Dom Giuffre-Schuylkill Valley

Coming into Friday’s matchup on Hawk Hill, Hamburg had won the previous three Frost Bowls. Dom Giuffre wasn’t about to let the Hawks make it four in a row. The 6’1, 165-pound junior ran for a career-high 304 yards and four touchdowns on 26 carries. Schuylkill Valley held off Hamburg 41-34. I asked Giuffre about surpassing the 300-yard mark. He replied, “I was so surprised. My eyes got big and my jaw just dropped.” Giuffre had touchdown runs of 9, 63, and 96 yards in the first half. He racked up 212 yards by halftime. His 63-yard burst up the middle gave the (6-2, 5-0) Panthers a 17-3 advantage with 8:34 remaining in the second period. Giuffre, who’s also a member of the track and field team, showed off his speed with two minutes left in the first half. He sprinted down the left sideline before cutting all the way across the field for an electrifying 96-yard trip to the end zone. Noah Wamsher booted a 43-yard field goal as time expired to put Schuylkill Valley up 27-6 at the break. Wamsher made a 35-yarder on the opening possession of the game. The Panthers outgained the Hawks 276-to-43 in the first half. Hamburg averaged nearly 46 points through its first seven contests. The (6-2, 3-2) Hawks punted four times in the first half. They were limited to two field goals by sophomore Eli Blatt. Hamburg marched 77 yards on the opening series of the third quarter. Xander Menapace, a 6’4 senior quarterback, ended the drive with a 1-yard run. Schuylkill Valley responded immediately with a 24-yard touchdown pass from Logan Nawrocki to Dillon Lackner. They’re both sophomores. Mason Semmel scooped up a fumble by Giuffre at the Hawks’ 32-yard line and returned it to the 3-yard line midway through the third period. Menapace rolled right and found Cohen Correll for a score to get Hamburg within 34-20. Giuffre once again had an answer. He broke free up the middle for a 33-yard touchdown. The speedster gave credit to the offensive line. “They did an amazing job. Nothing can be done without them. Everything comes by the teamwork,” he stated. The Panthers finished with 371 yards on the ground. The Hawks kept battling. Menapace connected with Semmel for a 12-yard score on the first play of the fourth quarter. Menapace rolled right and threw back to his left where his tight end was wide open. Pierce Mason ripped off a 36-yard touchdown run with 45 seconds to go. All of a sudden, Hamburg was within 41-34. Mason has been dealing with an ankle injury. He had 78 yards on a dozen carries. Sophomore Luke Spotts recovered the onside kick to end the late drama. Spotts also broke up a pass on fourth-and-14 with four and a-half minutes to play. The Hawks lead the all-time series with the Panthers (24-23-1). The rivalry dates back to 1970. Giuffre explained the significance of the Frost Bowl. “It’s very big for us because we’ve worked very hard for this and we definitely deserve this,” he emphasized. Giuffre is having a breakout season with 1,258 yards and 19TD. He has hopes of playing college football. “I’ve thought about it a lot. Honestly, I’d like to play at least DII,” he said. Giuffre knows that it will take a lot of hard work to reach the DI level. After a (2-9) campaign a season ago, Schuylkill Valley is making big strides. The Panthers are riding a 6-game winning streak. Schuylkill Valley and Lancaster Catholic remain undefeated in league play in Section 5. Panthers’ head coach Bruce Harbach will get a shot at his former team in Week 10. Harbach guided Lancaster Catholic to a pair of state championships. He’s using two quarterbacks this year. Michael Goad, a 190-pound senior, started and went 5-of-9 for 18 yards. Nawrocki was running the show in the second half. He finished 4-of-7 for 49 yards and a score. Spotts and Cooper Hohenadel had three receptions apiece. Meanwhile, the Hawks were plagued by several drops. Menapace completed 18 of his 31 attempts for 180 yards and 2TD. Correll reeled in four passes for 29 yards. Seven different Hawks had a catch. However, Hamburg struggled defensively. Schuylkill Valley scored on seven of its first ten drives. A great crowd was on hand. They got to see Giuffre put on a show.