Season preview: Exeter Eagles

Classification: Class 5A

League: Berks Section 1

Last season: 2-2 league, 6-2 overall

Schedule: Click here

Last District 3 playoff appearance: 2019

Head coach: Matt Bauer, 13th season, 83-48 (.633)

Key losses: Defensive Back of the Year and all-league KR Gio Nowotarski, all-league QB and DB Gavin McCusker, all-league C and DL Tim Furman, all-league G Preston Brown.

Top offensive players: QB Colin Payne, all-league RB Eric Nangle, second-team all-league FB/TE Ty Yocum, second-team all-league TE/RB J.R. Strauss, TE Phil Garretson, Receiver of the Year Joey Schlaffer, WR Carson Schmidt, WR Jacob Wolfe, WR Kellen Boyer, WR Andrew Miller, C Kyle Helm, G Lucas Palange, G Kyle Lash, all-league second-team T Anthony Caccese, T Sam Orzolek, all-league second-team PK Mike Moser.

Top defensive players: E Anthony Caccese, E Joey Reedy, all-league second-team T Richie Karstein, T Kyle Lash, T Sam Orzolek, all-league LB J.R. Strauss, all-league second-team LB Ty Yocum, LB Jovan Hollis, LB Lucas Palange, SS Phil Garretson, FS Kellen Boyer, CB Colin Payne, CB Jacob Wolfe, CB Andrew Miller.

Notable: The Eagles recorded their program-record 10th straight winning record last season but saw their district playoff streak snapped at nine seasons when District 3 took just four teams, rather than the standard eight. Exeter had the seventh-highest power rating.

Fast fact: Taylor Bertolet owns the program-record longest field goal at 48 yards; he hit it against Pottsville in 2010. He broke the record of 46 yards, set five years earlier by his brother, Matt.

Quotable: “We have a lot of key pieces, kids in the right positions, and I really like the team chemistry. They’re coming together nicely. People talk about all the weapons we have, and these kids do want the ball, but they’re pulling for each other, they want to see each other succeed, and they always put the team first. That’s a testament to their maturity. They want to work and they want to have success; hopefully that’s a good formula.” — Eagles coach Matt Bauer.

Outlook: The Eagles have the makings of a championship team: Strong leadership, top-flight athletes, big linemen, a quarterback with a big arm, a quality running back and a fleet of capable receivers. They also happen to be paired with one of the best teams in the state in Gov. Mifflin, a hurdle they’ll have to clear both in Section 1 and in District 3.

The Mustangs are the only District 3 team listed in PennLive’s preseason Top Ten in Class 5A; the Eagles are one of just two others in the Teams To Watch category, along with Manheim Central.

That’s heady company, for sure, but the Eagles have the ability to take flight. They’ve got the best pair of inside linebackers in the league in J.R. Strauss, who is committed to Villanova, and Ty Yocum, and 6-6 Joey Schlaffer, a receiver who is getting big-time Division I looks.

Colin Payne finally gets his chance at the controls after waiting in the wings behind all-league QBs Gavin McCusker and Kolby Haag. He’s been excellent in spot appearances, completing 64.1 percent of his passes with eight TDs in just 67 attempts. He filled in as a freshman for an injured Haag and completed 14-of-18 passes for 185 yards and two TDs. Last season he attempted five passes; two ended up as TDs.

He’s capable of putting up those kinds of numbers every week, especially with targets such as Schlaffer and Carson Schmidt. They shared the team lead with 20 receptions each last season; Schlaffer averaged 23.3 yards per catch. He’s bigger and stronger now and will see time at TE as well as WR.

Exeter’s offense is always balanced and will be again with the return of all-league TB Eric Nangle, who led the team with 774 rushing yards and 857 total yards. Payne can also take off and run .

Nangle will get plenty of blocking from the bullish Yocum, who has an offer from Merrimack College, and from Strauss; each will see time at TE, or as an H-back, usually at the point of attack, or in the backfield. Strauss averaged 7.3 yards per carry last year and the bullish Yocum was not stopped once in third- or fourth-and-short.

That duo will also set the tone on defense, where they’ll line up inside together for the first time — Strauss had played on the outside — and cause havoc. Look for three juniors, T Richie Karstein, T Kyle Lash and E Anthony Caccese, to fortify the front line.

With 16 starters returning, at least three Division I recruits, and a gunslinger at QB the Eagles are ready for big challenges, and they’ll get them. They open Friday against Central York, which played for the Class 6A PIAA championship last year, host Wilson in Week 3 and have October league games against Berks Catholic and Gov. Mifflin.

At the wire: Challenging for the Berks 1 title and a first-round home game in the district tournament.