Spartans – Berks Sports Report

Wyomissing vs. L-S Preview

Paul Roberts — Thu, 21 Nov 2024 20:44:46 +0000

The District 3-4A football tournament has been all about the chalk. The top two seeds have reached the championship game on Friday at Warwick. Lampeter-Strasburg and Wyomissing will square off at 7pm. The (12-0) Pioneers are searching for their fourth District 3 title. The (10-2) Spartans have earned District 3 gold a dozen times, including five years in a row. These teams met on October 26th for the Section 4 crown in the Lancaster-Lebanon League. Lampeter-Strasburg prevailed 20-7 at Bob Wolfrum Field.

The top-seeded Pioneers are putting up 41 points while allowing just 8.5 per contest. Caileb Howse has thrown for 1,360 yards and 14 touchdowns in his first season as the starting quarterback. The 6’, 200-pound senior is a serious threat to run as well. Howse has 1,245 yards on the ground and 19 TD. He’s averaging 10.4 yards per carry. Dominic Brown is a workhorse in the backfield. He carried the rock 28 times for 116 yards and a score in the Week 10 matchup with Wyomissing. The 5’11, 175-pound senior has 1,279 yards and 21 TD. Brown is also part of an outstanding corps of linebackers that includes Emory Fluhr. Lampeter-Strasburg has some big bodies up front. Collin Shelley (6’4, 290) and Thad Wolf (6’4, 315) are tough in the trenches on both sides of the ball. Wolf is only a sophomore. The Pioneers also feature a terrific kicker in junior Peter Fiorello.

The Spartans are averaging nearly 34 points and limiting their opponents to 11.5 per game. Sophomore RB/DB Justice Hardy is expected to return after missing both of the Spartans’ playoff games. Hardy was injured against the Pioneers. Despite missing time, he still leads Wyomissing with 728 rushing yards (9.6 ypc). Danny Fleischood and Derek Macrina have stepped up in Hardy’s absence. The two halfbacks have combined for 897 yards and 12 TD this year. Fleischood made three trips to the end zone last week in a 35-7 victory over West York. The 6’1, 185-pound junior ran for 132 yards in the semifinals. The Spartans have a pair of solid options at fullback in Chase Eisenhower and Tyler Niedrowski. They’re both juniors who play linebacker as well. The 215-pound Eisenhower has rumbled for 614 yards and ten touchdowns. Sophomore quarterback Teddy White has only attempted 47 passes all season. He’s completed 27 throws for 430 yards and five scores.

Wyomissing’s Wing-T attack was held to 146 total yards by Lampeter-Strasburg one month ago. The Pioneers ended the Spartans’ 36-game home winning streak. This one will probably be decided up front, especially considering the weather forecast for Friday. Coach Wolfrum was very candid after the Week 10 loss. “We gotta be more physical. They were just more physical than us,” he said.

