Nick – Berks Sports Report

Reese Hohl-Gov. Mifflin

Paul Roberts — Wed, 21 Aug 2024 16:46:15 +0000

Gov. Mifflin won its first District 3 football championship in 2020. The Mustangs followed up that accomplishment with a (10-1) campaign in 2021. They extended their winning streak to 18 consecutive years. The past two seasons have been a different story. Gov. finished (3-7) in 2022 and went (5-6) last fall. The Mustangs will begin this year with some adversity. New head coach Nick Morrissey will miss the first two games. According to multiple sources, the suspension is related to an issue that happened during the school day late last year. Athletic director John Guiseppe said he had no information to pass along at this time. Morrissey has been on the Gov. Mifflin coaching staff since 2015. The Muhlenberg and Albright graduate served as defensive coordinator from 2021-23. Senior RB/DB Reese Hohl has enjoyed working with Morrissey. “It’s a blast. The energy is there, the atmosphere is always good. We’re just having fun and working hard,” replied Hohl at Lancaster-Lebanon League media day earlier this month. The Mustangs will be in good hands during Morrissey’s absence. Mick Vecchio will serve as head coach for the first two games. Vecchio was inducted into the Pennsylvania Scholastic Football Coaches Association Hall of Fame in 2022. He accumulated 181 victories over 26 years during his tenure in Shillington.

Gov. Mifflin returns seven starters on offense and six on defense. Hohl can be utilized all over the field. He was a first team pick on offense and defense in Section 2 of the L-L League last fall. The 6’, 160-pound senior came up with six interceptions. He was also a second team selection as a kick returner. Being a member of the wrestling team has benefited him on the gridiron. “It helps mentally and physically with the conditioning…The one-on-one combat factor kind of transfers right over to me being a corner lined up right next to someone,” explained Hohl. He was also part of the Mustangs’ state championship baseball team this spring. Quarterback Javien Pletz and fullback Grady Garner (5’10, 200) are back in Gov. Mifflin’s option attack. Hohl likes what he has seen from the offensive line which includes Presley Rinker (6’1, 305) and Gavin Kelly (6’, 250). “We’re pretty good in size. We just need the aggression to come through. If that does, we’ll be moving people off the ball for sure,” stated Hohl. Derek Dinatale, Lebron Leaf, Stephen Mayo, Jahmair Johnson, and Travis Jenkins are some other players to keep an eye on in Shillington. The Mustangs got bumped up to Class 6A this year. In an interesting twist, they start the season at home against Pleasant Valley on Friday. Gov. Mifflin fell to Pleasant Valley 28-19 in the Eastern Conference championship last year.

Nick Fiorini-Wilson

Paul Roberts — Sat, 04 May 2024 00:00:00 +0000

It only took three batters for Wilson to grab a lead against rival Gov. Mifflin. Christo Hunsicker blasted a towering home run to left field and the Bulldogs cruised to a 10-3 victory. “I knew it was out off the bat…against Detwiler that’s a huge start,” said Nick Fiorini. Wilson tacked on four runs with two outs in the third frame. Fiorini ripped a RBI double to right-center. Cooper Kennedy followed with a ground ball to shortstop that was mishandled, allowing another run to score. It was one of eight errors for the Mustangs including six in the first three innings. They allowed five unearned runs. Designated hitter Matt VanOstenbridge made it 5-0 with a two-run single to center. The Bulldogs added another run in the 4th on Fiorini’s two-out single to left. The senior center fielder went 2-for-4 with a walk. He has a team-high .419 batting average with 25 RBI. Sophomore shortstop Jack Gabel increased his average to .403 with three singles. “He’s gonna be really good. He’s gonna be a big, big, big player for us next year,” emphasized Fiorini. Hunsicker limited Gov. Mifflin to three runs on four hits over five innings. The 6’2 junior struck out five and walked three. He’s (2-1, 3.08) with 32 punch outs and just seven walks in 25 innings. Dylan Barrett gave the (14-3, 9-3) Mustangs their first hit, a RBI double down the right field line in the 4th inning. Gov. Mifflin got within 6-3 an inning later. Branson Adams’ double drove in a run. Travis Jenkins knocked in another run when he beat out an infield single. Ethan Grim grounded out to third with men on second and third base to end the threat. Wilson got some breathing room with four runs in the 7th. C.J. Fernandez provided a two-run single up the middle. The senior second baseman is hitting .361 out of the No. 9 hole. Sophomore relief pitcher Evan Glucksnis committed a throwing error on a grounder back to the mound that allowed two more runs to cross the plate. The (13-6, 9-3) Bulldogs completed the regular season sweep of the Mustangs. “It’s a huge rivalry. It’s always gonna be big. There’s a lot of people here,” noted Fiorini. Wilson claimed the Division 1 championship and ended Gov. Mifflin’s eight-game winning streak. Bryce Detwiler was charged with six runs, three earned, on six hits in five innings. The UConn commit didn’t get much help from his defense on Friday afternoon in Shillington. Detwiler was 1-for-4 at the plate. The junior entered the day with a lofty .569 batting average. Adams had a pair of doubles and Barrett finished 2-for-3. Sophomore Ben Kulp tossed two scoreless innings for the Bulldogs. Although there wasn’t a postgame celebration, Fiorini was pleased with the outcome. “It gives us a lot of momentum going into playoffs,” he said. The BCIAA quarterfinals are scheduled for Thursday.

