Gruber – Berks Sports Report

Madyx Gruber-Wilson

Paul Roberts — Sat, 26 Oct 2024 06:12:44 +0000

It was fitting that Manheim Township’s final possession ended with an interception by Madyx Gruber. The 5’11, 160-pound senior threw three touchdown passes and ran for another score in a 34-16 victory at Neffsville. The (9-1, 6-0) Bulldogs claimed their record 29th Section 1 championship in the Lancaster-Lebanon League. “It feels so awesome. This is what we work for all season. I can’t even put words to describe it,” said Gruber. The (9-1, 5-1) Blue Streaks had won 21 of their previous 22 games. They were ranked #5 in the state in Class 6A by PennLive. Wilson marched 77 yards on 13 plays to begin this heavyweight battle. A tremendous leaping 20-yard reception by Christo Hunsicker on fourth-and-3 set up Correll Akings’ 1-yard score. Manheim Township responded by going 62 yards in just four plays. Declan Clancy broke free for a 42-yard run. The physical 195-pound senior capped the drive from five yards out. Clancy finished with 137 yards on 27 carries. He surpassed 1,600 rushing yards for the season. Early in the second quarter, Gruber scrambled to his left and launched a pass to Akings down the sideline for a 65-yard touchdown. Akings had 16 carries for 52 yards. The 5’10, 170-pound junior added three catches for 79 yards. “He’s a special athlete,” noted Gruber. They’re basketball teammates in the winter. The Bulldogs put together an 85-yard drive before halftime. Gruber found sophomore Michael Glover in the left corner of the end zone for a 10-yard TD. A two-point conversion run by Akings made it 22-7 with 2:35 remaining in the second period. The Blue Streaks got the ball first in the second half and went 57 yards on eleven plays. Taylor Veilleux, a 260-pound fullback, crashed in from the 1-yard line, however, the extra point was not good. Manheim Township trailed 22-13. Johnny Morales kicked a 21-yard field goal with 16 seconds left in the third quarter to cut Wilson’s lead to 22-16. The play of the night came with seven minutes to go. Gruber heaved the ball over the middle and Brady Kline made the reception between two defenders. The 235-pound tight end raced 15 yards for a 41-yard touchdown. “I was in disbelief…I underthrew him. It was a pretty bad ball and he made a play. I gotta give all the props to Brady,” replied Gruber. The two-point conversion failed, but the Bulldogs’ edge had grown to 28-16. With six minutes remaining, Wilson stuffed the Blue Streaks on fourth-and-1 at the 29-yard line. The Bulldogs took advantage of the short field. Gruber’s 4-yard touchdown run created a 34-16 cushion with 1:37 on the clock. He provided 55 rushing yards on 16 carries. Gruber’s mobility is a huge asset. “It’s really important. If I don’t have any receivers open, I’m gonna try to get the yards with my legs,” he explained. The converted wide receiver was 11-of-18 for 207 yards and one interception. Gruber, who also plays cornerback, picked off Carson Weisser’s deep ball at the 1-yard line with 19 seconds left. Weisser was 10-of-27 for 123 yards. Wilson outgained Manheim Township 376-312. The Blue Streaks entered the night averaging 39 points per game. They struggled in short yardage situations, and were hurt by ten penalties for 128 yards. Wilson’s defense adjusted quickly after Manheim Township’s opening drive. The Bulldogs will get a bye in the District 3-6A tournament. Their first playoff game will be on Friday, November 8th. “We’re not done yet,” stated Gruber.

Madyx Gruber-Wilson

Paul Roberts — Sat, 28 Sep 2024 13:05:05 +0000

Over the course of a 48-minute game, mistakes will happen. The question becomes how do athletes handle adversity. Madyx Gruber passed that test with flying colors. Wilson’s senior quarterback overcame an interception in the red zone on the opening drive and led the Bulldogs to a 43-20 victory at Gov. Mifflin. Gruber tied the school record with five touchdown passes. He finished 15-of-20 for 232 yards. The basketball standout also ran for a career-high 204 yards on 19 carries. “I’m super proud of the team. We came into this game so prepared, probably more prepared than ever. I’m just so excited,” said Gruber. The (5-1) Bulldogs outgained the (3-3) Mustangs 532-to-243 in their 67th meeting. Wilson holds a (40-27) advantage in the heated rivalry. The Bulldogs racked up 300 rushing yards while averaging 7.9 yards per carry. They had 26 first downs, 15 more than Gov. Mifflin. Two of Gruber’s TD passes went to junior Jaiden Carpenter on wide receiver screens. “We seen that on film. We know that their cornerbacks like to play off a little bit. We just took what they gave us,” explained Gruber. The Mustangs’ defensive tackles, Ismael Ayala Vargas and Noah Viruet, are 335 and 345 pounds respectively. Jeremy Palm, in his 24th year as Wilson’s offensive coordinator, opted to attack the edge. “We knew that they had bigger guys up front and that we could probably get to the outside. Our game plan was outside zone a lot,” revealed Gruber. On a rainy night, Bulldogs’ punter Christo Hunsicker lost a fumble at the 12-yard line early in the second quarter. Javien Pletz’s 10-yard run up the middle gave Gov. Mifflin a 14-7 lead. Wilson responded with a 86-yard drive that included an incredible 37-yard catch by sophomore Michael Glover. The 6’3, 220-pound tight end had three receptions for 85 yards. His grab over a defender set up Gruber’s 4-yard TD pass to sophomore running back Monty Greer. After a penalty on the Mustangs during the extra point, the Bulldogs went for a 2-point conversion. Gruber found Hunsicker wide open for a 15-14 lead with four minutes left in the first half. Wilson got the ball back and drove 70 yards in only 66 seconds. Gruber connected with junior running back Correll Akings in the right corner of the end zone for a 10-yard score. The Bulldogs were in front 22-14 at the break. Akings added 58 yards on 10 carries. Gov. Mifflin pulled within 29-20 when Pletz broke free for a 45-yard touchdown run midway through the third quarter. The 2-point conversion was stuffed. Wilson replied with a 79-yard drive that was capped by Gruber’s 17-yard strike over the middle to senior tight end Brady Kline. Just 47 seconds later, Akings returned an interception 46 yards for a touchdown. Pletz ended up 1-of-7 for 24 yards. The senior quarterback ran for 82 yards on six carries. Grady Garner, a 200-pound senior fullback, rumbled for 127 yards and a score on 23 touches. The Mustangs accumulated 219 yards on the ground, but the Bulldogs held the ball for nearly 29 minutes. There were twenty total penalties, including eleven for 120 yards against Wilson. Sophomore linebacker E.J. Brownback led the Bulldogs with ten tackles and a sack. Wilson has won eleven of the past fourteen contests with Gov. Mifflin. The series began in 1954. Gruber was the main character in this chapter of the rivalry.

