team – Berks Sports Report

Jeff VanGorder-Exeter

Paul Roberts — Fri, 10 Jan 2025 21:07:18 +0000

Exeter’s boys basketball team hasn’t enjoyed smooth sailing during the 2024-25 campaign. The Eagles’ game at Berks Catholic was a microcosm of the season. Exeter overcame adversity and shooting woes to beat the Saints 48-40. The (6-6, 3-1) Eagles outscored Berks Catholic 35-to-19 in the second half. “I told our guys stick with it, we’re gonna be fine. Guys are learning on the fly. This was a big growing up moment. I’m excited moving forward,” said head coach Jeff VanGorder. He had to replace three starters who each averaged double digits, including All-County selection Kevin Saenz. Exeter was scoreless for four and a-half minutes on Thursday evening at Lloyd Wolf Gymnasium. The (8-3, 3-2) Saints jumped out to a 9-0 advantage. The Eagles didn’t score for the first three minutes of the second quarter and found themselves in a 18-6 hole. Aidan Dauble provided a much-needed offensive spark when he banked in a half-court shot at the buzzer. Berks Catholic was on top 21-13 at the break. Kingston McKoy’s three-point play made it 30-25 with 1:09 remaining in the third quarter. McKoy, a 6’2 junior, had 16 points after 24 minutes. The All-State guard was limited to one point in the final period. Exeter used a 3-2 zone defense with Jayden Ware in the middle. “Our goal was to make him see black jerseys everywhere. We were gonna have to live with some other guys on their team making some shots…Jayden just blanketed him,” explained VanGorder. Brady Murray drilled a 3-pointer from the right wing to give the Eagles their first lead at 35-32 with 5:10 left. VanGorder mentioned that Murray had been fading away on his jumper because McKoy was guarding him. “He stepped into that one. Right when he stepped into it, I go ‘bang.’ It was a Jay Wright moment. I’m really proud of him for sticking with it,” added VanGorder. Carter Redding followed Murray with another triple to increase the margin to 38-32. Meanwhile, the Saints went scoreless for five minutes in the fourth quarter. A layup by Ware made it 40-37 with 1:31 to go. Gavin Welker’s trey from the right corner popped out on the ensuing possession. Dauble and Dylan Donate then went 4-for-4 from the free throw line. Exeter had seized control at 44-37 with 44 seconds to play. Welker connected from beyond the arc with 14 seconds remaining, but Berks Catholic was still down 46-40. That was the Saints’ first field goal of the quarter. Welker, a 6’2 junior, provided eight points while Zach Suski was held to six. Suski had been averaging 14 ppg. Redding led a balanced Eagles’ attack with ten points. Murray contributed nine points and 6’4 sophomore Braylon Reinert chipped in with seven. Reinert provided a presence inside and helped on the glass. He’s one of a handful of football players in VanGorder’s rotation. Dauble and Ware had eight points apiece. They helped Exeter reach the District 3-5A football championship game during the fall. The Eagles sealed the victory by going 15-of-18 from the foul line. The Saints were 7-of-11 from the charity stripe. Each team made three 3-pointers. Exeter got key contributions from everyone who stepped on the floor. “I told them at the start of the fourth quarter, no matter what happened, I was the most proud of a group that I’ve ever been based on circumstances,” said VanGorder.

