Season Preview: Wyomissing Spartans
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Top Players To Watch in Section 4 of the Lancaster-Lebanon League
What to expect in Section 4 of the Lancaster-Lebanon League
(Chris Knight/LNP photo)
Classification: Class 4A.
League: Lancaster-Lebanon Section 4.
Schedule: Click here.
Last season: 6-1 Section 4, 10-3 overall.
Last District 3 playoff appearance: 2024.
Head coach: Bob Wolfrum, 39th season, 372-92-1.
Key losses: RB/S Derek Macrina, second-team all-league C Francisco Fabian, all-league G and DE Max Tipton, G Ayden Jimenez, OT Caleb Beane, second-team all-league OT and DT Keaton Piacine, NG Jordan Gwynn.
Top offensive players: QB Brady Eisenhower, QB Teddy White, all-league FB Chase Eisenhower (784 rushing yards, 13 TDs), HB/WR/KR Justice Hardy (9.3 yards per carry, 15 TDs), HB/FB Tyler Niedrowski, HB Danny Fleischood, FB Zander Westwood, TE Diamante Strong, C Robert Martino, G Jack Bennethum, G Andrew Bresnahan, T Parker Laferriere, second-team all-league PK Keegan Maher.
Top defensive players: E Andrew Bresnahan, E Parker Laferriere, T Khaliel Rivera, all-league ILB Chase Eisenhower, ILB Zander Westwood, all-league OLB Tyler Niedrowski, OLB Diamante Strong, S and Section 4 Defensive Back of the Year Justice Hardy, S Daniel Delp, CB Danny Fleischood, CB Marcus Armistead, all-league P PK Keegan Maher.
(PhilMarPhoto)
Did you know? The Spartans saw their 36-game home winning streak snapped last year with a 20-7 loss to Lampeter-Strasburg. Their previous home loss came in 2018 to Berks Catholic.
For the record: Chase Eisenhower needs 738 rushing yards to become the third in program history to reach 3,000 and 855 yards to top Gregory Lord’s program record of 3,116.
On schedule: Wyomissing opens the season at Southern Columbia, where it knocked off the Tigers the last time they played there in 2021, snapping a 65-game winning streak, at the time the longest in the nation. The Spartans beat the Tigers at Wyomissing 35-21 to open last season.
Quotable: “We felt somewhat accomplished (after last season) but we know we had way more in us. We’re all really hungry. We want to come back and get to where we didn’t last year. Even against schools like Haverford, we feel we belong playing. We’re gonna be ready.” – junior running back Justice Hardy.
Outlook: Bob Wolfrum enjoyed a good laugh earlier this summer when he was asked if All-State running back/defensive back Justice Hardy could handle a switch to guard. The Spartans are depleted along their offensive line after graduating nine linemen. To fill the void Andrew Bresnahan, a potential Division I tight end, was moved to guard. Parker Laferriere, another tight end, was moved to the other tackle spot.
(Purdon Photography/Brad Drey)
Hardy is strong, smart, and has great feet, everything you could wish for in a Wing-T lineman. For now he remains in the backfield, though Wolfrum admits: “He would be a really good guard.”
If the new offensive linemen can come through, Hardy and his backfield mates will be running for touchdowns deep into the fall.
One year after seeing their streak of six straight District 3 championships come to a halt – they lost to Lampeter-Strasburg in overtime in the Class 4A title game – the Spartans are right back at the top. They ended last season ranked No. 5 in the state and should hold a similarly lofty spot throughout the season.
The backfield is simply loaded – potentially one of the best they’ve ever had. Along with Hardy, who’s now getting Power 5 looks, there is three-year starting fullback Chase Eisenhower, positioned to become the program’s all-time rushing leader, and Tyler Niedrowski, who could slide from fullback to halfback in order to get more looks.
Basketball star Danny Fleischood, who returned to football last season, has flashed college talent. And then there’s junior fullback Zander Westwood, who would be starting on most teams.
(Purdon Photography/Brad Drey)
“Hardy gets a lot of press, and he should,” Wolfrum said, “but the other ones are very good, too. There were years when I didn’t have a back who could break five-flat (in the 40), not one. Now we’re deep. We’ve got backups we’re completely comfortable putting in the game and know will be good.”
The Spartans’ biggest improvement could come at quarterback where sophomore Brady Eisenhower returns after missing last season with a shoulder injury. He and junior Teddy White, last year’s starter, are battling for the No. 1 spot. Wolfrum is confident that whoever gets it, the position will be much stronger than a year ago, when the Spartans had little to no passing threat.
“We’re in a whole ’nother place now,” he said of quarterback play.
The defense should be exceptional. Eisenhower is a four-year starter and two-time all-league pick. Niedrowski is a three-year starter, was the Berks Defensive Player of the Year as a junior and is regarded as one of the best field-side ‘backers in program history. The rangy, athletic Bresnahan moves to defensive end and should be a force on the edge. Hardy, a shutdown corner, will also see time at safety, where he’ll direct an athletic secondary that will include more of Fleischood.
Special teams will indeed be special with Hardy, a track star and true game-breaker, returning kicks and all-league punter and placekicker Keegan Maher handling those duties as well as anyone the Spartans have ever had.
At the wire: With the return of 11 all-league picks, Spartans loom as the favorite in Section 4 and District 3 Class 4A.
