Schuylkill – Berks Sports Report

Luke Spotts-Schuylkill Valley

Paul Roberts — Thu, 31 Oct 2024 13:08:35 +0000

Three years ago, Schuylkill Valley was (2-9). Times have changed quickly in Leesport. The Panthers won nine games a season ago to set a school record. They’re currently riding a seven-game winning streak and making their third straight appearance in the District 3 playoffs. “It’s great changing the culture here at SV to a winning culture and a winning program. I’m blessed that I get to be a part of it,” said Luke Spotts. The 6’2, 215-pound senior leads the team with 50 catches for 849 yards and 8 TD. Spotts had eight receptions for 143 yards and a score in a 40-29 victory over Lancaster Catholic last week. He added ten tackles and a sack from his linebacker position. That win put the (8-2, 7-0) Panthers alone atop the Section 5 standings in the Lancaster-Lebanon League. “It’s everything to me and my teammates. It’s our first outright championship in Schuylkill Valley history so it feels great,” noted Spotts. The Panthers shared the Section 5 title with Lancaster Catholic and Annville-Cleona last fall. Spotts, who averaged nine points for the basketball team as a junior, finished with nine catches for 131 yards and 2 TD against Hamburg three weeks ago. Schuylkill Valley prevailed 30-21 in the 50th edition of the Frost Bowl. The Panthers have a lot of weapons at the skill positions including Kowen Gerner, Dillon Lackner, Cooper Hohenadel, and Logan Cammauf. Quarterback Logan Nawrocki runs the show. The 6’1, 170-pound senior is the school’s all-time passing leader with 4,705 yards. Nawrocki was 21-of-36 for 265 yards and 3 TD last Friday. He has 2,154 yards and 32 TD this season. “I can’t say enough good things about him. Having him throw me the ball, it’s really like a dream come true,” stated Spotts. Schuylkill Valley hosts sixth-seeded Littlestown in the District 3-3A quarterfinals on Friday. The third-seeded Panthers beat the Thunderbolts 45-21 in the 2023 playoffs. Schuylkill Valley head coach Bruce Harbach knows a lot about winning in the postseason. He guided Lancaster Catholic to state championships in 2009 and 2011. The Crusaders claimed four District titles and eight Section crowns over Harbach’s 16 years at the helm. This is his fourth season with the Panthers. They’ve come a long way and Spotts is a big reason why. “He’s a great athlete. We can put him outside. We can put him at tight end. He’s a hard worker, hard-nosed kid. He’s meant so much to this program,” said Harbach.

Kowen Gerner-Schuylkill Valley

Paul Roberts — Wed, 14 Aug 2024 21:44:07 +0000

Schuylkill Valley set a school record with nine wins in 2023, but the Panthers weren’t happy about sharing the Section 5 championship in the Lancaster-Lebanon League. They ended up in a three-way tie with Lancaster Catholic and Annville-Cleona. Schuylkill Valley is looking for an outright title this fall. “I think we got a really good chance to be better than last year,” stated Kowen Gerner. The 6’2, 180-pound rising senior caught eleven touchdown passes last year, the most in school history. Gerner had 48 catches for 976 yards. He also made 75 tackles at linebacker. During the winter, Gerner averaged nine points per game for the basketball team. The Panthers aren’t lacking for talent at the skill positions. Logan Nawrocki, Luke Spotts, Cooper Hohenadel, and Dillon Lackner are all returning for their senior seasons. Logan Cammauf, a rising junior, is also back at running back. Nawrocki threw for 2,048 yards and 21 scores last year. “The chemistry keeps growing because the more years we play together, the more connected we are. It just keeps getting better,” said Gerner. Nawrocki was named the second team quarterback in Section 5. Spotts was an All-Section pick at linebacker and tight end. He accumulated 100 combined tackles and two interceptions to go along with 23 receptions. Spotts gives Nawrocki another big target at 6’2 and 200 pounds. Hohenadel is a versatile playmaker on offense who also starts at safety. Schuylkill Valley will miss Theo Wysocki up front. The 6’5, 300-pound lineman is at Shippensburg University. Nate Kier and Noah Sonon both started on the offensive line as sophomores a season ago. “I don’t think we have the same size, but I think they’re a lot more athletic,” noted Gerner. The Panthers picked up their second victory all-time in the District 3 playoffs last year. They eventually fell at Wyomissing 48-0 in the District 3-3A semifinals. Bruce Harbach is entering his fourth season as head coach in Leesport. Harbach guided Lancaster Catholic to state championships in 2009 and 2011. He won 139 games and four District 3 titles with the Crusaders over 16 years. Harbach is (15-8) over the past two seasons at Schuylkill Valley. The Panthers’ opener is set for August 23 against a Berks County foe. They will travel to Muhlenberg in Week 1.

