Ben Zechman-Wyomissing

When you’re the quarterback in a Wing-T offense, you know your passing attempts will be limited. Ben Zechman made the most of his opportunities at Pottsville on Friday night. The 6’2, 185-pound senior averaged 26 yards per attempt in a 49-0 rout. Zechman was 4-of-5 for 132 yards and two touchdowns. He hit Drew Eisenhower over the middle for a 47-yard score with 18 seconds remaining in the first half. The (2-0) Spartans went 74 yards in just four plays after an interception by sophomore Derek Macrina. The Crimson Tide trailed 35-0 at the break in their 130th home opener. Wyomissing started the third quarter with a screen pass that worked to perfection. Zechman dumped it off to Ryker Jones who raced 47 yards for a touchdown. Zechman has high hopes for Jones. “Oh my gosh, the sky is the limit for him. He is one of thee most athletic players on our team by far. He’s so fast. He’s powerful. He’s strong. He’s a really special kid,” said Zechman. The Spartans piled up 422 yards including 290 on the ground. Matthew Kramer, a 215-pound senior fullback, ran for a team-high 89 yards and a pair of touchdowns on nine carries. Charlie McIntyre chipped in with 72 yards on eight touches. Eisenhower provided 53 rushing yards and 70 receiving yards. Zechman praised the offensive line. He stated, “We’re kind of spoiled. They do such a great job of protecting on both passes and then getting down the field on runs. It’s really special to have them move guys so easily up front.” Jven Williams (6’5, 295), Pacen Ziegler (6’4, 275), and Caleb Brewer (6’5, 275) lead the way in the trenches. Williams is committed to Penn State. Brewer moved to tight end this season. Collin Niedrowski, Drew Forrey, and Jeremiah Diaz added touchdown runs. Pottsville was without standout DE/TE Joey Palko. The 6’4, 230-pound Bucknell commit is injured. Zechman enjoys making the trip up Route 61 to Schuylkill County. “This is honestly one of our favorite places to play. It’s like a college level stadium. They have a really nice band which is cool. They have a great student section. It’s a great environment for Friday night lights.” The (0-2) Crimson Tide was held to 132 yards. Parrish McFarland was limited to 44 yards on twelve carries. Tejay Allen went 10-of-15 for 76 yards with an interception. Pottsville hurt its cause with three turnovers in the first half. Wyomissing won at Veterans Memorial Stadium 42-14 a season ago. I asked Zechman about joining the Lancaster-Lebanon League this year. He replied, “It’s really gonna be fun. We always like playing harder teams because it makes us rise to a better level.” We also discussed his favorite teacher, sports movie, and food. The Spartans have been devouring the competition. They haven’t lost a regular season contest since 2018.