Weiser – Berks Sports Report

Davis Keppley-Conrad Weiser

Paul Roberts — Wed, 23 Oct 2024 16:02:27 +0000

What a difference a year makes. In 2023, Conrad Weiser finished with just two wins. The Scouts head into their final regular season game of 2024 with a perfect (9-0) record. They rallied from a 21-3 deficit to beat Cocalico 24-21 last Friday for the Section 3 championship in the Lancaster-Lebanon League. “It’s the same guys just a year better, more experienced, and we want to play,” said Davis Keppley. The 5’10, 175-pound senior had six catches for 107 yards and two touchdowns in the thrilling victory at Cocalico. His 11-yard TD grab put Conrad Weiser in front with nine minutes remaining. “I just ran my route and I knew Donovan would give me a good ball,” replied Keppley. Donovan Gingrich was 16-of-28 for 179 yards and 3 TD. The 6’1, 200-pound senior is a three-year starter for the Scouts. “He knows where to put the ball. He’s a great quarterback, runs if he has to. He’s done a great job of that this season,” noted Keppley. Defensive end Ashton Kiebach made a critical tackle on fourth down to stop Cocalico’s final drive. Kiebach is one of twenty seniors on the roster. Conrad Weiser returned six starters on each side of the ball. Keppley has been focusing more on his role at linebacker this year. The touchdown receptions last week were the first of his career. The Scouts are without three of their top skill position players due to injuries. Running backs Javien Rivera and Jonathon McQuillen, as well as wide receiver Evan Rittle, didn’t play against the (6-3) Eagles. Rittle was the WR of the Year in Section 4 a season ago. Alan Moyer’s squad still found a way to get the job done. “The coaching is outstanding. They keep everybody in the loop. We’re always working to keep everybody caught up with what we’re doing,” explained Keppley. Moyer is in his 22nd year at the helm in Robesonia. His 147 wins are a school record. The Scouts shifted Evan Miller, a 220-pound tight end, to running back last week. He rumbled for 97 yards on 13 carries. Conrad Weiser hosts Unionville this Friday. The Scouts haven’t started a season (10-0) since 1996. After going (5-15) over the previous two years, Conrad Weiser is back on the right path.

Donovan Gingrich-Conrad Weiser

Paul Roberts — Sat, 21 Sep 2024 12:22:09 +0000

The final score said it all. 38-3. Conrad Weiser dominated perennial powerhouse Manheim Central on Friday night in Robesonia. “We’re trying to make a statement and be respected,” stated Donovan Gingrich. The (5-0) Scouts opened more eyes by hammering the 18-time District 3 champions. The (2-3) Barons were held to 85 total yards. Gingrich was 12-of-16 for 118 yards and two touchdowns. The three-year starter also ran for 119 yards on 13 carries. Alex Malone’s 25-yard field goal provided the only scoring in the first quarter. On fourth-and-9 on Conrad Weiser’s second possession, longtime head coach Alan Moyer called for a fake punt. The direct snap to Javien Rivera resulted in a 26-yard gain to the 16-yard line. Gingrich then hit 6’2 junior Dylan Parr for a 15-yard score and a 10-0 advantage with 6:37 remaining in the second quarter. Manheim Central muffed the ensuing kickoff which was recovered by Davis Keppley at the 14-yard line. A 4-yard run off the right side by Rivera put the Scouts on top 17-0. The 5’8, 150-pound junior finished with 71 yards on 16 carries. “He took a big leap from last year,” replied Gingrich. The Barons have struggled with turnovers all season. They committed another one with just over a minute to go in the first half. Junior wide receiver Cody Hess fumbled after making a catch near midfield. Ashton Kiebach recovered and set up Conrad Weiser at the 37-yard line. Rivera’s 2-yard touchdown run made it 24-0 with 15 seconds to play before halftime. The Scouts were pinned down at their 1-yard line early in the third quarter when Gingrich broke free for a 84-yard run, the longest of his career. Senior running back Jonathon McQuillen, who attends Tulpehocken, capped the 99-yard drive with a 15-yard run. Conrad Weiser was in front 31-0 with 7:17 left in the third period. After a 28-yard field goal by Katie White, the Scouts responded with a 70-yard drive. Evan Rittle made a diving catch down the right sideline for a 18-yard score with ten minutes remaining. The 5’10, 165-pound senior was named the Wide Receiver of the Year in Section 4 of the Lancaster-Lebanon League in 2023. He had seven receptions for 68 yards in Friday’s Section 3 matchup with Manheim Central. “We live a minute away from each other so we’re seeing each other all the time off the field,” noted Gingrich. Their connection translates onto the field as well. Conrad Weiser piled up 218 rushing yards. The Scouts’ defense has allowed just 24 points all season. They have put last year’s (2-8) record in the rear view mirror. “We got 19 seniors. This is our last ride. We’re going out and giving everything we got. We take every week as a championship game,” emphasized Gingrich.

