Twin Valley, Garden Spot well-tested for midseason battle of unbeatens
2023 Berks football coverage presented by
Utilities Employees Credit Union
A month before what looms as a championship game in Section 3 of the Lancaster-Lebanon League the Garden Spot Spartans were put to the test. Conestoga Valley scored a touchdown with 1:07 remaining to cut the Spartans’ lead to 27-26. The Buckskins went for two, and the win.
They were stopped by what has proven to be one of the league’s best defensive units, a key – along with the quarterback play of the irrepressible Kye Harting – to Garden Spot’s 6-0 start.
“That was a big one,” said Spartans coach Matt Zamperini, whose team heads to Twin Valley Stadium Friday in a rare midseason battle of unbeatens, the winner likely to stay that way and claim the Section 3 championship.
“A couple of other games, we’ve gotten up early and stayed up and didn’t get held to the fire a whole lot,” Zamperini said. “That game (against Conestoga Valley) was different. That was a big program win, because the kids had to put 48 minutes in and never quit. That was a big step in what they want from themselves.”
The Raiders faced the same kind of heat last week when they trailed 27-20 at Solanco. They needed to drive 70 yards in the final minute to stay unbeaten and did it, scoring a touchdown with 13 seconds left, then a two-pointer for a 28-27 victory.
Garden Spot vs. Twin Valley preview capsule
It was a coming-of-age moment for the Raiders (3-0, 6-0), who hadn’t faced a similar situation during what has become the best start in program history.
“Every game gives us learning experiences,” said Twin Valley coach Brett Myers. “(That) was a little different, because of them being down, and backed up so far. There’s stuff to learn from that. Hopefully we can carry that to the next couple weeks.”
The Raiders have been smashing people with their big front line, allowing speedy backs Evan Johnson and Drew Engle to run free and make big plays.
The Spartans (3-0, 6-0) have won with defense and the amazing play of Harting, an All-State pick as a junior and probably the league’s Most Valuable Player to this point. He is among the league’s rushing, passing and scoring leaders, an incredible dual threat who has that special “it” factor that allows him to rise above the competition and pull his teammates up with him.
“He’s their point guard, their power forward and their shooting guard all at the same time,” said Myers. “He makes everything go.”
The 5-9, 178-pound Harting has thrown for 1,098 yards and 23 touchdowns and run for 747 yards and eight scores. He’s averaging 8.2 yards per carry, and that includes negative yardage from a couple of sacks.
“He’s a one-percenter,” Zamperini said. “He just has that fast-twitch thought process connected to that fast-twitch muscle movement. . . that gift, he has it.”
Harting is surrounded by some other good football players, too. Reed Gruber and Cullen Witmer, each a second-team all-league pick on the defensive line last season, have emerged as true run-stuffers and keys to a defense that is allowing less than 78 rushing yards per game.
That’ll be a key against Twin Valley, which thrives in the run game. Johnson and Engle, who alternate series at tailback, have combined for over 1,600 rushing yards and are each averaging better than a first down per carry.
The Raiders are No. 1 in the league in total offense and No. 2 in rushing, at 329 yards per game. Stopping – or at least slowing down – that assault will be key for Garden Spot.
It’ll be a challenge because Twin Valley features some of the best and some of the biggest offensive linemen in the entire 37-team league. Senior guard Paul McClune goes 6-4, 295; junior tackle Aris Drake goes 6-6, 295; both have scholarship potential. They’re part of an O-line that averages 6-3, 281 pounds – and that doesn’t include hard-slamming H-back Ean Winchester, who’s 6-2, 265.
“Our inside guys aren’t the biggest,” Zamperini said, “but pound for pound on the D-line we favor hard-nosed kids that can move and have a motor. They’ve stood up a lot. That’s been a big part of our success.”
Will they be able to stand up against the Raiders? And vice versa?
“They’re a good team,” Zamperini said of Twin Valley. “They have great kids on the field. They have size. They’re hard to defend. They’re very good at what they do. If you over-commit (on defense) to any one thing you’re gonna pay the piper somewhere else. It’s gonna be a big challenge for us.”
