Wyomissing Physical Therapy Player of the Week: Fleetwood’s Jake Karnish
Wyomissing Physical Therapy Offensive Player of the Week
Jake Karnish was an All-Berks pick last season as a junior, the first at Fleetwood in at least 40 years. It won’t be long until the Tigers have another.
Karnish has been the Berks League’s most dominant player in the opening weeks of the season, averaging a league-high 26.0 points and leading Fleetwood to 11 straight wins to open the season.
He took his game to an even higher level last week when averaged 29 points and 11 rebounds in leading the Tigers to three straight wins, including key pair of league wins. He’s been named Wyomissing Physical Therapy Player of the Week for the second time in five weeks.
“Jake has a motor that does not quit,” said Fleetwood coach Terry Sitler after watching Karnish match his career-high with 33 points Saturday, including 14 in the fourth quarter to spark the Tigers’ comeback in a 73-67 win over East Stroudsburg North. “Jake knows when to pick it up, and he lifts the whole team up.”
He did so earlier in the week, helping lift the Tigers after they fell beind at Oley Valley. He scored 29 points and grabbed 16 rebounds in the 59-50 victory.
For the week he scored 87 points in 91 minutes, with 33 rebounds and 11 assists. He shot 70.5 percent from 2-point range, was 4-of-10 on 3-pointers and 27-of-32 at the free throw line.
For the season he’s shooting 86.5 percent from the foul line, second-best in the Berks Conference.
“Jake understands the importance of each possession and knows how to motivate himself and the team,” Sitler said. “He is keeping our team focused on our task at hand – one day at a time.”
Karnish, a senior forward, is leading the Tigers in scoring for the third straight season. He averaged 10.7 points per game as a sophomore and 17.2 last season.
He has scored 1,124 career points, fourth-highest in program history. He is 77 points away from Dave Angstadt’s program-record 1,201 points.
At the rate he’s going it won’t take him long to get there. He has scored 19 or more points in every game and has reached 30 three times. He set his career high with 33 against Red Land Dec. 10.
Last year he set his career high with 30 points against Schuylkill Valley.
Fleetwood hosts Wyomissing on Tuesday, plays at Kutztown Friday and is home Saturday against Manheim Central.
Karnish is the first player to earn Wyomissing Physical Therapy Player of the Week honors twice this season. He was also selected for the opening week of the season. He was selected once as a junior.
Players considered for Player of the Week honors are nominated by their coaches or by members of the MikeDragoSports.com coverage team.
Also considered for Wyomissing Physical Therapy Player of the Week:
- Jowen Reyes-Rodriguez, Antietam
- Ryan Koch, Berks Catholic
- Alex Malone, Conrad Weiser
- Zyion Paschall, Exeter
- Xander Menapace, Hamburg
- Keith Neal, Oley Valley
- Aris Rodriguez, Reading High
- Dominic Giuffre, Schuylkill Valley
- Kannon Zdimal, Twin Valley
- Alex Campbell, Wyomissing
Players selected earlier this season:
- Dec. 12: Jake Karnish, Fleetwood
- Dec. 19: Mark Rajnath, Schuylkill Valley
- Dec. 26: Ryan Koch, Berks Catholic
- Jan. 2: Myles Grey, Reading High
Players selected last season:
- Dec. 20: Matt Harley, Gov. Mifflin
- Dec. 27: Colin Payne, Exeter
- Jan. 3: Jake Karnish, Fleetwood
- Jan. 10: Myles Grey, Reading High
- Jan. 17: Danny Turchi, Oley Valley
- Jan. 24: Ruben Rodriguez, Reading High
- Jan. 31: Julian O’Brien, Wyomissing
- Feb. 7: Xavier Goodman, Kutztown
- Feb. 14: Danny Turchi, Oley Valley
- Feb. 21: Ruben Rodriguez, Reading High
- Feb. 28: Hector Tiburcio, Antietam
- March 7: Joey Chapman, Reading High
