Joey Polinsky-Berks Catholic

Joey Polinsky is moving from tight end to offensive tackle and it shows. The 6’5 senior at Berks Catholic has gone from 225 pounds to 270. Polinsky has enjoyed the transition. “It’s been really positive. Coach Esposito has helped me out a lot with going over our film in the offseason. Picking up the plays wasn’t too bad because in our offense it’s very similar to tight end,” he noted. The Saints like to move the chains on the ground with their Wing-T attack. Rick Keeley is entering his 38th season as a head coach. Keeley spent 22 years at Holy Name and three at Hamburg. He’s (113-35) over the past twelve seasons at Berks Catholic. The Saints are an impressive (19-5) all-time in the District 3 playoffs with four championships. “He tells us about all the District appearances and the rich history they have. It makes you want to live up to that image of Berks Catholic,” said Polinsky. Keeley has 275 victories in his career. Berks Catholic suffered its first losing season in 2022. The (5-6, 4-3) Saints did beat Pine Grove 49-14 to claim an Eastern Conference title. They return five starters on defense and four on offense. The schedule is daunting. Berks Catholic opens with four teams that are ranked in PennLive’s preseason poll. First up, a trip to Loyalsock (#4 in Class 3A). The Saints’ first home game is against Executive Education Charter (#10 in 2A). In Week 3, Berks Catholic hosts Pope John Paul II (#5 in 4A). That trifecta is followed by the “Backyard Brawl” at Wyomissing (#2 in 3A) on Saturday, September 16th. The Saints must also tackle Cocalico and Lampeter-Strasburg in Section 4 of the Lancaster-Lebanon League. Those squads combined for 19 wins a season ago. Berks Catholic will certainly be battle-tested. Polinsky would like to play football in college and get a quality education. “Right now, I’m talking to mostly Patriot League and Ivy League schools. That’s where I’m hoping to end up,” he replied. The Saints are hoping to return to their winning ways.