Liam Hilburt-Fleetwood

Paul Roberts — Wed, 20 Dec 2023 09:22:00 +0000

Every time it looked like Fleetwood was pulling away, Schuylkill Valley responded. Liam Hilburt finally delivered the knockout punch with 3:43 remaining as the Tigers beat the Panthers 51-38 in Fleetwood. Hilburt drilled a three-pointer in front of the student section in the right corner. “It felt amazing. The crowd went wild,” he said. That triple put the Tigers in front 41-32. “Once I hit that, they went crazy and I knew we were gonna win,” replied Hilburt. The 6’ senior guard finished with a dozen points. He connected three times from beyond the arc. Hilburt, an all-division baseball player, has a team-high eight treys this season. Nate Herb, an all-county soccer player, led the (6-0) Tigers with 15 points. Aiden Soumas, a Kutztown University baseball commit, added 13 points. Fleetwood was up 10-4 after the first quarter. Dom Giuffre splashed a three-pointer and then converted a breakaway layup before the buzzer to get Schuylkill Valley within 23-17 at halftime. The Panthers’ star running back had a team-high ten points. The Tigers built a 30-19 advantage in the third quarter. However, Schuylkill Valley opened the final period with a 5-0 run to make it 34-32. Cooper Hohenadel’s three-point play was followed by a technical foul on Fleetwood. Hohenadel hit both free throws. All eight of his points came in the last eight minutes. The 5’11 junior guard missed the first four games with an injury. Hohenadel averaged 12 points per game a season ago and provided a team-high 48 treys. After that rare five-point possession, the (5-2) Panthers went cold. Jake Zimmerman was limited to two points by the Tigers’ 2-3 zone. The 6’1 senior forward entered the night averaging 14. “Once he drove, we all collapsed on him. I think that shut him down,” explained Hilburt. Terry Sitler picked up his 250th career victory. This is his 12th season with the Tigers after spending twelve years at Brandywine Heights. It could have come with less stress, if Fleetwood was better from the charity stripe. The Tigers went 10-for-23 from the foul line. They’re shooting just 46% as a team. “We work on it a lot at practice. We’ll get there,” remarked Hilburt. He’s providing 7 ppg., up from 3 ppg. last season when Fleetwood was (22-5) and reached the District 3-4A championship game. Jake Karnish was in attendance on Tuesday night. The program’s all-time leading scorer with 1,420 points is playing at King’s College. He averaged 22 points last year for the Tigers. Although Karnish has moved on, expectations remain high in Fleetwood. “We’re hoping for the same thing, just win that District title this time,” said Hilburt.