Wilson tops Liberty in Nailbiter

Paul Roberts — Mon, 09 Dec 2024 18:22:32 +0000

Wilson versus Liberty was a highly anticipated matchup in the CoBL Winter Classic at Exeter High School. The Bulldogs and Hurricanes didn’t disappoint. Wilson pulled out a gutsy 45-43 victory on Saturday night. The Bulldogs were without All-County soccer player Tommy McFadden due to an illness. Jon Etim made two free throws with six seconds left to put Wilson on top. Jake Pukszyn’s heave from just inside half-court hit the backboard and then the back of the rim at the buzzer. The 6’3 junior and standout football player led Liberty with 17 points. Pukszyn had seven points over the last eight minutes. The Hurricanes were the District 11-6A runner-up a season ago. They brought back four starters from a 20-win squad. The Bulldogs are the defending BCIAA champions with a very experienced team. Wilson got off to a slow start and fell behind 13-4. Jarrell Teague sank two 3-pointers and scored eight points in the opening quarter. The 5’11 junior ended up with 15 points. Madyx Gruber kept the Bulldogs in the game. The All-County guard reeled off Wilson’s first 15 points. The star quarterback had a game-high 21 points, despite not making a shot in the second half. Gruber was 6-for-6 from the free throw line. Liberty was in front 24-21 at halftime. Cam Zullinger’s trey gave the Bulldogs a 27-26 edge. They had a slim 33-31 advantage entering the fourth quarter. Correll Akings connected from long range to make it 39-38 midway through the final period. The 5’10 guard provided eleven points. Chase Dusseau came off the Hurricanes’ bench and splashed a triple that tied it at 41-41 with three minutes remaining. Liberty was limited to two points the rest of the way. Pukszyn fouled Etim beyond the 3-point line in the final seconds. Etim, a senior guard, came through on his first free throw attempts of the night. He chipped in with six points. The (2-0) Bulldogs were 11-of-12 from the foul line. The (2-1) Hurricanes were just 2-of-5. They made five 3-pointers, one more than Wilson. The Bulldogs square off against another tough opponent on Monday night. They meet Berks Catholic in West Lawn. McFadden is expected to return for Wilson. The (2-0) Saints defeated Cumberland Valley and Pope John Paul II at the CoBL Winter Classic. All-State guard Kingston McKoy had 44 combined points for Berks Catholic.

Gov. Mifflin falls to C.V. in OT

Paul Roberts — Mon, 09 Dec 2024 17:26:14 +0000

It looked like Cumberland Valley was going to cruise to a win over Gov. Mifflin in the CoBL Winter Classic on Saturday afternoon. The defending District 3-6A champions led the Mustangs 35-20 in the third quarter at Exeter. Gov. Mifflin, however, opened the fourth quarter on fire. The Mustangs used a 11-0 run to go up 42-41 on Jahmair Johnson’s layup with 5:45 remaining. Matt Koehler knocked down three of his four 3-pointers in the final period. The 6’3 senior forward finished with a game-high 20 points. Despite a valiant effort, Gov. Mifflin came up short 58-51 in overtime. With the game tied 48-48, the Mustangs held the ball for the last minute of regulation. A 3-pointer from NBA range by point guard Andrew Galantuomo was off the mark at the buzzer. Aiden Diehl made a pair of free throws to put the Eagles in front 52-49 with 1:03 left. Koehler missed on two attempts from beyond the arc that could’ve tied it up. The final 35 seconds was a parade to the free throw line by Diehl. The 6’6 sophomore went 6-for-8 down the stretch. He ended up with eleven points. Gov. Mifflin was held to three points in overtime. Ian Fleming made a couple of treys and scored eleven points. Johnson and Galantuomo added seven points apiece. The (2-1) Mustangs were 6-of-8 from the charity stripe, while Cumberland Valley went 15-of-23. Nolan Buzalka had a team-high 16 points for the (1-1) Eagles. The 6’3 senior fouled out with 2:10 to go in the fourth quarter. Senior shooting guard JJ Lebo fouled out with three minutes to play in overtime. Creston Austin, a 6’4 senior, stepped up with 15 points. Cumberland Valley returned four starters from last season’s (25-4) team that earned the school’s first District 3 title. Gov. Mifflin also has four starters back for first-year head coach Garrett Etzel. The former All-County guard for the Mustangs was the head coach at Wyomissing a season ago. Gov. Mifflin trailed the Eagles 25-18 at halftime after scoring just eight points in the second quarter. The Mustangs can certainly build off of their resilience in the fourth quarter. Gov. Mifflin has another tough test on Tuesday. The Mustangs will take on Muhlenberg in Shillington.

