Defensive Player of the Year’s ‘motor never stopped’ running for Spartans
2024 Berks football coverage presented by
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Manning the ‘Field Side’ or ‘Sam’ linebacker spot in Wyomissing’s 3-4 defense requires a wide skill set. A player has to be fast enough to cover receivers in the open field and to run down backs on sweeps; strong enough to shed the blocks of 250-pound linemen; a sure one-on-one tackler in space; and able to understand the game well enough to read plays and get in position to break them up.
Wyomissing coaches will often take their best athlete and put him in that all-important spot. They did that with Tyler Niedrowski, then turned him loose.
The results were obvious this season as the 5-11, 180-pound wrecking ball led one of the best defenses in the Lancaster-Lebanon League, with 10 tackles for loss, 13 quarterback hurries and seven sacks. The Spartans ranked No. 4 in the 37-team in the league against the rush, No. 5 in total defense and No. 7 in points allowed.
“He’s a playmaker,” said Wyomissing coach Bob Wolfrum of the junior linebacker. “He’s got a motor that never stops.”
Niedrowski’s stats aren’t eye-popping – he had 50 solo tackles in 13 games — but that’s the case for most of the Spartans’ top players, offense or defense. His impact on a team that won 10 games and ended the season ranked No. 5 in the state in Class 4A was indisputable and earned him the annual Body Zone Physical Therapy Defensive Player of the Year award.
Niedrowski is the fourth recipient of the award, following former teammate Ryker Jones; Exeter’s Lucas Palange, in 2022; and Exeter’s Ty Yocum, in 2021.
Finalists for the award were: Reese Hohl, Gov. Mifflin; Gabriel Laws, Reading High; Logan Cammauf, Schuylkill Valley; EJ Brownback, Wilson; Christo Hunsicker, Wilson; and Justice Hardy, Wyomissing.
Niedrowski was one of four Wyomissing players to earn Body Zone Physical Therapy Defensive Player of the Week honors this season, along with Justice Hardy, Andrew Bresnahan, and Max Tipton.
Niedrowski was a critical piece to Wyomissing’s defense because of his ability stop plays on the edge or turn them inside. Opponents had trouble getting to the outside to make big plays.
“If you want to get to the wide side of the field, you’ve gotta get past Tyler,” said Dave Outland, Wyomissing’s linebackers coach. “With his athleticism, his speed, his strength, his knowledge of the game, his technique, he’s able to shut down that edge.”
“He’s a really good athlete, but he’s got that (football) mentality, too,” said Wolfrum. “(And) he’s gonna be as physical as can be.”
Niedrowski is the last in a long line of brothers who have made a big impact on Wyomissing’s athletic program.
Hunter, the oldest, was an all-league defensive lineman. Evan was Berks Linebacker of the Year. Collin was a standout linebacker and fullback and an integral part of Wyomissing’s District 3 championship teams in 2021, 2022 and 2023.
Tyler has taken a little from each of them, and they’ve each pushed him to be his best.
Hunter, who’s nine years older, often critiques Tyler’s game and offers advice. Evan has compelled him to develop a nasty edge. Tyler learned first-hand from Collin, a 2024 grad whom he got to alongside with for two seasons.
“He’s a combination of them,” Wolfrum said. “He’s quick like Collin; he’s powerful like Evan.”
Tyler may be the fastest and most versatile athletically of the brothers. He posted a 35-14 record with 17 pins and finished third at 189 pounds in the District 3 Class 2A wrestling tournament as a sophomore. He was fourth last spring at the District 3 Track and Field Meet in the discus; he’ll make an impact next spring in the javelin, the family’s No. 1 track event.
Unlike his brothers, who were all champion throwers, Tyler feels most at home on the football field.
He moved into a starting spot at linebacker at midseason last year when Drew Forrey was lost with an injury. He was an instant hit and helped the Spartans nail down a fifth straight district championship. This season he became a dominant defensive force, leading the team with five sacks.
“He just has everything you look for in a linebacker,” Outland said. “To have him at that outside spot, where (you have to play like a) defensive end, a linebacker, and sometimes like a defensive back, he’s just a perfect fit there.”
“He’s a guy that gets blocked, but doesn’t get blocked,” Wolfrum said.
Niedrowski showed that in a 42-7 win over Daniel Boone when he spun off a block, then stormed into the end zone to tackle the quarterback for a safety. That was part of a personal blitzkrieg that saw him record five tackles for loss, get in on three sacks, and make seven tackles on the Blazers’ 21 first-half snaps.
“He can fly up and sack the quarterback, make tackles for losses, break up passes in coverage,” Outland said. “He just fills so fast, and he’s a great tackler on top of that.”
Niedrowski is just as effective carrying the ball but doesn’t get a lot of touches at fullback, a spot he shares with all-league pick. Chase Eisenhower. Niedrowski averaged 6.3 yards on 70 carries and scored seven touchdowns.
He’s such a good athlete the Spartans plan to get him on the field more on offense next season, perhaps moving him to halfback where he can play alongside Eisenhower and put his blocking ability and speed to more use.
He showed that game-changing ability, producing one of the biggest plays of the season for the Spartans when he broke off an 80-yard TD run with 3:15 left to give them a 27-20 lead over Lampeter-Strasburg in the District 3 Class 4A championship game.
Selected Defensive Player of the Week this season:
- Week 1: Fred Lacey, Muhlenberg
- Week 2: EJ Brownback, Wilson
- Week 3: Landen Hare, Fleetwood
- Week 4: Logan Cammauf, Schuylkill Valley
- Week 5: Justice Hardy, Wyomissing
- Week 6: Kowen Gerner, Schuylkill Valley
- Week 7: Tyler Niedrowski, Wyomissing
- Week 8: Andrew Bresnahan, Wyomissing
- Week 9: Ashton Kiebach, Conrad Weiser
- Week 10: Chase Herb, Wilson
- Week 11: Jayden Ware, Exeter
- Week 12: Jaiden Carpenter, Wilson
- Week 13: Brady Kline, Wilson
- Week 14: Max Tipton, Wyomissing
