Without much in the way of any real dispute, the District 3 footprint in the landscape of Pennsylvania high school sports has to be considered nothing if not massive. Not a hard argument to make I suppose considering it spans all of 11 counties within the southcentral region of the Commonwealth that reaches all the way from the western edge of Franklin County out to the very eastern tip of Berks County. If north to south is more your directional choice when using a compass, how about from the Maryland state line all the way up to an area that becomes flirtatious with the likes of State College? And while not quite the likes of the British Empire per se, the sun probably at the very least sets at different intervals within District 3.
Of course, when you have such a large swath of land of which to find teams, the distance to travel between campuses can at times be either arduous or impressive. You make the call on your descriptor of choice there. However, while some schools may be located at far away points on the map from one another, sometimes the metaphorical road between them is actually far less. Just take Littlestown and Schuylkill Valley for instance.
Regardless of whichever route that everyone’s favorite friend this time of year, Google Maps, had to say about it, the Thunderbolts and their fans had roughly 100 miles of which to traverse –or about two hours in actual drive time—in front of them for their Friday night excursion up to Leesport to meet up with Schuylkill Valley in the opening round of the District 3-3A playoffs. Oh yeah, that being just one way that is. But again, while the physical distance between these two teams is rather remarkable, there were striking similarities between the Panthers and Bolts to dive in to prior to toe meeting leather this weekend that would’ve only involved a hop, skip, and a jump.
Chief among them, both coming into the 2023 postseason with identical 8-2 regular season records to their names. In fact, both of their shared resumes were so closely intertwined that only a seed line on the bracket separated the pair with Schuylkill Valley being awarded the #4 seed in the field with Littlestown on the other hand being dealt the proverbial short straw as the #5 and being tasked with having to make arguably the longest drive from one corner of District 3 to the other, at least on the opening weekend of postseason play in particular. Beyond that, within the 16 combined victories between them, a 32 point-per-game scoring output for Schuylkill Valley, while Littlestown could then boast about their 38 point-per-game statistic in their triumphs. As far as win streaks within the season itself were concerned? How about an eight-game stretch of nothing but wins for the Panthers that spanned from Week 2 thru Week 9. On the other side, for the responsible opposing view to account for the Thunderbolts, consider that all eight of their wins also came within those very same weeks save for one lone hiccup against Delone Catholic during that stretch. In fact, their seasons were so eerily similar that they even shared a common opponent, Annville-Cleona, with each side getting the better of the Dutchmen which ironically account for two of the three losses for this year’s #1-seeded team over in the 2A field.
However, it would be last week where one could argue that the roads between these two made a bit of a fork.
Entering last Friday night for their regular season finale, Schuylkill Valley had at least a share of the Lancaster-Lebanon League Section Five title wrapped up given their aforementioned victory against Annville-Cleona that came within the division. That said, a win over Lancaster Catholic a week ago would’ve meant that the Panthers would have secured themselves a clean sweep without need for sharing with anyone else provided they could knock off the purple and gold in their house of horrors the weekend prior to Halloween. However, there would be no treats offered to the Panthers on this night from their hosts, just tricks, as the Crusaders rolled to an emphatic 35-14 victory that promptly caused a three-way logjam of shared section supremacy between A-C, LC, and SV respectively.
For Littlestown, last week also brought it with the chance of a divisional crown.
That said, the Bolts entered last week needing a victory over Bermudian Springs to notch a claim of the York-Adams Division III crop as opposed to already knowing some form of their historical fate, unlike Schuylkill Valley. Conversely, while the Schuylkill Valley and Lancaster Catholic matchup may not have lived up to much in the way of drama given the eventual end result, the same could not be said for the Littlestown/Bermudian affair seeing as how the Thunderbolts landed a dramatic 17-point fourth quarter comeback against their ardent divisional foe to the tune of a 35-32 final triumph for a piece of the Division III pie once the dust had finally settled.
Suffice to say, while their spots on a map may be so far apart that they could perhaps have a different dialect (okay, maybe exaggerating a bit there), both Littlestown and Schuylkill Valley seemed to be mirror images of one another in terms of their football programs during the 2023 campaign in a variety of ways. As it turned out, all it took was a 100-mile road trip for this evenly matched contest to eventually be realized.
