Jeff – Berks Sports Report

Exeter drops Opener to Cedar Crest

Paul Roberts — Sat, 07 Dec 2024 16:18:23 +0000

Exeter got off to a hot start in its first game of the season. The Eagles were knocking down 3-pointers all over the gym and led Cedar Crest 12-2. “Our guys came out with a lot of energy and were locked in defensively and offensively,” said second-year head coach Jeff VanGorder. However, the long range bombs missed the target after the opening quarter in a 59-53 loss to Cedar Crest at the CoBL Winter Classic. Five of Exeter’s eight triples came in the first period. The Eagles struggled from beyond the arc until Carter Redding hit a pair of treys in the final minute when the game was out of reach. “I think we fatigued a little in the end of the second quarter and to start the third. We have some guys coming off a very successful football season who are still getting into game shape,” noted VanGorder. Four of his starters were part of a football team that reached the District 3-5A Championship game. Exeter was on top 28-23 at halftime. The Falcons outscored the Eagles 20-11 in the third period. Isaac Wolfe, one of ten seniors on Tommy Smith’s roster, nailed a 3-pointer to begin the fourth quarter. That ignited a key 6-0 run that put Cedar Crest in front 49-39. The defending Lancaster-Lebanon League champions had a 57-43 advantage with two and a-half minutes remaining. Danny Speaks finished with a game-high 15 points. Wolfe added eleven points and 6’7 senior RJ Young had ten. Young provided seven points in the pivotal third period. The Falcons were just 9-of-19 from the free throw line. They missed seven foul shots in the final quarter. Exeter was 5-of-10 from the charity stripe. Redding and Brady Murray scored 13 points apiece. Aidan Dauble chipped in with a dozen points including six in the fourth quarter. The Eagles (19) and Falcons (21) combined for 40 wins a season ago, but these are much different squads. Cedar Crest had to replace four starters. Exeter lost three starters including All-County selection Kevin Saenz who averaged 16 points. VanGorder appreciates the early season competition. “This is a great opportunity for us to learn what competing against a 6A or 5A playoff team takes. That is an outstanding coach and program who made us better as we continue to get first-year varsity players up to speed,” he replied. The Eagles host Penncrest tonight at 7:45pm. Five games are on tap today in Reiffton.

Jeff VanGorder-Exeter

Paul Roberts — Thu, 07 Mar 2024 17:17:00 +0000

After a tough loss at Mechanicsburg in the District 3-5A quarterfinals, Exeter wasted no time getting back on track. The Eagles blew out Muhlenberg 81-58 and then knocked off Warwick 67-59 in the fifth place game. “I never have to worry about these guys competing. I’m proud of them for that,” said first-year head coach Jeff VanGorder. The win at Warwick saved the (18-9) Eagles a four hour trip to Franklin Regional. Instead, Exeter visits Upper Dublin in the first round of the state playoffs. The up-tempo Cardinals are the runner-up from District 1. “From a skill standpoint, they’re similar to Wilson. They’ve got five guys that we gotta guard. They do a really good job with the sets that they run,” noted VanGorder. The Bulldogs beat the Eagles 74-51 in the BCIAA quarterfinals. Exeter doesn’t mind a fast-paced game. The Eagles are the highest-scoring team in Berks County at 69 ppg. They’ve hit 238 triples. Kevin Saenz has made 47 treys. The 6’4 senior is shooting over 40% from beyond the arc while averaging nearly 17 points and seven assists. Saenz has adjusted extremely well to his new role. “I am very impressed with the fact that he’s played point guard for four months and is one of the best players in Berks County,” emphasized VanGorder. Alex Kelsey, a 6’1 senior, has increased his scoring from five points per game to a dozen a night. “He’s the one guy on our team that I think can really get us a basket at the rim or get to the foul line. He’s super athletic, super quick. He loves competition,” stated VanGorder. Kelsey is committed to St. Joseph’s University for baseball. Reece Garvin, Aidan Dauble, and Brady Murray are all threats from long range. Garvin and Saenz started a season ago when Exeter reached the PIAA-5A championship game for the first time since 1974. The Eagles are making their 11th appearance in the state tournament. They begin a new journey on Friday at 7pm.

