Berks Sports Report

Casey Gerhart-Exeter

Paul Roberts — Wed, 20 Nov 2024 22:38:16 +0000

Several Exeter football players decided to dye their hair blonde after an impressive 48-14 victory over Conestoga Valley in the District 3-5A semifinals. The (12-1) Eagles handed the Buckskins their first loss of the season. “We’re having a bunch of fun, guys are all loose…We’re really excited,” said linebacker Casey Gerhart. The 5’10, 175-pound senior leads Exeter with 93 tackles. The eighth-seeded Eagles are allowing just 9.5 points per game this year. They’ve reached the District 3 championship for the third time in four seasons. Exeter’s opponent on Friday night at ELCO is very familiar with playing deep into the postseason. Bishop McDevitt has won 17 District 3 titles including three in a row. The sixth-seeded Crusaders are an eye-popping (68-9) all-time in the District 3 tournament. Bishop McDevitt is averaging 40.2 ppg. this fall. “Try to limit the big plays, keep everything underneath, and make tackles. Tackling is gonna be the big key this week,” noted Gerhart. Crusaders’ senior quarterback Stone Saunders holds the state record with 197 career touchdown passes. The Kentucky commit is closing in on Alex Erby’s state record for career passing yards. Saunders needs 435 yards to break the mark of 13,567 which Erby set last year at Steel-High. “He has a great arm. He can make almost any throw,” replied Gerhart. Dominic Diaz-Ellis and Jontai Quick are the top targets for Saunders. They’ve combined for 113 receptions, 2,168 yards, and 27 TD. Quick, a 5’9 sophomore, needs just one yard to hit 1,000 this season. Junior running backs Nazir Jones-Davis and Maurice Barnes have racked up a total of 2,003 rushing yards and 21 scores. Barnes is also a force on defense. The 6’2, 215-pound linebacker has numerous Division I offers including Penn State, Pittsburgh, Michigan, Notre Dame, and Colorado. Gerhart, who’s also on the lacrosse team, said the Eagles have playmakers on all three levels of their defense. Linebacker Genuine Stutzman is second on the squad with 84 tackles. The 6’4, 220-pound senior has 15 TFL and a team-high 3.5 sacks. Navy commit Logan Wegman (6’5, 275) has piled up 74 tackles and 13.5 TFL. Defensive ends Cameron Aiken and Joel Ummarino have combined for 25.5 tackles for loss. In the secondary, Carter Redding and Jayden Ware have three interceptions apiece. Exeter’s offense features All-State running back Jayden Zandier. The speedy 6’2, 180-pound senior has 2,082 yards and 30 TD on the ground this year. “He’s super electric. He can break a run at almost any time. It’s so fun to watch him,” emphasized Gerhart. The Eagles are looking to bring home their second District 3 championship in school history. “All the guys are confident here. We feel like we can come out with a W,” stated Gerhart.

Matt Hoffert Resigns at Hamburg

Paul Roberts — Wed, 20 Nov 2024 15:06:01 +0000

Hamburg is looking for a new head coach of its high school football program. Matt Hoffert resigned after three seasons on Hawk Hill. Hoffert, a 2001 Hamburg graduate, was (21-13) overall including a (9-3) record in his first year. “We appreciate Matt’s contributions to our program over the past three years. Hamburg Area wishes him nothing but the best into the future,” said athletic director Aaron Menapace. Hoffert served as an assistant coach for the Hawks from 2005-09 and again from 2012-13. He took over the program from Jeff Chillot who was (7-4) in his only season at the helm.

Hamburg got off to a (5-1) start this fall before finishing (6-5) for the second consecutive season. The Hawks lost in the Eastern Conference Championship Game each of the past two years. North Pocono shutout Hamburg 41-0 to end the 2024 campaign. The Hawks averaged 25 points while allowing 23 ppg. They ended up in fourth place in Section 5 of the Lancaster-Lebanon League with a (4-3) mark.

Hamburg will also be searching for a new quarterback and #1 wide receiver. Tyler Shuey and Ty Werley were two of the ten seniors on this year’s roster. Shuey set a school record with 4,256 career passing yards. As a junior, he established a single-season school record with 2,764 yards through the air. Werley holds the Hawks’ career records with 104 receptions and 1,788 receiving yards.

