Adam Noll happy he didn’t punt on chance to play football at Conrad Weiser
Adam Noll wasn’t so sure he wanted to try kicking for the football team at Conrad Weiser. It’s not an easy conversion from kicking a soccer ball, which he had done all his life.
And besides, the pressure would be enormous: He would be following in the rather large footsteps of his brother Matt, who was only one of the best all-around kickers in Berks football history.
“Just come to one practice,” Matt pleaded with his little brother.
Turns out Adam got a kick out of his new sport. He took over as Scouts kicker his sophomore season. Last year he was the All-Berks placekicker. This year he earned All-Berks status as both a punter and placekicker.
“It paid off, for sure,” Adam Noll said of his brother’s urging.
His excellence at both punting and placekicking — not easily accomplished — earned him Berks County Specialist of the Year, an honor awarded each season by Kick-It founder John Zima, Berks’ long-time kicking guru.
The Specialist of the Year standings are based on rankings of extra-point and field goal accuracy, field goal length, touchbacks and punting average.
Noll and Andrew Kurtas of Berks Catholic, the runner-up for the Specialist award, shared the Berks lead in field goals, with six. Noll also had the second-longest field goal in Berks this year, at 46 yards, and finished second in punting average, at 39.1.
Kurtas had the third-longest field goal, at 44 yards.
Schuylkill Valley’s Noah Wamsher, who finished third in the competition, was second with 13 touchbacks, second in total field goals with five and had the fourth-longest field goal at 43 yards.
Matt Noll was a Pennsylvania Football News All-State pick as a senior in 2019, won the Berks Specialist of the Year award and was a two-time All-Berks punter and placekicker. He set the Berks career record for field goals with 23. As a junior he set the Berks single-season mark with 12 field goals, on 15 attempts.
His success inspired Adam.
“It gave me the want to be what he was,” he said. “I really look up to him as a role model, and what I want to be when I’m older. I was trying to do exactly what he did. I’m thankful I got the opportunity to play with him as a freshman.”
Matt was an instant success at Delaware State. Last year, as a freshman, he was named All-MEAC punter. He just completed an even better sophomore season, averaging 42.8 yards per kick, with 15 punts inside the 20.
He and Adam have worked out together over the years. He shares tips with his brother. Adam sends him video of his kicks every time the Scouts play. Matt sends back encouraging messages.
“He tells me to be confident,” Adam said. ” ‘You have the leg, (just) go out and have fun. Be the best version of you to try to help the team win.’ “
The Scouts didn’t have the greatest of seasons but that didn’t diminish Adam Noll’s role. If anything he was more important than ever, said Weiser coach Alan Moyer. A strong leg helps win the field position battle and aids a young team, as the Scouts were.
“It really changes the way you approach game-planning when you know you have that in your back pocket,” he said of a kicker as dependable as Noll.
Noll averaged 36.9 yards on punts this season, made 17-of-18 PATs and 6-of-12 field goals. He had a chance to break the school record with a 47-yard attempt at Octorara early in the season but misjudged the distance and missed the kick. He was determined not to let that happen again.
| Berks’ longest FGs | |||
| Darin Tranquillo, Schuylkill Valley | 57 | vs. Daniel Boone | 1998 |
| Ben Dato, Wyomissing | 53 | vs. Littlestown | 2003 |
| Jonah Bowman, Wyomissing | 52 | vs. Aliquippa | 2012 |
| Jackson Schools, Gov. Mifflin | 51 | vs. Conestoga Valley | 2022 |
| Max Randolph, Kutztown | 51 | vs. Pequea Valley | 2012 |
| Aidan Cirulli, Wyomissing | 49 | vs. Berks Catholic | 2019 |
| Taylor Bertolet, Exeter | 48 | vs. Pottsville | 2010 |
| Brooks Miller, Schuylkill Valley | 48 | vs. Conrad Weiser | 1999 |
| Kelvin Del Cid, Reading High | 47 | vs. York High | 2018 |
| Ricky Ziska, Wilson | 47 | vs. McCaskey | 2002 |
| John Ford, Kutztown | 47 | vs. Muhlenberg | 1983 |
One of his goals was to top Matt’s longest field goal at Weiser, 45 yards. He knew he might not get too many chances at it.
“After every practice, Coach Moyer would say: ‘You’re gonna get one Noll; you’re gonna get a long one.’ “
His second — and turns out last — last chance came in Week 9 at Lampeter-Strasburg. He nailed a 46-yarder, 1 yard longer than Matt’s best and good enough to tie Jake Roth’s program record, set in 2015.
“It was special,” he said of the feat.
Only Jackson Schools, who set the Gov. Mifflin record with a 51-yard field goal, made a longer one this season among Berks kickers.
Fleetwood’s Cole Pennypacker led Berks in touchbacks with 15.
Wyomissing’s Ian Levering was the leading scorer among kickers, with 70 points. He was good on 61-of-63 extra points and made three field goals.
Eli Blatt of high-scoring Hamburg was second in kicking points with 67; he made 61 PATs, tying Levering for the lead.
Noll finished second to Daniel Boone’s Nate Millard last year. Millard is now kicking at Kutztown University.
Noll is happy he gave kicking footballs a chance and grateful for the opportunity. He hopes to kick or punt in college.
“I couldn’t ask for anything more,” he said of his Weiser experience. “I really thank Coach Moyer for the love and support he’s given me.”
Specialist of the Year stats
| Longest FG | Touchbacks | Punting | |||||
| Jackson Schools, Gov. Mifflin | 51 | Cole Pennypacker, Fleetwood | 15 | Ryker Jones, Wyomissing | 41.0 | ||
| Adam Noll, Conrad Weiser | 46 | Noah Wamsher, Sch. | 13 | Adam Noll, Conrad Weiser | 39.1 | ||
| Andrew Kurtas, Berks Catholic | 44 | Ricky Clark, Hamburg | 11 | Xander Menapace, Hamb. | 37.0 | ||
| Noah Wamsher, Sch. Valley | 43 | Tommy Hunsicker, Wilson | 34.1 |