Conestoga football squad eager to build on surprising 2021 season

Tredyffrin >> Last fall, Conestoga’s football squad was the surprise team of the area, posting a 7-3 regular-season record and advancing to the District 1 playoffs for the first time in seven years.

“Last year, we took a big step in the right direction – we were a united team, with everyone working hard for each other, and we did the little things right,” said Conestoga head coach Matt Diamond. “It’s carried into this past off-season – our kids have worked extremely hard, with 40-50 guys at every team lift.”
The Pioneers lost some explosive aerial firepower to graduation last spring, but Diamond is hopeful that his squad can keep the good times coming this fall.

“We know we’ll be a different team this year and we know we have some big roles to fill, but with the way we have worked this off season, our players have shown they are not resting on their laurels from last year,” said Diamond.
The Pioneers’ top two receivers last fall, Pete Detwiler (46 catches, 833 yards, 19 touchdowns) and Pat Reilly (30 catches for 718 yards, 12 touchdowns), have both graduated but Conestoga returns a fine pass-catcher in senior tight end Brody Eaton (6-5, 225), who was a team captain last year.
“Brody’s a big focal point in our offense,” said Diamond. “He’s big and physical, a good blocker and has good [pass-catching] hands.”
Eaton is a two-way starter who earned All-Central League honors last fall at both tight end and defensive end. He plans to play football in college, and is currently looking at the Ivies, NESCAC and the Patriot League schools.

“We have a lot of potential this season,” said Eaton. “Last year, we learned we could hang with anybody, we never got blown out. We knew what we had to handle, and we knew what we were capable of. We want to go far in the playoffs this year.”
Senior safety Bryce Beltrante (5-11, 180), one of the Pioneers’ top defensive performers, said, “Last season, I felt we learned that if we could put it together, we could beat any team in the Central League, and Districts, and further than that. I saw all our hard work paying off after all those years of rough seasons.
“In our off-season workouts [last spring] I felt like our younger players were dedicated to carrying on the success that we had last year, and make a further run in the playoffs this year. We lost many good players [to graduation] but we have a lot of good players coming back.”

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