Alex – Berks Sports Report

Alex Collado-Muhlenberg

Paul Roberts — Tue, 30 Jan 2024 00:35:00 +0000

Muhlenberg had a lot of time to think about its disappointing loss at home to Gov. Mifflin last Tuesday. Senior guard Alex Collado made sure the Muhls got out to a fast start against Wilson on Monday night. The 6’2 lefty crammed 14 points into the first quarter of a 61-56 victory over the Bulldogs in Laureldale. “It was senior night. It was emotional. I knew I had to come out with a bang,” said Collado. He finished with a game-high 20 points including six in the fourth quarter. Collado’s three-point play put Muhlenberg up 13-0 with 4:36 left in the opening period. He gave credit to the fans. “They always help a lot. They’re always hype. They’re always lit. It gets us going. It gives us energy,” he replied. The Muhls led 26-12 early in the second quarter, but Wilson came roaring back. Sophomore guard Correll Akings scored seven points in that period to pull the Bulldogs within 30-27 at halftime. Wilson, however, couldn’t keep the momentum. The (13-6, 6-3) Bulldogs were limited to four points in the third quarter. Junior guard Jayden Kantner came alive after the break with eight points in the period. The Brandywine Heights transfer added 11 points overall. “He takes care of the ball. He finishes his layups. He plays defense. He’s a great addition,” noted Collado. Kantner averaged nearly 13 points for the Bullets a season ago. A three-point play by 5’6 freshman Justin Armstrong gave Muhlenberg a 47-31 advantage with 6:17 remaining. Wilson battled back once again behind Akings and Madyx Gruber. They combined for 16 of the Bulldogs’ 25 points in the final quarter. Akings ended up with 19 points and Gruber provided 14. Kyle Archie, who was also recognized in the pregame senior night ceremony, converted a three-point play with 3:15 to go. That boosted the Muhls’ cushion to 50-41. Archie chipped in with 11 points. 6’2 junior guard Shermar Killen had nine. Collado iced the game with a pair of free throws with 16 seconds left. Muhlenberg was 7-of-9 from the foul line in the fourth quarter and 9-of-12 overall. The Bulldogs went 7-for-9 from the stripe. They hit five 3-pointers compared to just two for the (12-7, 6-3) Muhls. Muhlenberg, Wilson, and Reading are tied for first place in Division 1. The Muhls visit Daniel Boone on Thursday, while the Bulldogs host the Red Knights. Collado explained what they worked on since falling to Gov. Mifflin. “We were switching some things defensively. We knew that we had to share the ball a lot. We knew that we had to play as a team more,” he said. Muhlenberg bounced back with a key win thanks to a memorable senior night performance by Collado.

Alex Kelsey-Exeter

Paul Roberts — Sat, 25 Mar 2023 12:40:00 +0000

Exeter junior guard Alex Kelsey gave a brief, but accurate description of Imhotep Charter’s basketball team. “They have no weaknesses at all. It’s ridiculous,” said Kelsey. The (30-3) Panthers rolled over the Eagles 78-40 in the PIAA-5A championship. Exeter was making its second trip to the state final and first since 1974. Imhotep won its ninth PIAA title. The District 12 champs captured state gold for the second year in a row. The Panthers scored the first six points and raced out to an early 12-2 advantage. The Eagles committed seven turnovers in the first eight minutes and trailed 16-6. Justin Edwards, a 6’7 forward who’s committed to Kentucky, had five of his game-high 16 points in the opening quarter. Wildcats’ head coach John Calipari was in the front row at the Giant Center. Edwards is the #1 ranked player in the Class of 2023, according to ESPN. He pulled down seven rebounds and finished an alley-oop dunk in the third quarter. “It’s just so smooth. He gets to his spot and destroys us, destroys everybody,” remarked Kelsey. Imhotep jammed 27 points into the second period and led 43-21 at the break. The Panthers shot 5-12 from beyond the arc in the first half while the Eagles were 1-10. Imhotep was in front 65-36 entering the fourth quarter. The Panthers shot 58% from the field and outscored Exeter 18-to-2 in fast break points. They showed why they’re #11 in the ESPN Top 25 poll this week. Rahmir Barno dropped 15 points. The senior guard is headed to Division I Florida Gulf Coast. Ahmad Nowell chipped in with a dozen points. The 6’2 junior has offers from Kansas, Tennessee, Auburn, and Memphis. Imhotep coach Andre Noble improved to (472-99) over 19 seasons. Kelsey, Anthony Caccese, and Kevin Saenz had ten points apiece for the (27-7) Eagles. They had won 17 of their previous 18 games before Friday’s contest. Exeter earned its first District 3 championship this year. Kelsey thanked the seniors for their leadership. He replied, “I love them all, and I love Zyion especially. I’ve been behind him for four years, learning everything from him.” Zyion Paschall and Caccese both received all-county honors this season. It wasn’t the ending that the Eagles wanted, but it was one heck of a ride for a team that went (13-15) last year. They created a lot of memories for the fans in Reiffton.

