Doug Dahms-led East stars cool off West in PSFCA Big School game
2026 Berks football coverage presented by
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MECHANICSBURG – Doug Dahms said in the leadup to Sunday’s PSFCA Big School East/West all-star game that he enjoyed working with and getting to know some of the top football players from schools across the state.
The Wilson coach’s favorite moment, no doubt, came early in the evening when his East players dumped a bucket of ice water over him, celebrating their 14-10 victory at Chapman Field.
The cooling shower was a relief on a summer-like day that saw temperatures soar to unusual May heights and put a strain on the state’s top senior players, many of whom drew extra duty due to the modest rosters.
“They were gassed,” Dahms said. “They’re running non-stop (the whole afternoon). And then you get the first hot day of the year. But hey, they played hard; that’s all you can ask.”
Dahms couldn’t have asked for more from his defense, which held the West to negative rushing yards – thanks to a couple of sacks – and came up with a key pair of red zone stops, the last with 6:49 remaining after a holding penalty wiped out what would have been the go-ahead score.
The West had a first-and-goal at the 5 midway through the final quarter but came up empty after the 10-yard penalty – which erased quarterback Cole DeLattree’s 3-yard keeper – was followed by third- and fourth-down incompletions from the 12, the last aided by the heavy rush of ever-present defensive end Algee Macon of Easton.
“That was probably the difference in the game,” Dahms said of the turnover on downs. “That was huge.”
“Everyone on our defense played great,” said Wyomissing’s Chase Eisenhower, who went the whole way at inside linebacker.
Eisenhower was one of three Berks players in the game, along with his Wyomissing teammate Keegan Maher, who handled punting duties, and Twin Valley’s Nathan Shaffer, who did placements and kickoffs.
Muhlenberg head coach Rob Flowers was the East offensive coordinator.
The rosters included the top Class 6A, 5A, and 4A players in the state who weren’t selected for next week’s Big 33 Classic.
The East defense knew it would be tested by a West squad that featured DuBois quarterback Trey Wingard, a Delaware baseball recruit who threw for 3,127 yards and 42 touchdowns last season.
It was up to the task, keeping Wingard and Hollidaysburg’s DeLattre under wraps most of the way. Wingard completed just 8-of-16 passes for 81 yards; DeLattre connected on just 9-of-22 throws. Each missed some open targets and potential scoring opportunities.
They were also under heavy pressure from Macon, a Muhlenberg College recruit who recorded a sack and three hurries.
The West passers were also thwarted by an active East secondary that got its hands on at least half-a-dozen passes. Akeelyn Smith of Bishop McDevitt intercepted a pass in the first quarter and Jadyn Johnson of Central Dauphin broke up two other throws.
“They made some good plays, they really did,” Dahms said of his secondary. “I was pretty pleased overall. It was a very competitive game, and you saw athletes on both sides.”
The East offense started slowly, going three-and-out on its first three possessions.
Easton quarterback Cole Ordway, named the East MVP, got his team on the board late in the first half when he connected with Bishop McDevitt’s Ishmael Palmer for a 25-yard pass to the 19, then swung a short pass to his Easton teammate, tight end Kurtis Crossman, on the next play. Crossman tip-toed his way down the sideline and into the end zone for a 7-3 lead with 2:43 remaining in the second quarter.
DeLattre followed by leading the West on its only extended possession of the game, an 11-play drive that reached the East 13 with 26 seconds left. DeLattre fired three straight incompletions, the last broken up by Johnson, before he was stopped for a short gain on fourth-and-10 from the 13.
The East went up 14-3 late in the third quarter when Ordway – who passed for 104 yards and rushed for a game-high 82 — broke off a 63-yard scoring run, his fake to Southern Lehigh tailback Sean Steckert freezing the defense long enough for him to find a crease in the line, and then the left sideline.
“He made the read perfectly,” said Dahms. “He’s fast and he’s elusive. That’s what changed the game.”
Wingard answered three minutes later, firing a 37-yard scoring strike to Pittsburgh Central Catholic’s Aiden Nasiadka to make it 14-10 with 55 seconds to go in the third quarter.
The West got one last chance with the ball, taking over at its own 10 with 51 seconds left. Wingard completed a couple of short passes before he was sacked on the final play of the game.
After winning 45 games at Wyomissing over the past four seasons Eisenhower was happy to see his high school football career end with another ‘W.’
“I think we did a good job with it,” he said of the East defense. “The score shows we did a great job. Everyone just went out and played their game, did what they were supposed to, and it showed.”
