QB – Berks Sports Report https://berkssportsreport.com Paul Roberts Sun, 18 Sep 2022 14:43:24 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.5.5 Donovan Gingrich-Conrad Weiser https://berkssportsreport.com/donovan-gingrich-conrad-weiser/ Sun, 18 Sep 2022 10:35:00 +0000 https://berkssportsreport.com/?p=3028 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.

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Mason Rotelli-Exeter https://berkssportsreport.com/mason-rotelli-exeter/ Sat, 17 Sep 2022 01:06:00 +0000 https://berkssportsreport.com/?p=3024 Colin Payne set a single-season school record for passing yards and helped Exeter capture its first District 3 championship last year. In his college debut earlier this month, Payne broke Alvernia’s single-game record by throwing for 380 yards. Needless to say, Mason Rotelli had some big shoes to fill. The 6’1, 170-pound senior has guided the Eagles to a (4-0) start including a 36-6 victory at Gov. Mifflin. He ran for two touchdowns and passed for another score. I asked Rotelli about replacing Payne at quarterback. He replied, “I don’t feel much pressure. Colin Payne has helped me so much. I can’t thank him enough. He’s been a great mentor for me.” Rotelli’s 5-yard run on fourth-and-1 early in the second quarter got Exeter on the scoreboard first in Shillington. That 80-yard drive took five minutes and 42 seconds. Rotelli gave credit to his offensive line which averages nearly 250 pounds. “They’re just an exceptional line. Enough credit can’t be given to them. They work hard each and every day at practice. I love those boys,” he said. A 9-yard touchdown run by Penn State commit Joey Schlaffer put the Eagles on top 15-0 with just less than three minutes before halftime. Schlaffer completed a 30-yard pass to Carter Redding on a trick play during that possession. The (1-3) Mustangs nearly scored on the final play of the second quarter. Delsin McNeil heaved a 33-yard pass to Jackson Parker down the left sideline, but the 6’2 junior was bumped out of bounds at the 1-yard line. Gov. Mifflin came out of the locker room and marched 67 yards. McNeil ended the drive with a 1-yard run on fourth-and-goal. He was stuffed on the 2-point conversion to keep it 15-6 in favor of the (4-0) Eagles. Rotelli responded by launching a 31-yard touchdown to Schlaffer with 4:20 remaining in the third quarter. The 6’6, 215-pound senior dragged two defenders into the end zone. Two minutes into the final period, Rotelli sprinted through a massive hole for a 27-yard touchdown that gave Exeter a 29-6 advantage. Messiah Robinson iced it with a 5-yard touchdown run with 4:16 left to go. Robinson, who was making his season debut, chipped in with 58 yards on nine carries. 215-pound senior Richie Karstien provided 137 yards on 19 touches. The Eagles outgained the Mustangs 413-to-257 yards. “It’s a big rivalry. It’s always been a matchup on the calendar that you circle. We’ve worked so hard for this. This is a game that I wanted so bad,” said Rotelli. He went 6-of-9 for 93 yards while also rushing for 86 yards. He’s completing 70% of his passes this year with 8TD and only one interception. Schlaffer reeled in four catches for 62 yards. Five of his fourteen receptions have gone for scores this season. Rotelli is thrilled to have a target like Schlaffer. He joked, “It’s like cheating, it really is. He’s a freak athlete.” Gov. Mifflin was hurt by two turnovers. Gerrell McNeil fumbled at the Eagles’ 30-yard line after a 14-yard grab over the middle late in the third quarter. Exeter immediately put together a 75-yard drive to go up by 23 points. The Mustangs were limited to 138 yards on the ground. Brayden Reis, a 180-pound senior, had a team-high 57 yards on eleven carries. Monmouth commit Ayden Martin only had three touches for 20 yards. Delsin McNeil was 5-of-12 for 119 yards. He was intercepted by Nate Pashley late in the second quarter. Only three starters returned for Gov. Mifflin from last season’s (10-1) squad. Meanwhile, the Eagles brought back six starters on each side of the ball. Rotelli and I had some fun discussing his favorite video game and NFL quarterbacks. We also talked about his favorite teachers and food. Pay attention for a special guest appearance by Schlaffer.