Hamburg hasn’t had a losing season since 2018. The Hawks reached the District 3 playoffs in 2021 and 2022. Hamburg moved up to Class 4A this year. “Our administration has started the search for new leadership and will make a hire when we find the right person to fit our student-athletes’ needs,” said Menapace.

“Roberts Rankings”-Football

Paul Roberts — Tue, 19 Nov 2024 23:01:50 +0000

Only three weeks remain in the high school football season in Pennsylvania, and only three Berks County teams are still alive. The top three squads in my rankings all won last week so there aren’t any changes in my poll. Wilson, Exeter, and Wyomissing marched on in their respective classifications.

Twin Valley’s season came to an end after a 31-13 loss at top-seeded Lampeter-Strasburg. Two of the Raiders’ three losses this year came at the hands of the (12-0) Pioneers. Twin Valley reached the District 3 semifinals for the third straight season. The 14 seniors on the Raiders’ roster helped to raise the bar in Elverson.

Wilson’s winning streak is up to nine. The Bulldogs have a tough test awaiting in the District 3-6A Championship. Harrisburg is trying to pull off a 4-peat. The (10-2) Cougars eliminated #1 seed Manheim Township 35-14 last week. Wilson and Harrisburg will square off on Saturday at 1pm at Exeter. I’ll have updates from Don Thomas Stadium.

Speaking of Exeter, the Eagles face another perennial powerhouse in the District 3-5A Final. Bishop McDevitt is looking for its 18th District title and fourth in a row. The (11-2) Crusaders battle Exeter on Friday at 7pm at ELCO. You could throw out the seeds in the Class 5A tournament this fall. Bishop McDevitt is the #6 seed and Exeter is a deceptive #8 seed with just one loss. I’ll have updates from Myerstown.

Wyomissing gets another shot at Lampeter-Strasburg on Friday. That’s a 7pm kickoff at Warwick. This time the District 3-4A crown is up for grabs. The second-seeded Spartans have claimed a dozen District 3 championships including five straight. The Pioneers are searching for their fourth District 3 title.

Without further ado, here is my Berks County high school football poll. Remember that no matter where your favorite team is ranked, the sun will come out tomorrow!

“The Great 8”

1.Wilson (11-1)

2.Exeter (12-1)

3.Wyomissing (10-2)

4.Conrad Weiser (10-1)

5.Twin Valley (9-3)

6.Schuylkill Valley (9-3)

7.Berks Catholic (7-5)

8.Gov. Mifflin (5-6)

Week 13 Scoreboard-Football

Paul Roberts — Sun, 17 Nov 2024 20:39:40 +0000

Wilson held off Central York 28-20 in the District 3-6A semifinals at John Gurski Stadium. You can read the full game story on the homepage. The (11-1) Bulldogs face fourth-seeded Harrisburg on Saturday at Exeter for the championship. Kickoff is at 1pm.

Exeter rolled over Conestoga Valley 48-14 in the District 3-5A semifinals. The (12-1) Eagles avenged a 28-27 loss to the Buckskins in Week 9. Jayden Zandier ran for 270 yards and four touchdowns on 27 carries in the rematch. Conestoga Valley suffered its first loss of the year. The Buckskins were ranked #9 in the state in Class 5A by PennLive. Zandier has a school record 2,082 rushing yards this season! Exeter meets sixth-seeded Bishop McDevitt in Friday’s championship game at ELCO.

Twin Valley lost at Lampeter-Strasburg 31-13 in the District 3-4A semifinals. Dominic Brown rumbled for 183 yards and a score on 29 carries. The top-seeded Pioneers improved to (12-0). They’re ranked #3 in the state in Class 4A by PennLive. The Raiders finished (9-3). They reached the District 3 semifinals for the third year in a row.

Wyomissing cruised past West York 35-7 on Saturday afternoon at Bob Wolfrum Field. The second-seeded Spartans are (22-0) all-time in home playoff games! Danny Fleischood ran for 132 yards and 2 TD on just seven carries. He also had a 36-yard touchdown catch. Derek Macrina added 80 rushing yards and a score. Wyomissing played without standout sophomore Justice Hardy for the second straight game. The (10-2) Spartans battle Lampeter-Strasburg in the District 3-4A championship. They will square off at Warwick on Friday at 7pm.

