Jayden Zandier scores 4 TDs as Exeter tunes up for districts with historic win
2024 Berks football coverage presented by
Utilities Employees Credit Union
(This story was produced by LNP/Lancasteronline, and published in partnership with MikeDragoSports.com.)
By Justin Staggers — LNP/Lancasteronline
ELIZABETHTOWN — There were tears — plenty of them — as players dealt with the inevitable emotions of playing their final high school football snap.
That’s the bittersweet reality for many of the Elizabethtown Bears, who closed its season with a 71-0 loss to visiting Exeter Friday night in a Lancaster-Lebanon Section 2 game.
Elizabethtown (2-4, 2-8) was just two downs from forcing the Eagles to settle for a field goal to start the night.
| Section 2 | ||
| Conestoga | 6-0 | 10-0 |
| Exeter | 5-1 | 9-1 |
| Gov. Mifflin | 3-3 | 5-5 |
| Ephrata | 4-2 | 6-4 |
| Elizabethtown | 2-4 | 2-8 |
| Muhlenberg | 1-5 | 3-7 |
| Lebanon | 0-6 | 0-10 |
After a holding call backed Exeter up to the 16-yard line, the Eagles trotted out a package with running back Jayden Zandier under center and a trio of backs behind him. Zandier faked a handoff to Justin Prizer, rolled to his left and fired a perfect strike to Aidan Dauble in the end zone to make it 7-0.
The trick play sparked the Eagles, who rolled from there. The 71-point margin-of-victory was the largest in program history, topping the 77-7 win over Muhlenberg in 2021.
The 71 points are second-most scored in a game in program history.
The win could earn the Eagles (5-1, 9-1) a first-round home game next week in the District 3 Class 5A Tournament. Official pairings will be announced Sunday.
Exeter was coming off a 28-27 loss to Conestoga Valley that cost it the section title. The Eagles were denied on a two-point conversion that would have won it.
Zandier tallied five touchdowns — all in just one half.
After his unexpected passing touchdown, Zandier found his legs. He ran over, through and around defenders, scoring touchdowns on runs of 24, 22, 4 and 12 yards.
With Exeter leading 56-0 at halftime, Zandier spent the second half on the sidelines, resting up for the playoffs.
Exeter is getting healthier at the right time. In a game against Muhlenberg on Oct. 4, Eagles starting quarterback Riley Martinez left with an ankle injury and has missed the last three weeks of the regular season. However, he might be ready just in time for a playoff run.
“He’s a week-to-week guy,” said Exeter coach Matt Bauer.
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Final | |
| Exeter | 28 | 28 | 15 | 0 | 71 |
| Elizabethtown | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Scoring summary
| 1 | Exeter | Dauble, 16 pass from Zandier (Franek kick) |
| 1 | Exeter | Zandier, 24 run (Franek kick) |
| 1 | Exeter | Redding, 7 run (Franek kick) |
| 1 | Exeter | Stutzman, 37 pass from Hafer (Franek kick) |
| 2 | Exeter | Zandier, 21 run (Franek kick) |
| 2 | Exeter | Zandier, 4 run (Franek kick) |
| 2 | Exeter | Zandier, 12 run (Franek kick) |
| 2 | Exeter | Brown, 11 run (Gaston kick) |
| 3 | Exeter | Alvarez, 6 run (Gaston kick) |
| 3 | Exeter | Reinert, 19 fumble return (Ware run) |
Team statistics
| Exeter | Elizabethtown | |
| First downs | 22 | 5 |
| Rushes-yards | 30-249 | 23-55 |
| Passing yards | 83 | 44 |
| Total yards | 332 | 99 |
| Passes | 6-8 | 11-24 |
| Fumbles-lost | 0-0 | 2-2 |
| Punts-average | 1-39.0 | 3-30.3 |
| Penalties-yards | 5-25 | 3-30 |
Individual statistics
RUSHING
Exeter: Zandier 9-109, Brown 6-70, Alvarez 7-39, Jackson 2-15, Redding 1-7, Stutzman 2-7, Johnson 3-2.
Elizabethtown: Moran 11-25, Shank 8-20, Wratto 4-10.
PASSING
Exeter: Hafer 4-5-0–59, Zandier 1-1-0–16, Odom 1-2-0–8.
Elizabethtown: Shank 11-24-2–44.
RECEIVING
Exeter: Stutzman 1-37, Dauble 1-16, Redding 1-12, Reinert 1-8, Zandier 1-6, Young 1-4.
Elizabethtown: Engle 4-6, Ashton 2-13, Cintron 2-13, Moran 2-11, Mohr 1-1.
INTERCEPTIONS
Exeter: Redding, Dauble.
