District 3 Playoff Preview

The District 3 playoffs are here! Four Berks County teams are in action tonight and four more have byes. There are no Berks County squads in the Class A and 2A fields.

Class 6A:

Gov. Mifflin returns to the tournament after a two-year absence. The (5-5) Mustangs got bumped up from Class 5A this season. As the #9 seed, they will travel to #8 Cumberland Valley. The Eagles are making their 32nd appearance, only Manheim Central has qualified more times (35). Cumberland Valley is (51-18) all-time in the District 3 playoffs with 13 championships. Their last title came in 2015. This is the 18th appearance for Gov. Mifflin. The Mustangs have a (24-16) overall record. They won it all for the first time in 2020.

Wilson received the #2 seed and a bye. Like Cumberland Valley, the Bulldogs are making their 32nd appearance in District’s. They have a (42-24) mark with seven championships. Wilson will meet either #7 Cedar Crest or #10 Hempfield in the quarterfinals.

Class 5A:

#8 seed Exeter takes on #9 South Western tonight at Don Thomas Stadium. This is the 15th trip to the tournament for the (9-1) Eagles. Their lone title came in 2021 when they stunned Gov. Mifflin as the seventh seed. Exeter has a (10-13) all-time record. South Western is making its 16th appearance. The Mustangs are (7-3) this year.

As the #3 seed, undefeated Conrad Weiser earned a bye. The Scouts were the District 3-2A runner-up in 1996. They also started (10-0) that season. This is the 18th time that Conrad Weiser advanced to the District 3 field. The Scouts are (13-17). They will meet #6 Bishop McDevitt or #11 Lower Dauphin in the quarterfinals. The Crusaders have won a record 65 games in the District 3 playoffs (65-9) with 17 championships, including three in a row. They were in Class 4A in 2023.

It’s odd not seeing Manheim Central in the bracket. The Barons own the District 3 records for titles (18) and appearances (35). They’re (63-17) overall. Manheim Central finished (3-7) this year.

Class 4A:

Second-seeded Wyomissing and fifth-seeded Twin Valley have byes this week. The (8-2) Spartans are going to District’s for the 31st time. They were in Class 3A a season ago. Wyomissing has claimed a dozen championships, including five straight. The Spartans have a (42-18) all-time mark. Here’s an interesting tidbit to keep in mind; they’re (20-0) at home in the postseason!

Twin Valley is headed to the District 3 tournament for the fourth consecutive year. The (8-2) Raiders reached the semifinals in each of the previous two seasons. They visit (8-2) Susquehanna Township next Friday in the quarterfinals.

Class 3A:

Third-seeded Schuylkill Valley entertains sixth-seeded Littlestown tonight at Leesport. This is the ninth appearance in District’s for the (8-2) Panthers. They beat the (6-4) Thunderbolts 45-21 last year. It was just the second victory for Schuylkill Valley in the District 3 tournament. Littlestown has won it all on three occasions. This is the 27th appearance for the Thunderbolts. They have a (12-23) overall record.

Berks Catholic is making its tenth trip to the District 3 playoffs. The school has been in existence for 14 years. The Saints have an outstanding (19-5) mark in the tournament with four championships. They’re (6-4) this season and the #5 seed. Berks Catholic goes to fourth-seeded Biglerville tonight for a quarterfinal matchup. The (7-3) Canners advanced to District’s for the fifth time.