Jeff VanGorder-Exeter

Paul Roberts — Wed, 03 Jan 2024 00:29:00 +0000

Jeff VanGorder will remember his first game at the Geigle Complex for the rest of his life. Exeter’s new head coach guided the Eagles to a historic 79-55 victory over Reading on Tuesday. “For me, it was fun as a coach. I think the guys relished in playing here,” he said. Exeter snapped a 29-game losing streak to the Red Knights. It was the Eagles’ first win in the series since December 21, 2009. VanGorder’s squad shot the lights out. The Cortland, New York native saw the Eagles go 13-of-23 from beyond the arc and 8-for-9 from the free throw line. They raced out to a 10-2 advantage. Freshman guard Jeremiah Camara kept Reading in it. The son of first-year head coach Francis Camara exploded for nine points in the opening quarter. It was 22-22 after eight minutes. Then Aidan Dauble stole the show. The 6’3 sophomore scored all 14 of Exeter’s points in the second period, including a rare 4-point play that made it 34-24. “His effort kind of let everybody realize we’re here and we’re not going away,” stated VanGorder. Dauble finished with a career-high 17 points. Kevin Saenz had 21 points, 9 rebounds, and 9 assists. The senior point guard provided ten points in the third quarter when the (5-4) Eagles pulled away. Brady Murray and Saenz hit back-to-back treys to put Exeter on top 58-38 with 90 seconds left in the third period. It was 60-41 entering the final eight minutes. Murray erupted for a dozen of his 15 points in the fourth quarter. The 6’1 junior has been dealing with an injury and didn’t play in Saturday’s 82-69 loss to Spring-Ford. “He’s a tough kid and I know he wanted to give it a go. I’m very happy he was able to make it go,” replied VanGorder with a big smile. Murray sank four three-pointers. Devon Nester started for Murray and connected three times from long range. Dauble also hit three triples. Yadiel Cruz led the (5-4) Red Knights with 18 points. Nico Sosa, a 5’10 senior guard, had 12 points off the bench. Camara ended up with 11 points. Reading was without defensive specialist Nick Chapman. The 5’10 senior suffered an eye injury in Reading’s holiday tournament last Wednesday. The Red Knights struggled against the Eagles’ 2-3 zone. They were just 5-of-24 from beyond the arc. Meanwhile, Exeter was playing with a lot of confidence. “I hope it goes through the roof,” said VanGorder.

Jeff VanGorder-Exeter

Paul Roberts — Fri, 08 Dec 2023 09:11:00 +0000

Don’t expect the Exeter boys basketball team to be walking the ball up the court this season. “We’re definitely gonna be more of a push the pace type team which I’m excited about…My hope is that we’re playing closer to the 80s than we are the 40s,” said head coach Jeff VanGorder. The Cortland, New York native was approved as the Eagles’ new coach in July. He’s been an assistant at the Division III level for a dozen years. VanGorder takes over for Matt Ashcroft who stepped down after four seasons with a record of (56-45). Exeter went (27-7) a season ago and won its first District 3 championship. The Eagles reached the state finals for just the second time. They return two starters in Kevin Saenz and Reece Garvin who were all-division picks. “They’ve been great. I’ve been more impressed with what they’ve done off the floor than on the floor. They’ve been very vocal in the offseason,” noted VanGorder. Although he has a lot of experience in college basketball, VanGorder enjoys the high school game. “It’s more fun…Fundamentals get lost by the time some guys get to the college level so it’s fun for me to teach all that again,” replied Van Gorder. He spent last season on the staff at Muhlenberg College. Prior to that, VanGorder was an assistant coach at Ursinus for four years and Carnegie Mellon for three seasons. He stayed close to home after high school and graduated from SUNY Cortland in 2010. VanGorder began his coaching career as an assistant at Hamilton College where he spent four years. His nieces and nephews attend the Exeter School District so he’s familiar with Reiffton. The Eagles open the season on Friday at 8:30pm against Archbishop Carroll. Exeter is the site of the COBL Winter Showcase which includes twelve teams and eight varsity games over two days. The Eagles take on Perkiomen Valley at 6pm on Saturday.

