Berks Sports Report

Zach Suski-Berks Catholic

Paul Roberts — Sat, 21 Dec 2024 05:44:50 +0000

Zach Suski was disappointed with how he played last week. The 6’ senior at Berks Catholic has bounced back in a big way. Suski scored 20 points in a 73-52 win at Reading on Tuesday. He topped that performance by pouring in a career-high 34 points against Muhlenberg on Friday night. The Saints held off the Muhls 65-61 at Lloyd Wolf Gymnasium. “I don’t really know what to say. I’m just happy how I played,” replied Suski. He knocked down two of Berks Catholic’s six 3-pointers and went 6-for-6 from the free throw line. Suski, who’s the quarterback of the Saints’ football team, came into the night averaging 10 points per game. He had 18 in the first half versus Muhlenberg. Berks Catholic raced out to a 14-4 advantage. Brady Altimar drilled a 40-foot shot at the buzzer to make it 19-7 after the opening quarter. Suski provided seven points in the first eight minutes. The (6-1) Saints expanded their cushion to 28-11 in the second period. They didn’t commit a single turnover over the first ten minutes and were in front 32-22 at halftime. The Muhls didn’t go down quietly. Senior guards Jayden Kantner and Shermar Killen combined for 15 points in the third quarter. Killen picked up two fouls in the first six minutes and then got his third foul with 1:09 remaining in the second quarter. The All-County pick was limited to two points in the first half, but finished with 14. Kantner ended up with a team-high 26 points. He attacked the basket repeatedly and was 10-of-11 from the foul line. Muhlenberg, which has played just one home game this season, trailed 49-42 after the third quarter. Kingston McKoy started the final period with a trey. The highly-touted 6’2 junior guard provided Berks Catholic with 16 points. Altimar chipped in with eight points. A fast break layup by Killen pulled the (6-3) Muhls within 56-53 with 3:45 left. Suski responded with a three-point play after getting a pass from McKoy in transition. McKoy was a third team All-State selection in Class 4A a season ago. “Everyone focuses on him, sometimes double-team him. I’m just right there for the layup,” explained Suski. Kantner sank a pair of free throws with two minutes to play, but Suski converted another layup for a 61-57 edge. An inside basket by junior forward Michael Miller made it 63-61 in the final minute. On the ensuing possession, McKoy broke Muhlenberg’s press and fired a diagonal pass from half-court to Suski for a layup. That shot came with 30 seconds left and ended the scoring. The Saints were 10-of-12 from the charity stripe, while the Muhls went 12-of-14. “It’s tough. Every game is gonna be a good game. Every game you gotta play like a playoff game,” said Suski about moving up from Division 2 to Division 1 of the Berks Conference. He added, “The atmosphere is way better than last year. The season has been fun so far.” Scoring 54 total points in back-to-back games is also fun.

BCFCA All-Star Teams

Paul Roberts — Thu, 19 Dec 2024 15:34:57 +0000

The Berks County Football Coaches Association released its 2024 All-Star selections this week. For the first time, there is a Big School team and a Small School team. This change was made in order to recognize more outstanding players. The voting was done by coaches. Offensive tackle Logan Wegman (Exeter), outside linebacker Christo Hunsicker (Wilson), and kick returner Justice Hardy (Wyomissing) were the only unanimous picks. Congratulations to Alan Moyer (Conrad Weiser) and Bob Wolfrum (Wyomissing) who were named Coach of the Year. The following first team selections will receive plaques from the BCFCA.

Big School-Offense

QB-Donovan Gingrich (CW)

RB-Jayden Zandier (Ex), Cam Small (Muhl), Grady Garner (GM)

All-Purpose Back-Gabriel Laws (RHS)

WR-Carter Redding (Ex), Evan Rittle (CW)

TE-Michael Glover (Wil)

C-Gavin Kelly (GM)

G-Dylan Worley (GM), Zavier Otero (Muhl)

T-Logan Wegman (Ex), Keyshawn Efese (RHS)

K-Robbie Gaston (Ex)

KR-Jayden Zandier (Ex)

Big School-Defense

DE-Ashton Kiebach (CW), Dequan Small (Muhl)

