Tommy Hunsicker, Wilson rush past Penn Manor to clinch another winning season

By Sam Cavalieri Last updated Oct 14, 2023

Wilson's Tommy Hunsicker hurdles a defender and scores against Penn Manor Friday. (Joe Mays photo)

2023 Berks football coverage presented by

Utilities Employees Credit Union

By Sam Cavalieri — MikeDragoSports.com correspondent

Wilson coach Doug Dahms wasn’t happy with his team’s performance and didn’t hold anything back after a 24-6 victory over Penn Manor in a Lancaster-Lebanon League Section 1 matchup Friday night at Gurski Stadium.

The Bulldogs (4-0, 6-2) were dominant enough on the scoreboard but Dahms saw plenty that needs to improve if they are going to win their 34th league championship.

“We have to get more physical in the trenches, bottom line” Dahms said. “We got out-physicaled by them and we shouldn’t have. Our guys gotta buckle up and figure out what they have to do. We are not going to win a championship playing this way.”

Senior quarterback Tommy Hunsicker held up his end of the bargain and used his legs to lead the Wilson offense. He finished with 119 rushing yards and two touchdowns and often kept alive designed pass plays with scrambles.

He also threw for 188 yards but was pressured by a Penn Manor defense led by Villanova commit Dhamir Wesley. Wesley finished with one sack, two tackles for loss, two batted balls and numerous pressures.

“Unfortunately, I don’t know that we did a very good job with their defensive ends,” Dahms said. “They certainly caused us some trouble there.”

The adjustment made by Hunsicker to run up the middle proved to be enough to neutralize the Comets (2-2, 3-5).

Penn Manor came in riding a three-game winning streak but never seriously threatened Wilson in a game that was scoreless until Correll Akings 1-yard touchdown run put the Bulldogs ahead 7-0 with 3:55 left in the first half.

Wilson’s Correll Akings dives into the end zone. (Joe Mays photo)

Hunsicker’s two touchdown runs (16,2) came in the third quarter to put Wilson ahead 21-0 and secure the victory.

“They were dropping deep a lot and I was just trying to do whatever I needed to do,” Hunsicker said. “Find the open spots and if that’s running, it’s running. That’s what I do.”

The game had an incredible 27 accepted penalties with Wilson accounting for 15 and 144 penalty yards. The mistakes were more reminiscent of an early September game than mid-October.

“You can’t commit five, six, seven personal fouls and give a team 75 yards on stupid penalties,” Dahms said. “There is no excuse for that. Some of the others, holds or interferences, those happen. Personal fouls, no excuse. That’s poor mental discipline and that’s on me.”

The Wilson defense held Penn Manor to four first downs and 113 yards until the last Comet drive of the game that resulted in their lone touchdown. The Comets were content to try and pound the middle of the Wilson defensive line with minimal success. They finished with seven punts and only attempted two passes before they threw an eye-popping 13 passes on their last drive.

The win gives the Wilson program 598 wins as they close in on becoming the fifth team in District 3 to reach 600 wins. It also clinched a winning record for the 48th consecutive season. That is the longest active streak in the state. They also sealed 60th straight non-losing season.

“It’s super-important to us to keep that streak every year,” Hunsicker said. “That’s the tradition that everyone knows Wilson for, but that’s not all that we are looking to do. (It’s) important that we got it done. Now we need to start playing our game as we head into playoffs and make a run.”

Dahms is in his 18th season as the head coach and has been a part of the streak as an assistant coach since 1976.

“(The streak) is a tribute to the kid’s work ethic, a tribute to our coaching staff, and a tribute to the support of the community,” Dahms said. “Probably at some time down the road when I retire I will appreciate it more than I do now.”

Wilson remains on a collision course with Manheim Township. Both teams are 4-0 in Section 1 and meet on the final Friday of the regular season.

Tommy Hunsicker passes against Penn Manor. (Joe Mays photo)

	1	2	3	4	Final
Penn Manor	0	0	0	6	6
Wilson	0	7	14	3	24

Scoring summary

2	Wilson	Akings, 1 run (Rada kick)	3:55
3	Wilson	T. Hunsicker, 16 run (Rada kick)	8:44
3	Wilson	T. Hunsicker, 2 run (Rada kick)	1:15
4	Wilson	Rada, 30 FG	4:39
4	Penn Manor	Loy, 8 run (run failed)	0:55

Team statistics

	Penn Manor	Wilson
First downs	9	18
Rushes-yards	26-95	33-167
Passing yards	71	188
Total yards	166	355
Passes	5-15-0	16-27-0
Fumbles-lost	0-0	0-0
Punts-average	7-31.3	2-35.5
Penalties-yards	12-143	15-144

Individual statistics

RUSHING

Penn Manor: Furnier 5-54, W. Smith 13-36, Loy 1-8, Hollister 1-(-2), A. Smith 6-(-1).

Wilson: T. Hunsicker 19-119, Greer 3-28, Akings 8-17, Gruber 1-6, Team 2-(-3).

PASSING

Penn Manor: Furnier 5-15-0—71.

Wilson: T. Hunsicker 16-27-0—188.

RECEIVING

Penn Manor: Warfel 3-50, Wesley 2-21.

Wilson: Case 5-56, Valukevich 5-56, Kline 3-25, Akings 2-43, Greer 1-8.

MISSED FIELD GOALS

Wilson: Rada 40, 36.