Collin Niedrowski-Wyomissing

Paul Roberts — Sun, 12 Nov 2023 14:13:00 +0000

If you thought Wyomissing would be rusty after a week off, think again. The top-seeded Spartans were motivated and running like a well-oiled machine in a 48-0 rout of Schuylkill Valley. The (10-1) Spartans reached the end zone on their first six possessions in the District 3-3A semifinals at Bob Wolfrum Field. They’re an incredible (19-0) all-time in home playoff games under their longtime head coach. The (9-3) Panthers went three-and-out on the opening drive. They were making their second trip to the District 3 semi’s and first since 2012. Wyomissing needed to go just 30 yards for its first score on Saturday. Sophomore fullback Chase Eisenhower went eleven yards up the middle for the touchdown. One minute later, Collin Niedrowski returned an interception five yards for a quick 14-0 edge. Logan Nawrocki was under pressure at the goal line and threw across the field. It was the first pick-six of Niedrowski’s career. “I think our defense from the summer to now has come a really long way. We’re only getting better week by week. I’m really excited to see what we have in store,” said the 195-pound senior linebacker. Princeton commit Ryker Jones raced 30 yards down the right sideline for a 20-0 advantage with two minutes remaining in the first quarter. Niedrowski added a 7-yard touchdown run midway through the second period for a 27-0 lead. Jeremiah Diaz ripped off a 40-yard run on that drive. The Spartans outgained fourth-seeded Schuylkill Valley 421-69. Wyomissing finished with 308 rushing yards. Niedrowski gave credit to the offensive line. “I think they did phenomenal. They’ve come a long way and they stepped up big time,” replied Niedrowski. Collin’s older brothers, Hunter and Evan, played for the Spartans. Evan is a standout javelin thrower at Monmouth. Collin’s younger brother, Tyler, is a sophomore FB/LB at Wyomissing. Senior quarterback Logan Hyde had a nice afternoon. He was 4-of-5 for 113 yards and a 37-yard TD pass to promising freshman Justice Hardy. Marvin Armistead, who attended Berks Catholic last year, provided an 18-yard touchdown run in the third quarter. Sophomore Wayne Reason joined the scoring parade with a 5-yard run early in the fourth period. Panthers’ all-state running back Dom Giuffre was limited to 16 yards on six carries. He suffered a leg injury in the second quarter. Schuylkill Valley established a new record for victories in a single season. Meanwhile, the Spartans advanced to the District 3-3A championship next Saturday. They’ll entertain third-seeded West Perry at 1pm. “They’re a great team. They have a bunch of skilled players. I think they’re gonna be a great challenge. Hopefully, we come out on top,” stated Niedrowski. Wyomissing crushed West Perry 63-7 for its fourth consecutive title last year. The Spartans are (41-18) all-time in the District 3 tournament.

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.

Football Injury News

Paul Roberts — Fri, 22 Sep 2023 17:00:00 +0000

Schuylkill Valley will be without All-State running back Dom Giuffre for a few games. The speedy 175-pound senior injured his right arm in the first quarter at Kutztown last Friday. While surgery wasn’t necessary, Giuffre is expected to miss 3-4 weeks. He has 397 rushing yards and four touchdowns this season. The (3-1) Panthers host Pequea Valley tonight.

Berks Catholic quarterback William Hess is out for tonight’s game at Donegal. The 5’6, 160-pound senior was injured late in the first half at Wyomissing last Saturday. His head hit the ground hard after being sacked. Hess is a captain and two-year starter for the Saints. Junior Zach Suski (5’11, 155) will be under center against Donegal. Berks Catholic is (1-3).

Giuffre and Hess worked extremely hard to prepare for their senior seasons. The Berks Sports Report wishes them a speedy recovery.

