Once again, Nick Singleton headlines Berks Section 1 all-league team

When Nick Singleton has added his final entries into the Berks record book he’s going to leave behind some towering achievements. Many will likely never be matched. A couple will never be surpassed.

The Gov. Mifflin running back rushed for 1,000 yards as a freshman, and in every season since; no one will ever top that.

He’s also been named all-league first team at running back four straight seasons. No one will ever do it five straight years — unless they change the eligibility rules.

Once again Singleton headlines the Berks Football League Section 1 all-league team, as selected by the league’s coaches. Berks’ leading rusher and scorer has been named Offensive Back of the Year for the third straight season, a feat that will be enormously difficult to top.

He’s one of seven two-way picks; he was also selected as kick returner (for the second straight year).

Singleton is one of eight first-team selections for the unbeaten Mustangs, and one of four specialty award winners. He’s joined by seniors Jonah Naugle, Offensive Lineman of the Year; Eden Johnson, Defensive Back of the Year; and Nate Goodman, Defensive Lineman of the Year.

Exeter, the runner-up in Section 1, has the most first-team picks, with nine. That includes a second straight Receiver of the Year honor for junior Joey Schlaffer and Linebacker of the Year for Ty Yocum.

The other major award winner is Daniel Boone’s Alex Vassallo, who shares the Receiver of the Year award.

Gov. Mifflin’s Jeff Lang is Coach of the Year after a second straight perfect regular season by the Mustangs, who are the top seed in the District 3 Class 5A Tournament and ranked No. 1 in the state in that classification. It is Lang’s third straight selection and fourth in his five seasons as head coach.

This season’s all-league team is definitely senior-heavy; 22 of the 28 players are in their final season. Last year’s first team included 14 seniors, 15 juniors and two sophomores.

Berks Catholic’s Christian Cacchione, who has rushed for 1,020 yards and scored 18 TDs, earned first-team honors for the third straight season. He’s been picked at All-Purpose Back twice; as a sophomore he was picked at defensive back, on the Section 2 team.

Singleton leads Berks with 1,502 rushing yards in eight games and 32 touchdowns.

Cacchione and Singleton are among 10 repeat selections, along with Exeter running back Eric Nangle, Schlaffer and Vassallo at wide receiver, Daniel Boone’s Colin Leahy at defensive line, Exeter’s J.R. Strauss at linebacker, Daniel Boone’s Nate Millard at placekicker and Berks Catholic linebacker Luke Hughes, who was selected at defensive line last season.

Daniel Boone had five first-team selections, Berks Catholic four and Muhlenberg and Reading High each had one.

The second team includes a freshman, defensive lineman Mykell Ford. There are two sophomores on the second team: Muhlenberg center Tucker Bellanca and Berks Catholic guard Owen Reber.

Voting was conducted by the six Section 1 coaches; the seven Section 2 coaches vote only for players in their section. All head coaches, including those from Boyertown and Wilson, vote to select the All-Berks team, which will be announced in several weeks.

Players will be honored at the Berks County Football Coaches Association banquet Dec. 1 at the Victor Emmanuel II Beneficial Society at 6.