It looks like the end of the road for Bob Wolfrum’s favorite football trip
2023 Berks football coverage presented by
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When Bob Wolfrum first visited Pottsville as a young football coach he instantly fell in love with town, the people, and the football.
He dreamed of taking a team to Veterans Memorial Stadium and playing the Crimson Tide. At the time, in the mid 1970’s, it was a dream. Pottsville was a top Coal Region power; Wyomissing was a small I-C program just finding its footing.
The programs were in different football orbits.
Fifteen years ago, and after Pottsville had joined the Berks Football League, Wolfrum got his long-awaited opportunity: The Spartans opened the 2007 season at Veterans Memorial Stadium.
The game was as good as you could have hoped for. The Crimson Tide was coming off consecutive appearances in the PIAA Class 4A championship game. The Spartans were coming off a 14-1 season. Wyomissing prevailed 24-20, igniting what would become a hot series for years to come.
It meant a lot to Wolfrum – the chance and the outcome.
“The first year we went up there and won, which shocked a lot of people,” said Wolfrum, whose team is prepping for another visit to Veterans Memorial Stadium Friday night. “Way back when, if you said that Wyomissing’s gonna play Pottsville people would’ve told you you’re crazy.”
Friday’s trip will be an emotional one for Wolfrum: He learned earlier this year that the teams won’t play in 2024 or 2025.
Because of scheduling changes in the Colonial League, Pottsville had to commit to other games the next two seasons in Weeks 2 and 3. Wyomissing is not available in Week 1 because it has committed to play small-school power Southern Columbia for a home-and-home series.
“I’m saddened by the fact that we’re not gonna get to go up there the next two years,” said Wolfrum, who likes his players to experience Pottsville’s old-school football setting. “It’s just something that we all look forward to. It’s got such a tradition . . . it’s just a great football atmosphere. They’ve got a real good band every year, and the people come out (to see them play).”
The series has been a unique one. Each of the games has been played at Pottsville. You won’t find many coaches like Wolfrum willing to give up a home game every year; then again, you won’t find many coaches like Wolfrum, period.
Until recently the games have been very competitive.
Three of the first five meetings were one-score games.
In 2017 the Spartans trailed 7-0 heading into the fourth quarter before pulling out a 14-7 win.
Two years later they needed to go to overtime to win 21-20.
The Spartans lead the series 9-4.
Wyomissing, which has reached a new level of play in recent years, has dominated the past two games, winning 42-14 and 49-0. The score will likely be similar this time around. The Spartans are ranked No. 2 in the state in Class 3A and will mercy rule a bunch of their opponents.
You can’t say Pottsville is running away from top competition. It opened the season against Jersey Shore, which came into the season ranked in the state Top 10 in Class 4A.
“We don’t want to lose this game (from our schedule),” Pottsville athletic director Eric Rissmiller said. “This is one my favorite games. You talk about class: Coach Wolfrum and Frank (Ferrandino, an assistant coach and athletic director) win with class. I’m hoping that we can play again.”
That won’t come until 2026 at the earliest.
The loss of Pottsville will leave a big hole on Wyomissing’s schedule; right now it hasn’t found a way to fill it. Weeks 2 and 3 of the 2024 schedule remain open.
Ferrandino has reached out to a number of schools but has found no takers. It seems the Spartans have become their own worst enemy. They have gone 50-4 since the start of the 2019 season and haven’t lost a regular season game in more than 250 weeks.
Other programs don’t want to play Wyomissing because they don’t want to lose — especially to a smaller program, which will hurt them in the power ratings chase.
“We’re having a whole lot of trouble (finding opponents),” Wolfrum said. “I’m not gonna say who, but it’s shocking who won’t play (us). There are big-name teams that I think would (make for a) great game . . . but they’re not interested.
“I get it, we’re small and they don’t want to play smaller schools. There’s a chance that we could’ve had a couple really good games and it’s just not happening.”
Wyomissing may end up traveling across the state, or even out of state, to find a willing opponent.
“At this point, we’ll pretty much take anybody that wants to play,” Wolfrum said.
It rankles Berks’ winningest coach that the power rating system – which determines playoff qualifiers and seedings – are preventing his program from getting on the field with some top-rate opponents.
“It’s a shame, because power ratings can’t be everything,” he said. “There’s a lot of great games that could be had out there, but the fact that one team’s telling you the power rating (is the issue)… They take enough teams to the playoffs that one game against a smaller school shouldn’t stop you from making the playoffs.”
