Gingrich – Berks Sports Report

Donovan Gingrich-Tri-County All-Star Game

Paul Roberts — Sun, 25 May 2025 12:41:50 +0000

After getting blown out 35-0 last year, the Berks/Lebanon team was determined to have a better showing in the 23rd Tri-County All-Star Game. They jumped out to a 17-0 lead and were within three points with one minute remaining. The Lancaster squad prevailed 49-39 in a very entertaining contest at Manheim Central on Friday night. “We matched up pretty well. I think if we play ten times, it goes pretty evenly,” said Conrad Weiser quarterback Donovan Gingrich. The Bloomsburg commit finished 10-of-16 for 207 yards and three touchdowns. “Playing with people that I haven’t been able to play with, that are the best on their team, is pretty fun,” replied Gingrich. Wilson offensive lineman Derek Reiniger moved to running back in short yardage situations for Berks/Lebanon. He made the most of the opportunity with a pair of touchdown runs up the middle. Lancaster trailed 17-0 with 6:23 left in the second quarter. Caileb Howse from Lampeter-Strasburg scrambled six yards for a score to get them on the board with two minutes to go in the first half. After an interception by Warwick’s Quinn Care, Howse lofted a beautiful pass down the left sideline to his high school teammate Dom Brown. That 74-yard strike made it 17-14. Brown and Howse are both headed to Millersville University. Manheim Township quarterback Carson Weisser started the second half with a bang. He found McCaskey’s DeAndre Jones for a 80-yard touchdown and a 21-17 lead. Berks/Lebanon answered right back when Gingrich connected with Exeter’s Carter Redding down the right seam for a 64-yard score. “You’ve got weapons all over the field,” emphasized Gingrich. Redding racked up 170 yards on six receptions. The East Stroudsburg commit was named the MVP for Berks/Lebanon. Brown received that award for Lancaster. His 9-yard touchdown run put Lancaster back in front at 28-24 with 6:21 to play in the third quarter. Brown ended up with 98 yards on eight carries. Declan Clancy of Manheim Township rumbled for 87 yards on 13 carries. He’s also going to Bloomsburg. Weisser and Jones hooked up again for a 31-yard touchdown with 9:16 remaining. The pass was tipped at the 4-yard line, but Jones demonstrated outstanding concentration to bring it in. Berks/Lebanon pulled within 35-32 with 7:40 left. Gingrich rolled right and hit Exeter’s Genuine Stutzman for a 16-yard score. The 6’3, 220-pound TE/LB is another Bloomsburg recruit. After a long kickoff return, Howse threw a perfect fade to Hempfield’s Brayden Charles for a 21-yard touchdown. The 6’3, 205-pound target was named the Section 1 Wide Receiver of the Year last fall. Berks/Lebanon was down 42-32 with 7:16 to go. A fumble by Lancaster set them up with a short field at the 33-yard line. Gingrich zipped a 6-yard touchdown pass over the middle to Max Heffner of Daniel Boone with 1:37 left. However, Howse sealed the victory for Lancaster with a 44-yard touchdown run with 36 seconds to play. The L-S star had two scores through the air and two more on the ground. Howse passed for 135 yards and ran for 59. Weisser went 6-for-10 for 147 yards. Jones had a big night with five catches for 148 yards. Lancaster piled up 506 total yards, while Berks/Lebanon accumulated 446. Evan Myers, the son of head coach Brett Myers, was very efficient. The Kutztown commit was 7-of-8 for 156 yards. He’s the all-time passing leader at Twin Valley. Gingrich wrapped up a standout career at Conrad Weiser. The Scouts went (10-1) in 2024 and won the Section 3 championship. “It hurts that this is gonna be the last time playing with my friends, but I’ve got college to look forward to,” said Gingrich.

