PIAA quarterfinal preview: Danville vs. Wyomissing
2023 Berks football coverage presented by
Utilities Employees Credit Union
PIAA Class 3A quarterfinal
Danville (12-1) vs. Wyomissing (11-1)
Kick: Friday, 7, at Shirk Stadium.
Common opponents: None.
Coaches: Danville – Carl Majer, first season (47-36 overall); Wyomissing – Bob Wolfrum, 37th season, 361-88-1.
Ironmen schedule: Click here.
Spartans schedule: Click here.
Series: Wyomissing leads 3-0.
Last year: Spartans survived 32-yard field goal attempt in the final seconds to hang on for 21-19 victory in a PIAA Class 3A quarterfinal at Danville. Wyomissing built a 21-0 second-quarter lead, then had to hang on as Ironmen answered with three TDs, the last with 10:56 remaining. Matt Kramer rushed for 157 yards and a TD for Wyomissing; Drew Eisenhower had 109 rushing yards. Wyo had the advantage in total yards, 356-271, but also had the game’s only turnover.
Fast fact: A win will make Wyomissing the first Berks team to win 40 games over a three-year span. Wilson was the first to win 39 times, from 2012-14. The Spartans are 39-3 over the past three seasons.
Ironmen update: Won fourth straight District 4 title last week, beating Loyalsock 40-7 as Bo Sheptock rushed for 315 yards. . . Have won 8 district titles in program history. . . Outscored opponents 137-17 in three district games. . . Lone loss came in Week 5, 40-17 to Heartland Athletic Conference rival Southern Columbia, which is ranked No. 3 in the state in Class 2A and the defending PIAA champ. . . First-year head coach Carl Majer picked up right where former coach Mike Brennan left off, repeating a 12-1 finish. . . High-scoring attack is led by junior QB Madden Patrick, who has thrown for 3,067 yards and 46 TDs, with 6 INTs. He is completing 65.1 percent of his passes. . . He threw for 401 yards in a win over Lewisburg and has twice thrown 6 TDs in a game. . . Top target is senior WR Aaron Johnson, who has 27 TD catches and 1,390 receiving yards; he has scored 30 TDs overall. . . Johnson had 4 catches for 102 receiving yards in last year’s game vs. Wyomissing. . . Four different receivers have 30 or more receptions. . . Team has more attempted passes (281) than running plays (270). . . Averaging 43.1 points per game. . . Winning margin is 31.8. . . 29 takeaways with 9 turnovers. . . Defense is led by three-year starting LB Cam Kiersch, who has 128 tackles. . . Graduated five All-State players: QB Zach Gordon, WR Carson Persing, OL Declan Aikens, RB Ty Brown-Stauffer and LB Mason Raup. . . Roster includes just 5 seniors. . . Beaten by Neumann-Goretti in 2021 state quarterfinals and by Wyomissing 44-14 in 2020 state semifinals. . . Have won 9 straight. . . Ranked No. 4 in the state.
Did you know? Wyomissing last year became the first Berks football team to win a PIAA Tournament game in three straight seasons. Overall, the Spartans are 10-7 in the state tournament.
Spartans update: Nailed down fifth straight District 3 title and 12th overall with 42-14 win over West Perry. . . Soph Chase Eisenhower’s 86-yard INT return was the highlight of the game and made it 42-7 lead in the third quarter. . . Eisenhower rushed for 76 yards and needs 74 to reach 1,000. . . Freshman Justice Hardy caught a TD pass Saturday and leads team with 11 receptions. . . He also leads with 4 INTs. . . Soph Tyler Niedrowski had team-high 6 tackles vs. West Perry. He took over at OLB when senior Drew Forrey was injured and lost for the season last month. . . Senior Collin Niedrowski leads team with 60 solo tackles and 6 sacks. . . Eisenhower is second with 58 tackles. . . Will end season with 33-game home winning streak. . . Graduated three All-State players: OL Jven Williams, FB Matt Kramer and DB Drew Eisenhower. . . Ranked No. 2 in the state since the preseason.
Fast fact: This is the sixth time Wyomissing will be the home team at Shirk Stadium in the postseason but the first time in the PIAA Tournament. The Spartans are 4-1 on Albright’s home field, with wins over Littlestown (2017), Bermudian Springs (2016), Schuylkill Valley (2012) and Trinity (2006) and a loss to Milton Hershey (2007).
Quotable: “You never get used to games like that. There’s two coaches on our staff that have A-Fib, and this game almost sent us both back into it.” – Wyomissing coach Bob Wolfrum, following last year’s win at Danville.
Up next: Winner plays either Northwestern Lehigh (13-0) or Scranton Prep (12-1) in PIAA semifinal Nov. 24 or 25.
