Berks Catholic – Berks Sports Report https://berkssportsreport.com Paul Roberts Wed, 17 Jun 2026 00:03:43 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=7.0 Berks County Baseball Recap https://berkssportsreport.com/berks-county-baseball-recap/ Wed, 17 Jun 2026 00:03:43 +0000 https://berkssportsreport.com/?p=5614 The 2025-26 high school sports year came to an end on Saturday at Penn State University. It’s time to take a look back at what happened on the baseball diamond in Berks County.

Muhlenberg was the last team standing from the BCIAA. The (18-9) Muhls caught fire after a (7-7) start to the season. They won their first District 3 championship since 2008 and fourth overall. Muhlenberg was the only school from Berks County to reach the PIAA playoffs. The Muhls fell to Owen J. Roberts 7-2 in the Class 6A quarterfinals at FirstEnergy Stadium. Cole Moody ended his campaign with a perfect (11-0) record and nine complete games.

Wilson earned its 14th BCIAA title with a 10-0 victory over Muhlenberg in six innings. West Chester commit Ben Kulp was voted the Berks County Player of the Year, while Bill Underwood took home Coach of the Year honors. The (17-7) Bulldogs were upset 3-1 by #13 seed Northeastern in the first round of the District 3-6A tournament. Freshman Pat Lengle demonstrated his potential with a .441 batting average. His older brother, Tim, hit .426 with a team-high 32 RBI.

Exeter suffered a pair of tough losses in the postseason. The (15-8) Eagles came up short against Wilson 1-0 in the BCIAA semifinals. Exeter was then tripped up at home 2-1 by #10 seed Spring Grove in the opening round of the District 3-5A playoffs. Jake Hafer was once again one of the toughest outs in the league. The East Stroudsburg commit hit .432 and led the Eagles with 27 runs.

Tom Frees returned to Berks Catholic and guided the Saints to the Division 3 crown. Berks Catholic lost to Exeter 7-5 in the county quarterfinals. The (15-7) Saints got doubled up at second-seeded Trinity 12-6 in the District 3-3A semifinals.

Oley Valley claimed the Division 4 championship. The (15-7) Lynx dropped a nailbiter to #7 seed Daniel Boone in the BCIAA quarterfinals. Oley Valley had a rough draw in the District 3-4A tournament. The Lynx were defeated by perennial power East Pennsboro 10-3 in the quarterfinals.

Kutztown advanced to the District 3-3A semifinals before running into top-seeded Bermudian Springs. The (14-9) Cougars lost 6-1 in their season finale. Kutztown was eliminated in the BCIAA quarterfinals 13-3 by #1 seed Wilson.

It was a much different year in Shillington. The Mustangs lost eight starters and five All-State picks from the 2025 squad. They were blanked 4-0 by third-seeded Muhlenberg in the Berks County quarterfinals. Gov. Mifflin barely missed out on the District 3-6A field. The (10-11) Mustangs ended up 15th in the power rankings and only 14 teams qualified.

Daniel Boone was in a similar boat. The (10-11) Blazers finished 15th in the District 3-5A power ratings and missed the cut by one spot. Muhlenberg shut out Daniel Boone 5-0 in the league semifinals. Sophomore Greyson Bell delivered as advertised. The 6’2, 185-pound southpaw was (6-1) with a 1.01 ERA. Bell limited opponents to only 12 hits over 41.2 innings. The top-rated lefty in the Class of 2028 piled up 75 strikeouts.

Wyomissing and Twin Valley had winning records and made it to the postseason. The (11-9) Spartans lost 6-1 at fourth-seeded Kutztown in the District 3-3A quarterfinals. The (12-9) Raiders fell 5-0 at #8 seed New Oxford in the first round of the District 3-5A tournament.

Hamburg went (12-8) this spring, but didn’t qualify for the playoffs. Isaak Stewart was selected to the All-County team. The junior hit .433 and pitched a team-high 46 innings with a 2.38 ERA.

Reading showed improvement and ended up with a mark of (9-11). The Red Knights knocked off Muhlenberg, Wilson, and Exeter. They also beat Berks Catholic twice. Janser Paredes had another outstanding season. The senior hit .462 and was voted onto the All-County team.