DT-Logan Wegman (Ex), Eugene Booth (CW)

ILB-Casey Gerhart (Ex), Gabriel Laws (RHS)

OLB-Christo Hunsicker (Wil), Aidan Dauble (Ex)

DB-Reese Hohl (GM), Xavier Beatty (RHS), Madyx Gruber (Wil), Cam Small (Muhl)

LS-Evan Rittle (CW)

P-Donovan Gingrich (CW)

Small School-Offense

QB-Evan Myers (TV)

RB-Chase Eisenhower (Wyo), Evan Johnson (TV), Bryce Gumby (BC)

All-Purpose Back-Justice Hardy (Wyo)

WR-Kowen Gerner (SV), Ben Grundy (TV)

TE-Luke Spotts (SV)

C-Noah DiGiacomo (TV), Francisco Fabian (Wyo)

G-Carter Faubel (TV), Max Tipton (Wyo)

T-Palmer Reber (BC), Aris Drake (TV), Keaton Piacine (Wyo)

K-Keegan Maher (Wyo)

KR-Justice Hardy (Wyo)

Small School-Defense

DE-Eric Bennethum (BC), Greyson Miller (TV)

DT-Max Tipton (Wyo), Carter Faubel (TV)

ILB-Lucas Myers (TV), Chase Eisenhower (Wyo)

OLB-Tyler Niedrowski (Wyo), Luke Spotts (SV)

DB-Justice Hardy (Wyo), Evan Johnson (TV), Daniel Brady (Hamb), Bryce Gumby (BC)

LS-Tyler Niedrowski (Wyo)

P-Keegan Maher (Wyo)

Matt Coldren-Wilson

Paul Roberts — Wed, 18 Dec 2024 15:09:50 +0000

It’s not how you start, but how you finish that matters. Coaches in all sports have often used that old adage. Wilson head coach Matt Coldren had a different opinion after a tense 44-41 win at rival Gov. Mifflin. “I think getting off to the great start won us the game,” said Coldren. A 3-pointer by Madyx Gruber gave the Bulldogs a 9-0 advantage with 4:39 left in the opening quarter. The Mustangs went nearly four minutes without scoring. Gruber finished with a game-high 19 points and went 5-of-6 from the free throw line. “What stood out to me was he didn’t press. They were denying him a lot. He didn’t have as many touches as he normally does. He’s a gamer. He makes shots that most guys can’t make,” noted Coldren. Wilson was in front 17-6 after eight minutes and 24-13 at halftime. The Mustangs trailed 36-26 entering the fourth quarter which is when things heated up. Gov. Mifflin went on a 12-to-3 run and pulled within 39-38 on a triple by Matt Koehler with 1:50 left. Koehler had a team-high 17 points, including a dozen in the second half. “His game has really evolved. Last year I thought he was strictly a 3-point shooter, much easier to guard. He’s taking advantage of his size now. He’s kind of a tough matchup for us,” explained Coldren. Koehler, a 6’3 senior, missed a 3-pointer that would have given the Mustangs their first lead with 50 seconds remaining. Correll Akings sank two clutch foul shots with 31 seconds to play to extend the Bulldogs’ cushion to 41-38. After Stephen Mayo missed a layup, Gruber made two more free throws for the (5-1) Bulldogs. Gov. Mifflin senior point guard Andrew Galantuomo banked in a 40-foot shot to make it 43-41 with two seconds to go. Gruber then went 1-of-2 from the charity stripe. The Mustangs’ inbounds pass was deflected by Cam Zullinger at half-court and fittingly ended up in the arms of Gruber. Akings chipped in with nine points and Tommy McFadden added six. Wilson starts four seniors and brings three more off the bench. “We’ve been there. We’ve got a lot of guards who have been in this situation before,” emphasized Coldren. The Bulldogs are the defending BCIAA champions. After going (15-29) over the past two seasons, the Mustangs are back on track under first-year head coach Garrett Etzel. They beat Muhlenberg and Berks Catholic last week. “I’m a Garrett Etzel fan. I think he was a great player…and I have a lot of respect for him. I’m happy for him,” said Coldren. There are ten seniors on Gov. Mifflin’s roster. Ian Fleming, the lone junior in their starting lineup, contributed twelve points. The (4-2) Mustangs were 5-of-9 from the free throw line, while Wilson went 12-for-16. The Bulldogs connected four times from beyond the arc. Gov. Mifflin splashed just two 3-pointers and one was the long range bomb by Galantuomo before the buzzer. The attendance in Shillington was 1,150 for this Division 1 battle in the Berks Conference. “Our division is gonna be a dog fight every night,” stated Coldren.