Alan Moyer-Conrad Weiser

Paul Roberts — Fri, 30 Aug 2024 04:52:37 +0000

After a (2-8) campaign last fall, Conrad Weiser was determined to turn things around. “We have a very good memory. These last two years have been difficult, but this group really made a commitment in the offseason,” said longtime head coach Alan Moyer. The Scouts won just five games over the past two seasons. They’re off to a (2-0) start in 2024. Conrad Weiser dominated ELCO 31-7 on Thursday night in Myerstown. The Scouts scored on their first five possessions and outgained the (0-2) Raiders 318-to-153. Conrad Weiser set the tone with an 80-yard opening drive. Donovan Gingrich avoided a sack, rolled right and found Evan Rittle for a 4-yard touchdown pass on 4th down. Rittle was named the Wide Receiver of the Year in Section 4 last season. “Him and Donovan work very well together. They have a real good connection,” noted Moyer. That score was set up by a 61-yard pass down the left sideline to Dylan Parr. Gingrich, who’s up to 200 pounds this year, capped a 56-yard drive with a 6-yard TD run early in the second quarter. “Instead of absorbing hits, I think he’s delivering blows and getting those extra yards that maybe he didn’t get before,” replied Moyer. Gingrich finished 9-of-12 for 127 yards. The three-year starter ran five times for another 35 yards. Rittle provided five receptions for 42 yards. Javien Rivera went untouched up the middle for a 5-yard score with two minutes remaining in the first half. The Scouts forced a three-and-out and got the ball back at their 45-yard line with 1:27 on the clock. That possession ended with a 32-yard field goal by Alex Malone with 13 seconds to go before halftime. It was 24-0 at the break. Following a 1-yard punt into a very strong wind, Conrad Weiser took over at ELCO’s 43-yard line. Another 5-yard touchdown run by Rivera expanded the cushion to 31-0 with 3:43 to play in the third quarter. The 5’8, 150-pound junior had 82 of the team’s 191 rushing yards. “His height is to his advantage. He kind of sneaks behind the big linemen. He’s explosive,” stated Moyer. Rivera got a team-high eleven carries. Jonathon McQuillen added 41 yards on seven carries. He’s a 5’8, 155-pound senior who attends Tulpehocken. The Scouts’ offensive line averages 248 pounds. The Raiders cashed a short field into their only touchdown with 2:08 left. Zane Trostle took a pitch from senior quarterback Steven Rosado for a 13-yard score. Rosado ran for 60 yards and threw for just 57. He was 8-of-15 with an interception. The Raiders have been outscored 64-13 in two games. They won eight games and reached the District 3-4A quarterfinals in 2023. Meanwhile, Conrad Weiser could get to (3-0) with a win next week against Lebanon. “This is not a result of anything but hard work,” said Moyer.

