Spotlight Game: The Frost Bowl — Hamburg vs. Schuylkill Valley
2023 Berks football coverage presented by
Utilities Employees Credit Union
Hamburg (4-3) vs. Schuylkill Valley (6-1)
Kick: Friday, 7, at Leesport.
Section 5 records: Hawks 1-3, Panthers 4-0.
Series: Hamburg leads 24-23-1.
Last year: Schuylkill Valley 41-34.
2022 recap: Dominic Giuffre ran for a program-record 302 yards and scored four touchdowns as the Panthers snapped a three-game losing streak in the series. Among Giuffre’s highlights was a 96-yard TD run. His last score, late in the third quarter, put the Panthers up 41-20. The Hawks scored with 44 seconds remaining to make it a one-possession game. They tried an onsides kick but could not recover. The game included four field goals, two by each team.
Hawks update: Snapped three-game losing streak last week with 33-12 win over Pequea Valley. . . Opened season 3-0 but were hit by a rash of injuries at midseason. . . Using freshman Blaise Ernst at RB; he ran for 139 yards and two TDs last week. . . QB Tyler Shuey, a junior and first-year starter, last week broke the program record for passing yards in a season., with 1,969. . . That topped Xander Menapace’s record of 1,833, set last season. . . Shuey leads the Lancaster-Lebanon League in passing yards and is fourth with 20 TDs passes. . . The 20 TDs is also a program record. . . TE Mason Semmel leads team with 30 receptions, 632 receiving yards and 9 TD receptions. . . Have a shot to make District 3 Class 3A field by winning out, over Northern Lebanon in Week 9 and at Columbia in Week 10. . . Failing that, in position to earn spot in Eastern Conference playoffs.
Panthers update: Expected to play again this week without All-State RB Dominic Giuffre, who suffered broken arm in Week 4 win over Kutztown. . . He has missed 3 straight games. . . Panthers matched program record last week by beating Columbia 28-12 for sixth straight win. . . Also won 6 straight last season before losing to Annville-Cleona in Week 9. . . Can reach 7-1 for the first time in program history with a win. Were also 6-1 in 2003 and 2012 but lost Week 8 game both times. . . QB Logan Nawrocki has thrown for 1,300 yards and 16 TDs. . . He’s six TD passes away from program record. . . WR Kowen Gerner has team-leading 27 receptions for 637 yards. . . Gerner’s 9 TD receptions are 1 short of program record of Michael Knowles, set in 2019. . . Has chance to become just the second receiver in program history to top 1,000 yards in a season. . . Defense has allowed just 4 TDs over past 3 games. . . Ranked No. 3 in District 3 Class 3A power ratings, behind West Perry and Wyomissing.
Did you know? The Frost Bowl was first played in 1976 and had traditionally been played as the final game of the regular season and coordinated with the King Frost Parade in Hamburg. That changed when the two schools joined the Lancaster-Lebanon League last year. They have played 42 times for the Frost Bowl trophy; Hamburg leads 24-17-1.
Fast fact: Schuylkill Valley won the first seven meetings in the series, from 1970-1976. The Hawks took their first lead in the series in 1989. The Panthers didn’t regain the series lead again until 2014.
Quotable: “He’s reading defenses pretty well. He’s got the ability to scramble, get outside the pocket and make things happen. When you have a quarterback like that, that’s a dangerous weapon. They’re scheming really well, they’re using their weapons, so we just have to match up and take away their keys. They have good athletes, just like we do.” – Schuylkill Valley coach Bruce Harbach, on QB Tyler Shuey and the Hamburg offense.
| SECTION 5 | League | Overall | PF | PA | Up next |
| Schuylkill Valley | 4-0 | 6-1 | 216 | 122 | Hamburg |
| Annville-Cleona | 4-0 | 5-2 | 218 | 175 | Pequea Valley |
| Lancaster Catholic | 3-1 | 6-1 | 268 | 131 | Kutztown |
| Northern Lebanon | 2-2 | 3-4 | 155 | 156 | Columbia |
| Kutztown | 1-3 | 2-5 | 190 | 256 | @ Lancaster Catholic |
| Pequea Valley | 1-3 | 2-5 | 78 | 186 | @ Annville-Cleona |
| Hamburg | 1-3 | 4-3 | 228 | 210 | @ Schuylkill Valley |
| Columbia | 0-4 | 1-6 | 85 | 239 | @ Northern Lebanon |
