Huge reversal of fortune has made football fun again at Conrad Weiser
2024 Berks football coverage presented by
Utilities Employees Credit Union
Davis Keppley wasn’t sure he wanted to play football this season.
He and his Conrad Weiser teammates were put through the ringer last year, losing eight times, just winning twice. A season like that will test your soul.
Keppley figured he would put his full efforts into wrestling, an endeavor that saw his hand raised in triumph 31 times, including a couple times in sectionals, where he finished second.
He didn’t attend offseason football workouts. His teammates kept telling him he should come back, that things would be different this season. Scouts coach Alan Moyer told him he might someday regret skipping his senior season.
Late in July Keppley relented; he became a football player again.
“I think he’s pretty happy with his decision,” said Moyer.
Two months later the Scouts are unbeaten and the surprise team of the Lancaster-Lebanon League. They’re 6-0 and in first place in Section 3 after dismantling one of the preseason favorites, Manheim Central.
After two difficult seasons football is fun again in Robesonia.
“It’s a good feeling,” Keppley said. “I’m enjoying the time that I have with the guys. I’m not worrying about losing as much and I’m just going out and playing.”
A guy who didn’t appear on Weiser’s early preseason depth now shares the team lead in tackles.
It’s been that kind of year for the Scouts, who have gotten unexpected contributions from players who weren’t firmly in the picture; they’ve seen younger players forced into action last season grow and become leaders.
Gionni Messersmith, who lines up next to Keppley at inside linebacker, is another of those feel-good stories. He’s a Tulpehocken student who leaped at the chance to play football when his school formed a joint sponsorship agreement before his sophomore season.
He loves football, loves the contact, loves competing. He couldn’t get on the field last year because of a lingering knee injury from his sophomore wrestling season. He had surgery right before the season kicked off.
Because of his focus on rehab, and because he doesn’t attend Conrad Weiser, Messersmith wasn’t around last season. Moyer didn’t know if he’d again be part of the team.
Truth is, Messersmith couldn’t wait to get back at it for his senior season. After a long rehab he was back with his teammates during offseason workouts. He noticed a change; he could sense something good was about to happen.
“It was definitely more intense,” he said of the offseason. “There was not a lot of messing around.”
They may not readily admit it but the Scouts’ players, like their coaches, were unsure of how things would unfold. Back-to-back losing seasons will dent your confidence like that.
They pulled out a tough opener against Abington with a strong second half and gained momentum with a dominating Week 2 performance against an Elco team some felt would be competitive.
“After (beating) Elco and Lebanon (in Week 3) we knew we were gonna be better than previous years,” Messersmith said.
Though the wins continued to mount the jury was still out as Weiser prepped for a Week 5 visit by Manheim Central, a perennial state power. The ensuing 35-7 win turned out to be a watershed moment. Granted, this is the weakest Manheim team in years but that didn’t matter; the Scouts have been bursting with confidence ever since.
“(After that) we definitely (felt we were) going to do something special,” Messersmith said.
Donovan Gingrich has helped raise the ceiling. His third year as a starter at quarterback has seen him take his game to a new level.
He completed less than half his throws in each of his first two seasons but he’s clicking on a league-best 74.6 percent of his throws. He’s thrown 10 touchdowns, been intercepted just once, and is ranked second in the league in passing efficiency.
Just as importantly he’s added a running element to his game. He has scored five TDs and is averaging better than 10 yards per carry after breaking out for 146 yards in last week’s wild 56-35 win over Solanco.
Gingrich is benefiting from an improved offensive line that’s giving him time to set and throw and from having one of the league’s best receivers as a target. Senior Evan Rittle, a three-way all-league pick as a junior, is fourth in the league with 27 receptions, second with 496 receiving yards, and first with eight touchdown catches.
Defense has been the greatest area of improvement. After finishing last in Section 4 in rushing defense, total defense, and scoring defense they’ve been one of the league’s stingiest units. They’re ranked No. 3 in the 37-team league in pass defense, No. 6 in scoring defense, and No. 7 in total defense.
Their numbers were way better before last week’s shootout, but at the very least that game showed the Scouts’ resilience: They trailed three times in the first half yet won going away.
Weiser’s defense is getting contributions at every level. Speed-rushing end Ashton Kiebach has a team-best five tackles for loss. Outside linebacker Jonathan McQuillen makes plays all over the field and shares the team lead in tackles with Kepley. Rittle covers all kinds of ground at safety. Dylan Parr shares the Berks lead with three interceptions.
Forcing turnovers has been key to the vast turnaround. The Scouts are plus-6 in turnover differential and tied for third in Berks with 13 takeaways. Tackling and drills designed to force turnovers are emphasized each week in practice.
There’s a “Turnover Wall” in the Scouts’ locker room that’s quickly filling up. Every time a player contributes to a takeaway his number goes up on the wall. It has become a source of pride and has built team unity.
“We’re just playing hard,” Messersmith said. “Everybody’s doing their assignments. It’s just everybody getting to the ball, being aggressive. We’re all doing our part, all putting in the work.”
Keppley doesn’t even want to think about what he might have missed had he stayed on the sidelines.
“I didn’t know what to expect, to be honest,” he said of his return. “It’s a different feel after going through 2-8; it’s a better feeling. After all the hard work we put in, it’s finally starting to pay off. It’s the same guys, we’re all just getting better.”
