Berks Sports Report Paul Roberts
Justice Hardy suffered a shoulder injury in Wilson’s 35-23 loss to Central Bucks West on September 4th. The Louisville commit didn’t play in last week’s 42-0 rout of Reading. Hardy said he was feeling great on Friday when Cedar Crest made the trip to John Gurski Stadium. The 5’8, 185-pound senior scored four touchdowns in the first twelve minutes and twelve seconds. The (5-1, 3-0) Bulldogs cruised to a 52-7 victory over the (4-2, 1-2) Falcons. “It was amazing. I just wanted to get back playing with my guys. It was a relief to be able to come out here and play with some of my best friends,” replied Hardy.
Outside linebacker Aiden Harmon intercepted Steven Reyes at the 15-yard line on the first play of the game. Hardy bounced an inside handoff out to the right for an easy 7-yard touchdown just thirty seconds into the Section 1 matchup. On Cedar Crest’s second possession, the snap from the 20-yard line went over Reyes’ head and rolled into the end zone. Hardy recovered the loose ball and Wilson was on top 14-0 after 37 seconds. “They were having quarterback-center exchange issues out the wazoo. In a game like this, you can’t do that,” noted Bulldogs’ head coach Doug Dahms.
Wilson began its second series at the Falcons’ 46-yard line. Cole Peterson found Hardy over the middle for a 36-yard touchdown pass with 6:54 left in the opening quarter. Sophomore Preston Oxenreider drilled a 35-yard field goal to make it 24-0 with 55 seconds remaining in the first period. The Bulldogs’ fourth drive started at the Falcons’ 40-yard line. Peterson connected with Damian Greer for a 15-yard completion. Hardy’s fourth touchdown came twelve seconds into the second quarter. He took a pitch to the left and then cut back across the entire field for a 15-yard TD run. Peterson provided a key block to help Hardy reach the end zone. Wilson, ranked #9 in the state by PennLive, put together an 80-yard possession midway through the second period. Mike Glover, a James Madison commit, hauled in a 30-yard pass to midfield. Greer capped the drive with a 14-yard touchdown on a toss to the left. Glover provided a great block that opened a huge hole on the left edge. The Bulldogs were in front 38-0 with six minutes to go before halftime. Wilson outgained Cedar Crest 243-to-18 in the first half.
The Falcons, who have lost 24 consecutive games against the Bulldogs, got on the scoreboard with 9:40 left to play. Reyes hit 6’4, 220-pound tight end Mason Cevette over the middle for a 14-yard touchdown pass. Cevette is a hard-throwing junior who’s committed to Auburn for baseball. Tyler Ulrich broke free and raced 38 yards for a touchdown on the ensuing possession. NeChar Mercado, the point guard on Wilson’s basketball team, added a 3-yard touchdown run with 1:11 remaining.
The Bulldogs held Cedar Crest to 96 total yards. Isaiah Zimmerman, who’s headed to Army, was limited to 13 yards on nine carries. Hardy gave credit to longtime defensive coordinator Ernie Wolber. “He always says his biggest fear is not preparing us well enough. Our game that we lost, he didn’t sleep that entire night. It shows what type of coach he is, how much he cares. As long as we execute, we can go as far as we want,” said Hardy.
Wilson has only allowed 13 points in its last four games. Glover had a team-high six tackles on Friday. The two-time All-State tight end finished with 63 yards on six receptions. Hardy turned 14 carries into 92 yards. He also made four catches for another 50 yards. Peterson was 12-of-18 for 148 yards with one touchdown and an interception. The Bulldogs ended up with 339 total yards and 21 first downs. “I think our kids are starting to play some pretty good football,” remarked Dahms. He’s (210-48) over 21 years at the helm in West Lawn.