Evan Rittle-Conrad Weiser

Paul Roberts — Thu, 08 Aug 2024 17:23:22 +0000

The Conrad Weiser football team is hoping that a change in scenery will be good. The Scouts are moving up to Section 3 of the Lancaster-Lebanon League. “We were in a tough section to begin with. We’re gonna see some new faces now. We struggled the past few years,” said Evan Rittle. The 5’9, 165-pound rising senior was the Wide Receiver of the Year in Section 4 last fall. “I’m big on speed, quickness. Obviously, you gotta get separation if you’re not the biggest guy,” he explained. Rittle had 38 catches for 409 yards and seven touchdowns. He was also named a first team defensive back in the section after making 53 tackles. Conrad Weiser has gone (5-15) over the past two seasons. Shifting to Section 3 won’t be a walk in the park. Cocalico, the two-time defending District 3-5A champion, is also moving up to Section 3. In addition, perennial powerhouse Manheim Central is joining Section 3. The Barons have won a record 28 Section 2 titles and 18 District 3 championships. Warwick, Solanco, Garden Spot, and Fleetwood round out the new-look Section 3. The Scouts have an experienced head coach and quarterback. Alan Moyer enters his 22nd year at the helm in Robesonia. Moyer holds the school record with 138 victories. Conrad Weiser has finished with a winning record in 13 of the past 17 seasons. Donovan Gingrich will be a three-year starter at quarterback. He threw for 962 yards and ten scores last fall. Rittle, who’s an all-division baseball player, mentioned that the offensive line looks good. “They all put on a lot of weight, got a lot stronger,” he replied. Kaleb Britting, Kaleb Holl, Jack Heckman, and Charlie Shimp return up front. The Scouts are now in the 5A classification for football. They begin the season on their home turf. Conrad Weiser battles Abington on August 23.

Hall of Fame Coach Passed Away

Paul Roberts — Thu, 04 Jul 2024 13:52:32 +0000

Berks County has had more than its fair share of legendary high school football coaches. Al Silveri was part of that exclusive group. He spent more than fifty years coaching football at the high school level. Silveri died on Monday at the age of 76. A viewing will be held on Monday, July 8 from five until eight o’clock at the Kuhn Funeral Home in West Reading.

Silveri was from the coal region of Pennsylvania. He graduated from Mahanoy Area High School and then Bloomsburg University. He served as the head coach at Muncy High School.

Silveri became a fixture in Robesonia. He was just the third head football coach in Conrad Weiser history. Silveri led the Scouts to 102 wins over 15 seasons. He spent the past two decades working with another coaching legend. Silveri was an assistant at Wyomissing with Bob Wolfrum. He coached several outstanding linemen including, most recently, J’ven Williams and Caleb Brewer. They’re both playing at Penn State.

Silveri became the first member of the Berks County Football Coaches Association Hall of Fame in 2003. In 2007, he was inducted into the Berks County chapter of the Pennsylvania Sports Hall of Fame. Silveri was voted into the Wyomissing Football Hall of Fame in 2021.

Aiden Soumas-Fleetwood

Paul Roberts — Tue, 05 Dec 2023 23:29:00 +0000

Fleetwood won 22 games last season and reached the state playoffs for the first time since 1990. Jake Karnish, the school’s all-time leading scorer with 1,420 points, has moved on to King’s College. The Tigers showed on Tuesday night in Robesonia that the cupboard isn’t bare. They spoiled Conrad Weiser’s home opener with a 55-43 victory. The (1-1) Scouts pulled within 37-33 early in the fourth quarter after two layups by 6’4 junior Gavin Rapp. Following a timeout by Fleetwood coach Terry Sitler, the Tigers went on an 18-10 run to close it out. Fleetwood had five seniors in the starting lineup, while Conrad Weiser started five juniors. “This was nothing compared to what we saw in the Giant Center and in our state game. This was a crazy environment, but we definitely handled it well,” said Aiden Soumas. The 5’11 senior finished with 14 points including six in the opening period. He made three free throws with 2.7 seconds remaining to put the Tigers up 20-5 after eight minutes. The Scouts committed four turnovers in the first 90 seconds. They ended up with 16, twice as many as Fleetwood. Donovan Gingrich was limited to ten points. The 6’1 all-division guard erupted for a career-high 31 on Saturday at Antietam. The Tigers led 27-15 at halftime before Gingrich opened the third quarter on a personal 5-0 run. Conrad Weiser’s junior quarterback went 2-of-3 from the foul line with 0.1 seconds to go in the third period. Fleetwood was on top 37-29 entering the fourth quarter. Hunter Svoboda had a game-high 17 points. The 6’8, 270-pound senior is committed to William & Mary for football. “When he gets it in there, it’s going up and he’s gonna make it most of the time. He’s got such a big advantage on the other guys,” noted Soumas. Point guard Nate Herb chipped in with ten points. The All-County soccer player jammed seven points into the final period. Each team connected just three times from beyond the arc. Junior point guard Brady McKee provided 17 points for the Scouts. They were without 6’4 junior Josh Plummer due to an ankle injury. Conrad Weiser was 12-of-21 from the free throw line, while Fleetwood shot 10-of-16. The Tigers have a mix of multi-sport athletes. Wide receiver Mason Musitano, a 6’2 senior, is playing basketball for the first time since 9th grade. Soumas is headed to Kutztown University for baseball. “I really like the coaching staff out there, great group of guys. It’s just a great atmosphere. I couldn’t ask for a better place,” he replied. Soumas and company aren’t too shabby on the court either.