Exeter drops Opener to Cedar Crest

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

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

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.

Casey Gerhart-Exeter

Paul Roberts — Wed, 20 Nov 2024 22:38:16 +0000

Several Exeter football players decided to dye their hair blonde after an impressive 48-14 victory over Conestoga Valley in the District 3-5A semifinals. The (12-1) Eagles handed the Buckskins their first loss of the season. “We’re having a bunch of fun, guys are all loose…We’re really excited,” said linebacker Casey Gerhart. The 5’10, 175-pound senior leads Exeter with 93 tackles. The eighth-seeded Eagles are allowing just 9.5 points per game this year. They’ve reached the District 3 championship for the third time in four seasons. Exeter’s opponent on Friday night at ELCO is very familiar with playing deep into the postseason. Bishop McDevitt has won 17 District 3 titles including three in a row. The sixth-seeded Crusaders are an eye-popping (68-9) all-time in the District 3 tournament. Bishop McDevitt is averaging 40.2 ppg. this fall. “Try to limit the big plays, keep everything underneath, and make tackles. Tackling is gonna be the big key this week,” noted Gerhart. Crusaders’ senior quarterback Stone Saunders holds the state record with 197 career touchdown passes. The Kentucky commit is closing in on Alex Erby’s state record for career passing yards. Saunders needs 435 yards to break the mark of 13,567 which Erby set last year at Steel-High. “He has a great arm. He can make almost any throw,” replied Gerhart. Dominic Diaz-Ellis and Jontai Quick are the top targets for Saunders. They’ve combined for 113 receptions, 2,168 yards, and 27 TD. Quick, a 5’9 sophomore, needs just one yard to hit 1,000 this season. Junior running backs Nazir Jones-Davis and Maurice Barnes have racked up a total of 2,003 rushing yards and 21 scores. Barnes is also a force on defense. The 6’2, 215-pound linebacker has numerous Division I offers including Penn State, Pittsburgh, Michigan, Notre Dame, and Colorado. Gerhart, who’s also on the lacrosse team, said the Eagles have playmakers on all three levels of their defense. Linebacker Genuine Stutzman is second on the squad with 84 tackles. The 6’4, 220-pound senior has 15 TFL and a team-high 3.5 sacks. Navy commit Logan Wegman (6’5, 275) has piled up 74 tackles and 13.5 TFL. Defensive ends Cameron Aiken and Joel Ummarino have combined for 25.5 tackles for loss. In the secondary, Carter Redding and Jayden Ware have three interceptions apiece. Exeter’s offense features All-State running back Jayden Zandier. The speedy 6’2, 180-pound senior has 2,082 yards and 30 TD on the ground this year. “He’s super electric. He can break a run at almost any time. It’s so fun to watch him,” emphasized Gerhart. The Eagles are looking to bring home their second District 3 championship in school history. “All the guys are confident here. We feel like we can come out with a W,” stated Gerhart.

Wilson-Central York Preview

Paul Roberts — Fri, 15 Nov 2024 22:01:16 +0000

Central York was one of several top-notch football programs that made the trip to West Lawn in June for Wilson’s 7-on-7 camp. Five months later, the Panthers are coming back to John Gurski Stadium. This time, however, there’s a lot more at stake and the linemen get to join the party. The Bulldogs host Central York in the District 3-6A semifinals at 7pm.

Wilson is ranked #7 in the state in Class 6A by PennLive. The (10-1) Bulldogs are riding an 8-game winning streak. During that stretch, Wilson has allowed just nine points per contest. The second-seeded Bulldogs are only giving up 81 rushing yards and 197 total yards per game this season. Their defense is led by linebackers E.J. Brownback (70 tackles) and Christo Hunsicker (62 tackles). Brownback, a 215-pound sophomore, has racked up 15.5 tackles for loss. Junior safety Chase Herb has provided 42 tackles. He was all over the field in Wilson’s 34-16 victory at Manheim Township for the Section 1 championship.