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Xander Menapace-Hamburg https://berkssportsreport.com/xander-menapace-hamburg-3/ https://berkssportsreport.com/xander-menapace-hamburg-3/#comments Sat, 13 Aug 2022 19:25:00 +0000 https://berkssportsreport.com/?p=2851 November 5th, 2021 is a date that Xander Menapace will never forget. The Hawks made school history by earning their first District 3 playoff victory. They beat #6 seed Bermudian Springs 31-27. “It really felt amazing. That night it was crazy. That was the most I’ve ever seen it packed,” he said. The 6’4, 205-pound quarterback went 5-for-5 for 115 yards and two touchdown passes in that Class 3A quarterfinal. Hamburg had been (0-6) all-time in the District 3 tournament. Menapace is looking to get back to the postseason in 2022. He completed 63% of his passes a season ago for 869 yards and 9TD. The Hawks will be putting the ball up much more this year under new head coach Matt Hoffert. The former Hamburg lineman and assistant coach takes over for Jeff Chillot who stepped down after one groundbreaking season. Pierce Mason returns at running back after averaging 10.3 yards on 65 carries last year. Menapace told me to look out for sophomore RB/LB Aiden Readinger. “Sky is the limit for that kid. He’s really shifty, fastest kid I’ve ever seen. He has a high ceiling,” he said. Menapace will be targeting Derek Ruiz, Cohen Correll, Alex Bentz, and 6’3 senior Kevin McFarland. Ruiz’s older brother, Diohnny, made the Class 3A all-state team last season after rushing for 1,313 yards (11.0/carry) and scoring 21TD. He’s now playing rugby at West Chester. Menapace had the opportunity to attend several camps this summer. I asked about the feedback that he received from college coaches. The 3-year starter replied, “They like my size. They like my arm strength and they like the type of kid I am. Everyone says that I need to get faster so that’s what I’ve been working on.” Menapace has spent a lot of time working with former Wilson head coach and quarterback guru Jim Cantafio. He was (69-19) over eight seasons with the Bulldogs. Hamburg returns six starters on offense and five on defense. 6’2, 280-pound OT/DT Charles Sheppard is back up front. The Hawks are part of Section 5 in the new Lancaster-Lebanon League. They’re joined by Schuylkill Valley, Kutztown, Lancaster Catholic, Northern Lebanon, Annville-Cleona, Pequea Valley, and Columbia. Menapace, who averaged 10 points for Hamburg’s basketball team, mentioned that he enjoys golfing in his spare time. He’s still searching for his first hole-in-one. However, he’s no longer searching for a District 3 playoff victory after last year’s (7-4) campaign. The Hawks are looking to soar even higher this season.

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Colin Payne-Exeter https://berkssportsreport.com/colin-payne-exeter-5/ Fri, 26 Nov 2021 23:36:00 +0000 https://berkssportsreport.com/?p=2129 The Eagles made history with a 31-28 victory at Gov. Mifflin in the District 3-5A championship. It’s the first District 3 title for Exeter’s football program. When I asked Colin Payne about his emotions, he said, “Words can’t describe it.” The senior quarterback was 13-21 for 161 yards with 3TD and an INT. Payne now holds the single-season school record with 2,166 passing yards. We discussed his pivotal 5-yard completion to Joey Schlaffer on 4th & 4 with three minutes left. Payne told the coaches not to punt from the Mustangs’ 38-yard line and they listened to him. Payne followed up that play with another clutch pass to tight end J.R. Strauss which allowed the (10-3) Eagles to run out the clock. Their final drive lasted seven minutes and 35 seconds. Strauss, who’s going to Villanova, had four catches for 49 yards. Schlaffer finished with five grabs for 55 yards and 2TD. The 6’6 junior is committed to Penn State. Payne elaborated on his relationship with Schlaffer. We also talked about how he was able to handle the strong winds. Payne added that Exeter’s schedule has really benefited them in the postseason. The Eagles’ QB has always played with a chip on his shoulder. Now he has a gold medal around his neck.

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Brad Hoffman-Wilson https://berkssportsreport.com/brad-hoffman-wilson-2/ Wed, 17 Nov 2021 22:49:00 +0000 https://berkssportsreport.com/?p=2058 It’s not easy to accomplish something that no one else has at an established program like Wilson. Brad Hoffman made history by becoming the first Bulldogs’ quarterback to run for 1,000 yards in a single season. The Berks Catholic transfer reached that milestone with an impressive performance at Central York in the District 3-6A semifinals. Hoffman ran for 167 yards and a TD on 29 carries. Wilson knocked off the previously unbeaten Panthers 14-11. Hoffman described the feeling of beating one of the best teams in the state. The 6’2, 205-pound QB is averaging 6.6 yards per carry. He has 1,038 rushing yards and 12TD. The Bulldogs have only attempted 26 passes in their last four games. Hoffman told me that he’s willing to do whatever it takes to win. He’s thrown for 776 yards with 11TD and 9INT. Wilson has won seven straight after struggling early on. Hoffman talked about what it would mean to win a District 3 championship after that rough start. He believes the offensive line has been dominant late in the season. The fifth-seeded Bulldogs travel to (11-1) Harrisburg on Saturday at 1pm. Wilson is looking for its 8th District 3 title and first since 2016. The Bulldogs own the state record with 46 consecutive winning seasons! Finally, Hoffman had some fun discussing Coach Dahms’ beard. He said, “He’s as close to Santa as anyone I know.” Doug Dahms has been Wilson’s head coach for 16 years. He started as an assistant there in 1976.

