Wyomissing freshman Justice Hardy turns ‘Backyard Brawl’ into personal showcase
2023 Berks football coverage presented by
Utilities Employees Credit Union
By Mike Drago — MikeDragoSports.com Managing Editor
Fifteen-year-old Justice Hardy has learned a lot about football and the way it’s played at Wyomissing in the past several months, including how to remain humble after making big plays.
That’s as important to his head coach, Bob Wolfrum, as his ability to run faster with a football in his hands than anyone else on the field; maybe more so.
Without that kind of humility the freshman wouldn’t be on the field nearly as much as he has been the past few weeks. The Spartans are loaded with talent and Wolfrum’s got plenty of guys who can do what Hardy can do.
Hardy scored three touchdowns Saturday – one in each phase of the game – to spark Wyomissing’s 35-7 victory in the “Backyard Brawl” against Berks Catholic.
“He’s got it,” said senior teammate Ryker Jones after seeing Hardy score on a 5-yard run, 31-yard reception and Pick Six. “He’s definitely legit.”
Hardy admits to being as surprised as anyone that he’s made this kind of impact in his first month on the varsity level.
“I wasn’t expecting (to) get this much (playing time),” he said after Wyomissing’s Lancaster-Lebanon League Section 4 opener, “but the coaches have really helped me out. They’re very patient with me and they help a lot.”
The 5-9, 160-pound Hardy really doesn’t see that much time on the field. He rotates in at cornerback and is part of a platoon of fast backs that Wolfrum sends out there. He’s not about to get 20 carries but he has made the most of his opportunities.
Moments after senior Ethan Brower broke off a 67-yard punt return for a touchdown and 21-7 lead with 1:11 left in the first half Hardy delivered the backbreaker.
On the Saints’ next snap he read the play and jumped a pass route, picking off a ball near the BC sideline and sprinting in for a 23-yard interception return that drained any remaining drama out of the battle for the Keeley-Wolfrum Trophy.
“We saw the play on their first drive,” Hardy said of his read. “We knew it was coming from the set. As soon as the quarterback dropped back the ball went to his ear, so I broke on my receiver.”
And just like that the Spartans (4-0) turned a competitive “Brawl” into a track meeting, scoring a pair of touchdowns in an 11-second span in the first game at the newly named Wolfrum Field.
“Having that right before half, I think that kind of made ’em quit in a way,” said Brower of the Saints (1-3). “It had ’em really down.”
Saints coach Rick Keeley did not disagree.
“Those two plays . . . that was big for them,” he said. “It took the steam out of us. If we could go in (at the half trailing) 14-7, we’d maybe have a different game the second half. But give them credit, they made the plays.”
The Saints had eased back into the game after giving up a pair of early scores by putting together a long drive, one capped on a 3-yard plunge by Devin Garcia to make it a one-possession game.
The Saints, thanks to a pair of penalties by the Spartans, forced a punt on Wyomissing’s next series and were positioned to go into halftime tied or within a score. Brower and Hardy, two of the fastest players in the league – and key parts of the Spartans 4×100 relay team come spring – foiled that chance.
“We had all the momentum right there,” Brower said. “(Quick scores like that), they’re game-changing.”
Wyomissing took the lead on its first offensive play, with Drew Forrey taking a counter outside to the outside for a 57-yard TD.
The Spartans scored on their second possession, too, with Hardy capping a five-play, 53-yard drive that he helped ignite with an 18-yard run to the BC 48.
Wyomissing put the game away when Hardy scored on a 31-yard pass from Logan Hyde with 1:55 left in the third quarter.
Berks Catholic moved the chains in the first half but there was no way it was going to make up a three-touchdown deficit kind of deficit in the second half against a Wyomissing team that’s ranked No. 2 in the state in Class 3A and that has now won 39 straight regular season games.
The Spartans were bolstered Saturday by the return of All-State linebacker Ryker Jones, who injured his knee in a PIAA semifinal in December and spent the past nine months rehabbing.
The Princeton recruit didn’t miss a beat. He looked fast and made big hits. He recorded nine tackles in the first half and finished with three tackles for loss and a sack in three quarters.
The Saints finished with just 166 total yards and never threatened to score over the final 2 ½ quarters. Forrey, a senior linebacker, batted down a pass and had a sack; senior linebacker Collin Niedrowski batted down a pass and had five first-half tackles.
“I feel we’re just as good this year (as last),” Jones said of Wyomissing’s defense. “We’ve got a lot of guys that are strong, physical, athletic. Our defense is smart, too; we know where to be at the right time.”
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Final | |
| Berks Catholic | 0 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 7 |
| Wyomissing | 14 | 14 | 7 | 0 | 35 |
Scoring summary
| 1 | Wyomissing | Forrey, 57 run (Maher kick) | 9:17 |
| 1 | Wyomissing | Hardy, 5 run (Maher kick) | 3:51 |
| 2 | Berks Catholic | Garcia, 3 run (Osorio kick) | 10:02 |
| 2 | Wyomissing | Brower, 67 punt return (Maher kick) | 1:11 |
| 2 | Wyomissing | Hardy, 23 interception return (Maher kick) | |
| 3 | Wyomissing | Hardy, 31 pass from Hyde (Plaggenborg kick) | 1:55 |
Team statistics
| Berks Catholic | Wyomissing | |
| First downs | 12 | 12 |
| Rushes-yards | 44-115 | 36-225 |
| Passing yards | 51 | 39 |
| Total yards | 166 | 264 |
| Passes | 4-9-1 | 3-3-0 |
| Fumbles-lost | 2-0 | 1-0 |
| Punts-average | 3-30.7 | 1-37.0 |
| Penalties-yards | 1-5 | 5-55 |
Individual statistics
RUSHING
Berks Catholic: Garcia 15-66, Bradley 13-25, Rose 7-21, Pennington 4-12, Curley 3-2, Hess 2-(-11).
Wyomissing: Eisenhower 8-72, Forrey 2-61, Hardy 7-54, Macrina 5-19, Reason 2-15, Niedrowski 3-15, Marv. Armistead 1-6, Arguelles 1-2, Marc. Armistead 1-0, Diaz 1-0, Sierra 2-(-2), White 1-(-7), Hyde 2-(-10).
PASSING
Berks Catholic: Hess 4-8-1–51, Suski 0-1-0–0.
Wyomissing: Hyde 3-3-0–39.
RECEIVING
Berks Catholic: Mace 2-23, Bradley 1-17, Kozik 1-11.
Wyomissing: Hardy 2-38, Blickley 1-1.
INTERCEPTIONS
Wyomissing: Hardy.
MISSED FIELD GOALS
Wyomissing: Maher 25.