Donovan Gingrich-Conrad Weiser

Paul Roberts — Wed, 23 Aug 2023 21:09:00 +0000

Conrad Weiser was (3-2) midway through last season after blowing out Octorara 45-7 on September 23rd. Unfortunately for the Scouts, that was the last time they would celebrate a victory. Conrad Weiser dropped its final five contests to finish (3-7, 2-5). The Scouts haven’t forgotten how last season ended. “We’re all remembering last year and using that as motivation. We’re extremely excited…we’re all pushing every day,” said quarterback Donovan Gingrich. He was one of seven sophomores in Alan Moyer’s starting lineup in 2022. A young squad facing perennial powers like Wyomissing, Cocalico, Lampeter-Strasburg, and Berks Catholic was a bad combination. Section 4 of the Lancaster-Lebanon League is loaded again this year, but Gingrich is more optimistic. The 6’1, 185-pound junior has added 25 pounds since last fall. That should mean a new dimension to his skill set. “I’ve put on more weight so I’m ready to start running,” he noted. Gingrich threw for 1,367 yards and eleven touchdowns a season ago. Conrad Weiser returns seven starters on offense. Josh Miller (5’5, 150), Evan Rittle (5’9, 160), and Davis Keppley (5’9, 165) are Gingrich’s targets on the outside. “They’re smaller guys, but with a lot of speed,” he replied. 6’1, 210-pound junior Evan Miller is back at tight end. The running backs are familiar faces. Seniors Sevon Parham and Ousmane Conde led the Scouts in carries last year. Gingrich mentioned 5’8 junior Jonathon McQuillen as a player to watch. McQuillen plays for Conrad Weiser as part of a co-op program with Tulpehocken. Gingrich helped the Scouts’ basketball team reach the West Reading League championship game this summer. He averaged a team-high 14 points last winter. Gingrich isn’t sure which sport he would like to pursue in college. “I think by the end of this year, I’ll have to pick which one,” he said. As for now, he’s focused on turning things around on the gridiron. Conrad Weiser travels to Garden Spot on Friday for its opener. Moyer enters his 21st season as head coach with 136 wins, the most in school history.

