Northern Lebanon, or "NL", is your typical high school. School dances and football games are all the rage. There was nothing better than a weekend with a game on Friday and a dance on Saturday. Football games and getting into trouble, that's high school.

Unfortunately for this school, the football team had a history of, let's say, sub-par seasons. Over the past eight years, the school had a record of 20 wins, and 60 losses, meaning the school had lost 75 percent off its games played since 1999.

2006 had not been much better for the Vikings of Northern Lebanon after fielding a 4-6 team for the second consecutive year, a decent year by NL standards. The team had shown life with a 4-3 record after seven weeks before losing the last three games of the season.

But 2007 was going to be different.

This team had an entire town excited for football. High school fans from all around knew that this team was going to be a force to be reckoned with. This was a group of kids who had won at every level.

Pee-Wee (six, seven, and eight years old) - 9-0-1

Pony (nine and 10 years old) - 6-4

Midgets (11 and 12 years old) - 10-0

Middle School (13, 14, and 15 years old) - 5-2

Now it was time to prove their worth at the Varsity level, and everyone was watching. The entire class were seniors now and would once again control the fate of the team and the hopes of a town starved for a winning program.

The last time the school had gone to the playoffs was 1991 when the football team was a perfect 10-0, and the last winning season was 1994.

This team was being compared to the team in '91, and for good reason. They had the makings of a winning club, a team with several players looking to head off to the college ranks once their time at good ol' NL was over.

The '06 season had just barely ended before everyone had their sights set on early September of '07 to see what this team of destiny could really do.

Tragedy Strikes This Small Town

On January 19th, 2007, shortly after 6 PM, a car traveling north, driven by Katie Eckert, 17, and passenger Charles Bates, 17, on Route 343 crossed the double-yellow lines into the opposite lane and collided with a minivan traveling south, hitting the van sideways on the passenger side.

The two teens in the car traveling north were pronounced dead at the scene. Those two teens were students at Northern Lebanon. One of them, Charles Bates, was a football player, and the other, Katie Eckert, his girlfriend, played field hockey.

In the blink of an eye, two lives and one teammate, were lost. That teammate was beloved by the entire team not only because of his skills on the football field, but as a friend to all with whom he came in contact.

The school did something unprecedented by holding a double viewing in the auditorium of the school itself, allowing all students to come and see their fallen classmates.

The seats were full and the walls were lined with people from the school and all over town coming to pay their finals respects to their brother, their sister, their cousin, their nephew, their niece, their friends.

Football Becomes an Escape

After the grieving process begins, people need something to use as an outlet for their emotions and their problems. What better outlet than football?

Over the next several months teammates came together in a way never before seen in these parts. Anything having to do with football became an escape for all who knew and loved Charles.

Lifting and running, gamplanning and practicing all became ways to release their minds from the grief they were feeling and allow them to work towards something to honor his memory and his love for the game.

Charles became motivation for everyone as well.

When someone felt like they couldn't sprint that last 10 yards, they did it for "Batesy." When it was just too hot to continue running the play, they did it for Batesy. When that ankle hurt and couldn't go anymore, they pushed it.

All for Batesy.

September, 2007

Mini-camps were over. Two-a-days had come and gone right along with the team camp at Shippensburg University. Scrimmages were history.

It was time to strap on the pads, put on the real jerseys, buckle the chinstraps, tighten the cleats, and go out there and show why this team had the expectations they had.

They didn't know it at the time, but boys were about to become men, just a game of football became an homage to a fallen friend who always gave everything he had for the team he loved so much, and every inch gained was one inch closer to being able to pound your chest in the endzone and scream, "This one's for you, Batesy!"

It was time to go.

Week 1 - Northern Lebanon @ Pine Grove (Non-league play)

"How 'bout those undefeated Northern Lebanon Vikings?!" - OC Shawn Webb

The game started with an NL kick return nearly going the distance, and would get the ball rolling for a blowout at Pine Grove. Three plays was all it took to draw first blood for the Vikings, 7-0.

