Daniel Boone Alum Returns to His Roots, Takes on Blazers Rebuild

The people of Birdsboro should be familiar with the new Daniel Boone girls basketball coach's last name: Sowers.

Matt Sowers was approved by the Daniel Boone School Board as the next Blazers girls basketball head coach last Monday, Sept. 28.

Basketball and Boone run deep in the Sowers family. Matt, his father, his uncles, his cousins, and his sister played for the Blazers.

Matt Sowers was recently hired as Daniel Boone's next girls basketball head coach. (Photo courtesy of Matt Sowers)

"I graduated from Daniel Boone in 2003 and have always wanted the opportunity to coach at Boone," Sowers recently said to BGB. "I moved back into the area recently and a handful of people told me I should apply for the job."

Sowers played basketball at Boone from first through 12th grade, including alongside Wayne Ellington, who transferred to Episcopal Academy after his freshman season and went on to play 13 seasons in the NBA.

Sowers was part of the 2003 Blazers boys' team that qualified for the state playoffs for the first time in program history. He played two years at Penn State Berks before transferring to Main Campus, where he joined the women's practice team.

Matt's father, Steve, played for the Blazers, graduated in 1975, then coached for over 30 years at Boyertown, Gov. Mifflin, and, of course, Daniel Boone.

His uncle, Jeff Sr., played in the Berks County all-star game for the Blazers and graduated in 1977.

Another uncle, John, also played basketball for the Blazers and graduated in 1980.

His cousin, Jeff, scored 1,142 career points with the Blazers and led the program to its first state playoff win before graduating in 2008.

Another cousin, Justin, and his sister, Megan, each played basketball and other sports at Boone before graduating in 2010.

Sensing a theme?

"I know the history of Daniel Boone girls basketball and welcome the challenge of getting the program back to being competitive," Sowers said.

That history includes the Berks County all-time leading scorer Wendy Davis and three of the top 10 scorers in county history with Page Lutz and Crista Ricketts. It also includes county titles in 1990 and 1988 and championship appearances in 2004, 1996, and 1987.

But the Blazers have struggled in recent years and are now on their third new coach in as many seasons. Kyle Osenbach replaced Matt Bowe last season. Sowers now replaces Osenbach.

The Blazers finished last season 1-10 in Berks II and 4-18 overall. They've gone 2-42 in league play and 13-74 overall the past four seasons. The last time they qualified for the county playoffs was in 2015.

"I believe the team would benefit from greater consistency, structure, direction, and accountability," Sowers said. "I am happy to be the coach and hopefully am the coach for a long time."

Sowers spent time as an assistant coach under Rick Bausher—the No. 2 winningest coach in Berks girls basketball history—and alongside his father at Gov. Mifflin. He also was on Billy Harrison's boys basketball staff at Conrad Weiser, coaching the JV team. The past six years Sowers has lived in New Jersey and volunteered as a coach at Mount Olive High School.

Sowers' hiring was the last of Berks girls basketball coaching positions to be filled, leaving him with a quick turnaround to prepare for the season. He has not met all of his players yet, but said the turnout for the few open gyms he's been able to hold has been good.

Top scorers from last season Jessica Parrott and Grace Glass have graduated, but Sowers feels the team has players in every class that can contribute to a positive season.

“My goal for this season is to play hard, win some games, and hopefully win a couple games that we're not supposed to,” he said.

"I want to restore Daniel Boone girls basketball to what it used to be. Win division titles, play in districts, and play at Hersheypark."