Berks – Berks Sports Report

BCFCA Hall of Fame Class

Paul Roberts — Tue, 25 Mar 2025 13:32:35 +0000

The Berks County Football Coaches Association will induct seven new members into its Hall of Fame on Saturday, June 7th. The Class of 2025 includes Kevin Dice (Wyomissing), Marques Glaze (Conrad Weiser), Doug Werner (Conrad Weiser), Gary Williams (Gov. Mifflin), Barry Rapp (Muhlenberg), Dr. Thomas Kohl, and the late Bert Moore. Kohl is part of the special contributor category and Moore is being inducted for his service as an official. He passed away in 2016.

This is the 22nd Class of the BCFCA Hall of Fame. They will bring the total number of members up to 146. Reading has the most members with 31, followed by Wilson (25), and Muhlenberg (16). Former players must be at least 35 years old to be considered. Former coaches must be at least 50 with 15 years or more of coaching experience.

The annual BCFCA Hall of Fame banquet will be held at the Green Valley Chateau. Thanks to Conrad Weiser football coach Alan Moyer for organizing the event. I’m honored to once again serve as the emcee.

Bryce Gumby-Berks Catholic

Paul Roberts — Sat, 22 Mar 2025 12:09:08 +0000

Bryce Gumby didn’t play basketball for Berks Catholic a season ago. He wanted to focus on football. Gumby opted to return to the court this year and that decision helped the Saints reach the state championship game. “I’m ecstatic. I was second-guessing myself at the end of football season. I’m very happy I did,” said Gumby with a smile from ear to ear. The 5’11 senior erupted for a career-high 19 points off the bench on Friday night. Berks Catholic defeated North Catholic 67-59 in the PIAA-4A semifinals at James Buchanan High School. The (25-5) Saints will face Devon Prep on Thursday, March 27 at 8pm at the Giant Center. Berks Catholic reached the state finals for the first time, but it wasn’t easy. The (22-7) Trojans led 51-46 with six and a-half minutes left. Gumby, who’s averaging 3.7 points per game, drilled a 3-pointer from the corner to make it 51-50 with just over six minutes remaining. Carmelo Harper hit a triple from the left wing to put the Saints on top 55-53 with 4:40 to go. The 5’10 freshman provided 13 points after entering early in the first quarter. Berks Catholic coach Snip Esterly went with a smaller lineup to match North Catholic which starts five guards. Harper had six points in the fourth quarter when the Saints outscored the Trojans 23-to-12. “He has a very bright future. He’s gonna be great. He played a big role in this game,” noted Gumby. Harper also came up big in the state quarterfinals with 17 points against Sharon. Kingston McKoy sank a pair of free throws to give Berks Catholic a 59-57 edge with 1:47 to play. The 6’2 junior guard poured in a game-high 24 points. Zach Suski fed Gumby for a fast break layup to make it 61-57 with 40 seconds left. Jude Rottman, who scored 28 points in the quarterfinals, missed a 3-pointer from the left wing on the ensuing possession. Gumby then converted two foul shots for a 63-57 advantage with 28 seconds remaining. He jammed eleven points into the fourth quarter while going 6-for-8 from the stripe. “My mind just clears. I just focus and hit the shots,” replied Gumby about his free throw shooting. He also made half of the Saints’ six treys. Berks Catholic was 15-for-20 from the foul line. The District 3 champions were 11-of-14 over the last eight minutes. The Trojans went 10-for-13 from the stripe and connected five times from beyond the arc. Jason Fredericks finished with a team-high 20 points. The 6’ junior came out on fire with a dozen points in the opening quarter. Fredericks scored 49 combined points in the first two rounds of the PIAA playoffs. Owen Maddalon added 17 points. The 6’4 senior is committed to Allegheny College. All of Joe Waskiewicz’s twelve points came in the second half. His triple from the top of the key put North Catholic in front 40-38 with two and a-half minutes to go in the third quarter. A 3-pointer by Rottmann made it 44-39 one minute later. That capped a 19-to-6 run by the Trojans. They were down 33-25 early in the third period following a three-point play by Suski. The 6’ senior forward chipped in with nine points despite being in foul trouble. Suski got his third foul with nearly seven minutes left in the second quarter. The Saints were up 16-11 before North Catholic ended the first quarter with seven straight points. Berks Catholic outscored the Trojans 12-to-4 in the second period. The Saints went to halftime with a 28-22 lead. McKoy had seven points in the second quarter, but the All-State guard was called for an offensive foul with 32 seconds before the break. It was his third foul of the game. Brady Altimar concluded the third quarter with a layup at the buzzer. The 5’9 junior pulled Berks Catholic within 47-44. Gumby gave credit to North Catholic for battling for all 32 minutes. “They fought the entire game. I gotta tip my hat to them,” he said. The Trojans made their 27th appearance in the PIAA playoffs since 1975. The Saints, however, dominated in bench points. They outscored North Catholic 32-to-2 in that department, thanks largely to a football player who decided to give basketball another shot.