Donovan Gingrich-Conrad Weiser

Paul Roberts — Sat, 21 Sep 2024 12:22:09 +0000

The final score said it all. 38-3. Conrad Weiser dominated perennial powerhouse Manheim Central on Friday night in Robesonia. “We’re trying to make a statement and be respected,” stated Donovan Gingrich. The (5-0) Scouts opened more eyes by hammering the 18-time District 3 champions. The (2-3) Barons were held to 85 total yards. Gingrich was 12-of-16 for 118 yards and two touchdowns. The three-year starter also ran for 119 yards on 13 carries. Alex Malone’s 25-yard field goal provided the only scoring in the first quarter. On fourth-and-9 on Conrad Weiser’s second possession, longtime head coach Alan Moyer called for a fake punt. The direct snap to Javien Rivera resulted in a 26-yard gain to the 16-yard line. Gingrich then hit 6’2 junior Dylan Parr for a 15-yard score and a 10-0 advantage with 6:37 remaining in the second quarter. Manheim Central muffed the ensuing kickoff which was recovered by Davis Keppley at the 14-yard line. A 4-yard run off the right side by Rivera put the Scouts on top 17-0. The 5’8, 150-pound junior finished with 71 yards on 16 carries. “He took a big leap from last year,” replied Gingrich. The Barons have struggled with turnovers all season. They committed another one with just over a minute to go in the first half. Junior wide receiver Cody Hess fumbled after making a catch near midfield. Ashton Kiebach recovered and set up Conrad Weiser at the 37-yard line. Rivera’s 2-yard touchdown run made it 24-0 with 15 seconds to play before halftime. The Scouts were pinned down at their 1-yard line early in the third quarter when Gingrich broke free for a 84-yard run, the longest of his career. Senior running back Jonathon McQuillen, who attends Tulpehocken, capped the 99-yard drive with a 15-yard run. Conrad Weiser was in front 31-0 with 7:17 left in the third period. After a 28-yard field goal by Katie White, the Scouts responded with a 70-yard drive. Evan Rittle made a diving catch down the right sideline for a 18-yard score with ten minutes remaining. The 5’10, 165-pound senior was named the Wide Receiver of the Year in Section 4 of the Lancaster-Lebanon League in 2023. He had seven receptions for 68 yards in Friday’s Section 3 matchup with Manheim Central. “We live a minute away from each other so we’re seeing each other all the time off the field,” noted Gingrich. Their connection translates onto the field as well. Conrad Weiser piled up 218 rushing yards. The Scouts’ defense has allowed just 24 points all season. They have put last year’s (2-8) record in the rear view mirror. “We got 19 seniors. This is our last ride. We’re going out and giving everything we got. We take every week as a championship game,” emphasized Gingrich.

Donovan Gingrich-Conrad Weiser

Paul Roberts — Wed, 23 Aug 2023 21:09:00 +0000

Conrad Weiser was (3-2) midway through last season after blowing out Octorara 45-7 on September 23rd. Unfortunately for the Scouts, that was the last time they would celebrate a victory. Conrad Weiser dropped its final five contests to finish (3-7, 2-5). The Scouts haven’t forgotten how last season ended. “We’re all remembering last year and using that as motivation. We’re extremely excited…we’re all pushing every day,” said quarterback Donovan Gingrich. He was one of seven sophomores in Alan Moyer’s starting lineup in 2022. A young squad facing perennial powers like Wyomissing, Cocalico, Lampeter-Strasburg, and Berks Catholic was a bad combination. Section 4 of the Lancaster-Lebanon League is loaded again this year, but Gingrich is more optimistic. The 6’1, 185-pound junior has added 25 pounds since last fall. That should mean a new dimension to his skill set. “I’ve put on more weight so I’m ready to start running,” he noted. Gingrich threw for 1,367 yards and eleven touchdowns a season ago. Conrad Weiser returns seven starters on offense. Josh Miller (5’5, 150), Evan Rittle (5’9, 160), and Davis Keppley (5’9, 165) are Gingrich’s targets on the outside. “They’re smaller guys, but with a lot of speed,” he replied. 6’1, 210-pound junior Evan Miller is back at tight end. The running backs are familiar faces. Seniors Sevon Parham and Ousmane Conde led the Scouts in carries last year. Gingrich mentioned 5’8 junior Jonathon McQuillen as a player to watch. McQuillen plays for Conrad Weiser as part of a co-op program with Tulpehocken. Gingrich helped the Scouts’ basketball team reach the West Reading League championship game this summer. He averaged a team-high 14 points last winter. Gingrich isn’t sure which sport he would like to pursue in college. “I think by the end of this year, I’ll have to pick which one,” he said. As for now, he’s focused on turning things around on the gridiron. Conrad Weiser travels to Garden Spot on Friday for its opener. Moyer enters his 21st season as head coach with 136 wins, the most in school history.