Keaton Piacine-Wyomissing

Paul Roberts — Sun, 10 Nov 2024 19:15:51 +0000

Wyomissing is well known for its Wing-T offense. The Spartans like to keep the ball on the ground and that old school approach is just fine with offensive tackle Keaton Piacine. Wyomissing piled up 362 yards on 53 carries in a 31-0 victory over East Pennsboro at Bob Wolfrum Field. The second-seeded Spartans marched 73 yards on their opening possession against the seventh-seeded Panthers. Chase Eisenhower, a 215-pound junior, capped the drive with a 20-yard touchdown run. “I think it was very significant. In a playoff game like this, it’s very important to strike hard and strike first. I think that really set the tone for the rest of the game,” said Piacine. The 6’3, 255-pound senior put on 25 pounds since last year. Wyomissing used its timeouts on defense late in the first half and got the ball at East Pennsboro’s 34-yard line after a short punt. On the next play, Danny Fleischood raced 34 yards on a sweep to the right with two minutes left before halftime. Fleischood added a 4-yard score early in the third quarter for a 21-0 advantage. The 6’1, 190-pound junior is back this season after leaving the team midway through last year. Fleischood had 62 yards on six carries on Saturday afternoon. “He’s got a great character. He has great work ethic. He runs hard on every chance he can get,” noted Piacine. Fleischood provided a spark while sophomore standout Justice Hardy was out due to a concussion. Derek Macrina went for a game-high 125 yards on eleven carries. Eisenhower and Tyler Niedrowski combined for 150 yards from the fullback position. The (9-2) Spartans didn’t have any yards through the air. Keegan Maher made a 31-yard field goal with 2:55 to go in the third quarter. That drive was set up by Marcus Armistead’s interception. Daniel Delp took a sweep to the right 19 yards for a touchdown with 21 seconds left. Piacine also starts at defensive end. Wyomissing shutout the (8-4) Panthers who scored 42 points against Susquehannock in the first round. “We, for the most part, stayed pretty basic. I think that allowed for us to really dominate,” explained Piacine. The Spartans improved to (21-0) all-time in home playoff games. “The atmosphere that’s created here is just something different…it’s a whole different feeling and it’s awesome,” said Piacine. His work in the classroom is awesome as well. Piacine has a lofty 5.3 GPA. He’s applied to MIT in Cambridge. Wyomissing will host third-seeded West York on Saturday in the District 3-4A semifinals. The Spartans have a (43-18) record in the District 3 tournament with twelve championships. West York has claimed three titles. The (9-2) Bulldogs won a 5-3 slug fest with Eastern York in the quarterfinals.

Bob Wolfrum-Wyomissing

Paul Roberts — Sun, 27 Oct 2024 16:34:46 +0000

Wyomissing had scored at least 31 points in seven consecutive games entering Saturday’s highly anticipated matchup with Lampeter-Strasburg. The Spartans’ Wing-T offense was completely derailed by the unbeaten Pioneers. Lampeter-Strasburg allowed just 146 total yards in a 20-7 victory. “We had nothing we could call our own,” said Wyomissing coach Bob Wolfrum. The Pioneers are (10-0) for the first time in school history. They claimed the Section 4 championship in the Lancaster-Lebanon League. Senior linebackers Emory Fluhr and Dominic Brown led a relentless defensive effort. Collin Shelley (6’4, 290) and sophomore Thad Wolf (6’4, 315) controlled the trenches. “We gotta be more physical. They were just more physical than us…They say it’s not really the X’s and O’s, it’s the Jimmys and Joes,” stated Wolfrum. He’s in his 38th season at the helm in Wyomissing. Wolfrum has 370 career victories, the most in District 3 history. The Spartans’ 36-game home winning streak came to an end. They were forced to punt seven times. Lampeter-Strasburg marched 59 yards to the 1-yard line on its second possession. After getting stopped on third down, the Pioneers opted to kick a field goal. Wyomissing was called for roughing the kicker which gave Lampeter-Strasburg a first down. Brown cashed in with a 1-yard touchdown. The 5’11, 176-pound running back finished with 116 yards on 28 carries. The (8-2, 6-1) Spartans tied it up late in the opening quarter. A Pioneers’ punt got caught up in the strong wind and Wyomissing took over at the 15-yard line. Derek Macrina’s 2-yard touchdown run made it 7-7 with 54 seconds remaining in the first period. Peter Fiorello kicked a 21-yard field goal to give Lampeter-Strasburg a 10-7 advantage with 17 seconds left in the first half. He boomed a 41-yard field goal with three minutes to go in the third quarter. Caileb Howse put the Pioneers in front 20-7 with 7:21 to play. The 200-pound senior quarterback scored on a 15-yard run down the left sideline. That followed a 20-yard run by Brown. Howse racked up 129 rushing yards on 15 carries. He was 8-of-15 through the air for another 67 yards. Fluhr sealed the deal with an interception with 3:45 remaining on the clock. Sophomore quarterback Teddy White was 2-of-8 for (-2) yards on the afternoon. “We could do nothing through the air. It’s the catching, the throwing, and the blocking. We haven’t done any of those things well consistently all year long,” noted Wolfrum. Lampeter-Strasburg limited talented sophomore Justice Hardy to 49 yards on a dozen carries. Hardy left the game twice in the second half after getting banged up. He will have extra time to recover before Wyomissing’s next game. The Spartans earned a bye in the District 3-4A playoffs as the #2 seed. They will return to action on Saturday, November 9th at 1pm. Wyomissing will host either #7 East Pennsboro or #10 Susquehannock.

