Hamburg – Berks Sports Report

Hamburg finds new Football Coach

Paul Roberts — Wed, 11 Dec 2024 21:42:06 +0000

It didn’t take Tyler Hartranft long to find his way back to “Hawk Hill.” Hartranft was Hamburg’s offensive coordinator in 2022 and 2023. He was unanimously approved last week as the Hawks’ new head football coach. “Coach Hartranft has a proven track record of both playing and coaching football at a high level. His knowledge of the sport, energy, work ethic, and ability to build positive and lasting relationships will be invaluable to developing our student-athletes for success both on and off the field,” said Hamburg Superintendent Dr. Chris Beissel.

Hartranft is a graduate of King’s College. He was the wide receivers coach there from 2015-18. He went on to become the passing game coordinator at McDaniel College in Maryland. Hartranft then returned to the high school gridiron as the quarterbacks coach at Spring-Ford in 2020. After one season as the running backs coach back at King’s College, he was hired as the offensive coordinator at Hamburg. The Hawks reached the District 3 semifinals in 2022. They set school records for points and yards per game that year. Hartranft helped quarterback Xander Menapace set 14 program records.

Hartranft takes over for Matt Hoffert who stepped down after three seasons. Hoffert guided the Hawks to a (21-13) mark. They went (6-5) this fall and lost to North Pocono 41-0 in the Eastern Conference 4A championship. Hamburg finished in fourth place in Section 5 of the Lancaster-Lebanon League. Hartranft wasn’t far away. He was a little farther north on Route 61 at Pottsville High School. Hartranft served as the offensive coordinator under Mike Brennan. The Crimson Tide lost to Southern Lehigh in the District 11-4A semifinals this year.

Hamburg hasn’t had a losing season since 2018. Hartranft works at the high school as a special education teacher. “We are excited about Coach Hartranft’s vision for the program and know he will be a tremendous asset to our school community,” said Beissel.

Matt Hoffert Resigns at Hamburg

Paul Roberts — Wed, 20 Nov 2024 15:06:01 +0000

Hamburg is looking for a new head coach of its high school football program. Matt Hoffert resigned after three seasons on Hawk Hill. Hoffert, a 2001 Hamburg graduate, was (21-13) overall including a (9-3) record in his first year. “We appreciate Matt’s contributions to our program over the past three years. Hamburg Area wishes him nothing but the best into the future,” said athletic director Aaron Menapace. Hoffert served as an assistant coach for the Hawks from 2005-09 and again from 2012-13. He took over the program from Jeff Chillot who was (7-4) in his only season at the helm.

Hamburg got off to a (5-1) start this fall before finishing (6-5) for the second consecutive season. The Hawks lost in the Eastern Conference Championship Game each of the past two years. North Pocono shutout Hamburg 41-0 to end the 2024 campaign. The Hawks averaged 25 points while allowing 23 ppg. They ended up in fourth place in Section 5 of the Lancaster-Lebanon League with a (4-3) mark.

Hamburg will also be searching for a new quarterback and #1 wide receiver. Tyler Shuey and Ty Werley were two of the ten seniors on this year’s roster. Shuey set a school record with 4,256 career passing yards. As a junior, he established a single-season school record with 2,764 yards through the air. Werley holds the Hawks’ career records with 104 receptions and 1,788 receiving yards.

Hamburg hasn’t had a losing season since 2018. The Hawks reached the District 3 playoffs in 2021 and 2022. Hamburg moved up to Class 4A this year. “Our administration has started the search for new leadership and will make a hire when we find the right person to fit our student-athletes’ needs,” said Menapace.

Ty Werley-Hamburg

Paul Roberts — Tue, 06 Aug 2024 17:39:50 +0000

The 2024 football season could be a record-setting one for Hamburg’s Ty Werley. When it comes to playing wide receiver, Werley loves to go deep. “Trying to ‘Moss’ everyone that tries guarding me,” he replied when asked about his favorite part of the game. The 6’1, 190-pound rising senior has racked up 66 receptions, 1,097 yards, and 11 touchdown catches in his career on Hawk Hill. Mason Semmel holds the school records with 1,124 receiving yards and 17 scores. The All-State tight end is a freshman at East Stroudsburg. Cohen Correll, another member of the class of 2024, finished with 81 career receptions. Werley needs just 16 catches to break that mark. Ty Shuey, one of Werley’s good friends, will once again be throwing to him. Shuey established a new single-season passing record at Hamburg last fall when he threw for 2,764 yards. The rising senior was responsible for 25 touchdowns through the air and another 13 on the ground. Shuey ran for 564 yards while completing 56% of his passes. “We play basketball together. We play a lot of video games together. We hang out all the time. We have a really good connection,” noted Werley. As for hoops, Werley averaged a team-high 13.6 points for the Hawks. Hamburg went (6-5, 3-4) last year. They missed out on the District 3 playoffs and lost 40-21 to Berks Catholic in the Eastern Conference 3A Championship. Werley, who also plays outside linebacker, is motivated to get back to the District 3 tournament. The Hawks are moving up to Class 4A this year. Hamburg graduate Matt Hoffert is entering his third season as head coach with a (15-8) record. He returns five starters on offense and seven on defense. They begin the season at home on August 23rd against Octorara.

