Weiser’s Alex Malone has leg up on Berks kicking competition
2024 Berks football coverage presented by
Utilities Employees Credit Union
A perfect start by Conrad Weiser placekicker Alex Malone has him on top in the Berks County Specialist of the Year competition.
Malone leads a crowded field with a 56.4 score. Schuylkill Valley’s Reese Wamsher is next at 51.9, followed by Wyomissing’s Keegan Maher (51.0) and Wilson’s Christo Hunsicker (49.3).
The Specialist of the Year standings are based on rankings of extra-point and field goal accuracy, field goal distance, touchbacks, and punting average.
John Zima, founder of Kick-It and special teams coach at Wyomissing, collects the data and computes the standings. He awards the top finishers at the end of each season. This is the seventh season of the award.
Malone, a senior, has been good on all 30 PAT attempts and both his field goals, with a long of 32 yards. He has four touchbacks.
Wamsher, a sophomore, has been successful on 15-of-17 PATs and both his field goals. He has the longest field goal of the season in Berks, 40 yards.
Maher, a junior, is averaging 44.8 yards on punts, the highest among kickers with at least 10 attempts. He has converted 23-of-25 PATs and connected on his only field goal attempt, from 32 yards. He has four touchbacks.
Hunsicker has converted 19-of-21 PATs and 2-of-3 field goals. He has three touchbacks and is averaging 33.3 yards on punts, with a long of 48.
Maher and Hunsicker have an advantage over the other top kickers because each punts and handles placements; Malone and Wamsher do not punt.
Conrad Weiser’s Donovan Gingrich is averaging 40.4 yards on punts; he has the longest recorded punt in Berks this season at 62 yards.
Twin Valley’s Ben Grundy is averaging 43.8 yards on punts, with a long of 58. Wyomissing’s Nicholas Plaggenborg is averaging 52.5 yards on punts but has just three attempts.
Fleetwood’s William Maurek won the award last season.