Mike Dooley-Conrad Weiser

Paul Roberts — Thu, 27 Jul 2023 12:05:00 +0000

Mike Dooley hasn’t even coached his first varsity game at Conrad Weiser, but there’s already a buzz about the Scouts. After going (2-8) in the regular season of the West Reading Summer League, Conrad Weiser has reached the championship game. The Scouts knocked off Warwick 41-34 in overtime in the semifinals on Wednesday night. “This is a huge win for our program. We’ve gone on a little Cinderella run,” said Dooley. He was hired on May 17th as Conrad Weiser’s new boys basketball head coach. Dooley takes over for Rich Miller who spent two seasons at the helm in Robesonia. Dooley has ties to the area. His fiancée is a Conrad Weiser graduate who played at Alvernia. Dooley trained several of his current varsity players when they were kids. “It’s kind of full circle for me, just excited to be back in the area and excited to work with this group,” he replied. The Scouts top two scorers are returning in Donovan Gingrich and Brady McKee. Gingrich, who’s also Conrad Weiser’s starting quarterback, averaged a team-high 14 points as a sophomore with 58 three-pointers. He was an all-division selection. McKee provided 12 points per game and connected 57 times from beyond the arc. “They’re our cornerstones. They’re our leaders, our most vocal guys which is great,” noted Dooley. Gingrich poured in 23 points in the semifinal victory over Warwick. The Scouts will take on Berks Catholic in Thursday’s final. Dooley said Josh Plummer, Gavin Rapp, Alex Malone, and James Arnold are other players to watch this winter. Dooley has experience at both the college and high school levels. He spent the past two years with the men’s basketball team at Spire Academy in Ohio. Dooley was the girls basketball head coach at Pottsville from 2019-21. He served as an assistant with the Alvernia women’s team from 2017-19. Prior to that, he was an assistant girls basketball coach at Phoenixville from 2014-16. Dooley knows the competition in Berks County is tough. Reading, Exeter, and Berks Catholic all won District 3 titles a season ago. The Red Knights captured state gold and the Eagles reached the PIAA-5A championship game. Conrad Weiser finished (7-15) last year. It’s early, but the signs surrounding the Scouts are pointing in the right direction.

Brady McKee-Conrad Weiser

Paul Roberts — Fri, 02 Dec 2022 23:59:00 +0000

Conrad Weiser head coach Rich Miller knows the importance of winning your home games. The former PSAC East Coach of the Year at Mansfield instructed his players to write their initials in the circle at midcourt before the season opener against Antietam. “To establish that this is our home court and we don’t lose [here],” explained Brady McKee. The 5’10 sophomore guard had a game-high 17 points in the Scouts’ 54-51 victory over the Mounts in Robesonia. McKee hit three triples and sank two clutch free throws with 32 seconds remaining for a 52-46 advantage. Antietam took its first lead at 44-42 on Noah Archambault’s layup midway through the fourth quarter. The Mounts went scoreless for the next three and a-half minutes. Archambault’s jumper got Antietam within 50-46 with 33 seconds to go. A deep 3-pointer by sophomore Jowen Reyes-Rodriguez cut the deficit to 53-51 with six seconds on the clock. The Mounts were out of timeouts and some precious seconds ticked away until Conrad Weiser inbounded the ball to Evan Miller. The coach’s son went 1-for-2 from the stripe with only two seconds to play for the final margin. I asked McKee what was the difference down the stretch. He replied, “Just staying composed out there. We have no rush. There’s really nothing to be worried about. I have faith in my team.” The Scouts went 14-of-19 from the foul line in the last period. Miller had their only bucket over the final eight minutes. The 6’1, 200-pound sophomore contributed six points off the bench, all in the fourth quarter. He’s a TE/DE on Conrad Weiser’s football team. Donovan Gingrich, the quarterback on that squad, is also a key figure for the Scouts when hoops season arrives. He averaged 8 points and made 43 treys last year as a freshman. Gingrich got off to a hot start versus Antietam. The 6’ guard knocked down a pair of 3-pointers and scored nine points in the opening quarter. He finished with 15 points. Gavin Rapp, a 6’3 sophomore starter, provided eight points. Conrad Weiser raced out to an 18-11 lead after eight minutes. The Scouts held a 27-23 edge at halftime. They were on top 38-33 after the third period. The Mounts started the fourth quarter with a 5-0 run. They used balanced scoring to keep it tight. Archambault, a 6’3 senior, had a team-high 14 points. Jovan Hollis, who just wrapped up his football season at Exeter last Friday, chipped in with 11 points. Eight of the ten points for Reyes-Rodriguez came in the second half. 6’4 sophomore center Julious Williams picked up his third foul with two minutes left in the second quarter. He ended up with nine points. Antietam only connected twice from beyond the arc while Conrad Weiser drilled five 3-pointers. “That’s kind of our thing, live and die by the 3-pointers,” admitted McKee. The Scouts were 17-of-25 from the free throw line. The Mounts went 6-of-9. Antietam won 20 games last season and reached the District 3-2A championship game. Conrad Weiser had an (8-14, 3-8) mark in Miller’s first year at the helm. He was the head coach at Mansfield from 2006-16 before moving on to run the Penn State Berks men’s basketball program in 2018. “Coach [Miller] runs us a lot in the offseason. We’ve put in a lot of hard work. I think we’ve shown a lot of improvement,” said McKee. We also discussed his favorite NBA and NFL teams, as well as his favorite teachers.

