User:Wildcatpride1

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Mechanicsburg Football
PIAA Classification AAA District III
Location Mechanicsburg, Pennsylvania
Mascot Wildcat
Colors Maroon, Steel, Black, White
Stadium John H. Frederick Field
at Memorial Park Stadium
Program Divisions Varsity, Junior Varsity, Freshman
Program Record 539-352-49 (42nd in PA)
Division
Championships 		1932, 1933, 1934, 1936,
1937, 1941, 1954, 1982,
1983, 1986, 1996, 2001, 2008
District Championships 1986
Playoff
Appearances 		1982, 1983, 1986,
1994, 2000, 2004,
2008, 2009

The Mechanicsburg, PA Wildcats are a high school football team in the Harrisburg, PA region of the United States.

  • Mechanicsburg Helmet
    Mechanicsburg Helmet
  • John H. Frederick Field, 2009
    John H. Frederick Field, 2009

Accomplishments[edit]

The football program is currently in the AAAA rank of the PIAA Classification system. They are members of the Mid-Penn Conference in the Colonial Division (formerly Mid-Penn Division II) and South Penn Conference, which they were champions of in 1932, 1933, 1934, 1936, 1937, 1941, 1954, 1982, 1983, 1986, 1996, 2001, and 2008. The overall record of the program from 1919-2009 is 539-352-49, with only Steelton-Highspire having more overall wins in District III and the 5th youngest program to reach such a total.[1] In 1986, under the guidance of late head coach Rich Lichtel, Mechanicsburg won their first PIAA District 3 AAAA Championship[2]. They were also runners-up in 1983 and 2004. Since the influx of the district playoff system in 1982, the wildcats have qualified for the District III playoffs in 1982, 1983, 1986, 1994, 2000, 2004, 2008, and 2009 and have an overall record of 7-7 in playoff games. The Wildcats appeared in the PIAA AAA State Tournament in 2004 and 2008.

In the Community[edit]

Reading with the Wildcats
The Mechanicsburg Football program has started a ‘ Reading with the Wildcat’s’ program with Broad Street Elementary School . Senior football players, who are now being joined by other senior athletes, travel to Broad Street to read a book to the elementary classes. After reading to the class, our student-athletes talk with the elementary schoolers about the importance of reading and school. They then answer any questions the kids might have for them about the high school, their sport, or anything they want to ask.

All of the high school readers have commented on how nervous they are before they read and then on how much fun the experience is when they leave Broad Street.

We would like to THANK Mrs. Hoover, the Broad Street Reading teacher & Mrs. Archibald, the Broad Street Principal and the entire Broad Street faculty for the opportunity to come read, speak & share with the elementary kids. This has been a great experience for all![3]

Facilities[edit]

Alt text
John H. Frederick Field, 2009

The Wildcats play at John H. Frederick Field at Memorial Park Stadium (located in the back of Soldiers and Sailors Memorial Park). In 2008, an artificial turf surface was installed at the facility. [4] [5]

History[edit]

The first season of Mechanicsburg football was in 1919 under Principal Roy Burkhart (1919-1920, 5-7-1). The Wildcats finished 2-4.

In 1924, the Wildcats under Coach Harry Mercer went 10-0 and outscored opponents 439-0, a record that still stands today. In his 8 seasons as head coach, Mercer went 61-13-6 for an .827 winning percentage, the best ever among Mechanicsburg coaches.

Coach George Vorbach (1931-1936, 40-15-4) led Mechanicsburg to South Penn Conference Championships in 1932, 1933, 1934, and 1936.

Coach John H. Frederick (1937-1942, 1945-1957, 131-41-21) won 3 South Penn Conference Championships. His coaching term was interrupted by military service due to World War II from 1943-1944. He coached three undefeated teams in 1937, 1941, and 1954, and four of his teams (1942, 1947, 1949, and 1956) only had one loss.

The Rich Lichtel and Chris Hakel Era[edit]