Jeff Lang-Gov. Mifflin

Paul Roberts — Mon, 13 Nov 2023 19:42:00 +0000

Stepping down as the head football coach at Gov. Mifflin was a difficult decision for Jeff Lang, but one that he had to make. “I’ve been doing this since I’m ten years old. All I’ve ever known for the last 44 years is football,” he said. Lang is putting his family ahead of the sport. He plans on retiring as a science teacher and Dean of Students after the school year and moving to Lehighton. His wife’s family business is there. Lang will help to maintain and manage an 80-unit campground on a very large piece of land. The Shaler High School graduate has been part of the Mustangs’ coaching staff for 32 years. He started 41 consecutive games at guard for Slippery Rock. As a senior, Lang was named a second team All-American. After spending one season as an assistant at Shaler, he made the trip across the state to Shillington. Lang formed a tight bond with Mick Vecchio who won a school record 181 games over 26 years. Vecchio and Lang are both members of the Berks County Football Coaches Association Hall of Fame. Lang guided Gov. Mifflin to its first District 3 championship in 2020. The Mustangs set a county record that season by averaging 54.5 points per game. They got tripped up by Pine-Richland 48-44 in the state semifinals. In 2021, Gov. Mifflin went (10-1) and finished as the runner-up to Exeter in the District 3-5A playoffs. Mustangs’ star running back Nick Singleton was selected as the Gatorade National Offensive Player of the Year. Lang knew that Singleton was a special talent at an early age. “Kids would be out playing games or screwing around, he was working out and running hills. He trained for where he’s at right now,” emphasized Lang. Before heading to Penn State, Singleton established Berks County career records with 6,326 rushing yards and 116 touchdowns. Lang saw another special talent and future Nittany Lions’ standout in 2017. Gov. Mifflin upset Micah Parsons and the Harrisburg Cougars 26-14 in the District 3-5A semifinals. Harrisburg was (11-0) with nine victories by mercy rule entering that memorable matchup. The Cougars were averaging 50 points and ranked #1 in the state at the time. Lang was the offensive line coach for Vecchio that season. In seven years as the Mustangs’ head coach, Lang was (51-26). They went (5-6) this fall and lost to Pleasant Valley 28-19 in the Eastern Conference 5A/6A championship. Lang hopes the next head coach will continue to pound the rock on offense. “Our mentality is to grind it out, move the sticks, control the line of scrimmage, and control the game clock. I still think that’s what high school football is about,” he said.

Jeff Lang-Gov. Mifflin

Paul Roberts — Mon, 22 Aug 2022 20:44:00 +0000

Gov. Mifflin head coach Jeff Lang still isn’t sure who all of his starters will be for this Friday’s season opener against Spring-Ford. It’s understandable considering that the Mustangs only return three starters from last year’s (10-1) squad that averaged 48 points. Star running back Nick Singleton is at Penn State after being named the Gatorade National Football Player of the Year. Singleton smashed the Berks County career records with 6,326 rushing yards and 116 touchdowns. He reached the end zone 44 times a season ago when Gov. Mifflin won the Section 1 championship in the Berks Football League. The Mustangs will rely on another Division I commit in 2022. Senior Ayden Martin is headed to Monmouth. The 5’11, 185-pound RB/S made over 40 tackles last year with 5 TFL, 2 INT, and 14 pass breakups. Lang believes there are some definite similarities between Martin and Singleton. “Both very strong, athletic kids that have put their work ethic above everything else. They’re the strongest kids I’ve ever coached,” he said. Martin ran for 119 yards and two scores on just 14 carries last season. He’ll be getting a lot more touches because Gov. Mifflin lost its top four rushers to graduation. Aiden Gallen and Trey Rock combined for 1,053 yards out of the fullback position. Brayden Reis, Brandon Jones, and promising sophomore Grady Garner will see snaps at that spot. Delsin McNeil is the full-time starter at quarterback. “Last year I wouldn’t blink an eye to put him in to give Eden Johnson a break. He would’ve started any other year, but Eden was just a man amongst boys out there,” said Lang. McNeil went 6-for-7 passing for 122 yards and a touchdown. He also ran for 188 yards on 26 carries. Clay Reynolds is the only returning starter on the offensive line. The 5’9, 210-pound guard helped the Mustangs average 9.3 yards per carry. They ran the ball 40 times a night. Mykell Ford, Devin Johnson, and Aden Krause will be counted on to control the line of scrimmage. Ford, who started as a freshman, can bench press more than 400 pounds. Johnson is a 6’3, 255-pound junior. Reynolds and Jones are expected to rack up the tackles at linebacker. Gov. Mifflin is going back to the Lancaster-Lebanon League this year. The Mustangs competed in the L-L League from 1975-2003. They’ll be part of Section 2 which will be hotly contested. “It’s good for football. Every week is going to be a dog fight now. I think that’s in all the divisions. I think you’ve got a lot of parity now. It needed to happen,” Lang replied. Gov. Mifflin will be joined by Exeter, Muhlenberg, Manheim Central, Warwick, Lebanon, and Conestoga Valley. The Mustangs fell to Exeter 31-28 in the District 3-5A final last season. Lang is entering his sixth year as head coach with a mark of (43-13). This will be his 31st season on the Gov. Mifflin coaching staff. “It’s my life. Mick Vecchio and I poured everything we’ve had into it. You know, brought it from the cellar up to where we’re at now being a very competitive football team,” he said. Vecchio won 181 games over his 26 years as the head coach in Shillington. He was inducted into the Pennsylvania Scholastic Football Coaches Association Hall of Fame this summer. Lang thanked the administration and the community for supporting their program.

