Exeter’s Jayden Zandier sprints out of shadows, lands on Class 5A All-State team
2023 Berks football coverage presented by
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Nicole Zandier was apprehensive before the football season, concerned her younger son Jayden would be overshadowed by big brother Zack, who was getting a lot of attention after signing to play at Division I Coastal Carolina.
Those concerns were quickly alleviated when Jayden, a junior, moved to running back early in the season and enjoyed a breakout season that saw him rush for 1,358 yards and score 19 touchdowns.
Now it’s Jayden who’ll be casting shadows after earning a spot on the Pennsylvania Football Writers’ Class 5A All-State team.
He is one of six Lancaster-Lebanon League players and the only one from Berks named to the 41-player squad.
The team includes Aaryn Longenecker of Cocalico, Kye Harting of Garden Spot and three players from Ephrata: Sam McCracken, Quintin Pfautz and Jeremiah Knowles.
Jabree Wallace-Coleman of Imhotep Charter is the Class 5A Player of the Year after leading the Panthers to the PIAA championship. Imhotep’s Devon Johnson is Coach of the Year.
Jayden Zandier didn’t move from wide receiver to running back until the third game of the season but once there he became a revelation for the Eagles.
In his first start, against Gov. Mifflin the in Section 2 opener, he scored three touchdowns and rushed for 126 yards. He scored four TDs and rushed for 262 yards in a 49-27 win over Hempfield in Week 8. He ended the season 222 yards and a TD against Hershey in the District 3 playoffs.
“Jayden’s so electric we had to figure out a different way to get him the ball,” Eagles coach Matt Bauer said of Zandier’s move to the backfield.
Zandier averaged 10.7 yards per carry, tops in Section 2 and third-best in 37-team league. His 19 TDs were second-most in Berks. He averaged 23.1 yards on seven catches, with three TDs, and averaged 33 yards on 10 kickoff returns.
Zandier flashed his ability in the spring when he was the top individual scorer at the Chris Nunn Memorial Berks County Football Combine, winning three of the six points.
“I always knew he was tremendously athletically gifted and explosive,” Bauer said after that performance. “I feel the Combine may have been his coming out party, so to speak. He was really ready to compete. I could see he was locked in and focused. He just put it all together.”
Wallace-Coleman rushed for 1,585 yards and scored 28 touchdowns for the PIAA champs. He also scored twice on receptions and once on a punt return. He initially committed to play at Georgia before reversing his decision.
Wallace-Coleman is one of four selections from Imhotep. Cathedral Prep also had four selections.
CLASS 5A ALL-STATE TEAM
Player of the Year: Jabree Wallace-Coleman, Imhotep Charter
Coach of the Year: Devon Johnson, Imhotep Charter
Offense
Quarterback
Nolan DiLucia, Peters Township – 6-2, 185 sophomore
Mikal Davis, Imhotep Charter – 6-1, 210 senior
Julian Dugger, Penn Hills – 6-3, 195 senior
Brad Birch, Gateway – 6-1, 185 senior
Running Back
Jabree Wallace-Coleman, Imhotep Charter – 6-0, 200 junior
Cole Bartram, Northern York – 5-9, 190 senior
Dajoure Hollingsworth, Cathedral Prep – 5-8, 165 senior
Angel Cabrera, Hershey – 6-0, 225 senior
Jayden Zandier, Exeter – 6-1, 165 junior
Wide Receiver
Luke Denny, Norwin – 6-1, 185 senior
Scoop Smith, Woodland Hills – 5-6, 135 sophomore
Josh Smith, Mechanicsburg Area – 6-1, 170 junior
Brennan Holmes, New Oxford – 6-1, 180 senior
Tight End
Aiden Black, Delaware Valley – 6-3, 230 senior
Offensive Line
Jivani Cooley, Cathedral Prep – 6-5, 285 senior
Ryan Cory, Pine-Richland – 6-4, 290 senior
Michael Hershey, Spring Grove – 6-4, 250 senior
Zach Tomosovich, Penn-Trafford – 6-5, 305 senior
Tyler Duell, West Chester East – 6-6, 275 sophomore
Danny Aselton, Phoenixville – 6-4, 245 senior
Athlete
Aaryn Longenecker, Cocalico – 5-10, 175 senior
Kye Harting, Garden Spot – 5-10, 185 senior
Sam McCracken, Ephrata – 6-1, 215 senior
DEFENSE
Defensive Line
Jahsear Whittington, Imhotep Charter – 6-2, 280 senior
Ayden Wysocki, South Western – 6-2, 250 senior
Mason Grear, West Chester East – 6-1, 245 senior
Aden Wentz, Cathedral Prep – 6-1, 240 senior
Clancy Orie, Bethel Park – 6-3, 235 junior
Linebacker
Mickey Vaccarello, Peters Township – 6-2, 205 junior
Justin Kalitsnik, Delaware Valley – 6-2, 180 senior
Jerrell Palmer, Chester – 5-10, 215 sophomore
Quintin Pfautz, Ephrata – 6-3, 215 senior
Khalid Bueno, Martin Luther King – 6-2, 215 junior
Defensive Back
Ken Woseley, Imhotep Charter – 5-11, 185 junior
Ryder Machado, Delaware Valley – 6-1, 175 senior
Jay Boyd, Roman Catholic – 5-11, 175 senior
Jackson Pons, Norwin – 6-2, 195 senior
Jeremiah Knowles, Ephrata – 5-9, 160 senior
Athlete
RJ Roberts, Cathedral Prep – 5-9, 180 senior
Nathan Lusk, Cedar Cliff – 6-1, 190 senior
Kyle Keefe, West Chester East – 6-0, 170 sophomore