Mike Glover-Wilson

Paul Roberts — Sat, 16 Nov 2024 06:30:25 +0000

Central York entered Friday’s District 3-6A semifinal averaging 38 points. Junior quarterback Brooklyn Nace had thrown for 2,147 yards and 27 TD in eleven games. However, the third-seeded Panthers managed just 3 points and 71 yards in the second half of a 28-20 loss at Wilson. “I’m so proud of our defense. They did great. They gave our offense chances…our coaches made up a great game plan,” said Mike Glover. The 6’3, 220-pound sophomore TE/DE finished with five receptions for a game-high 117 yards and two touchdowns. Glover made a pivotal 61-yard catch with four minutes left. “It was just a go [route] and they didn’t stick with me so I was open. Madyx threw a great ball and I did what I could to get the yards,” explained Glover. He’s a nightmare for defenders to bring down. On fourth-and-13 with two and a-half minutes remaining, Madyx Gruber found Cam Zullinger for a 16-yard gain. On the next play, Correll Akings ran six yards off the left side for a score. Akings capped a quick 80-yard drive that put the second-seeded Bulldogs up 28-20 with 2:24 to go. Brendyn Smith returned the ensuing kickoff to Central York’s 46-yard line. On fourth-and-10 from Wilson’s 42-yard line, Nace overthrew UConn commit Saxton Suchanic down the right sideline with 35 seconds to play. Wilson fans could finally breathe a sigh of relief. The (11-1) Bulldogs extended their winning streak to nine. The Panthers end up (9-3). They outgained Wilson 292-to-283, but committed three turnovers and nine penalties. Sophomore running back Legend Johnson fumbled on Central York’s first two possessions, but the Bulldogs couldn’t take advantage of either red zone opportunity. On the Panthers’ third series, punter Matthew Parker fielded a low snap which caused his knee to touch the turf at the 13-yard line. This time Wilson cashed in with an 8-yard TD toss from Gruber to Zullinger. The senior tight end had five receptions for 49 yards. Central York responded immediately with a 66-yard bomb from Nace to Smith down the left sideline. It was 7-7 with 2:51 left in the first quarter at John Gurski Stadium. Smith, a 150-pound speedster, hauled in six catches for 107 yards. Johnson ripped off a 52-yard TD run up the middle to put the Panthers in front 14-7 with 8:16 remaining in the first half. The Bulldogs replied with an 80-yard drive. Gruber hit Glover for a 12-yard touchdown pass to even the score at 14-14. Nace then attempted a deep ball down the left sideline, but Jaiden Carpenter tipped the pass into Gruber’s hands for an interception. Three plays later, Glover boxed out his defender for an 18-yard touchdown grab. Wilson went just 34 yards for the 21-14 lead. In the final minute of the half, Gruber got hit and his fluttering pass was picked off by Dwayne Morgan at the 42-yard line. That set up a 56-yard field goal by Parker as time expired. The Penn State commit with a strong leg pulled Central York within 21-17 at the break. Parker added a 43-yard field goal with 4:40 to play. The Panthers were suddenly within 21-20. Gruber engineered an 80-yard drive when it mattered most. “We’ve got a great connection. He’s a dog back there…he takes hits all day and he just gets back up. He’s tough,” said Glover. Gruber went 13-of-24 for 172 yards and 3 TD. The first-year starter at quarterback was sacked five times. Akings was limited to 45 yards on 14 carries. Johnson ran for 123 yards on 17 carries for Central York. Nace was 18-of-32 for 171 yards. He was sacked four times. Mel Gaston, a 215-pound junior, had three tackles for loss. Junior outside linebacker Ethan Harding made a team-high eight tackles for the Bulldogs. Senior linebacker Christo Hunsicker added six tackles and a 71-yard punt on a very windy night. Wilson advanced to the District 3-6A championship game against Harrisburg. “A lot of critics were saying that we weren’t gonna go far because we didn’t have a lot of starters back. I always believed in my guys and I knew we could do this,” stated Glover.

Wilson-Central York Preview

Paul Roberts — Fri, 15 Nov 2024 22:01:16 +0000

Central York was one of several top-notch football programs that made the trip to West Lawn in June for Wilson’s 7-on-7 camp. Five months later, the Panthers are coming back to John Gurski Stadium. This time, however, there’s a lot more at stake and the linemen get to join the party. The Bulldogs host Central York in the District 3-6A semifinals at 7pm.