]]>
Camara Transfers to Penn Charter https://berkssportsreport.com/camara-transfers-to-penn-charter/ Fri, 12 Jun 2026 01:42:40 +0000 https://berkssportsreport.com/?p=5612 As it turned out, Jeremiah Camara played in just one basketball game for Berks Catholic. The 5’9 guard has enrolled at Penn Charter. The Quakers are part of the Inter-Ac League. He suffered a knee injury in the Saints’ season opener and missed the rest of the year.

Camara averaged a team-high 14 points per game as a sophomore at Reading. He was voted to the all-division team that season. Camara transferred to Berks Catholic and helped the Saints on the football field last fall. Despite missing the first three games, he finished second on the team in rushing yards with 758 and averaged 7.2 yards per carry. Camara scored seven touchdowns for the (9-3) Saints. Berks Catholic finished as the District 3-3A runner-up.

Camara’s basketball career at B.C. came to a halt just as it was getting started. A torn meniscus in the first game against Carver E&S ended his season. The Saints went on to win the Berks County and District 3-4A championships.

]]>
Mason Mace-Berks Catholic https://berkssportsreport.com/mason-mace-berks-catholic/ Fri, 01 May 2026 16:48:07 +0000 https://berkssportsreport.com/?p=5556 After a bit of a slow start, Berks Catholic is peaking at the right time. The (11-4, 10-1) Saints defeated rival Wyomissing 16-6 in six innings to clinch the Division 3 championship. “It feels great. We were struggling in the beginning of the season, but shortly after that we found it and we’ve been on a roll since,” said Mason Mace. The sophomore shortstop went 3-for-4 with a walk and 5 RBI. Berks Catholic has won six in a row and nine of its last ten contests. Henry Pflomm, Victor Mejia, and Aidan Curley had two hits apiece. Pflomm knocked in three runs and Mejia scored four times. The Saints finished with a dozen hits from seven different players. “I think we have a really good lineup. We’re all hitting well and we’re all doing our jobs at the plate,” replied Mace. Berks Catholic got some help from Wyomissing’s pitchers on Thursday afternoon. They walked eleven batters and hit three more.

Pflomm beat the (10-8, 8-4) Spartans for the second time this spring. The sidearm righty allowed just one earned run on four hits over 6.2 innings in their first meeting. The Saints prevailed 10-2 on April 8th. Pflomm wasn’t as sharp this time around. He gave up six runs, four earned, on eight hits in a complete game effort. The senior hit four batters, but didn’t issue any walks. Pflomm has a 2.46 ERA this year. He’s also batting .419 and is tied for the team lead with 17 RBI.

Noah Rauenzahn was charged with six runs on five hits and four walks. The Alvernia commit hit a pair of batters over three innings. Ryan Graham took over on the mound and allowed five runs, two earned, in 1.2 innings. The senior southpaw gave up three hits and four walks. He’s headed to Alvernia as well. Curran Cirulli was the third pitcher used by Wyomissing. The sophomore permitted five runs, three earned, on four hits over 1.1 innings. Cirulli handed out three walks. Berks Catholic first baseman Cole Harter reached base five times without a hit. He drew four walks and was hit by a pitch.

The Spartans got on the board first with two runs on three hits and an error in the first frame. Rauenzahn helped himself with a line drive single to center for a 1-0 lead. Cirulli then hit a high chopper over third base to bring in another run. The Saints responded with three runs in the second, including a two-run double down the left field line by sophomore Henry Lago. A sacrifice fly by Teddy White in the bottom half of the inning tied it at 3-3. Mejia put Berks Catholic back on top with a RBI single to left in the third. Mace followed with a two-run single down the third base line for a 6-3 advantage. Zander Westwood hammered a two-run triple to right in the bottom of the third. He scored on a groundout by Caleb Goodhead. It was knotted at 6-6 going to the fourth.

A two-run single to center by Mace quickly put the Saints in front 8-6. They tacked on three runs in the fifth, including a two-run double to left-center by Owen Schalk. He walked three times and scored three runs. Berks Catholic added five more runs in the top of the sixth. Pflomm delivered a three-run double to right-center. Mace made it 16-6 with a RBI single.

The Saints reached the BCIAA Championship Game a season ago before falling to Gov. Mifflin 11-1. The Berks County playoffs begin next Thursday. “It’s a very wide open county. I think we’re gonna have a good shot. I think we can make a really good run,” remarked Mace.