“I’ll be Back”-Doug Dahms

Paul Roberts — Wed, 18 Dec 2024 13:14:38 +0000

Doug Dahms has been a mainstay at Wilson High School for many years. Dahms confirmed to me that he will be back as the Bulldogs’ head football coach in 2025. He holds the school record for wins with a mark of (196-44) over 19 seasons. Dahms has the highest winning percentage (81.7%) in Berks County history.

Wilson finished (11-2, 6-0) this fall. The Bulldogs earned their record 29th Section 1 championship by winning 34-16 at Manheim Township in Week 10. Both teams were ranked in the top 10 in the state in Class 6A at the time. Wilson advanced to the District 3-6A championship game before falling to Harrisburg 42-14.

Wilson’s football program has been a model of consistency. The Bulldogs hold the state record with 49 consecutive winning seasons. They haven’t had a losing year since 1963. Dahms started as an assistant coach in West Lawn in 1976. He was part of 264 victories as an assistant before becoming the head coach.

Gov. Mifflin holds off Wilson

Paul Roberts — Tue, 17 Dec 2024 15:12:53 +0000

How did the Gov. Mifflin girls basketball team get out of West Lawn with a win? “That’s a good question,” replied Mustangs’ head coach Mike Clark with a laugh. Gov. Mifflin beat rival Wilson 47-45 in a nailbiter on Monday night. “The kids gutted it out…I don’t know how we actually pulled it out,” said Clark. He’s in his 13th season with the Mustangs and recently surpassed 300 career victories. Clark went (93-18) over four years at Oley Valley which included a District 3 championship in 2011. His Mustangs got all they could handle from a short-handed Bulldogs squad. All-County point guard Laila Jones is out with a torn ACL and All-Division forward Violet Houck didn’t play due to a hamstring injury. The 5’11 junior is expected back soon. Wilson trailed 14-7 in the first quarter before scoring the last five points of the period. Ryan Leaman hit a jumper from the left wing at the buzzer that was ruled a 3-pointer, although video showed that her feet were inside the line. Bella Super had a dozen points in the first half as Gov. Mifflin took a 27-24 lead into the break. Laura Crocona, a 5’7 junior, scored eight of her eleven points in the third quarter. The Bulldogs were down 39-38 entering the final period. Leaman drilled a trey from the right wing to put Wilson on top 45-42 with five and a-half minutes remaining. The 5’7 sophomore started in place of Houck and provided nine points. Kailani Hardy, an electric 5’9 sophomore, finished with a team-high 13 points. Both teams went scoreless for nearly three minutes until Super connected from beyond the arc to even it up at 45-45. Her 3-pointer from the right wing rattled around, popped up in the air, and fell through the net with 2:40 left. The 5’8 sophomore had a game-high 20 points. “Sometimes she played out of control, but she also made some good shots,” noted Clark. Bridget Martin fired a nice bounce pass to Mia Vasquez on the left block with 59 seconds to play. Vasquez was fouled and sank both free throws for a 47-45 advantage. “That was great,” said Clark about his 5’10 senior center. Vasquez was in foul trouble in the first half when the Mustangs struggled to rebound. They start three sophomores and a freshman. Hardy missed a driving attempt to tie the game, but Gov. Mifflin committed a turnover on the ensuing possession. Janai Tisdale was tied up while trying to drive down the right side of the lane with six seconds remaining. The arrow was in the Bulldogs’ favor, however, Brooklyn George stole the inbounds pass under the basket. George, a 5’6 sophomore, contributed ten points including two of the Mustangs’ five 3-pointers. Martin and Vasquez added seven points apiece. The (5-1) Mustangs went 8-of-14 from the free throw line, while the (2-4) Bulldogs were 8-of-12. The two schools are separated by just a few miles. “You can throw the records out when they play,” stated Clark.