Garrett Etzel-Gov. Mifflin

Paul Roberts — Tue, 18 Mar 2025 00:53:44 +0000

It didn’t take Garrett Etzel long to know that he had a team capable of doing big things in his first year as the head coach at his alma mater. In Gov. Mifflin’s third game of the season, the Mustangs took defending District 3-6A champion Cumberland Valley to overtime. Although they came up short 58-51 at the CoBL Winter Classic on December 6th, the Mustangs gained confidence. “The Cumberland Valley game gave us the thought that we can compete with anyone in the District. The kids I think really started believing that,” noted Etzel. Gov. Mifflin went on to win twenty games after finishing (8-14, 3-8) the previous season. “These kids were so dedicated and committed to the game of basketball. It was such a good group of kids on the basketball court and off the court. They did great things for the community and the youth program,” said Etzel. The (20-10, 7-5) Mustangs snapped a six-game losing streak to rival Wilson. They outlasted the Bulldogs 65-59 in double overtime at West Lawn on January 28th. Etzel called that victory their biggest of the year. The tenth-seeded Mustangs upset second-seeded Mechanicsburg 42-38 in the District 3-6A quarterfinals. Gov. Mifflin reached the District 3 semifinals for the first time in program history. The Mustangs fell to Central Dauphin 54-41, but they had already secured their first trip to the state playoffs. Gov. Mifflin ended up in third place in the District 3 tournament. That meant a home game in the opening round of the PIAA-6A playoffs. The Mustangs took down Mt. Lebanon 66-54 for their first win in the state tournament. Gov. Mifflin lost to WPIAL champ Upper St. Clair 50-38 in the second round, ending a historic season. “I’m truly honored and blessed to be back here, especially having this group of kids as my first year. The support from the community is huge. They really gathered around us…People that I haven’t spoken to in twenty-plus years were reaching out,” emphasized Etzel. The 2003 Gov. Mifflin graduate was an All-County pick as a senior when he averaged 19 points per game. He went on to become a 1,000-point scorer at Alvernia. Etzel was named the PAC Player of the Year in 2007. His team this year featured a balanced scoring attack. Matt Koehler, an All-County selection, led the Mustangs at 14 ppg. The 6’3 senior forward hit a team-high 42 triples. Seniors Andrew Galantuomo and Jahmair Johnson made the All-Division squad. They each provided 11 points per contest. Galantuomo, a 5’7 point guard, knocked down 40 shots from beyond the arc while dealing with multiple injuries. “He lives and dies basketball, kid loves playing the game. He’s a very tough kid. In the training room non-stop, but it never got to him. He has a lot of passion for the game,” replied Etzel. Stephen Mayo, a 5’11 senior, was an elite defender. Gov. Mifflin allowed just 49.5 ppg. “Our on the ball defense and our help defense was tremendous,” said Etzel. The Mustangs will have a much different look next season. They had eight seniors on the roster this year. “I’ll miss every single one of them. They’ll go on to do great things. I had a special connection with each one of them,” stated Etzel.

