With early wins, football team shows it’s not ‘the same Quaker Valley … from last year’

By: Ray Fisher
Sunday, September 7, 2025 | 11:01 AM

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Two up, two down.

Quaker Valley made more than just some noise on the football field in the first two weeks of the season.

QV defeated Class 2A Keystone Oaks, 20-13, on Aug. 29 to go to 2-0 for the first time since 2017.

That came after the Class 3A Quakers rolled past another 2A opponent, Freedom, by a 38-20 score in their Week Zero home opener.

“It’s exciting to start the season with some wins,” QV coach Tom Eshenbaugh said. “We still have a lot of mental work to do, but I’m happy with the results and the drive these boys have to win.”

The long, tedious hours of determination displayed in offseason workouts seemed to pay dividends for QV against Keystone Oaks.

After the Golden Eagles scored on their first two possessions, QV’s defense ramped up its intensity to shut out the home team the rest of the way.

“We played well defensively,” Eshenbaugh said. “The boys stepped up when the game was on the line. But we need to clean up our offensive penalties.”

There were 24 penalties totaling 201 yards assessed to the two teams. QV had 14 for 100 yards.

The Quakers held a 14-13 halftime lead as senior QB/LB Atticus Barr accounted for both QV touchdowns, completing a 21-yard TD toss to senior WR/DB Ty Popowich with 11:54 to go in the second quarter and plowing his way on a 1-yard plunge into the end zone with 22 seconds left in the half.

“Barr almost tripled his passing stats from the previous week,” Eshenbaugh said. “He’s starting to get more comfortable running the offense. And Ty (Popowich) has really stepped up his game. He’s getting better every week.”

A left-handed signal caller, the 6-foot-1, 195-pound Barr connected on 7 of 13 passes for 127 yards and one score, averaging 18.1 yards per completion.

“We fought well as a team even through adversity in dealing with injuries and a lot of penalties,” Barr said. “I’m really proud of our players that filled in for our injured starters. I think we continued to show people what we’re capable of and that we have what it takes to get the job done. We’re not the same Quaker Valley team people remember us as from last year.

“I had some nice plays (against KO), but there is always room for improvement, and I definitely think it’s a step up from last week.”

Donevan Gilmore, a freshman kicker, was successful on both PATs to provide QV with its precarious halftime lead. In fact, Gilmore’s second kick was the winning point in the game.

Following a scoreless third stanza, the Quakers finally wrapped up the nonconference win on a 4-yard TD run by senior RB/LB Rex Fatur in the fourth quarter.

Fatur (6-2, 200), senior Logan Benedict, a 5-9, 175-pound wide receiver/linebacker, and junior Joziah Jackson, a 6-foot, 370-pound lineman, sparked QV’s defensive effort against the Golden Eagles.

“Benedict’s interception sealed the win,” Eshenbaugh said. “And Jackson was a force when in the game.”

Other QV linemen supporting the cause included senior Kris Brown and Jackson Moore-Stiltner and sophomore Tyler Cunnard. In the secondary, sophomores Cameron Neal and Brendan Fitzgerald, senior Ben McHenry, Benedict and Popowich provided a solid back line of defense.

Fatur finished with 101 yards and one score on 18 carries. He also had a 15-yard reception.

Popovich (2-59), McHenry (2-28) and Benedict (2-25) combined for six catches, 112 yards and one touchdown in the receiving department. Popovich averaged 29.5 yards per catch.

“Moving forward, we have some tough opponents that will challenge us,” Barr said, “but we’re going to continue to work hard as a team in order to prepare and play our best football.”

QV’s conference schedule begins Sept. 12 at home against North Catholic.

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