Pine Grove would drive the field and score three points on a field goal, but that would be the first and last time they got the opportunity. From a 7-3 score, the Vikings took control of the game with a strong running game and defense, a persona that would follow the Vikings for the rest of the season.

When the dust cleared, Pine Grove had been dealt a humiliating 34-3 loss at the hands of the Northern Lebanon Vikings.

Result: W, 34-3, 1-0

Week 2 - Northern Lebanon vs. Fleetwood (Non-league play)

"Your program is going up, ours is going down." - Fleetwood Head Coach

For the losing tradition that NL had, Fleetwood was even worse. They were a winless or one-win team for the past few years, and showed little signs of improving in 2007.

NL had their way with Fleetwood, scoring in every conceivable fashion. Passing, running, interceptions and fumble returns as well as kick and punt returns, the Fleetwood Tigers were embarrassed at NL.

With the score 56-0 in the middle of the third quarter, the backups were put in en route to a 62-20 victory.

Result: W, 62-20, 2-0

Week 3 - Northern Lebanon vs. Hamburg (Non-League Play)

"I'd give it all, I'd give for us, Give anything, but I won't give up" - Nickelback Far Away

Hamburg was a special game for the Vikings because of what had happened the previous season.

Down 7-6 late in the fourth quarter, the offense drove down the field and found themselves within the two-yard line of Hamburg's endzone with only a couple minutes remaining. A fullback dive was the call, and the call was for Batesy.

The play was called, the ball was snapped, placed into Batesy's hands and everyone watched him fall into the endzone...without the ball.

Charles had fumbled the ball before falling into the endzone. The ball was recovered by Hamburg and after a few knee-downs by their quarterback, the game was over.

Charles always blamed himself for that loss, so this game was personal.

Before the game was about to begin, the team huddled in the locker room, knowing the significance of the game without really needing to say a word.

As the team was about to leave to go down to the field, the offensive coordinator Shawn Webb walked into the locker room with a CD player in hand. He told us to huddle up, and he hit play.

Reverberating on the walls of the locker room was the song "Far Away" by Nickelback, the same song that had been played at Batesy's funeral.

Once the song was over the team marched two-by-two, hand-in-hand, teary-eyed and pissed off all at the same time. These were men on a mission.

The offense scored 14 points in a total of four minutes, and that's all it would take.

The defense held the Hamburg Hawks to zero points, a shutout for Batesy. Even though the offense did not find the endzone for the rest of the game, it was good enough to seal the victory and call it a "W" for Batesy.

Result: W, 14-0, 3-0

Week 4 - Northern Lebanon vs. Pequa Valley (League Play)

"Dun Duh Nuh Nuh Heeyyy Go Pequa!" - Pequa Valley Fight Song

Pequa Valley is another school, like Fleetwood, with a real long history of losing when it comes to its football program. Both schools have great soccer programs, but invest little to no time or money into football.

To give you some perspective on how bad PV was: they lost to Fleetwood to finish 0-10. They're the Detroit Lions of District 3 Section 3 L-L football.

As was the same in the Fleetwood game, the score was into the 50's at halftime and halfway into the third quarter, once again prompting the benching of the starters and playing time for the backups.

Result: W, 61-6, 4-0

Week 5 - Northern Lebanon vs. Annville Cleona (League play)

"Throw out the records when these teams play" - Head Coach Jack Beidler

Annville was the most hated rivalry of the Northern Lebanon Vikings and until recently had always been a bully to NL. However even with the sub-par past two years, NL had always found a way to beat Annville, and this year, of all years, would definitely not be the year the streak ended.

Playing like men possessed the NL Vikings notched their second shutout of the 2007 season, and their second highest point total of the year, so far, with 47.

This game was the most heavily attended game of the season, and probably in school history. When the team walked out after halftime, cars could still be seen lining Route 22 and waiting to get into the game.

