Leo Brown’s rushing record provides Eagles with highlight in final game
2025 Berks football coverage presented by
Utilities Employees Credit Union
By Sean McBryan — MikeDragoSports.com senior correspondent
HARRISBURG — Exeter was aiming for its fourth District 3 Class 5A championship game appearance in five seasons, revenge against Bishop McDevitt for last year’s season-ending loss, and senior running back Leo Brown to break a 42-year-old rushing record.
| Final | |
| McDevitt | 42 |
| Exeter | 0 |
Only the third happened Friday night as the seventh-seeded Eagles saw their season come to a harsh ending with a 42-0 loss in the district semifinals to the third-seeded Crusaders at Rocco Ortenzio Stadium in Harrisburg.
McDevitt (10-2) advances to face No. 4 Solanco (11-1), which defeated No. 1 New Oxford 43-12, in the district championship Nov. 21 at a neutral site to be determined.
Brown entered Friday’s game needing only 9 yards to break the Berks rushing record set by Central Catholic’s David Gilmore in 1983. The moment arrived on the Eagles’ second possession when Brown burst 20 yards up the middle.
“That record is definitely gonna be a big statement for the program, and I couldn’t have done it without my teammates,” Brown said. “They really pushed me to get to that point. I couldn’t ask for a better team. I love these guys.”
For Exeter (10–3), Brown’s milestone was a bright moment in an otherwise difficult night. McDevitt held him to 49 yards on 17 carries — his lowest output of the season after entering the game with 11 straight 100-yard performances — and limited the Eagles to 61 total yards and three first downs.
Neither the loss nor the limited stat lines define this season for the Eagles.
What will endure is Brown’s historic year, the most productive rushing season in Berks County history, and a team that reached double-digit wins while continuing to elevate the program’s standard.
“I’m proud of our kids,” Exeter head coach Matt Bauer said. “They gave a great effort. We made mistakes early and we couldn’t sustain drives. I couldn’t be prouder of Leo and how hard he worked. I’m thankful to be his coach and to be part of his journey.”
Bauer said this senior class left a strong example for those behind them, something that continues to build the culture and elevate the program to new heights. Exeter won its first District 3 championship in 2021 and has returned to districts every year since, with title-game appearances in 2022 and last season.
“This was the best group of senior leaders I’ve had to date,” he said. “I’m blessed with great, dedicated, loyal kids.”
Brown echoed that sentiment.
“Each and every one of these guys left it all out on the field,” he said. “That’s all I can really ask for.”
McDevitt struck first when Sebastian Williams found Howard Holton Jr. for a 20-yard touchdown with 7:19 left in the first quarter. After Brown’s record-setting run on the ensuing drive — the longest play of the night for the Eagles — the Crusaders tightened defensively and leaned on explosive plays to take control.
“I think we were very sound,” Brown said. “It’s just they kept getting the big plays. The home-run plays were killing us.”
Nazir Jones-Davis ripped a 53-yard touchdown early in the second quarter. After an Exeter three-and-out, Williams had passes of 27 and 17 yards before Jerome Larue Jr. added a 9-yard score.
A failed fake punt on Exeter’s next drive gave the Crusaders a short field and Maurice Barnes punched in a 6-yard touchdown to give McDevitt a 28–0 halftime lead.
A 13-play, 75-yard drive to open the third quarter — capped by another Jones-Davis score — drained nearly nine minutes off the clock and enacted the mercy rule. Holton Jr. later caught a 30-yard touchdown from Williams to complete the scoring.
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Final | |
| Exeter | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Bishop McDevitt | 7 | 21 | 7 | 7 | 42 |
Scoring summary
| 1 | Bishop McDevitt | Holton Jr., 20 pass from Williams (Grella kick) | 7:19 |
| 2 | Bishop McDevitt | Jones-Davis, 53 run (Grella kick) | 11:19 |
| 2 | Bishop McDevitt | Larue Jr., 9 run (Grella kick) | 5:13 |
| 2 | Bishop McDevitt | Barnes, 6 run (Grella kick) | 2:30 |
| 3 | Bishop McDevitt | Jones-Davis, 3 run (Grella kick) | 3:04 |
| 4 | Bishop McDevitt | Holton Jr., 30 pass from Williams (Grella kick) | 10:07 |
Team statistics
| EXETER | BISHOP McDEVITT | |
| First downs | 3 | 14 |
| Rushes-yards | 20-40 | 31-171 |
| Passing yards | 21 | 162 |
| Total yards | 61 | 333 |
| Passes | 3-15-0 | 10-13-0 |
| Fumbles-lost | 0-0 | 1-0 |
| Punts-average | 6-27.8 | 2-33 |
| Penalties-yards | 4-30 | 9-70 |
Individual statistics
RUSHING
Exeter: Brown 17-49, Jackson 1-6, Martinez 1-(-6), Franek 1-(-9).
Bishop McDevitt: Jones-Davis 14-96, Larue Jr. 5-40, Barnes 7-30, Williams 2-4, McFarland 2-1, Miltsch 1-0.
PASSING
Exeter: Martinez 3-15-0–21.
Bishop McDevitt: Williams 10-13-0–162.
RECEIVING
Exeter: Hafer 1-11, Kozik 1-7, Franek 1-3.
Bishop McDevitt: Holton Jr. 3-66, Quick 3-49, Ruth 2-40, Barnes 1-5, Larue Jr. 1-2.
