Week 6  Pope John Paul II Rolls Past Boyertown 35-0 Behind Big-Play Passing Attack

ROYERSFORD, Pa. — Pope John Paul II struck quickly and never let up Friday night, using a potent aerial attack and a stifling defensive effort to defeat Boyertown 35-0 at Coach Mich Stadium.

The Golden Panthers wasted little time establishing control. Quarterback TJ Dozier threw two first-quarter touchdown passes to Eric Green, including a game-changing 69-yard scoring strike with 1:12 remaining in the opening period, as Pope John Paul II built a 14-0 lead. 

Boyertown showed early promise on its first possession. A 33-yard run by Braydon Burris helped move the Bears into Panther territory, but the drive stalled after a sack by Chase Landis, forcing a punt. 

The Panthers extended their advantage in the second quarter. Armond Smith scored on a 1-yard touchdown run with 9:10 remaining in the half, then added a 30-yard touchdown reception from Dozier late in the quarter to push the lead to 28-0 at halftime. 

Pope John Paul II put the game away early in the third quarter when Nico DiGiacomo broke free for a 17-yard touchdown run, capping a three-play, 21-yard drive and making it 35-0. 

Despite the final score, Boyertown's offense found some rhythm in the second half. The Bears mounted their best drive of the night midway through the third quarter, marching 63 yards on 11 plays. Quarterback Gavin Royce connected with Jackson Koback on three key receptions during the drive, but Boyertown was unable to convert on fourth down inside the Panthers' 20-yard line. 

Koback led the Bears' receiving corps with four catches for 61 yards, while Aziyah Brown paced the ground game with 56 rushing yards and added 25 receiving yards. Burris contributed 37 rushing yards, highlighted by his 33-yard burst in the first quarter. Royce completed 8 of 13 passes for 86 yards. 

Defensively, Brown recorded a team-high five tackles, while Landon Smith added four stops. Evan Carlile contributed three tackles and a tackle for loss for the Bears. 

Dozier was efficient throughout the night for Pope John Paul II, completing 10 of 14 passes for 168 yards and three touchdowns. Green was his top target, hauling in three receptions for 89 yards and two scores. DiGiacomo added 43 receiving yards and a rushing touchdown as the Panthers totaled 281 yards of offense. 

Pope John Paul II finished with advantages in total offense (281-183), passing yards (181-99), and red-zone efficiency, scoring on all three of its red-zone opportunities. The Panthers improved to 5-1 overall and 1-1 in league play, while Boyertown fell to 1-5 overall and 0-2 in the division.

Week 5 Spring-Ford Strikes Early, Rolls Past Boyertown 42-17

BOYERTOWN — Kaden Pickersgill was perfect through the air and Spring-Ford wasted little time taking control Friday night, racing to a three-touchdown first-quarter lead on its way to a 42-17 victory over Boyertown in the PAC opener at Bash Memorial Stadium.

The Rams (4-1, 1-0 PAC) scored on their opening play from scrimmage when Pickersgill connected with Tyler Hontz for a 35-yard touchdown just 19 seconds into the contest. They never looked back. 

After a second touchdown drive capped by a 2-yard run from Trent Yoder, Boyertown answered with a 25-yard field goal from quarterback Gavin Royce to make it 14-3. The momentum was short-lived, however, as Phoenix Martin broke free on the next possession for an 81-yard touchdown run that extended the Rams' advantage to 21-3 before the end of the first quarter. 

Spring-Ford continued to pile on in the second quarter. A 74-yard drive ended with a 1-yard touchdown run by Pickersgill, and later the senior quarterback found Jackson Wickersham for a 27-yard scoring strike. The Rams carried a commanding 35-3 lead into halftime despite Boyertown controlling possession for more than nine minutes during the quarter. 

The Bears showed some life after intermission. Following a 75-yard touchdown connection from Pickersgill to Aidan Lennon that stretched the score to 42-3, Boyertown mounted its best drive of the night. Aziyah Brown capped a six-play, 42-yard march with a 9-yard touchdown run to make it 42-10 late in the third quarter. 

Brown added another touchdown early in the fourth quarter, finishing off an 80-yard drive with a 15-yard scoring run. The junior back accounted for both Boyertown touchdowns and rushed for 57 yards on nine carries. 

For Spring-Ford, the offense was explosive and efficient. Pickersgill completed all seven of his passes for 220 yards and three touchdowns while also rushing for a score. Lennon hauled in two receptions for 116 yards and a touchdown, while Martin rushed for 74 yards on just two carries, highlighted by his 81-yard scoring run. Rowan Harmon added 84 rushing yards as the Rams finished with 405 total yards on only 34 offensive plays. 

