Transition game has helped Andrew Bresnahan, Spartans remain unbeaten
2025 Berks football coverage presented by
Utilities Employees Credit Union
By Mike Drago — MikeDragoSports.com Managing Editor
Andrew Bresnahan admits he was disappointed when he learned this summer that he was being moved from tight end to the offensive line. Tight end, he says, is a lot more fun. And easier to learn.
Playing Lance guard in Wyomissing’s Wing-T system can be challenging. There are a lot of blocking rules to learn. You may line up left or right of the center, depending on the play or formation. Unbalanced lines create yet more challenges.
| Final | |
| Wyomissing | 42 |
| Elco | 7 |
“It’s a lot more complicated than tight end,” the 6-4, 210-pound senior said.
There are good aspects to it, like pulling for a sweep. You get out in open space and lead the way.
“That’s probably the most fun part of it,” Bresnahan said, “running full speed at someone, especially when they don’t see me coming.”
Bresnahan had plenty of fun in Wyomissing’s 42-7 Lancaster-Lebanon League Section 4 win over Elco Saturday, especially midway through the second quarter when he pulled to lead a Jet Sweep to the right side.
With All-State back Justice Hardy looking for running room down the sideline Bresnahan cleared a path, shoving an Elco defender off the edge and 10 yards out of bounds.
Hardy took advantage, racing for a first down. Earlier in the game Hardy scored his first of two touchdowns on a similar play, with Bresnahan setting the edge on a sweep that allowed him to score from 14 yards out.
“I know all I have to do is get in front of somebody and he’ll probably score,” Bresnahan said of blocking for Hardy.
The Spartans’ win looked routine. They reached the end zone on each of their five first-half possessions to build a 35-0 lead and ignite the running clock to start the second half. Hardy was one of 14 ballcarriers who combined for 331 rushing yards.
A lot went into making things happen so smoothly.
Wyomissing’s coaching staff realized months ago they would be short on the offensive line after graduating nine of their 10 linemen. They were deep at tight end so they decided to move Bresnahan to tackle to help fill the void.
Then, on the first day of summer camp and just two weeks before the season-opener, a starting guard decided he wouldn’t play this season, leaving a gaping hole in the O-line.
Bresnahan was moved again. He had little time to transition to one of the most important and challenging spots in the Wing-T offense.
“We had confidence (in him) and found out that he could help us more at guard than tackle, so we made that move,” said Wyomissing coach Bob Wolfrum.
Bresnahan is part of an all-new offensive line that has been under intense scrutiny and that has improved rapidly; it performed well in key early season wins against top foes Southern Columbia and The Haverford School.
A lot was put on Bresnahan’s plate just before the season. It didn’t help that he missed the last two games due to injury but his coaches are more than pleased with the impact he’s made up front.
“The move from tackle to guard is very difficult in our offense,” said Wyomissing line coach Steve O’Neil. “They’re not similar at all; they’re completely different positions. The rules are not very similar on a lot of the plays. That took a little time (for him to learn) but he takes it seriously.”
“It’s just learning how to pull and block differently,” Bresnahan said of his job switch. “It’s different every play. It’s mostly (a) mental (challenge).”
Bresnahan said he’s not yet entirely comfortable with his new position; that was hard to tell Saturday when he was throwing guys around, helping the Spartans hog the ball with long drives and crank out 22 first downs.
It helps to have talented, fast guys like Hardy to block for. The junior wrecked the Raiders (0-2, 1-4) in short order Saturday when he scored a pair of touchdowns and made a spectacular interception to set up another TD, all in the first half.
Hardy, a junior with a pair of Division I offers, opened the scoring with a 14-yard touchdown run less than five minutes into the game.
On Elco’s next possession the defensive back leaped and made a one-handed grab on an interception that gave Wyomissing the ball at Elco’s 40.
The Raiders forced a field goal try from their 9 but a roughing the kicker penalty gave Wyomissing a first down at the 4. Chase Eisenhower ran for a TD on the next play.
Hardy got his second TD just before halftime when quarterback Brady Eisenhower threw a beautiful ball on a sideline route that went for a 37-yard touchdown. Hardy pulled the ball in over his left shoulder and scored 2:35 before halftime to make it 35-0.
“They have always given us problems,” Wolfrum said of Elco. “(Coming into this game) I was worried about it. We came out, we were stronger early than I thought we might be. Right from the get-go we had their number. They really couldn’t do much.”
Elco, which has struggled on offense this season, had even more trouble against the Spartans, who allowed just three first-half first downs and 55 total yards over the first two quarters. Elco got just 52 total yards in the second half running against Wyomissing’s second- and third-team players.
Linebacker Diamante Strong also intercepted Donmoyer, returning the ball to the 10 to set up a TD late in the first half.
Bresnahan played a big part on the defensive side, too. He was switched from linebacker to the line this season, again because of the dearth of linemen. His role is as more of a run-stopper but twice he got loose in the pocket and pressured Donmoyer to throw before he wanted to; each of his pressures led to interceptions.
Bresnahan has played just three games at guard; he’s still very new to the position, still feeling his way. O’Neil is confident the move will pay huge dividends to a team expected to get back to the District 3 Class 4A championship game, and beyond.
“He’s just a physical football player,” O’Neil said of Bresnahan. “We’ve had some very good Lance guards, but I think he’s going to be the next one who’s very good. He’s very physical up front in the run game. He’s really a lead on the edge. He finds people, runs through people. He’s only going to get better the last five weeks, and beyond. I think he’s going to have a great finish.”
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Final | |
| Elco | 0 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 7 |
| Wyomissing | 14 | 21 | 7 | 0 | 42 |
Scoring summary
| 1 | Wyomissing | Hardy, 14 run (Maher kick) | 7:37 |
| 1 | Wyomissing | C. Eisenhower, 4 run (Maher kick) | 1:37 |
| 2 | Wyomissing | Armistead, 19 run (Maher kick) | 6:50 |
| 2 | Wyomissing | Arguelles, 8 run (Maher kick) | 5:03 |
| 2 | Wyomissing | Hardy, 37 pass from B. Eisenhower (Maher kick) | 2:35 |
| 3 | Wyomissing | Betances, 8 pass from White (Best kick) | 2:16 |
| 4 | Elco | Donmoyer, 11 run (Smith kick) | 9:09 |
Team statistics
| ELCO | WYOMISSING | |
| First downs | 6 | 22 |
| Rushes-yards | 26-90 | 42-331 |
| Passing yards | 17 | 75 |
| Total yards | 107 | 406 |
| Passes | 3-6-2 | 4-4-0 |
| Fumbles-lost | 0-0 | 2-0 |
| Punts-average | 2-30.3 | 0 |
| Penalties-yards | 5-38 | 8-87 |
Individual statistics
RUSHING
Elco: Donmoyer 12-33, Gensemer 7-25, Yeiser 5-19, Gass 2-13.
Wyomissing: Gibney 3-48, Hardy 4-47, Arguelles 2-43, Fleischood 4-40, C. Eisenhower 5-28, Westwood 5-24, Nye 5-23, Armistead 1-19, Cirulli 2-16, Betances 3-11, Niedrowski 2-10, Rohrer 1-10, Reason 3-9, B. Eisenhower 2-3.
PASSING
Elco: Donmoyer 3-6-2–17.
Wyomissing: B. Eisenhower 2-2-0–50, White 2-2-0–25.
RECEIVING
Elco: Gensemer 2-12, Shultz Tillison 1-5.
Wyomissing: Hardy 2-50, Reason 1-17, Betances 1-8.
INTERCEPTIONS
Wyomissing: Hardy, Strong.
