Williams – Berks Sports Report

Jven Williams-Wyomissing

Paul Roberts — Sat, 03 Sep 2022 01:05:00 +0000

Jven Williams told me that he was biting his nails during the Penn State game at Purdue on Thursday night. On Friday, his nails were safe. Wyomissing cruised to a 49-0 victory at Pottsville. The Spartans showed why they’re ranked second in the state in Class 3A. They outgained the Crimson Tide 422-to-132 and 290-56 on the ground. “I think we handled them,” said Williams. After forcing a three and out on the opening series, Wyomissing marched 55 yards on six plays for the first score, a 4-yard run by junior fullback Collin Niedrowski. A 23-yard pass from Ben Zechman to Drew Eisenhower on the Spartans’ next possession ended with a 15-yard face mask penalty against Pottsville. Matthew Kramer rumbled in from two yards away to give Wyomissing a 14-0 edge with three and a-half minutes remaining in the first quarter. Kramer made it 21-0 early in the second period with a 23-yard run. The 215-pound senior fullback finished with a team-high 89 yards on nine carries. After the Crimson Tide’s second fumble of the quarter, Drew Forrey raced 17 yards to cap a 62-yard drive. Sophomore Derek Macrina intercepted Tejay Allen with 70 seconds left in the first half. It took the Spartans just four plays to go 74 yards for another score. Zechman found Eisenhower over the middle for a 47-yard touchdown pass with 18 seconds on the clock. Pottsville trailed 35-0 at the break in its 130th home opener. Wyomissing started the third quarter with a perfectly executed throwback screen to Ryker Jones. The 190-pound junior sprinted 47 yards for a score. Zechman was an efficient 4-of-5 for 132 yards and 2TD. Charlie McIntyre chipped in with eight carries for 72 yards. Eisenhower added 53 yards on four runs. He also had two receptions for 70 yards. Williams truly enjoys visiting Veterans Memorial Stadium. He replied, “I love this environment. It’s like a college stadium. Their band is amazing. Their student section, I heard them chirping the whole time. It’s just a great opportunity to be able to come out here. It’s a tradition and we all embrace it at Wyomissing.” The Penn State commit is ranked #53 overall in the Class of 2023 by ESPN. Williams believes the offensive line can still improve. Longtime head coach Bob Wolfrum agrees with that observation. Williams stated, “Honestly, he’s been on us. He pays a lot of attention to our offensive line and how we run things. It’s awesome to get coached by these guys.” This is Wolfrum’s 36th season as head coach. He’s a remarkable (339-86-1). Williams is thrilled to be part of the Lancaster-Lebanon League. “I’m so happy that we’re in it. It’s an upgrade for us. We really want some competitiveness,” he emphasized. The 6’5, 295-pound senior is looking forward to meeting Berks Catholic again. The Spartans and Saints are in Section 4 along with Conrad Weiser, Cocalico, Lampeter-Strasburg, ELCO, Donegal, and Octorara. Pottsville junior running back Parrish McFarland (5’8, 160) was limited to 44 yards on 12 carries. Senior quarterback Tejay Allen went 10-of-15 for 76 yards and an interception. The Crimson Tide are (0-2). They’ve taken on two of the top squads in the state in their respective classes. Jersey Shore blew out Pottsville 55-12 in Week 1. Some young Crimson Tide fans posed for photos with Williams after the game. “It’s awesome to be able to communicate with the community. I really appreciate when they come up and ask for a picture,” he said with a smile. Wyomissing has outscored Pottsville 91-to-14 over the last two years.