]]>
McKoy named Class 4A Player of the Year https://berkssportsreport.com/mckoy-named-class-4a-player-of-the-year/ Thu, 30 Apr 2026 18:38:52 +0000 https://berkssportsreport.com/?p=5553 The Pennsylvania Sportswriters’ Boys Basketball All-State teams were released today. Berks Catholic senior Kingston McKoy was voted the Player of the Year in Class 4A. The 6’4 guard averaged 22 points this season and made 55 three-pointers. The Colgate commit is a three-time All-State selection. McKoy was a first team pick as a junior as well.

The two-time Berks County Player of the Year led the Saints to their first BCIAA Championship since 2018 this season. They outlasted Reading 62-57 in overtime at Santander Arena. McKoy poured in 29 points in the county final.

He came up big once again in the District 3-4A Championship. McKoy erupted for 35 points in a 58-52 overtime victory against Bishop McDevitt. Berks Catholic claimed its second straight District 3 title.

McKoy finished his career with 1,679 points. He was also an elite defender. The Saints went (50-9) in his last two seasons.

]]>
Henry Pflomm-Berks Catholic https://berkssportsreport.com/henry-pflomm-berks-catholic/ Thu, 09 Apr 2026 14:12:17 +0000 https://berkssportsreport.com/?p=5512 Henry Pflomm has a unique arm slot. The Berks Catholic senior right-hander was one out away from a complete game in a 10-2 victory over Wyomissing on Wednesday. “The fall of my sophomore year, I really wanted to start making an impact on my travel team. I found pitching sidearm was a way I could be effective and it’s been evolving,” explained Pflomm. He held the (4-3) Spartans to two runs, one earned, on four hits over 6.2 innings. “He was able to mix up his pitches for strikes. He threw the splitter for a strike. He threw the slider for a strike so we were able to throw that behind in the count or start off a hitter with that. He kept the ball down most of the game,” noted head coach Tom Frees. Pflomm finished with 101 pitches. He had five strikeouts and three walks. Two of the hits that he gave up were infield singles. “The key for me was getting ahead early so I could have everything on the table,” emphasized Pflomm.

The (4-3) Saints put up two runs on three hits and a pair of walks in the bottom of the first inning. Dom Valent got things started with a single up the middle off senior Chase Bailey. Valent scored on a groundout to second by first team All-State pick Owen Schalk. Victor Mejia made it 2-0 with a RBI double down the left field line. Wyomissing got one run back in the top of the second thanks to two errors. Berks Catholic didn’t commit another error the rest of the game. The Saints tacked on two runs in the fourth for a 4-1 cushion. Gio DiSabatino and Valent provided RBI singles.

Senior southpaw Ryan Graham took over for Bailey in the fifth. Bailey allowed four runs on five hits with four strikeouts and four walks. Aidan Curley walked with one out in the fifth. After stealing second, he came home on a two-out single up the middle by Pflomm. Berks Catholic ended up with eight hits from six different players. Curley and Valent each had two hits and a walk.

The Saints blew it open with five runs in the sixth inning. After an error, freshman Austin Acevedo was hit by a pitch and Valent walked to load the bases with no outs. A bloop single to center by Jack Wentzel made it 6-1. Schalk walked to force in another run and a wild pitch gave Berks Catholic a 8-1 advantage. Curley then ripped a two-run single to left field. Graham was charged with six runs, five earned, on three hits in two innings. He walked three batters and struck out two. The Alvernia commit had two of the Spartans’ four hits. Graham was a second team All-State selection in Class 3A a season ago. He’s 13-for-23 with a team-high 11 RBI this year.

Sophomore Bennett Ernst came off the bench and knocked in a run with a groundout to third in the seventh. Pflomm reached the limit on pitches so Schalk got the final out. Pflomm has an interesting perspective on the rivalry with Wyomissing. “It’s probably one of the biggest in the county. I went to Wyomissing as a child so it’s different being on the other side, but I love it over here. I wouldn’t want it any other way,” he remarked. The Saints and Spartans tied for first place in Division 3 last spring with (9-3) league records.

Berks Catholic won 20 games in 2025 under Brandon Shurr. The Saints beat top-seeded Bermudian Springs 8-0 in the District 3-3A Championship. They advanced to the state semifinals for the first time in program history. Berks Catholic is searching for consistency this season. “I think this has to be the turning point. We were talking before the game how something has to change here. We haven’t played our best baseball. I’m pretty confident we can turn it around,” replied Pflomm. He added, “I know that we can make a deep run. I know what we have. They’re a great bunch of guys. We have a lot of talent.”