Rich Lichtel was hired as Mechanicsburg's head football coach in 1981 after terms as an assistant coach at Mechanicsburg and at Bloomsburg University [6]. In 1982, Mechanicsburg qualified for the District III playoffs in the tournament's inaugural year, losing to Steelton-Highspire High School 28-27. In 1983 Lichtel's Wildcats again qualified for the District III playoffs, and finished as District runner-up to Steelton-Highspire. In 1983 the Wildcats earned their first playoff victory, a 27-0 decision over Central Dauphin East High School. In 1986 the Wildcats earned another trip to the District III Championship, defeating Carlisle High School 28-27 for the first District Championship in school history. It remains the only football District Championship to Mechanicsburg's credit. After an 8-year hiatus from District play, the Wildcats earned a birth in the field in 1994, losing in the first round 42-7 to Manheim Central High School. Lichtel's Wildcats won the Capital Division Championship in 2001 and lost 19-3 to Spring Grove High School in the first round of the District III playoffs [7]. In 2004, Lichtel guided the Wildcats to a 10-3 record and a spot in the District III Championship, losing 24-7 to Manheim Central. On that team were AP All-State players Zach Frazer (Player of the Year), Josh Koontz and Jeremy Boone. After much speculation, Lichtel decided to return to coaching for the 2005 season, even after retiring from teaching after the 2004-2005 school year. Lichtel chose to remain as the head coach through the 2006 season, although health concerns caused him to miss one game [8]. Multiple surgeries after the close of the 2006 season (in which the Wildcats finished 3-7) forced Lichtel to announce he would take an indefinite leave and named Chris Hakel and Jeff Costello co-head coaches until his return. On September 21, 2007 Lichtel died at the age of 60.[9] He died at 7:01 p.m., exactly one minute after his Wildcats kicked off against rival Middletown. Mechanicsburg finished 3-7 in 2007 with a record of 1-6 after Lichtel's death.

Lichtel's final record as Mechanicsburg head coach stands at 160-120-1, a total that has not been eclipsed. To his credit are a District III Championship in 1986 and 5 Mid-Penn championships, 2001 Mid-Penn Coach of the Year and 2005 Big 33 Football Classic Assistant Coach. Known as having an expertise in the quarterback position (himself being a record-setting quarterback at Bloomsburg University[10]), 7 out of 15 of Lichtel's quarterbacks were given full scholarships to Division I colleges, and helped his players receive over $2 Million in scholarship grants.[11] He was incredibly well-respected throughout the state of Pennsylvania and will be remembered for his sense of humor and love of practical jokes.

Current head coach Chris Hakel (2008- ,18-6) was hired in January 2008 [12]. In his first year as head coach, he led the Wildcats to a 12-1 record, a Mid-Penn championship, a spot in the District III playoffs and was honored with the Mid-Penn Coach of the Year award. In 2009, Hakel's team qualified for the PIAA District III Playoffs and finished 6-5.

Significant alumni and retired numbers[edit]

Chris Hakel (William & Mary, NFL 4th Round) - Current Head Football Coach at Mechanicsburg Area Senior High

Shawn Abner (Major League Baseball, Number 16 Retired)

Zach Frazer (University of Connecticut, PA single season passing record (3,674)[13]

Mike Edwards (third baseman) (Major League Baseball)

Scott Erney (Rutgers University, Big 33 Football Classic Quarterback)

Doug Erney (William and Mary, Big 33 Football Classic Quarterback)

Bud Kohlhaas (Number 61 Retired)

Ryan Priest (Number 45 Retired); Lafayette College Hall of Fame [14]

Dan Lewis (Number 41 Retired), school single season rushing record (2,246)[15], career rushing record (4,788)[16]

Jeremy Boone (Penn State University)


All State Athletes

Earl "Bud" Kohlhaas (1961, 1962)

Dan Lewis (2001)

Zach Frazer (2004 AP Player of the Year, 2005 Honorable Mention)

Jeremy Boone (2004)

Josh Koontz (2004)

Tyler Bullock (2008)

Jake Zeigler (2008)

James Rusenko (2009 Honorable Mention)

Bryton Barr (2010)

Tedroy Lynch (2010)

References[edit]

  1. ^ http://easternpafootball.com/500winclub.html
  2. ^ http://www.easternpafootball.com/pcd3
  3. ^ http://wildcat-pride.com/reading_with_the_cats.htm
  4. ^ http://www.cumberlink.com/articles/2008/08/01/sports/local/doc4893e22e00747439224746.txt
  5. ^ http://www.fieldturf.com/installations/P20/
  6. ^ http://www.cumberlink.com/articles/2007/09/13/sports/sports180.txt
  7. ^ http://www.cumberlink.com/articles/2001/11/10/sports1689.txt
  8. ^ http://www.cumberlink.com/articles/2006/10/26/football/sports08.txt
  9. ^ http://blog.pennlive.com/patriotnewssports/2007/09/mechnicsburg_football_coach_ri.html
  10. ^ http://www.bloomu.edu/library/Archives/football/TwoGreatTeams.html
  11. ^ http://wildcat-pride.com/history_coaches.htm#RichLichtel
  12. ^ http://www.cumberlink.com/articles/2008/01/09/news/news555.txt
  13. ^ http://wildcat-pride.com/2004_season.htm
  14. ^ http://www.goleopards.com/hallfame/lafa-hof-priest-ryan.html
  15. ^ http://www.cumberlink.com/articles/2001/11/03/sports915.txt
  16. ^ http://www.pasportsfever.com/?ArticleNumber=1194644075
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