Wilson is ranked #7 in the state in Class 6A by PennLive. The (10-1) Bulldogs are riding an 8-game winning streak. During that stretch, Wilson has allowed just nine points per contest. The second-seeded Bulldogs are only giving up 81 rushing yards and 197 total yards per game this season. Their defense is led by linebackers E.J. Brownback (70 tackles) and Christo Hunsicker (62 tackles). Brownback, a 215-pound sophomore, has racked up 15.5 tackles for loss. Junior safety Chase Herb has provided 42 tackles. He was all over the field in Wilson’s 34-16 victory at Manheim Township for the Section 1 championship.

The third-seeded Panthers have won eight of their last nine games. They have a dangerous passing attack with Brooklyn Nace in control. The 6’2 junior has thrown for 2,147 yards and 27 touchdowns while completing 67% of his passes. Brendyn Smith, a 150-pound junior speedster, has 64 receptions for 942 yards and 11 TD. Nace has some tall targets as well in 6’3 senior Saxton Suchanic, 6’4 senior Nasir Ruppert, and 6’2 junior tight end Colin Gurley. Suchanic is an athletic defensive back who’s committed to UConn. Legend Johnson has a team-high 560 rushing yards. The 6’2, 185-pound sophomore is averaging 5.3 yards per carry with nine scores.

Tyler Frey is one of York County’s best all-around players. The 190-pound senior recently picked up an offer from Mercyhurst. Frey has piled up 83 tackles, six sacks, and a pair of interceptions from his safety position. You will also see Frey on the offensive side of the ball. Jeremiha Hunter, a 195-pound junior linebacker, is second on the team with 76 tackles. He has 9 TFL and 7 sacks. Defensive end Malachi Ramnath (6’3, 235) is committed to Monmouth. The (9-2) Panthers feature an outstanding kicker in Matthew Parker. The senior with a very strong leg is headed to Penn State.

Madyx Gruber and Correll Akings are hoping to put off basketball season a little while longer. Gruber has 1,713 yards through the air and 691 yards on the ground. The first-year starter at quarterback has 29 combined touchdowns. He’s completing 66% of his attempts. Akings surpassed 1,000 rushing yards last week in a 28-3 win versus Cedar Crest. He’s averaging 6.3 yards per carry with a dozen trips to the end zone. Akings is also a weapon out of the backfield. Four of his 22 catches have gone to the house. Wilson utilizes four tight ends including 6’3 sophomore Michael Glover and 6’ senior Cam Zullinger. Glover has a team-high 34 catches for 531 yards and 4 TD. Zullinger is a key figure on defense as well with 13 TFL.

Wilson and Central York are no strangers to the District 3 playoffs. This is the 32nd appearance for the Bulldogs. The Panthers are in the tournament for the 18th time. Their lone title came in 2020. Wilson has claimed seven District 3 championships with the most recent coming in 2016.

“Roberts Rankings”-Football

Paul Roberts — Tue, 12 Nov 2024 20:54:23 +0000

The Final Four. Berks County teams went (4-3) in the District 3 playoffs last week. Wilson, Exeter, Wyomissing, and Twin Valley are still standing. There are no changes in my rankings this time around.

The Bulldogs are riding an 8-game winning streak. They’ve allowed 20 points or less in every game since a Week 3 loss at Nazareth. Cedar Crest managed just a field goal last Friday in West Lawn. Wilson hosts third-seeded Central York this week in the District 3-6A semifinals. The (9-2) Panthers blew out CD East 47-14 in the quarterfinals. Brooklyn Nace, a 6’2 junior, has thrown for more than 2,000 yards this season. His top target is junior Brendyn Smith (5’10, 150). If you’re into comparing scores, Central York fell to Manheim Township 28-10 in Week 2. The Bulldogs defeated the Blue Streaks 34-16 in their regular season finale.

Exeter travels to #4 seed Conestoga Valley on Friday in the District 3-5A semifinals. These squads are very familiar with each other. The (11-0) Buckskins knocked off the Eagles 28-27 one month ago at Don Thomas Stadium. Jayden Zandier was ruled short of the goal line on a two-point conversion with eight seconds remaining. Exeter received some good news this week. Starting quarterback Riley Martinez was cleared to play after suffering a fracture in his right leg against Muhlenberg. Conestoga Valley junior QB Sawyer Esbenshade has passed for 1,934 yards and 24 touchdowns this fall.

