A big “50th” is usually more of a milestone for those paying close attention to age than it is about anything else.

But it is also not an insignificant number of head coaching victories to attain. Particularly in this day and age, when coaching stints tend to be fairly short, given the many responsibilities and demands placed on those who take on such jobs.

Though he not surprisingly downplayed its significance, Rob Wildasin was nonetheless pleased and maybe even a little bit proud of his 50th career victory as Cedar Crest’s head coach, which came in the form of Friday night’s 42-13 throttling of Penn Manor in the Section 1 opener for both teams at Earl Boltz Stadium.

Cedar Crest head coach Rob Wildasin during a game last season. (File photo by Travis Boyd)

Not because of what it meant for him personally, but because of what it said about the 2023 edition of the Falcons, the 10th Cedar Crest squad Wildasin has guided since taking over the program in 2014.

Now 4-0 overall and 1-0 in Section 1, Cedar Crest picked up Wildasin’s 50th victory in much the same manner as it registered its first three victories of the season — with an attacking, smothering defense and a power running game led by senior bruiser Fernando Marquez.

Marquez rumbled for 117 yards on 17 carries and scored three touchdowns, all before halftime, and the Falcon D did the majority of their damage before intermission as well, forcing four turnovers that included a Malachi Victor fumble return for a touchdown.

It added up to a 35-0 halftime lead that assured an invoking of the mercy rule and a running clock for the entire second half.

“It’s kind of who we are,” said Wildasin of his squad, which is so far more reliant on the run game and defense than many past versions that featured the pass. “We can throw it, but any team would prefer to run if they could do it. Defense has played great, running game has played great, and I’ve got a bunch of seniors up front that should be able to move people. And (Marquez) is just awesome.”

Owen Chernich (2) hauls in a long pass for a Falcon touchdown. The 3-0 Cedar Crest Falcons played host to the 0-3 Penn Manor Comets on Friday, Sept. 15. The Falcons defeated the Comets 42-13. (Travis Boyd)

“We’re playing with (house money). We’re just coming out to have fun. Six more weeks.”

Indeed, there is six more weeks of regular season football to be played, but if the Falcons can maintain their current level of play, the 2023 campaign could go into November.

Cedar Crest wasted no time taking control of the contest, grabbing an early 7-0 lead on a 5-yard touchdown blast with 7:06 still to play in the first quarter.

The Falcons then showed they can still throw it around on their second possession when Jackson Custer connected with Leo Tirado on a 29-yard touchdown strike for a 14-0 lead with just over three minutes left in the first.

Marquez struck again six seconds into the second on a 9-yard touchdown run, and added his third and final touchdown of the night later in the second from 10 yards out.

Fernando Marquez (10) runs the ball outside for the Falcons. The 3-0 Cedar Crest Falcons played host to the 0-3 Penn Manor Comets on Friday, Sept. 15. The Falcons defeated the Comets 42-13. (Travis Boyd)

And it was only right that the defense would get involved in the scoring, as Malachi Victor closed out a first half effort that also featured fumble recoveries by Richie Hernandez and Kenyon Figueroa and a pick by Logan Oriel by returning a fumble 17 yards to paydirt.

“It was a really good team effort,” said Wildasin of the Falcons’ defensive work. “(senior linebacker) Caleb Dorshimer looked awesome, he’s been playing great football and he played great tonight. Malachi was great and Richie Hernandez played tough. And the guys up front do all the dirty work, it’s hard to not say anything about them.”

Jack Waranavage (4) makes a move to get by Quinn Poole (15) on a punt return. The 3-0 Cedar Crest Falcons played host to the 0-3 Penn Manor Comets on Friday, Sept. 15. The Falcons defeated the Comets 42-13. (Travis Boyd)

More hard work and toughness will be needed next week as well, when perennial power Wilson visits the Cedar Crest campus in South Lebanon Township for a key Section 1 matchup.

And if history is any indication, Cedar Crest will be ready to do battle.

“It’s another week. And we’ll be ready for them,” Wildasin said. “They’re good, and we know that. It’ll be fun.”

The Falcons haven’t always won these types of games under Wildasin but they have always shown up.

“It’s really been a loyal staff, a bunch of guys that have committed and are still here,” he said, reflecting on his decade as head coach at Cedar Crest. “I don’t think many people thought we’d get to where we are in 10 years. I get it that other programs are celebrating 10 wins a year, but we know who we are and we know where we fight. I’m super proud of all the kids that played here and all the coaches that I’ve had the privilege to coach with.”

