Bauer – Berks Sports Report

Matt Bauer-Exeter

Paul Roberts — Sat, 04 Nov 2023 01:38:00 +0000

It wasn’t that long ago that Exeter was riding an eight-game winning streak and ranked in the top 5 in the state in Class 5A. How quickly things can change. #8 seed Hershey rallied from a 21-0 halftime deficit to stun the ninth-seeded Eagles 28-27 in the opening round of the District 3-5A playoffs at Hersheypark Stadium. “Nothing I can say right now is gonna make them feel any better,” said head coach Matt Bauer. Exeter committed four turnovers in the second half. “You can’t make those types of mistakes in November. Those types of mistakes end your season,” stated Bauer. The (8-3) Trojans had miscues of their own in the second quarter. On 4th & 4 from the 10-yard line, sophomore Cameron Sweeney was intercepted by sophomore linebacker Aiden Dauble. On Hershey’s next possession, running back Angel Cabrera fumbled at the Eagles’ 17-yard line. The 225-pound senior entered the night with 1,408 rushing yards and 20 TD. Exeter scored on three consecutive drives in the second period. Sophomore Zumar Boston capped a 71-yard march with a 2-yard run. Riley Martinez hit Carter Redding over the middle for a 22-yard touchdown. Redding avoided three defenders and managed to stay in bounds along the right sideline. Martinez, a 6’3 sophomore, found Redding deep over the middle for a 21-0 advantage with 1:14 remaining before halftime. The string of turnovers for the Eagles began on the opening possession of the third quarter when Martinez was picked off in the end zone by Derek Guzman. About four and a-half minutes later, Exeter fumbled a punt at midfield. Those takeaways resulted in 14 points for the Trojans in the form of short TD runs by Cabrera. The powerful running back finished with an eye-popping 37 carries for 174 yards and 4 TD. Jayden Zandier raced up the gut for a 69-yard score with 3:10 to go in the third period. The Eagles went on top 27-7. They couldn’t get off the extra point due to a high snap. Zandier piled up 222 yards on 25 carries. The speedy junior had a costly fumble that was recovered by Guzman with six minutes on the clock. A few plays later, Sweeney heaved the ball deep down field and Guzman somehow came down with it at the 38-yard line. Cabrera’s fourth touchdown, a 1-yard plunge, tied it up with 2:36 left. Cole Goodman made the PAT for a 28-27 edge. One minute later, safety Anthony Vasquezi intercepted Martinez’s pass and sprinted down the right sideline to Exeter’s 22-yard line. Hershey pulled off its first victory in the District 3 playoffs since 2010. The Trojans are appearing in the tournament for the first time since 2013. The Eagles were the Class 5A runner-up a season ago. Exeter outgained Hershey 426-to-391. The Trojans will travel to top-seeded New Oxford next Friday. The Eagles end up (8-3). “It’s a great bunch of kids. It’s a very unselfish bunch of kids…our kids battled. They gave everything they had,” said Bauer. He added, “Tough times don’t last. Tough people do.”

