Berks Sports Report Paul Roberts
Wyomissing allowed 76 points in its first two games. A 42-14 loss to Twin Valley on September 12th signaled that it was time to make a switch. “After the Twin Valley game, we changed our defense completely. That’s a dumb ass thing to do, but we felt we had to do it and we struggled with it because everything was new. A couple weeks into it, I’m thinking why did we do this. We’re starting to get there,” said longtime coach Bob Wolfrum. The (7-2, 7-0) Spartans held Lampeter-Strasburg to eight first downs and 55 rushing yards in a 27-14 victory on Saturday afternoon. The (7-3, 6-1) Pioneers managed 213 total yards as Wyomissing claimed the Section 4 championship in the Lancaster-Lebanon League. The Spartans switched to the Double Eagle Flex which incorporates a five-man defensive front and primarily man-to-man coverage. “It’s tough on the secondary. They have it rough. To tell you the truth, next year we’ll probably go back to doing it the way we have been,” replied Wolfrum with a big smile.
Wyomissing limited Lampeter-Strasburg to seven points through three quarters. The Pioneers entered the day averaging 28 points per game. The Spartans went on top 7-0 on Ethan Nye’s 1-yard TD run with 1:17 left in the first quarter. The 6’, 170-pound fullback had a 27-yard run on that 67-yard drive. “He runs our trap really well. It’s not like he’s running people over, he’s not that kind of fullback. He’s sort of emerged. We’ve had a lot of different backs play because we’ve been loaded with injuries,” explained Wolfrum. Wyomissing remains without sophomore RB/LB Rylan Overley due to a quadriceps injury. They hope to have him back for the District 3-3A playoffs. Nye, a junior, finished with 111 yards and 2 TD on 22 carries. The Spartans ran the ball 47 times for 203 yards against the Pioneers.
Wyomissing faced a fourth-and-1 at Lampeter-Strasburg’s 37-yard line in the second quarter. Sophomore Nehzion Carter picked up two yards to move the chains. On third-and-9 from the 19-yard line, junior quarterback Brady Eisenhower found room off the left edge and got inside the pylon for a touchdown. That run put the Spartans in front 14-0 with 5:35 remaining before halftime. Eisenhower was 8-of-14 for 112 yards and a touchdown through the air. He added 33 yards on seven touches on the ground. “When you’ve got a double-threat quarterback, that makes it tough on a defense. That’s a killer,” noted Wolfrum.
The Pioneers put together a 75-yard series to pull within 14-7. Asher Jones tossed a 15-yard pass to his younger brother, Parker, which got them to midfield. Asher is a 6’3, 205-pound senior, while Parker is a 6’2, 187-pound sophomore tight end. Asher lofted a pass to Andre Flaud for a 36-yard gain down the right sideline. Saddiq Taylor capped the drive with a 9-yard TD run with 2:25 to go in the first half.
Wyomissing began the ensuing possession at its 35-yard line and Eisenhower found Andrew DiFabrizio for a 33-yard completion along the right sideline. Zander Westwood followed with a 13-yard run. The Spartans went back to Westwood for a touchdown with 34 seconds on the clock. Eisenhower rolled to his right and threw a screen pass back to his left where Westwood was wide open for a 9-yard score on third-and-1. “The play before we saw that they weren’t keeping anybody home,” said Wolfrum. Westwood’s catch made it 21-7 at the break.
Wyomissing’s defense forced a punt on the opening series of the second half. The Spartans then marched 76 yards for a 27-7 advantage with 3:29 left in the third quarter. On third-and-14 from the Lampeter-Strasburg 24-yard line, Eisenhower zipped a pass to DiFabrizio along the left sideline. DiFabrizio, a 6’ senior, did a great job of staying in bounds for a 21-yard reception. Nye went up the middle for a 3-yard TD run.
Asher Jones connected with Parker Jones for a 23-yard TD pass with 10:11 remaining. Asher Jones ended up 9-of-16 for 158 yards. Colby DeJessa chipped in with 53 yards on 16 carries. The Pioneers got the ball back with eight and a-half minutes to play. A sack by Westwood put a halt to that drive at midfield. The 6’3, 225-pound linebacker has also been Wyomissing’s leading rusher this fall. The Spartans finished with 315 total yards. They extended their winning streak to seven and will be the #1 seed in the District 3-3A tournament which begins in two weeks.
Wolfrum improved his all-time record to (389-96-1) over 40 years at the helm in Wyomissing. He’s guided the Spartans to a dozen District 3 titles and the 2012 state championship. “I don’t enjoy a lot of practices. It’s wearing on me. I love game day. I would really miss this, but I’m 76 and it’s kicking my butt a little bit,” he remarked.
