Game of the Week: Berks Catholic vs. Schuylkill Valley, presented by Kevin Miller of Berkshire Investment Group
Berks Catholic (3-2) vs. Schuylkill Valley (3-2)
Kick: Friday, 7, at Leesport.
L-L Section 5 records: Saints 2-0, Panthers 2-0.
Series: Berks Catholic leads 9-2.
Last meeting: Kowen Gerner’s 68-yard touchdown reception with 47 seconds lifted Schuylkill Valey to a 20-14 victory last year at Forino Sports Complex. It was the all-league receiver’s only catch of the game. The Saints ran 71 plays – more than double the Panthers – but were stopped in some key spots, including at the 9 late in the third quarter. The Saints stopped themselves a bunch, turning the ball over four times; the Panthers had just one turnover. The win catapulted the Panthers to an unbeaten run through Section 5 and to their first outright section championship. It also snapped a seven-game losing streak in the series.
Fast fact: Schuylkill Valley won 18 games the past two seasons, most in back-to-back seasons in program history, which dates to 1968.
Saints update: Have won two straight since 48-41 loss to Bethlehem Catholic, which is 4-1. . . Other loss came in season-opener to Twin Valley, which is 5-0 and ranked No. 6 in state in Class 4A. . . Have played last two games without injured starting QB Cole Harter. . . Johnny Sauppee has filled in without missing a beat. He completed 7-of-10 passes last week and ran for two TDs. . . Xavier Gerald leads team with 495 yards and 6 TDs; he’s averaging 13.4 yards per carry. . . Owen Schalk led the way last week with 130 yards on 9 carries and 3 receptions for 55 yards, with a TD run. He’s averaging 11.5 yards per carry. . . Team averaging 322 rushing yards per game and 7.0 yards per carry. . . Have not turned the ball over in past two games; had 7 turnovers first three weeks. . . PK Alex Reali has booted three field goals and is second among Berks kickers in scoring, with 31 points. All of his FGs have come from 40 or longer, with a long of 44. He’s been good on 22-of-23 PATs. . . Faith Zudie leads team with 33 tackles, 6 tackles for loss, and 3 forced fumbles. . . Ryan Spatz is second with 29 tackles. . . Ranked No. 5 in District 3 Class 3A power rankings, one spot behind Schuylkill Valley. . . Section 5 rival Annville-Cleona is No. 2. . . Will play Dutchmen in Week 10 at home.
Did you know? Before last season Schuylkill Valley’s only win over Berks Catholic came in a 2012 District 3 Class AA quarterfinal. The Panthers won 42-21 at Forino Sports Complex.
Panthers update: Have won two straight since 31-24 loss to Fleetwood, beating Kutztown 35-28 and Pequea Valley 34-6 to open league play. . . Brandon Pyle leads team in rushing with 373 yards; he’s averaging 8.9 yards per carry. . . He rushed for 100 yards last week, most of it on an 80-yard scoring run just before half. . . He also leads team with 6 TDs. . . First-year starting QB Alex Aletras has thrown for 848 yards and 12 TDs, though he’s completing less than half his passes and has been picked off 6 times, most among the league’s qualified passing leaders. . . He has spread the ball around, with 7 or more completions to six different receivers. . . Seth Klinikowski leads team with 10 catches. . . Anthony Batista leads the team with 198 receiving yards and 4 TD receptions; he had 2 TD catches last week. . . Defense allowing 186 rushing yards per game, one of the higher figures in the league. . . Had 8 tackles for loss, including a pair of sacks, last week in holding Pequea Valley to 199 total yards, including just 51 through the air. . . Ranked No. 4 in District 3 Class 3A power rating, just ahead of Berks Catholic.
Series flashback 2012: Berks Catholic came up with a fourth-quarter goal-line stand, two other stops in the red zone, and a sack on a two-point conversion attempt in the final seconds to hold on for a 21-20 victory in a Week 6 battle of unbeatens. The win was the 300th for Saints coach Rick Keeley. The Panthers got a 19-yard TD pass from Kyle Beissel to Troy Koch with 29 seconds left to have a chance for the win. Freshman Eric Bodolus scored the Saints’ sixth sack of the night on the conversion bid to seal the win.
Quotable: “He’s a really, really good linebacker. He’s really good at finding the ball, even when he’s blocked. He’s almost like water: he figures out a way to get through. We certainly have to account for him, but that’s easier said than done. He was hard to get bodies on last year, and he’s a year more experienced and a year better.” — Berks Catholic coach Dave Stahler on Schuylkill Valley All-State linebacker Logan Cammauf
Quotable: “Their front four is pretty good, and that’s the bulk of their defense. They put a lot of pressure on you. We’re going to have to do some different schemes to take care of those people. It’s gonna be tough running inside against them.” — Schuylkill Valley coach Bruce Harbach
