Strong playoff performance bodes well for Wilson QB Tommy Hunsicker
2023 Berks football coverage presented by
Utilities Employees Credit Union
By Logan Moyer — MikeDragoSports.com correspondent
If you were to look up the word “athlete” in the dictionary, Tommy Hunsicker’s picture would be next to it.
The Wilson senior plays the traditional big three sports: football, basketball and baseball. He’s the starting quarterback on the football team, a forward in basketball and the starting third baseman in baseball.
He grew up around sports.
His father Scott, general manager of the Reading Fightin’ Phils, was a quarterback at Plymouth-Whitemarsh and played football and baseball at Albright.
Tommy’s uncle, Todd Hunsicker, also played quarterback at Plymouth-Whitemarsh and for the freshman team at Penn.
His uncle, Dean Kraras, made the game-winning catch in the infamous “Fog Bowl” victory over Cumberland Valley in the 1990 District 3 Class AAAA championship game.
Younger brother Christo, a junior, plays all three sports with Tommy.
“I’ve always played sports year-round,” Tommy Hunsicker said. “I played football, baseball, basketball and soccer too.”
Hunsicker said that his father has always been his biggest motivator.
“He’s helped me a lot,” he said. “(He’s helped) my mindset and everything. Just how to go about being a quarterback.”
Hunsicker won the Wilson quarterback job as a junior. He had a shaky debut, throwing three interceptions in a season-opening 46-15 loss to powerful Roman Catholic.
“I knew that wasn’t my best,” he said. “We were in kind of a tough spot. There were a lot of injuries. A lot was happening.”
He quickly bounced back, leading Wilson to a 17-10 win over Central Dauphin a week later. He completed 9-of-15 passes for 127 yards with a first-quarter touchdown toss and no interceptions.
“I don’t let one bad game determine what’s going to happen in the next game,” he said. “I kind of just put it behind me and learn from it.”
As the season went on Hunsicker’s confidence grew. It helped that the Bulldogs were stacking wins on top of each other, losing only one more regular season contest, to eventual Section 1 champion Hempfield.
“I kept getting better at reading defenses and knowing what (the defense) is running,” he said. “I would say controlling the speed of the game and controlling the flow was my biggest improvement.”
Hunsicker had his best performance in Wilson’s biggest game, a 32-21 setback to Harrisburg in the District 3 Class 6A quarterfinals. Despite the loss Hunsicker looked cool under pressure, throwing for 223 yards and two touchdown passes.
“That was probably my best game,” he said. “We also had a lot of injuries in that game, but the guys who came in really stepped up and made it a competitive game all the way to the end.”
He finished his junior season with a 55.0 completion rate, 1,065 passing yards and 11 TD throws.
The Bulldogs are again contenders for the Section 1 crown and Hunsicker will be a pivotal part of that drive.
“(He) will do anything you ask him to do,” said longtime Bulldogs coach Doug Dahms. “He’s a quiet kid, but a good student and just a model kid. If I told Tommy tomorrow that he had to move to tight end, he would move to tight end. That’s just the way he is.”
He’ll have plenty of weapons to assist in his efforts. All-League wide receiver Edison Case (21 receptions, 423 yards, six TDs) is one of the top wideouts in the Lancaster-Lebanon League and just picked up his first collegiate offer from Dickinson.
Wide receiver Austin Valukevich (nine receptions, 120 yards, two TDs) and tight end Brady Kline (eight receptions, 45 yards and two TDs) will also play a large role in the Bulldogs offense.
“Having guys like Case makes it a lot easier,” Hunsicker said. “He’s smart. He knows where the holes are so I’m able to throw a lot more. His athleticism is a huge advantage.”
Dahms spoke highly of his quarterback, saying his work ethic over the offseason has set him up for a strong showing.
“His success is going to be a big part of our success,” he said.
Hunsicker isn’t a one-trick horse. He slashed .337/.438/.347 with a team-leading 32 hits in 29 games for a Bulldogs baseball team that reached the District 3 Class 6A title game and qualified for the PIAA Tournament.
His talent has drawn interest from both college baseball and football coaches. Some even want him to play both sports.
“I’ve talked to some Division III coaches,” he said. “I’m kind of just waiting for after the season. You know, it’ll probably figure itself out.”
