After a scoreless first quarter, Grant Moser broke free for a 74-yard TD run. It was negated, however, by a holding penalty. The Raiders committed eight penalties for 80 yards and fumbled the ball twice. Good teams, however, find a way to win. Lucas Myers rumbled 20 yards to Cocalico’s 45-yard line on Twin Valley’s second possession. The Villanova commit provided 111 yards on a dozen carries and seven tackles. Foster bounced an inside run out to the right and cruised 29 yards for a 7-0 lead with 7:04 to go before halftime. “Obviously, gotta give a shout out to my linemen. They were opening up holes all night for me and Lucas. They were paving the way for us,” emphasized Foster.

The Raiders put together another 85-yard drive late in the first half. They faced a third-and-13 from the Eagles’ 17-yard line and called a throwback screen pass. Sophomore Gavan Foster, Maverik’s younger brother, rolled to his right and then dumped the ball off to Jayce Oliver. The 6’2, 215-pound senior tight end followed his blockers down the left sideline for a touchdown with ten seconds to play. Twin Valley went in front 14-0 by covering 85 yards in 83 seconds. Oliver had four catches for 65 yards and made a team-high nine tackles at linebacker. Gavan Foster ended up 7-of-14 for 97 yards. The Raiders ran the rock 31 times for 289 yards behind an offensive line that averages 269 pounds.

Cocalico senior linebacker Rocco Rigney recovered a Twin Valley fumble at midfield at the beginning of the third quarter. The (6-4, 4-2) Eagles converted a fourth-and-2 and a fourth-and-1 on that series. On fourth-and-1 from the 2-yard line, fullback Logan Horning got tripped up at the line of scrimmage. A measurement showed that the 5’5, 170-pound junior was just short of a first down. On the next play, the Raiders fumbled and the ball fell back into the end zone where Myers fell on it. The safety made it 14-2 with 1:34 to play in the third quarter. Cocalico began the ensuing drive at its 40-yard line. Quarterback Jasiah Rios kept the ball on an option play to the left and went 57 yards down the sideline for a touchdown. All of a sudden, the Eagles were within 14-9 with 31 seconds remaining in the third quarter. Rios, a 130-pound junior, took over at quarterback after Connor Horning was injured in Week 5. Horning has returned, but Rios was playing well and stayed under center in Cocalico’s flexbone offense.

The Eagles reached midfield with nine minutes left and a 21-9 deficit. Senior cornerback Kwesi Banahene broke up a pass on fourth-and-6 to end that possession. Twin Valley senior defensive end Andrew Andrew Cabigas (6’4, 220) recovered a fumble at Cocalico’s 36-yard line to seal the deal with four minutes on the clock. “We definitely have a physical team. Our motto is eleven to the ball. With these option teams, we just gotta do our responsibility,” explained Maverik Foster. The Raiders faced another well-coached option team in Week 7 when they traveled to Solanco. “Playing Solanco, running the same offense, gave us a head start for Cocalico. During practice this week, we had a great scout team helping us prepare for this offense,” noted Foster. The Eagles entered the night averaging 26 points per game, but were limited to one touchdown.

Twin Valley is the #1 seed in the District 3-5A playoffs. The Raiders will have a bye next week. They won their first District 3 championship a season ago at the 4A classification. On Friday, Brett Myers picked up his 50th victory at Twin Valley. This is his fifth year as the Raiders’ head coach. Myers has an impressive (50-11) mark in Elverson.

Wilson-43, McCaskey-12

Exeter-23, Conestoga Valley-13

Twin Valley-28, Cocalico-9

Cedar Crest-31, Reading-22

Elizabethtown-34, Muhlenberg-14

Garden Spot-48, Gov. Mifflin-17

Conrad Weiser-47, Daniel Boone-28

Annville-Cleona-56, Schuylkill Valley-21

Berks Catholic-30, Lancaster Catholic-14

Solanco-45, Fleetwood-13

Hamburg-33, Kutztown-28

Boyertown-34, Norristown-7 (Thursday)

Wilson senior quarterback Cole Peterson threw for 365 yards and five touchdowns. He set a new school record for passing yards.

