Akings – Berks Sports Report

Doug Dahms-Wilson

Paul Roberts — Sat, 07 Sep 2024 13:54:27 +0000

Wilson made an 80-minute trip north to Nazareth and nearly knocked off the #5 ranked team in the state in Class 6A. “We had them. We had them. I think the second half we outplayed them,” said longtime coach Doug Dahms. The (3-0) Blue Eagles held on for a thrilling 35-31 victory. The (2-1) Bulldogs reached the 1-yard line when Correll Akings fumbled with 54 seconds left. Matt Dorniak, a 270-pound senior defensive lineman, recovered the ball in the end zone for the defending District 11 champions. The first half was loaded with big plays. The second half, however, included just one touchdown. Peyton Falzone sprinted 50 yards down the left sideline to give Nazareth a 35-31 lead with four minutes remaining in the third quarter. The 6’5, 205-pound junior quarterback is also on the track team and has run the 100 meters in 11.1 seconds. “His speed really makes him a threat to run all the time. He has a nice nucleus of receivers and he finds them,” replied Dahms. Falzone showed off his arm strength in the first half. The Virginia Tech commit hit Caleb Newsome for a 53-yard score on the opening possession. The teams combined for eight consecutive touchdown drives! There were 525 total yards and 27 first downs in the first half. A 4-yard run by Wilson senior quarterback Madyx Gruber made it 7-7. Falzone responded with a 62-yard touchdown pass to junior tight end Tanner Zelachowski. After his defender fell down, Zelachowski raced untouched down the right sideline. Falzone heaved a 35-yard TD pass to Newsome early in the second quarter for a 21-13 advantage. Dahms and his assistants were screaming for offensive pass interference, but no flag was thrown. Gruber answered with his second 1-yard touchdown run with seven minutes to go in the second quarter. The basketball standout connected with tight end Cam Zullinger for the 2-point conversion which knotted the game at 21-21. The Blue Eagles went back on top just three plays later. This time it was Falzone to sophomore Matt Leluga for a 42-yard strike. A 1-yard run by Akings capped a 45-yard drive to even things at 28-28 with 3:22 left in the first half. On their next possession, the Bulldogs pulled off a successful fake punt from their own 33-yard line. Christo Hunsicker hit Zullinger for a 14-yard gain. Hunsicker kicked a 32-yard field goal as time expired and Wilson was on top 31-28 at the break. Hunsicker, who piled up a team-high eight tackles, missed a 33-yard field goal to begin the second half. Nazareth then marched 80 yards on six plays. Falzone’s 50-yard run ended up being the difference. He also boomed a 64-yard punt early in the fourth quarter that pushed the Bulldogs back to their 10-yard line after a penalty. Gruber lofted a 24-yard pass down the right sideline to Akings in the final minutes. 6’3, 220-pound sophomore tight end Michael Glover reeled in a 20-yard pass before Akings’ fumble on a toss to the left. Akings ran for 131 yards on 29 carries. Glover provided 132 yards on eight catches. Gruber finished 15-of-24 for 233 yards and three touchdown runs. “He’s making a lot of plays. He’s not the greatest passer in the world, but he keeps things alive with his feet. He’s smart,” noted Dahms. Wilson outgained the Blue Eagles 434-397. Falzone went 13-of-23 for 254 yards and four scores. Newsome, who’s committed to Lafayette, had four receptions for 102 yards and two touchdowns. Nazareth was limited to 24 passing yards in the second half. Dahms, in his 19th season as head coach, mentioned that speedy freshman Damian Greer was inserted at cornerback to give Akings a break. The Bulldogs also made sure that Gruber was covering Newsome in the second half. This was only the second meeting between the schools. Jami Sands, now the head coach at Boyertown, ran for 227 yards and 3 TD in Wilson’s 61-21 win over Nazareth in 1995. Despite the miscues on Friday night, including a dozen penalties, Dahms was proud of his team’s effort. “They fought all the way to the end…That was just two really good football teams going at it,” he said.

