GoBigRecruiting.com Game of the Week: Exeter vs. Hempfield

By Mike Drago Last updated Oct 24, 2022

Exeter's Richie Karstien. (Susan L. Angstadt photo)

Exeter (7-0) vs. Hempfield (6-1)

Kick: Friday, 7, at Landisville.

Status: Non-league game.

Series: Eagles lead 3-1.

Last meeting: One week after beating Wilson for the first time the Eagles saw the Black Knights drive 76 yards and take their first lead on Stephen Katch’s 8-yard touchdown run with 5:12 left. Mike Moser’s 32-yard field goal attempt was blocked with 4.6 seconds left as Hempfield held on for a 17-14 win on last season at Landisville.

Exeter led 14-0 early in the second quarter after Eric Nangle’s 5-yard TD run. A broken coverage left Braydon Felsinger alone and his 71-yard TD reception pulled Hempfield within 14-9 late in the third quarter.

Exeter’s Colin Payne completed 14-of-25 passes for 143 yards. Nangle carried 22 times for 92 yards. Joey Schlaffer caught five passes for 53 yards.

Eagles update: Won ninth straight regular season game last week, beating Muhlenberg 42-8. . . Richie Karstien ran for 141 yards and 3 TDs. . . He’s fourth among Lancaster-Lebanon League Section 2 backs with 692 rushing yards and tied for second with 10 TDs. He’s averaging 8.9 yards per carry, second-best in the section. . . Mason Rotelli is the top-rated passer in the entire league. He is completing 74.2 percent of his passed for 875 yards and 14 TDs. . . Penn State recruit Joey Schlaffer is closing in on Berks’ all-time career receiving mark. He’s one of just four Berks players with over 2,000 career yards and now 185 yards short of the record of 2,250, set last season by Twin Valley’s Trey Freeman. . . Have mercy-ruled all but one opponent, Gov. Mifflin, in a 36-6 Week 4 win at Mifflin Stadium. . . Allowing 9.1 points per game, second-lowest in District 3 behind only Wyomissing (7.4). . . Ranked No. 2 in the league in rushing defense, No. 3 in total defense and No. 4 in passing defense. . . LB Lucas Palange leads team with 47 tackles; he also has 2 INTs and a blocked punt. . . LB Jonathan Martin is second with 34 tackles; also has forced 2 fumbles. . . Delaware recruit Anthony Caccese leads team with 4.5 sacks. . . Nigel Meekins leads team with 5 pass break-ups. . . No. 2 in District 3 Class 5A power rankings, behind Solanco. . . Ranked No. 3 in the state in Class 5A by PennLive.com, No. 2 by Pennsylvania Football News (behind only Upper Dublin).

Did you know? Matt Bauer last week became just the second coach in program history to record 100 wins, joining Don Thomas, who won 123 games over 24 seasons from 1959-82. Bauer’s .658 winning percentage is best in program history.

Fast fact: Exeter has scored 35 points in each of its first seven games for the first time in program history. The Eagles are averaging 43.0 points per game. Just one Class 5A team in the state, Chester (44.1) is averaging more.

Exeter QB Mason Rotelli breaks off a big run at Gov. Mifflin. (Susan L. Angstadt photo)

Black Knights update: Scored TD with 17 seconds left last week to beat Wilson 20-16, their first win in West Lawn since 1994 and first over the Bulldogs since 2005, before Doug Dahms was the head coach. . . QB Jackson Landis completed 16-of-26 passes for career-high 269 yards, including a 58-yard TD to Micah Gates. . . Outgained Wilson 359-274. . . Brian Williams had a pair of interceptions, including one on the final play of the game. . . In first place in Section 1 of the Lancaster-Lebanon League after winning road games at Township and Wilson, the preseason favorites. . . Headed for first Section 1 title since 2005, and possibly first outright title since 1994. . . Only Section 1 team with over 1,000 yards rushing and 1,000 passing, and one of just seven in the league . . . Landis has thrown for 1,044 yards, with 6 TDs and 5 INTs. . . RB Grant Hoover has rushed for 696 yards. . . Gates leads team with 24 catches. . . Have two wins by three points (35-32 over York High and 17-14 over Manheim Township) and one by four points (Wilson). . . No. 2 in District 3 Class 6A power rankings, behind Cumberland Valley.

Did you know? Exeter has gone more than a calendar year without losing a regular season game. Its last regular season loss came Oct. 8, 2021, to Gov. Mifflin, 54-21. Since that time the Eagles are 13-1, the lone loss coming in the PIAA Class 5A semifinals to Penn-Trafford, 49-14.

Looking ahead: Exeter returns to Section 2 play next week, against Conestoga Valley. It closes the regular season at Manheim Central, which is also unbeaten and shares first place in Section 2 with the Eagles.