Central Valley set for rematch with Wyomissing for PIAA Class 3A championship

By: George Guido
Friday, December 10, 2021 | 3:35 PM

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Some might think that the Wing-T offense went out with VCRs, Beanie Babies and the Pontiac Bonneville.

Not so fast.

Wyomissing High School still runs the Wing-T and runs it well. The Spartans are 15-0 and are ready to face Central Valley (14-0) in the PIAA Class 3A final at noon Saturday at Hersheypark Stadium.

The teams met in the PIAA title game last year when the Warriors emerged with a 35-21 victory.

Veteran coach Bob Wolfrum, in his 48th season at Wyomissing (35th as head coach), has his team coming off a convincing, 42-6 victory over Philadelphia’s Neumann Goretti in last week’s semifinal.

Amory Thompson and Thomas Grabowski each ran for more than 100 yards for Wyomissing, and that’s nothing unusual.

“After we were stopped the first time, we scored darn near every time we had the ball after that,” Wolfrum said. “We have five or six guys who can carry the ball for us. About the third year of my coaching career, I was the offensive coordinator, and I saw with the Wing-T. It’s an offense you can compete with no matter what size you have.”

The Spartans average only five passing attempts per game and are looking forward to a rematch with Central Valley.

“I guess it’s nice when you get a second shot at someone,” Wolfrum said. “We’re happy to play anybody. Just that we’re still going at this time of year is special.”

Central Valley is making its third straight trip to the state final.

“I’d like to think facing the same team is a plus,” Warriors coach Mark Lyons said. “As for the Wing-T, seeing it for a second time, the picture is clearer to us than before. We face some teams that sprinkle it in.”

Central Valley faced a challenge last week in the game against Central (Martinsburg). After taking a 28-13 lead into the fourth quarter, the Warriors saw Central score a touchdown then drive inside the Central Valley 5 before stopping the Red Dragons on downs.

Landon Alexander then ran 98 yards to secure a 35-21 victory.

Alexander, now Central Valley’s all-time ballcarrier, needs 70 rushing yards Saturday to eclipse the 4,000-yard career milestone. He has 2,108 on the season.

The Warriors have numerous weapons, but one that might escape recognition is the ability of kicker Serafino DeSantis. Not only is the junior solid on extra point attempts, but against Central, he booted four kickoffs inside the 20, giving the Red Dragons poor field position three of the four times.

“We ask a lot of our kicker, and Serafino is the guy who controls that,” Lyons said. “We ask for direction, placement, pooching and getting it deep. He’s only a junior and we’re looking forward to his future.”

Also since last Friday’s game, Sean FitzSimmons, a Pitt commit, was named as the third annual Bill Fralic Award winner, emblematic of the WPIAL’s top lineman.

Central Valley has won 26 consecutive games, last losing in the 2019 state final to Wyoming Area.

Tags: Central Valley