Jaiden Carpenter carves out Body Zone Physical Therapy defensive award

By Mike Drago Last updated Nov 21, 2024

Wilson's Jaiden Carpenter.(Joe Mays photo)

When Cedar Crest quarterback Jackson Custer made it past the first two levels of Wilson’s defense and got into the clear late in the first quarter Friday night it appeared he was on his way to an 80-yard touchdown run.

“I thought he was gone,” said Bulldogs coach Doug Dahms.

Jaiden Carpenter had other ideas. The junior sprinter, making his first start at cornerback, never gave up on the play. He came from the opposite side of the field and was 10 yards off the ballcarrier at midfield. He gradually ran down Custer and made a diving tackle, preventing a breakaway touchdown and stopping him at the Wilson 22.

“That’s a big momentum shift,” Dahms said. “(If they score a touchdown), all of a sudden it’s 14-7 . . . they get (another) a big play (and the game is tied).”

Wilson’s defense stiffened at that point, forcing the Falcons to settle for a field goal. It turned out to be their only points in 28-3 District 3 Class 6A quarterfinal at Gurski Stadium.

Carpenter, going the whole way on defense for the first time, continued to make a big impact throughout the game. He finished with a team-high five tackles, including one for loss, and earned Body Zone Physical Therapy Defensive Player of the Week honors for the first time.

Other than Custer’s 58-yard run the Falcons got no other big plays; they were held to a 139 total yards. Custer completed just 6-of-19 passes for 50 yards. They were kept out of the end zone for just the second time this season.

Jaiden Carpenter takes ball upfield after a catch. (Joe Mays photo)

Carpenter played a big part in that. He was pivotal in helping take away Custer’s top target, Jack Waranavage, who was held to once catch. Waranavage, a second-team all-league pick as a junior, had a team-leading 28 catches coming into the game and a team-high seven TD catches.

“They have a couple of nice (receivers),” Dahms said of Cedar Crest, “but (Carpenter) was all over them. He made a couple of really nice plays, shut their kid down and had a touchdown-saving tackle on that really big run.

“He’s fast, he’s tall, he’s really a good cover corner who in any other year would’ve started for us.”

With Madyx Gruber and Correll Akings, two of the best athletes in the league, available the Bulldogs were set at cornerback, so Carpenter has spent the season backing each of them up.

With Gruber, Wilson’s quarterback, “a little dinged” according to Dahms, Carpenter went the whole way on defense Friday; Gruber didn’t see any time there.

That played a big part in the win as Gruber was able to expend his energy on offense and special teams. He ended up rushing for 132 yards and passing for 132 yards; he also returned a punt 85 yards to the end zone (though the play was nullified by a penalty).

Carpenter is Wilson’s top wide receiver. He has 17 receptions and a team-leading five TD catches.

In the spring he runs the 100, 200, and on the Bulldogs’ 4×100 relay. He qualified for districts in both sprints as a sophomore.

Carpenter is the second Wilson defensive back, and third player, to earn Defensive Player of the Week honors this season. Linebacker EJ Brownback was selected in Week 2; safety Chase Herb was the pick in Week 10.

Players considered for Body Zone Physical Therapy Defensive Player of the Week honors are nominated by their coaches or by members of the MikeDragoSports.com coverage team.

This is the fourth consecutive year that Body Zone Physical Therapy is sponsoring the Defensive Player of the Week. At the end of the season a Defensive Player of the Year will be named.

Bulldogs’ Jaiden Carpenter scores a touchdown against Plymouth-Whitemarsh. (Joe Mays photo)

Also considered this week:

Cameron Aiken, Exeter
Joel Ummarino, Exeter
Logan Cammauf, Schuylkill Valley
Ben Grundy, Twin Valley
Grant Moser, Twin Valley
Marcus Armistead, Wyomissing
Francisco Fabian, Wyomissing

Selected earlier this season:

Week 1: Fred Lacey, Muhlenberg
Week 2: EJ Brownback, Wilson
Week 3: Landen Hare, Fleetwood
Week 4: Logan Cammauf, Schuylkill Valley
Week 5: Justice Hardy, Wyomissing
Week 6: Kowen Gerner, Schuylkill Valley
Week 7: Tyler Niedrowski, Wyomissing
Week 8: Andrew Bresnahan, Wyomissing
Week 9: Ashton Kiebach, Conrad Weiser
Week 10: Chase Herb, Wilson
Week 11: Jayden Ware, Exeter

Selected in 2023 as Defensive Player of the Week:

Week 1: Lucas Myers, Twin Valley
Week 2: Michael Odeyemi, Reading High
Week 3: Stewie Janowski, Gov. Mifflin
Week 4: Ryker Jones, Wyomissing
Week 5: Ethan Lafferty, Kutztown
Week 6: Luke Spotts, Schuylkill Valley
Week 7: Colby Crills, Schuylkill Valley
Week 8: Luke Impellizzeri, Berks Catholic
Week 9: Logan Cammauf, Schuylkill Valley
Week 10: Justice Hardy, Wyomissing
Week 11: Dominic Giuffre, Schuylkill Valley
Week 12: Collin Niedrowski, Wyomissing

Selected in 2022 as Defensive Player of the Week:

Week 1: Jonathan Martin, Exeter
Week 2: Nate Capitano, Wilson
Week 3: Ethan Kryman, Daniel Boone
Week 4: Nate Pashley, Exeter
Week 5: Nafis Blythe, Berks Catholic
Week 6: Nick Weitzel, Wilson
Week 7: Ryker Jones, Wyomissing
Week 8: Drew Eisenhower, Wyomissing
Week 9: Mason Marks, Twin Valley
Week 10: Lucas Palange, Exeter
Week 11: Mason Semmel, Hamburg
Week 12: Ryker Jones, Wyomissing

Jaiden Carpener stretches for the ball against Cedar Crest. (Joe Mays photo)

Selected in 2021 as Defensive Player of the Week:

Week 1: Brett Organtini, Conrad Weiser
Week 2: Eden Johnson, Gov. Mifflin
Week 3: Josiah Jordan, Berks Catholic
Week 4: Matt Kramer, Wyomissing
Week 5: Ryan Souder, Daniel Boone
Week 6: Nevin Carter, Wyomissing
Week 7: Nate Goodman, Gov. Mifflin
Week 8: Sam Orzolek, Exeter
Week 9: Cam Jones, Wilson
Week 10: Aaron Shuker, Muhlenberg
Week 11: Mitchell Watt, Hamburg
Week 12: Tyler Givens, Berks Catholic
Week 13: Jack Miller, Wyomissing
Week 14: Ty Yocum, Exeter