Al Silveri among nine new inductees in Wyomissing Football Association HOF

By Mike Drago Last updated Sep 16, 2021

Senior lineman Alex Kauffman leads Wyomissing onto the field.

A long-time assistant coach, the “Voice of the Spartans” and seven former players will be inducted into the Wyomissing Football Association Hall of Fame prior to kickoff Saturday before Wyomissing’s game vs. Hamburg at the A-Field.

The ceremony will begin at 1; kickoff is 1:30.

The nine inductees represent the Classes of 2020 and 2021; last year’s class could not be recognized due to COVID precautions.

Set for induction are assistant coach Al Silveri, public address announcer Phil Schadler and seven players: Jeff Binder, Gregory Lord, Mike Mancias, Cary Bickel, Ben Dato, Andrew Kase and Eric Schmoyer.

Binder was Berks Receiver of the Year as a senior in 1991 and finished with over 1,000 receiving yards; his Spartans teams went 34-3-1 over his three seasons, with a pair of District 3 championships.

Lord set numerous school records, including for TDs and points in a season and career, and rushing yards in a career (3,116). He was a three-year starter at running back and defensive back, a 2006 captain and best remembered for “The Lord’s Prayer,” his game-winning touchdown catch against Lancaster Catholic in the closing seconds of the 2006 District 3 championship.

Mancias holds program records for TD passes and passing yards in a season and TD passes in a game. He was a three-year starter at quarterback who led the Spartans to league titles in 2005 and 2006, an Eastern Conference title in 2005 and a district title in 2006.

Bickel was a tri-captain on the first unbeaten/untied team in Wyomissing Warriors history, in 1959. He was a blocking back in the Single Wing which produced a record 41 points per game. He was also an outstanding defensive back.

Dato was an All-State kicker on the 2003 league championship team, which finished 11-1. He holds the program and District 3 playoff record with a 53-yard field goal. He went on to be a two-time All-American at Fordham.

Kase was an all-league running back and defensive back who spearheaded the Spartans’ drive to the 2005 Eastern Conference championship and an 11-1 finish. He went on to be a two-time All-Centennial Conference pick for Johns Hopkins.

Schmoyer was an All-Berks defensive back and kick return and set the program record with a 99-yard run against Conrad Weiser. He finished with 1,720 rushing yards and 35 career TDs.

Silveri is in his 52nd year of coaching, 28 with the Spartans. He has been defensive line coach since 2003. He was the first person inducted into the Berks County Football Coaches Association after a successful run as head coach at Conrad Weiser, where he won 102 games over 15 seasons from 1988-2002.

Schadler is in his 30th season as public address announcer for Spartans home games. He has expert knowledge of Spartans history, wrote “Forty Years of Spartan Football” and writes a popular blog, “Phil’s Blog,” of the WFA website.