Berks Sports Report Paul Roberts
Alex Aletras can beat teams with his arm and his legs. Schuylkill Valley’s senior quarterback did both on Friday night in Leesport. Aletras ran 20 times for 182 yards and threw two touchdown passes in a 24-17 victory over rival Hamburg. “We started running him a little bit more last year. He’s a tough runner. He’s 200 pounds, he’s tough to bring down. They couldn’t tackle him,” said Panthers’ head coach Bruce Harbach. He added, “The defense can’t account for a running quarterback like that. They were playing their linebackers way out wide, leaving the middle open. We took advantage of it.” Schuylkill Valley won the Frost Bowl for the fifth straight year. The (7-1, 5-0) Panthers extended their winning streak to seven and remain alone atop the Section 5 standings in the Lancaster-Lebanon League.
Schuylkill Valley faced a third-and-14 at the Hawks’ 46-yard line in the fourth quarter. Will Johns went in motion, ran a wheel route down the left sideline, and got behind the defense. Aletras rolled to his left and found Johns for a tiebreaking touchdown pass with 8:33 left. Johns, a speedy 5’11 sophomore, finished with eleven catches for 92 yards. He capped a 71-yard drive that lasted five minutes.
Sophomore quarterback Isaac McFadden ran seven yards on third-and-3 to put Hamburg on the Panthers’ 37-yard line with 5:15 remaining. A sack by senior Sebastian Batista pushed the Hawks back to midfield. “It was a really huge play. If he didn’t get that sack, who knows where the game would’ve went. I’m really proud of my brother. That’s my best friend,” replied junior WR/S Anthony Batista. McFadden’s pass on fourth-and-15 was incomplete and Schuylkill Valley took over with 3:29 to go. A quarterback sneak by Aletras moved the chains on fourth-and-1 from Hamburg’s 46-yard line with 1:50 on the clock. He then broke free on a big run and wisely slid at the 15-yard line to seal the game. The Panthers ended up with 229 rushing yards.
Anthony Batista returned an interception 33 yards down the left sideline for a touchdown on the second play of the night. “I just read the quarterback’s shoulders. As soon as I saw him turn, I knew it was going to that side,” he explained. The Panthers have five defensive touchdowns this season and three have come from Anthony Batista. They held the (5-3, 3-2) Hawks to three points in the second half.
After the early pick 6, Hamburg settled in and put together a 70-yard drive. Blaise Ernst scored from the 3-yard line on fourth-and-1 to make it 7-7 midway through the first quarter. Ernst rushed for 404 yards and 5 TD in the previous two games. The 5’9, 174-pound senior had 70 yards on 15 carries against Schuylkill Valley. Bryce Schmeck rumbled 32 yards for a touchdown to put the Hawks in front 14-7 with 58 seconds to play in the opening quarter. He chipped in with 58 yards on six carries, all in the first half. McFadden went 10-of-17 for 121 yards and just his second interception of the year. Meanwhile, Aletras was 14-of-22 for 127 yards and 2 TD.
Reese Wamsher drilled a 39-yard field goal to pull Schuylkill Valley within 14-10 with 41 seconds left before halftime. That was a 16-play drive for the Panthers that began at their 3-yard line and lasted eight minutes. It looked like Hamburg was going up 21-10 in the third quarter, however, Ernst’s 20-yard TD run was called back due to a penalty. The Hawks settled for a 28-yard field goal by sophomore Aron Moser and a 17-10 advantage.
Aletras showed his mobility on the ensuing possession. He had a 25-yard run followed by a 16-yard carry. On third-and-12, Aletras scrambled to his left and dumped off a short pass in the flat to Anthony Batista. The 6’2, 170-pound junior made two defenders miss and went 16 yards for a touchdown. The 80-yard drive tied it at 17-17 with 2:21 remaining in the third quarter. “I think we’re playing exceptionally well. We still have a lot of stuff to clean up. We’re first in the section and we plan to keep it that way,” said Batista.
This was the 52nd meeting between Schuylkill Valley and Hamburg. The rivalry goes back to 1970. The Panthers hold a (27-24-1) edge over the Hawks. Harbach made sure his players were focused on the task at hand. “To me and the coaching staff, it was Week 8. I said to the kids, ‘Don’t get wrapped up in all the stuff going on this week.’ It’s Week 8, we need to win,” stated Harbach.