Matt Bauer-Exeter

Paul Roberts — Sat, 28 Oct 2023 09:04:00 +0000

Exeter and Manheim Central were even for 24 minutes at Don Thomas Stadium. The second half, however, belonged to the Barons. Manheim Central won its 28th Section 2 championship by beating the Eagles 42-14. “I can’t say enough about the effort I got from my kids…That score is not indicative of the effort we got tonight,” said head coach Matt Bauer. Senior defensive end Owen Eichelberger put the (9-1, 6-0) Barons on top 21-14 with a 14-yard pick-six four minutes into the third quarter. Linebacker Bode Sipel came untouched up the middle on a blitz and put pressure on sophomore quarterback Riley Martinez. “We shot ourselves in the foot. We made penalties and turnovers in crucial situations. It flipped the momentum completely,” emphasized Bauer. On Manheim Central’s next possession, Zac Hahn avoided a sack and lofted a 43-yard touchdown pass to Aaron Enterline who was open over the middle. Exeter standout safety Nate Pashley was out for that series while dealing with a cramp. The Barons went up 35-14 on a 12-yard TD pass to tight end Xander Kolk with 4:47 remaining. Sonny Callahan punched in another score from three yards out with just 16 seconds left. Manheim Central was without All-State running back Brycen Armold for the second straight game. His backup, Michael Torres, ran for 123 yards on 20 carries. The 5’8, 146-pound senior had 257 yards and 4 TD in his first start last week against Gov. Mifflin. Hahn went 22-of-29 for 296 yards and 4 TD versus the (8-2, 4-2) Eagles. The Barons struck first on his 29-yard pass down the left sideline to Aaron Enterline. The 6’3, 180-pound wide receiver finished with six receptions for 102 yards. Enterline set a single-season school record with 22 TD catches. Jayden Zandier tied it with a 57-yard burst up the middle with 1:19 to go in the opening quarter. The speedy junior had 178 yards on 18 carries. “It’s such a nice treat to have someone that can take it the distance on any given play. He gave us everything he had,” noted Bauer. Exeter grabbed a 14-7 advantage on Martinez’s perfect 93-yard touchdown pass to Pashley with 2:10 to play before halftime. The 6’3 sophomore quarterback ended up 8-of-21 for 138 yards and a pair of interceptions. “He made some errors, but he also threw some great balls…We want him to manage the game for us, not have to decide it,” said Bauer. Manheim Central drove 75 yards in one minute and eight seconds. Hahn found Sipel for a 16-yard score with 55 seconds remaining in the half. Sipel came up with eight grabs for 85 yards. He also had an interception midway through the first quarter. Hahn is up to 33 touchdown passes this year with only two picks. The Barons outgained the Eagles 432-316. There were 22 combined penalties for more than 200 yards. Twelve of the flags went against Manheim Central which got its 603rd all-time victory. The Barons are ranked in the top ten in the state in Class 4A. Exeter suffered its second loss in a row. “Who would’ve thought (8-2) would feel this bad,” said Bauer with a smile.

Matt Bauer-Exeter

Paul Roberts — Sat, 26 Nov 2022 00:45:00 +0000

Cocalico left Wyomissing on October 8th with a (3-4) record. The Eagles committed four turnovers and were dominated by the Spartans 38-7. My how things have changed for this scrappy group from Denver, Pennsylvania. The Eagles were the last team to qualify for the District 3-5A playoffs as the #12 seed. They made history on Friday at Don Thomas Stadium by beating second-seeded Exeter 34-14 in the District 3 Final. Cocalico extended its winning streak to seven games and claimed the program’s fourth District 3 title. Exeter suffered its first loss after rattling off twelve consecutive victories. “It’s heartbreaking. There’s no question about it. For this senior class, what they’ve given us, the dedication and the leadership they provided; it just doesn’t seem fair. But nobody said life had to be fair,” said head coach Matt Bauer. The Eagles turned the ball over three times and were held to 96 rushing yards. “If you don’t show up and play your best on any night, your season can go down the drain,” noted Bauer. Cocalico started the night with a 16-play, 65-yard drive that lasted eight and a-half minutes. Sam Steffey ended the possession with a 2-yard score. The 5’9, 185-pound junior fullback entered the contest with 1,728 yards and 22 TD. After Exeter went three-and-out, Brayden Eppinette took a toss 46 yards down the right sideline for a 13-0 advantage with one minute remaining in the opening quarter. The speedy 155-pound sophomore only got 19 carries in Cocalico’s first 13 games. Exeter took advantage of great field position to get on the scoreboard midway through the second quarter. After a 13-yard punt, the Eagles drove 36 yards and converted on 4th down from the 1-yard line. Richie Karstien crashed into the end zone for his 20th rushing touchdown. Exeter took over at its 47-yard line with 39 seconds to go before halftime. Mason Rotelli was picked off by senior linebacker Carter Getz. On the next play, Josh Myer hit an uncovered Aaryn Longenecker for a 42-yard TD with 22 seconds on the clock. Cocalico was up 20-7 at the break. It was just the third touchdown pass for Myer this year. “That was definitely a huge momentum swing. I should’ve been satisfied going in 13-7 at half. I’m sure I’ll be second-guessing it for a long time to come, but at the time I thought it was the right call,” admitted Bauer. Exeter turned to Joey Schlaffer at quarterback in the third quarter. “We needed a spark and he provided us a spark all year. I wanted to give him every opportunity to turn the tide,” explained Bauer. His second pass attempt was intercepted by Longenecker. Schlaffer, a 6’6 senior who’s headed to Penn State to play tight end, connected with Zach Zandier on a 37-yard strike over the middle on Exeter’s next series. Karstien capped that possession with another 1-yard score and Exeter was within 20-14 with two minutes remaining in the third quarter. Cocalico responded with a clutch 75-yard drive. Myer went up top to Longenecker for 45 yards. The 170-pound sophomore quarterback hit pay dirt on a 14-yard run with eleven minutes to play. Longenecker ran in the 2-point conversion for a 28-14 edge. Exeter turned the ball over on downs on its next two possessions. Myer sealed it with a 5-yard run that put Cocalico on top 34-14 with 3:47 to go. The (10-4) Eagles are the first #12 seed to earn a District 3 football championship. They outgained Exeter 274-188. Myer ran for a team-high 71 yards and 2 TD on 16 touches. He was 2-of-2 for 87 yards through the air. Both of his completions were to Longenecker. Steffey was limited to 45 yards on 17 carries. He piled up 251 yards and 3 TD last week in the semifinals when Cocalico stunned top-seeded Solanco 32-8. Karstien led Exeter with 83 yards on 21 touches. Rotelli wound up 5-of-16 for just 32 yards and 2 INT. The 6’1, 170-pound senior had only thrown six picks all season. Zandier, a 6’5 junior tight end, had three grabs for 73 yards. Schlaffer was held without a catch. He had 11 TD receptions this season. Exeter came in averaging 39 points per game. They were trying to repeat as District 3 champs. The Eagles are (10-12) all-time in the District 3 playoffs. There are 17 seniors on this year’s roster. “It was the most physical senior class we’ve had so far. Last year was definitely special and this year is just as special. These kids work so hard. Winning twelve games is definitely something to be proud of,” emphasized Bauer.