Jeff Chillot resigns at Hamburg

Paul Roberts — Sun, 05 Dec 2021 22:03:00 +0000

I’ve confirmed that Jeff Chillot is stepping down as the head football coach at Hamburg due to personal reasons. Chillot told me that it was a genuine pleasure to coach at Hamburg for the past season. Chillot said he really enjoyed working with the players, assistant coaches, and athletic director Aaron Menapace. Chillot led the Hawks to their first District 3 playoff victory in school history. They had been (0-6) before this year. Hamburg made its first appearance in the District 3 tournament since 2015. The third-seeded Hawks defeated #6 seed Bermudian Springs 31-27 in the Class 3A quarterfinals. Hamburg lost at second-seeded Boiling Springs 35-7 in the semifinals. The Hawks finished the season at (7-4). They averaged 29 points per game.

Before taking over at Hamburg, Chillot spent the past twelve years as the head coach at Schuylkill Valley. He guided the Panthers to the District 3 playoffs five times. Chillot also has extensive coaching experience at the college level. He was an assistant at Albright for twelve seasons, and was at Kutztown University for three years.

Jeff Lang-Gov. Mifflin

Paul Roberts — Sat, 20 Nov 2021 00:11:00 +0000

Spring Grove was trailing 24-13 in the third quarter and forced the Mustangs into a 4th & 10 at the Rockets’ 37-yard line. Head coach Jeff Lang never even considered punting. Eden Johnson and Braylon Stewart made their coach look like a genius. They hooked up on a TD pass over the middle to give top-seeded Gov. Mifflin a 31-13 advantage with three minutes left in the third quarter. The (10-2) Rockets never threatened again in a 38-13 loss at Shillington. Lang explained to me why he decided to go for it on that critical 4th down. He has confidence that both Johnson and Delsin McNeil can be effective when the Mustangs opt to go to the air. Johnson was 4-for-7 for 101 yards including that 37-yard strike to Stewart. Lang talked about the job Nick Singleton and Aiden Gallen did running the football. Singleton had 190 yards and 3TD on 20 carries. Gallen got more touches than the PSU commit. The 185-pound fullback ran for 164 yards and a score on 25 carries. Lang was proud of his offensive line, but he knows that they need to cut down on penalties. The fifth-year head coach said Jackson Schools has been a reliable kicker all season. Schools made a 28-yard field goal with nine seconds left in the first half to send the Mustangs to the locker room with a 17-7 lead. Lang loves playing at home in front of the Gov. Mifflin student section. The (10-0) Mustangs will square off with (9-3) Exeter in the District 3-5A championship next Friday. Lang thinks that matchup is great for Berks County football fans. Gov. Mifflin is the defending champion. The Eagles have reached the District 3 final for the first time.

Jeff Lang-Gov. Mifflin

Paul Roberts — Wed, 10 Nov 2021 21:56:00 +0000

The Mustangs are making their 16th straight appearance in the District 3 playoffs and 17th overall. Gov. Mifflin has gone from a struggling program to a perennial powerhouse. Head coach Jeff Lang has been on the Mustangs’ coaching staff for three decades. He talked about how they changed the football culture in Shillington. Gov. Mifflin is (8-0) and the top-ranked team in the state in Class 5A. The Mustangs have only played one game since mid-October. Lang is definitely concerned about being rusty on Friday in the District 3 quarterfinals. Although #8 seed Warwick lost some extremely talented players to graduation including Nolan Rucci, Caleb Schmitz, and Colton Miller, Lang knows that the Warriors still have some very good skill position players. They blew out #9 seed Gettysburg 44-14 in the first round. Warwick is (7-4) with a victory over Manheim Central on its resume. Lang was named the Section 1 Coach of the Year in the Berks Football League. He’s (41-12) over five seasons at Gov. Mifflin. Plus, we discussed a recent post on social media that pictured some Warwick players and mentioned shutting down PSU commit Nick Singleton. Lang replied, “You never poke a lion.” Singleton is the leading rusher in Berks County history with 5,769 yards. He’s averaging 12 yards per carry this year!

Jeff Chillot-Hamburg

Paul Roberts — Tue, 12 Oct 2021 22:12:00 +0000

There are several quality quarterbacks in Section 2 of the Berks Football League this year. The Hawks faced Logan Klitsch of Conrad Weiser last week and now they’re preparing for Tanner Maddocks of Fleetwood. Klitsch is committed to Dartmouth and Maddocks is going to Villanova. Fortunately, the Hawks have a talented QB as well in 6’4 junior Xander Menapace. Head coach Jeff Chillot talked about Menapace, as well as star running back Diohnny Ruiz. I asked Chillot how he’s dealing with so many injuries. The Hawks are (5-2) and currently #3 in the District 3-3A power rankings. The top eight teams will advance to the playoffs. Hamburg is trying to reach the District 3 playoffs for the 7th time in school history. Chillot likes the way his team continues to battle even when trailing in the second half. The Hawks’ offense piled up 429 yards last week in a 31-27 loss to Conrad Weiser.