Boyertown totaled 233 yards of offense. Royce completed 11 of 17 passes for 120 yards and finished with the Bears' lone field goal. Jackson Koback led Boyertown receivers with 50 yards, while Jackson Rose contributed 124 kickoff return yards and 22 receiving yards. 

Defensively, Randall Muluh recorded a sack for Spring-Ford, which finished with two sacks and limited the Bears to just three points through the first half. 

With the loss, Boyertown fell to 1-4 overall and 0-1 in PAC play, while Spring-Ford remained atop the league race at 4-1 overall and 1-0 in the conference.

Week 4 Avon Grove Holds Off Boyertown in Thrilling 24-19 Victory

AVON GROVE, Pa. — Avon Grove made the big plays when it mattered most and survived a late Boyertown rally to earn a hard-fought 24-19 victory Sunday at Avon Grove High School. 

The Red Devils used a balanced offense and a dominant ground game to overcome a determined Boyertown squad in a contest that remained in doubt until the final seconds. Avon Grove piled up 357 yards of total offense, including 199 rushing yards, while holding off the Bears' late comeback attempt. 

Avon Grove struck first when Nate Marczely broke free for a 37-yard touchdown run midway through the opening quarter. Boyertown answered quickly behind a 55-yard connection from quarterback Gavin Royce to Jackson Koback, setting up a 4-yard touchdown run by Braydon Burris that tied the game at 7-7. 

The Red Devils regained momentum in the second quarter. After a 25-yard field goal by Brayden Buto, Boyertown responded with a 23-yard field goal from Royce to knot the score at 10-10. Avon Grove then delivered the game's biggest passing play before halftime when quarterback Nick Walraven connected with Joey DiCreccio on a 57-yard touchdown strike, giving the Eagles a 17-10 lead at the break. 

Boyertown controlled possession for much of the third quarter and trimmed the deficit with Royce's second field goal of the afternoon, a 26-yarder that made it 17-13. Despite the Bears' advantage in time of possession, Avon Grove's defense came up with key stops and a pivotal turnover recovery to preserve the lead. 

Early in the fourth quarter, Avon Grove extended its lead when running back Dominic Harriott capped a seven-play, 45-yard drive with an 8-yard touchdown run to push the score to 24-13. 

Boyertown refused to go away. Royce engineered an 11-play, 72-yard drive and found Koback for a 10-yard touchdown pass with 4:48 remaining. The two-point conversion failed, leaving the Bears trailing 24-19. 

The Red Devils responded with a clock-draining drive, powered by Harriott and a key 21-yard run from DiCreccio, before turning the ball over on downs deep in Boyertown territory. The Bears received one final chance with 42 seconds left, but Avon Grove's defense forced an incompletion on fourth down to seal the victory. 

Koback led Boyertown's offense with six receptions for 104 yards and a touchdown, while Royce completed 10 of 15 passes for 157 yards and a score. Burris added 54 rushing yards and a touchdown, and Aziyah Brown chipped in 44 rushing yards. 

For Avon Grove, Harriott rushed for 74 yards and a touchdown, Marczely added 45 yards and a score on the ground, and Walraven threw for 158 yards and a touchdown. DiCreccio was the Red Devils top playmaker, finishing with 89 receiving yards, 21 rushing yards, and 42 kickoff return yards for 152 all-purpose yards. 

With the win, Avon Grove improved to 1-3 on the season, while Boyertown fell to 1-3.

Week 3 Bears Battle But Fall to Unionville, 27-7

BOYERTOWN, Pa. — Despite a standout performance from Braydon Burris, Boyertown could not overcome an early deficit as the Bears fell to Unionville, 27-7, Thursday night at Bash Memorial Stadium.

Unionville struck quickly, scoring on a 63-yard touchdown run by quarterback Chase Johnson midway through the first quarter before adding another score on a 41-yard touchdown pass to Daquan Hovington for a 14-0 lead.

Boyertown responded in the second quarter with its biggest play of the night. After gaining nine yards on first down, Aziyah Brown set up a third-and-short situation. On the next snap, Braydon Burris broke through the line and raced 69 yards for a touchdown, cutting the deficit to 14-7.

The Bears' momentum was short-lived, however, as Unionville answered with a methodical 13-play, 74-yard drive capped by a 14-yard touchdown run from Daquan Hovington just 20 seconds before halftime to take a 21-7 lead.

