Bishop McDevitt makes quick work of Exeter in Class 5A championship
2024 Berks football coverage presented by
Utilities Employees Credit Union
Bishop McDevitt 48, Exeter 14
(This story will be updated later tonight with additional details and postgame reaction.)
By Mike Drago — MikeDragoSports.com Managing Editor
MYERSTOWN — Bishop McDevitt scored touchdowns on each of its first three possessions to build a big early lead and went on to beat Exeter 48-14 Friday in the District 3 Class 5A championship game at Elco High School.
The sixth-seeded Crusaders (11-2) barely needed to use the skills of one of the state’s all-time great passers as it gashed the Exeter defense with huge gains on the ground.
Stone Saunders, who has thrown more touchdowns than anyone in Pennsylvania history, threw only a few passes as the Crusaders went up 20-0 early in the second quarter. Running backs Maurice Barnes and Nazier Jones-Davis combined for 90 first-quarter yards against an Exeter defense that was continually pushed off the line of scrimmage.
They finished with a combined 201 yards on 25 carries.
The eighth-seeded Eagles (12-2) were ill-equipped to keep up with the fast early pace when program rushing leader Jayden Zandier limped off with a foot injury on Exeter’s second series. He limped off again early in the second quarter when he was tackled around the ankle and did not return.
He managed just 4 yards on four first-half carries after coming into the game with a program-record 2,089 rushing yards.
Exeter trailed 48-0 in the fourth quarter before it scored, with Riley Martinez finding Jayden Ware on a 73-yard touchdown bomb with 8:00 remaining.
The Eagles scored again in the final seconds, on Genuine Stutzman’s 1-yard TD plunge.
Before that it was a prolonged nightmare for the Eagles, who saw McDevitt open the second half with an 86-yard kickoff return and later scored on a 99-yard fumble return as Stutzman lost the ball on a first-and-goal from 1.
Exeter turned the ball over four times.
After falling behind 6-0 on McDevitt’s first possession the Eagles turned to Martinez, who broke a bone in his leg in Week 7 and during return until last week, when he played only briefly. He was unable to spark the Eagles, completing just 3-of-12 passes in the first half.
Exeter finished with 199 total yards but 112 of that came in the final quarter.
Saunders finished 14-of-18 for 142 yards and two TDs. The Kentucky recruit has thrown more touchdowns (196) than anyone in Pennsylvania history. He lit up unbeaten Conrad Weiser in the district quarterfinals, throwing for 303 yards and five touchdowns on just 13 attempts in a 42-7 win.
He is the first player in state history to pass for 3,000 yards in four consecutive seasons.
The Crusaders’ losses came to Harrisburg, 35-33 in overtime when Saunders overthrew a pass on a two-point conversion, and to State College, 58-55. State College is ranked No. 2 in the state in 6A; Harrisburg is ranked No. 6 and playing Wilson for the District 3 Class 6A title.
Exeter’s lone loss came in Week 9 by a point to Conestoga Valley. The Eagles felt they had the game won when Zandier plunged into the end zone on a two-point conversion run in the final minute. The officials ruled he wasn’t in, though photographic evidence disputes that.
That loss came just two weeks after Martinez was knocked out with a broken leg and the Eagles were adjusting their offense to play without him.
He returned last week for one series and threw a touchdown on his only attempt. He could see more time this week, Bauer hinted.
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Final | |
| Exeter | 0 | 0 | 0 | 14 | 14 |
| Bishop McDevitt | 12 | 8 | 22 | 6 | 48 |
Scoring summary
| 1 | Bishop McDevitt | Barnes, 1 run (kick failed) | 5:53 |
| 1 | Bishop McDevitt | Diaz-Ellis, 9 pass from Saunders (kick failed) | 1:39 |
| 2 | Bishop McDevitt | Jones-Davis, 9 run (Diaz-Ellis pass from Saunders) | 9:42 |
| 3 | Bishop McDevitt | Larue Jr., 86 kickoff return (kick failed) | 11:43 |
| 3 | Bishop McDevitt | Diaz-Ellis, 21 pass from Saunders (Barnes run) | 5:29 |
| 3 | Bishop McDevitt | Jones-Davis, 33 run (Barnes run) | 2:42 |
| 4 | Bishop McDevitt | Chase, 99 fumble return (kick failed) | 9:34 |
| 4 | Exeter | Ware, 73 pass from Martinez (Franek kick) | 8:00 |
| 4 | Exeter | Stutzman, 1 run (Franek kick) | 0:08 |
Team statistics
| Exeter | Bishop McDevitt | |
| First downs | 8 | 19 |
| Rushes-yards | 17-54 | 32-191 |
| Passing yards | 145 | 142 |
| Total yards | 199 | 333 |
| Passes | 9-22-2 | 14-18-0 |
| Fumbles-lost | 2-2 | 2-2 |
| Punts-average | 4-34.7 | 1-20.0 |
| Penalties-yards | 4-22 | 7-55 |
Individual statistics
RUSHING
Exeter: Brown 8-40, Hafer 2-7, Zandier 4-4, Stutzman 3-3.
Bishop McDevitt: Jones-Davis 12-127, Barnes 13-74, Saunders 2-10, Larue Jr. 2-(-1), Dawson 2-1(-1), Williams 1-(-18).
PASSING
Exeter: Martinez 5-15-2–101, Hafer 4-7-0–44.
Bishop McDevitt: Saunders 14-18-0–142.
RECEIVING
Exeter: Stutzman 4-49, Redding 2-28, Ware 1-73, Brown 2-(-5)
Bishop McDevitt: Diaz-Ellis 10-110, Quick 2-29, Barnes 1-3.
INTERCEPTIONS
Bishop McDevitt: Reinhart, Blauch.