]]>
Baseball Scoreboard-April 1st https://berkssportsreport.com/baseball-scoreboard-april-1st/ Thu, 02 Apr 2026 00:39:42 +0000 https://berkssportsreport.com/?p=5499 Wilson defeated rival Gov. Mifflin 8-1. We will have a full game story and interview with winning pitcher Jack Gabel.

Exeter beat Reading 10-3. Mason Goodhart threw a complete game four-hitter with nine strikeouts. Brenton Feathers had two hits and drove in three runs.

Fleetwood scored seven runs in the top of the seventh to top Conrad Weiser 10-3. Ty Kleppinger finished with four hits. Wylie Loy struck out a dozen over 6.2 innings.

Hamburg lost to Wyomissing 7-3. Designated hitter Noah Rauenzahn knocked in four runs.

Oley Valley got past Kutztown 4-1. Tim Fries went the distance with 13 strikeouts and no walks. He allowed three hits and one unearned run.

Berks Catholic blew out Antietam 13-3 in six innings. The Saints piled up 13 hits. Aidan Curley had a triple and 3 RBI.

Schuylkill Valley outlasted Tulpehocken 10-7. The Panthers scored six times in the bottom of the sixth. Bryce Bailey provided a pair of hits and 2 RBI.

]]>
“Roberts Rankings”-Boys Basketball https://berkssportsreport.com/roberts-rankings-boys-basketball-20/ Fri, 13 Mar 2026 16:45:22 +0000 https://berkssportsreport.com/?p=5478 The high school basketball season, which started on December 5th, has come to a close for teams in the BCIAA. A lot of memories were made during the 2025-26 campaign. There were thrilling overtime classics, game-winning shots at the buzzer, and plenty of standout performances. Colgate commit Kingston McKoy of Berks Catholic was voted the Berks County Player of the Year for the second straight season. I’ve been fortunate to cover 52 games so far, and I’m looking forward to attending the PIAA Championships again next week at the Giant Center in Hershey. Hopefully, I will see some of you there.

Berks Catholic won its first county title since 2018. The Saints went on to capture their seventh District 3 crown and second in a row at Class 4A. Snip Esterly will enter next season with 865 career victories.

Reading was the runner-up in the BCIAA tournament after falling to Berks Catholic 62-57 in overtime at Santander Arena. Jostin DeCastro, Cameron “Bron Bron” Jones, Javon Merriweather, Jamier Jacob, and Raybin Rubio will all be back for Rick Perez.

Exeter knocked off Wilson 43-41 in the Berks County quarterfinals thanks to Aidan Dauble’s bucket with one second left. The Eagles qualified for the PIAA field for the fifth consecutive year.

The Bulldogs advanced to the state playoffs for the fifth time in the past eight seasons. Wilson has a talented group of sophomores to keep an eye on. Matt Coldren holds the school record with 449 wins.

A promising season in Laureldale ended in a flash. The Muhls dropped a nailbiter to rival Reading 60-57 in the BCIAA semifinals. Muhlenberg was eliminated in the first round of the District 3-6A bracket by #13 seed Cedar Crest. The Falcons stunned the Muhls 66-60 in overtime. The good news is that Eli Hemmings, LJ Armstrong, and Nelson “Coco” Malave will return.

Schuylkill Valley defeated Wyomissing 63-52 to reach the District 3 semifinals for just the second time. The Panthers made their third appearance in the PIAA tournament.

Antietam finished on top of the Division 4 standings. The Mounts blew out Wyomissing 61-40 in a key crossover matchup on January 8th. Antietam’s season ended with a 87-71 loss to Lancaster Catholic in the District 3-3A third place game.

The Spartans overcame some midseason turmoil to qualify for the state playoffs for the first time since 2011. Second-year head coach Konlan Krick deserves credit for keeping his troops together after two starters quit. Wyomissing took fifth place in the District 3-4A field.

Gov. Mifflin receives an honorable mention. The (10-12) Mustangs didn’t have a single bad loss on their resume. Life in Division 1 of the BCIAA is no picnic.