Boyertown's defense battled throughout the second half and forced a key turnover when Leo Martinez recorded a sack and forced a fumble that was recovered by the Bears. But Unionville controlled possession and field position, eventually adding a fourth-quarter touchdown to put the game away.

Individually, Braydon Burris led the Bears on both sides of the ball. The junior rushed for 120 yards on 12 carries and scored Boyertown's lone touchdown. Defensively, Burris totaled 12 tackles, including seven solo stops.

Boyertown also received strong defensive efforts from Gabriel DeMatteo and Landon Smith, who each recorded six tackles, while Jackson Koback added four tackles and an 11-yard fumble return. Leo Martinez contributed a sack and a forced fumble.

The Bears finished with 136 rushing yards and 162 total offensive yards. Gavin Royce completed three passes for 26 yards, connecting with Leo Martinez and Jackson Koback for the team's longest receptions of the night.

Unionville controlled the game statistically, rushing for 310 yards and totaling 367 yards of offense behind a dominant performance from Daquan Hovington, who rushed for 158 yards and two touchdowns while also catching a touchdown pass.

With the loss, Boyertown moved to 1-2 on the season, while Unionville improved to 2-1.

WEEK 2 9/4/2026 BOYERTOWN 28  GOVERNOR MIFFLIN 21

Bears Rally Past Mustangs, 28-21, Behind Brown's Big Night

SHILLINGTON, Pa. — Boyertown erased a 14-point second-half deficit Friday night, storming back to defeat Governor Mifflin 28-21 in a thrilling non-league matchup at Governor Mifflin High School. 

After trailing 21-7 midway through the third quarter, the Bears leaned on a dominant rushing attack and timely defensive plays to score 21 unanswered points and secure their first victory of the season. Boyertown improved to 1-1, while Governor Mifflin fell to 0-2. 

The star of the night was Boyertown running back Aziyah Brown, who delivered a spectacular performance with 247 rushing yards and two touchdowns on 19 carries. Brown's game-changing runs of 69 and 61 yards fueled the Bears' comeback and helped Boyertown pile up 456 total yards of offense. 

Governor Mifflin struck first in the second quarter when Patrick Steuer broke free for a 63-yard touchdown run, giving the Mustangs a 7-0 halftime lead. Steuer finished with 136 rushing yards and a touchdown on 18 carries. 

The Mustangs appeared to seize control early in the second half. Trevor King raced 25 yards for a touchdown to extend the lead to 13-0, and later quarterback Jack Miller connected with Caseon Skipper on a 24-yard touchdown pass. After the successful two-point conversion, Governor Mifflin held a commanding 21-7 advantage. [

But Boyertown responded immediately.

Quarterback Gavin Royce found Jackson Koback for a 29-yard touchdown pass to cut the deficit to six points. Just 24 seconds later, Brown exploded through the line and sprinted 69 yards for another score, pulling the Bears within 21-14 heading into the fourth quarter. 

The turning point came early in the final period when Koback intercepted a Miller pass, setting Boyertown up in excellent field position. On the very next play, Brown broke loose again, this time for a 61-yard touchdown run that tied the game at 21-21. 

With less than two minutes remaining, the Bears completed the comeback. Royce engineered a seven-play, 76-yard drive and capped it with a 23-yard touchdown pass to Chase Fluck with 1:27 left on the clock, giving Boyertown its first lead of the night at 28-21. 

Governor Mifflin mounted one final drive into Boyertown territory, but the Bears' defense held firm as time expired. [

Royce was efficient through the air, completing 11 of 16 passes for 148 yards and two touchdowns. Koback was his favorite target, hauling in seven catches for 113 yards and a touchdown while also recording the game's lone interception. 

Defensively, Logan Hermann led Boyertown with 10 tackles, while Jeran Warner and Landon Smith each added seven stops. 

Though Governor Mifflin matched Boyertown with 17 first downs, the Bears' explosive plays proved to be the difference, outgaining the Mustangs 456-324 and overcoming 16 penalties to earn an impressive road victory.

WEEK 1 BOYERTOWN 0  UPPER PERKIOMEN 24 

FOOTBALL: Upper Perkiomen dominates on both sides of the ball in a dominant shutout at Boyertown

By Dennis Weller

One need look no further for the key to Upper Perkiomen’s season-opening win over Boyertown on Friday night than the dominance of its linemen on both sides of the ball. The Indians held the host Bears to just two yards per carry on the night while the offensive line helped the Upper Perkiomen running backs to nearly seven per attempt in a 24-0 non-league win.