Shermar Killen-Muhlenberg

Paul Roberts — Fri, 13 Dec 2024 15:36:45 +0000

Shermar Killen was motivated by Tuesday’s loss at Gov. Mifflin. The 6’2 senior guard was limited to three points in the second half as Muhlenberg fell 77-73 to the Mustangs. Killen wasn’t going to let that happen again on Thursday night in front of a sold-out crowd in Laureldale. He erupted for 28 points in an intense 70-58 victory over Reading. “It’s a rivalry game. My coaches always tell me they need me. My teammates tell me they need me. I just want to be the best I can be for them,” he said. Killen is a physical guard who loves to attack the basket. He was 10-for-10 from the free throw line. “The kid took a lot of pride in the offseason in the weight room and conditioning…We rode his back and he delivered,” replied head coach Matt Flowers. Killen’s career-high of 29 points came against the same opponent in the same gym on January 9th. The Muhls beat Reading 87-74 in double overtime on that night. This one wasn’t as close, although the Red Knights were on fire early. They raced out to a 19-7 advantage on Jostin DeCastro’s three-point play with 2:42 left in the opening quarter. The 6’2 sophomore guard jammed all 17 of his points into the first half, including 13 in the first period. Reading was in front 28-18 after eight minutes and 37-22 midway through the second quarter. Killen, an All-County selection last season, scored nine points in the second quarter and brought Muhlenberg within 37-34 at halftime. During the break, the Muhls discussed their defensive game plan and made a key adjustment. “We figured it out. We were playing a little too close to them so they were able to blow by us,” explained Killen. Muhlenberg backed off slightly and the (1-4) Red Knights managed just 21 points in the second half. They didn’t make any 3-point shots. The (5-2) Muhls outscored them 21-10 in the third quarter. Killen provided ten points in that period. Muhlenberg took its first lead with 4:45 remaining in the third quarter on a layup by talented 6’3 sophomore Eli Hemmings. Reading was scoreless for the first three minutes and ten seconds of the fourth quarter. The Red Knights fell behind 59-47. Weshly Rosario finished with 14 points and sophomore guard Jeremiah Camara added a dozen. Reading committed 18 turnovers, while the Muhls only had nine. Senior guard Jayden Kantner contributed ten points for Muhlenberg. Hemmings and sophomore guard LJ Armstrong chipped in with eight points apiece. The Muhls were 17-of-24 from the foul line. Jadin Perez, the son of current Muhlenberg assistant coach Rick Perez, came off the bench and hit two of his team’s three triples. The Red Knights ended up 14-of-16 from the charity stripe, but they only made three field goals in the final period. Meanwhile, Killen has big expectations for the Muhls after going (16-12) a season ago. “I feel like we’re gonna make a long county [playoff] run, a long district run, and a long state run,” he said.

Hamburg finds new Football Coach

Paul Roberts — Wed, 11 Dec 2024 21:42:06 +0000

It didn’t take Tyler Hartranft long to find his way back to “Hawk Hill.” Hartranft was Hamburg’s offensive coordinator in 2022 and 2023. He was unanimously approved last week as the Hawks’ new head football coach. “Coach Hartranft has a proven track record of both playing and coaching football at a high level. His knowledge of the sport, energy, work ethic, and ability to build positive and lasting relationships will be invaluable to developing our student-athletes for success both on and off the field,” said Hamburg Superintendent Dr. Chris Beissel.

Hartranft is a graduate of King’s College. He was the wide receivers coach there from 2015-18. He went on to become the passing game coordinator at McDaniel College in Maryland. Hartranft then returned to the high school gridiron as the quarterbacks coach at Spring-Ford in 2020. After one season as the running backs coach back at King’s College, he was hired as the offensive coordinator at Hamburg. The Hawks reached the District 3 semifinals in 2022. They set school records for points and yards per game that year. Hartranft helped quarterback Xander Menapace set 14 program records.

