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With about a month between now and the start of high school sports, Lebanon County football is around the corner.
As the upcoming high school season gets rolling, there’s some time to revisit the best local players to come through the area. Before the 2025 campaign begins, here’s the top five gridiron athletes that Lebanon County fans have seen throughout the years.
Jake Williams, ELCO (Class of 2024)
Williams brought sparks to ELCO’s offense anytime he touched the field, and the Raiders offense saw direct benefits. Through four years as a varsity athlete with his squad, the Myerstown native put up over 50 touchdowns combined while showing his talent with the ball. The last two years of Williams’ varsity career saw him put up 4,226 rushing yards and 17 100-plus yard games while earning first-team all state recognitions along the way.
Following his time with ELCO, Williams joined Bloomsburg’s football squad and put together a nice freshman season. In just four games, the 5-foot-10 running back delivered 233 rushing yards and four scores including a 73-yard touchdown in his first start. The redshirt freshman projects to contribute to the Huskies’ offense even more in 2025 and has a chance to improve upon his team-high 5.2 yards per carry from last year.
Jared Odrick, Lebanon (Class of 2006)
Odrick was absolutely disruptive in all aspects, and his career with the Cedars reflects just that. Through four years with Lebanon, Odrick finished as a first-team All-State defender as a senior and played in several high school invitational games before his path to the pros.
The Cedars’ 2006 graduate is known for being a force on defense, but he also put up over 100 pancakes through his career on offense as a tight end. He eventually earned over 100 tackles through his collegiate and NFL careers, where he played four seasons at Penn State before another seven years in the NFL with Miami and Jacksonville.
Alex Rufe, Lebanon (Class of 2021)
Following a dominating career with Lebanon as a receiver, Rufe still stands as one of the area’s best playmakers to hit the scene. Through his junior campaign that finished with second-team all-state honors, Rufe put up 74 catches, 1,095 yards and nine scores while earning all-section honors as a defensive back.
Rufe has spent his collegiate career with Shippensburg thus far and has earned at least 10 catches in each of his three seasons. After putting together 33 receptions for 419 yards and four scores over his career, Rufe heads into 2025 as a redshirt senior athlete.
Jeff Martin, ELCO (Class of 2015)
After four productive years of starting behind center for ELCO, Jeff Martin still sits atop the school’s record books. The Raiders’ former 6-foot-4 quarterback finished his career with 6,778 yards along with 66 scores and 26 interceptions — and remains the school’s single-season passing leader to this day.
Besides playing in all 40 possible games for the Raiders, Martin was as reliable as it gets. He threw for 1,000 yards in every season and put up 5,762 yards through his final three seasons of gridiron action. After all of that, in 2016 he made his commitment to play for Kutztown University before finishing his playing career with the Golden Bears.
Jon Hicks, Palmyra (Class of 2012)
After roaming the field for Palmyra from 2009-2011, Jon Hicks showed that he’s brutal to deal with on the gridiron. The former Cougars’ linebacker finished his career with 450 total tackles along with 17.5 sacks, and his senior year was dominant. Through his final varsity stint, the 6-foot-2 linebacker put up career highs of 140 tackles and 15 tackles for loss to earn first-team All PIAA honors through 2012.
His post-varsity career began outside of the state, as Hicks joined the Connecticut Huskies squad after the 2012 campaign. Following action in 32 games from 2014-2016, Hicks put together 28 tackles, .5 tackles for loss and a fumble recovery to conclude his playing career.
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