A soccer field was temporarily turned into a parking lot.

At this point in the season, the Northern Lebanon Vikings were the most prolific offense in the state, scoring 212 points total, and one of the best defenses, allowing only 29 points with two shutouts.

Result: W, 47-0, 5-0

Week 6 - Northern Lebanon @ ELCO (League Play)

"I believe that we will win, I believe that we will win, VIKINGS!" - Pre-game chant

For the first time all season the offense was shut out in the first quarter. However, it wasn't long into the second quarter before they'd get on the board and never look back.

The offense went on the score 30 unanswered points and the defense was pitching a shutout until about halfway into the fourth quarter. The ELCO Raiders, another rival, were able to score 12 points in the last half of the fourth quarter to bring the final score to 30-12.

The perfect season kept marching on.

Result: W, 30-12, 6-0

Week 7 - Northern Lebanon @ Columbia (League Play)

"I will not deal with 6-1! Anything less than 7-0 is unacceptable!" - Coach Hallman

7-0 was the goal, and everyone was working for it. Coach Hallman had said it, 6-1 was unacceptable. The team had to go in and take care of their business to come out undefeated.

They did just that... for the first three and a half quarters, anyway.

With a 20-0 lead in the fourth quarter (only 20 because of a missed extra point), the Vikings looked like they were well on their way to starting off the '07 season 7-0.

Unfortunately, that would not be the case.

A fumble within the Vikings redzone, in the fourth quarter, would put Columbia in prime position to put their first points on the board. Those points started a snowball affect.

The team was shellshocked, and it would cost them. Penalties, dropped passes, fumbles, and interceptions would stop the Vikings' undefeated season and put a blemish on their perfect record.

With just barely two minutes left to play, Columbia kicked an extra point to give them a 21-20 lead. After a failed two-minute drive, ending in controversy over a spot of the ball, the Vikings relinquished their undefeated season to the Columbia Crimson Tide.

The loss would follow them for the next couple of weeks.

Result: L, 20-21, 6-1

Week 8 - Northern Lebanon vs. Lampeter-Strasburg (League play, Homecoming)

"Woooohooooo! Let it rain, baby! Woo!" - C/DT Austin Hormel at Halftime

What better way to redeem a tough loss than to play well and win one for your home crowd for homecoming weekend?

The first half was hard-fought and very close. Lampeter-Strasburg, or "LS", was a very good team and some thought they may win the section.

After a very physical first half, the score stood at 10-3 in favor of LS. Missed opportunities and big plays were the name of the game for the Vikings. Several drives ending in punts and the only touchdown allowed was a big play, over 40 yards.

Halftime seemed like an eternity as everyone was ready to go out, punch LS in the mouth and get back to our winning ways. Unfortunately, approaching storms caused a half-hour delay and would prove to be the end for the Vikings.

While LS came out ready to play, NL did not.

NL would wind up allowing four touchdowns and field goal for a total of 31 points. All four touchdowns came on plays of 40 or more yards.

The only bright spots of the game was a 47-yard field goal hit by our kicker, in the rain, and a 200-yard rushing performance by all-star running back Travis Dresch.

However, a loss is still a loss.

Result: L, 9-31, 6-2

Week 9 - Northern Lebanon @ Donegal (League Play)

"This is playoff week, win and we're in!" - Head Coach Jack Beidler

Indeed this was playoff week.

If the Vikings could beat Donegal, a very beatable team, they would have a playoff berth locked up and opportunity to play at least an 11th week.

Week 10 would pit the Vikings against Lancaster Catholic, a private Catholic school that could recruit from anywhere in the state and took full advantage. LC frequently sent players to the Division 1 ranks to schools such as Temple, Penn State, and Iowa just to name a few.

LC had not lost to a Section III team in four years, winning 23 consecutive games against Section III opponents. Essentially, most people chalked up playing Lancaster Catholic as a loss.

Donegal, however, was a different story. They were a .500 team at best and were nowhere near the Vikings' talent level.