Hartranft takes over for Matt Hoffert who stepped down after three seasons. Hoffert guided the Hawks to a (21-13) mark. They went (6-5) this fall and lost to North Pocono 41-0 in the Eastern Conference 4A championship. Hamburg finished in fourth place in Section 5 of the Lancaster-Lebanon League. Hartranft wasn’t far away. He was a little farther north on Route 61 at Pottsville High School. Hartranft served as the offensive coordinator under Mike Brennan. The Crimson Tide lost to Southern Lehigh in the District 11-4A semifinals this year.

Hamburg hasn’t had a losing season since 2018. Hartranft works at the high school as a special education teacher. “We are excited about Coach Hartranft’s vision for the program and know he will be a tremendous asset to our school community,” said Beissel.

Kingston McKoy-Berks Catholic

Paul Roberts — Tue, 10 Dec 2024 05:51:30 +0000

Kingston McKoy has scored 62 points in the first three games of the season, but it was his assist that helped Berks Catholic hold off Wilson on Monday night. McKoy was trapped in the corner with 30 seconds left when he threw a pass over the top of the Bulldogs’ defense. Zach Suski grabbed the ball just past half-court and went in for a twisting layup. Suski made the shot and drew a foul. His three-point play gave the Saints a 53-49 edge. They went on to beat Wilson 54-49 in West Lawn. “That closed the game for us in my opinion. I got buried down too deep in the corner. That one was on me. I should’ve stayed up a little higher…Thankfully, he converted. That was a great layup on his part,” said McKoy. After Suski’s bucket, Jon Etim missed a 3-pointer. Freshman Carmelo Harper then sank 1-of-2 from the foul line with 21 seconds remaining. Harper provided eleven points off the bench. “He’s gonna be great. I love his game. He’s got the pullup, the 3 down, and he can finish. He’s crafty. He can get a bucket whenever he wants,” emphasized McKoy. Gavin Welker, a transfer from Daniel Boone, got Berks Catholic off to an incredible start. The 6’2 junior forward scored all eight of his points in the first five and a-half minutes. “Gavin is a great addition. He does everything on the court. His rebounding is great and he can shoot the ball,” noted McKoy. The (3-0) Saints raced out to a 14-0 advantage. Correll Akings’ putback before the buzzer accounted for the Bulldogs only points in the opening period. Harper started the second quarter with a trey and Berks Catholic went on to build a 19-2 cushion. The Bulldogs trailed 29-16 at halftime. Wilson looked like a different team in the third quarter. The Bulldogs went on a 22-to-6 run. Correll Akings hit three straight triples to put Wilson in front for the first time at 38-35 with two and a-half minutes to go in the third period. The Saints bounced back and led 42-40 entering the fourth quarter. A layup by Luke Levan pulled the Bulldogs within 50-49. The 6’5 senior ended up with eight points. Suski’s breakaway bucket made it a two possession game. He had eight points. McKoy and Akings finished with 18 points apiece. McKoy was responsible for four of Berks Catholic’s seven 3-pointers. All five of Wilson’s long range field goals came in the third quarter. Madyx Gruber, an All-County selection, had 14 points. Wilson went just 8-of-15 from the free throw line, while the Saints were 5-of-9. The (2-1) Bulldogs were limited to nine points over the last eight minutes. Wilson senior guard Tommy McFadden and Berks Catholic junior guard Brady Altimar were back in action. McFadden had been out with an illness and Altimar was dealing with an ankle injury. McKoy, a third team All-State pick last season, loves facing tough competition. “Playing those games is what I live for. Those games are really fun. Moving up to Division 1, we’re gonna have a lot of those games. That’s what really makes a good basketball team,” replied McKoy.