The third-seeded Panthers have won eight of their last nine games. They have a dangerous passing attack with Brooklyn Nace in control. The 6’2 junior has thrown for 2,147 yards and 27 touchdowns while completing 67% of his passes. Brendyn Smith, a 150-pound junior speedster, has 64 receptions for 942 yards and 11 TD. Nace has some tall targets as well in 6’3 senior Saxton Suchanic, 6’4 senior Nasir Ruppert, and 6’2 junior tight end Colin Gurley. Suchanic is an athletic defensive back who’s committed to UConn. Legend Johnson has a team-high 560 rushing yards. The 6’2, 185-pound sophomore is averaging 5.3 yards per carry with nine scores.

Tyler Frey is one of York County’s best all-around players. The 190-pound senior recently picked up an offer from Mercyhurst. Frey has piled up 83 tackles, six sacks, and a pair of interceptions from his safety position. You will also see Frey on the offensive side of the ball. Jeremiha Hunter, a 195-pound junior linebacker, is second on the team with 76 tackles. He has 9 TFL and 7 sacks. Defensive end Malachi Ramnath (6’3, 235) is committed to Monmouth. The (9-2) Panthers feature an outstanding kicker in Matthew Parker. The senior with a very strong leg is headed to Penn State.

Madyx Gruber and Correll Akings are hoping to put off basketball season a little while longer. Gruber has 1,713 yards through the air and 691 yards on the ground. The first-year starter at quarterback has 29 combined touchdowns. He’s completing 66% of his attempts. Akings surpassed 1,000 rushing yards last week in a 28-3 win versus Cedar Crest. He’s averaging 6.3 yards per carry with a dozen trips to the end zone. Akings is also a weapon out of the backfield. Four of his 22 catches have gone to the house. Wilson utilizes four tight ends including 6’3 sophomore Michael Glover and 6’ senior Cam Zullinger. Glover has a team-high 34 catches for 531 yards and 4 TD. Zullinger is a key figure on defense as well with 13 TFL.

Wilson and Central York are no strangers to the District 3 playoffs. This is the 32nd appearance for the Bulldogs. The Panthers are in the tournament for the 18th time. Their lone title came in 2020. Wilson has claimed seven District 3 championships with the most recent coming in 2016.

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.

