Berks Football HOF-2021

Due to the Covid-19 pandemic, the Berks County Football Coaches Association didn’t hold a Hall of Fame banquet for the Class of 2021. That event took place on Saturday at Green Valley Country Club. The 2021 class includes two former NFL players, Division I athletes, and a head coach from the 1960’s. Here’s a look at the seven new inductees into the BCFCA Hall of Fame:

Kerry Collins was the first team quarterback on the Reading Eagle’s All-Century team. He was an all-state and Big 33 Classic selection. Collins led Wilson to the Class 4A state championship game in 1989. He was the first quarterback in Berks County history to throw for more than 2,000 yards in a season. He went on to Penn State and broke nine single-season school records in 1994. That high-powered squad averaged 47 points and won the Rose Bowl. Collins was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in 2018. He was a first round draft pick who played 17 seasons in the NFL. He helped the Giants reach the Super Bowl, and finished 20th on the league’s all-time passing list with nearly 41,000 yards.

Ross Tucker was an all-league offensive and defensive lineman at Wyomissing in the mid-1990s. He became a four-year starter at Princeton and a two-time academic All-American. Tucker was named to the Tigers’ 150th anniversary team in 2019. He played seven years in the NFL with Washington, Dallas, Buffalo, and New England. Tucker currently works as an analyst for the Eagles, CBS, and Westwood One. He hosts several podcasts, and serves as CEO of GoBigRecruiting.com.

Matt Scornavacchi contributed on offense, defense, and special teams at Gov. Mifflin in the early 1990s. He was an all-county defensive back and big play weapon at wide receiver. As a senior, he averaged 25 yards per catch and scored nine touchdowns including an 83-yard kickoff return. Scornavacchi set a school-record with 191 receiving yards against Lebanon. He was a three-year starter at Navy and ended his career with over 1,000 receiving yards. He established a new school record by averaging 19 yards per reception for the Midshipmen.

Alex Auston ran for nearly 3,300 yards at Wilson and averaged almost eight yards per carry for his career. He holds the school record for rushing yards in a single game. Auston rumbled for 331 yards against McCaskey in 1997. He scored 56 career touchdowns. Auston was also an exceptional defensive back. He piled up 15 interceptions for the Bulldogs including ten in one season. He was selected for the Big 33 Classic as a DB.

Jake Slemmer was a defensive stalwart who helped Wilson win back-to-back District 3 championships in 1989 and 1990. The all-state linebacker is a member of the Reading Eagle’s All-Century team. Slemmer made 120 tackles in 1990 and was named Berks County Linebacker of the Year. His father, Gerry, was the head coach of the 1989 team which won 14 games on its way to the state final.

Chris Mayer was an all-county lineman at Reading Central Catholic. He played on both sides of the ball and helped pave the way for legendary running back David Gilmore. Mayer was on the Cardinals’ 1983 team that went (12-1). They outlasted Littlestown 22-21 in double overtime to win the District 3 championship. They also set a school record with 409 points.

Rick Scalese was a halfback and defensive back at West Reading High School in the 1950s. He went on to play at Kutztown University. Scalese became the head coach at West Reading in 1964. He later coached at Daniel Boone for eight years. Scalese was part of the East coaching staff for the first Berks Senior All-Star Game in 1971. He was joined by Don Thomas of Exeter and Vince Shemanski of Central Catholic. The West team was coached by Wilson’s John Gurski and Gov. Mifflin’s Ray Linn. Scalese also played on a state championship basketball team with Ron Krick.