Wilson tops Liberty in Nailbiter

Paul Roberts — Mon, 09 Dec 2024 18:22:32 +0000

Wilson versus Liberty was a highly anticipated matchup in the CoBL Winter Classic at Exeter High School. The Bulldogs and Hurricanes didn’t disappoint. Wilson pulled out a gutsy 45-43 victory on Saturday night. The Bulldogs were without All-County soccer player Tommy McFadden due to an illness. Jon Etim made two free throws with six seconds left to put Wilson on top. Jake Pukszyn’s heave from just inside half-court hit the backboard and then the back of the rim at the buzzer. The 6’3 junior and standout football player led Liberty with 17 points. Pukszyn had seven points over the last eight minutes. The Hurricanes were the District 11-6A runner-up a season ago. They brought back four starters from a 20-win squad. The Bulldogs are the defending BCIAA champions with a very experienced team. Wilson got off to a slow start and fell behind 13-4. Jarrell Teague sank two 3-pointers and scored eight points in the opening quarter. The 5’11 junior ended up with 15 points. Madyx Gruber kept the Bulldogs in the game. The All-County guard reeled off Wilson’s first 15 points. The star quarterback had a game-high 21 points, despite not making a shot in the second half. Gruber was 6-for-6 from the free throw line. Liberty was in front 24-21 at halftime. Cam Zullinger’s trey gave the Bulldogs a 27-26 edge. They had a slim 33-31 advantage entering the fourth quarter. Correll Akings connected from long range to make it 39-38 midway through the final period. The 5’10 guard provided eleven points. Chase Dusseau came off the Hurricanes’ bench and splashed a triple that tied it at 41-41 with three minutes remaining. Liberty was limited to two points the rest of the way. Pukszyn fouled Etim beyond the 3-point line in the final seconds. Etim, a senior guard, came through on his first free throw attempts of the night. He chipped in with six points. The (2-0) Bulldogs were 11-of-12 from the foul line. The (2-1) Hurricanes were just 2-of-5. They made five 3-pointers, one more than Wilson. The Bulldogs square off against another tough opponent on Monday night. They meet Berks Catholic in West Lawn. McFadden is expected to return for Wilson. The (2-0) Saints defeated Cumberland Valley and Pope John Paul II at the CoBL Winter Classic. All-State guard Kingston McKoy had 44 combined points for Berks Catholic.

Gov. Mifflin falls to C.V. in OT

Paul Roberts — Mon, 09 Dec 2024 17:26:14 +0000

It looked like Cumberland Valley was going to cruise to a win over Gov. Mifflin in the CoBL Winter Classic on Saturday afternoon. The defending District 3-6A champions led the Mustangs 35-20 in the third quarter at Exeter. Gov. Mifflin, however, opened the fourth quarter on fire. The Mustangs used a 11-0 run to go up 42-41 on Jahmair Johnson’s layup with 5:45 remaining. Matt Koehler knocked down three of his four 3-pointers in the final period. The 6’3 senior forward finished with a game-high 20 points. Despite a valiant effort, Gov. Mifflin came up short 58-51 in overtime. With the game tied 48-48, the Mustangs held the ball for the last minute of regulation. A 3-pointer from NBA range by point guard Andrew Galantuomo was off the mark at the buzzer. Aiden Diehl made a pair of free throws to put the Eagles in front 52-49 with 1:03 left. Koehler missed on two attempts from beyond the arc that could’ve tied it up. The final 35 seconds was a parade to the free throw line by Diehl. The 6’6 sophomore went 6-for-8 down the stretch. He ended up with eleven points. Gov. Mifflin was held to three points in overtime. Ian Fleming made a couple of treys and scored eleven points. Johnson and Galantuomo added seven points apiece. The (2-1) Mustangs were 6-of-8 from the charity stripe, while Cumberland Valley went 15-of-23. Nolan Buzalka had a team-high 16 points for the (1-1) Eagles. The 6’3 senior fouled out with 2:10 to go in the fourth quarter. Senior shooting guard JJ Lebo fouled out with three minutes to play in overtime. Creston Austin, a 6’4 senior, stepped up with 15 points. Cumberland Valley returned four starters from last season’s (25-4) team that earned the school’s first District 3 title. Gov. Mifflin also has four starters back for first-year head coach Garrett Etzel. The former All-County guard for the Mustangs was the head coach at Wyomissing a season ago. Gov. Mifflin trailed the Eagles 25-18 at halftime after scoring just eight points in the second quarter. The Mustangs can certainly build off of their resilience in the fourth quarter. Gov. Mifflin has another tough test on Tuesday. The Mustangs will take on Muhlenberg in Shillington.