Berks Sports Report Paul Roberts
Wilson-43, McCaskey-12
The (8-2, 6-0) Bulldogs earned the Section 1 championship on Friday night in Lancaster. Wilson has won 31 section titles overall, the most in Lancaster-Lebanon League history. The Bulldogs led 21-0 after twelve minutes and 35-0 at halftime. Damian Greer returned an interception 14 yards for a score just 90 seconds into the game. Mike Glover made it 14-0 midway through the first quarter with a 2-yard TD run. Sophomore Jaiden Whitehurst followed with a pair of touchdown runs. He finished with 73 yards on seven carries. Cole Peterson was an efficient 6-of-9 for 96 yards. The Bulldogs allowed 187 total yards and only 58 on the ground against the (1-9) Red Tornado.
Exeter-23, Conestoga Valley-13
The (8-2, 6-0) Eagles wrapped up the Section 2 championship with a 74-yard drive late in the game. Donovyn Alvarez’s 1-yard TD run put Exeter on top 23-13 with 1:31 on the clock. That possession included 13 plays and lasted six minutes and fourteen seconds. Alvarez turned 20 carries into 118 yards and 2 TD. Josh Jackson added 99 yards on 21 carries. The Eagles were in front 10-0 at halftime and 10-6 entering the fourth quarter. Conestoga Valley quarterback Camryn Bair pulled the Buckskins within 16-13 on a 4-yard TD run with 7:50 remaining. Conestoga Valley’s defense couldn’t stop Exeter’s rushing attack on the ensuing drive.
Aidan Gerhart went 10-of-15 for 107 yards. He threw a 22-yard TD pass to Braylon Reinert with 1:14 left in the second quarter. Sophomore tight end Cayden Reinert, Braylon’s younger brother, had three catches for 46 yards. The Buckskins fell to (8-2). The fifth-seeded Eagles host Hershey on Friday in the first round of the District 3-5A tournament.
Conrad Weiser-47, Daniel Boone-28
The (6-4) Scouts clinched a spot in the District 3 playoffs, but it wasn’t easy on Friday in Birdsboro. The (2-8) Blazers trailed 28-6 at the half, but got as close as 35-28 with 7:46 to play. An 8-yard TD run by Kole Kupper gave Conrad Weiser a 41-28 advantage. Connor Sellars sealed the deal with a 27-yard touchdown run. The Scouts’ senior quarterback was 7-of-12 for 158 yards and a touchdown. Sellars used his legs for 95 yards on 16 carries. Conrad Weiser ran the ball 46 times for 303 yards. Kupper, a 185-pound junior, piled up 132 yards and 3 TD on 16 carries. Luke Walter and Lincoln Harting led the defense with ten tackles apiece.
Daniel Boone ended up with 304 total yards. Freshman John Burmester went 11-of-25 for 143 yards. Mason Ruffner, Dominic Stoudt, Donovan McKenzie, and Burmester each had a rushing touchdown. Ruffner contributed 53 yards on just three carries. Taran Robinson chipped in with four receptions for 81 yards. Conrad Weiser is the #8 seed in the District 3-4A bracket. The Scouts face ELCO on Friday in Robesonia.
Berks Catholic-30, Lancaster Catholic-14
The (6-4) Saints won their fifth straight game, but missed out on the District 3 playoffs by a slim margin. Berks Catholic’s .577 power ranking was slightly lower than Trinity’s .582 rating. The Shamrocks grabbed the fourth and final berth in the Class 3A tournament. Trinity will visit top-seeded Wyomissing in the District 3 semifinals on Saturday, November 14th at 1pm.
The Saints outgained the Crusaders 330-to-139 on Friday in Lancaster. Berks Catholic turned 43 rushing attempts into 308 yards. Coy Koller ran for 149 yards and 4 TD on 20 carries. The 180-pound junior also came up with an interception on defense. Freshman Lincoln Miller rumbled for 74 yards on ten touches. Mason Mace added 40 yards on a handful of carries. All-State defensive end Faith Zudie was in on 17 tackles. The 6’3, 210-pound senior made two tackles for loss. Lancaster Catholic quarterback Rowan DeMarco was 11-of-23 for 79 yards with a touchdown and an interception. Chris Baumler ran for 57 yards and a score on eleven carries. The (4-6) Crusaders have lost five consecutive games.
Berks Catholic earned a share of the Section 5 championship, along with Schuylkill Valley and Annville-Cleona. The (8-2) Panthers fell to the Dutchmen 56-21 in Week 10. Yama Navarro had a career night. He finished with 411 yards and 6 TD on 36 carries. Schuylkill Valley and Annville-Cleona will square off again on Friday, November 13th. That District 3-3A semifinal will take place in Leesport.