KU’s Adam Kase, Eden Johnson earn top PSAC honors
2024 Berks football coverage presented by
Utilities Employees Credit Union
Guard Adam Kase of Conrad Weiser and linebacker Eden Johnson of Gov. Mifflin are among nine Kutztown University players to earn first-team honors on All-PSAC East team.
Kutztown’s Jim Clements was voted Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference’s East Division Coach of the Year and Golden Bears defensive lineman Freddie Retter, a Quakertown grad, was named East Defensive Athlete of the Year.
The team was selected by the league’s head coaches. Kutztown tied a program record with 15 first- and second-team selections.
Kase has earned back-to-back first-team honors. He has started all 11 games at guard and is one of the anchors on the line that has helped pave the way for an offense that ranks fourth in the conference in rushing (157.1 yards per game), second in total yards (1,728) and second in scoring (30.5 per game).
Johnson was voted All-Conference for the first time. In 11 games he has recorded 54 tackles, 6.5 tackles for loss, 3.5 sacks, two interceptions and six passes defended.
It is the fifth Coach of the Year award for Clements, who was named the AFCA Division II Region I Coach of the Year on Tuesday.
It is the first major award for Retter, who gives the Golden Bears (11-0) two Defensive Athletes of the Year in a row, following Tyler Whary.
The other first-team selections are: offensive linemen Ryan Schernecke (Upper Moreland) and Billy Everitt (Abington); defensive linemen Brayden Pohlman (Mainland N.J. Regional), Retter and Masen Wilson (Smyrna, Del.); linebacker Jalen DeVose (La Salle College H.S.); and defensive back Drew Hensor (Pennsbury).
There were six second-team selections: Quarterback Judd Novak (Manheim Central), running back Jaedyn Stewart (Delsea N.J. Regional), offensive linemen Trey Quinones (York High) and Andrew Stackhouse (Notre Dame Green Pond), wide receiver Kurtis Ravenel Jr. (Carlisle), and defensive back Khi’on Smith (Deptford Township N.J.).
Clements has led Kutztown to the first unbeaten regular season in the program’s modern era, its highest national ranking in the AFCA Division II Poll (No. 3 rank), won a school-record and Division II-best 20 consecutive regular season games (dating back to 2023) and captured a second straight PSAC championship.
The winningest coach in program history, Clements has a 90-28 (.763) record, 60-11 (.845) in PSAC East games.
Retter is a first-time honoree on the All-PSAC team. In 10 games this season, he has 42 total tackles, 13 tackles for loss, 7.5 sacks, two forced fumbles and fumble recoveries, two passes defended and two blocked kicks, along with scoring his first career touchdown on a fumble recovery in the season opener against Assumption. Retter also earned the PSAC’s Champion Scholar.
Novak, the reigning PSAC East Freshman of the Year, is now a two-time All-PSAC performer. He has completed 146 passes for 1,925 yards and 20 touchdowns. On the ground, Novak has added 76 carries for 354 yards and three scores.
Kutztown hosts the winner of Slippery Rock/New Haven in an NCAA Second Round game Nov. 30 at Andre Reed Stadium.
