Perfect execution caps perfect regular season finish for Scouts
2024 Berks football coverage presented by
Utilities Employees Credit Union
By Sam Cavalieri — MikeDragoSports.com correspondent
One more first down stood between Conrad Weiser and a 10-0 regular season.
Scouts coach Alan Moyer called a fake punt on fourth-and-2 and Donavan Gingrich and Evan Miller, two players relied on all game, executed to perfection to hold off Unionville 28-27 in a non-league matchup Friday at Robesonia.
| Section 3 | ||
| Conrad Weiser | 6-0 | 10-0 |
| Cocalico | 5-1 | 7-3 |
| Warwick | 4-2 | 5-5 |
| Garden Spot | 3-3 | 4-5 |
| Solanco | 3-3 | 5-5 |
| Manheim | 1-5 | 3-7 |
| Fleetwood | 0-6 | 3-7 |
The victory completes one of the more remarkable turnarounds in league history. The Scouts (6-0, 10-0) had losing seasons in 2022 and 2023, a rarity over the last 50 years in Robesonia. This is their first 10-0 regular season since 1996 and fifth in school history (1973, 1981, 1982 and 1996).
“It means a lot and I tell these kids all the time man, I bleed blue and white,” an emotional Moyer said. “I’ve been here for every championship this school has ever had except for 1973 and then I was behind these bleachers playing tag football.
“Other than that I have been either a player, an assistant coach, or head coach of every championship this school has had. I am very proud of it.”
Moyer got a huge performance from Miller, his offensive tackle turned tight end turned running back. He ran for 94 yards, including 70 yards in the second half with the Scouts desperate to move the chains and chew up clock against the Longhorns (6-4).
He also led the team in receiving with 69 yards, including a 34-yard touchdown that put the Scouts ahead 28-19 with 5:47 left. Miller has been forced into carrying the ball more due to injuries suffered over the last month.
“I give a lot of credit to my (assistant) coaches who figured some things out (with all of our injuries),” Moyer said. “Miller had five, six, seven, or eight carries only prior to last week and now kid’s running like a horse.”
The thoroughbred was ridden hardest on the final drive of the game. The Scouts got the ball back with three minutes remaining and a 28-27 lead after an Owen Simcox touchdown and Brody McLaughlin two-point conversion.
Miller took five straight handoffs and gained 28 yards, including one first down, and set up the pivotal fourth-and-2 at the Unionville 42.
“I knew it was going to work because they are an aggressive team that likes to fly up and I’m confident in our abilities to get it done on fourth down,” Miller said.
Conrad Weiser needed everything it could get from Miller and Gingrich because McLaughlin was electric. He finished with 227 rushing yards and 109 passing yards after replacing starting quarterback Tommy McGinness, who was injured in the first quarter.
Gingrich was effective on the ground in the first half and the Scouts scored on all three first-half possessions for a 21-6 lead.
The second half had two possessions derailed by Gingrich turnovers, one interception and one fumble. The confidence in Gingrich never wavered; he finished a solid 9-of-14 for 118 yards with two touchdowns and ran for 68 yards and a touchdown.
“It starts with the coaches being with us since freshman year,” Gingrich said. “We were able to move up a year early as freshmen and develop early. We have been with our coaches for four years now and they have the trust in us that we are going to bounce back.”
The season will continue with the District 3 playoffs, where the Scouts will earn a first-round bye and a quarterfinal home game.
For now the focus is on this historical season that has reached beyond anyone’s wildest dreams.
“It’s unbelievable to us,” Miller said. “We have faced so much adversity in the last two years with injuries and our record. We knew if we worked hard this offseason we had the right kids and had the experience to get it done. We didn’t expect 10-0 but we will take it.”
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Final | |
| Unionville | 6 | 0 | 7 | 14 | 27 |
| Conrad Weiser | 0 | 21 | 0 | 7 | 28 |
Scoring summary
| 1 | Unionville | McLaughlin, 2 run (kick failed) | 4:20 |
| 2 | Conrad Weiser | Gingrich, 8 run (Malone kick) | 11:08 |
| 2 | Conrad Weiser | DePrince, 15 pass from Gingrich (Malone kick) | 5:30 |
| 2 | Conrad Weiser | Miller, 3 run (Malone kick) | 0:27.8 |
| 3 | Unionville | McLaughlin, 8 run (Keaveney kick) | 4:14 |
| 4 | Unionville | McLaughlin, 28 run (run failed) | 8:58 |
| 4 | Conrad Weiser | Miller, 34 pass from Gingrich (Malone kick) | 5:47 |
| 4 | Unionville | Simcox, 2 run (McLaughlin rush) | 3:07 |
Team statistics
| Unionville | Conrad Weiser | |
| First downs | 18 | 18 |
| Rushes-yards | 37-251 | 41-202 |
| Passing yards | 127 | 118 |
| Total yards | 378 | 320 |
| Passes | 6-10-0 | 9-14-1 |
| Fumbles-lost | 1-0 | 1-1 |
| Punts-average | 2-23.5 | 0-0 |
| Penalties-yards | 9-75 | 3-25 |
Individual statistics
RUSHING
Unionville: McLaughlin 28-227, McIlrath 6-22, Simcox 2-3, Gilday 1-(-1).
Conrad Weiser: Miller 16-94, Gingrich 9-68, DePrince 10-38, Reinard 1-4, Kiebach 2-3, Keppley 1-(-3), Team 2-(-2).
PASSING
Unionville: McLaughlin 5-8-0—109, McGinnis 1-2-0—18.
Conrad Weiser: Gingrich 9-14-1—118.
RECEIVING
Unionville: Puleo 3-85, McIlrath 2-32, Gilday 1-10.
Conrad Weiser: Miller 3-69, DePrince 3-29, Parr 2-13, Keppley 1-7.
INTERCEPTIONS
Unionville: Puleo.