Without further ado, here is the final edition of the “Roberts Rankings” for the Berks Conference. Remember that no matter where your favorite team is ranked, the sun will come out tomorrow!

“The Great 8”

1.Berks Catholic (25-3)

2.Reading (18-8)

3.Exeter (18-11)

4.Wilson (17-11)

5.Muhlenberg (16-8)

6. Schuylkill Valley (16-11)

7.Antietam (16-9)

8.Wyomissing (16-11)

]]>
PIAA Basketball Scoreboard https://berkssportsreport.com/piaa-basketball-scoreboard/ Sun, 08 Mar 2026 13:15:02 +0000 https://berkssportsreport.com/?p=5474 The first round of the PIAA basketball tournament wasn’t kind to teams from Berks County. The boys teams that qualified from the BCIAA went (0-5) in the opening round. High Point Baptist from Birdsboro did advance to the second round in the Class A bracket. The Eagles beat Lincoln Leadership Academy 41-27. High Point Baptist will face Phil-Mont Christian on Tuesday at 6pm at Pottstown. Wilson’s girls team is also moving forward. The (28-2) Bulldogs will meet Cardinal O’Hara from the Philadelphia Catholic League in the second round. They square off at Coatesville on Tuesday at 6pm. Here are the results from the first round.

Class 6A:

The Wilson boys fell at New Castle 68-38. The Bulldogs finished (17-11).

The Wilson girls defeated Conestoga 59-46 in West Lawn.

The Gov. Mifflin girls battled District 7 champion Canon-McMillan down to the wire, but the (18-9) Mustangs came up short 48-46.

Class 5A:

Exeter ran into a buzz saw at Chartiers Valley. The Colts went 15-of-28 from 3-point range. The (18-11) Eagles lost 66-42.

Class 4A:

Berks Catholic was upset by Carver High School of Engineering & Science 40-35 at Lloyd Wolf Gymnasium. The Saints end their season at (25-3).

Schuylkill Valley got tripped up by District 2 champion Scranton Prep 65-48. The (16-11) Panthers made their third appearance in the PIAA playoffs.

Wyomissing fell to Archbishop Carroll from the Philadelphia Catholic League 77-52. The Spartans finished (16-11).

]]>
Carver E&S ends Berks Catholic’s Season https://berkssportsreport.com/carver-es-ends-berks-catholics-season/ Sat, 07 Mar 2026 05:23:48 +0000 https://berkssportsreport.com/?p=5472 When the PIAA-4A boys basketball bracket was released, Berks Catholic coach Snip Esterly was well aware that the Saints had a tough draw. Carver High School of Engineering and Science forfeited in the Philadelphia Public League quarterfinals after an altercation on the court. The Engineers were leading Constitution by twelve points with one minute remaining. They ended up getting the fifth seed out of District 12. “That’s not a #5 seed,” said Esterly. Berks Catholic was familiar with Carver E&S. They squared off at Exeter’s tip-off tournament with the Saints pulling out a 53-49 win. In January, Carver E&S took District 12 champion Imhotep Charter to overtime before falling 65-57. The Engineers lost a nailbiter to District 1-6A champ Plymouth-Whitemarsh 51-50. Esterly knew his team would have its hands full. Carver E&S held Berks Catholic to five points in the fourth quarter and knocked off the Saints 40-35 at Lloyd Wolf Gymnasium. “It was a great game, both teams battled. We knew what we were walking into. It feels amazing,” remarked head coach Dustin Hardy-Moore.

Berks Catholic came out hot on Friday with four 3-pointers in the opening quarter. Kingston McKoy and Carmelo Harper hit back-to-back triples to put the Saints in front 16-10. Fareed Brown, a first team selection in the Public League, picked up two fouls in the first quarter and didn’t play the rest of the half. The 5’9 senior guard averages a team-high 13 points and four assists. Matt McField, another first team pick in the Public League, stepped up with Brown on the bench. The 6’ senior guard scored eight points in the first eight minutes and drilled two treys. However, the Engineers trailed 16-12 entering the second period.

Oye “Junior” Guilavogui splashed a 3-pointer from the right corner to make it 20-14. That was the only shot Berks Catholic made in the entire quarter. Carver E&S struggled on the offensive end as well. The Engineers outscored the Saints 6-4 in the period to pull within 20-18 at halftime. Brown connected on a jumper to begin the third quarter. A spin move by McKoy gave the Saints a 30-24 cushion with 2:20 left in the quarter. Berks Catholic was limited to five points over the final ten minutes. Samir Roberts-Mouzon came off the bench and nailed a triple from the right wing at the buzzer. His only field goal of the contest evened things up at 30-30.

