Evan Myers-Twin Valley

Twin Valley hadn’t scored an offensive touchdown since the first quarter. When it mattered most, however, the Raiders put together a scoring drive to seal the deal. They took over at their 24-yard line with 5:46 remaining and marched 76 yards in three minutes and fifteen seconds. Jaydon Goebel rumbled 50 yards to set up Evan Myers’ 13-yard TD run with 2:31 to go. Twin Valley held off Conrad Weiser 28-16 in Elverson. I asked Myers about that critical possession late in the game. He replied, “It felt great. We stalled out a little in the second half, just missed a read here or there. But our offensive line fought the whole way and made it easy in the fourth quarter.” The Raiders’ OL averages 265 pounds. They’re blocking for a 6’2, 210-pound running back in Goebel. The senior finished with 117 yards on 15 carries. “He runs with his knees high and runs behind his pads. He’s a big kid. I wouldn’t want to tackle him myself. It’s gotta be awful for defenses,” said Myers. Twin Valley piled up 207 of its 342 total yards on the ground. Goebel and Josh Zolty, both baseball players, have given the Raiders a boost by joining the football team this year. Zolty caught five passes for 53 yards including a 36-yard touchdown that gave Twin Valley a 14-0 advantage late in the first quarter. Myers bought time on that play by scrambling to his left. The 5’10, 170-pound sophomore also used his legs for the first score of the night. He sprinted to his left and dove inside the pylon for a 15-yard touchdown that completed a 67-yard drive after the (1-2) Scouts went three and out. Myers found Everett Olsen for a 39-yard gain on that series. They’re two of the fifteen sophomores on the Raiders’ roster. Conrad Weiser got on the scoreboard thanks to a 72-yard touchdown pass from sophomore Donovan Gingrich to Josh Miller just 17 seconds into the second period. Twin Valley responded immediately. Freshman Drew Engle ripped off an 87-yard kickoff return that made it 21-7. Gingrich and Miller, a speedy 5’4 junior, hooked up again on the ensuing drive. The 49-yard completion led to a 37-yard field goal by Adam Noll. His 43-yard field goal attempt on the following series was partially blocked. The Scouts trailed 21-10 at halftime. They ran the ball eight consecutive times on their initial possession of the third quarter. Sevon Parham got four of those touches including a 7-yard touchdown. Gingrich, who also plays basketball, got tripped up on the 2-point conversion. Conrad Weiser was in the red zone in the fourth quarter when a pivotal personal foul penalty pushed them back to the 33-yard line. On third and 18, Gingrich was intercepted by sophomore Evan Johnson to keep it 21-16. Gingrich ended up 9-of-19 for 206 yards. He’s thrown for 552 yards in three contests. Miller has a dozen receptions, one fewer than teammate Trey Dianna. Parham, a 200-pound junior, contributed 97 yards on 21 carries. He had 18 carries in their first two games. The Scouts were limited to 317 yards. Myers was 9-of-14 for 135 yards. He ran for two scores and passed for another. He told me that he enjoys playing for his father, Brett. “It’s fun. I go home [and] I have a question, I don’t have to text anyone anymore. I can ask him to his face. Problems get solved very easily,” Evan emphasized. His dad guided Middletown to 72 wins and three District 3 championships over eight seasons. The former Pottstown head coach and Exeter assistant watched his son run for 42 yards against Conrad Weiser. The (2-1) Raiders are hoping to return to the District 3 playoffs. They made their first appearance last year under Kris Olsen. Meanwhile, the Scouts will host (3-0) ELCO next week.