Matt Bauer-Exeter

Paul Roberts — Sat, 27 Aug 2022 09:44:00 +0000

It’s not often that a football season begins with a rivalry matchup, but that was the case on Friday in Birdsboro. A great crowd was on hand to see Exeter battle Daniel Boone for the 64th time. “This is my 14th year, I’ve never once had to get my kids up to play Daniel Boone. It’s great for the community. Happy that we came out on top, but their kids played very hard,” said Eagles’ head coach Matt Bauer. Exeter took the Pig Iron Trophy back to Reiffton with a 35-0 victory. Mason Rotelli was impressive in his debut at quarterback. The senior finished 12-of-16 for 158 yards and 3TD. His 1-yard touchdown run put the Eagles on top 21-0 with 1:11 remaining in the second quarter. They weren’t done yet. Rotelli launched a 47-yard touchdown pass to 6’5, 220-pound tight end Zach Zandier as time expired in the first half. Bauer saw Rotelli’s confidence growing as the game progressed. “Our goal was to keep it small for him at first so he could just manage the game. By the end, he was trying to call his own number on some stuff. It was great to see. He’s worked very hard. He’s been very loyal to this program. That’s what it’s all about,” he said. PSU commit Joey Schlaffer reeled in four catches for 53 yards and 2TD. Rotelli hooked up with the 6’6, 215-pound senior over the middle for a 34-yard score with 42 seconds to go in the third quarter. That put the mercy rule into effect. Schlaffer got one series at quarterback early in the second quarter. He had three carries for 37 yards. Bauer noted, “He’s so versatile, we can move him all over the field. It really creates matchup problems defensively. That was our objective for sure.” Schlaffer took a shovel pass ten yards to the end zone midway through the second period for a 14-0 advantage. He also came up with a sack while playing defensive end for the first time. The Eagles’ offensive line was as advertised. Lucas Palange and Kyle Lash returned at guard, along with Delaware commit Anthony Caccese (6’6, 280) at right tackle. All three are seniors. They’re joined by twins Ryan and Matthew McConnell. Exeter’s front five averages 246 pounds. Bauer emphasized, “It’s the most blue collar group we’ve had. Those kids are in the chutes every day, and all they do is grind.” The Eagles utilized a trio of running backs including sophomores Carter Redding and Pharrell Caceres. Redding raced 34 yards to set up his 1-yard touchdown run in the final minute of the opening quarter. Caceres picked up 35 yards on his first touch. He ended up with a team-high 64 yards on nine carries. Karstien, a 215-pound senior who also plays defensive end, chipped in with 38 yards on six carries. He was denied a score by Blazers’ sophomore safety Ryan Poore who forced a fumble just before Karstien crossed the goal line in the second quarter. Zandier missed a 37-yard field goal six minutes later. The Eagles’ defense limited Daniel Boone to 94 total yards. Blazers’ junior quarterback Dean Rotter left the game in the third quarter with a collarbone injury. He was replaced by sophomore Chase Domenech. Exeter lost senior defensive end Joey Reedy to a shoulder injury in the third period. He was taken off the field in an ambulance. Exeter won its tenth straight in the series. They didn’t play last year due to a Covid-19 issue at Daniel Boone. The Eagles are ranked #7 in the state in Class 5A by PennLive. They earned their first District 3 championship a season ago. Bauer told me that they’ve turned the page. “Last year was last year and that was a fairy tale for sure, but these kids want to create their own identity. No more talking about 2021. This is our legacy and these kids deserve that,” he said.

