John Manion faced a tough decision. Should he go for a touchdown or go for three points? Donegal’s coach thought for a second and revealed his choice.

“Field goal!” Manion yelled.

Hannah Mumper didn’t react at first. She’s still getting used to being a football player. After a momentary pause, the realization hit her. “Oh,” she said to herself, “that’s me.”

The senior, who’d never put on a helmet and shoulder pads until a few weeks earlier, jogged onto the field and kicked it through the uprights from 25 yards.

“Sometimes,” Mumper said, “I do better just winging it out there. Because you don’t have time to think.”

Mumper made her debut for Donegal on Oct. 2. That was Week 6. She has since converted 11-of-14 extra points and made both of her field goal attempts.

More importantly, Mumper has fixed a problem that threatened to damage Donegal’s successful season. The Indians are 5-4 and competing for a spot in the District 3 Class 4A playoffs.

One thing they were missing was a kicker. Not anymore.

“She’s steady,” Manion said. “Having that nearly guaranteed point is really nice and having the ability to call for a field goal inside the 20 is nice. She’s been solid for us.”

When Manion leaned on Mumper instead of going for it on 4th-and-goal from the 8 while trailing Elco by nine points last week, it was a vote of confidence. If she missed, the game was essentially over. She didn’t miss.

Mumper is the only girl on the team. Standing on the sideline, she looks like everyone else, except for the braided ponytail that splits the 4 and 0 on her back and the pink swoosh on her Nike cleats.

Nearly a year ago, Mumper took off those boots after the final soccer game of her junior season. She was finished playing. Mumper turned to her friend Anna Martin and said, “I’m never putting these on again.”

Little did she know. A new athletic adventure was waiting.

Two of Donegal’s players were in the training room one day lamenting the fact their team couldn’t convert a PAT. Mumper was there stretching for basketball practice.

Soon, a connection was made.

Logan Smith and Angel Mendez learned that Mumper used to play soccer. Maybe, they thought, she could solve their dilemma. Did she want to be the kicker?

Mumper’s first reaction was “maybe.” Her second reaction was “ask the coach if it’s OK.” Her third reaction? Let’s do it.

The next step was to ask her parents. Mumper told her dad, Andy, and mom, Rhonda, what she was considering. Andy said they should go to the grass practice field behind the school over the weekend to see if she was any good at kicking a different shaped ball in a different way.

It started with an extra point.

“All right,” Mumper said, “if the first one feels solid, I’ll think about it. It was straight down the middle. I was like, maybe this is my thing.”

Andy Mumper was on board. His only condition was he didn’t want Hannah taking kickoffs because that could result in having to make a tackle.

Mumper tried out the week after her family workout. She was officially on the roster.

Rhonda Mumper, like any parent, was concerned about a possible injury. She was also excited to see Hannah take on such a challenge.

“This is great,” Rhonda said. “I keep telling her she’ll have a heckuva story to tell her kids and grandkids someday. She’s having fun with it.”

Mumper has two older brothers and has spent most of her life playing sports. Her goal is to continue basketball at a Division III college next year.

That background helped prepare her for this opportunity.

“Being a wimp was never allowed or she would have never survived,” Andy said. “She’s not afraid to try things. But this was by far the biggest she’s ever stepped out of her comfort zone.”

Mumper has discovered football is unlike anything else she has tried. Some of that is being alongside boys instead of girls. Some of it is the culture of the sport. Teammates are bonded like a family.

“They’re locked in; they’re serious,” Mumper said. “They love each other. I used to think football players were so mean. They’re a bunch of guys who care for each other. It’s cool to be part of it.”

Mumper said she hopes to create that same camaraderie in hoops this winter.

2026 Elco at Donegal Football - Hannah Mumper
Hannah Mumper (40) of Donegal successfully makes a field goal against Elco in L-L League football action at Donegal High School in Mt. Joy on Friday, Oct. 23, 2026.

As the minutes were winding down, with Donegal trailing Elco by six, Chase Marshall approached Mumper on the bench.

“We’re gonna score a touchdown,” the quarterback told her, “and you’re going to kick the winning extra point.”

While that bit of optimism didn’t pan out, Donegal never got the ball back, it was another sign that the boys believe in their kicker.

“Adding her to the team was a good thing,” Smith said. “She’s always happy. She’s never in a bad mood. It’s fun having her around.”

Mumper felt welcome from the start. Her dad said the guys treat her like she’s their sister. Fitting in is about personalities and acceptance. It’s also about something else.

“She does her job,” Manion said. “Out of all the players on our team, she does her job as well as the others are doing their jobs.”

Week 9 was hectic for a different set of reasons. Mumper was part of the homecoming court. At halftime, she raced to one of the family bathrooms, changed into dress clothes, took the braid out of her hair and walked with her dad. Then she put her uniform back on, re-did the braid and made two second-half kicks.

Donegal has at least one game left. If the Indians can defeat Octorara Friday night, they will likely reach the district playoffs.

Mumper called this experience bittersweet. She has enjoyed it immensely and is a little sad it will only last five regular season games.

Being a kicker will help her handle any pressure that comes with basketball or other pursuits. It’s stressful competing in front of a packed house on Friday nights.

“I was really skeptical, but I’m so glad I took this opportunity,” Mumper said. “If you would have told me a few years ago I was doing this, I would have told you that you were crazy.”

Mumper hopes to make a few more kicks before she takes off those cleats again. This time, for good.