Like most coaches, Frank Isenberg finds his biggest challenge to be in attempting the impossible, in controlling the uncontrollable.

Lebanon High’s head football coach for the last four seasons, Isenberg is in the midst of enduring a third straight winless season with the Cedars, who stand at 0-8 with two weeks remaining in the regular season.

The fact that Lebanon’s last win came towards the end of the 2020 season is partially within its control, but the Cedars have also been a victim of circumstances. The COVID-19 pandemic didn’t do the team any favors, neither did the Lancaster-Lebanon League football expansion and realignment that placed Lebanon in Section 2, where it has been forced to fight above its weight class, so to speak.

Frank Isenberg wears a mask while statewide COVID-19 regulations were in place. (Jeff Falk)

Still, Isenberg and his squad find reasons to smile and be proud of their efforts, even as the losses mount.

“I truly enjoy seeing my guys reach their goals of playing in college,” Isenberg said of what he enjoys most about coaching. “Every year I enjoy National Signing Day and watching my guys and their families celebrate their dreams.”

Isenberg is in his fourth season as Lebanon’s head coach, after spending the previous 10 years as defensive coordinator. He also spent three years as the head coach at Hershey High School, as well as a one-year stint as an offensive line coach at Lebanon Valley College.

Along the way, he has coached some outstanding players and been a part of some memorable games and seasons.

Among those was the 2013 season, when he had the opportunity to coach future Bucknell linebacker Mark Pyles, who also starred at quarterback while leading Lebanon to just its second ever district playoff berth.

“There have been a lot of great players that I’ve coached, but Mark Pyles from Lebanon was the complete student athlete,” Isenberg said. “He was the valedictorian of his graduating class. He had an unmatched work ethic, and he was extremely successful on the field as a linebacker.”

As for his most memorable game as a head coach, that came during the 2016 season, when he guided Hershey to a Cocoa Bean Bowl victory against arch rival Milton Hershey.

Also a physical education teacher at Lebanon High, Isenberg played college football as an offensive lineman at Kent State and Slippery Rock before getting into coaching.

His favorite college football team is Kent State, while his pro football rooting loyalties go to the Pittsburgh Steelers.

Lebanon Cedars

Read all our coverage of the Cedars here.

Roster

Head Coach: Frank Isenberg

Assistant Coaches: Greg Herr, Tyler Roth, Jason Capello, Nathan Myers

Jersey NumberNamePositionGrade
2Derek InfanteWR/DBSenior
4Riquelme EstevezWR/DBSenior
5Jack HerrWR/LBSenior
6Derrick BriddellWR/DBSenior
7Tayvian RiveraWR/DBSenior
8Malachi BriddellWR/DBSophomore
9Aidan FernandezTE/LBSenior
10Brandyn CastroQBJunior
11Braylon BeaverWR/DBSenior
12Jahkeim MedlockRB/DBSenior
13Benjamin FenstermakerWR/DBSenior
14Jeavon CortesWR/LBSenior
15Paul TraceWR/DBSenior
16Josiah WrightTE/DLSenior
17Kareem StonerQB/DBJunior
18Juan RiveraWR/DBSophomore
19Jovani Rivera-GonzalezWR/DBSophomore
20Kai RiveraRB/LBJunior
21Sebastian PolancoRB/LBSophomore
22Camron BuchmoyerRB/LBSophomore
24Anthony KlishWR/DBSophomore
25Nathan BorderRB/LBSenior
26Jesucristo Echevarria FigueroaWR/LBJunior
27Jamil GordonWR/DBSophomore
30Messiah WilsonTE/LBJunior
32Josean WrightWR/LBFreshman
33Issac CortesWR/LBJunior
34Reinaldo RiveraRB/LBJunior
50Colin DaughertyKSenior
52Omar Aguilar-OrtizOL/DLJunior
54Ethan RiveraOL/DLSophomore
60Dujhan BaezOL/DLJunior
62Daniel HersheyOL/DLSophomore
64Derryck BrickleOL/DLSophomore
65Mahkye CortesOL/DLSenior
65Colin JohnsenOL/DLSenior
70Elis Bentez JimenezOL/DLSophomore
72Cayden ClentimackOL/DLJunior
75Cameron HarbaughOL/DLSophomore
76Omar MileteOL/DLJunior
78Corbett BrickleOL/DLSenior

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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...