Alan Moyer-Conrad Weiser

Paul Roberts — Tue, 20 Sep 2022 00:45:00 +0000

Homecoming night, perfect weather, a nice crowd, and a thrilling finish; there was a lot to be excited about on Saturday in Robesonia. However, longtime head coach Alan Moyer knows there’s a lot of room for improvement. “It was kind of a loss for words after the game. We tried to find a lot of ways to lose that game unfortunately. Luckily, we found a way to win it,” said Moyer. The (2-2) Scouts defeated ELCO 22-21 despite being outgained 406-239. Conrad Weiser managed just 16 rushing yards while committing ten penalties. The (3-1) Raiders went in front with a ten minute, 95-yard drive in the fourth quarter that included two key infractions by the Scouts. An offsides penalty on fourth-and-five was followed by a horse-collar tackle that moved the ball to the 12-yard line. Jake Williams scored on the next play to give ELCO a 21-14 lead with 1:49 remaining. Moyer, who’s been on Conrad Weiser’s coaching staff for 35 years, understands the big picture which is why he was subdued after the victory. The Scouts have struggled to put together a complete game this season. Fortunately, they came through when it mattered most. Sophomore quarterback Donovan Gingrich engineered a 58-yard scoring drive in only 41 seconds. “Donovan is really progressing. It’s gonna take some time, but he’s an athlete. He’s a winner,” stated Moyer. Gingrich found a wide open Ousmane Conde for 44 yards on a throwback pass. He then lofted a fade to Trey Dianna for a 14-yard touchdown with 62 seconds left. Moyer opted to go for two points and Gingrich hooked up with Dianna again for the go-ahead conversion. Moyer explained, “We talked about it well before that [touchdown]. We were confident we were gonna go for two. It’s a great play when it works.” The Raiders reached Conrad Weiser’s 37-yard line on their final possession. The Scouts held Williams to a 1-yard gain on fourth-and-three with 18 seconds to go. “A lot of these kids are young. This is a good lesson. When you’re in a tight spot, you gotta figure out how to win those games,” noted Moyer. Conrad Weiser has 24 sophomores on its roster. Gingrich finished 13-of-23 for 223 yards 3TD. Josh Miller, an elusive 5’4 junior, had touchdown catches of 51 and 8 yards in the first half. The Scouts were on top 14-6 at the break. Dianna reeled in three receptions for 55 yards. Evan Rittle added three grabs for 51 yards. The 5’8, 145-pound sophomore also had an interception at Conrad Weiser’s 8-yard line with 26 seconds left in the first half. Williams racked up 209 yards and 2TD on 28 carries for ELCO. I asked Moyer about the 5’11, 180-pound junior. He replied, “His legs never stop. We had him bottled up, I don’t know how many times. He’s strong from the waist down. You’ve got to kill that engine. If you don’t kill the engine, he’ll run you over.” Prior to facing the Scouts, Williams rumbled for 250 yards and 2TD against Columbia. He also returned a kickoff 95 yards for a score. The Raiders ended up with 275 yards on the ground at Conrad Weiser. Senior Dom Thornton was 7-of-15 through the air for 131 yards. Junior tight end Elliott Kreider made four catches for 86 yards. Moyer and I discussed playing on Saturday. He responded candidly, “Not a big fan of it. It’s all about the homecoming. It’s all about the school. It kind of puts you behind a day the following week. We came out with a win so I guess I gotta be happy with it.” This was his 135th victory over twenty seasons as head coach. Moyer is the winningest coach in program history. He played for the Scouts from 1982-84. Conrad Weiser returns to action this Friday at (1-3) Octorara.