Mercury Football Review: Euker brothers at center of Perkiomen Valley’s rivalry victory
Perkiomen Valley’s ‘next man up’ mentality allows the team to keep rolling, enjoying a 6-1 record so far this season despite injuries to key contributors.
Of course, it’s a lot easier when you can find suitable replacements within the same household.
Senior offensive lineman/linebacker Grant Euker knew he’d miss a significant portion of the season as he continues to recover from an injury sustained in wrestling last year.
What he might not have known is that the Vikings would be able to weather his absence thanks in large part to contributions from his younger twin brothers – sophomores Cole (two-way lineman) and Carter (linebacker).
The twins combined for 11 tackles Friday night as Perkiomen Valley prevailed in a slugfest with Spring- Ford, 7-6, setting the stage for the opportunity to clinch a second-straight Pioneer Athletic Conference Liberty title as soon as this Friday.
Even back in preseason, it was known throughout the team that Grant Euker would miss a sizable portion of 2022. Undeterred, his teammates and coaches chose him as a captain, valuing Grant’s leadership abilities even if they wouldn’t be on display between the sidelines right away.
“During spring, I couldn’t do much of anything,” Grant said. “So I tried to be there during lifts, trying to motivate everyone and find a way to contribute.
“Then we got to camp, where we had a whole new offensive line. I knew I’d have to help with teaching, coaching them up.”
The brothers say they keep their relationship at home separate from football, but Grant’s leadership carries a little extra weight with Carter and Cole on the field. “When we played Roman Catholic, they had a great defensive end – a Penn State commit – going against Cole,” Grant recalled.
“I think it might’ve gotten in his head a little bit. So I talked to him on the sideline, tried to help Cole get his head back into it. By the end of the game, he had a couple pancake blocks, really started to hold his own and gain confidence.”
“Grant’s been out there, he’s played offensive line,” Cole said. “When he says something, that carries a little more weight.”
“If I miss a tackle, or I’m not fitting the right gap, he’ll point something out to me,” added Carter. “I can take that out on the field next time.”
Friday night’s win over Spring-Ford began with Senior Night ceremonies at Perkiomen Valley, a bittersweet experience for Grant Euker, who hopes to be cleared in the coming weeks to get on the field this season but was unable to suit up for the rivalry game.
“Of course it hurts, not being able to be out there and doing my part,” Grant said. “But I still tried, in terms of talking to people on the sideline, keeping guys’ spirits up, all the things a captain should do.
“It was definitely a sweet win. As much as it hurt not to play, it feels great to get the win.”
Grant’s also been a shoulder to lean on for teammates who have sustained injuries.
“My good friend was injured our junior year, and he was kind of a mentor for me in going through the experience,” Grant said. “Now I’m trying to do the same.”
At the beginning, it was a question of months before Grant would return. Then it was weeks. Now he hopes to be down to a number of days.
“I’ve been dreaming of my first game back since the day I got hurt,” Grant said. “It’s been my motivation this entire time. I still plan to have a senior season.”
“He has drive like no one I’ve seen,” said Deb Euker, mom to the three Perkiomen Valley players and older son, Gavin, who graduated from Perkiomen Valley in 2020 and currently plays at Kutztown University.
“He spends hours at the gym, training so he can come back. When he can’t be out there, he’s supportive, 100 percent.”
Four sons, separated by four years and all active in football makes for hectic weekends in the Euker household. Mark, the boys’ father, and Deb say by late afternoon Fridays in the fall, the next 36 hours tend to be pretty hectic.
“Saturday nights? I’m asleep by 8 p.m.,” Deb laughed. “But this is what we love. Because it’s what they love.”
“I didn’t go to bed until almost 1 a.m. Saturday,” added Mark Euker, “because I came home and watched the (Spring-Ford/Perkiomen Valley game) on YouTube again.”
A former player himself, Mark’s love for football has carried down to all four of his sons. Cole and Carter are poised to become standouts at Perkiomen Valley through the 2024 season, while Grant welcomes the opportunity to play at the next level like older brother Gavin.
“I haven’t chosen a school,” he said. “I know I want to study business or kinesiology. I want to play football, or wrestle, or both. Not having a senior season hurts in terms of recruiting – but I can still send out my film, try to connect with coaches.”
Wrestling is another activity the three brothers have in common. Carter competed at the 152-pound class last season, while Cole and Grant swapped back and forth at the 215-pound and heavyweight classes.
That meant going against one another in practice daily.
“We both weigh in around 215,” Grant said. “We could go back and forth, matching up one of us at 215 and the other at heavyweight.”
“We give away size at heavyweight,” added Cole. “But we can use our quickness, endurance and athleticism, and we have the strength to keep up.”
Carter figures to move up in class this year, having added size through lifting throughout the summer.
“It’ll be a challenge because obviously the guys are bigger,” he said. “But I’ve gotten stronger since last year.”
Cole also throws the shotput in the spring, and Grant says he may try to do likewise this year, extending his senior season.
“I’ve also got friends who are on a rugby team,” he said, “and if I’ve got time, why not play rugby? It’s my senior year.”
After eight months on the sideline, however, getting back to Friday Night football is the senior captain’s top goal.
“It’s turned from, ‘Will I come back?’ to ‘I will come back.’ I just want to make sure I’m where I need to be in terms of cardio, fitness – it’s gonna be fun!”
Around the Area
Maybe the most impressive thing about Pope John Paul II’s (7-0, 3-0 PAC Frontier) start to the 2022 season is its consistency. Saturday’s 38-20 win over Upper Merion isn’t just the Golden Panthers’ seventh in a row (one of only six undefeated teams in all of District 1), it’s the fifth in a row decided by 17 points or more.
Despite that consistent dominance, the Golden Panthers continue to take it one week at a time. This week, sophomore Braden Reed was the offensive standout with eight catches for 127 yards and a pair of scores, while Boyd Skarbek turned in another 100-yard plus outing (130) on the ground.
It’s looking more and more as though Phoenixville (5-2, 3-0 PAC Frontier) is on a collision course with Pope John Paul II for the Frontier title in the final week of the regular season, especially after the Phantoms scored their first win over Pottsgrove (3-4, 1-2 PAC Frontier) in 17 years on Friday by a 14-7 final.
Upper Perkiomen scored their second win of 2022, breaking open a close game with Pottstown after halftime and pulling away for a 38-12 triumph. Zach Schwartz ran for 170 yards and a pair of scores, while Mike Boyle added another two touchdowns through the air.
Owen J. Roberts and Methacton both returned to the win column and pushed their records above .500.
The Wildcats’ defense bounced back in a 32-8 win over Norristown, as leading receiver Danny Cashman made his biggest impact on the other side of the ball with a 79-yard fumble return for a score. Hunter Rhoads had his fifth 100-yard game of the year with 151 on the ground.
Methacton outlasted Boyertown 10-7, with linebacker Ben Grove and Levi Borkowski keying a defensive effort that kept Boyertown at bay long enough for Anthony Perillo to charge across the goal line from four yards out with six minutes to play for the decisive tally.
Things certainly are coming together at Hill School, where the Rams (2-3, 1-0 Mid-Atlantic Prep League) built a winning streak off a 42-20 decision over Peddie School (N.J.).
The Rams picked off four passes from Peddie’s prolific aerial attack, with Kayden White returning one of his two pilfers for a score to go with his two rushing touchdowns. Samual Soderman added his own pick-six, while Jake Voynar had a rushing and receiving touchdown.