Jven Williams-Wyomissing/PSU

Paul Roberts — Wed, 29 Jun 2022 20:51:00 +0000

The summer is a time to relax and unwind for many people. That’s not the case for Jven Williams. The 6’4, 305-pound offensive lineman continues to work out on a regular basis in preparation for his senior season at Wyomissing. Williams lifted weights before our interview on Wednesday evening. When we finished chatting, he stuck around to run laps. All of his hard work has paid off in the form of a scholarship to Penn State, but he didn’t get to this stage of his journey alone. Williams, who grew up in Reading, thanked his parents for all of the sacrifices that they have made to help him become one of the top OL in the country. ESPN ranks Williams as the #1 guard in the Class of 2023 and the 45th best player overall. We talked about his decision to commit to the Nittany Lions and his relationship with James Franklin. Williams said, “I like how family-oriented he is. When you’re talking to James Franklin, it’s kind of just like talking to a regular person.” Williams added that the location of State College was a big factor in his decision. He told me that he doesn’t have a preference between guard or tackle. He’s willing to play whichever position gets him on the field sooner. Williams has trained with Gov. Mifflin graduate Nick Singleton and Joey Schlaffer of Exeter. He thinks Singleton can have an impact at Penn State as a freshman. Schlaffer, a Class 5A all-state selection at TE, has also committed to the Nittany Lions. I asked Williams if he’ll be competing for Penn State’s Track and Field team. He earned gold medals in discus and shot put at the PIAA-2A championships this year. His throw of 66-7.75 set the state record. Williams owns the District 3 record in the discus at 187 feet. Being a multi-sport athlete is something that’s extremely important to Williams. He emphasized how the throwing events have improved his footwork and balance. The rising senior is excited for the upcoming high school football season. The Spartans certainly won’t be lacking in the size department. Williams will be joined up front by senior Pacen Ziegler (6’4, 275) and junior Caleb Brewer (6’5, 285). Brewer qualified for the state wrestling tournament as a sophomore. Williams revealed what happened when he attempted to wrestle Brewer. Wyomissing finished (15-1) last year. The Spartans fell to Central Valley in the Class 3A state championship for the second year in a row. Williams is grateful to the Class of 2022 for their leadership and guidance. That class included five all-state players. Williams stressed the importance of having an experienced coaching staff including head coach Bob Wolfrum. The “Wizard of the Wing-T” has led Wyomissing to ten District 3 titles and the 2012 state championship. Wolfrum has piled up 337 victories over 35 seasons. Williams believes the Spartans will have more competitive games in the new Lancaster-Lebanon League. They’ll be competing in Section 4 along with Berks Catholic, Conrad Weiser, Cocalico, L-S, ELCO, Donegal, and Octorara. Before the season kicks off, Williams knows that there’s more work to be done and that’s just fine with him.

Jven Williams-Wyomissing

Paul Roberts — Sat, 27 Nov 2021 18:16:00 +0000

The Class 3A state quarterfinals turned out to be just another day at the office for the (14-0) Spartans. They rolled over previously unbeaten Scranton Prep 35-14 at Gov. Mifflin. Wyomissing ran the ball 55 times for 319 yards. The District 3 champs didn’t attempt a pass. Jven Williams explained why the Wing-T offense can be effective against big defensive fronts. Williams certainly isn’t lacking in size. The standout junior is 6’4 and 310 pounds. We discussed his tremendous footwork. Williams told me that he loves pulling on sweeps and running plays on the edge. Drew Eisenhower finished with 133 yards and 2TD on 14 carries. Williams believes that Eisenhower has a very bright future. We also talked about DT/FB J.J. Jackson. Williams said that Jackson (6’3, 240) has taken some pressure off of him. I asked Williams what would happen if he had to tackle Jackson. Williams called Jackson a “truck.” Jackson had five carries for 27 yards. Starting fullback Tommy Grabowski ran for 61 yards and 2TD. He’s up to 25 scores this season which is second-most in Berks County. Amory Thompson added 64 yards and a touchdown. The Spartans’ defense held Scranton Prep to 84 yards through three quarters. The Cavaliers put together a late 73-yard TD drive against Wyomissing’s backups. Scranton Prep lost star running back London Montgomery to an injury early in the first quarter. Montgomery recently received an offer from Arizona State. Williams has numerous Division I offers including Penn State, Michigan, Michigan State, Tennessee, and Ole Miss. The Spartans march on to battle Neumann-Goretti in the state semifinals.

Jven Williams-Wyomissing

Paul Roberts — Sat, 30 Oct 2021 16:58:00 +0000

The Spartans ran for 311 yards in a 45-7 victory over Conrad Weiser on “Senior Day” at the A-Field. Jven Williams helped (10-0) Wyomissing dominate the line of scrimmage and capture an outright Section 2 championship in the Berks Football League. The 6’4, 310-pound junior OL/DL has several Division I offers including Penn State, Michigan, Tennessee, Ole Miss, Pittsburgh, and Virginia Tech. I asked Williams if he prefers a sack or a pancake block. We discussed the keys defensively against Logan Klitsch and the Scouts’ offense which had been averaging 41 points per game. Williams talked about senior fullback Tommy Grabowski who ran for 112 yards and 3TD vs. Conrad Weiser. Williams said Grabowski is a great player and person. Plus, Williams gave me a prediction for the Penn State-Ohio State game!

Jven Williams-Wyomissing

Paul Roberts — Thu, 30 Sep 2021 20:49:00 +0000

Jven Williams has quickly become one of the most highly recruited OL in Pennsylvania. The 6’4, 310-pound junior has offers from several Division I programs including Penn State, Michigan, Pittsburgh, Maryland and Virginia Tech. Williams admitted that he shed some tears when he got his first offer. I asked him about his visit to State College, and his thoughts on James Franklin. Williams said track & field has really helped his footwork. He won a bronze medal in the PIAA-2A shot put, and has thrown the discus 185 feet! Williams had four pancake blocks last week in Wyomissing’s 48-7 victory at Fleetwood. The Spartans ran for 341 yards. They’re (5-0) and ranked #3 in the state in Class 3A. Wyomissing travels to Southern Columbia on Friday. The Tigers have won four straight 2A state championships, but Williams is very confident.