Manheim Township senor Isaac Churchville is a team guy. Someone that can be counted on when a teammate may need a pick me up. Or someone who can bring out the best in another.
Churchville is a thrower for the Blue Streaks. He has thrown the discus in past seasons but has added the shot put this season. Last year he finished 13th in the discus at the Lancaster-Lebanon League Meet with a throw of 128’3”.
Georgia Ealy, a Manheim Township senior, is focused on getting better. And that is a significant goal since she has been doing well thus far.
Ealy is a middle distance/distance runner for the Blue Streaks. She is coming off a fall cross country season that saw her 22nd-place finish lead Township to a sixth place at the Class AAA state championships. Talk about getting better, she was 40th after one mile, 34th after two and passed 12 runners in the final 1.1 miles.
Now in track season, she states her top team goal is to see how much her team can improve.
Kurt Chiong is looking to lead the Manheim Township boys tennis team to a repeat of the Lancaster-Lebanon League Championship the team won last year.
"We have a new coach (Shane Holbein). We really like him. Our practices have been physically intense," Chiong said at the Spring Sports Media Day hosted by LNP | LancasterOnline.
Paige Hughes, Manheim Township, senior, catcher, third base, plans to attend Meredith College, Raleigh, North Carolina, and play softball
Do you expect to see action at both positions?
Kolton Kemp begins his second year as Manheim Township’s heavyweight wrestler. His record as a freshman was an impressive 25-11.
According to Kemp, Township will field a young, talented wrestling squad this year. Hempfield is a rival in wrestling, if not all sports.
Kemp looks toward a rematch with the Penn Manor heavyweight after last year’s match was tough battle.
Kemp has goals to do well, if not win, at Sections and Districts, along with qualifying for States.
Jack Kenneff, a 6-2 senior just completed a successful season as the quarterback for the Blue Streaks football machine and will transition into a role of being a “glue” guy for the Manheim Township basketball team.
And no matter the sport, Kenneff, whose season-high in points last year was 11 in a loss to Lebanon, said the goal is the same.
“Always winning a championship,” he said. “I am looking to be a leader and bring everyone together.”
Scoring may get the headlines, but Manheim Township girls basketball team believes defense will be the key to its success.
Returning junior Julia Weaver (right in photo) says, "The goal is to hold teams to 28 points or under." Weaver says, "We take pride in our defense. We have a lot of strong athletes that are willing to put in the hard work to keep opponents from scoring."
The Manheim Township boys and girls cross country teams won District 3 titles last year. They are looking to set the pace again this season.
The girls teams going for a 4-peat when it comes to district gold. Coach Kevin Stover says, "We've put something in place, a consistency, an ability to adapt." Stover coaches both the boys and girls teams.
Leading the girls are Lexie Kauffman (left in top photo) and Kaila Atteberry. They talked about "the focus they need during meets."
Ben Faranda-Diedrich (top photo) sees the posters of past Manheim Township star players in the locker room every day as he and other Blue Streaks prepare for the 2025 season.
No one in the Lancaster-Lebanon League has found any more football success in recent years than Manheim Township, but the last three seasons have all ended sooner than expected with losses to Harrisburg in the District 3 playoffs. How to get over that hurdle? "Play as one," says Darius Dixon.
Players attending media day:
Jack Kenneff (top), senior, quarterback
(from left, below)
Luke Wagner, senior, tight end, defensive end
Taylor Veilleux, senior, running back, defensive lineman