Starting Lineup: Eagles counting on Nate Pashley to keep making big plays
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. One player will be introduced each day, in random order (the players are not ranked).
Nate Pashley, Exeter
| 6-1 | 170 | Senior | WR/QB/S/P/KR |
BACKSTORY: Nate Pashley admits he’s watched The Play over and over again since the end of last season. He has the same reaction every time he sees himself making the game-saving interception in the final seconds at Manheim Central.
“I still have chills watching it,” said the senior safety, who helped the Eagles clinch both a perfect regular season and the Lancaster-Lebanon League Section 2 title.
Pashley’s fourth-down interception in the back of the end zone finished perhaps the greatest goal-line stand in program history and preserved the 21-17 victory.
Pashley, now a senior, likely won’t do anything quite so dramatic this season but the Eagles are counting on him to come up big, on defense, offense, and special teams. He’ll be a veteran presence on defense, one of the league’s top kick returners and maybe even a quarterback. Who knows?
He’s never played that spot but Eagles coach Matt Bauer has such confidence in him – both his physical and mental abilities – that he drafted him for that spot in the offseason when he saw the program needed depth at that position.
“He said: ‘I’m gonna need you to step up and play some quarterback,’ ” Pashley said. “It’s pretty cool, knowing that I’m needed in other places and that I’m a big part of this team.”
Bauer plans to start Riley Martinez, a promising but untested sophomore, at quarterback.
He has groomed Pashley for the spot as a fallback, and maybe more. Exeter had great success moving athletic receiver Joey Schlaffer behind center for special plays last season; it might be able to do that with Pashley.
“He’s one of the first kids I’ve had that I can put at any position on the football field,” said Bauer. “He is just a football player. He can do it all: Punt, pass, kick.”
The 6-1, 170-pound Pashley has the arm to play quarterback; he’s played baseball, so he’s used to doing a lot of throwing.
If Pashley’s not lined up at quarterback he could end up as a wide receiver or running back, but he’ll be on the field.
“I’ve got to step into a bigger role playing quarterback, running back, receiver,” Pashley said. “(Anywhere) I can make a change in our offense and score.”
Bauer said he feels better just knowing Pashley is out there. That’s especially true on defense, where he’ll be in the middle of things as a safety, where he provides both a physical and mental presence. He was a first-team all-league pick there last season.
“Nate’s ability to lock down receivers is terrifying for any quarterback,” Bauer said. “His speed and natural instincts get him to the ball whether it’s pass or run. We have so much confidence in him (and) his knowledge of the system.
“He has the ability to make adjustments and get players aligned properly. He’s the ‘field general.’ I feel so much better when he is in center field making sure we’re aligned properly.”
Bauer knows he can’t afford to take Pashley off the field. He handles punting duties and was superb on returns last season, averaging15.9 yards on punts and 26.1 on kickoffs.
Pashley moved into the Exeter school district before his junior season and made an impact right away, earning a starting spot in the secondary.
ROLE: Safety and leader on defense; key part on offense, whether at RB, WR or QB; punter; kick and punt returner.
COLLEGE PROSPECTS: Getting Division III looks.
Starting Lineup
| Edison Case | Wilson | WR/S/KR |
| Dominic Giuffre | Schuylkill Valley | RB/OLB |
| Nathan Pashley | Exeter | S/QB/WR/P/KR |
| Mason Semmel | Hamburg | HB/TE/DT |
| Ean Winchester | Twin Valley | HB/TE/DT |
| Zack Zandier | Exeter | TE/DE |
