Evan Spivey does it all for Germantown Academy

WHITEMARSH >> There’s a common word that keeps coming up when people around the Germantown Academy football team are asked about Evan Spivey.

Explosive.

The 6-foot-2 190-pound senior is a big play waiting to happen on both sides of the ball. He plays wide receiver on offense and safety on defense.

“He’s a fantastic football player,” GA coach Matt Dence said. “He’s come a long way since he got here. He was a two-way all-league guy last year. I think he’s regarded as the best returning skill guy in the league. I think he’s one of the best skill guys in the area. We’re really excited about him.”

Offensively, Spivey led the Inter-Ac in receiving yards and led the Patriots in touchdowns last season.

Spivey and his quarterback, classmate Tristan Machado, gave each other plenty of credit for the Patriots successful passing attack.

“My strength is my quarterback,” Spivey said. “He gets it to me, knows where I’m going to be at, knows where to put it for me after playing with him in 7-on-7 and last year.”

“Evan Spivey is just such a versatile athlete,” Machado said. “I can hand him the ball, throw him the ball – throw it up high, throw it low, anywhere he’s going to go get it.

Spivey beat defenses in a variety of ways last fall. He has the speed to get behind the secondary and the power to run through tackles.

“Evan was our big-play receiver,” Dence said. “He was certainly our explosive, big-play guy if we’re going to take a shot downfield. Also throw it to him underneath he’s going to break two or three tackles and go for 25 yards. I think he was the biggest explosive-play guy in our league last year.”

“It’s my fourth year playing with him,” Machado said. “Over time, he’s gotten bigger, stronger. He’s been able to recognize route concepts, where to sit in zones. He’s improved a lot and it’s going to show. He led the league in yards and he’s going to lead again.”

“Being bigger than other kids, I’ve had that advantage my whole life,” Spivey said. “It’s going to feel like little league again.”

Senior Aidan Donahue spends a lot of time around Spivey. He’s also a wide receiver and defensive back. He pointed to Spivey’s aggressiveness on both side of the ball as being a strength of his game.

“He’s always going up to get the ball,” Donahue said. “No one can really tackle him. He’s hitting harder than the linebackers. He’s really hard to bring down.

“Even last year, he’ll have one side of the field and he’s making plays on the complete opposite end. He’s always hustling. You can tell he’s the best player on the field at all times, especially on defense. He hits harder than the linebackers and he’s just as fast as the DBs. He really has it all. He can do anything.”

Defensively is where Spivey sees his football future. Spivey, from the Lawncrest neighborhood in Northeast Philadelphia, was recruited as a safety and can do it all for the Patriots defense.

“What separates me from other safeties is I can come down and fill the box,” Spivey said, “come down and actually lay a hit on somebody.”

“He’s that 6-2, 190-pound hammer-type of safety,” Dence said. “Very physical, big hit guy. He can defend the run as well as any kid we have. He’s also a good cover guy. He can do everything.”

Spivey will continue his academic and athletic careers at Coastal Carolina next year. He chose the Chanticleers over a number of other schools, including Kent State and Temple.

“(Coastal Carolina) felt like a home,” Spivey said. “The environment – it’s somewhere they care about you on the field and off the field. I feel like they want to help me become a better man.”

CLOSE GAMES

Germantown Academy finished 2-3 in the Inter-Ac last season. Two of those losses came by a combined total of four points – 29-28 against Episcopal Academy and 35-32 against William Penn Charter.

“That was the first year we’ve really had where we had multiple close-game losses,” Dence said. “Usually we’re the team winning by one point. That’s been our M.O. the last five years – finding a way to win games we probably shouldn’t have won. Then we found a way to lose games we could have or should have won… That’s disappointing but it’s a learning experience for those kids. We know we’re talented, we know we’re good.”

OFFENSIVE PLAYER TO WATCH

Tristan Machado >> Machado is entering his second season as the Patriots starting quarterback. The coaching staff trusts the left-handed senior to make pre-snap and post-snap decisions in their spread offense. He threw for 1,400 yards last season.

DEFENSIVE PLAYER TO WATCH

Aidan Donahue >> Donahue is a physical player who can line up at safety or cornerback. The senior is as reliable as they come and keeps everything in front of him. He’ll always be matched up with one of the opponent’s top receivers.

Germantown Academy Schedule

Sept. 2 vs. Simon Gratz 12 p.m. at Ocean City HS

Sept. 10 vs. Hill School 1:30 p.m.

Sept. 17 vs. Olney Charter 1:30 p.m.

Sept. 24 vs. Blair Academy 2:30 p.m.

Oct. 1 at Peddie School 2 p.m.

Oct. 15 vs. Episcopal Academy 1:30 p.m.

Oct. 22 at Springside Chestnut Hill 1 p.m.

Oct. 29 vs. Malvern Prep 1:30 p.m.

Nov. 5 at Haverford School 2 p.m.

Nov. 12 vs. William Penn Charter 1:30 p.m.