Kolton Eckinger, a junior quarterback from Elizabethtown, was 16-of-19 for 170 yards and a pair of touchdowns.

Brody Majeski of Twin Valley finished with 150 receiving yards and 3 TD on three catches.

Northern Lebanon running back Brady Ryan turned 22 carries into 134 yards and 2 TD. Ryan added three receptions for 44 yards and a score. The senior safety also contributed on defense with nine tackles and an interception.

Chase Marley from Columbia racked up 241 yards and 2 TD on 25 carries. The junior RB/LB caught a 40-yard TD pass and made ten tackles.

Here are the PowerPro Linemen of the Week from the L-L League:

Penn Manor tight end Tristan Ronan reeled in five passes for 81 yards and a touchdown. The senior defensive end recorded three sacks, forced a fumble and recovered one.

Elizabethtown junior lineman Matt Sikora had eight tackles and two tackles for loss. He also earned a high blocking grade.

Isaiah Saunders, a senior guard at Twin Valley, ended up with four pancake blocks as the Raiders scored 56 points.

Defensive end Jaxin Bush of Northern Lebanon provided nine tackles, two sacks and a fumble recovery.

Annville-Cleona senior lineman Kaidavin Ginting returned a fumble 42 yards for a touchdown. He had 8 tackles and 2 TFL. Ginting received a high blocking grade as the Dutchmen ran for 400 yards.

Class 6A

Twelve teams qualify for the District 3 tournament in this classification. Wilson is currently #5 in the power rankings. The Bulldogs are behind Manheim Township, Central York, Bishop McDevitt, and Harrisburg. The Cougars have a difficult Week 10 matchup at State College. Muhlenberg is on the outside looking in at #14. The (2-7) Muhls travel to (6-3) Elizabethtown this Friday.

Class 5A

Twin Valley is holding down the top spot in this classification. A dozen teams will advance to the District 3-5A playoffs. The (9-0) Raiders are followed by Northern York, Solanco, Conestoga Valley, and Dover. All four of those squads are (8-1). Exeter fell from #2 to #6 after its 56-29 loss to Twin Valley. The (7-2) Eagles visit Conestoga Valley on Friday.

Class 4A

Berks County schools will need some help to get into the District 3 bracket in this classification. Ten teams qualify and Conrad Weiser is sitting at #12. The Scouts are followed by Fleetwood at #13. Donegal and West Perry are currently the last two teams in the field. Their power rankings are .553 and .550 respectively. Donegal plays winless Octorara in Week 10 and West Perry makes the trip to Trinity. ELCO is #11 with a .549 power ranking. The Raiders host Northern Lebanon this week. Conrad Weiser (.546) heads to Daniel Boone this Friday. Fans of the Scouts will be cheering for Trinity and Nothern Lebanon. Meanwhile, Fleetwood (.534) has a tough test versus Solanco.

Class 3A

This classification has a strong Berks County flavor. Only the top four teams will get a ticket to the District 3 dance. Wyomissing (.687) has a very slight edge over Schuylkill Valley (.682) for the #1 seed. The Panthers are followed by Annville-Cleona (.590). They square off against each other on Friday night in Lebanon County. Wyomissing entertains (7-2) Lampeter-Strasburg on Saturday at 1:30pm.

Berks Catholic (.559) jumped up to the #4 seed after Trinity (.558) lost 12-8 to Milton Hershey last week. The Saints put their four-game winning streak on the line at Lancaster Catholic this Friday. The Crusaders have dropped four in a row. Hamburg (.505) is sixth in the District 3-3A power rankings.

There are no Berks County football programs in Class AA or A.

Twin Valley meets Cocalico on Friday in Elverson. The Raiders are looking for their second straight undefeated regular season. They hold a one game lead over Cocalico and Solanco in Section 3. Brett Myers (49-11) is going for his 50th win in his fifth year as head coach at Twin Valley. The (6-3) Eagles prefer to grind things out with their flexbone offense. They rolled over Fleetwood 42-7 a week ago.

