Spotlight Game: Exeter vs. Conestoga Valley
2023 Berks football coverage presented by
Utilities Employees Credit Union
Exeter (8-0) vs. Conestoga Valley (6-2)
Kick: Friday, 7, at Witmer.
Section 2 records: Eagles 4-0, Buckskins 3-1.
Series: Eagles lead 1-0.
Last season: Exeter 38, Conestoga Valley 10.
2022 recap: Joey Schlaffer scored a pair of fourth-quarter touchdowns, one on a 91-yard run, as the Eagles pulled away. Richie Karstein rushed for 94 yards and scored a pair of touchdowns for Exeter. Mason Rotelli threw for 176 yards, 129 of it on five connections with the Penn State-bound Schlaffer. Exeter held CV to just 5 first downs, 32 rushing yards and 136 totals yards. The Bucks’ only TD came on a 55-yard pass from Macoy Kneisley to Jeffery Fisher.
Eagles update: Scored the final three touchdowns last week to pull away from Hempfield for a 49-27 victory, their 20th straight in the regular season. . . Jayden Zandier scored four TDs, one on a 79-yard kickoff, another on a 77-yard run. . . Zandier leads the team with 757 rushing yards and 14 TDs; he’s averaging 11.8 yards per catch. . . He is averaging 35.1 yards on 9 kickoff returns. . . Soph QB Riley Martinez needs 16 passing yards to reach 1,000 in his first varsity season. . . Martinez has not thrown an INT since Week 2. . . TE Zack Zandier, a Coastal Carolina recruit, leads team with 18 catches, 3 for TDs. . . Ranked No. 3 in Lancaster-Lebanon League in rushing defense, allowing 93.5 yards per game. . . No. 5 in total defense, allowing 219.1 yards per game. . . No. 3 in scoring defense, allowing 11.6 points per game. . . Soph LB Aidan Dauble leads team in tackles. . . Junior LB Tyler Flanders leads team with 10 tackles for loss and 5 sacks. . . Senior T Ryan McConnell leads team with 8 QB hurries. . . Senior DB Nate Pashley leads team with 3 INTs. . . 29.4 margin of victory is highest in Berks and fourth-highest in the league. . . Have committed 7 turnovers; only 3 teams in the league have committed fewer (Manheim Township, Manheim Central and Octorara). . . Ranked No. 3 in the state in Class 5A.
Did you know? Junior running back Jayden Zandier rushed for 262 yards last week in a win over Hempfield, the most ever by an Exeter player in a regular season game. The program record of 332 yards was set by Eric Nangle in a 2021 district playoff against Cedar Crest.
Buckskins update: Saw four-game winning streak snapped last week with 47-14 loss to Manheim Central. . . Junior Jayden Johnson leads team in rushing (667 yards), receptions (16) and touchdowns (18). . . He’s averaging 7.4 yards per carry and 24.7 per catch. . . Johnson has scored 18 of team’s 32 TDs. . . Senior QB Liam Cheek has passed for 1,016 yards and 11 TDs. . . Had allowed just 3 TDs in 4 games prior to last week. . . Allowed 68 points in first 7 games, 47 last week. . . Posted shutouts over Penn Manor and Solanco. . . Ranked No. 8 in District 3 Class 5A power rankings.
Fast fact: The Eagles have won 26 of their last 28 games, the only losses coming to Penn-Trafford in a 2021 state semifinal and to Cocalico last season in a district final.
Up next: Exeter hosts Manheim Central (4-0, 7-1) in the regular season finale with the Section 2 title on the line. The Eagles beat the Barons 21-17 in Manheim last season to complete a perfect regular season and win the Section 2 title in their first season in the Lancaster-Lebanon League.