But come late Friday evening on what could only accurately be described as a bone-chilling night, that lengthy bus ride back home near the Maryland line probably felt all that much longer given what Dominic Giuffre and his fellow cohorts found wearing the black and red Schuylkill Valley uniform would do over the course of the next 48 minutes.
To say that the hosts started this night off in grand fashion might be the disservice of the century. Sure, while the Panthers would muff the opening kickoff of the contest before eventually falling on the loose pill, starting things off at their own 6-yard line likely wasn’t what SV head man and two-time state champion, Bruce Harbach, and his staff had in mind. Nevertheless, Schuylkill Valley seemed no worse for the wear whatsoever seeing as how the aforementioned Giuffre proceeded to tote the rock on a 3rd & 2 play on the third play from scrimmage before getting to the edge and promptly barreling his way around the left side of the Panthers’ offensive line and getting out the gate unabated as last season’s All-State back within the 3A ranks tallied himself an 86-yard touchdown jaunt to opening the scoring up at a 7-0 count following Reese Wamsher’s PAT afterward with 10:08 still left to play in the opening frame.
From there, the Panthers’ defense equally seemed up to the task.
Sure enough, with a series of plays that perfectly punctuated what their offense had just done moments earlier, a timely three-and-out pitched by SV defensively –highlighted by a Logan Cammauf sack on 3rd & 6 – forced the Thunderbolts’ punt unit onto the field to begin their evening.
Remember how we said Dominic Giuffre would be a focal point in this narrative? Well, while he may have been the main character for this particular story, rest assured Littlestown will have nightmares about the running back wearing #6 for Schuylkill Valley for quite some time beyond this weekend.
As if the Panthers’ star senior running back hadn’t already made enough of a splash by that point with the game still well in its infant stages, Giuffre promptly proceeded to use his legs and lean on the right side of his offensive line and wideouts found blocking on the perimeter right from the outset of the Panthers’ second offensive series as his 54-yard touchdown gallop capped off the 1-play scoring drive for Schuylkill Valley right then and there, upping the hosts’ cushion to a 14-0 difference following Wamsher’s second PAT with 7:52 remaining in the first period as one would’ve found little fault had Littlestown been seen trying to catch their breath given their immediate two-touchdown deficit.
But make no mistake about it. There’s a reason as to why teams make it to Week 11 every single year. These squads don’t arrive here just by sheer accident. With that mind, the Thunderbolts showed as to why they weren’t the least bit interested in playing the role of being the “other” team found on a Schuylkill Valley highlight tape.
After setting up shop at their own 43-yard line following a solid kick return on the heels of the most recent Panthers’ score, Littlestown began to put together a critical to drive to help quell the existing SV onslaught. Sure enough, aided by a nice mix of run and pass plays that were engineered by an aptly named lightning-quick offensive tempo, the Thunderbolts just as quickly found themselves residing deep in Panthers’ territory, thanks in large part to a nice Dylan Herr tote with the rock which ushered the visitors down to the opposition’s 19-yard line. From there, Littlestown wisely allowed their senior running back to carry the mail on the very next play yet again as Herr proceeded to cut across the grain and find himself in the left corner of the endzone as the 19-yard TD run helped slice Schuylkill Valley’s somewhat commanding early cushion in half, 14-7, following a Zyan Herr PAT just a shade over one minute following Giuffre’s most recent score.
Did we mention by this point that Schuylkill Valley seemed to have a propensity of authoring big plays at seemingly every turn Friday night? Sure enough, here was another to tack onto the current list.
While Dominic Giuffre had done all of his damage throughout the early portions of the first stanza by way of his wheels, his all-around skill set was on display for all of Leesport to bear witness to on the Panthers’ third offensive series of the night as Giuffre climbed the ladder when tasked with going out on a pass pattern across the middle, rising up amongst traffic and coming down with a 23-yard reception for his efforts. And speaking of pass plays, while perhaps not the kind found in most textbooks, a pop pass from Logan Nawrocki to Luke Martinez screaming down the line in motion was good for a 53-yard connection once all was said and done with the ball now resting on Littlestown’s 3-yard line. From there, Schuylkill Valley leaned on the efforts of one Mr. Giuffre once more who would deliver yet again as his third touchdown run of the evening upped the Panthers’ lead to a 21-7 count with remarkably still another 4:18 still left to go before the game reached it’s second act.
