“Roberts Rankings”-Football

No more 7v7 practices. No more scrimmages. Football games that count in the standings begin on Friday across Pennsylvania. It’s a glorious time of the year!

It was a wild offseason. Several notable players transferred to new schools. The grass isn’t always greener on the other side, but we shall see how things turn out. Of course, nothing makes grown men whine more on social media than preseason rankings. It’s like you’re asking them to take a pay cut or lose a week of vacation. Frankly, it’s pretty comical to me. I promise that the world will continue to exist if your favorite team is ranked second as opposed to first.

As I run through my initial poll for the 2026 campaign, I will note who I view as the favorite in each section of the Lancaster-Lebanon League. I think you could make a strong argument for a couple of schools in four of the five sections. With Twin Valley moving up to Section 3, I believe Wyomissing is a clear choice in Section 4. Although Long Island commit Thad Wolf (6’5, 325), quarterback Asher Jones, and the Lampeter-Strasburg Pioneers shouldn’t be overlooked.

Wilson or Manheim Township? Manheim Township or Wilson? That seems to be the question every fall when evaluating Section 1 of the L-L League. Louisville commit Justice Hardy, Damoni Daglis, and Zymir Small will give the Bulldogs a boost. There are plenty of options at the skill positions and the defense is legit in West Lawn. Keep an eye out for sophomores Travis Bissoon and Jaiden Whitehurst. Development at quarterback and offensive line will be a key. I give Wilson the edge, however, Mark Evans is (120-45) at Manheim Township for a reason. Cedar Crest is dangerous with eight starters back on defense and seven on offense, including Army commit Isaiah Zimmerman at running back. Hempfield quarterback Landon Charles and wide receiver Orion Abrams could put up big numbers this year.

Most games are won up front and Exeter is a factory when it comes to producing offensive linemen. Towson commit Wyatt Richard, Matt Lis, and Eddie Farrar return in Reiffton. The Reinert brothers, Braylon and Cayden, make the tight end group a strength. Not having Kevin Oswalt and Stephon Fuller will certainly hurt, but I give the Eagles a slight edge over Conestoga Valley in Section 2. Camryn Bair takes over at quarterback for the Buckskins. Running back Jayden Conaway and receiver Anthony Rodriguez are other players to watch. Ephrata and Elizabethtown will be improved. The Mounts return seven starters on each side of the ball, including a healthy Carson Martin at quarterback. The Bears have hit the weight room hard. They bring back nine starters on defense and eight on offense. Muhlenberg was hit hard by graduation, but Rob Flowers will always have his squad energized.

Twin Valley is coming off a season for the ages. The Raiders won 14 games and earned their first District 3 championship. The cupboard isn’t bare in Elverson. Six starters return on each side of the ball, including All-State linebacker Lucas Myers. Twin Valley has shifted from Class 4A to Class 5A this year. Solanco was the District 3-5A runner-up in 2025. Two-time All-State running back Johnny Garcia is gone, however, the entire offensive line is back. Quarterback Chase Sensenig returns as well for the Golden Mules. Warwick, which won nine games last fall, will try to spoil the party in Section 3. Bob Locker has been guiding the Warriors for two and a-half decades. I give Twin Valley the nod over Solanco.

Bob Wolfrum enters his 40th season as Wyomissing’s head coach. He’s 18 victories shy of 400! The Spartans have gone (81-11) over the past seven years and they’re my pick in Section 4. Zander Westwood and Gov. Mifflin transfer Rylan Overley give Wyomissing a strong one-two punch at running back and linebacker. Diamante Strong is another standout LB and Christian Kauffman (6’5, 265) will lead the way along the line of scrimmage. Junior QB Brady Eisenhower returns under center. If the Spartans opt to throw, Andrew DiFabrizio and Brady Focht are nice targets. ELCO has seven starters back on each side of the ball. Let’s see if Donegal or Octorara can take the next step. Former L-S head coach John Manion is at the helm at Donegal. The Indians and the Braves have a ton of starters back. Brayden Mastrippolito is a tremendous all-around athlete at Octorara. Conrad Weiser dropped down to Section 4. The Scouts have just 34 players on their roster. Former Fleetwood head coach Steve Pangburn is now running the show at Daniel Boone.

Eric Bennethum (6’3, 260), Faith Zudie (6’3, 210), and Jack McKeone (6’1, 250) will be a handful for opponents to deal with in the trenches. That’s why I’m making Berks Catholic the favorite in Section 5. Coy Koller, Ryan Spatz, and Mason Mace are back as well. Freshman QB Kellen Bowman is a name to remember. He’s really good at hoops too. Annville-Cleona returns eight starters on each side of the ball, and the triple-option is never easy to prepare for in one week. Schuylkill Valley has an experienced quarterback in Alex Aletras. He has great chemistry with the supporting cast of skill position players. Hamburg is in a somewhat similar spot, and I don’t just mean that geographically. The Hawks have talent at quarterback, running back, and wide receiver, but the offensive line needs to make progress. Sophomore Isaac McFadden is ready for his second season at quarterback. Blaise Ernst, Bryce Schmeck, and Alex Soto will be relied on heavily on “Hawk Hill.” How far can Cameron McClair carry Columbia this fall? The four-year starter on the gridiron is headed to West Chester for baseball. McClair scored twenty combined touchdowns a season ago and made eleven sacks. Lancaster Catholic, with a handful of starters returning on each side, will be in the mix as well.

Without further ado, here is my Berks County high school football preseason poll. Remember that no matter where your favorite team is ranked, the sun will come out tomorrow! The records listed below are from last year.

“The Great 8”

1.Wilson (9-3)

2.Twin Valley (14-1)

3.Exeter (10-3)

4.Wyomissing (10-2)

5.Berks Catholic (9-3)

6.Muhlenberg (8-3)

7.Boyertown (6-5)

8.Gov. Mifflin (4-7)