Twin Valley also gets a shot at redemption this Friday. The fifth-seeded Raiders visit top-seeded Lampeter-Strasburg in the District 3-4A semifinals. The (11-0) Pioneers blasted Twin Valley 62-14 in Week 9. Caileb Howse has accounted for 31 offensive touchdowns this season. He has 1,312 yards through the air and another 1,183 on the ground. The Raiders got speedy running back Drew Engle back last week. He ran for 122 yards on 18 carries in a 47-19 victory at Susquehanna Township. Engle provided three scores. He had been out since suffering an injury in the season opener at Berks Catholic. Engle has 2,000 career rushing yards.

Wyomissing meets third-seeded West York on Saturday in the other District 3-4A semifinal. That’s a 1pm kickoff at Bob Wolfrum Field. The Spartans are (21-0) all-time in home playoff games! They dismantled East Pennsboro 31-0 last week. West York got past Eastern York 5-3 in the quarterfinals. Yes, that was the final score. The (9-2) Bulldogs dropped back-to-back contests in early October. They lost to South Western by 20 points and then got tripped up by New Oxford 41-14.

Without further ado, here is my Berks County high school football poll. Remember that no matter where your favorite team is ranked, the sun will come out tomorrow!

“The Great 8”

1.Wilson (10-1)

2.Exeter (11-1)

3.Wyomissing (9-2)

4.Conrad Weiser (10-1)

5.Twin Valley (9-2)

6.Schuylkill Valley (9-3)

7.Berks Catholic (7-5)

8.Gov. Mifflin (5-6)

Keaton Piacine-Wyomissing

Paul Roberts — Sun, 10 Nov 2024 19:15:51 +0000

Wyomissing is well known for its Wing-T offense. The Spartans like to keep the ball on the ground and that old school approach is just fine with offensive tackle Keaton Piacine. Wyomissing piled up 362 yards on 53 carries in a 31-0 victory over East Pennsboro at Bob Wolfrum Field. The second-seeded Spartans marched 73 yards on their opening possession against the seventh-seeded Panthers. Chase Eisenhower, a 215-pound junior, capped the drive with a 20-yard touchdown run. “I think it was very significant. In a playoff game like this, it’s very important to strike hard and strike first. I think that really set the tone for the rest of the game,” said Piacine. The 6’3, 255-pound senior put on 25 pounds since last year. Wyomissing used its timeouts on defense late in the first half and got the ball at East Pennsboro’s 34-yard line after a short punt. On the next play, Danny Fleischood raced 34 yards on a sweep to the right with two minutes left before halftime. Fleischood added a 4-yard score early in the third quarter for a 21-0 advantage. The 6’1, 190-pound junior is back this season after leaving the team midway through last year. Fleischood had 62 yards on six carries on Saturday afternoon. “He’s got a great character. He has great work ethic. He runs hard on every chance he can get,” noted Piacine. Fleischood provided a spark while sophomore standout Justice Hardy was out due to a concussion. Derek Macrina went for a game-high 125 yards on eleven carries. Eisenhower and Tyler Niedrowski combined for 150 yards from the fullback position. The (9-2) Spartans didn’t have any yards through the air. Keegan Maher made a 31-yard field goal with 2:55 to go in the third quarter. That drive was set up by Marcus Armistead’s interception. Daniel Delp took a sweep to the right 19 yards for a touchdown with 21 seconds left. Piacine also starts at defensive end. Wyomissing shutout the (8-4) Panthers who scored 42 points against Susquehannock in the first round. “We, for the most part, stayed pretty basic. I think that allowed for us to really dominate,” explained Piacine. The Spartans improved to (21-0) all-time in home playoff games. “The atmosphere that’s created here is just something different…it’s a whole different feeling and it’s awesome,” said Piacine. His work in the classroom is awesome as well. Piacine has a lofty 5.3 GPA. He’s applied to MIT in Cambridge. Wyomissing will host third-seeded West York on Saturday in the District 3-4A semifinals. The Spartans have a (43-18) record in the District 3 tournament with twelve championships. West York has claimed three titles. The (9-2) Bulldogs won a 5-3 slug fest with Eastern York in the quarterfinals.