Rick Keeley Retires

Paul Roberts — Thu, 16 Nov 2023 11:01:00 +0000

Rick Keeley met with the Berks Catholic football team on Wednesday morning and told his players that he’s retiring. Keeley is a member of the Pennsylvania Scholastic Football Coaches Association Hall of Fame, Berks County Football Coaches Association Hall of Fame, Berks County chapter of the PA Sports Hall of Fame, and the Holy Name Hall of Fame. Here’s a look at his remarkable career by the numbers.

48-Total number of years spent coaching high school football

38-Number of years as a head coach

280-Career wins at Berks Catholic, Holy Name, and Hamburg

118-Career wins at Berks Catholic over 13 seasons

74-Winning percentage at Berks Catholic (118-41)

79-Winning percentage in the District 3 playoffs while at Berks Catholic (19-5)

5-District 3 championships (4 at Berks Catholic and 1 at Holy Name)

72-Wins at Berks Catholic from 2012-2017 (72-9)!

22-Years as the head coach at Holy Name

3-Years as the head coach at Hamburg

1971-Graduation year at St. Pius X High School where he was later an assistant for 2 seasons

1975-Graduation year at Kutztown University where he was an all-conference pick as a junior and senior

1978-First year as an assistant at Holy Name

1986-First year as head coach at Holy Name

70-His age as of this Saturday

Happy Birthday and Happy Retirement Coach Keeley!

Cooper Hohenadel-Schuylkill Valley

Paul Roberts — Sat, 14 Oct 2023 10:01:00 +0000

Schuylkill Valley and Hamburg were both averaging more than 30 points entering the 49th Frost Bowl. Both teams have exciting skill position players. However, it was the Panthers’ defense that stole the show in front of a big crowd in Leesport. Schuylkill Valley forced four turnovers in a 28-13 victory. The (7-1, 5-0) Panthers are tied with Annville-Cleona for first place in Section 5 of the Lancaster-Lebanon League. They square off next week. Cooper Hohenadel isn’t surprised by their success. “All summer we worked our butts off. We really were practicing hard all the time,” he stressed. Hohenadel gave Schuylkill Valley an early 7-0 lead on a 3-yard touchdown run. That 30-yard drive came after Daniel Brady fumbled the opening kickoff. Logan Nawrocki hit Kowen Gerner in stride down the right sideline for a 72-yard score with 7:27 left in the first quarter. Gerner finished with six catches for 186 yards and an interception. “That’s my guy. He’s amazing. He’s him,” emphasized Hohenadel. The Panthers made it 21-0 with three minutes remaining in the first half when Hohenadel took an interception 97 yards to the house. “I just read the quarterback’s eyes. He threw it right to me and I had a couple good blocks,” he explained. The 5’10, 175-pound RB/S added 17 carries for 57 yards. His workload has increased since All-State running back Dom Giuffre suffered a right arm injury in Week 4 at Kutztown. Hamburg quarterback Ty Shuey’s 4-yard run got the (4-4) Hawks on the board with 38 seconds to play in the first half. Schuylkill Valley responded in dramatic fashion. Gerner ripped a potential interception away from Ethan Horvath for a 50-yard gain down the right sideline. That huge swing in momentum was followed by a 3-yard touchdown pass from Nawrocki to Dillon Lackner with 5 seconds on the clock. The 28-7 halftime advantage was too much for Hamburg to overcome. Shuey raced 22 yards for a score with 3:47 left in the third period. The 5’10 junior tossed interceptions to Gerner and Luke Spotts on the Hawks’ final two possessions. “Our defense is insane. We play really well together. We all respect each other,” said Hohenadel. Hamburg outgained Schuylkill Valley 356-316, but the Panthers were +3 in turnover margin. Nawrocki passed for 208 yards with 2 TD and a pick. Shuey was 19-of-39 for 201 yards. Cohen Correll had seven receptions for 68 yards. 6’2 junior Ty Werley provided 72 yards on five catches for the Hawks. The rivalry, which started in 1970, is now even at (24-24-1). I asked Hohenadel what it would mean for Schuylkill Valley to win a Section 5 championship. He replied, “It would be huge. We always talk about changing the culture around here and it’s finally starting to happen.”