Unfortunately before the game it was evident that key members of the team were not as focused as they should have been. Pair that with the fact that the team's all-star center had been moved to left tackle to make up for the spot's lack of production and there was cause for concern.

Early in the game the Vikings attempted to go for it on 4th & 4. A beautiful pass right in the hands of the receiver would be dropped, and kill the spirits of the entire team.

The team limped through the rest of the game, scoring only once and losing by 17 points.

Result: L, 23-6, 6-3

Week 10 - Northern Lebanon vs. Lancaster Catholic (League Play)

"I gave you all a choice to make...AND YOU MADE A HELL OF A CHOICE!"

The final week of the season, and the team's last chance to make the playoffs, came against Lancaster Catholic. The team had not lost to a Section III opponent in four years, and no one expected that to end now.

But what no one knew was that the Vikings would have a 12th man on the field with them at all times.

Charles Bates.

A makeshift plaque to Batesy had been made and placed next to the door that the team would use to exit from the locker room down to the field. As everyone walked out the door, a silent tap on the plaque was all it took to get pumped and feel like maybe, just maybe, they could pull this one out.

For Batesy.

The game started off with the Vikings kicking to the Crusaders of Lancaster Catholic, or so they thought. An onside kick recovered by the Vikings got the game rolling in the right direction.

A drive down the field left the Vikings at the Crusaders' two-yard line with an opportunity to draw first blood. A stuffed rushing attempt on third down would prompt a rather conservative call to kick a field goal.

After a back and forth game, the score was 17-13 in favor of Northern Lebanon.

With only a few minutes remaining, the Crusaders moved the ball down the field and began unleashing their first-ranked passing attack against the Vikings' pass defense which was ranked in the lower portion of the league.

Somehow, some way, the secondary managed to stop everything, literally, thrown at them. Balls were being batted down by everyone, pressure was getting to the quarterbacks head, and the drive was stalling.

It was fourth down, they were down by four so a field goal wouldn't do. Time to go for it.

A hard count, a defensive lineman jumps forward into the neutral zone but jumps back just in time so there's no penalty.

Ball is snapped. Quarterback is looking, looking, looking, there's no one open. He makes a break for it and...

SMACK!

He's hit, fumbles the ball, and NL recovers. A few kneel-downs by the quarterback and the game is over.

Northern Lebanon has done the impossible. They have ended the streak, beat the team that no one thought could be beaten and at the same time earned themselves a spot in the playoffs.

Result: W, 17-13, 7-3

Week 11 - Northern Lebanon @ Gettysburg (Playoff Game 1)

The playoff game was nothing to write home about as a Gettysburg team clearly overmatched the Vikings through the air en route to a 38-13 win. Gettysburg would wind up as the runners-up to the District III title, losing to Lampeter-Strasburg.

Result: L, 13-38, Eliminated from Playoffs

Bottom Line

This is a story that needs to be told.

As a member of this team it has inspired me to be a better person. This story shows that in a time of despair and darkness a group of people can come together to achieve something great. Something to inspire a town and a school.

A group of boys were violently shoved into manhood, and dealt with it beautifully.

Football should help all who play it to become a better person off the field. It teaches them the importance of being a leader, how to interact with others and support your "family", and how to overcome the worst of adversities.

Through this story it is my hope that people can see that the night is darkest before the dawn. A terrible tragedy can have a positive outcome.

From our head coach, Jack Beidler, all the way to the bottom man cheering the team on from the sidelines, everyone was special and dear to that team...that group of men.

The story of the 2007 Northern Lebanon Vikings should be celebrated, and never forgotten as, "The Miracle on 22."

Also, the field hockey team made the playoffs for the first time in years...beating the top-ranked team in the last week of the season to get them over the hump.

They did it for Katie. We did it for Charles. We did it for them.

In Loving Memory of Charles J. Bates, II and Katie Eckert

The Inspiration of a School, and a Town.