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.

Madyx Gruber-Wilson

Paul Roberts — Thu, 22 Aug 2024 23:20:42 +0000

When a wide receiver catches nine touchdown passes in a season, he usually isn’t asked to switch positions. However, Wilson was searching for a new quarterback after All-State pick Tommy Hunsicker graduated. The Bulldogs have settled on Madyx Gruber. “It’s a process, but I’m ready for it,” responded Gruber. The 5’11, 160-pound rising senior had 28 catches for 461 yards in 2023. Fortunately, Gruber has some good teachers to help him learn his new role. Offensive coordinator Jeremy Palm has been on Wilson’s staff for 24 seasons. Assistant coach Chad Henne spent 15 years in the NFL and won two Super Bowls. “He knows exactly what the defense is gonna do and he tells me who’s gonna be open. It’s just amazing what he knows,” Gruber said of Henne. The Bulldogs begin their 80th season on Saturday at 1pm against Cheltenham. The game was moved to Upper Merion High School because Cheltenham’s field isn’t ready. Wilson returns just four starters on offense and two on defense from a (7-4, 5-1) squad. The Bulldogs finished second in Section 1 of the Lancaster-Lebanon League behind Manheim Township. They fell to fourth-seeded Cumberland Valley 20-14 in the District 3-6A quarterfinals. Gruber’s basketball teammate Correll Akings is back at running back. The rising junior ran for 468 yards and seven touchdowns on 80 carries last fall. Gruber and Akings will hold down the cornerback position as well. Gruber, an All-County selection in hoops, came up with three of Wilson’s seven interceptions a season ago. Senior guard Derek Reiniger is the only returning starter on the offensive line. The good news is that the Bulldogs have a very talented and deep tight end room. Brady Kline, Michael Glover, Cam Zullinger, and Christo Hunsicker are all in the mix. Expect Wilson to use a lot of sets with multiple tight ends. Hunsicker led the Bulldogs with 64 tackles, 9.5 TFL, and three sacks in 2023. The 6’2, 195-pound outside linebacker is also a standout baseball player. Zullinger and Glover, a 220-pound sophomore, combined for 12 TFL and four sacks at defensive end. Safety Monty Greer and linebacker EJ Brownback are two other promising sophomores. Wilson allowed 25.5 points and 297 yards per game last year. The Bulldogs sit on 600 all-time victories. They’ve won a record 28 Section 1 championships and seven District 3 titles. Wilson holds the state record with 48 consecutive winning seasons. “Our expectations don’t change. We want to win. We want to get that L-L championship. We want to get the district [championship] and then see how far we get in State’s,” stated Gruber.

Matt Coldren and Madyx Gruber-Wilson

Paul Roberts — Thu, 15 Feb 2024 13:04:00 +0000

Wilson lost three of its last four regular season games. The Bulldogs have flipped the switch in the Berks County playoffs. They dismantled fifth-seeded Exeter 74-51 in the quarterfinals and then knocked off top-seeded Berks Catholic 59-46 in the semifinals. “We knew we had to pick it up,” said Madyx Gruber. The 5’11 junior erupted for a career-high 31 points on Wednesday at Santander Arena. “When he believes in himself, he is one of the best players in this league. Tonight he played with a lot of confidence and energy,” stated head coach Matt Coldren. Gruber connected twice from long range in the first quarter. “As soon as I hit the first one, I knew it was over,” he replied. The fourth-seeded Bulldogs were up 15-10 after eight minutes. Gruber hit two more triples in the second period. Wilson had a 28-19 advantage at halftime. The (20-3) Saints came out of the locker room on fire. They used a 13-to-2 run to go in front 32-30 on Parker Nein’s 3-pointer. The (16-8) Bulldogs responded and took a 42-36 lead into the fourth quarter. Gruber crammed 13 points into the final period. “I’m so proud of him because he works really hard,” said Coldren. Sophomore guard Correll Akings contributed 14 points and Wilson committed just four turnovers. Gruber sank five of their nine shots from beyond the arc. The Bulldogs were 10-of-14 from the foul line, while Berks Catholic went 7-for-9. Nein and Josh McKoy scored 13 points apiece. Cam Zullinger’s steal created a fast break and three-point play for Gruber with 1:40 remaining. Wilson’s cushion increased to 55-45. The Saints are without promising sophomore guard Kingston McKoy who broke his tibia on January 23rd against Reading. Berks Catholic is the No. 1 seed in the District 3-4A tournament. The Bulldogs advanced to face second-seeded Reading in Friday’s BCIAA championship at 8pm.