Here again though, Littlestown wasn’t the least deterred despite what had to feel like nothing but haymakers having been landed against in the early going on Friday evening.
Following yet another solid kickoff return, this one placing the Bolts’ offensive troops on the Panthers’ 48-yard line, a powerful Colby Hahn scamper through the heart of the SV defense ushered Littlestown down to the Schuylkill Valley 33 rather quickly. Yet while the drive would come with its share of resistance offered up by Schuylkill Valley defensively, such as the case when presented with a 4th & 3 opportunity, the Thunderbolts would make the most of said chance as a nicely executed swing pass from Alex Popoff to Hahn moved the sticks down inside the red zone courtesy of the Bolts’ senior duo. And from there, Dylan Herr would find the endzone for the second time on his early night as well as the senior ran it in for the 13-yard touchdown sprint which made it a 21-13 affair following a failed 2pt conversion play following the score with 1:14 left in yes, still the opening quarter of play.
Ironically, while there would be no further scoring tallied in what had been an absolutely bonkers opening dozen minutes, it should have come as no surprise whatsoever to see Schuylkill Valley on the move yet again once the curtain was raised on the game’s second quarter.
That said, for an opening frame that had all the feelings of defense being somewhat optional to put it mildly given the way both teams seemed to be running down the field without much in the way of any tangible resistance against one another, a timely Littlestown stop on defensively could have proven itself crucial in the event that their offense would take the baton and run with the gift bestowed to them by their defensive mates. Wouldn’t you know it, but that’s precisely what would transpire next.
This time around, the big play factor would be somewhat limited. “Big play” meaning large chunk plays that is. At the same time though, the Thunderbolts’ big play factor would show itself in other forms. Chief among them, a series of timely third down conversions while working against the Panthers’ defensive unit. For that, look no further than a fearless Alex Popoff pass thrown in the heat of a host of oncoming Schuylkill Valley defenders as the Popoff to Colby Hahn pass play netted not only 21 yards worth of distance, but it also moved the chains given how it came on a 3rd & 9 play. Later, Popoff would use his right arm yet again in finding Dylan Herr for the 12-yard gainer on 3rd & 6 that became even more valuable following a personal foul call whistled against SV which moved Littlestown all the way down to the Panthers’ 5-yard line within a flash. From there, Dylan Herr would have the honors for the third time as his 5-yard touchdown plunge plus his 2pt conversion play immediately afterwards propelled the Thunderbolts back onto level ground at 21-21 with 6:00 on the nose remaining in the first half of play.
But while it may have felt as if Littlestown had finally weathered the flurry that Schuylkill Valley had levied against them up until that point, the Panthers were on the precipice once more in generating even more severe weather.
In fact, the ensuing SV drive began much in the same manner as those which had preceded it—by way of the big play. This time, it was a 20-yard pitch and catch from Logan Nawrocki to Kowen Gerner which help set the ball at the Littlestown 49-yard line following the initial play from scrimmage. In the aftermath of that, the Panthers’ ground attack was on full display as a sizable gallop by way of Logan Cammauf kept Schuylkill Valley’s aspirations of another score alive and well as the sophomore back moved his fellow troops down to the Bolts’ 14 after the long run. Speaking of SV underclassmen, Dimitrious Aletras wouldn’t be far behind either as the wideout would haul in an 11-yard reception from his fellow junior classmate found operating the controls at quarterback to put the ball on the 3-yard line following the hook up. And much in the same manner as it had been back in the first quarter, a Schuylkill Valley pop pass was worth its weight in gold here too as a 3-yard touchdown pass would formally go in the books from Nawrocki to Luke Martinez which put the hosts back in front following Reese Wamsher’s fourth successful PAT of the evening, 28-21, with 3:22 left before the halftime recess.
Three minutes and change? C’mon now. Based on how this first half had played out, that seemed like more than ample time for perhaps both teams to score one more before the break. And for a while on Littlestown’s ensuing offensive possession, it certainly appeared as if that may in fact come to fruition.