Matt Bauer-Exeter

Paul Roberts — Sat, 27 Nov 2021 08:15:00 +0000

Matt Bauer did something that no other Exeter football coach was able to accomplish; bring a District 3 championship to Reiffton. The seventh-seeded Eagles upset #1 seed Gov. Mifflin 31-28 in Shillington for the Class 5A title. This was the Eagles’ first appearance in a District 3 Final. Unlike the regular season matchup with the Mustangs when Exeter trailed 30-0 before falling 54-21, the Eagles got out to a great start on a cold and windy night. They went 65 yards for a touchdown on their opening drive, and jumped out to a 21-7 lead midway through the second quarter. Gov. Mifflin rallied to go up 28-21 in the third quarter thanks to a 2-yard TD run by Nick Singleton and a 28-yard sprint to the end zone by quarterback Eden Johnson. Singleton ended his incredible career with 40 yards on just eight carries and a 51-yard TD grab. Exeter answered with a 22-yard field goal by Mike Moser and a 31-yard TD run by Eric Nangle on 4th & 1 with 9:15 remaining. The Eagles converted another pivotal 4th down with three minutes left. Bauer told me that Colin Payne and Joey Schlaffer convinced the coaching staff to go for the first down instead of punting or calling a fake punt. Payne hit Schlaffer for five yards on 4th & 4 and Exeter was able to run out the clock. Bauer stressed that the ability to sustain drives and control the line of scrimmage was a key factor. The Eagles finished with 399 total yards including 238 on the ground. Their final possession was seven minutes and 35 seconds. Nangle ran for 223 yards on 40 carries! Bauer said, “He’ll run through a wall for you.” Nangle had a TD run and a 33-yard TD catch. Payne was 13-21 for 161 yards with 3TD and an INT. Bauer told me that he wouldn’t trade Payne for any quarterback in Berks County. Schlaffer, a 6’6 junior who has committed to Penn State, had five catches for 55 yards and 2TD. Bauer talked about how much he has improved in all facets of the game. Exeter is (10-3) and riding a 6-game winning streak. (10-1) Gov. Mifflin was held to 219 total yards. Bauer added that the historic victory hasn’t sunk in yet, but he always knew that this was a special group of players. He’s (93-51) over 13 years as the Eagles’ head coach. Exeter has won 74 games in the last nine seasons. The Eagles have advanced to the state semifinals for the first time.