Wilson travels to McCaskey this Friday. The (1-8) Red Tornado fell 45-12 at Hempfield last week. The Bulldogs are one game up on Manheim Township in the Section 1 standings. Wilson is on the verge of its 31st section title. No program has won more section championships in the history of the Lancaster-Lebanon League.

Exeter visits Conestoga Valley in Week 10. These teams have become very familiar with each other in recent years. The Eagles are (5-0) in league play and one game in front of the Buckskins in Section 2. Conestoga Valley is (8-1) overall. The Buckskins’ lone loss was a 25-23 setback at Ephrata in Week 5.

Wyomissing battles Lampeter-Strasburg at Bob Wolfrum Field on Saturday at 1:30pm. The scenario in Section 4 is very clear. The winner of this contest will be the outright champion. The (7-2) Pioneers are riding a six-game winning streak. They pulled away late to top Conrad Weiser 35-20 last Friday.

Three teams are still in the mix in Section 5. Schuylkill Valley is in the driver’s seat after winning eight consecutive games. The Panthers are one game ahead of both Annville-Cleona and Berks Catholic. The Dutchmen host Schuylkill Valley this week. Annville-Cleona has won three in a row since falling 21-14 to Berks Catholic. The Saints are on the road this Friday versus Lancaster Catholic. Berks Catholic has turned its season around with four straight wins. The (4-5) Crusaders are headed in the opposite direction. They’ve dropped four games in a row.

Conrad Weiser tries to snap a three-game slide in Birdsboro this week. The (2-7) Blazers have come up short in five consecutive games. Fleetwood is home on Friday against Solanco. The (8-1) Golden Mules are averaging an eye-popping 388 rushing yards per game. Their only loss came at the hands of Twin Valley on October 9th. Wesley Bard has 1,382 yards and 20 TD on just 79 carries this fall.

Without further ado, here is my new Berks County high school football poll. Remember that no matter where your favorite team is ranked, the sun will come out tomorrow!

“The Great 8”

1.Twin Valley (9-0)

2.Wilson (7-2)

3.Exeter (7-2)

4.Wyomissing (6-2)

5.Schuylkill Valley (8-1)

6.Berks Catholic (5-4)

7.Conrad Weiser (5-4)

8.Fleetwood (4-5)

Wilson’s six-game winning streak came to an end in a non-league matchup with a lot of offensive fireworks at John Gurski Stadium. Legend Johnson broke free for a 70-yard touchdown run just 41 seconds into the game. The Kent State commit finished with 106 yards on 13 carries. The (7-2) Bulldogs trailed 14-0 after two and a-half minutes. They rallied to take a 21-20 lead after the opening quarter. Wilson was in front 28-27 thanks to Mike Glover’s 42-yard TD catch with 31 seconds left in the third quarter. Cole Peterson found Braydon Farrell for a 24-yard score with 7:09 remaining. That touchdown pass pulled the Bulldogs within 37-35. They got the ball back and reached Central York’s 43-yard line, but the (7-2) Panthers came up with a sack to seal it with 1:13 on the clock.

Wilson lost despite having 30 first downs and 517 total yards. The Bulldogs held the ball for 31 and a-half minutes and went 11-of-17 on third down. Peterson set a school record with 364 passing yards. The first-year starter was 25-of-33 with five touchdown tosses. Glover and Farrell each reeled in two touchdown passes. Glover, a James Madison commit, had six receptions for 91 yards. Monty Greer provided 91 rushing yards and 75 receiving yards on 22 combined touches. Wilson was without Louisville running back commit Justice Hardy due to a lingering shoulder injury. Central York sophomore quarterback Jamin Ilgenfritz ended up 15-of-22 for 193 yards and 2 TD. He has offers from Virginia Tech, Virginia, Wake Forest, Syracuse, and Rutgers. Demarcus Murray racked up 148 yards and a score on eight receptions. The junior wide receiver has 18 TD catches this season.

