Evan Johnson is Wyomissing Physical Therapy Offensive Player of the Week
Wyomissing Physical Therapy Offensive Player of the Week
Evan Johnson doesn’t get a ton of touches out of the Twin Valley backfield. He splits tailback duties with Drew Engle and the Raiders have enough other weapons that they don’t have to overly expose their 5-10 junior too often.
Johnson is used in the Raiders’ passing game, according to coach Brett Myers, “when needed.”
Friday night he was needed. Twin Valley trailed Solanco by seven points, had 71 yards to go and faced third-and-11 with about 30 seconds remaining.
Johnson slid out of the backfield, got single coverage by a linebacker, raced past him, and ran under a deep ball from Evan Myers for a touchdown with 25 seconds remaining. When Ian Winchester crashed in with the two-point conversion the Raiders had a 29-28 victory.
Johnson also ran for a 63-yard touchdown and finished with 122 rushing yards to earn Wyomissing Physical Therapy Offensive Player of the Week for the second time. He was selected last season after a four-touchdown performance in a playoff win over Milton Hershey.
The Raiders’ perfect start was on the line before the two Evans – who have been playing together since they were 8 years old – came through in the clutch.
“If you look at the scoreboard you think there’s no way (we’re winning this game),” Brett Myers said. “We tell ’em the only thing that matters is the next play, don’t worry about the scoreboard until it’s over. They’re listening.”
Johnson led the Raiders with 24 receptions last season but Brett Myers has saved him for special passing-game situations this season; he had just three catches before Friday.
The Raiders coach said his quarterback read the defense at the line and saw he had a favorable match-up with Johnson down the right sideline.
“The post (receiver) occupied the safety, so that tells him to get the ball to E.J. one-on-one, and that happened,” Myers said. “He had to make the read and put enough air under it to let E.J. keeping running away from (the linebacker).”
Johnson has run away from a lot of defenders this season. He’s averaging 10.6 yards per carry and has rushed for 799 yards, fifth-most in the Lancaster-Lebanon League.
He finished his sophomore season with 993 rushing yards, a team-high 17 TDs and an 8.6 yards-per-carry average. He had 24 receptions.
He was a second-team all-league pick at both running back and defensive back.
He’s a better player this season because of his increased physicality, Myers said.
“He’s finishing runs, he’s (running) inside the tackles, he’s running downhill,” he said. “He’s not looking to make a big play, he’s just looking to run the play. When you’re paying attention to the details something big happens.”
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 Offensive Player of the Week:
- Michael Bradley, Berks Catholic
- Jack Heckman, Conrad Weiser
- Anthony High, Daniel Boone
- Jayden Zandier, Exeter
- Mason Musitano, Fleetwood
- Mason Semmel, Hamburg
- Mason Sherry, Kutztown
- Tommy Hunsicker, Wilson
Selected earlier this season:
- Week 1: Tyler Shuey, Hamburg
- Week 2: Tommy Hunsicker, Wilson
- Week 3: Dominic Giuffre, Schuylkill Valley
- Week 4: Jayden Zandier, Exeter
- Week 5: Drew Forrey, Wyomissing
Players selected last season:
- Week 1: Gio Cavanna, Muhlenberg
- Week 2: Cam Jones, Wilson
- Week 3: Pierce Mason, Hamburg
- Week 4: Gio Cavanna, Muhlenberg
- Week 5: Josiah Jordan, Berks Catholic
- Week 6: Ruben Rodriguez, Reading High
- Week 7: Cam Jones, Wilson
- Week 8: Dominic Giuffre, Schuylkill Valley
- Week 9: Leland Moore, Hamburg
- Week 10: Cam Jones, Wilson
- Week 11: Pierce Mason, Hamburg
- Week 12: Evan Johnson, Twin Valley
