Wyomissing linebacker impresses new coach at East/West practices
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Though their respective schools are little more two miles apart, Wilson football coach Doug Dahms had never seen Wyomissing’s Chase Eisenhower play before the two got together for practice for the PSFCA Big School East/West game.
Eisenhower, a four-year starter at linebacker for the Spartans, immediately caught the eye of his new coach.
“He’s a smart football player,” Dahms said. “He moves well. He has a good nose for the ball. I liked him.”
The 6-foot, 220-pound inside linebacker will be one of the key defenders for the East when it meets the West senior stars in the annual East/West Big School game Sunday at Cumberland Valley’s Chapman Field at 5.
The Big School game follows the Small School game, which kicks off at noon.
Eisenhower is one of three Berks County players in the game, along with Wyomissing teammate and punter Keegan Maher and Twin Valley placekicker Nate Shaffer.
Two other Berks players were initially selected for the game but can not participate: Twin Valley’s Drew Engle is involved in the lacrosse playoffs and Wilson’s Jaiden Carpenter will be competing in the District 3 Track and Field Championships.
Wilson and Wyomissing travel in separate football orbits, and their paths almost never path. Still, they have similar football resumes. Each is a member of the Lancaster-Lebanon League, and each is among the winningest programs in state history.
Eisenhower has been a key part of maintaining the Spartans’ lofty state reputation. During his four seasons as a linebacker and fullback Wyomissing went 45-8, with a pair of District 3 championships and three appearances in the district title game.
He earned a first-team spot on the Pennsylvania Football News Class 4A Coaches Select All-State team after a season which saw him lead the team with 88 tackles and 12 tackles for loss, average 7.4 yards per carry, and rush for 737 yards, with 12 TDs.
In a game designed to showcase offense and the passing game, Eisenhower will be a vital defensive link for the East.
“I’ve been impressed by him,” Dahms said. “Him and Josh Van Orden of Coatesville (an All-State pick at linebacker). I feel pretty good about those two guys; they’re nice linebackers.”
Dahms has also been impressed with his cornerbacks, Luther Sehwah of Downingtown East and Jadyn Johnson of Central Dauphin, and his safety, Akeelyn Smith of Bishop McDevitt.
They’ll need to be good, facing a West team that features DuBois’ Trey Wingard at quarterback. Wingard, a Delaware baseball recruit, threw for 3,127 yards and 42 touchdowns last season.
Dahms is hoping that Easton defensive end Algee Macon can collapse the pocket and disrupt the passing game.
“I think they’re gonna have fits with Algee,” Dahms said. “He’s quick as a cat, and a good, solid kid.”
The East has its own quarterback threats in All-State pick Cole Ordway of Easton and Noah Keating of Pennridge. Ordway passed for 1,402 yards and ran for 1,976 and 36 TDs in leading Easton to a district championship. Keating passed for over 4,000 career yards — breaking a program record set by his grandfather 54 years ago — and led Pennridge to a program-record 13 wins last season.
The East backfield features Sean Steckert, who rushed for over 3,200 yards and 45 TDs in leading Southern Lehigh to a PIAA Class 4A championship-game victory over Twin Valley. Steckert was named Pennsylvania’s Class 4A Player of the Year.
“Both our running backs look pretty good,” Dahms said. “I’ve heard great stuff about Steckert, and Carter Clee from Neshaminy looked pretty good in practice. (Of course,) until you put the pedal to the metal and see them breaking tackles, it’s hard to say.”
Dahms would’ve like to have Engle in his backfield and Carpenter in his secondary, but top players often have to withdraw from games such as this due to other commitments.
Engle, committed to play lacrosse at the United State Military Academy at West Point, was named Outstanding Back and Offensive Back of the Year in Section 4 of Lancaster-Lebanon League after setting program records with 2,095 rushing yards in a season and 4,212 in career. He was also named Berks Player of the Year by MikeDragoSports.com.
Carpenter was named to the Pennsylvania Sportswriters Class 6A All-State team as a defensive back after recording seven pass breakups and two interceptions and returning a fumble for TD. He averaged 19.1 yards on his team-leading 35 receptions, with a team-best 11 TDs. He was Defensive Back of the Year in Section 1 of the Lancaster-Lebanon League.
Maher was named Berks Specialist of the Year and was an all-league pick as a punter after averaging 45.6 yards per kick. He converted 40-of-41 PATs and 3-of-3 field goals, with a long of 38. He recorded touchbacks on 19% of his kickoffs. He was a second-team pick on the Coaches Select All-State team.
Shaffer was a second-team All-Berks and second-team all-league selection at placekicker after booting a program-record 70 PATs – tied for third-most in Berks history — with 16 touchbacks. Twin Valley’s offense was so potent he rarely had a chance to attempt field goals.
Two other Lancaster-Lebanon League players were selected to the East roster: Manheim Township wide receiver Daryus Dixon and Lampeter-Strasburg offensive lineman Collin Shelley.
Dahms, the winningest coach in Wilson history, is joined on the East coaching staff by Muhlenberg head coach Rob Flowers, who will coach the East quarterbacks and running backs.
