’22 Season Preview: Exeter Eagles
Classification: Class 5A
League: Lancaster-Lebanon Section 2
Schedule: Click here
Last season: 3-1 Berks 1, 10-4 overall
Last District 3 playoff appearance: 2021
Head coach: Matt Bauer, 14th season, 93-52
Key losses: All-league LB Ty Yocum, all-league LB J.R. Strauss, all-league RB Eric Nangle, all-league C Kyle Helm, second-team all-league QB Colin Payne, second-team all-league DB Jacob Wolfe.
| LL2 | Projected finish |
| 1 | Exeter |
| 2 | Manheim Central |
| 3 | Gov. Mifflin |
| 4 | Warwick |
| 5 | Conestoga Valley |
| 6 | Muhlenberg |
| 7 | Lebanon |
Top offensive players: QB/TE Joey Schlaffer (all-league WR), QB Mason Rotelli, RB/TE Richie Karstien, TE Joey Reedy, TE Zach Zandier, WR Jovan Hollis, WR Nathan Pashley, WR Carter Redding, WR Isaiah Choy, all-league G Lucas Palange, all-league T Anthony Caccese, second-team all-league G Kyle Lash.
Top defensive players: All-league E Richie Karstien, E Joey Reedy, E Kyle Lash, T Anthony Caccese, all-league LB Lucas Palange, E/LB Joey Schlaffer, LB Zach Zandier, LB Miles Brandt, S Jovan Hollis, S Nathan Pashley, CB Carter Redding.
Did you know? The Eagles won three games on the road last season en route to capturing their first District 3 championship. Their four playoff wins last year equaled the program total in 15 previous district games.
For the record: The Eagles set program records with 530 points scored and a 37.9 scoring average last season.
Quotable: “When Coach Bauer first came in, no one would’ve thought we had a shot at (winning a district title). (Now) we see what the outcome is of working hard in the summer, being consistent in the weight room, taking care of your school stuff, all of the things culminating and you see what’s possible. For younger kids coming into the program, that should show what Exeter football is capable of .” — Senior Joey Schlaffer, of winning a District 3 championship.
Outlook: The Eagles have had a seamless string of top-flight quarterbacks during their ascension to championship status, from Kyle Yocum to Chase Yocum to Brandon Unterkoefler to Kolby Haag to Gavin McCusker to Colin Payne, who threw three touchdown passes in the District 3 Class 5A title game last season.
Filling that spot following Payne’s record-setting season has been the most intriguing issue for the Eagles throughout the spring and summer as Joey Schlaffer, a Penn State tight end recruit, and fellow senior Mason Rotelli audition for the job.
Schlaffer, an all-league wide receiver last season and on the verge of setting several program receiving records, looked like the favorite heading into training camp because of his athleticism, big-game experience and poise under pressure. He has the stronger arm of the two and will have a promising receiving corps to work with, including athletic Jovan Hollis, a top basketball player at Antietam, and Nate Pashley, a two-way starter at Conwell Egan last season.
Of course the strength of the team — as it was a year ago — will be the offensive line, where three all-league picks return, including 6-6, 280-pound Anthony Caccese, a University of Delaware recruit. Richie Karstien slides over from TE to provide a powerful running back.
The defense figures to be strong again, with six return starters, including Lucas Palange, an all-league LB, and Karstien, an all-league DE. The Eagles need to replace 11 starters and eight all-league picks but the biggest concern, says head coach Matt Bauer, is replacing the top-shelf leadership they got a year ago from the likes of Ty Yocum, J.R. Strauss and Payne.
On schedule: Exeter ends its regular season at Manheim Central, where it won 43-26 last year in a district quarterfinal. That season finale should determine the Section 2 champ.
At the wire: Top contender for Lancaster-Lebanon Section 2 crown, along with Manheim Central and Gov. Mifflin.
