the game, courtesy of a 3-yard run by Zion Raison-Peters, to assume a 6-0 lead. Then, the Braves posted 33 points in the second quarter to evoke the mercy rule in the second half.

Highlighting Octorara's second-quarter outburst were three rushing touchdowns in the final 2:02. Senior running back Mike Trainor raced 83 yards on the final snap of the first half to cap the rally.

Trainer scored three total touchdowns, two on the ground and one courtesy of a 28-yard pass from quarterback Weston Stoltzfus that, at the time, extended Octorara's lead to 26-0. Raison-Peters tallied a pair of touchdowns, while three other Braves also broke the plane.

Annville-Cleona (2-2, 3-5) averted the shutout with 1:46 remaining when sophomore Cael Harter ran one in from 19 yards out.

Turning point

Following a fumble in the middle of the opening quarter, Octorara's defense made a goal-line stand, denying Annville-Cleona on four snaps from inside its 2-yard line. The Dutchmen would score their only touchdown late in the final quarter, but only after the Braves had ripped off the previous 50 points.

Star of the game

Octorara’s Trainor, who piled up 203 yards on the ground and scored three touchdowns, all in the first half of action.

Key statistic

The Braves finished with 485 rushing yards.

Quotable

"We had high hopes coming into the season, with what we had coming back," Octorara coach Jed King said. "It's just a great group of seniors who lead by action. We did everything we were coached to do. Our seniors are anxious for the playoffs. We have a shot to make districts. But we have high hopes. We want to win a game."