Matt Bauer-Exeter

Paul Roberts — Sat, 06 Nov 2021 09:25:00 +0000

Most coaches would be thrilled with a 17-point win in the postseason, but Matt Bauer knows the Eagles made too many mistakes in a 38-21 victory over #10 South Western. #7 Exeter led 20-0 early in the second quarter of the District 3-5A opening round matchup. The Mustangs took back the momentum and trailed 20-14 late in the third quarter. 6’3 senior quarterback Shilo Bivins threw 2TD passes and ran for another score. The Eagles put together a 97-yard drive that took five minutes off the clock and put them in control midway through the fourth quarter when Colin Payne found Carson Schmidt for a 15-yard TD pass on 4th & 6. Bauer told me that he suggested a screen pass to offensive coordinator J.P. Gibbons and it worked to perfection on that series. 220-pound fullback Ty Yocum rumbled for 59 yards down the left sideline. Bauer called Yocum, “one in a million.” Yocum had eight carries for 63 yards and a TD to go along with three catches for 82 yards. The senior linebacker also came up with an INT. Bauer said Eric Nangle and Schmidt are both unselfish players who have key roles in an electric offense. Nangle ran for 137 yards and a TD on 19 carries. Schmidt added 2TD receptions. Bauer has guided Exeter to the District 3 playoffs in ten of the last eleven seasons. Next up, a trip to #2 Manheim Central in the quarterfinals. The Barons are (9-1).

Matt Bauer-Exeter

Paul Roberts — Sat, 16 Oct 2021 00:54:00 +0000

Matt Bauer needed a towel after his Eagles beat Berks Catholic 33-21. The Exeter players dumped water all over their head coach during a postgame celebration. Last year was a much different story. The Saints defeated the Eagles 56-28 a season ago. They outscored Exeter 35-0 in the second half. Bauer told me that game gave his players plenty of motivation. He credited his offensive line and senior quarterback Colin Payne for stepping up late in the game. Payne completed his final three passes for 71 yards and a go-ahead TD to 6’6 junior Joey Schlaffer with nine minutes left. Bauer said he’s never had another WR like Schlaffer in his 13 years at Exeter. Junior G/LB Lucas Palange received the game ball. Bauer was thrilled with his effort on both sides of the ball. Does Bauer ever take a peek at the District 3 power rankings? You will hear the answer. The Eagles are (5-3) after holding Berks Catholic to 248 total yards. 75 of those yards came on one play, a TD pass from Mitchell Gatz to Jay Jay Jordan in the second quarter. Exeter senior Eric Nangle rumbled for 131 yards and a TD on 27 carries. Ty Yocum powered his way into the end zone twice. Bauer is very proud of the fifteen seniors on the roster.

Matt Bauer-Exeter

Paul Roberts — Wed, 06 Oct 2021 19:53:00 +0000

Matt Bauer is in his 13th season as the Eagles’ head coach. He has guided Exeter to ten straight winning seasons. Bauer goes into Friday’s highly anticipated matchup against Gov. Mifflin with a record of (87-50). I asked him what the Eagles have to do to slow down PSU commit Nick Singleton and the Mustangs’ potent offense. Gov. Mifflin is undefeated and ranked #1 in the state in Class 5A. Exeter is (4-2) and averaging 43 points per game. The Eagles beat Wilson for the first time in school history. They then lost to Hempfield 17-14, a game Bauer doesn’t want his players to ever forget. We talked about several of Exeter’s key players including Ty Yocum, J.R. Strauss, Colin Payne, and Joey Schlaffer. Strauss is committed to Villanova and Schlaffer has numerous Division I offers including Penn State, Tennessee, and Cincinnati.

Matt Bauer-Exeter

Paul Roberts — Sat, 28 Aug 2021 16:01:00 +0000

The Eagles went toe-to-toe with highly touted Central York at Don Thomas Stadium. Exeter had its chances, but struggled in the red zone and lost 35-28 in a nailbiter! Head coach Matt Bauer gave credit to Panthers’ QB Beau Pribula who’s headed to Penn State. Pribula was 17-24 for 337 yards and 4TD. He also ran for a score. Bauer was pleased with the performance of several of his players including J.R. Strauss, Joey Schlaffer, Colin Payne, Ty Yocum, and Joey Reedy. We talked about an incredible 49-yard TD catch by Strauss late in the third quarter. Bauer also addressed some areas that the Eagles need to improve on for next week’s game vs. Boyertown.