Alex Tomlinson-Muhlenberg

Paul Roberts — Wed, 09 Feb 2022 00:51:00 +0000

Alex Tomlinson looked like he just finished a heavyweight boxing match that went the distance. As it turns out, the bright red bruises on his face didn’t occur during the Muhls’ epic battle with defending state champion Reading. No, Tomlinson’s cuts were the result of getting tackled and kicked in the postgame celebration after Muhlenberg stunned the Red Knights 63-61 on Senior Night in Laureldale. The 6’2 senior forward averages 3.5 points per game. He jammed all eight of his points into the fourth quarter against Reading. Tomlinson went 2-2 from the free throw line to give the (17-5, 9-2) Muhls a 60-58 advantage with one minute remaining. Following a layup by Joey Chapman, Tomlinson’s putback put Muhlenberg in front 62-60 with thirty seconds to go. Ruben Rodriguez then missed two foul shots and Chapman went 1-2 from the stripe. Muhls’ senior guard Tashiro Alexis, who hadn’t scored all night, connected on one of his two free throws for a 63-61 lead with six seconds left. Rodriguez couldn’t get off a clean shot and the Red Knights saw their seven-game winning streak come to a halt in front of a packed gym. Tickets had sold out by Monday morning. Tomlinson was overjoyed despite the marks on his face. He said, “I haven’t played in a basketball game like this my whole life!” We talked about playing with Edwin Suarez. The 6’6 senior poured in 21 points to go along with 16 rebounds. Suarez had eight points in the final period. His putback with a minute and a-half left gave Muhlenberg its first lead since it was 2-0. Fellow senior Jarrett Jackson provided two key baskets in the fourth quarter. Tomlinson told me that he has been putting a lot of time in at the weight room. He complimented the coaching staff for constantly pushing him. Tomlinson’s eight points were one shy of his career high. He stressed that head coach Matt Flowers kept emphasizing to maintain their composure. Flowers spent the past twelve seasons as an assistant at Reading. He found himself coaching against his close friend Rick Perez for the first time. The (18-3, 10-1) Red Knights were up ten points in the fourth quarter. Rodriguez, an all-state selection last year as a sophomore, drilled a deep 3-pointer before the buzzer to end the third period. Reading had a 45-38 edge. Rodriguez made it 50-40 early in the fourth with another triple. He finished with 17 points, but was 3-10 from the FT line. The Red Knights were 10-23 overall, while the Muhls went 6-13. Xavier Davis chipped in with eleven points and Myles Grey had nine for Reading. 6’5 senior Daniel Alcantara was held to seven points. The all-state forward picked up two fouls in the first quarter. There were 21 combined fouls and 21 total turnovers in an intense first half. The Red Knights were up 30-27 at the break. Muhlenberg managed only one point for the first four and a-half minutes of the second quarter. Junior point guard “Dan Dan” Mosquera kept the Muhls in it. Ten of his twelve points came in the first half. Tomlinson said that Mosquera has a big heart and is a pesky defender. Tomlinson thanked the student section for its support. He’s feeling very confident heading into the Berks County playoffs. Muhlenberg outscored Reading 25-16 in the final period. The Muhls had already wrapped up the Division 2 title. The Red Knights are the Division 1 champs.

Alex Vassallo-Daniel Boone

Paul Roberts — Wed, 20 Oct 2021 19:35:00 +0000

One of the best plays this season in Berks County happened last Friday night. Blazers’ WR/DB Alex Vassallo made an INCREDIBLE one-handed touchdown catch in a (35-0) victory over Reading. We spent some time looking back on that reception which Vassallo said is the best of his career. The 177-pound senior was a second team All-County wide receiver last year. He’s second in the Berks Football League in catches this season with 44 including 5TD. Vassallo talked about the improvement of sophomore QB Dean Rotter who took over for an injured Carter Speyerer in Week 1. We discussed the importance of having a balanced offense. The (5-3) Blazers are on the road against undefeated Gov. Mifflin this Friday. Vassallo told me that the biggest key for Daniel Boone will be on the defensive side of the ball. Plus, an update on his fantasy football team.

Alex Vassallo-Daniel Boone

Paul Roberts — Tue, 14 Sep 2021 20:00:00 +0000

Alex Vassallo is an impact player on both sides of the ball for the Blazers. The 180-pound senior was a second team All-County WR last year. He was also named a second team DB in Section 1 of the Berks Football League. Vassallo had eight catches for 99 yards and a TD against Garden Spot last week. Daniel Boone rolled to a 45-17 victory. I asked Vassallo if he would rather make a TD reception or a pick 6. We also talked about his favorite NFL WR, and how his fantasy football team is looking. Plus, find out who his favorite teacher is at Daniel Boone, as well as his favorite subject.