Justice Hardy-Wyomissing

Paul Roberts — Sat, 12 Oct 2024 11:48:13 +0000

Twin Valley allowed just 40 points in its first seven games. The Raiders climbed to #1 in PennLive’s Class 4A state rankings. They had no answer, however, for Justice Hardy and Wyomissing’s Wing-T attack on Friday night in Elverson. Hardy finished with 200 yards and two touchdowns on 17 carries in a 34-24 victory. The electric sophomore also caught a pair of passes from Teddy White for 85 yards. Hardy gave credit to the big guys up front. “They’re my brothers. I love them all. They’re the reason I have every touchdown,” he said. The Spartans’ offensive line consists of five seniors. On 4th-and-9 late in the opening quarter, longtime head coach Bob Wolfrum opted not to attempt a field goal. Hardy took a handoff 18 yards down to the 3-yard line. His 2-yard score made it 7-0 with 12 seconds left in the first period. After Nate Shaffer made a 25-yard field goal for Twin Valley, Chase Eisenhower capped an 80-yard drive with a 33-yard run up the middle. The 215-pound junior fullback put Wyomissing in front 14-3 with 3:44 remaining in the second quarter. “He’s huge, he doesn’t go down. He has wheels, no one really realizes it. He can move,” noted Hardy. The (7-1) Raiders responded with a 78-yard drive. On 3rd-and-12, senior quarterback Evan Myers scrambled for 55 yards. His younger brother, Lucas, plunged into the end zone from two yards out to get Twin Valley within 14-9 with one minute to go in the half. The extra point was no good. The (7-1) Spartans got a 34-yard field goal from Keegan Maher to begin the second half. Maher had hit the crossbar on a 48-yard attempt on Wyomissing’s opening possession. Hardy reeled in a beautiful 45-yard pass from White down the right sideline late in the third quarter. That completion set up a 1-yard touchdown run by junior fullback Tyler Niedrowski and gave the Spartans a 24-9 advantage. “We’re known as a run team, but we can pass the ball too. Coach Wolfrum dialed it up perfectly,” said Hardy. Wolfrum earned his 369th win over 38 years at the helm. Twin Valley didn’t go away. Myers found Ben Grundy open over the middle for an 18-yard TD. He then tossed a shovel pass to Lucas Myers for the 2-point conversion and the Raiders trailed 24-17 with 11:43 to play. Hardy replied quickly with a 56-yard touchdown on a jet sweep down the right sideline. Twin Valley came right back with a haymaker of its own. On 4th-and-15, Matt Knight got behind the secondary for an easy 22-yard touchdown catch. That score pulled the Raiders within 31-24 with 6:54 left. Myers went 12-of-19 for 133 yards. The four-year starter also ran a dozen times for 120 yards. Grundy had four receptions for 68 yards. Twin Valley’s defense, however, couldn’t get a stop in the second half. Maher’s 31-yard field goal gave Wyomissing a 34-24 cushion with 3:17 on the clock. A long touchdown pass by Myers was negated due to a holding penalty. He then got hit from behind by junior linebacker Andrew Bresnahan and fumbled with 2:23 to go. The Spartans recovered at the Raiders’ 29-yard line. Wyomissing extended its winning streak versus Twin Valley to eight. The Spartans held Evan Johnson to 52 yards on 21 carries. Johnson has more than 3,000 rushing yards. He also holds the school record for career touchdowns. Wyomissing has won six in a row since a Week 2 loss at the Haverford School by 17 points. “We never want to feel that feeling again,” emphasized Hardy.