2023 Cedar Crest Falcons

Read all our coverage of the Falcons here.

Roster

Head coach: Rob Wildasin

Assistant coaches: Nick Lambros, Brandon Kirsch, Brian Powers, Tom Gerhart, Shawn Rambler, Tom Waranavage, Logan Horn, Jona Padilla, Nevin Pagan, Bob Peebles, Bob Griffiths, Gary Wildasin

Jersey NumberNameGradePosition(s)
0Alex Abreu12RB/DB
1Leo Tirado Jr.12WR/DB
2Owen Chernich12WR/DB
3Asher Ford12WR/DB
4Jack Waranavage11WR/DB
5Cristhian Viveros11WR/DB
6Cameron Tirado10WR/DB
7Kayden Tirado11RB/LB
8Jackson Custer11QB/DB
9Seth Warren11TE/DL
10Fernando Marquez12RB/LB
11Logan Oriel12WR/LB
12Lucas Nolan11WR/DB
13Diego Yanez10WR/LB
14Connor McCracken10TE/DE
15Cameron Hansell10QB/DB
16Malachi Victor11WR/LB
17Kaeleb Fees11WR/DB
18Travis Kemberling10WR/DB
19Dillon Hoffman11WR/DB
20Yadi Rosario10WR/DB
21Caleb Dorshimer12TE/LB
22Kenyon Figueroa12WR/DB
23Josh Tricoche11RB/DB
24Preston Barton12WR/DB
25Noah Miller10RB/LB
26Richie Hernandez12FB/LB
27Landen Weaber10WR/LB
28Landyn Kline10RB/LB
29Liam Setcavage10WR/DB
30Justin Moreno10WR/DB
31Alex Thies11WR/DB
32Samantha Fink10K
33Kai Speaks9WR/LB
34Antonio Tirado9WR/DB
35Eli Beard9RB/DB
36Ethan Bowman11K
37Dominic Roth12RB/LB
38Isaiah Zimmerman9RB/LB
39Tre Wamsher11WR/DB
40Joe Arnt11RB/LB
41Jordan Eisenhauer12WR/DB
42Anthony Lantz11WR/DB
43Garrett Starry9TE/LB
44Skyler Sherman9WR/DB
45Conner Rowe11WR/DB
46Jackson Chernich9TE/DE
47Terrance Wilson9WR/DB
48Calvin Dash9WR/DB
49Gavin Berkheimer9OL/DL
50Aidan Arnold11OL/DE
51Keenon Hopple9OL/DL
52Caden Wolfe9OL/DL
53Nicholas Lambros12OL/DT
54Paxton Thomas10OL/DL
55Cameron Simone12OL/DE
56Christian Weaber12OL/DL
57Tyler Toscano10OL/DL
58Alex Kissinger11OL/DL
59Christian Simpson10OL/DL
60Wyatt Fox10OL/DL
61Jordan Cullen11OL/DL
62Brady Shobe10OL/DT
63Austin Brubaker11OL/DL
64Jayden Storm10OL/DL
65Evan Pierce11OL/DL
66Landen Gross10OL/DE
67Damarius Galarza10OL/DE
68Carter Eisenhauer11OL/DL
69Jimmy Trump10OL/DL
70Tristan Long11OL/DL
71Pal Bhavsar12OL/DL
72Carter Ober10OL/DL
73Ahmed Mohamed11OL/DL
74Isaiah Sepulveda12OL/DL
75Connor Shanaman10OL/DL
76Michael Rivera12OL/DL
77Nathanael Harbaugh11OL/DL
78Bruce Gonzalez10OL/DL
79Alex Contreras11OL/DL
80Ben Custer9TE/DE
81Jayden Marley10WR/DB
82Chase Warren9TE/DE
83Luke Oriel10QB/DB
84Cole Shanaman9OL/DL
85Cole Stevenson11OL/DL
86Nolan Brubaker9TE/LB
87Aiden Schomp12TE/DE
88Grayson Frankenstein11TE/DE
91Bryan Duffy10RB/LB
99Dylan Fuhrman11TE/DE

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Pat Huggins covered local sports for the Lebanon Daily News for almost 25 years, beginning in January of 1999. Pat was born and raised in Lebanon County and is a 1987 graduate of Lebanon High School and a 1991 alum of Elizabethtown College. A huge Phillies and 76ers fan, Pat spends his spare time on...

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