To be exact, the Thunderbolts would saunter their way down to the Panthers’ 34-yard line following another nice run courtesy of Zyan Herr with roughly two minutes and change before the halftime horn. But as he had been throughout entirety of the first half on Friday night, Dominic Giuffre proved himself to be a primetime player and then some as Giuffre showed off his defensive exploits just when his team needed him most as the senior’s timely interception not only staved off an extremely ominous Littlestown threat, but it also allowed the Schuylkill Valley offense to make another go of it offensively prior to the quarter running out.
Simply put, those aspirations became all the more real once Nawrocki lobbed a high-arching jump ball into the night sky with Kowen Gerner found camping underneath it as the junior receiver would win his one-on-one matchup against the defender, notching an important chunk play reception which surged the Schuylkill Valley attack down to the Thunderbolts’ 17-yard line on the very first play of the series. And while this SV would be very atypical for them seeing as how they appeared to know nothing other than scoring touchdowns, the Panthers’ next batch of points accrued would be valuable in their own unique way seeing as how a 35-yard, tough as nails field goal booted through the uprights in the waning stages of the first half by Schuylkill Valley freshman kicker, Reese Wamsher, not only helped to add onto his impressive body of work accumulated up until that point, but it also more importantly sent Schuylkill Valley into the dressing room with a two-score buffer at 31-21 come the end of a dizzying first 24 minutes of up-and-down action.
While you never want to overemphasize the importance of the opening series of the second half one way or the other, it’d be hard to argue that Littlestown’s initial offensive series to start the third quarter was nothing if not essential to end in some form of points up on the scoreboard. Well, fortunately for them and their adorning fans who trekked from one corner of District 3 over to the other on this night, this Bolts’ drive appeared to have all the earmarks of a march that would indeed be exactly what the doctor had ordered for them.
If nothing else, especially how they had seemed to operate at nothing shy of warp speed up, seeing the Thunderbolts lean on the clock just might have arguably been their best defense put forth against Schuylkill Valley up until that point quite frankly. Nevertheless, after a litany of successful third down conversions along the way –most of which came via the hard running of Colby Hahn and Dylan Herr respectively – Littlestown had methodically poked and prodded their way down to the Panthers’ 17-yard line. However, this impressive Thunderbolts’ drive would unfortunately hit the skids as far as they were most concerned as an errant pass on a 3rd & 10 play had all the inklings of becoming lethal in the long run seeing as how Schuylkill Valley’s Kowen Gerner snagged himself the interception inside the endzone, effectively thwarting this Littlestown drive nary even the opportunity to try and chisel into the existing deficit.
Spoiler alert, but Schuylkill Valley would indeed make their guests pay for the unintended act of football graciousness.
Dominic Giuffre. Wondering what he did here you ask? Oh, just rip off a 19-yard sprint from his running back spot on the opening play following the Gerner theft. Not long afterwards, Giuffre was able to work himself free against the Littlestown defensive backs before sitting down amongst the coverage and becoming the recipient of a 21-yard reception on a 3rd & 9 play from Nawrocki which suddenly put the Panthers on the opposition’s 23-yard line following a personal foul tacked on top to boot. Then, after Giuffre was able to come within a whisker of scoring yet another touchdown to his already scintillating evening, Logan Cammauf would find himself the beneficiary of it all as his 1-yard touchdown run made it a 38-21 contest with 2:11 left in the third by that point.
Maybe it was the fact that he came up just short of notching what would have been his fourth touchdown run of the night. Or, perhaps more succinctly described, Dominic Giuffre is just really good at this football thing. Either way, whatever the true catalyst was, Giuffre had arrived with bad intentions defensively once Littlestown’s offense returned to the field following the Panthers’ most recent touchdown excursion.
Sure enough, as if his work in being the bully of Schuylkill Valley’s offensive attack wasn’t nearly enough, the senior certainly did not hurt his bid at reclaiming All-State honors at the conclusion of this season either given how he would promptly end Littlestown’s offensive drive with another interception, his second of the contest, giving the ball back to an offensive unit that was to put it very mildly, rolling downhill at that point.
