Game of the Week: Wyomissing (6-0) at Cocalico (5-1)
2023 Berks football coverage presented by
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Wyomissing (6-0) vs. Cocalico (5-1)
Kick: Friday, 7, at Eagle Stadium, Denver.
Section 4 records: Spartans 3-0, Eagles 3-0.
Series: Spartans lead 3-0.
Last year: Cocalico turned it over on fumbles on each of its first three possessions and Wyomissing took advantage, scoring three first-quarter touchdowns en route to a 38-7 victory. Matt Kramer ran for three TDs and Ben Zechman threw a pair of scoring passes. The Eagles were held to eight first downs and 123 total yards and didn’t score until the fourth quarter.
(Tim Macrina photo)
Spartans update: Won 26th straight league game last week, beating Donegal 49-0. . . Seven different players reached the end zone, including LB Drew Forrey, who opened the scoring with a 28-yard interception return. . . After holding Donegal to 24 rushing yards on 20 carries and 45 total yards defense moved up to No. 2 overall in the league in total defense, allowing 176.0 yards per game. . . Ranked No. 10 in rushing defense, No. 3 in passing defense and No. 6 in scoring (11.5). . . Have allowed three TDs in three league games and 21 points over the last 13 quarters. . . Soph Chase Eisenhower leads team with 606 rushing yards and 7 TDs. . . Forrey is averaging 11.2 yards per carry. . . Freshman Justice Hardy leads team with 4 receptions. . . QB Logan Hyde has attempted just 33 passes. . . Ranked No. 2 in the state in Class 3A and No. 1 in District 3. . . No. 2 Lancaster Catholic and No. 3 West Perry are the only other unbeaten Class 3A teams in the district.
Did you know? This could be the last league game between Cocalico and Wyomissing for the foreseeable future. Cocalico will almost certainly move up to Section 3 when new enrollment numbers are announced in January and the Lancaster-Lebanon League realigns its sections.
(Chris Knight/LNP)
Eagles update: Replaced four starters on offense and four on defense, including All-State DL Chuckie Drain and All-State LB Tyler Angstadt, from team that won District 3 Class 5A championship. . . Opened season with surprising 17-14 loss at Warwick but have rebounded with five straight wins, including 48-28 over Manheim Central in Week 3 and 56-7 last week at Elco. . . Wyomissing beat Elco 28-14. . . Veteran roster includes 20 seniors. . . All-State RB Sam Steffey, who ran for 1,829 yards and 23 TDs last season, leads team with 611 rushing yards and 11 TDs. . . All-League pick Aaryn Longenecker, a threat in the running, passing and kicking game, is averaging 17.0 yards per carry with 6 TDs and leads team in receptions. . . QB Josh Myer runs much more than he passes and has scored 8 TDs; he’s attempted just 18 passes. . . Ranked No. 1 overall in the Lancaster-Lebanon League in rushing defense, allowing 77.5 yards per game. . . No. 5 in total defense, at 202.5 per game. . . No. 9 in scoring defense, allowing 15.0 points. . . Ranked No. 8 in the state in Class 5A. . . No. 7 in District 3 Class 5A power ratings.
Did you know? Cocalico fell to 3-4 with its loss at Wyomissing last season, then bounced back with seven straight wins, the last a 34-14 win at Exeter in the District 3 Class 5A championship game. It was Cocalico’s fourth district championship and second in four years.
Fast fact: Wyomissing has won a Berks-record 41 straight regular season games. It’s last loss came Oct. 27, 2018, against Berks Catholic, 28-7.
Quotable: “I don’t think it’s going to take any speech or statistic to get the kids up for this game on either side.” – Cocalico coach Bryan Strohl.
