Semipro football: Josh Burnett shines in 33-6 Piranha victory

(Photo: Samuel Getty)

Josh Burnett only needed 12 seconds to break open Saturday’s semipro football game in Lititz.

Burnett, who played football at Frankford High School in Philadelphia, returned the opening kickoff 83 yards for a score to give the Central Penn Piranha an early 7-0 lead over the Garden State Gladiators at Warwick High School last weekend.

Central Penn never looked back, cruising to a 33-6 win and 2-0 record.

“Josh had a fumble last week, but he’s a young kid so we decided to keep him in there to try to build his confidence,” team co-owner and head coach Tom Laubach said after the game. “And he came through.

“That was a heck of a play — it really set the tone for the game.”

Burnett was later thrust into the game at running back in the fourth quarter due to injuries. He responded by rushing seven times for 47 yards (6.7 yards per carry).

It’s safe to assume fans will be seeing more of Burnett as CPP’s season rolls on.

Up next for the Piranha is a road game against the South Jersey Bengals on Saturday. Their next home game will be played at Warwick High School against the Lehigh Valley Storm on Saturday, Aug. 1.

Piranha reinstated after players and fans responded to team’s folding

The Piranha’s 20-year run was in danger of coming to an end last week.

“Effective immediately, the Central Penn Piranha will be seizing operations for the 2015 season,” team co-owner and head coach Tom Laubach wrote on his Facebook page Tuesday evening.

“There are too many players that want to commit to games but not to practice or team events,” Laubach wrote. “We have had over 10 practices and events this year and the average number of people at those events has been about 11 players.”

Frustrated with the team’s lack of commitment, Laubach shut down the semipro football team.

Jason Bristol, the sports director for WHP CBS 21, published a story about the team folding on Thursday.

The team was serious, and the players responded.

“I immediately got on the phone and made a whole lot of calls to the players to see what we could do,” Piranha quarterback and team captain Mark Jarmon said. “I think winning four straight (championships) got guys complacent.

Semipro Football: Piranha leave GDFL, will play 2015 season in WFF

The Central Penn Piranha are leaving the Gridiron Development Football League and will play in the World Football Federation this season, the team announced.

Several GDFL conferences have changed this offseason, which would have resulted in the Piranha traveling farther than they can afford during the playoffs.

"We are not in a financial spot to take that jump with the league," team co-owner and head coach Tom Laubach said in a statement. "We wish (league commissioner) Charles Thompson and the GDFL the best of luck for the 2015 season."

Co-owned by Laubach and former NFL player and Super Bowl champion Raheem Brock, the Piranha have won over 250 games (including playoffs) since being founded in 1995. The team claims to be the winningest team in minor football history.

Central Penn is coming off an 8-1 season in the GDFL that culminated with a 21-19 victory over the Oklahoma City Bounty Hunters in Gridiron Bowl V. The Piranha are switching to the WFF for the league's inaugural season.

The upstart league has three familiar foes for the Piranha in the Albany Metro Mallers, New England Soul, and local rival Lancaster Lightning. Central Penn outscored the Soul and Lighting by combined scores of 86-14 last season. Contests against the Mallers were more competitive.

Central Penn faced Albany three times last season. The Piranha won 52-31 at home and lost 41-13 on the road during the regular season before defeating the Mallers 21-10 in New York during the playoffs. They are expected to play Albany again this season.

The Piranha's season opener will be played at home (Warwick High School) on July 11th against the Lightning. The team's complete schedule is still being finalized by the WFF.