Season Preview: Wilson Bulldogs
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Classification: Class 6A.
League: Lancaster-Lebanon Section 1.
Last season: 5-1 Section 1, 8-3 overall.
Schedule: Click here.
Last District 3 playoff appearance: 2022.
Head coach: Doug Dahms, 18th season, 178-38.
Key losses: Section 1 Offensive and Defensive Back of the Year Cam Jones, all-league DE Nick Weitzel, all-league DE Brendan Hopp, all-league LB Landon Farrell, all-league LB Nick Crocona, all-league DB Nate Capitano.
Top offensive players: QB Tommy Hunsicker, RB Nick Fiorini, RB Correll Akings, all-league WR Edison Case, WR Austin Valukevich, SE Madyx Gruber, SE Jackson Wagner, TE Brady Kline, all-league C Logan Kurzweg, all-league G Ryan McMillan, all-league T Jack Dendall, T A.J. Matta, all-league PK Ben Rada.
Top defensive players: T Logan Kurzweg, T Jack Dendall, T Derek Reiniger, LB Ryan McMillan, LB Nick Fiorini, LB Jackson Wagner, LB Christo Hunsicker, S Edison Case, S Adam Woods, CB Madyx Gruber, CB Correll Akings.
Did you know? Doug Dahms has been on staff for 442 of Wilson’s 593 victories: 264 as an assistant coach, 178 as head coach.
For the record: Cam Jones set a program record with a 94-yard touchdown punt return last season against Penn Manor; his five punt return touchdowns were also a program record and likely a Berks County record, as well. He took nine punts back to the end zone over the past two seasons.
On schedule: The Bulldogs have beaten Central Dauphin three straight seasons but still trail the series, 7-6. Three of those meetings have come in District 3 championship games; five have come in the playoffs. The teams are tied 4-4 in regular season meetings. The Rams are on the slate for Week 2, Wilson’s home opener.
Quotable: “I think we’ll be solid against the run, but we need that guy that’s going to get pressure off the edge. We have ideas (of who will be good) but until you put the pads on you don’t know.” – Bulldogs coach Doug Dahms, on a rebuilt defensive unit.
Outlook: The Bulldogs have built their considerable reputation over the years around a strong running game and a stout defense. Both are in question as they head to camp. Gone is leading rusher Cam Jones and eight other defensive starters.
Replacing Jones? Pretty much impossible. He dominated in every phase of the game and parted as one of the greatest players in program history. Those guys don’t come around often.
Filling all those open spots on a defense that graduated six all-league players? Not easy, for sure, but doable.
The offense will look a lot different, if only because the Bulldogs figure to be better in the passing game than the running game for a change. Tommy Hunsicker returns at QB after a junior season that saw him continually improve and finish with 1,065 yards and 11 TDs. He was especially good in the district playoff loss to Harrisburg, avoiding pressure, effectively running out of the pocket, and throwing for 223 yards and a pair of scores to keep his team in it.
Case is especially good after the catch; he averaged 19.6 yards per reception. He’ll be a factor in the return game, as well.
He’ll have a top-shelf receiving crew, starting with 6-2 Edison Case and 6-3 Austin Valukevich on the outside, Madyx Gruber and Jackson Wagner as slot receivers and Brady Kline at TE. Case and Valukevich had big games against a talented Harrisburg team, combining for six catches and 130 yards. They’re inviting targets at that size.
The running game should be fine even though Doug Dahms doesn’t have a lead dog in mind at this point. Nick Fiorini, at 190 pounds, provides some sock out of the backfield; soph Correll Akings brings the speed element. Neither have many carries on their resume.
Whoever gets the rock should find running room. Four starters return to the O-line, three of whom earned all-league status. 6-3, 270-pound T Jack Dendall, who’s getting Division I looks, and C Logan Kurzweg were first-team picks; G Ryan McMillan was a second-team choice.
“We feel pretty good offensively; we’re ahead of the ballgame,” Dahms said. “We’ve got a lot more experience up front, so hopefully we’ll be a little better there.”
Many of the front-line offensive players will be see plenty of time on the defensive side, including Case at S and McMillan at LB – they’re the lone return starters. Dendall will be counted on along the D-line but may miss time on that side of the ball early in the season after breaking his hand last month. Fiorini at LB, Kurzweg at T, Gruber at CB and Christo Hunsicker at LB will be big pieces on ‘D.’
At the wire: Section 1 always seems to come down to Wilson and Manheim Township and it will again this season. When they meet Week 10 at Gurski Stadium expect the title to be on the line – unless Hempfield disrupts plans, as it did last year when it won the league title.