Nick Chapman-Reading

Paul Roberts — Wed, 07 Feb 2024 01:24:00 +0000

Nick Chapman suffered a broken orbital bone a couple of days after Christmas which caused him to miss eight games including Reading’s first matchup with Muhlenberg. The Red Knights fell 87-74 in double overtime on January 9th in Laureldale. Chapman waited nearly a month to get a shot at the Muhls and this time the Division 1 championship was up for grabs. The 5’10 senior had 18 points in a resounding 83-46 victory at the Geigle Complex. The gym was rocking on senior night. “Their energy feeds into us. That’s what makes us stay together,” said Chapman. He was emotional before the game and admitted to coming close to shedding a few tears. Chapman knows that his remaining home games are numbered. The Red Knights put on a show on Tuesday night. Yadiel Cruz finished with 26 points and eight rebounds. The 6’2 senior jammed nine points into the first eight minutes. “He works every day on and off the court. He’s a great role model,” remarked Chapman. Nico Sosa, a senior guard, drilled a 3-pointer at the buzzer to give Reading a 27-18 advantage after the opening quarter. The (15-7, 8-3) Red Knights hit four triples in the first period. They ended up 7-of-15 from beyond the arc and shot a blistering 65% from the field. Chapman only missed two of his eight field goal attempts. He was 6-for-9 from the free throw line. Reading’s defense was also superb. They held Muhlenberg 18 points below its season average. “Without defense there’s no offense,” stated Chapman. The (13-8, 7-4) Muhls were outscored 39-to-16 in the middle quarters. Kyle Archie had all eight of Muhlenberg’s points in the second period. They trailed 43-26 at the break. Weshly Rosario sank a trey from the top of the key with 1:10 remaining before halftime. The sophomore guard converted a putback before the horn. Rosario piled up ten points, seven rebounds, and seven assists. Sosa chipped in with nine points off the bench. The Red Knights are peaking at the right time. They’ve won eight of their last nine contests. Alex Collado led the Muhls with 15 points, but only six came after the first quarter. Archie and Jayden Kantner provided eleven points apiece. Muhlenberg went 12-of-17 from the foul line while Reading was 16-of-23. Ruben Rodriguez was back in the building to cheer on his former teammates. Rodriguez was named the Class 6A Player of the Year in Pennsylvania after helping the Red Knights capture their third state title a season ago. He’s now a freshman guard at Rider. Reading is searching for its 26th Berks County championship. The quarterfinals are set for next Monday. Chapman had a message for the rest of the teams in the BCIAA playoffs. “We’re coming for everybody,” he said.

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.

