Wilson’s Brady Kline earns Body Zone Physical Therapy defensive award
Brady Kline still wears his quarterback number. He loves No. 12 and loved playing quarterback coming up through Wilson’s system.
He’s found a new home now at inside linebacker; he loves that spot, too. It suits his physical skill set and has helped the Bulldogs to their best season in years.
“He’s smart and he’s physical,” Wilson defensive coordinator Ernie Wolber said of Kline. “You’ve got a 225-pound linebacker to take on running backs and take on guards. He’s learned to use his size and athleticism to be violent with his hands. He makes plays because he bounces off blocks well with his hands.”
The senior and two-year starter on defense put those skills to good use Friday when he had a sack and recovered a fumble to help the Bulldogs thwart Central York 28-20 in a District 3 Class 6A semifinal.
He also recorded five tackles, including one for loss, in picking up his first Body Zone Physical Therapy Defensive Player of the Week honors.
Kline switched from defensive end to insider ’backer before his junior season. He went through growing pains, as did the rest of the Wilson defense. The Bulldogs allowed more than 25 points and nearly 300 yards per game last season, when they were bounced in the opening round of the district playoffs by Cumberland Valley.
They’ve been much better on that side of the ball this season, and so has Kline. That’s one of the biggest reasons they’re 11-1, Lancaster-Lebanon League Section 1 champions and playing for a District 3 Class 6A title Saturday against Harrisburg.
The Bulldogs are ranked No. 2 in the league in total defense, allowing nearly 100 yards less per game, and Kline has been a big part of that. He was Friday when Wilson held Central York to three points in the second half and advanced to a district final for the first time Kline was a freshman, in 2021.
“People had questions (about us) at the start of the year,” Kline said. “I had questions myself. We have a lot of young guys out there, but throughout the season they came along, they grew up.”
Wilson will take a nine-game winning streak into Saturday’s game. It has allowed just 12 touchdowns during that winning streak; it has allowed a total of two touchdowns in two playoff wins.
“Last year, it was frustrating for him (learning a new position),” Wolber said. “This year he’s a different football player. At team camp at East Stroudsburg (during the summer) he started to take off and he hasn’t stopped since. This year he understands what we’re trying to accomplish and has been a key cog in our defense.”
Kline is fourth on the team with 44 tackles; he has 8.5 tackles for loss, a pair of sacks and two fumble recoveries.
He’s also been a key part on offense, where he’s played tight end since breaking into the starting lineup during a big freshman season. He made one of the biggest plays of the season on offense with a 41-yard touchdown catch against Manheim Township in the fourth quarter; that broke open the game and sent the Bulldogs onto the Section 1 title.
Overall, he’s taken three of his seven receptions to the end zone.
Kline is the fourth Wilson player to earn Defensive Player of the Week honors this season. Linebacker EJ Brownback was selected in Week 2; safety Chase Herb was the pick in Week 10; cornerback Jaiden Carpenter was picked last week.
Players considered for Body Zone Physical Therapy Defensive Player of the Week honors are nominated by their coaches or by members of the MikeDragoSports.com coverage team.
This is the fourth consecutive year that Body Zone Physical Therapy is sponsoring the Defensive Player of the Week. At the end of the season a Defensive Player of the Year will be named.
Also considered this week:
- Casey Gerhart, Exeter
- Aidan Dauble, Exeter
- Genuine Stutzman, Exeter
- Carter Faubel, Twin Valley
- Lucas Myers, Twin Valley
- Christo Hunsicker, Wilson
- EJ Brownback, Wilson
- Daniel Delp, Wyomissing
- Tyler Niedrowski, Wyomissing
- Max Tipton, Wyomissing
Selected earlier this season:
- Week 1: Fred Lacey, Muhlenberg
- Week 2: EJ Brownback, Wilson
- Week 3: Landen Hare, Fleetwood
- Week 4: Logan Cammauf, Schuylkill Valley
- Week 5: Justice Hardy, Wyomissing
- Week 6: Kowen Gerner, Schuylkill Valley
- Week 7: Tyler Niedrowski, Wyomissing
- Week 8: Andrew Bresnahan, Wyomissing
- Week 9: Ashton Kiebach, Conrad Weiser
- Week 10: Chase Herb, Wilson
- Week 11: Jayden Ware, Exeter
- Week 12: Jaiden Carpenter, Wilson
Selected in 2023 as Defensive Player of the Week:
- Week 1: Lucas Myers, Twin Valley
- Week 2: Michael Odeyemi, Reading High
- Week 3: Stewie Janowski, Gov. Mifflin
- Week 4: Ryker Jones, Wyomissing
- Week 5: Ethan Lafferty, Kutztown
- Week 6: Luke Spotts, Schuylkill Valley
- Week 7: Colby Crills, Schuylkill Valley
- Week 8: Luke Impellizzeri, Berks Catholic
- Week 9: Logan Cammauf, Schuylkill Valley
- Week 10: Justice Hardy, Wyomissing
- Week 11: Dominic Giuffre, Schuylkill Valley
- Week 12: Collin Niedrowski, Wyomissing
Selected in 2022 as Defensive Player of the Week:
- Week 1: Jonathan Martin, Exeter
- Week 2: Nate Capitano, Wilson
- Week 3: Ethan Kryman, Daniel Boone
- Week 4: Nate Pashley, Exeter
- Week 5: Nafis Blythe, Berks Catholic
- Week 6: Nick Weitzel, Wilson
- Week 7: Ryker Jones, Wyomissing
- Week 8: Drew Eisenhower, Wyomissing
- Week 9: Mason Marks, Twin Valley
- Week 10: Lucas Palange, Exeter
- Week 11: Mason Semmel, Hamburg
- Week 12: Ryker Jones, Wyomissing
Selected in 2021 as Defensive Player of the Week:
- Week 1: Brett Organtini, Conrad Weiser
- Week 2: Eden Johnson, Gov. Mifflin
- Week 3: Josiah Jordan, Berks Catholic
- Week 4: Matt Kramer, Wyomissing
- Week 5: Ryan Souder, Daniel Boone
- Week 6: Nevin Carter, Wyomissing
- Week 7: Nate Goodman, Gov. Mifflin
- Week 8: Sam Orzolek, Exeter
- Week 9: Cam Jones, Wilson
- Week 10: Aaron Shuker, Muhlenberg
- Week 11: Mitchell Watt, Hamburg
- Week 12: Tyler Givens, Berks Catholic
- Week 13: Jack Miller, Wyomissing
- Week 14: Ty Yocum, Exeter