Fittingly, given how he himself had lit this particular fire, Giuffre would proceed to inflict even further damage on the Thunderbolts’ collective efforts as the senior promptly ripped off a 22-yard scamper on the ground not long afterwards to move the Panthers’ attack down to Littlestown’s 21-yard line. Then, when someone without the last name of Giuffre wasn’t the one making big plays, Kowen Gerner had no qualms whatsoever ascending into such a role seeing as how his 15-yard reception on a 3rd & 9 play ushered the SV troops inside the 5-yard line, eager to add the surefire dagger. But that metaphorical incision would have to wait just a little while longer as both teams marched to the other end of the field following the expiration of the third quarter clock which came part in parcel with the Panthers’ 38-21 bulge up on the scoreboard.
Oh, did we mention that Schuylkill Valley had to standby just a little while longer before tallying even more points? Would we consider eight seconds to fall under the category of a “little while”?
Sure enough, it took the home team all of one play to find the endzone yet again on this scoring barrage of an evening as Logan Nawrocki extended the play while operating inside the pocket thanks the benefit of time presented to him by his offensive line friends before finding Dimitrios Aletras by his lonesome in the endzone as the 5-yard touchdown strike effectively put this one out of reach for good at 45-21 following yet another Wamsher PAT with 11:52 left to play.
Ironically, for a game that had felt at times –particularly in the early going – that the first team to hit 50 points may eventually be the victor, that specific assignment would not be required come the end of the night. As it was, it certainly seemed as if Schuylkill Valley would try their very best to make good on that premise given how the Panthers methodically marched their way down the field on their ensuing offensive possession following the Aletras TD grab, a drive which fittingly was helped put into motion by Aletras himself, as the junior wideout/defensive back rose up and knocked away a Littlestown pass on 4th & 3 attempt just a few moments prior. However, while this time-chewing series wouldn’t net points to aid in the Panthers’ overall effort given how it eventually culminated in a blocked field goal try, it was nonetheless critical seeing as how it erased nearly six minutes of game clock off the fourth quarter clock.
And with the gap between these two explosive teams standing at a four-score difference with not near enough to try and make up the ground required, Schuylkill Valley would ultimately reap the benefits by the end of it all in turning away a very game Littlestown squad in the opening round of the District 3-3A playoffs to the tune of a 45-21 triumph once the night concluded.
NEXT UP: To put it succinctly, it was a landmark night if you fancy yourself a Schuylkill Valley Panthers football fan. Not only did those in attendance at the pit stop of a school located right beside PA Route 61 bear witness to a First Team All-State performance put forth by Dominic Giuffre yet again, but it also was just the second time in program history in which Schuylkill Valley found itself as the victor in a District 3 playoff football game. Their prize you ask? Well, “prize” might be an interesting term of choice seeing as how the Panthers will now make the relatively short trek within Berks County next Saturday afternoon to tangle an old friend –or foe—as they prepare to match wits with #1-seeded Wyomissing on the Spartans’ natural grass at Wolfrum Field next weekend as the two programs renew acquaintances after eluding one another in recent history thanks to the adoption of the Lancaster-Lebanon/Berks League merger which put both of these former Berks Section Two schools into Section Four and Five respectively of the newly formed L-L League since its adoption last season. That said, while it might be easy to gloss over the fact that Wyomissing has been acting like its usual self in playing the role of a finely-tuned machine humming right along as of late, if Schuylkill Valley can muster some of those same explosive which they were able to put forth on Friday night against Littlestown, while hoping that Dominic Giuffre remembers to pack his duffle bag with the Superman cape once again, don’t surprised if it becomes a much more tense Saturday afternoon than perhaps originally anticipated in the quaint neighborhood surroundings next weekend.
For Littlestown, Friday understandably was a bit of a damper on what by and large had to be considered a successful first season under the direction of head coach Corey Bittle which saw the three-time District 3 champion Thunderbolts make it back into postseason play once again in 2023. And yes, while it’s true that Littlestown will surely feel the impact from the departure of many of their best players who happen to reside in this year’s senior class, if that group heading out the door can imprint a similar work ethic and mindset onto their fellow underclassmen who will now be tasked with ascending into those same leading roles come next season, don’t be surprised if Littlestown finds itself with even more staying power not just into 2024, but beyond as well.