Bruce Harbach-Schuylkill Valley

Paul Roberts — Thu, 12 Oct 2023 13:08:00 +0000

Bruce Harbach gave a very simple message to his team last week. “The last four games, you’re playing for a Section championship. You can determine your own fate,” he emphasized. The (6-1, 4-0) Panthers took care of business at Columbia last Friday 28-12. Schuylkill Valley extended its winning streak to six. Next up, the (4-3) Hamburg Hawks in the 49th edition of the Frost Bowl. The Hawks have a slight edge in the rivalry (24-23-1), but the Panthers won 41-34 a season ago. All-State running back Dom Giuffre finished with 300 rushing yards and four touchdowns in that shootout. Giuffre won’t be available on Friday due to an arm injury suffered at Kutztown on September 15th. The speedy 175-pound senior is practicing without contact, and is expected to return before the end of the season. Giuffre is averaging 6.1 yards per carry with six combined touchdowns. Despite missing a significant piece to the puzzle, Schuylkill Valley remains unbeaten in league play while putting up 31 points a night. “That says a lot about the character of our football team and the hard work the kids put in,” said Harbach. Logan Nawrocki has thrown for 1,300 yards with 16 TD and 5 INT. Kowen Gerner has emerged as the Panthers’ top receiver with 27 catches for 637 yards and nine scores. Dillon Lackner and tight end Luke Spotts (6’2, 200) are among the other targets in the passing attack. Nawrocki, Gerner, Lackner, and Spotts are all juniors. Versatile RB/DB Cooper Hohenadel is also part of that promising class. They helped Harbach surpass 150 career victories earlier this season. “I guess it means you’re getting older,” joked Harbach. The Wilson graduate has been in coaching for nearly 50 years. He went (139-55) over 16 years at Lancaster Catholic. Harbach guided the Crusaders to two state gold medals, four District titles, and eight Section championships in the Lancaster-Lebanon League. He’s trying to take Schuylkill Valley to the top of the Section 5 standings in his third season in Leesport. The road ahead is a bumpy one. After hosting Hamburg, the Panthers travel to (5-2, 4-0) Annville-Cleona and (6-1, 3-1) Lancaster Catholic. Harbach has been in plenty of big games over the years. He talked about the keys to building a successful program. “Surround yourself with good people; coaches, administration and players,” he replied.

Evangelista Steps Down at Hamburg

Paul Roberts — Fri, 29 Sep 2023 17:19:00 +0000

There will be a significant change on “Hawk Hill” this spring. Nick Evangelista is stepping down as Hamburg’s head baseball coach. The Hamburg graduate has been named the new head baseball coach at Penn State Schuylkill.

Evangelista has been the Hawks’ skipper since 2009. He compiled a record of (181-107). Evangelista guided Hamburg to the state semifinals in 2019. The Hawks were the Berks County runner-up that year. Hamburg finished (9-11, 7-5) last season. The Hawks will return several key players in 2024 including Isaac Krick, Ty Shuey, Scottie Dunleavy, Ricky Clark, Braden Fetherolf, and Ethan Horvath.

Evangelista will continue to coach the Hamburg legion baseball team.

Ty Shuey-Hamburg

Paul Roberts — Tue, 29 Aug 2023 13:58:00 +0000

The bar has been raised up on Hawk Hill. Hamburg has won a District 3 playoff game in each of the past two seasons. The Hawks won nine games last year before falling at Wyomissing in the District 3-3A semifinals. Ty Shuey is hoping they can take the next step and reach the championship game in 2023. Hamburg got off to a good start by soaring past Halifax 49-19 in its opener. Shuey had a monster night in his debut at quarterback with 356 passing yards and four touchdowns. The 5’10, 175-pound junior ran for 76 yards and two more scores. Ty Werley also posted huge numbers. The 6’2, 185-pound junior made five catches for a whopping 253 yards and 3 TD. “We’ve been friends for awhile now. Back in elementary [school], we always played football together…really good friends,” said Shuey. Mason Semmel added 93 yards and a touchdown on three receptions. The athletic 6’3, 220-pound linebacker finished with a team-high eight tackles. Shuey is an all-division baseball player who also plays basketball. “It helps me keep my grades up all year,” he noted. His older brother, Hunter, was an all-county pitcher for the Hawks. The 6’3 righty is at UNC Greensboro. Hamburg ended up tied for second place in Section 5 of the new Lancaster-Lebanon League a season ago. The Hawks were (5-2) in league contests. Shuey replied, “It’s fun changing it up, playing new schools.” Lancaster Catholic ran the table in Section 5 last fall. Shuey admitted that he’s a Seahawks’ fan, but he likes watching Jalen Hurts and Trevor Lawrence. Hamburg hits the road this Friday to battle Warrior Run.