Tyler Niedrowski-Wyomissing

Paul Roberts — Thu, 10 Oct 2024 21:22:33 +0000

It’s finally here. The Section 4 battle that football fans in Berks County have been waiting for is set for Friday night in Elverson. Wyomissing is (6-1) while Twin Valley remains undefeated. “I know I’m not alone when I say that we’re extremely excited. We’ve been looking forward to this all season,” said Spartans’ FB/OLB Tyler Niedrowski. The (7-0) Raiders have outscored their opponents 342-40. They’re ranked #1 in the state in PennLive’s Class 4A poll. Wyomissing is #4 in those rankings, but that’s not something Niedrowski pays attention to. “I’ve never looked once and I don’t plan on starting,” he replied. Niedrowski splits time at fullback with 215-pound junior Chase Eisenhower. Last week against Daniel Boone, Niedrowski scored two touchdowns including a 10-yard reception. That was his first catch of the year. The 5’11, 190-pound junior had seven tackles and three sacks in the 42-6 victory over the Blazers. Niedrowski has 160 yards and 4 TD on 29 carries this season. His older brothers, Hunter, Evan and Collin, all played football for the Spartans. Collin was a linebacker on last year’s team that went (12-2, 6-1) and reached the state semifinals before falling to Northwestern Lehigh 33-24. Evan is a standout javelin thrower at Monmouth. Tyler competes in track and field as well. He finished fourth in the discus at both the BCIAA and District 3-2A championships. His PR of 149-2 came at the Firing Meet this past spring. Niedrowski wrestles in the winter. He compiled a (35-14) record as a sophomore. “Wrestling taught me everything I know for tackling,” he emphasized. Niedrowski, who wrestles at 189 pounds, came in third place at the BCIAA individual championships. His focus now, however, is on the gridiron. He’s one of the leaders of a defense that’s allowing just 11 points per game. They’ll be tested by a Twin Valley offense that can beat opponents on the ground or through the air. Evan Myers is the Raiders’ all-time passing leader with more than 5,000 career yards. Evan Johnson, a senior running back, has scored the most touchdowns in school history. The speedster runs behind an offensive line that averages 278 pounds. Left tackle Aris Drake is committed to Navy. He’s a 6’5, 295-pound senior. Twin Valley hasn’t beat Wyomissing since 2009. The Spartans have won seven straight in the series. None of the previous matchups were as highly anticipated as this one.

Derek Macrina-Wyomissing

Paul Roberts — Sun, 15 Sep 2024 15:28:36 +0000

Derek Macrina still remembers being a ball boy for Wyomissing’s football team. The 5’11, 165-pound senior is now starting at halfback and safety for the Spartans. Wyomissing has claimed twelve District 3 championships including five in a row. Bob Wolfrum picked up win #365 on Saturday afternoon. The field is named after the head coach who’s in his 38th season at the helm. He guided the Spartans to a state title in 2012. There’s plenty of tradition in the small borough, and Macrina is thrilled to be part of one of the top programs in Pennsylvania. He got his first two touchdowns of the year in a 42-0 rout of Northern Lebanon. “It felt great. I have to give credit to my linemen and my backs because I was untouched both times. They did a great job,” emphasized Macrina. He finished with 53 yards on five carries. Macrina scored from 15 yards out on a sweep to the left to put Wyomissing on top 21-0 with 9:25 left in the second quarter. That 34-yard drive was set up by an interception from sophomore Justice Hardy. The (3-1, 1-0) Spartans found the end zone on their first four possessions. Chase Eisenhower rumbled for 91 yards and 2 TD on nine carries. The 215-pound junior fullback broke four tackles on a 39-yard score with five minutes remaining in the first half. “I probably should’ve kept blocking. I kind of stood and watched in awe. I’m like ‘Holy Cow’ this kid just doesn’t go down,” said Macrina. The third quarter began with junior linebacker Tyler Niedrowski forcing a fumble that was recovered by 255-pound defensive end Keaton Piacine. Danny Fleischood, a 190-pound junior, capped a quick 24-yard drive with a 6-yard touchdown run up the middle. That score started the running clock with 9:07 to go in the third period. Hardy chipped in with 56 yards on five carries. Macrina likes the balance that Wyomissing has in the backfield. “It’s kind of pick your poison. Move your guys in the middle, we’re gonna go outside. You put them on the outside, we’re gonna go inside. It’s a one-two punch,” he replied. Sophomore Brady Ryan returned an interception to the Spartans’ 20-yard line late in the third quarter, but Wyomissing held. An interception by Wayne Reason in the end zone kept the (1-3, 0-1) Vikings off the board. Tymere Brooks-Gray provided the finishing touch with a 10-yard TD run. The Spartans are ranked #5 in the state in Class 4A by PennLive. They visit ELCO on Friday night.