Kowen Gerner-Schuylkill Valley

Paul Roberts — Fri, 01 Sep 2023 10:15:00 +0000

Maybe Schuylkill Valley will schedule more Thursday night games in the future. The energetic crowd saw a thrilling finish in Leesport as the Panthers battled Upper Perkiomen. Logan Nawrocki hit Kowen Gerner on a hitch and go for a 33-yard touchdown with 1:11 left. The pass down the right sideline gave Schuylkill Valley a 22-19 victory. “As soon as I saw the corner bite on it, I knew I was gone. I knew I was gonna score,” said Gerner. The 6’1, 175-pound junior used some nifty footwork to stay inbounds. The go-ahead score came immediately after a roughing the passer penalty against the Indians on third-and-13. Upper Perkiomen had the ball with 3:41 remaining after an interception by sophomore Zane Saeger at the 18-yard line. The Panthers forced a critical three-and-out. Schuylkill Valley took over at the Indians’ 45-yard line with 1:55 to go. “In previous years, we haven’t had that kind of energy, especially late in the game when we were down. This year, we knew that we could win that game,” stated Gerner. Upper Perkiomen struck first early in the second quarter on a 25-yard TD pass from Logan O’Donnell to fellow sophomore Tucker Ruch. Dom Giuffre answered with a 4-yard TD run that capped a 95-yard drive. The (0-2) Indians responded with a 16-yard TD pass from O’Donnell to Aiden Void. The (1-1) Panthers marched 69 yards in 65 seconds to take a 14-13 lead on Nawrocki’s 10-yard toss to Giuffre. The all-state running back was wide open in the middle of the end zone with fifteen seconds on the clock. “He’s a great player and he keeps the energy up around here,” noted Gerner. Giuffre, a 175-pound senior, had six receptions for 87 yards. Upper Perkiomen limited him to 42 yards on 14 carries. Void stole the show in the third quarter. The 5’9, 155-pound junior followed his interception with a 10-yard TD grab. That leaping catch in the left corner of the end zone put the Indians on top 19-14 with 3:51 to play in the period. The pass on the two-point conversion was incomplete. O’Donnell finished 8-19 for 105 yards with 3TD and a pick. Brody Weiss, another sophomore in the starting lineup, piled up 114 yards on 28 carries. Nawrocki went 12-25 for 223 yards with two scores and a pair of interceptions. The 170-pound junior was on target when it mattered most. Gerner, who also plays outside linebacker, enjoyed the Thursday night experience. “I like it, especially since it was a packed house here,” he said.

Dom Giuffre-Schuylkill Valley

Paul Roberts — Tue, 15 Aug 2023 16:05:00 +0000

Dom Giuffre thinks about his performance in the Frost Bowl every day. He finished with a school-record 302 rushing yards and four touchdowns against rival Hamburg. The Panthers left “Hawk Hill” with a thrilling 41-34 victory. Schuylkill Valley’s offense should provide a lot more thrills this fall. All of the Panthers’ top skill position players return including Giuffre. The 6’1, 175-pound senior piled up 1,512 yards while averaging eight yards a carry. He reached the end zone 29 times. Giuffre was named to the Pennsylvania Football Writers’ All-State team in Class 3A. “I was blessed. When I saw it, I was in shock. I didn’t believe it,” he emphasized. Giuffre understands how important the offensive line is to his success. “We’re looking pretty good. We’re a little smaller than last year, but we’re still strong. We’re still gonna get the job done,” he replied. That line will feature 6’7, 295-pound senior Theo Wysocki. All-league selection Luke Spotts is back for his junior campaign. The TE/LB made 86 tackles (10 TFL), while leading the squad with 27 receptions. Colby Crills and Dillon Lackner give junior quarterback Logan Nawrocki some experienced targets on the outside. Michael Goad graduated, but Nawrocki got plenty of snaps in big games a season ago. Giuffre added that versatile junior Cooper Hohenadel and sophomore Logan Cammauf are players to keep an eye on in Leesport. Schuylkill Valley went (6-5, 5-2) in Bruce Harbach’s second year as head coach. The Panthers ended up tied for second place behind Lancaster Catholic in Section 5 of the new Lancaster-Lebanon League. The Crusaders edged Schuylkill Valley 44-41 in Week 10. Giuffre ran for 121 yards and four scores in that shootout. The Panthers then fell at third-seeded West Perry 45-21 in the District 3-3A quarterfinals. Schuylkill Valley allowed 131 points over its final three contests. Giuffre also plays hoops for the Panthers. “It builds character. It helps me with my speed,” he noted. Giuffre worked with a trainer all spring to strengthen his legs. Schuylkill Valley averaged 30 points in 2022. Don’t be surprised if that number is on the rise this fall.

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.