Nick Hugo-Kutztown

Paul Roberts — Fri, 26 May 2023 10:17:00 +0000

Nick Hugo had the best seat at Wenger Field in Fredericksburg to see Bryce Schafer toss a complete game gem in the District 3-2A championship. Hugo is a two-time all-division catcher for the Cougars. Schafer is also his best friend. “He left it all out there. He’s been fighting through arm injuries all year. To see him go do that in the District championship was awesome, so proud of him,” said Hugo. Second-seeded Kutztown defeated top-seeded Halifax 5-1 for its sixth District 3 title. Only Chambersburg (11) and Oley Valley (9) have claimed more District 3 gold than the Cougars. Hugo is one of five seniors on this year’s club and all five are starters. “We’ve been best friends for 3-4 years. I don’t think we could have the success we’ve had if we weren’t this tight-knit. We’re gonna be brothers for life,” emphasized Hugo. Dom Pizzelanti got Kutztown on the board in the top of the 2nd on a double steal. The (17-6) Cougars got a pair of runs in the third frame. Kole Schuler had a RBI infield single and Schafer launched a solo homer that barely stayed fair down the right field line. The ball just got over the fence which is 320 feet away. The (20-3-1) Wildcats didn’t have a hit until Briar Campbell’s bloop single in the 4th inning. Kutztown made it 5-0 in the 6th on a RBI single by designated hitter Colin Hamm and a bases loaded walk to Matt Remick. Halifax finally got on the board in the 7th thanks to triples by Brandon Schell and Ben Kline. Schafer struck out Will Steinhauer to end the Wildcats’ 12-game winning streak. The Kutztown University commit threw 99 pitches and 70 were strikes. Schafer allowed five hits with five strikeouts and two walks. He contained a lineup that was hitting .341 as a team. Schell went 5+ innings. The sophomore gave up five runs, four earned, on seven hits. He hit two batters and walked one. Bloomsburg commit Judah Miller wasn’t available after pitching in a 1-0 semifinal victory over Delone Catholic on Monday. Miller was (9-1, 1.48) this season with 86 strikeouts and twelve walks in 66 innings. Schafer, Schuler, and Hamm each had two hits. The Cougars didn’t make an error while Halifax had two. “We pride ourselves on our defense…defense wins championships,” stated Hugo. He was 1-for-4 with a run. Remick, a two-time all-division selection, played a flawless game at shortstop. Hugo joked that he became a catcher when he was seven or eight years old because he was one of the only kids who wasn’t scared of the ball. He’s going to Saint Joseph’s University to study finance. But first, Hugo and the Cougars are headed to the state playoffs.

Nick Crocona-Wilson

Paul Roberts — Sun, 14 May 2023 21:12:00 +0000

Coaches often say that the key to high school baseball is throwing strikes. Wilson senior Nick Crocona didn’t hand out a single free pass in the Bulldogs’ 6-5 victory over Muhlenberg in the BCIAA semifinals. Crocona limited the third-seeded Muhls to three runs, one earned, on six hits over six innings at FirstEnergy Stadium. He struck out two and threw 95 pitches as #2 seed Wilson extended its winning streak to eight. “I tried to throw my slider a little bit more because I think they were really starting to see my fastball and curveball,” Crocona explained. The (15-6) Bulldogs advanced despite committing five errors, including two in the top of the 1st inning. Gio Cavanna reached on catcher’s interference, stole second, and scored on a throwing error by second baseman Evan Gabaldon. Cavanna had two hits, two runs, two stolen bases, and a RBI. Wilson got the run back in the bottom half of the inning when sophomore Christo Hunsicker crushed a RBI double to left field. Hunsicker was 2-for-4 with a run. The (13-8) Muhls went back on top in the 4th thanks to a 2-run line drive single to right by Kevin Rodriguez. The Bulldogs responded immediately with four runs in the frame. Jordan Shutter delivered a RBI single before Crocona walked with the bags full. Mason Sensenig got hit by a pitch to force in another run and Tommy Hunsicker added a RBI single to center. Tommy Hunsicker, Christo’s older brother, went 3-for-4 with a run. “He’s a stud. He’s a great hitter. I’ve known him for a long time. This is what he does…He’s a gamer,” emphasized Crocona. Tommy Hunsicker and Crocona also played football and basketball at Wilson. Shutter picked up his second RBI single of the morning in the 5th. The senior catcher gave the Bulldogs a 6-3 edge. The defending county champions rallied in the top of the 7th against freshman Ben Kulp. Cavanna and sophomore Eli Keller drove in runs with singles to get Muhlenberg within 6-5. Kulp got Shane Rosenberry to ground out to second to end it. Lefty Josh Smeltzer took the loss. The junior made just his second start of the season. He was charged with five runs on six hits in 3.1 innings. Freshman Cole Moody held Wilson to one run on one hit over the final 2.2 innings. He struck out two and hit a pair of batters. Sean Patton had two of the Muhls’ eight hits. Meanwhile, the Bulldogs will take on rival Gov. Mifflin for the Berks League title on Monday at 6:05pm at FirstEnergy Stadium. Wilson is searching for its first BCIAA Championship since 2019 and 13th overall. “It feels awesome. This is something that we worked towards the entire year. I’m just really proud of our guys,” said Crocona.

