For years, Pequea Valley's youth football program struggled to field teams. Octorara's program didn't do much better.

"We had just enough to put a team together," said Bryant Guilford, director of Braves Youth Football. "We're talking maybe two or three subs at the maximum, and that's for a whole football team."

Pequea Valley was faced with the threat of not having teams at certain levels in the 2025 season. That was until Octorara stepped in with a solution: Braves Youth Football and Cheer.

Both neighboring schools use the "Braves" moniker. It was the perfect fit. Pequea Valley Youth Football and Cheer and Octorara Youth Football merged into one entity, now known as Braves Youth Football and Cheer.

"It just made sense," Guilford said. "It's a better way to bring more people together and make one big team. That's kind of how it formed."

On the gridiron, the new organization uses Pequea Valley helmets and jerseys that are inspired by both schools' colors, mixing Pequea Valley's signature red with Octorara's blue and red digs. Like its Lancaster County counterparts, the Braves play in the Red Rose League, fielding teams at the "D" (ages 7 to 8), "C" (ages 9 to 10) and "B" (ages 10 to 11) levels.

With the partnership, the Braves now field around 20 players per team, nearly a 50% bump from before the merger. This allows players to get more rest during games and allows for more specialization and personalization.

"It builds their confidence," Guilford said. "In the past, it was 'hey, you're fast, you're going to be the running back.' Now kids can actually develop and probably play a position that's suitable for them.

"At the same time, they get the rest they need," he went on. "Football is a very demanding sport, so getting that rest is crucial between plays. Having enough players to do that is a huge benefit for the coaches and players ... it's been very beneficial."

The partnership has also been beneficial on the cheerleading end, as Octorara's program did not offer cheerleading prior to the merger.

"It's been a win-win all the way around," Guilford said.

Octorara and Pequea Valley previously met yearly on the football field at the high school level in what was known as the "Braves Bowl," but the series was discontinued due to scheduling reasons ahead of the 2024 season. Pequea Valley won the last meeting 35-0 in 2023.

Guilford added that he would love to see the schools renew their rivalry in the future, allowing former teammates to play on the same field once again - although they will stand on different sidelines.

Registration for the 2026 season opened on May 1. The Braves will hold a youth football camp on Thursday to Sunday, June 25 through 28; hold their first week of practices starting Monday, Aug. 3; and play their first game on Saturday, Sept. 5, or Sunday, Sept. 6.