A layup by Brown started the fourth quarter. His three-point play with 6:42 to go put Carver E&S on top 35-31. McKoy, a Colgate commit, threw down a breakaway dunk with just under four minutes left. That was the only shot the Saints made in the last quarter. Sahin Rodriguez, a 6’3 senior forward, went to work in the low post with 2:45 on the clock. His bucket provided the Engineers with a 37-33 edge. McKoy connected twice from the free throw line to make it 38-35 with 2:03 remaining. Roberts-Mouzon missed a pair of foul shots with 48 seconds to play. Carver E&S committed a turnover with 29 seconds left, but Berks Catholic didn’t take advantage. McKoy got trapped in the left corner which led to a steal by the Engineers. McField finished off a 2-on-1 fast break to ice it with four seconds on the clock.

The Saints were held 24 points below their season average of 59 ppg. “They really doubled Kingston. When we had some guys that were open, we just didn’t hit the shot,” explained Esterly. Berks Catholic connected seven times from long range, but just twice after halftime. Carver E&S made three 3-pointers and went 11-for-15 from the foul line. The Saints were 4-for-6 from the stripe. McKoy poured in a game-high 19 points. The two-time All-State guard wrapped up an outstanding career with 1,679 points. McKoy averaged 22 ppg. this year. Harper, a 6’1 sophomore, chipped in with nine points and Johnny Giesa had four. McField led the (21-6) Engineers with 14 points. Rodriguez added nine points and Brown had seven in limited minutes due to early foul trouble.

Berks Catholic ends its campaign with a mark of (25-3). The Saints, who reached the state final a season ago, saw their 19-game winning streak come to a halt. They did bring home BCIAA and District 3-4A championships this winter. “I’m so proud of them, the way they developed over the last two years. We just came up short tonight,” replied Esterly.

]]>
PIAA Boys Basketball Preview https://berkssportsreport.com/piaa-boys-basketball-preview/ Wed, 04 Mar 2026 18:24:43 +0000 https://berkssportsreport.com/?p=5470 The PIAA boys basketball tournament tips off on Friday. Five teams from the BCIAA qualified for the state playoffs this year. Find out what their head coaches are saying as they prepare for some difficult matchups. From here on out, it’s win or go home.

Wilson visits District 7 runner-up New Castle on Saturday at 1pm. The (17-10) Bulldogs are in the state bracket for the fifth time in the past eight years. They defeated Cedar Crest 48-36 to finish seventh in the District 3-6A field. Shippensburg football commit Correll Akings is averaging a team-high 11.5 points per game. The 5’9 guard is the only returning starter for Wilson. He reached 1,000 career points in a 50-45 loss at Red Lion in the District 3 quarterfinals. The (23-2) Hurricanes fell 52-51 to Upper St. Clair in the WPIAL Championship. Their only other loss was by two points against Pine-Richland on January 30th. “They’re probably the most well-rounded team that we have faced this season. They can play fast and be effective. They can also be effective in the half-court. When you have three guys that can score from all three levels, it makes them extremely hard to defend. We’re looking forward to the challenge,” replied Bulldogs’ coach Matt Coldren. He added that freshman Marino Graham is the best point guard that he’s seen this year. Graham is also the starting quarterback at New Castle. He threw for 1,425 yards and 18 touchdowns during the fall. Graham ran for another 856 yards and 11 TD.

Exeter is making its fifth consecutive trip to the PIAA tournament. The (18-10) Eagles earned the ninth and final berth from District 3. They won elimination games versus ELCO, Greencastle-Antrim, and Red Land. Aidan Dauble, a 1,000-point scorer and Shippensburg football commit, leads Exeter at 14.6 ppg. The 6’3, 215-pound senior is also an excellent rebounder. The Eagles have a balanced attack with Dylan Donate, Jayden Ware, and Braylon Reinert each providing 10-to-12 points a night. They head west to battle District 7-5A champion Chartiers Valley on Friday at 6pm. The (23-2) Colts ran over Thomas Jefferson 63-37 in the WPIAL Final. Luca Federico, a lean 6’5 sophomore, exploded for 31 points and eight boards. Moon and Fox Chapel are the only teams to beat Chartiers Valley this season. “Chartiers Valley is a very good, well-coached team. They have five guys in the lineup who can all shoot it and play hard defensively. We also have veteran players who have not only played in, but won games in the state tournament. I know they’re excited about the opportunity to compete against another good program on the western side of Pennsylvania,” noted Exeter coach Jeff VanGorder.