Nick Evangelista-Hamburg

Paul Roberts — Fri, 31 Mar 2023 11:00:00 +0000

Nick Evangelista has been around long enough to know that winning isn’t easy in Berks County. “I truly believe that we have some of the best baseball in the state,” said Evangelista. The former Hamburg standout pitcher has been the Hawks’ skipper for 14 years. He guided them all the way to the state semifinals in 2019. Hamburg went (14-8, 9-3) a season ago to capture the Division 3 championship. The Hawks fell to third-seeded Exeter 6-3 in the BCIAA quarterfinals. Hamburg is competing with Oley Valley, Berks Catholic, Schuylkill Valley and Wyomissing in what’s expected to be a tight race for the division crown. The Saints are (3-0) and the Lynx reached the Berks County championship game last year. “I think our division is up for grabs. I think there’s a lot of parity in our division. I think anyone can win on any given day,” replied Evangelista. The ball hasn’t bounced the way of the Hawks through five games. They’ve had tough non-league losses to Fleetwood, Blue Mountain, and Mount Carmel. “We’ve just gotta continue to believe. We’re not a (1-4) baseball club. This is a team that can run off 7-8-9-10-12 wins in a row. We’ve had four heartbreakers to start,” emphasized Evangelista. Scottie Dunleavy provides speed in the outfield and at the top of the lineup. The sophomore was an all-division selection in 2022. Dunleavy stroked two doubles in a 7-5 loss to Fleetwood on Wednesday. He’s followed in the batting order by seniors Conner Licklider, Luke Bensinger, and Nate Gilbert. “I think we have a lot of pop right there in 2-3-4. They’ve got a lot of doubles in their future,” said Evangelista. Licklider went 4-for-4 against the Tigers. The all-division second baseman scored a pair of runs and knocked in another. Hamburg will rely on Braden Fetherolf, Isaac Krick, Ty Shuey, and Licklider on the mound. While their velocity may not blow hitters away, they have the ability to command multiple pitches. Hamburg fell to #5 seed Littlestown 6-4 in the District 3-4A quarterfinals a season ago. Despite their early season struggles, don’t be surprised to see the Hawks back in the District 3 tournament this year.

Natane White-Schuylkill Valley

Paul Roberts — Tue, 07 Feb 2023 00:19:00 +0000

Hamburg entered Monday’s Division 3 matchup in Leesport with a (6-15) record and five straight losses. Schuylkill Valley had won six of its last eight contests and needed a victory to qualify for the Berks League playoffs. The Panthers beat the Hawks by 22 points one month ago. It may have looked like a mismatch on paper, but nobody told the girls from Hawk Hill. They came out on fire and led 16-0 after the first quarter. Hamburg only averages 32 points per game. Sophomore Mia Gassert, an all-county tennis player, scored eight points in eight minutes. Hailie Edwards and Anabel Kennedy connected from long distance in the opening period. Schuylkill Valley trailed 17-0 until sophomore center Meghan Wickersham got them on the board two minutes into the second quarter. The Hawks were in front 27-14 at halftime thanks largely to Gassert’s 16 points. She came into the week averaging six points. The Panthers started the third quarter on a 7-2 run. Junior guards Natane White and Juliana Stichter combined for all twelve of their points in that period. They pulled within 33-26 of Hamburg with eight minutes to go. Stichter’s drive down the middle of the lane with five and a-half minutes remaining gave Schuylkill Valley its first lead at 34-33. White hit a floater from the right baseline to make it 37-33 with 1:24 left. Stichter added a pair of free throws with 19 seconds to play for a six point edge. The (10-10, 7-4) Panthers shutout the (6-16, 4-7) Hawks in the fourth quarter for a 40-33 win. “We work hard. We don’t stop. We wanted it more than them and that’s what put us on top,” said White. She ended up with a team-high 18 points including 13 in the second half. Stichter provided 14 points and CC Reali pulled down seven rebounds. Gassert led everyone with 20 points. She tied her career high which she just established on Friday versus Fleetwood. Schuylkill Valley clinched its fifth consecutive berth in the Berks League playoffs as the runner-up in Division 3. White is the only returning starter from last year’s team which went (20-4, 11-0). “She loves basketball. She’s taken it upon herself to become the leader of the team,” emphasized head coach Jason Bagenstose. I asked White about the chemistry with her new teammates. She replied, “I’ve grown closer to them than I ever thought I could. It’s like another family.” White admitted to feeling pressure early in the game, but she credited the student section for its enthusiasm. “They’re great. They’re always supportive. Even when we weren’t scoring, they were still cheering and I think it really helps us rally,” stated White. The all-division field hockey player is averaging 13 points a night. She’s splashed a team-high 38 treys this season. White talked about the performance at the Grammys that she enjoyed the most, and her favorite musical artists. She also revealed her No. 1 TV show. Plus, I asked White about the funniest and smartest players on her team. It was a memorable Senior Night in Leesport.