Body Zone Physical Therapy Defensive Player of the Week: Wyo’s Collin Niedrowski
Collin Niedrowski can do just about anything on the football field: The 6-foot senior linebacker leads Wyomissing in tackles, averages 7.3 yards per carry as a fullback and is a special teams terror, with a pair of blocked punts.
He’s dangerous in the kitchen, too. Knocked himself out of a game earlier this season when he tried to make deviled eggs and something went askew: He ended up with food poisoning and couldn’t play against Cocalico.
Niedrowski can make other teams feel queasy, too. He did Saturday against Schuylkill Valley when his Pick-Six sparked an early scoring surge in the Spartans’ 48-0 District 3 Class 3A semifinal.
That was enough for him to earn Body Zone Physical Therapy Defensive Player of the Week.
“He’s really athletic,” Spartans coach Bob Wolfrum said of him earlier this season. “He makes plays.”
Niedrowski’s first-quarter interception was the biggest play of Saturday’s game, though he didn’t see it coming. Literally.
“To be honest, I didn’t expect it,” he said of a hurried pass that came right to him as he was stationed inside Wyomissing’s 10-yard line. “I was just sitting there, because they run a bunch of different things. I was getting ready for the screen but (Panthers quarterback Logan Nawrocki) looked the other way and it came back at the last second, and I was sitting on it.”
Niedrowski collected the ball at the 7 and cruised into the end zone with Wyomissing’s second touchdown less than six minutes into the game. He later scored on an 8-yard run.
Niedrowski was the beneficiary of a big play by senior linebacker Ryker Jones, who stormed the pocket and forced Nawrocki to get rid of the ball sooner than he would have liked.
“I had a free shot (at the quarterback),” Jones said.” Our D-line did a great job of taking up blockers, and they created a nice path for me and I was able to go right at the quarterback.
“(Our plan every week is) go get the quarterback, put him under pressure and good things happen, like we saw: Collin was able to make a great play on the ball.”
Niedrowski leads the Spartans with 57 tackles and six sacks. He also has a pair of blocked punts, against Donegal and Octorara.
He is probably better known for his work in the spring, as a three-time county champ in the javelin. He brought home gold at the District 3 Meet earlier this year.
Niedrowski is the fourth Wyomissing player to earn a Player of the Week award this season, along with Jones, Drew Forrey and Justice Hardy.
Players considered for Body Zone Physical Therapy Defensive Player of the Week honors are nominated by their coaches or by members of the MikeDragoSports.com coverage team.
Also nominated this week:
- Dan Murphy, Twin Valley
- Madyx Gruber, Wilson
- Christo Hunsicker, Wilson
- Caleb Brewer, Wyomissing
- Jordan Gwyn, Wyomissing
- Luis Huertas, Wyomissing
- Ryker Jones, Wyomissing
Selected earlier this season:
- Week 1: Lucas Myers, Twin Valley
- Week 2: Michael Odeyemi, Reading High
- Week 3: Stewie Janowski, Gov. Mifflin
- Week 4: Ryker Jones, Wyomissing
- Week 5: Ethan Lafferty, Kutztown
- Week 6: Luke Spotts, Schuylkill Valley
- Week 7: Colby Crills, Schuylkill Valley
- Week 8: Luke Impellizzeri, Berks Catholic
- Week 9: Logan Cammauf, Schuylkill Valley
- Week 10: Justice Hardy, Wyomissing
- Week 11: Dominic Giuffre, Schuylkill Valley
Selected last season as Defensive Player of the Week:
- Week 1: Jonathan Martin, Exeter
- Week 2: Nate Capitano, Wilson
- Week 3: Ethan Kryman, Daniel Boone
- Week 4: Nate Pashley, Exeter
- Week 5: Nafis Blythe, Berks Catholic
- Week 6: Nick Weitzel, Wilson
- Week 7: Ryker Jones, Wyomissing
- Week 8: Drew Eisenhower, Wyomissing
- Week 9: Mason Marks, Twin Valley
- Week 10: Lucas Palange, Exeter
- Week 11: Mason Semmel, Hamburg
- Week 12: Ryker Jones, Wyomissing