Correll Akings-Wilson

Paul Roberts — Sat, 03 Aug 2024 02:45:35 +0000

The West Reading Summer Basketball League championship came down to the final second. Zach Suski got behind Wilson’s defense after a missed free throw. Suski missed an open layup and the Bulldogs held on for a 37-35 victory over Berks Catholic. “I thought it was gonna be a tie game and we were gonna have to fight through overtime. That game was very tough and it came down to the wire,” said Correll Akings. The Saints had won the previous three West Reading League titles. They battled back after trailing 8-0 and 15-4 on Thursday night. Kingston McKoy finished with a game-high 20 points, including four three-pointers. “He’s so good and crafty. He knows how to get a bucket whenever he needs one,” acknowledged Akings. Suski, who had 12 points, sank a triple from the right corner before the halftime buzzer. Berks Catholic was down 21-14 at the break. Wilson was on top 27-24 after the third quarter. A jump hook by Luke Levan gave the Bulldogs a 33-31 advantage with 1:45 remaining. McKoy’s putback tied the score. A tough floater by Madyx Gruber made it 35-33. A layup by Akings gave Wilson a 37-33 cushion with 36 seconds left. However, Akings missed five consecutive free throws down the stretch which gave the Saints a chance. The rising junior guard still ended up with a team-high 11 points. Levan provided eight points. “He’s developed so much and he’s become such a strong player for us,” emphasized Akings. Gruber received the Terry Brennan Most Outstanding Player award. The rising senior guard had 16 points in a 38-29 semifinal win against Warwick. The Bulldogs captured the West Reading League championship for the first time since 2019. Akings, Gruber, Levan, Tommy McFadden, Jon Etim, Cam Zullinger, and Christo Hunsicker are all back from the team that won the BCIAA title this year. “The chemistry is getting stronger and stronger day in and day out. I love the guys so much. They mean a lot to me,” said Akings.

Correll Akings-Wilson

Paul Roberts — Sat, 23 Dec 2023 08:30:00 +0000

The calendar says December, but it felt like a playoff game in West Lawn on Friday night. The youngest player on the floor came up big. Sophomore guard Correll Akings had 23 points and six rebounds as Wilson held off Muhlenberg 57-56 in overtime. Akings’ layup with eleven seconds left forced OT. “I saw the opening after I ripped through and I knew that I had to go off two [feet] strong,” he said. The 5’8 running back exploded for 16 points in the third and fourth quarters. Mike Miller, a 6’1 sophomore, had an open look from the left corner, but he couldn’t connect as time expired. “I thought it was in, but luckily it didn’t go in,” replied Akings with a huge smile. The (7-1, 2-0) Bulldogs started slow and trailed 15-9 after eight minutes. Madyx Gruber had seven of his twelve points in the first period. Wilson’s shots began to fall in the second quarter and it was even at 27 at halftime. The (6-3, 1-1) Muhls outscored the Bulldogs 16-11 in the third period. However, Wilson opened the fourth quarter with an 11-2 run. 6’2 junior Shermar Killens went 1-of-2 from the foul line to tie it at 50 with one minute remaining. After a block by 6’3 senior Kyle Archie, Killens gave Muhlenberg a 52-50 lead on a layup with 34 seconds left. Akings answered to send the Division 1 contest to an extra session. Tommy McFadden and Cam Zullinger scored inside for the Bulldogs, but the Muhls came right back. Alex Collado’s floater off the glass tied it at 56 with 42 seconds to go. Gruber was fouled away from the basket with 22 seconds to play. The 5’11 junior, who was sick, made one of his two free throws for a 57-56 lead. Collado, who finished with a team-high 15 points, was trapped on Muhlenberg’s final possession. The Muhls swung the ball around to Miller who got a clean look before the horn sounded. Muhlenberg’s three-game winning streak ended as they went 11-of-21 from the charity stripe. Killens provided 13 points and Archie added ten. McFadden and Zullinger had six points apiece off Wilson’s bench. Junior guard Jon Etim chipped in with eight points including five in the fourth quarter. The Bulldogs were 9-of-14 from the foul line. Akings converted five of his six free throws. “It takes a lot of time to get used to shooting again. I’m starting to get my flow back,” he noted. Wilson’s football season didn’t end until November 10th. The Bulldogs have managed to shake off the rust and win six in a row. “We are showing everybody that we’ve been working really hard at practice and it’s paying off,” said Akings.