Justice Hardy-Wyomissing

Paul Roberts — Sat, 24 Aug 2024 22:56:27 +0000

Justice Hardy burst onto the scene at Wyomissing with twelve combined touchdowns and four interceptions as a freshman. The highlights kept coming in his first game as a sophomore. Hardy reached the end zone four times in a 35-21 victory over Southern Columbia at Bob Wolfrum Field. The Tigers went (15-1) a season ago and claimed their seventh straight PIAA championship. Head coach Jim Roth entered Saturday with 499 career wins. He’ll have to wait for #500 after some very uncharacteristic sloppy play in the opening half. Junior quarterback Anthony Martino fumbled the snap on the first play from scrimmage. Hardy raced eleven yards around the right edge for a quick 7-0 advantage. On the ensuing drive, Southern Columbia punter Preston Shadle dropped the snap and was buried at the 38-yard line. Hardy took a sweep to the right for another 11-yard score with 4:22 remaining in the period. Early in the second quarter, a snap went over Shadle’s head and he recovered all the way back at the 1-yard line. Tyler Niedrowski rumbled in for a touchdown with 9:23 to go before halftime. The Spartans added another score late in the second quarter. Danny Fleischood’s 45-yard run set up a 3-yard TD for Hardy. It was 28-0 with 27 seconds left in the half. The lead grew to 35-7 when Hardy broke off an electrifying 46-yard touchdown run down the right sideline with 3:26 to play in the third quarter. He gave credit to the offensive line. The front five includes 285-pound senior guard Max Tipton and 250-pound senior tackles Keaton Piacine and Caleb Beane. “They do not disappoint. A high bar has been set and they are right there. They’re huge, they move quick, they’re great. I love running behind all of them,” said Hardy. Francisco Fabian, Darion Quintana, and Ayden Jimenez (6’2, 255) round out the offensive line. A 14-yard TD run by Brayden Andrews pulled the Tigers within 35-14 with 2:13 left in the third period. Sophomore quarterback Ayden Hockenbroch found Travis Wegrzynowicz down the left sideline for a 34-yard score with 2:38 remaining. Wyomissing lost a fumble on the next play from scrimmage and Southern Columbia took over at the 25-yard line. A sack on fourth down by 215-pound linebacker Chase Eisenhower ended the Tigers’ hopes. Hardy finished with 121 yards on twelve carries. He’s joined in the backfield by Eisenhower, Fleischood, Niedrowski, and Marcus Armistead. They’re all juniors. “We’re super young, but when we reach our full potential it’s gonna be great,” stated Hardy. Halfback Derek Macrina is the only skill position player who’s a senior. Sophomore quarterback Teddy White was 2-of-3 for just twelve yards. Southern Columbia lost its entire offensive backfield and eight starters on defense from last year’s state championship squad. The Tigers outscored the Spartans 21-7 in the second half. Hockenbroch tossed a pair of TD passes. The early miscues and Hardy’s performance were too much to overcome. “My coaches all help me stay very humble. I always have something to improve,” noted Hardy.