Gov. Mifflin-35, Muhlenberg-28

The (2-7) Mustangs gave the ball to Patrick Steuer 35 times in Laureldale. The 5’7, 150-pound senior ran for 130 yards and 3 TD. Steuer’s 2-yard touchdown run made it 35-21 with 7:11 to go. Sophomore quarterback Jack Miller was 13-of-17 for 150 yards, including a 39-yard TD pass to Guy Campitelli in the opening quarter. He provided six catches for 70 yards. A 4-yard TD catch by Kalib Perez put the (2-7) Muhls on top 21-14 with two minutes left in the first half. Lucas Kreider, another sophomore at Gov. Mifflin, returned the ensuing kickoff 88 yards for a score to tie it up. Gunnar Gebhart and Trevor King led the Mustangs’ defense with eight tackles apiece.

Muhlenberg junior quarterback Adriel Baez suffered an injury early in their Week 6 contest at Ephrata. The Muhls have turned to 5’9, 140-pound senior Julian Rolon. He connected with Perez for three touchdown passes, including a 56-yard score. Muhlenberg has dropped four games in a row.

Schuylkill Valley-20, Kutztown-7

The (2-7) Cougars put up a tough fight against the (8-1) Panthers. Kutztown allowed just 210 total yards. Schuylkill Valley held a slim 10-7 edge at halftime. Alex Aletras ran 17 times for 106 yards and a touchdown. He was 6-of-13 through the air for 60 yards, including an 11-yard TD pass to Alexander Gehret. Reese Wamsher has been a valuable weapon on special teams. He drilled field goals from 41 and 30 yards. The Panthers are a perfect (6-0) in league play. They have a one game lead over Annville-Cleona and Berks Catholic in Section 5 of the Lancaster-Lebanon League. The (6-3) Dutchmen hammered Hamburg 47-7 on Friday. Schuylkill Valley travels to Annville-Cleona next week.

Berks Catholic-42, Pequea Valley-0

The (5-4) Saints won their fourth straight game with a dominant defensive performance. They held the (5-4) Braves to only four total yards. Lincoln Miller, a 215-pound freshman linebacker, made a team-high six tackles. Luke Suski added two tackles for loss. Berks Catholic grinded out 218 yards on the ground. Coy Koller turned a dozen carries into 108 yards and a touchdown. Ryan Spatz reached the end zone three times. The 5’11, 180-pound senior ran ten times for 64 yards. Junior wide receiver Logan Gonzalez chipped in with three catches for 64 yards and a score. The Saints have allowed seven points combined in the past three games. They visit Lancaster Catholic in Week 10.

Lampeter-Strasburg-35, Conrad Weiser-20

The (5-4) Scouts were even with the (7-2) Pioneers for three quarters. They were knotted 14-14 at halftime. Conrad Weiser trailed 21-20 entering the final quarter. However, Lampeter-Strasburg finished strong and outscored the Scouts 14-0 over the last twelve minutes. Colby DeJessa gave the Pioneers some breathing room with a 45-yard TD run. He wound up with 186 rushing yards. Senior quarterback Asher Jones threw a pair of touchdown passes and used his legs for another score. Kole Kupper had 103 yards and 2 TD on 13 carries for Conrad Weiser. Connor Sellars completed half of his 14 attempts for 79 yards with an interception. He ran the ball 16 times for 63 yards and a touchdown. Senior linebacker Luke Walter made a team-high twelve tackles.

Lampeter-Strasburg extended its winning streak to six. The Pioneers visit Wyomissing next Saturday afternoon. That matchup will determine the Section 4 championship in the L-L League.

Wyomissing-56, Octorara-15

The (6-2) Spartans defeated the winless Braves on Saturday at Bob Wolfrum Field. Wyomissing piled up 474 total yards, including 379 on the ground. Zander Westwood led the way with 194 yards on 11 carries. His touchdown runs came from 83 and 56 yards away. Ethan Nye added 48 yards and 2 TD on six carries. Junior quarterback Brady Eisenhower was an efficient 6-of-8 for 95 yards and 2 TD. His touchdown passes went to Andrew DiFabrizio and Teddy White in the first half. The Spartans have won six straight games.

