‘The Rock’ is at center of Exeter’s playoff run

It’s a short trip from Exeter to Gov. Mifflin Stadium, maybe 15 minutes if traffic is forgiving.

For Exeter center Kyle Helm the journey to the District 3 Class 5A championship game has been a long one.

He had to endure three knee surgeries, rehab, the COVID shutdown and a battle to get his weight under control. In January he took part in a lineman showcase but was so out of shape he couldn’t compete with the top players. He was disappointed in himself and knew he had to make changes.

“That was the turning point,” said the 6-2, 320-pound Helm, a senior with 4.0 grade point average. “I wasn’t close to where I wanted to be. From there on I really focused on losing weight.”

He did it by working out constantly with trainers throughout the winter and spring and by cutting down on sugars and other unhealthy food. By the start of the season he had shaved off 65 pounds.

Last week he found himself lining up for photos alongside Nick Singleton, Jven Williams and the other members of the All-Berks football team.

It was quite a moment.

“It was very humbling to be there with two kids committed to Penn State (Singleton and Exeter teammate Joey Schlaffer), a kid with SEC offers (Williams). It’s motivating for me to work toward that.”

Helm is part of arguably the best offensive line in Berks, one that’s paved the way for Eric Nangle’s record-setting season. He plays alongside all-league picks guard Lucas Palange and tackle Anthony Caccese, guard Kyle Lash and tackle Sam Orzolek. Most of them had spots on the line locked up months before the season.

For Helm it was never that certain. He saw time late last season at guard but has missed so much time over the years because of his injuries that he hadn’t been able to stay on the field and fully develop his game. It got worse last fall and winter when training facilities were shut down due to the coronavirus pandemic and he couldn’t work out regularly. He started putting on weight, endangering his chances to play.

“Not having access to things didn’t help his cause,” said Eagles coach Matt Bauer.

There were times, Helm admits, that he felt like giving up. The climb he faced was steep. He was encouraged to keep going by Bauer, and by his father, Walter Helm.

He began working with a pair of trainers, Jason Williams (“CoachJay”), a former UConn football player, and Jaimie Thomas, who played offensive line at Maryland and in the NFL.

He saw Williams a couple times a week during the offseason, working on speed, agility, quickness and power.

“We worked on change of direction,” Helm said. “That was a big problem for me; my lateral quickness wasn’t where I wanted it to be.”

Thomas helped him with line technique.

Helm saw immediate progress. In February he was named offensive line MVP at an All State Preps Lineman Showcase in Palmyra.

“We’re just thrilled that when we started our workouts in February he went right to the (center) position and he never relinquished it,” Bauer said.

During the summer Helm competed in prospect camps at Lehigh, Lafayette and other local colleges. By the time the season opened he felt confident.

“I definitely had high expectations after training a whole lot during the offseason,” he said. “I always want to set the bar high so that I’m working toward something.”

Bauer calls him “The Rock” because of his steadiness on the line. He graded out at 94 percent and has allowed just one sack. Bauer says he’s never had anyone grade 90 percent or better for the entire year.

His snaps are true, also. The Eagles almost always line up in Shotgun formation. A sloppy snap can disrupt timing on a play or lead to a turnover. Bauer said Helm has made over 300 snaps without a bad one.

“He has been so rock-solid for us,” Bauer said. “He improved week in and week out. He’s physical and deceptively quick for a larger player.”

Helm and all of his teammates will need to be rock-solid when they line up against Mifflin Friday at 7. The Mustangs are unbeaten and ranked No. 1 in the state in Class 5A. They built a 30-0 lead en route to a 54-21 win over Exeter six weeks ago.

The Eagles haven’t lost since. They’ve won three postseason games in a row for the first time. They’re playing for their first championship.

“I definitely thought we were going to be a good team but we exceeded my expectations,” Helm said. “Our defense is playing so much better than expected, and our offense is doing our thing.”

Things have changed a lot for Helm in the past 12 months. This time a year ago he and the Eagles were shut out of the playoffs, and his chances of seeing playing time with the Eagles — much less in college — were slim. Now he’s playing for a championship. He has offers to play at Alvernia and Albright. And he’s been named the best at his position.

“Coming into the year, I had good expectations but I couldn’t have expected this,” said Helm. “For the team to make the district championship, to get All-Berks, all-league, it’s definitely a great feeling. After having those surgeries, bouncing back from that, working hard all offseason, getting some recognition was great.”