Four Downs: Four big takeaways from Week 3 in Berks football
Four takeaways from Week 3 of the high school football season:
1. Nick Singleton’s final numbers will be out of sight
Gov. Mifflin’s Nick Singleton became the all-time Berks rushing champ Friday in a 56-0 walk-over at Cocalico.
That’s hardly a surprise; we saw this coming four years ago, when he burst onto the scene with 1,274 yards and became the first freshman to win a Berks rushing title.
With seven regular season games left, and as many as six postseason games left after that the final numbers are staggering — and likely won’t ever be touched. At least not for a long, long time.
Singleton could end up with 7,000 career rushing yards and 120 touchdowns, pulverizing previous Berks marks.
Don’t forget: He lost the chance to play seven games last season (four in the regular season, three in districts) due to COVID shutdowns. That’s another potential 1,000 to 1,500 yards.
2. Unprecedented times in West Lawn
Wilson players were sprawled across the turf at Don Thomas Stadium late Friday night, in disbelief at what had just happened.
The Bulldogs gave up six unanswered touchdowns in a 42-14 loss to Exeter, witnessed teammates on crutches and with their arms in slings, and saw their season in jeopardy.
It was one of the low points in the proud program’s history.
A week after losing to state-ranked Gov. Mifflin 42-14 they fell by the same score to an Exeter team that had never beaten them.
The Bulldogs had not lost in back-to-back weeks since 2003.
They had not lost consecutive games by four touchdowns or more since 1993, when they opened the season with a 27-0 loss to Pottsville and a 32-6 loss to Owen J. Roberts.
To find the last time they lost consecutive games by this many combined points (56) you’d have to go back to 1954. Anyone remember 1954?
3. A little sunlight for the Cougars
The Kutztown Cougars haven’t won very often in recent years but they showed Friday they know how to do it with respect.
For a change the Cougars were on the fun end of a one-sided game and head coach Larry Chester made sure it didn’t get too far out of hand.
Yes, the final score was 76-37 but in the second half the Cougars took a knee on extra-point attempts and did other things to keep the score down.
With only 18 players they don’t have a whole lot of guys to sub in when the score gets out of hand.
4. Remembering an old friend
Wyomissing honored Dave Bunn before Saturday’s home opener.
“Bunnzie” was taken by brain cancer in March.
In his 66 short years he made a lasting impact on many lives, as a coach, scout leader, friend and father. He was a fixture at Spartans home games, serving as game manager at the A-Field, and before that at basketball games at his alma mater, Reading High.
As his wife Karen, daughter Caitlin and son Colin — a former Spartans lineman — were presented with the U.S. flag, Wyo public address announcer Phil Schadler was choked with emotion as he spoke of “Bunnzie.”
“He was truly a selfless individual who always had a kind word of encouragement, an enthusiastic demeanor and a welcoming smile,” Schadler said.
The moment was even more emotional because it came on Sept. 11, 20 years after the terrorists attacks on this nation.
The week after that attack Wyomissing started what has become one of the proudest traditions in all of Berks sports: Before each football game a senior leads the team onto the field waving “Old Glory,” and the flag is presented to a special member of the community, often a military veteran.
