The ‘Starting Lineup’ is complete; now it’s time to start playing the games
2024 Berks football coverage
presented by UECU
The team is complete; now it’s time to play the games.
Mike Drago’s 10th annual “Starting Lineup,” featured on MikeDragoSports.com over the past two weeks, is stocked with a full cast of fast running backs, college-level linemen, hard-hitting linebackers, and swift defensive backs.
They all get going Saturday with preseason scrimmages; the season kicks off with regular season games Aug. 23 and 24.
The 13-player “Starting Lineup,” selected based on projected performance this season and college potential, includes just one returning quarterback, Evan Myers of Twin Valley. A second QB, converted wide receiver Madyx Gruber of Wilson, is set to make his debut behind center.
There are just three two-way linemen of the team but two – Aris Drake of Twin Valley and Logan Wegman of Exeter — have already announced their college choices; the third – Reading High’s Keyshawn Efese – has several Division I offers to choose from.
You could form a gold-medal winning 4×100 relay team from this squad, what with speedsters Justice Hardy of Wyomissing, Xavier Beatty of Reading High, Jayden Zandier of Exeter, and Evan Johnson of Twin Valley.
Most of the top players in Berks this season are guys who play well in space, such as Gov. Mifflin’s Reese Hohl, Twin Valley’s Drew Engle, Hardy, Zandier, and Gruber.
Almost everyone in the “Starting Lineup” is a two-way standout, such as Wyomissing fullback/linebacker Chase Eisenhower and Schuylkill Valley tight end/linebacker Luke Spotts.
Hardy is the lone sophomore; Engle and Eisenhower are the only juniors. The other 10 players are seniors.
Twin Valley, the preseason favorite in Section 4 of the Lancaster-Lebanon League, has four selections. Exeter, Reading High, and Wyomissing each have two. In all, seven teams are represented.
Wegman, Drake, Beatty and the others join an exclusive club.
The first “Starting Lineup,” in 2015, included Exeter’s Michal Menet and Berks Catholic’s Issac Lutz – each of whom played at Penn State. BC’s Brandon George and Boyertown’s Jerry Kapp followed shortly thereafter.
In the ensuing years Cooper Lutz of Berks Catholic, Iggy Reynoso of Wilson, Cam’Ron Stewart, Issac Ruoss and Nick Singleton of Gov. Mifflin, and Jven Williams and Max Hurleman of Wyomissing have added their names to the list.
Last year’s “Starting Lineup” was highlighted by Wyomissing teammates Caleb Brewer and Ryker Jones, who are playing at Penn State and Princeton, respectively, this season.
With the “Starting Lineup” now complete MikeDragoSports.com is set to present the “Berks Watch List,” which includes more than 50 other top players to watch this season. That will be released Saturday.
To read a profile of any of the players selected for the “Starting Lineup” click the player’s name on the chart below:
2024 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. |
