Starting Lineup: Raiders’ Drew Engle not about to run away from any challenge
To recognize the top players in Berks football MikeDragoSports.com has selected the “Starting Lineup,” a preseason All-Berks team that includes the top linemen, backs, receivers, linebackers and specialists.
Players were selected based on past performance, expected performance this season and college potential. Two-way players were given special consideration.
This is the final installment in a 13-part series.
Drew Engle, Twin Valley
| 5-10 | 185 | Junior | RB/S/KR |
BACKSTORY: His football coach would like to see him use the change-of-direction skills he displays in lacrosse a little more in the fall, but Drew Engle can’t help himself.
He knows the shortest distance between two points is a straight line. If that line goes through a linebacker, so be it; he’s not going to run away from him.
“I like being physical,” says the Twin Valley junior. “That plays a huge part in my game, (running) downhill, taking on whoever.”
Engle is plenty fast enough to run past people. He’s got the moves to shake free in space: Just watch him with a stick in hands. 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.
Twin Valley football coach Brett Myers knew what he was getting when he first handed Engle the football. He saw the same kind of player in Mites and Midgets, rumbling over people rather than trying to avoid tackles.
“He’s always been a physical kid,” Myers said. “If there was a guy in the middle of the field and he had the entire field (open) he’d run at the guy. Most fourth-graders don’t really want to be physical.”
For Engle it seems natural. Maybe that’s because he grew trying to challenge brother Anthony, three years his senior. Despite the age and size gap Drew didn’t back off.
“The reason I am who I am today has a lot to do with him,” Drew said of Anthony, a quarterback through junior high who concentrated on running track in high school and now does so at the U.S. Naval Academy. “It was just the (constant) competition. We’ve never been easy on each other.”
Engle is still fighting for his spot in the backfield even after setting a program record by rushing for 1,599 yards as a sophomore. He averaged a whopping 10.5 yards per carry, scored 15 touchdowns, and earned first-team all-league honors as a running back. (He was a second-team pick as a defensive back.)
Those gaudy numbers won’t earn him more touches this season; he’ll still be sharing backfield reps with 1,000-yard runner Evan Johnson. They switch off every series and the Raiders’ offense doesn’t miss a beat: It ranked No. 1 in the entire 37-team Lancaster-Lebanon League last season in total yards and rushing yards.
Engle doesn’t mind the platoon with Johnson.
“We root for each other a lot,” he said, “but there’s also a little bit of competition in there.”
The offense doesn’t change no matter who’s in the backfield; the Raiders line up in the same formations and run the same plays whether Johnson’s or Engle’s number is called. The only difference is the styles of the runners.
“EJ’s gonna out-run someone,” said quarterback Evan Myers, “while Drew’s gonna get through them. If it’s a one-on-one tackle, Drew’s gonna break the tackle.”
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. Pretty remarkable given the fact that he averaged fewer than 14 carries.
His 230 yards against Garden Spot last season ranks as the sixth-most in program history. His 15 TDs tied for second-most in program history. With two full seasons remaining he’ll likely end up as the Raiders’ all-time scoring and rushing leader, eclipsing numbers put up by the guy he looked up to as a kid, Dominic Caruso.
No matter how many yards Engle piles up you’re not going to hear him talk about it.
“It was nice,” he said of setting the program rushing record, “but I’m definitely not looking back to that. I plan to keep moving forward and keep doing what we need to do to have success. I’m trying to do my best to improve daily.”
ROLE: Tailback, safety, kick returner.
COLLEGE PROSPECTS: No offers yet; could play either lacrosse or football at the next level.
COACH’S TAKE: “Strong lower body. Good balance, hard to tackle. Great vision and great feet.”
Starting Lineup
| Xavier Beatty | Reading High | WR/S/CB/KR | Sr. |
| Aris Drake | Twin Valley | T/DT | Sr. |
| Keyshawn Efese | Reading High | T/DE/DT | Sr. |
| Chase Eisenhower | Wyomissing | FB/LB | Jr. |
| Drew Engle | Twin Valley | RB/S/KR | Jr. |
| Madyx Gruber | Wilson | QB/WR/CB/KR | Sr. |
| Justic Hardy | Wyomissing | HB/WR/CB/KR | Soph. |
| Reese Hohl | Gov. Mifflin | RB/WR/CB/KR | Sr. |
| Evan Johnson | Twin Valley | RB/DB/KR | Sr. |
| Evan Myers | Twin Valley | QB/DB | Sr. |
| Luke Spotts | Schuylkill Valley | TE/LB | Sr. |
| Logan Wegman | Exeter | T/DT | Sr. |
| Jayden Zandier | Exeter | RB/CB/KR | Sr. |