Zach Adam rushed for 125 yards on 14 carries for the Indians, including an 86-yard touchdown run. Quarterback Grayson Sabo ran for 59 yards and threw for 103, including a 40-yard touchdown strike to Aaron Maiden. A fumble return for a TD by Ryder Jones and a field goal by Brody Lash provided the other points.

Upper Perk held the Bears, playing on their new all-weather turf field for the first time, to 70 yards rushing on 35 attempts and 118 total yards.

“We came out firing,” said Maiden, who caught two passes and intercepted one. “We wanted to set the tone. The linebackers wanted it bad. They did great.”

“We were going out with something to prove, set the tone,” said Adam.

And the Indians defense certainly did set the tone on the first possession of the game, stopping four Bear runs for a net zero yards. Boyertown did gain a first down on an 8-yard pass from Gavin Royce (6-for-12, 48 yards) to Leo Martinez, coupled with a roughing the passer penalty. But first downs were few and far between for the Bears the rest of the night.

Upper Perk opened the scoring three minutes into the second quarter when junior linebacker Jones scooped up a fumble and took it to the end zone. The Indians made it 14-0 with 50 seconds left in the half on Sabo’s TD toss over the middle to Maiden.

Then the visitors received the second-half kickoff and put together a 15-play, 65-yard over 7 ½ minutes with Lash booting a 23-yard field goal for a 17-0 advantage. The key play of the drive came when Upper Perk went for a first down on a 4th-and-2 play from its own 38 yard line and Sabo kept the drive alive on a 6-yard sneak.

“We have a lot of trust in Grayson,” said Indians coach Dan Heinrichs. “He’s a big strong kid.”

Upper Perk completed the scoring with two minutes gone in the final quarter when Adam burst through the line and continued untouched the rest of the way.

Jackson Koback caught three passes for a total of 21 yards for the Bears and Aziyah Brown ran for 40 yards, but the Indians ran up 319 total yards.

“The defense was very sound,” said Heinrichs. “The tackling, our reads. Coach (Jami) Sands had them ready to play. They tried to pound the middle of our defense. We had to fix some things after our scrimmage against Northampton last week.”

The offensive line was just as impressive.

“Braeden O’Donnell, he’s our unsung hero,” said Heinrichs. “The offensive line dominated at times.”

“At the end of the night, Upper Perk dominated the line on both sides of the ball,” said coach Sands.

The Indians went 7-4 last season, winning the Pioneer Athletic Conference Frontier Division and qualifying for the District 1-5A playoffs for the second straight year. But they feel that they have some unfinished business to take care of this season  after dropping a close PAC championship game and losing in the first round of district play.

“We were working in the off-season none-stop,” said Maiden. “I think this is a big stepping stone, starting out 1-0. We want to go 1-0 every week.”

“We just want to start looking at the little things each week,” said Adam. “Putting this game in the past and just working on the small things in practice.”

Boyertown won last year’s season opener at Upper Perkiomen, 20-17 in overtime and finished 6-5 with a trip to the District 1-6A playoffs. This was the first shutout win for the Indians over the Bears since 1967. Boyertown leads the all-time series 47-21-3.

2026 PCTV PAC FOOTBALL PREVIEW SHOW

Coach Sands and the Bears are featured in PCTV's look at the entire league. 

2026 FOOTBALL SCHEDULE

The Boyertown Football team will return to the Field with a scrimmage against Daniel Boone at Bash Memorial Stadium on Saturday morning, August 22, at 10:00 am.

2026 TRENCH WARS IN THE VALLEY

The Bears traveled to Perkiomen Valley High School on 6/1 to compete in Thr Trench Wars in the Valley. 

The Bears finished 3rd out of 14 teams in the various competitions. 

Representing Boyertown, Jaren Warner, Gregory Faulkner, Andrew Brisbois, Brayden Kauffman, Evan Carlie, Aiden Ridenour, and Gabriel DeMatteo. 

COACH BOB HILLEGAS

We are sad to announce that Coach Hillegas passed away on Wednesday January 5th surrounded by his family. Coach Hillegas was the Boyertown Varsity Football Coach from 1987 to 1994 and coached two championship football teams in 1989 and 1991. He was a longtime coach in the Boyertown School district coaching various levels of football, basketball, baseball and softball. 

He was a teacher first. A teacher of various sports but more importantly a teacher of life. At the end of every friday night win or lose, there was a lesson about life. He taught us that whether you are a current Bear, a future Bear, or a former Bear you are part of the Bear Family. 

Coach will live on for a long time because the lessons he taught us we will pass down to the next generation who will pass them down. 

                                         B-E-A-R-S-W-I-N