All-around performance by Jayden Zandier helps Exeter hold off Hempfield
2023 Berks football coverage presented by
Utilities Employees Credit Union
By Mike Mitchell Jr. — MikeDragoSports.com correspondent
Jayden Zandier rushed for a career-high 262 yards and scored three touchdowns in Exeter’s 49-27 non-league win over visiting Hempfield Friday night at Don Thomas Stadium.
He knows he didn’t get those big numbers all by himself; so does his coach.
“I love my line,” said the junior tailback. “They show up to practice and work so hard every day, and it pays off in the games when they open up big holes for our backs.”
“Jayden was neat to watch tonight,” said Exeter coach Matt Bauer. “He ran the ball really well, but we have to give credit to our offensive line. They played lights-out as well.”
Zandier has now scored at least one rushing touchdown in seven straight games for the Eagles (4-0 L-L Section 2, 8-0). He also came up big Friday on defense and special teams.
Hempfield wide receiver Micah Gates had a big first half with six receptions for 77 yards and a touchdown. At halftime Bauer had seen enough.
“We made an adjustment and put Jayden on (him) in the second half,” said Bauer.
The adjustment paid off. Zandier held Gates to just two catches for 1 yard.
With Exeter leading 35-27 late in the third quarter and Hempfield on the Eagles’ 33, the Black Knights (1-3 L-L Section 1, 2-6) were on the cusp of potentially tying the game.
Quarterback Jackson Landis, who had a big night, threw a beautiful fade pattern to Gates.
Zandier out-leaped Gates and completed an incredible interception at the 1-yard line to thwart the Black Knight scoring threat.
“Credit the sideline for that interception,” said Zandier. “I heard them yell ‘pass,’ and I just saw the ball and lept up and got it.”
Landis ran for three touchdowns and passed for 268 yards.
With 4:33 left in the game on a fourth-and-25, Zandier struck again. Landis threw a beautiful pass to Gates that would have been enough for the first down. Again, Zandier out-jumped everyone and batted the pass down for an incompletion that pretty much sealed the game.
Zandier also came up huge on special teams to help diminish Hempfield’s momentum. Landis scored on a 1-yard run to cut the Exeter lead to 28-27 with 3:57 left in the third quarter.
Hempfield tried to kick away from Zandier by bouncing the kick. It took a high hop, and Zandier scooped it up and raced 79 yards for the touchdown to put the Eagles up 35-27.
That was Exeter’s second kickoff return for a touchdown on the night. After Hempfield went up 7-0 on a Landis TD pass to Gates, Nate Pashley returned the ensuing kickoff 90 yards for a touchdown to tie the game at 7-7.
“We’ve been close to returning kickoffs for touchdowns all year,” said Bauer. “We take a lot of pride in our special teams and work real hard at them.”
With the victory the Eagles remain undefeated. They have a huge Week 10 Lancaster-Lebanon League Section 2 showdown looming with Manheim Central.
“We aren’t worried about Week 10 yet,” said Bauer. “We are going to enjoy this one tonight. We have to get right back to work tomorrow and focus solely on going 1-0 vs. Conestoga Valley next week.”
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Final | |
| Hempfield | 13 | 7 | 7 | 0 | 27 |
| Exeter | 14 | 14 | 7 | 14 | 49 |
Scoring summary
| 1 | Hempfield | Gates, 5 pass from Landis (Biscoe kick) | 4:46 |
| 1 | Exeter | Pashley, 90 kickoff return (Gaston kick) | 4:33 |
| 1 | Exeter | J. Zandier, 33 run (Gaston kick) | 3:54 |
| 1 | Hempfield | Landis, 1 run (kick blocked) | 0:10 |
| 2 | Exeter | J. Zandier, 23 run (Gaston kick) | 9:48 |
| 2 | Hempfield | Landis, 2 run (Biscoe kick) | 3:29 |
| 2 | Exeter | Stutzman, 3 run (Gaston kick) | 1:58 |
| 3 | Hempfield | Lanids, 1 run (Biscoe kick) | 3:57 |
| 3 | Exeter | J. Zandier, 79 kickoff return (Gaston kick) | 3:43 |
| 4 | Exeter | J. Zandier, 77 run (Gaston kick) | 10:40 |
| 4 | Exeter | Pashley, 31 tun (Gaston kick) | 2:56 |
Team statistics
| Hempfield | Exeter | |
| First downs | 17 | 11 |
| Rushes-yards | 34-103 | 24-317 |
| Passing yards | 268 | 19 |
| Total yards | 371 | 336 |
| Passes | 23-40-1 | 3-9-0 |
| Fumbles-lost | 1-1 | 0-0 |
| Punts-average | 2-47 | 3-47 |
| Penalties-yards | 3-25 | 4-35 |
Individual statistics
RUSHING
Hempfield: Walls 20-79, Landis 12-18, Caldwell 2-6.
Exeter: J. Zandier 15-262, Pashley 2-36, Caceres 5-14, Stutzman 1-3, Martinez 1-2.
PASSING
Hempfield: Landis 23-37-1—268, Katch 0-2-0—0, Gates 0-1-0—0.
Exeter: Martinez 3-9-0—19.
RECEIVING
Hempfield: Gates 8-78, Charles 6-50, Kraser 4-93, Abrams 3-27, Walls 1-10, Ennis 1-10.
Exeter: Z. Zandier 2-16, Pashley 1-3.
INTERCEPTIONS
Exeter: J. Zandier.