Stewart picks Albany

Paul Roberts — Thu, 15 Aug 2024 21:30:20 +0000

It’s become trendy to refer to hard-nosed athletes as “dogs.” Wyomissing basketball standout Amaya Stewart is going to be a great dane. The 6’1 rising senior announced on Wednesday that she’s committed to Albany. The Great Danes were (25-7) overall this past season. They finished (13-3) in the America East Conference.

Stewart has been a first team All-State selection in each of the past two years. She’s a two-time Berks County Player of the Year. Stewart will enter her senior season with 1,339 points. She reached 1,000 points against Middletown on January 13. That also happened to be her birthday. Stewart averaged 19.5 points per game last year. She showed her versatility by stepping outside and hitting 21 three-pointers. Stewart has been a dominant low post player for the Spartans.

Wyomissing has won back-to-back Berks League and District 3-4A championships. Stewart led the Spartans to a (31-1) record a season ago. They fell to Blackhawk 47-31 in the PIAA-4A semifinals. Stewart erupted for a career-high 33 points in a 62-52 victory over Neumann-Goretti in the second round of the state playoffs.

Albany reached the semifinals of the America East Tournament this year. The Great Danes came up short versus Vermont 50-46. They were knocked out in the opening round of the WNIT. Colgate defeated Albany 64-50.

Chase Eisenhower-Wyomissing

Paul Roberts — Tue, 13 Aug 2024 16:12:20 +0000

Wyomissing is starting the season with a bang. The Spartans host Southern Columbia on August 24th. “There’s been a lot of buzz about it. We know how good they are so we’re gonna come ready to play for them,” said Chase Eisenhower. The Tigers have won seven consecutive state championships and fourteen overall. Jim Roth will be looking for his 500th career victory. Wyomissing head coach Bob Wolfrum has a few wins under his belt as well. 362 to be exact. They’re the two winningest active coaches in Pennsylvania. Wolfrum is preparing for his 38th season at the helm of the Spartans. They’ve claimed five straight District 3 titles. Wyomissing has gone (61-6) over the past five seasons. J’ven Williams and Caleb Brewer have moved on to Penn State, but Eisenhower remains very confident in the offensive line. “They look as good as we’ve ever been…I feel like we’re just as good. We have a lot of depth,” stated Eisenhower. The 5’11, 220-pound rising junior rumbled for 1,092 yards and 17 touchdowns while averaging 7.2 yards per carry. Eisenhower, a three-year starter, also made a team-high 70 tackles from his inside linebacker position. Max Tipton, Caleb Beane, and Francisco Fabian return up front. Tipton will be shifting from tackle to guard. Their Wing-T attack piled up 312 yards per game on the ground last fall. The Spartans finished (12-2, 6-1) after falling to Northwestern Lehigh 33-24 in the PIAA-3A semifinals. Eisenhower mentioned that tight end Andrew Bresnahan is a player to keep an eye on this season. Fans will definitely be focused on rising sophomore Justice Hardy. He averaged nearly nine yards per carry, scored a dozen touchdowns, and made four interceptions in 2023. “It’s always great knowing that guy can get a touchdown or first down whenever he wants,” noted Eisenhower. The Spartans bring back six starters on defense and four on offense. Tyler Niedrowski and Derek Macrina are key figures on both sides of the ball. While much remains the same in Wyomissing, there is one significant change. The Spartans have been bumped up to Class 4A. They’ve reached at least the state semifinals in four consecutive years.

Konlan Krick-Wyomissing

Paul Roberts — Tue, 28 May 2024 13:41:00 +0000

Wyomissing has found its new boys basketball head coach. Konlan Krick will be taking over the Spartans’ program. Krick has been an assistant coach at Exeter for the past seven years. He also played for the Eagles and averaged a team-high 14 points during the 2011-12 season.

Krick will be replacing Garrett Etzel at Wyomissing. Etzel spent one year as the Spartans’ head coach. They went (11-11) this winter. Etzel left Wyomissing to become the head coach at Gov. Mifflin, his alma mater. The Spartans will be losing six seniors to graduation including Aiden Schippers, Alex Campbell, and Logan Hyde.