Wyomissing has advanced to the state playoffs for the first time since 2011. The (16-10) Spartans cruised by Oley Valley 67-44 in an elimination contest last week. Wyomissing ended up in fifth place in the District 3-4A tournament. Point guard Dom Arguelles is putting up 17.8 ppg. this year. The All-County selection loves to attack the basket. Sophomore Brady Eisenhower gives the Spartans a threat from beyond the arc. He’s connected 36 times from long range. Daniel Moyer, a 6’ senior forward, is averaging 13.3 points. Wyomissing travels to Radnor on Friday to take on Archbishop Carroll from the mighty Philadelphia Catholic League. They will get underway at 7pm. Don’t be fooled by the Patriots’ record of (14-10). They’ve faced an extremely challenging schedule. “They’re a very good team from one of the top leagues in the state. We look forward to playing them,” stated Spartans’ second-year coach Konlan Krick. Archbishop Carroll knocked off PCL champion Father Judge, Neumann-Goretti, and Bonner-Prendergast in January. Father Judge won the PIAA-6A title a season ago. Neumann-Goretti has claimed ten state crowns in its history. The Patriots had three players named to the second team in the PCL this year in Nasir Ralls, Ian Williams, and sophomore Yasir Turner.

Schuylkill Valley is making its third appearance in the state bracket. Despite losing its top three scorers to graduation, the (16-10) Panthers reached the District 3-4A semifinals for the first time in 22 years. They took third place with a 60-52 victory over Big Spring. Schuylkill Valley has a balanced squad with no one averaging more than 11 points per game. Josiah Urbaez and Alex Aletras have been sparks off the bench. Logan Cammauf, an All-State linebacker, provides some muscle and 10 ppg. The Panthers hit the road on Friday to square off with Scranton Prep at 7pm. The (20-5) Cavaliers took down Dallas 68-52 in the District 2-4A Championship. Sophomore guard Chicky Skoff poured in 28 points and hit three triples. Scranton Prep brought home its eighth District title since 2017. The Cavaliers allowed just 14 points in the second half. “Prep has multiple guards who can shoot consistently from the perimeter and score putting the ball on the floor. Their defensive ball pressure causes turnovers and they’re really strong scoring in transition,” explained Schuylkill Valley coach Taylor Grim. The Cavaliers dropped a nailbiter to Berks Catholic 51-47 in the second round of last year’s PIAA-4A tournament.

Speaking of Berks Catholic, the Saints meet a familiar foe at Lloyd Wolf Gymnasium on Friday at 6pm. They battle Carver High School of Engineering & Science from Philadelphia. Berks Catholic beat the Engineers 53-49 in its season opener at the CoBL Winter Showcase at Exeter. The Saints trailed by five points at halftime. Kingston McKoy took over with 28 points and four 3-pointers. Fareed Brown had a team-high 17 points for Carver E&S. The 5’9 senior averages nearly 14 points and 4 assists. Matt McField (13 ppg.) and Billy Henighan (12 ppg.) are also capable scorers for the Engineers. Carver E&S forfeited its Public League quarterfinal against Constitution due to an altercation. The (20-6) Engineers were up twelve points with one minute remaining when one of their players was pushed. His teammates left the bench and fans came on the court. Carver E&S was ruled eligible for the PIAA tournament and was given the fifth and final seed in District 12-4A. Meanwhile, Berks Catholic outlasted Reading and then Bishop McDevitt in the BCIAA and District 3-4A Finals. Both of those instant classics went to overtime. “I think it builds so much confidence in these guys. We never think we’re out of it,” remarked longtime coach Snip Esterly. He’s (52-30) all-time in the PIAA playoffs. Esterly has 865 career victories over 37 years. The Saints lost to Devon Prep 55-39 in the state championship game a season ago. Berks Catholic is making its 12th appearance in the PIAA tournament.

]]>