Alan Moyer-Conrad Weiser

Paul Roberts — Sat, 09 Nov 2024 12:06:05 +0000

Chad Henne threw for 7,071 yards at Wilson and went on to be a four-year starter at Michigan. He spent 15 seasons in the NFL and won two Super Bowls with the Chiefs before retiring. It says a lot that Conrad Weiser head coach Alan Moyer would compare Bishop McDevitt senior Stone Saunders to Henne. Saunders passed for 303 yards and 5 TD in a 42-7 victory in the District 3-5A quarterfinals. “I equated him to watching Chad Henne throw back when I had a chance to coach him in an All-Star Game. It’s very, very similar to Chad and the quick release and the velocity of the ball,” stated Moyer. Saunders holds the state record with 195 touchdown passes. The 6’2, 215-pound Kentucky commit is closing in on 13,000 career passing yards. He was 11-of-13 on a windy Friday night in Robesonia. Saunders heaved a 40-yard touchdown pass over the middle to Dominic Diaz-Ellis on the Crusaders’ opening 80-yard drive. Jontai Quick made a diving grab for a 13-yard score early in the second quarter. The 5’9, 150-pound sophomore finished with four receptions for 167 yards and three touchdowns. Quick was wide open down the right seam for a 69-yard TD with 8:44 left before halftime. He used a big time stiff arm to go 64 yards down the left sideline on Bishop McDevitt’s next possession. The (10-1) Scouts trailed 28-0 midway through the second period. Nazir Jones-Davis broke off a 67-yard touchdown run less than three minutes later that put him over 1,000 rushing yards for the season. The (10-2) Crusaders reached the end zone on their first five drives which covered a total of 345 yards. Saunders had 250 passing yards in the first half. He tossed a 41-yard TD down the left sideline to Diaz-Ellis with four minutes to go in the third quarter. Diaz-Ellis, a 6’ senior, surpassed 1,000 receiving yards on the year. Third-seeded Conrad Weiser got on the board with eleven minutes remaining. Donovan Gingrich hit Davis Keppley for a 14-yard strike. They’re two of the twenty seniors on the Scouts’ roster. Conrad Weiser was without running backs Javien Rivera and Jonathon McQuillen, as well as standout WR/S Evan Rittle, due to injuries suffered in Week 8. Coach Moyer told his team to focus on the positives this season, including a Section 3 championship in the Lancaster-Lebanon League. “A lot of real good life lessons for these kids about picking each other up, battling adversity, and how to be successful,” he noted. The sixth-seeded Crusaders improved to (67-9) all-time in the District 3 tournament. The 17-time champions will visit unbeaten Mechanicsburg in the semifinals next Friday. The Scouts have a lot to be proud of after going (2-8) a season ago. This year marked their first (10-0) start since 1996. “It’s not by accident. It’s a lot of hard work. It’s the kids and coaching staff buying in to getting back to what we do here. It is pretty remarkable,” said Moyer.

Week 12 Scoreboard-Football

Paul Roberts — Sat, 09 Nov 2024 04:30:47 +0000

Wilson defeated Cedar Crest 28-3 in the District 3-6A quarterfinals at John Gurski Stadium. The (10-1) Bulldogs have won eight games in a row. They haven’t lost to the Falcons since 2001. Wilson will host Central York next Friday.

Exeter handed top-seeded New Oxford its first loss in the District 3-5A quarterfinals. Jake Franek’s 32-yard field goal gave the (11-1) Eagles a thrilling 24-21 victory. Exeter travels to unbeaten Conestoga Valley next week.

Conrad Weiser lost to Bishop McDevitt 42-7 in the District 3-5A quarterfinals at Robesonia. The Scouts finish (10-1).

Twin Valley won at Susquehanna Township 47-19 in the District 3-4A quarterfinals. The (9-2) Raiders visit (11-0) Lampeter-Strasburg next Friday. Twin Valley has advanced to the District 3 semifinals for the third consecutive season.

Schuylkill Valley fell at Trinity 20-17 in overtime in the District 3-3A semifinals. The Panthers’ 8-game winning streak comes to a halt. Schuylkill Valley ends the year at (9-3).

Berks Catholic lost at top-seeded Bermudian Springs 42-25 in the District 3-3A semifinals. The Saints went (7-5) in Dave Stahler’s first season as head coach.