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.

Nick Noll-Fleetwood

Paul Roberts — Wed, 29 Mar 2023 23:23:00 +0000

Nick Noll is the only sophomore in Fleetwood’s starting lineup. The underclassman came up big in a 7-5 win at Hamburg. Noll had two hits and knocked in three runs for the (2-2) Tigers. Travis Loy added a pair of infield hits. The senior second baseman scored one run and drove in another. Loy and Noll hit eighth and ninth respectively in Rolland Green’s lineup. Fleetwood finished with eleven hits. The Tigers put up three runs in the decisive 7th inning, all with two outs. Sophomore Tyler Shuey replaced Isaac Krick on the mound after a leadoff single by Jake Karnish. After Karnish was thrown out trying to steal second, Aiden Soumas reached on a throwing error. A single by Dalton Young and a walk to Liam Hilburt loaded the bases with two outs. Shuey nearly picked off Hilburt to end the threat without any damage. No. 7 hitter Tyler Szilli drew a bases loaded walk on a 3-2 pitch that just missed. The free pass put Fleetwood in front 5-4. Loy followed with what appeared to be a harmless grounder to third. However, the umpire ruled that Hilburt wasn’t tagged by Hamburg third baseman Ethan Horvath. The Hawks were now behind 6-4. Noll ripped a single to center for another insurance run. “It felt good getting a two-strike hit. That’s a key RBI to get, he said.” Ryan Moser recorded two outs in the bottom of the 7th before reaching his pitch limit. The senior lefty found his groove after allowing three runs in the first frame. “He did a great job settling in and not giving up many runs,” replied Noll. Moser gave up five runs, four earned, on eight hits. The Elizabethtown commit struck out five and walked three. Sophomore Tyler Dilbeck allowed a double to Luke Bensinger that got Hamburg within 7-5. Dilbeck struck out Nate Gilbert to end it. Conner Licklider went 4-for-4 with two runs and a RBI for the (1-4) Hawks. Scottie Dunleavy had a pair of doubles. The speedy sophomore CF scored one run and drove in another. Krick reached base in all three of his plate appearances including two walks. The junior gave up four runs on eight hits with six strikeouts. Krick walked one and hit two batters. All three of Shuey’s runs in the top of the 7th were unearned. The production from the bottom of Fleetwood’s lineup was a big key. Szilli, Loy, and Noll were 5-for-9 with 6 RBI. The Tigers reached the state playoffs a season ago. “I think we can definitely make it back there, but we still have to play hard every game,” stated Noll. We also discussed his favorite food, video games, musical artists, and teacher.

