Chase Eisenhower claims final Wyomissing Physical Therapy Offensive Player of the Week
Chase Eisenhower saved his best for last.
Wyomissing didn’t need to lean on the big fullback much this season; he didn’t have more than 12 carries in any of its first 11 games.
Going against an unbeaten Lampeter-Strasburg team that shut the Spartans down in the regular season, Wyomissing coach Bob Wolfrum knew he’d need a big effort from Eisenhower, and he got it. The junior carried 23 times for a season-high 170 yards and scored a pair of touchdowns in a 30-27 overtime loss in the District 3 Class 4A championship to earn Wyomissing Physical Therapy Offensive Player of the Week.
“We were trying to find ways to get him the ball,” said Wolfrum, who saw his team held to 146 total yards in a 20-7 loss to the Pioneers in the regular season finale. “Normally, against 3-3 Stack (defense), our fullback is less (involved), we feel we’ve gotta get to the edge (to be effective). By going (to an) unbalanced (line this time) we moved their stacks over and gave ourselves an advantage.”
Eisenhower took advantage, running for touchdowns of 20 and 3 yards in topping 100 yards for the first time this season. His previous high was 83 yards against Northern Lebanon in Week 4. In the first game against Lampeter he carried 10 times for 51 yards and didn’t reach the end zone.
Eisenhower rushed for 1,092 yards last season when Wyomissing reached the state semifinals and played one more game. He had 40 more carries last season.
He again led the team in rushing this year, with 787 yards.
“Our kids can’t get (big) stats because we have three positions that are running the ball, and we have multiple (ballcarriers involved each game),” Wolfrum said. “Our kids don’t care about stats, (all that matters) is can we get the job done.”
Eisenhower averaged just 8.6 carries per game; he didn’t touch the ball in the second half of several games because Wyomissing was ahead by so much. Also, he splits time at fullback with Tyler Niedrowski.
Still, he was just as effective as last season, averaging 7.0 yards per carry.
“When we’re heavy fullback (with our game plan), he carries the ball and does a great job,” Wolfrum said of Eisenhower. “When we’re heavy with halfback he’s a blocker and he’s not complaining about that. In our offense we don’t care who’s carrying the ball, it’s whatever plays we need to run.”
Eisenhower, a two-year starter at fullback who also saw significant time there as a freshman, finished the season with 2,265 career yards and 33 touchdowns. He’ll enter his senior season 851 yards behind the program record of 3,116 yards, set by Gregory Lord in 2006.
He is the 12th Wyomissing player to surpass 2,000 yards; he can become the third to reach 3,000, joining Lord and Kevin Neff, who finished with 3,109.
Eisenhower is the second Wyomissing player to earn Offensive Player of the Week honors this season and the fifth to earn Player of the Week. Justice Hardy was selected Offensive Player of the Week for a Week 8 win at Twin Valley. Hardy, Niedrowski and Andrew Bresnahan have been Defensive Player of the Week.
Players considered for Player of the Week honors are nominated by their coaches or by members of the MikeDragoSports.com coverage team.
This is the fourth consecutive season that Wyomissing Physical Therapy has sponsored the Offensive Player of the Week award. At the end of the season an Offensive Player of the Year will be selected.
Selected Wyomissing Physical Therapy Offensive Player of the Week this season:
- Week 1: Evan Myers, Twin Valley
- Week 2: Kayson Fritz, Reading High
- Week 3: Cameron Small, Muhlenberg
- Week 4: Jayden Zandier, Exeter
- Week 5: Bryce Gumby, Berks Catholic
- Week 6: Madyx Gruber, Wilson
- Week 7: Jayden Zandier, Exeter
- Week 8: Justice Hardy, Wyomissing
- Week 9: Davis Keppley, Conrad Weiser
- Week 10: Evan Miller, Conrad Weiser
- Week 11: Cameron Small, Muhlenberg
- Week 12: Drew Engle, Twin Valley
- Week 13: Jayden Zandier, Exeter
- Week 14: Chase Eisenhower, Wyomissing
Players selected in 2023:
- Week 1: Tyler Shuey, Hamburg
- Week 2: Tommy Hunsicker, Wilson
- Week 3: Dominic Giuffre, Schuylkill Valley
- Week 4: Jayden Zandier, Exeter
- Week 5: Drew Forrey, Wyomissing
- Week 6: Evan Johnson, Twin Valley
- Week 7: Drew Engle, Twin Valley
- Week 8: Jayden Zandier, Exeter
- Week 9: Czion Brickle, Fleetwood
- Week 10: Evan Myers, Twin Valley
- Week 11: Jack Riffle, Fleetwood
- Week 12: Drew Engle, Twin Valley
Players selected in 2022:
- Week 1: Gio Cavanna, Muhlenberg
- Week 2: Cam Jones, Wilson
- Week 3: Pierce Mason, Hamburg
- Week 4: Gio Cavanna, Muhlenberg
- Week 5: Josiah Jordan, Berks Catholic
- Week 6: Ruben Rodriguez, Reading High
- Week 7: Cam Jones, Wilson
- Week 8: Dominic Giuffre, Schuylkill Valley
- Week 9: Leland Moore, Hamburg
- Week 10: Cam Jones, Wilson
- Week 11: Pierce Mason, Hamburg
- Week 12: Evan Johnson, Twin Valley
Players selected in 2021:
- Week 1: Nick Singleton, RB, Gov. Mifflin
- Week 2: DeShawn Wilson, WR, Reading High
- Week 3: Nick Singleton, RB, Gov. Mifflin
- Week 4: Logan Klitsch, QB, Conrad Weiser
- Week 5: Nick Singleton, RB, Gov. Mifflin
- Week 6: Diohnny Ruiz, RB, Hamburg
- Week 7: Nick Singleton, RB, Gov. Mifflin
- Week 8: Cameron Jones, KR, Wilson
- Week 9: Trey Freeman, WR, Twin Valley
- Week 10: Jadyn Jones, RB, Wilson
- Week 11: Logan Klitsch, QB, Conrad Weiser
- Week 12: Nick Singleton, RB, Gov. Mifflin
- Week 13: Eric Nangle, RB, Exeter
- Week 14: Colin Payne, Exeter