The (7-2) Eagles saw their six-game winning streak come to an end. They looked good early with a 13-play opening drive that lasted six and a-half minutes. Aidan Gerhart found Braylon Reinert for an 8-yard touchdown pass. The 6’4, 229-pound tight end made five catches for 78 yards. Gerhart went 14-of-27 for 129 yards and 2 TD. On Exeter’s second series, it looked like Twin Valley had Donovyn Alvarez bottled up at the line of scrimmage. Alvarez was able to bounce outside and race down the left sideline for a 59-yard score with 1:34 left in the first quarter. The Raiders responded with a 45-yard TD pass from Foster to Majeski who was wide open down the right sideline. After a penalty on the Eagles during the extra point, head coach Brett Myers opted to go for the two-point conversion. His son, Lucas, ran it in out of the wildcat formation to make it 14-8 with 18 seconds remaining in the period.

Foster dumped off a throwback screen pass to 6’2, 215-pound tight end Jayce Oliver early in the second quarter. Oliver broke a tackle and picked up 66 yards down the left sideline. Myers capped the possession with a 3-yard touchdown run and Twin Valley was in front 15-14 with 7:43 to go before halftime. Exeter senior running back Josh Jackson answered with a 44-yard TD run up the middle. The 6’, 185-pound senior reeled in the two-point conversion pass from Gerhart to put the Eagles in front 22-15. Jackson provided 111 yards on 18 carries. Alvarez turned his ten carries into 95 yards.

Momentum shifted back to the Raiders thanks to an 89-yard kickoff return touchdown by Grant Moser with four and a-half minutes to play in the first half. Another two-point run by Myers gave Twin Valley a 23-22 edge. Exeter fumbled at its 11-yard line on the ensuing drive. Following a penalty, Foster fired a pass over the middle to Majeski for a 21-yard touchdown and a 29-22 lead. Maverik Foster, Gavan’s older brother, intercepted Gerhart along the right sideline on the next possession. The hard-hitting safety set up the Raiders at the Eagles’ 47-yard line with 54 seconds left in the second quarter. A 24-yard completion to Moser put Twin Valley at the 6-yard line. Myers’ 1-yard touchdown plunge resulted in a 36-22 score with ten seconds remaining before halftime.

Gavan Foster connected with Majeski over the middle for an 84-yard TD pass with seven minutes to go in the third quarter. The Raiders put up 28 consecutive points after falling behind 22-15. Majeski, who also plays basketball and baseball, gave credit to his first-year quarterback. “He’s done amazing. I played the entire last year with him on JV. Having that chemistry with him has really helped us,” noted Majeski.

Exeter converted on fourth-and-five with a 7-yard TD pass to Alvarez. The Eagles were within 43-29 with 4:14 to play in the third period. They recovered an onside kick, but wound up punting on that next series. Myers then went untouched up the middle for a 74-yard touchdown run on third-and-four with ten seconds left in the third quarter. Exeter trailed 50-29 entering the final period. On fourth-and-12, Gavan Foster rolled right and tossed a screen pass back to his left to his brother. Maverik picked up a couple of blocks and dove into the end zone for a 27-yard touchdown with 8:11 on the clock. Maverik Foster also contributed nine tackles. Oliver was in on a team-high eleven tackles.

Twin Valley is ranked #5 in the state in Class 5A by PennLive. The Eagles were #10 in that poll this week. The Raiders are averaging 40.2 points per game. They’re one win away from a second straight undefeated regular season. “Having the amount of playmakers that we have on our team opens me up for many different plays,” acknowledged Majeski. The Raiders host Cocalico next Friday.

Central York-37, Wilson-35

Twin Valley-56, Exeter-29

Gov. Mifflin-35, Muhlenberg-28

Manheim Township-49, Reading-0

Lampeter-Strasburg-35, Conrad Weiser-20

Schuylkill Valley-20, Kutztown-7

Cocalico-42, Fleetwood-7

Berks Catholic-42, Pequea Valley-0

Annville-Cleona-47, Hamburg-7

Northern Lebanon-23, Daniel Boone-7

Methacton-24, Boyertown-17

Cedar Crest junior quarterback Steven Reyes was 16-of-22 for 284 yards and 4 TD. He added 63 yards on the ground.

Ephrata’s Caleb Rice played a key role on both sides of the ball. The senior running back and linebacker turned a dozen carries into 96 yards and a pair of touchdowns. Rice finished with 14 total tackles and 1.5 TFL.

