Opportunistic Hempfield shakes off the rust, tops Dallastown
2025 Berks football coverage presented by
Utilities Employees Credit Union
(This story was produced by LNP/Lancasteronline, and published in partnership with MikeDragoSports.com.)
By Brian Markley — LNP/Lancasteronline
| Final | |
| Hempfield | 16 |
| Dallastown | 7 |
LANDISVILLE — Ethan Caldwell emerged from Hempfield’s post-game huddle with a black chain around his neck holding a big red ‘H’ at the bottom of it. It’s the Black Knights’ MVP chain.
Caldwell may have been the one sporting it, but he let it be known that it was his offensive line that deserved it.
“I give all my props to my offensive lineman making those holes for me,” said Caldwell.
One word to sum up Hempfield’s offense in Friday night’s 16-7 non-league win over Dallastown is opportunistic.
The Black Knights entered week one without a scrimmage, and it showed early on offensively. Hempfield QB Derek Katch had to rely on the checkdown pass on numerous occasions, and Caldwell really struggled to get anything going in the first half.
Dallastown’s defense stagnated a Black Knights offense that was very conservative.
The Wildcats held Hempfield to just 81 total yards in the first half, containing Katch, one of just two returning QBs in the Lancaster-Lebanon League with over 2,000 passing yards last season.
It could’ve turned ugly for the Black Knights, but every time they needed a jolt, senior Cadyn Buckwalter was there to provide it.
“This defense has been locked in since June,” said Buckwalter. “We’ve had all 11 guys showing up, grinding together. We’ve been getting really close. So I expected nothing less from this defense tonight.”
Buckwalter had three key momentum moments on the defensive line for Hempfield.
One was a sack of Dallastown quarterback Kody Kissner with 2:42 left in the first half, shutting down a Wildcats drive and forcing them to punt.
The six foot three Buckwalter would emerge huge again with another sack of Kissner, this time forcing fourth down with just under seven minutes remaining in regulation.
“That momentum, it’s huge,” said Buckwalter. “Can’t beat that momentum.”
Momentum intertwined with controversy in the third quarter, when Dallastown’s Kissner pulled the ball away from running back Jadyn Arias with a fake so good that it fooled everyone, including the referees.
Kissner, who had a wide-open pasture of green to the end zone, was dumbfounded when an inadvertent whistle wiped six points off the board.
To add insult to injury for the Wildcats, the ball popped loose on the very next play, with Hempfield emerging with the ball.
Buckwalter and the Black Knights’ stonewall defense allowed Katch, Caldwell and the offense to start to put some substantial drives together in the second half and take advantage of the opportunity.
Caldwell’s name was called on frequently in the second half, and he answered, finding the back of the end zone twice.
“It gives us the energy to keep pushing,” said Caldwell. “Even though we didn’t have a scrimmage, we’re still like that as a team.”
Caldwell would finish the night with exactly 100 rushing yards on 16 attempts. He ran the ball just once in the first half.
Katch went 16-for-23 for 93 yards and an interception, with Orion Abrams being his favorite target of the night, aiming for Abrams on 11 different occasions.
A lot of question marks surrounded Hempfield coming into this game without a scrimmage. The Black Knights answered those with a Week 1 victory.
