Berks Sports Report Paul Roberts
Players and coaches involved with high school sports can form tight bonds. In some cases, these teams resemble a family. That’s literally the case at Fleetwood. Mel Fegely, who had been an assistant, is the new head coach of the Tigers. His sons, Beau and Hunter, both play for him. “It’s fun, he’s coached me my whole life. We talk football at practice. We talk football at home. We talk football in the car. We’re always talking football and always thinking about how we can get better as a team,” said Beau Fegely. The 5’8, 165-pound senior was named a second team running back and defensive back in Section 3 of the Lancaster-Lebanon League last year. Fegely ran for nearly 800 yards and scored fifteen touchdowns. The three-year starter added three interceptions and a pair of defensive touchdowns.
Fegely attends Oley Valley High School. Fleetwood and Oley have a co-op agreement when it comes to football. “I love it. Some of my best friends go to Fleetwood. Playing football really gives us a great bond. I grow closer to them every single day. Lifting with them is fun. Practice with them is fun. The better the chemistry is between the players, the better the team will be,” emphasized Fegely. The Tigers return seven starters on offense and four on defense. Chase Adams was a first team wide receiver in Section 3 a season ago. The 6’1, 200-pound senior is switching to quarterback this fall. One of his primary targets will be Bryce Ryan, a 6’4, 215-pound tight end. Ryan will also be an impact player at defensive end. Parker Detwiler is back as well. He was a second team pick at outside linebacker in Section 3 last fall. “He’s fast and he can hit hard,” noted Fegely.
The Tigers finished (2-8, 0-6) under Steve Pangburn in 2025. Pangburn left Fleetwood after four years at the helm to become the head coach at Daniel Boone. The Tigers lost their final seven games last season. They’ve dropped twelve in a row in league play. “We want a winning season. The past few years haven’t been great. Everybody looks down on Fleetwood, but we’ve got a whole new coaching staff. We’re excited as seniors and we’re ready to ball out,” replied Fegely.
The first game on the Tigers’ schedule is a road trip to Kutztown this Friday. After non-league contests at Upper Perkiomen and home against ELCO, Fleetwood will open Section 3 play at Garden Spot on September 18th. Fegely is a sprinter on the track team and also plays basketball. His favorite running back is Saquon Barkley. Fegely mentioned that he hurdled his younger brother, Hunter, at a practice last year. “I feel like my game kind of resembles [Saquon Barkley]. I’m quick, I’m agile, and I’m fast,” said Fegely.