Nick Weitzel-Wilson

Paul Roberts — Wed, 10 Aug 2022 21:04:00 +0000

Nick Weitzel doesn’t see eye to eye with Allen Iverson when it comes to discussing the importance of practice. “These preseason practices mean a lot. Our non-league schedule, a lot of them are playoff games and we like hard games. They build you up for good playoff runs. These preseason practices build up your character, your chemistry,” Weitzel said. Wilson’s non-league slate includes Gov. Mifflin, Central Dauphin, and Roman Catholic from Philadelphia. With that gauntlet ahead, Weitzel knows how valuable practice time is before the opener on August 26th. The Bulldogs struggled early last year. They dropped three of their first five games and allowed 42 points to both Exeter and Gov. Mifflin. Wilson’s defense stood tall, however, late last season. Weitzel and company held Manheim Township to 14 points in a late October victory that helped the Bulldogs claim their record 28th Section 1 championship in the Lancaster-Lebanon League. Wilson upset top-seeded Central York in the District 3-6A semifinals. Two-time all-state quarterback Beau Pribula and the Panthers managed just 11 points. Pribula is now a freshman at Penn State. The Bulldogs’ defense played well again in the District 3 final at #2 seed Harrisburg. Wilson came up short 14-10 and finished (9-4). Weitzel led the team with five sacks. The 6’1, 210-pound defensive end had 7.5 of the squad’s 76 tackles for loss. The Bulldogs gave up 127 yards per game on the ground and 127 through the air. They need to replace three of their top four tacklers. Gavin Lenart, Josh Drake, and T.J. Flite graduated. Weitzel told me to keep an eye out for linebackers Landon Farrell and Ryan McMillan. Farrell ended up second on the team in tackles with 46 (8TFL). McMillan, a junior who loves to hit, added 37 stops. We talked about all-state selection Cam Jones. Weitzel elaborated on what makes the senior CB/WR/KR so elusive. Weitzel, who also plays basketball at Wilson, has a twin brother on the football team. Zack is a senior lineman for the Bulldogs. “There’s no one closer I could be to than him. We’ve actually got a lot closer over the years,” Nick said. Weitzel mentioned his favorite subject in school and what he likes to do for fun. Wilson fans have had a lot of fun over the years at John Gurski Stadium. The Bulldogs haven’t had a losing season since 1963.

Nick Singleton-PSU/Gov. Mifflin

Paul Roberts — Sat, 28 May 2022 19:19:00 +0000

James Franklin has made it clear this offseason that the Nittany Lions’ running game needs to improve. Penn State averaged 3.2 yards per carry last season. The Nittany Lions finished (7-6). Fans across the state are hoping Nick Singleton can provide a jolt to the ground attack in 2022. The former Gov. Mifflin standout was back in Berks County this weekend. The Reading Fightin Phils honored Singleton before their game in front of a packed house on Saturday evening. Singleton has received plenty of recognition over the past year. He was named the Gatorade National Offensive Player of the Year and Mr. PA Football for Class 4A-6A. The Maxwell Football Club presented Singleton with its National High School Offensive Player of the Year award. The explosive 215-pounder was ranked #57 overall in the Class of 2022 by ESPN which rated him as the third-best running back in the country. Singleton set Berks County career records with 6,326 rushing yards and 116 touchdowns. As a senior, he rumbled for 2,059 yards (12.7/carry) and scored 44 TDs. Singleton told me that his accomplishments wouldn’t have been possible without his coaches, teammates, and family. We talked about what his parents have meant to him. Singleton said he looked up to Saquon Barkley, Miles Sanders, and Journey Brown. I asked how he’s fitting in with the current running backs at Penn State. Singleton mentioned that they push each other every day. Keyvone Lee, Devyn Ford, and Caziah Holmes are all returning. Lee ran for a team-high 530 yards (4.9/carry) last season. Ford was limited to 14 carries. Freshman Kaytron Allen from IMG Academy in Florida could also be in the mix. Singleton noted that his coaches have been very pleased with his effort in the weight room. They’re also happy with his work in the classroom. Singleton stressed that he has always taken care of his schoolwork first. He confirmed that he does have a name, image, or likeness (NIL) deal. Singleton emphasized that he doesn’t regret enrolling early at all. He was able to make it back for the Gov. Mifflin prom. He had fun revealing who the top dancers are in the high school. Penn State kicks off its season at Purdue on September 1st. Singleton can’t wait for the first home game. The Nittany Lions face Ohio University on September 10th at Beaver Stadium. Singleton spoke highly of Sean Clifford’s leadership skills. The senior threw for 3,107 yards last year with 21 touchdowns and eight interceptions. He completed 61% of his passes. We discussed what it’s like practicing against Division I athletes, as opposed to high school players. Singleton led Gov. Mifflin to an (18-2) record over the past two seasons. The Mustangs won their first District 3 championship in 2020. Before Singleton greeted fans at FirstEnergy Stadium, I asked if he had ever played baseball before. He said he never did, but he believes he would’ve been a good hitter. I don’t think anyone who had the pleasure of watching Singleton over the last four years would doubt him.