Alan Moyer-Conrad Weiser

Paul Roberts — Sat, 09 Nov 2024 12:06:05 +0000

Chad Henne threw for 7,071 yards at Wilson and went on to be a four-year starter at Michigan. He spent 15 seasons in the NFL and won two Super Bowls with the Chiefs before retiring. It says a lot that Conrad Weiser head coach Alan Moyer would compare Bishop McDevitt senior Stone Saunders to Henne. Saunders passed for 303 yards and 5 TD in a 42-7 victory in the District 3-5A quarterfinals. “I equated him to watching Chad Henne throw back when I had a chance to coach him in an All-Star Game. It’s very, very similar to Chad and the quick release and the velocity of the ball,” stated Moyer. Saunders holds the state record with 195 touchdown passes. The 6’2, 215-pound Kentucky commit is closing in on 13,000 career passing yards. He was 11-of-13 on a windy Friday night in Robesonia. Saunders heaved a 40-yard touchdown pass over the middle to Dominic Diaz-Ellis on the Crusaders’ opening 80-yard drive. Jontai Quick made a diving grab for a 13-yard score early in the second quarter. The 5’9, 150-pound sophomore finished with four receptions for 167 yards and three touchdowns. Quick was wide open down the right seam for a 69-yard TD with 8:44 left before halftime. He used a big time stiff arm to go 64 yards down the left sideline on Bishop McDevitt’s next possession. The (10-1) Scouts trailed 28-0 midway through the second period. Nazir Jones-Davis broke off a 67-yard touchdown run less than three minutes later that put him over 1,000 rushing yards for the season. The (10-2) Crusaders reached the end zone on their first five drives which covered a total of 345 yards. Saunders had 250 passing yards in the first half. He tossed a 41-yard TD down the left sideline to Diaz-Ellis with four minutes to go in the third quarter. Diaz-Ellis, a 6’ senior, surpassed 1,000 receiving yards on the year. Third-seeded Conrad Weiser got on the board with eleven minutes remaining. Donovan Gingrich hit Davis Keppley for a 14-yard strike. They’re two of the twenty seniors on the Scouts’ roster. Conrad Weiser was without running backs Javien Rivera and Jonathon McQuillen, as well as standout WR/S Evan Rittle, due to injuries suffered in Week 8. Coach Moyer told his team to focus on the positives this season, including a Section 3 championship in the Lancaster-Lebanon League. “A lot of real good life lessons for these kids about picking each other up, battling adversity, and how to be successful,” he noted. The sixth-seeded Crusaders improved to (67-9) all-time in the District 3 tournament. The 17-time champions will visit unbeaten Mechanicsburg in the semifinals next Friday. The Scouts have a lot to be proud of after going (2-8) a season ago. This year marked their first (10-0) start since 1996. “It’s not by accident. It’s a lot of hard work. It’s the kids and coaching staff buying in to getting back to what we do here. It is pretty remarkable,” said Moyer.

Jayden Ware-Exeter

Paul Roberts — Sat, 02 Nov 2024 14:54:34 +0000

Jayden Zandier raced down the left sideline for a 56-yard touchdown just three and a-half minutes into the game. Exeter’s All-State running back was just getting warmed up. The 6’2, 180-pound senior finished with 203 yards and 3 TD on only six carries in a 56-3 rout of South Western at Don Thomas Stadium. Zandier broke the school record for career rushing yards with 3,052. He’s up to 1,676 this season. “He makes plays that you don’t expect. He’s one of my best friends. It’s always good to run into the end zone with him,” said Jayden Ware. Zandier went untouched up the middle for a 5-yard score with 32 seconds left in the opening quarter. That capped an 83-yard drive after Gavin Fraim made a 28-yard field goal for the (7-4) Mustangs. Ware gave the (10-1) Eagles a huge boost in the second quarter with a pair of interceptions of senior quarterback Bryce Graham. Ware’s first pick set Exeter up at South Western’s 47-yard line. On the next snap, Zandier sprinted down the right sideline for a touchdown with three minutes to go in the half. Just 18 seconds later, Ware returned an interception 35 yards to the house. The Eagles’ defense wasn’t done making plays. Carter Redding picked off a tipped pass and went 85 yards for a score with 44 seconds remaining before halftime. “I was on the other side of the field and I sprinted all the way down. I was tired after it. It’s a great feeling to see your seniors get a big play,” replied Ware. A 23-yard TD toss from Jake Hafer to Genuine Stutzman made it 42-3 with 9:11 to play in the third quarter. Hafer, a 6’2 junior, is filling in at quarterback while Riley Martinez’s fractured right leg heals. “I’m really proud of him. I’ve grown up with him. He came back this year to play football again and he’s done a great job taking the next step,” said Ware of Hafer. Stutzman added a 21-yard touchdown run with five minutes left in the third period. The 6’4, 220-pound senior plays the Flex position for the Eagles and is an excellent blocker. Leo Brown, a junior running back who’s on the track team, broke free for an 80-yard score early in the fourth quarter. Exeter, the #8 seed in the District 3-5A playoffs, advanced to the quarterfinals at top-seeded New Oxford. The Eagles lost 28-27 at Hershey in the first round last year after leading by 20 points in the third quarter. “We never want to feel like that again so it really gives us that chip on our shoulder to keep progressing throughout the rest of the season,” emphasized Ware.