Season preview: Conrad Weiser Scouts

Classification: Class 4A

League: Berks Section 2

Schedule: Click here

Last season: 5-0 league, 6-1 overall

Last District 3 playoff appearance: 2020

Head coach: Alan Moyer, 19th season, 126-76.

Key losses: Section 2 Offensive Lineman of the Year Max Pacheco, all-league C Luke Capozzi, all-league TE Tyler Kissling, all-league LB Erik Moyer, LB Gabe Trevena, LB Iann Firestone, DL Ashton Buckner, DL Hunter Eberhardt, DE Brady Moyer.

Top offensive players: All-league QB Logan Klitsch, RB Cameron Jones, RB Cole Rothermel, TE Josh Pazdrick, TE Julian Beach, TE Dylan MacKenzie, all-league WR Aanjay Feliciano, WR Evan Traynor, WR Trey Dianna, WR Nate Fizz, G Ethan Rex, G Cameron Swanson, T Eric Nelson, T Jake Fox, PK Adam Noll.

Top defensive players: All-league NG Brett Organtini, E Josh Pazdrick, E Braden Gehman, LB Nate Fizz, LB Stephon Croft, LB Cole Rothermel, LB Ayden Esterline, all-league DB Evan Traynor, DB Dylan MacKenzie, DB Trey Dianna, DB Aanjay Feliciano.

Did you know? The Scouts have had only four head coaches in their 53 seasons: Ferdie Kuczala (1969-82), Joe Heilman (1983-87), Al Silveri (1988-2002) and Alan Moyer (2003-2021). Moyer has coached the longest (19 seasons) and won the most games (126).

Fast fact: Angel Cruz owns the program rushing records for yards in a game (374) and season (1,885), both set in 2012. He also owns the record for touchdowns in a season (30) and is one of only two players to twice score five TDs in a game (DJ Robinson is the other).

Quotable: “We have enough key kids that we can be successful. Defensively, we lost a lot of good kids. They weren’t Division I recruits, but they were good, solid high school football players. We’re gonna miss that. We’ve got plenty of receivers. We’ve got a really nice quarterback. (But) it all starts up front. That’s a concern.” — Scouts coach Alan Moyer.

Outlook: Logan Klitsch and Aanjay Feliciano were the best pass-catch combo in the league a season ago and are among the best the Scouts have ever had at their respective positions. They led the way as the Scouts averaged a program-record 39.3 points per game. The concern in Robesonia is that many of the guys who helped set them up for that success, along the offensive and defensive lines, have graduated. Rebuilding those two fronts will be the key to the Scouts’ playoff hopes.

They’re coming off a banner season, one that saw them share the Berks 2 title with Wyomissing in their first season since moving over from Section 1. They basically went unchallenged until a playoff shootout against eventual District 3 Class 4A champ Lampeter-Strasburg. The Pioneers couldn’t keep the Scouts out of the end zone, and teams will struggle with that this season.

Klitsch is the most accomplished passer in the league, and a true dual-threat. He’ll break down defenses just as easily with his sprints out of the pocket — he led the Scouts in rushing as a junior — as he will with his right arm; he should do both even better now that he’s faster and stronger. That’s why he picked up an offer from St. Francis. He passed for 1,330 yards and 15 TDs in just seven games a year ago and is on track to finish with over 4,000 yards and 40 passing TDs.

Much of that will come in tandem with Feliciano, who pulled in an offer from Stetson University after pulling in 28 receptions as a junior. He shared the league lead with seven TD receptions and was at his most dangerous after the catch; he averaged 21.3 yards per reception.

Klitsch has other veteran targets in Evan Traynor, Trey Dianna and Nate Fizz, and a shifty ballcarrier in Cameron Jones. Two offensive linemen return but it will be tough replacing a pair of all-league linemen and an all-league tight end.

Defense is a bigger concern, where just five starters return, and only one on the defensive line. That one is a good one — Section 2 Defensive Lineman of the Year Brett Organtini — but he’ll need some help. Three of the four starting spots from a strong linebacking corps must also be replaced.

Special teams are always good at Weiser and should be again, with Adam Noll back to handle kicking duties.

The Scouts have posted winning records in 13 of the last 14 seasons and have made it to District 3 Tournament three straight years. Expect another appearance this year.

At the wire: Top challenger for Wyomissing… and making another playoff run.