Game of the Week: Northwestern Lehigh (14-0) vs. Wyomissing (12-1)
2023 Berks football coverage presented by
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PIAA Class 3A semifinal
Northwestern Lehigh (14-0) vs. Wyomissing (12-1)
Kick: Friday, 7, at Andre Reed Stadium, Kutztown University.
Common opponent: Pottsville — Northwestern defeated the Crimson Tide 56-14 in Week 7; Wyomissing beat the Tide 41-7 in Week 2
Coaches: Northwestern – Josh Snyder, 12th season, 102-39; Wyomissing – Bob Wolfrum, 37th season, 362-88-1.
Tigers schedule: Click here.
Spartans schedule: Click here.
Series: First meeting.
Fast fact: With a win over Danville last week Wyomissing became the first Berks team to win 40 games over a three-year span. The Spartans are 40-3 since 2021. Wilson was the first Berks team to win 39 times, from 2012-14.
Tigers update: Set program record for victories with 27-6 win over Scranton Prep in state quarterfinal round. . . Eliminated unbeaten Palmerton 58-8 for third straight District 11 championship. . . Have gone 35-4 over the last three seasons. . . Closed out perfect regular season with 42-14 over previously unbeaten Southern Lehigh, which went on to reach the District 11 Class 5A championship game. . . First trip to state semifinals since 2002 and third overall. . . Have never advanced beyond this point. . . RB Dalton Clymer, one of team’s 11 first-team all-league picks in the Colonial-Schuylkill League, has rushed for 1,705 yards, topped 100 yards 10 times and scored 32 touchdowns. . . He has rushed for 3,902 career yards with a program record 64 TDs. . . T/NG Ben Walters is also a two-way all-league pick.. . He’s joined on the D-line by all-league T Devon Hildebrand and all-league E Bryer Richard. . . Have scored 630 points, second-most in the state. . . Averaging 45.0 points per game. . . Have outscored opponents 203-14 in first quarter and allowed just five first-half TDs. . . Soph QB Shane Leh has completed 60.6 percent of his passes for 1,589 yards and 22 TDs, with 6 INTs. . . All-League FB Devon Hildebrand leads with 46 receptions. . . Clymer has a team-leading 113 tackles and is an all-league LB. . . Richard has 17.5 TFL and 8.5 sacks. . . All-League DB Eli Zimmerman has 9 INTs. . . Defense has 29 takeaways. . . Lineup includes 10 two-way starters. . . Finished 11-3 last season, losing to Neumann-Goretti 38-6 in the state quarterfinals. . . Ranked No. 3 in the state.
Did you know? Wyomissing has never played a game at Kutztown University but Spartans head coach Bob Wolfrum played there three times when he was at West Chester, from 1968-71. He was inducted into the Golden Rams Hall of Fame in 2003.
Spartans update: Advanced to fourth straight state semifinal with 48-27 win over Danville. . . Ryker Jones ran for a season-high 153 yards and 2 TDs and Chase Eisenhower scored 4 TDs. . . Eisenhower rushed for 95 yards and leads team with 1,019. . . His 16 TDs also are tops on the team. . . Team rushed for 467 yards against Danville and is averaging 313 per game; only Cocalico and Twin Valley have averaged more among Lancaster-Lebanon League teams. . . 27 points was second-most allowed this season, but defense tightened up and allowed just 92 second-half yards, and one late TD. . . Jones, a senior LB, had team-high 7 tackles vs. Danville and blocked a PAT. . . Senior LB Collin Niedrowski had 5 tackles and a key INT and leads team with 65 solo tackles. . . Eisenhower had 5 tackles, blocked a PAT and is second on team with 63 tackles. . . Graduated three All-State players from team that finished 13-1 last year: OL Jven Williams, FB Matt Kramer and DB Drew Eisenhower from last year’s team. . . Ranked No. 2 in the state since the preseason.
Did you know? Northwestern coach Josh Snyder played for the Tigers when they reached the PIAA Class AA semifinals in 1997.
Quotable: “It’s pretty neat to be playing this late in the season every year. We always like to get that Thanksgiving (morning) practice in, with the little kids in the community. You can have a real good year and not make it (this) deep into the calendar. It’s always neat to win, and we’ve been doing a lot of it. Our kids and our coaching staff both expect to win now.” – Wyomissing coach Bob Wolfrum.
Up next: Winner plays either Belle Vernon (11-1) or Hickory (11-2) in PIAA championship Saturday, Dec. 9 at noon at Cumberland Valley’s Chapman Field.
