A couple of thoughts . . . from Week 2
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I’ve seen hundreds of Wyomissing football games over the years but until Saturday had never seen the Spartans use a halfback option pass. You should know there are not a lot of gimmick plays in Bob Wolfrum’s playbook.
This one worked almost perfectly, with Justice Hardy lofting a pass to Brady Focht that went for 41 yards. It was critical in the 29-26 win over a loaded Haverford School team because it loosened up the Fords’ run-heavy defense front for the rest of the game.
I asked Wolfrum, now in his 39th year as head coach, if he’d ever run that play before.
“I’m sure we’ve done it,” he said.
“When’s the last time,” he was asked, “during the Reagan Administration?”
Wolfrum thought a bit, then mentioned he called that play in the 1991 District 3 championship game against Holy Name. Also, he used it the year before in the same game against the Blue Jays.
He recalled that in the 1991 game running back Chad Eisenhower – whose sons Chase and Brady were keys in Saturday’s win – threw a TD to Jeff Binder.
“He was left-handed,” Wolfrum said of Eisenhower. “You could see him before the play, taking the glove off his left hand.”
1991?
George H.W. Bush was the President (he succeeded Reagan), and Wolfrum was in his fifth season as Spartans head coach.
A couple more things:
- OK, so since we went that far down Memory Lane might as well finish the story: In that 1990 Wyomissing vs. Holy Name championship game it was Spartans halfback Dave Christensen throwing a TD pass to . . . Jeff Binder. Before now, only Bob Wolfrum and Phil Schadler could’ve told you that.
- Muhlenberg plays at Daniel Boone this week, then finishes the regular season with eight straight home games. Guessing no around here’s ever done that before. The Muhls get all these home games because of an issue with their newly constructed field last year when it was deemed unsafe after their season-opener. They were forced to move their remaining home games off campus.
- With Daniel Boone and Lebanon ahead the next two weeks Muhlenberg figures to be 4-0 for the first time since 2013, when it opened 5-0. There are more winnable games on the schedule (though also a tough final month that includes Section 2 foes Exeter, Ephrata and Conestoga Valley). A spot in the district playoffs is realistic. Don’t forget: The Muhls were 1-9 two years ago.
- Isaac McFadden was the only freshman named on the preseason Berks Watch List, and for a good reason. In Hamburg’s 22-21 win Friday he ran for a touchdown, and then the two-point conversion, to give his team the lead with 26 seconds left. He threw for 238 yards, completing 17-of-32 passes; someone who should know tells me about seven catchable passes were dropped in that game. McFadden did just about all of that after the Hawks’ No. 1 tailback, Blaise Ernst, was knocked out of the game on the first series. Pretty good night for someone in their second varsity game.
- You don’t see this often: Two brothers throwing a touchdown pass in the same game. It happened in Twin Valley’s 62-0 win over Selinsgrove Friday. Sophomore Maverik Foster, the Raiders’ starter, threw a 77-yard TD to Ben Grundy in the opening quarter. Freshman Gavan Foster followed with a 48-yard scoring pass to Dominic Summers in the third quarter. In case you were wondering, Gavan has the higher career passing efficiency rating at this point (833.2).
- By the way: Twin Valley’s 62-0 win was the second-biggest by margin of victory in program history. The Raiders beat Olney Charter 69-0 last season. That record might’ve been topped last in the season with Twin Valley leading Donegal 49-0 at the half, but the Indians didn’t come out to play the second half. Sort of like my best round of golf: Shot a 76 once at the Manor but only because I didn’t play the final five holes.
- Kutztown recorded 71 rushes Friday in its wild 62-26 win over York Tech. The Cougars amassed 544 rushing yards, but that’s not even a program record. Kutztown put up 587 rushing yards against Pequea Valley in 2021. Only five Berks teams have topped 600 rushing yards in a game over the last 35 seasons; the highest total remains 661 by Exeter, in 2001.
- Interesting to note that through two games Wilson quarterback Mason Young has better passing figures than Madyx Gruber after two games. Young has completed 28-of-39 for 356 yards and five touchdowns; Gruber at this point was 21-of-33 for 212 yards and two TDs. Gruber, of course, was impacting the game with his feet, and on defense. And Young has a stronger supporting cast. But still.
- Nazareth, the only team to beat Wilson in the regular season a year ago, has won its first two games by 39 and 29 points. The Blue Eagles, led by Virginia Tech then Penn State then Auburn commit Peyton Falzone, come to Gurski Stadium Friday. If the Bulldogs win that one they could be looking at their first unbeaten regular since 2014. That would be Doug Dahms’ 199th victory as a head coach, by the way.
- Of course, Wilson will have to beat Manheim Township in a season-ender if it wants another Section 1 title, and a perfect season. The Blue Streaks battled Central York, ranked No. 8 in the state, but lost 36-28 Friday. Mark Evans is always in the re-loading stage at Township, never the rebuilding.
- They know how to celebrate milestones in Ephrata. The Mountaineers notched their 400th win Friday by beating Manheim Central 17-6. Before last year the Mounts had lost 16 straight games to the Barons.