Donovan Gingrich-Conrad Weiser

Paul Roberts — Sun, 18 Sep 2022 10:35:00 +0000

Donovan Gingrich may not have seen ‘Animal House’, but he does believe that when the going gets tough, the tough get going. “We have a team of dogs. If we need to flip a switch, we can flip a switch,” said Gingrich. ELCO took a 21-14 lead with less than two minutes to play on a 95-yard drive that lasted ten minutes. Conrad Weiser answered in just 41 seconds. Gingrich found a wide open Ousmane Conde on a throwback pass that covered 44 yards. The Scouts hadn’t used that play all season. Trey Dianna caught a 14-yard fade in the left corner for a touchdown with 62 seconds remaining. Longtime head coach Alan Moyer opted to go for two points. Gingrich emphasized, “That’s just Coach Moyer and that’s Weiser. If we have a chance to win, we’re gonna go for it. I was not gonna run off the field. I knew we were going for two.” Moyer has the most victories in school history (135), and he picked up another on Saturday in thrilling fashion. Gingrich went right back to Dianna for the 2-point conversion. The 5’10, 160-pound senior made the grab just inside the front right pylon for a 22-21 edge. The (2-2) Scouts handed the Raiders their first loss on homecoming night in Robesonia. ELCO reached Conrad Weiser’s 37-yard line with 18 seconds to play, but Jake Williams was held to one yard on fourth-and-three. Williams, a 180-pound junior, racked up 209 yards and two touchdowns on 28 carries. The (3-1) Raiders outgained the Scouts 406-239. Ira Gensamer connected on field goals of 31 and 38 yards in the first half. Conrad Weiser was in front 14-6 at halftime. Josh Miller broke a couple of tackles on a 51-yard touchdown reception with twelve seconds left in the first quarter. The 5’4, 150-pound junior added an 8-yard touchdown catch two minutes before the break. The speedy Miller had four receptions for 65 yards. Evan Rittle came up with an interception with 26 seconds to go in the second quarter at the Scouts’ 8-yard line. The sophomore also contributed on offense with three catches for 51 yards. Williams tied it at 14-14 with a 45-yard sprint down the left sideline followed by a 2-point conversion late in the third quarter. Two key penalties hurt the Scouts on ELCO’s mammoth fourth quarter drive. They jumped offside on fourth-and-five with 4:37 on the clock at their 46-yard line. Then came a horse-collar tackle penalty that moved the ball to the 12-yard line. Williams reached the end zone on the next play. However, Conrad Weiser responded with a go-ahead 58-yard drive. Gingrich was 13-of-23 for 223 yards and three scores. Dianna, who also plays basketball and baseball, provided three catches for 55 yards and the clutch 2-point conversion. I asked Gingrich about their relationship. He replied, “Trey is Trey. Anytime I’m looking to get yards or score, I’m going to Trey.” Dianna and Miller are tied with a team-high 16 receptions this season. Gingrich has 6TD and a pair of INT. He learned a lot last year from Class 4A all-state pick Logan Klitsch who’s now at Dartmouth. “He was a great role model. I was watching what he did. He was just amazing to have around,” stated Gingrich. The two quarterbacks remain in contact. Klitsch set program records with 5,110 career passing yards and 51 touchdown tosses. Gingrich is one of 24 sophomores on the Scouts’ roster. “We definitely have a bright future. I’m looking forward to it,” he said. Raiders’ senior quarterback Dom Thornton ended up 7-of-15 for 131 yards and a pick. ELCO limited Conrad Weiser to ten rushing attempts for 16 yards, but the Scouts were +2 in turnover margin. The two schools are only separated by ten miles. They’re part of Section 4 in the new Lancaster-Lebanon League. It will be tough to top this classic next season.