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.

Casey – Berks Sports Report

Casey Gerhart-Exeter