Raiders’ Drew Engle earns Wyomissing Physical Therapy Player of the Week in 1st game back

By Mike Drago Last updated Nov 21, 2024

Twin Valley's Drew Engle. (PhilMarPhoto)

After back-to-back losses late in the season and having to open the district playoffs on the road against a strong opponent, Twin Valley needed a spark Friday.

Drew Engle provided it.

The junior tailback played for the first time in 11 weeks following an injury and scored three touchdowns in the Raiders’ 47-19 District 3 Class 4A quarterfinal win at Susquehanna Township.

“Getting him back is obviously a lift production-wise and attitude-wise,” said Twin Valley coach Brett Myers. “It just give you a good football player.”

Engle rushed 18 times for 122 yards and caught two passes – one for a touchdown – to earn Wyomissing Physical Therapy Offensive Player of the Week.

Engle set the program rushing record last season, going for 1,599 yards. He got off to a good start this season, running for 82 yards on seven carries in the season opener at Berks Catholic, including a 43-yard touchdown run. A broken collarbone threatened to end his season.

He wasn’t cleared for physical contact until just three days before Twin Valley’s playoff opener. He had been practicing with the team for several weeks before that. He showed no ill effects from his long layoff.

“He looked great,” Myers said. “He looked like Drew: A strong, powerful kid who can run. He’s as good as anybody in our league.

“A kid like Drew competes; he’s gonna carry out a fake 40 yards downfield to see how many guys he can pull with him. Every play, he’s trying to win something. He competes. That just adds to the other competitors on our team.”

Engle scored on a 3-yard run late in the first quarter to give the Raiders the lead for good. He followed with an 8-yard TD run and a 31-yard scoring reception.

“Once I found out I could (return to) play, my face lit up,’’ Engle said of being cleared to play. “There was definitely some adrenaline flowing tonight. But it was all about the guys up front and my team around me lifting me up.’’

Engle, a two-way starter as a sophomore, did not see time on defense Friday. He did play a limited roll on specials teams.

His time on the field will likely increase this week when the Raiders travel to Lampeter-Strasburg to face the unbeaten and top-seeded Pioneers in a district semifinal.

Engle averaged a whopping 10.5 yards per carry last season, with 15 touchdowns. He earned first-team all-league honors as a running back in Section 3 and was a second-team pick as a defensive back.

Engle set a program record by rushing for 100 or more yards seven times in 11 games last season; he ran for 190 or more yards five times. His 230 yards against Garden Spot last season was sixth-most in program history. His 15 TDs tied for second-most in program history.

Good as he is in football, his best sport might be lacrosse. He was an All-Berks midfielder as a sophomore, scoring a team-high 45 goals on a Raiders team that went 17-6 and reached the PIAA Tournament. Earlier this year he committed to play at the United States Military Academy at West Point.

Engle is the second Twin Valley player selected Offensive Player of the Week this season. Quarterback Evan Myers was selected in Week 1. Engle was selected twice last season.

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

This is the fourth consecutive season that Wyomissing Physical Therapy has sponsored the Offensive Player of the Week award. At the end of the season an Offensive Player of the Year will be selected.

Also nominated for Wyomissing Physical Therapy Offensive Player of the Week: