Game of the Week: Wyomissing vs. Southern Columbia
2024 Berks football coverage
presented by UECU
Wyomissing vs. Southern Columbia
Kick: Saturday, 1:30, at Bob Wolfrum Field.
Coaches: Southern Columbia: Jim Roth, 40th season, 499-68-2; Wyomissing: Bob Wolfrum, 38th season, 362-89-1.
Series: Wyomissing leads 1-0 after 41-21 win in 2021.
Series flashback: Amory Thompson returned a kickoff 98 yards for a score, Drew Eisenhower took a fumble back 66 yards for a TD, and Wyomissing dominated unbeaten Southern Columbia 41-21 in a Week 6 matchup at Catawissa in 2021. The victory snapped the longest winning streak in the nation at 65 and the Tigers’ 93-game regular season winning streak.
“These kids are going to remember this game for the rest of their lives,” Wyomissing coach Bob Wolfrum said. “There’s a whole lot of guys in Pennsylvania who never get to play in a game like that, win or lose. That’s special.”
Did you know? Southern Columbia has won seven consecutive PIAA championships and a record 14 overall.
Did you know? Wyomissing has won 33 straight homes games. Its last home loss came in 2018 to Berks Catholic.
Tigers update: Defending PIAA Class 2A champs are replacing all of their offensive skill players and nine starters on defense. Despite being in transition, Southern opens the season ranked No. 1 in the state in Class 2A by PennLive.com. . . Training camp QB battle was between soph Ayden Hockenbroch and junior Anthony Martino; neither has much varsity experience. . . Strength on offense is the line, which returns four starters . . . All-State LG Jude Bremigen was expected miss the first few weeks recovering from elbow surgery. . . Three-time All-State LB Dominic Fetterolf, who had a team-best 136 tackles a year ago, anchors defense. . . Only other return starter on defense is DE Ethan Makowski. . . Southern Columbia had five first-team picks las tyear, more than any other Class 2A team. . . Three were seniors, including Class 2A Player of the Year Garrett Garcia, who scored 28 touchdowns. . . Play in Division 2 of Heartland Conference.
Spartans update: There’s plenty of depth and strength along both lines but one of the keys early in the season will be the young QB, either soph Teddy White or freshman Brady Eisenhower . . . It appears White will get the start but Eisenhower could see time as well. . . All-League DE Max Tipton leads the way up front, where Spartans will be big and deep. . . Backfield could be explosive, with sprinter Justice Hardy among the breakaway threats. . . All-League FB Chase Eisenhower coming off a 1,000-yard, 18-TD sophomore season. . . Backup FB Tyler Niedrowski a threat there, too. . . Derek Macrina, Marcus Armistead, Timmy Fleischood, all threats out of the backfield. . . Hardy also expected to be utilized as a WR. . . Kicking game strong as ever. . . Key newcomer to watch is TE Andrew Bresnahan. . . Now playing at Class 4A after winning five straight District 3 Class 3A titles. . . .Ranked No. 5 in the state in Class 4A by PennLive.com.
For the record: The Spartans have gone 40-4 over the past three seasons, the best three-year stretch in Berks history. That eclipsed the record of 39-4 by Wilson from 2012-14.
Fast fact: Wyomissing has lost more than a century’s worth of coaching experience from its coaching staff with the passing of former assistant Al Silveri and the retirement of Tom Baldwin and Jack Paris.
(Larry Deklinski/The News-Item)
Quotable: “We’ve got some guys who can go the distance, (guys) that area handful (to stop). We can hit from distance now. I think we’re gonna be pretty explosive.” – Wyomissing coach Bob Wolfrum.
Quotable: “A lot of our lineup is going to be first-year starters and younger guys who don’t have experience at the varsity level. We have a lot of guys that should be good football players down the road. You just don’t know how long it’s going to take.” – Southern Columbia coach Jim Roth.