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Colin Payne-Exeter https://berkssportsreport.com/colin-payne-exeter-4/ Fri, 05 Nov 2021 23:27:00 +0000 https://berkssportsreport.com/?p=1984 Colin Payne got off to a hot start on a chilly night at Don Thomas Stadium. The senior quarterback completed his first six passes, two for scores. The Eagles jumped out to a 20-0 lead over #10 South Western in the District 3-5A opening round. The Mustangs made it interesting and got within six points in the third quarter, but #7 Exeter pulled away for a 38-21 victory. Payne was 11-19 for 203 yards and 3TD. We talked about a clutch 97-yard TD drive in the fourth quarter which included a 59-yard screen pass to 220-pound fullback Ty Yocum. Payne joked that his teammates will give Yocum grief for getting caught from behind. Payne described his relationship with senior wide receiver Carson Schmidt. He also discussed what it’s like to run an offense with so many weapons. Schmidt had 2TD receptions tonight. PSU commit Joey Schlaffer made his fifth TD grab of the year, a 27-yarder in the first quarter. Payne has thrown for nearly 1,600 yards and 16TD this season. He practices passing in cold conditions so the weather doesn’t bother him. Payne gave credit to senior kicker and punter Mike Moser who made an important 27-yard FG late in the third quarter. Moser also had a punt stop at the Mustangs’ 1-yard line! Plus, Payne admitted to watching some film of Manheim Central. The (7-3) Eagles visit the (9-1) Barons next Friday in the quarterfinals.

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Mitchell Gatz-Berks Catholic https://berkssportsreport.com/mitchell-gatz-berks-catholic/ Fri, 01 Oct 2021 23:10:00 +0000 https://berkssportsreport.com/?p=1760 Mitchell Gatz was almost perfect at Daniel Boone in the Saints’ Section 1 opener. The 195-pound senior QB went 8-of-9 for 174 yards and 3TD in a 40-7 win over the Blazers. Jay Jay Jordan caught all three touchdown passes. Gatz described their relationship. He said the game plan was to put the ball up early. It definitely paid off for the Saints who have won 23 of their last 25 league games. Gatz gave a lot of credit to the offensive line. He believes Berks Catholic will return to the District 3 playoffs this season. The Saints’ streak of seven straight trips to the District 3 championship game was snapped last year. Berks Catholic is currently ranked #10 in the state in Class 4A.

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Delsin McNeil-Gov. Mifflin https://berkssportsreport.com/delsin-mcneil-gov-mifflin/ Thu, 23 Sep 2021 18:41:00 +0000 https://berkssportsreport.com/?p=1707 The Mustangs are trying to prove that having two quarterbacks is better than one. Senior Eden Johnson and junior Delsin McNeil are both seeing time under center this season for Gov. Mifflin. McNeil was 3-3 for 64 yards and a TD in a (49-13) victory over Harrisburg. The Mustangs outscored the highly touted Cougars (35-6) in the second half. McNeil told me about his relationship with Johnson and the importance of having a reliable passing attack. He also described what it’s like playing with PSU commit Nick Singleton. Plus, find out why McNeil is so good at Madden NFL.

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Ben Zechman-Wyomissing https://berkssportsreport.com/ben-zechman-wyomissing/ Sat, 18 Sep 2021 17:47:00 +0000 https://berkssportsreport.com/?p=1689 Zach Zechman was the starting QB and an all-state DB for the Spartans last year. Now his brother, Ben, is running the Wing-T offense for Wyomissing. The 6’3 junior was an efficient 5-7 for 82 yards and a TD in a 47-7 victory over previously unbeaten Hamburg. Zechman told me about one of the Spartans’ favorite pass plays which paid off in a big way against the Hawks. He described his relationship with emerging 6’5 WR Nevin Carter. Zechman explained how he keeps 310-pound lineman Jven Williams happy. Yes, it involves food. We also talked about James Franklin’s visit to Shillington and how Nick Singleton would look in a Wyomissing uniform.

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Dean Rotter-Daniel Boone https://berkssportsreport.com/dean-rotter-daniel-boone/ Tue, 14 Sep 2021 20:53:00 +0000 https://berkssportsreport.com/?p=1653 The Blazers lost senior QB Carter Speyerer in Week 1. The three-year starter suffered a broken right ankle vs. Wyomissing. Enter Dean Rotter; a 5’11, 160-pound sophomore. All the lefty did last week at Garden Spot was go 13-16 for 252 yards and 4TD! Rotter told me that Speyerer is “like a brother to me.” Rotter gave a lot of credit to his huge offensive line, and mentioned who the biggest eater is on the team. The sophomore loves playing for head coach Rob Flowers. Rotter also loves playing Madden NFL. He claims to be the best player in the state! We also talked about which teammate he would not want to go up against on the field.

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