Chase Sensenig, a senior quarterback from Solanco, ran the ball 21 times for 225 yards and 2 TD. He threw for another score.

Garden Spot junior wide receiver Gavin Compton had 10 catches for 215 yards and 2 TD.

Donegal’s Leelan Baughman had an unforgettable Friday night, including eight touchdowns! The senior RB/LB piled up 184 yards and 4 TD on just eight carries. Baughman also provided 103 receiving yards and three more touchdowns. He blocked a punt for another score and made eight tackles.

Andrew Blank of Pequea Valley was in on eleven tackles. The senior linebacker forced a fumble and ended up with three sacks in a shutout win.

Schuylkill Valley quarterback Alex Aletras used his arm and his legs in the Frost Bowl. He was 14-of-22 for 130 yards and 2 TD. Aletras showed his mobility with 184 yards on 20 carries.

Here are the PowerPro Linemen of the Week from the L-L League:

Mason Cevette from Cedar Crest racked up a team-high six pancake blocks. The junior TE/DE added a handful of tackles and two tackles for loss.

Exeter’s Wyatt Richard earned a 94% blocking grade with eight pancake blocks. The senior offensive tackle didn’t allow a single quarterback pressure.

Aidan Sola of Cocalico did a great job blocking from his center position. The senior defensive tackle had a pair of pancake blocks and three tackles.

Wyomissing senior TE/DL Diamante Strong helped the Spartans rush for more than 300 yards. Strong also caught a 44-yard TD pass and made 3 TFL.

Ben Zellers from Pequea Valley provided five tackles and one and a-half sacks. The sophomore defensive end contributed on special teams as well with a blocked punt.

Twin Valley battles Exeter on Friday at Don Thomas Stadium. Both teams are ranked in the top 10 in the state in Class 5A by PennLive. The undefeated Raiders have outscored their opponents by a staggering margin of 306-to-57 this fall. The Eagles have won six straight. Exeter is #2 in the District 3-5A power rankings behind Twin Valley.

Wyomissing has won five in a row. The Spartans survived a nailbiter in Robesonia last week. They squeezed past Conrad Weiser 47-41. Wyomissing hosts winless Octorara this Saturday at 1:30pm. The Spartans are #2 in the District 3-3A power rankings. Schuylkill Valley is holding down the top spot.

Conrad Weiser visits Lampeter-Strasburg this Friday. The (6-2) Pioneers are riding a five-game winning streak. They’ve outscored their foes 171-to-34 during that stretch. The Scouts are on the bubble for the District 3 tournament. They’re #10 in the Class 4A power rankings and only ten teams qualify in that classification. Fleetwood is sitting at #11.

Schuylkill Valley gets back to work after an exciting 24-17 victory over Hamburg in the Frost Bowl. The Panthers are looking for their eighth consecutive win. They head north to Kutztown this week. The (2-6) Cougars have dropped four of their past five contests.

Fleetwood moved up one spot in my poll this week. The top six schools remained the same. The Tigers are on the road this Friday versus Cocalico. The (5-3) Eagles knocked off Manheim Central 21-14 a week ago.

Berks Catholic jumped back into my rankings thanks to three straight wins. The Saints are home against Pequea Valley on Friday. The (5-3) Braves ended a three-game slide with a 13-0 shutout of Lancaster Catholic last week.

Muhlenberg fell out of my poll after a 30-6 loss at Exeter. The (2-6) Muhls have dropped three in a row. They meet Gov. Mifflin on Friday in Laureldale. The (1-7) Mustangs gave Ephrata all they could handle last week. The (7-1) Mounts escaped Shillington with a 27-26 victory.

Without further ado, here are my new Berks County high school football rankings. Remember that no matter where your favorite team is ranked, the sun will come out tomorrow!

“The Great 8”

1.Wilson (7-1)

2.Twin Valley (8-0)

3.Exeter (7-1)

4.Wyomissing (5-2)

5.Conrad Weiser (5-3)

6.Schuylkill Valley (7-1)

7.Fleetwood (4-4)

8.Berks Catholic (4-4)