Jven Williams-Wyomissing

Jven Williams told me that he was biting his nails during the Penn State game at Purdue on Thursday night. On Friday, his nails were safe. Wyomissing cruised to a 49-0 victory at Pottsville. The Spartans showed why they’re ranked second in the state in Class 3A. They outgained the Crimson Tide 422-to-132 and 290-56 on the ground. “I think we handled them,” said Williams. After forcing a three and out on the opening series, Wyomissing marched 55 yards on six plays for the first score, a 4-yard run by junior fullback Collin Niedrowski. A 23-yard pass from Ben Zechman to Drew Eisenhower on the Spartans’ next possession ended with a 15-yard face mask penalty against Pottsville. Matthew Kramer rumbled in from two yards away to give Wyomissing a 14-0 edge with three and a-half minutes remaining in the first quarter. Kramer made it 21-0 early in the second period with a 23-yard run. The 215-pound senior fullback finished with a team-high 89 yards on nine carries. After the Crimson Tide’s second fumble of the quarter, Drew Forrey raced 17 yards to cap a 62-yard drive. Sophomore Derek Macrina intercepted Tejay Allen with 70 seconds left in the first half. It took the Spartans just four plays to go 74 yards for another score. Zechman found Eisenhower over the middle for a 47-yard touchdown pass with 18 seconds on the clock. Pottsville trailed 35-0 at the break in its 130th home opener. Wyomissing started the third quarter with a perfectly executed throwback screen to Ryker Jones. The 190-pound junior sprinted 47 yards for a score. Zechman was an efficient 4-of-5 for 132 yards and 2TD. Charlie McIntyre chipped in with eight carries for 72 yards. Eisenhower added 53 yards on four runs. He also had two receptions for 70 yards. Williams truly enjoys visiting Veterans Memorial Stadium. He replied, “I love this environment. It’s like a college stadium. Their band is amazing. Their student section, I heard them chirping the whole time. It’s just a great opportunity to be able to come out here. It’s a tradition and we all embrace it at Wyomissing.” The Penn State commit is ranked #53 overall in the Class of 2023 by ESPN. Williams believes the offensive line can still improve. Longtime head coach Bob Wolfrum agrees with that observation. Williams stated, “Honestly, he’s been on us. He pays a lot of attention to our offensive line and how we run things. It’s awesome to get coached by these guys.” This is Wolfrum’s 36th season as head coach. He’s a remarkable (339-86-1). Williams is thrilled to be part of the Lancaster-Lebanon League. “I’m so happy that we’re in it. It’s an upgrade for us. We really want some competitiveness,” he emphasized. The 6’5, 295-pound senior is looking forward to meeting Berks Catholic again. The Spartans and Saints are in Section 4 along with Conrad Weiser, Cocalico, Lampeter-Strasburg, ELCO, Donegal, and Octorara. Pottsville junior running back Parrish McFarland (5’8, 160) was limited to 44 yards on 12 carries. Senior quarterback Tejay Allen went 10-of-15 for 76 yards and an interception. The Crimson Tide are (0-2). They’ve taken on two of the top squads in the state in their respective classes. Jersey Shore blew out Pottsville 55-12 in Week 1. Some young Crimson Tide fans posed for photos with Williams after the game. “It’s awesome to be able to communicate with the community. I really appreciate when they come up and ask for a picture,” he said with a smile. Wyomissing has outscored Pottsville 91-to-14 over the last two years.