McKoy and Stewart Approaching Milestones

Paul Roberts — Wed, 12 Mar 2025 13:59:28 +0000

A pair of Berks County basketball standouts are approaching milestones. Wyomissing senior Amaya Stewart enters tonight with 1,879 career points. The 6’1 Albany commit needs eight points to break Rachel Hoffman’s school record. Hoffman is the Spartans’ girls soccer head coach. She has guided them to four District 3 championships in the past five years. Stewart is averaging 19 points per game this season. She’s a three-time Berks County Player of the Year selection. Wyomissing takes on Neumann-Goretti in the second round of the PIAA-4A playoffs. They get underway at 7:30pm at Spring-Ford. These squads met in the same round last year with the Spartans prevailing 62-52. They raced out to a 24-8 advantage. However, Neumann-Goretti stormed back and took a 44-41 lead early in the fourth quarter. Stewart dominated in the paint with 33 points and 11 rebounds. Wyomissing is (24-4) after beating Nazareth Academy 59-43 in the opening round on Saturday. The Saints defeated Archbishop Carroll 50-43 for the Philadelphia Catholic League title.

Berks Catholic junior Kingston McKoy is closing in on 1,000 career points. The All-State guard stands at 992 points after scoring 16 last night in a tense 51-47 victory over Scranton Prep. The (23-5) Saints are marching on to the PIAA-4A quarterfinals. They will battle District 10 runner-up Sharon on Friday. McKoy is putting up 21.5 ppg. this season. He has knocked down 58 triples and is also an elite defender. McKoy was voted the Berks County Player of the Year. He erupted for 29 points in the District 3 Championship against Eastern York. Berks Catholic blew out the Golden Knights 67-44 at the Giant Center. McKoy was limited to 14 games a season ago after suffering a broken tibia on January 23.

Zach Suski-Berks Catholic

Paul Roberts — Sat, 08 Mar 2025 05:30:34 +0000

Zach Suski gets to see Kingston McKoy every day at practice. He knows how hard McKoy works on his craft. “When practice is over, he’s getting extra 3s up, extra foul shots. He’s a great leader, great motivator. I’m happy to play with him,” said Suski. McKoy nearly outscored Simon Gratz by himself in the first round of the PIAA-4A playoffs. The 6’2 junior guard poured in 30 points in a 61-36 rout of the Bulldogs at Lloyd Wolf Gymnasium. “We’re really confident. We’re hoping to make a great push in the state tournament,” stated Suski. The 6’ forward provided 14 points. He’s the only senior in Berks Catholic’s starting lineup. “A little sad it’s the last time I’ll be playing here, but I’m happy that we’re moving on,” he explained. The (22-5) Saints had a slow start against the 2-3 zone utilized by Simon Gratz. The #5 seed from District 12 led 9-4 before Berks Catholic scored the final eight points of the quarter. McKoy opened the second period with a 3-pointer from the top of the key. On the Saints’ next possession, he converted a three-point play for a 18-9 advantage. McKoy’s putback made it 22-9 with 6:11 left in the first half. The (20-7) Bulldogs were scoreless for the first four minutes of the second quarter. Berks Catholic went on a 20-to-0 run to seize control. “We’ve been playing great defensively all playoffs,” noted Suski. The Saints allowed just 39.3 points per game during the District 3-4A playoffs. They earned their sixth District 3 championship in fourteen years. On Friday night, Berks Catholic held Simon Gratz to 13 points in the middle quarters. The Saints were on top 33-16 at halftime after a layup by McKoy with two seconds remaining on the clock. He had 18 points at the break. Berks Catholic expanded its margin to 47-22 after the third period. McKoy hit two of his four triples in the fourth quarter. The Saints connected six times from beyond the arc, while the Bulldogs made four treys. Carmelo Harper (six points) and Bryce Gumby combined for eleven points off Berks Catholic’s bench. The Saints ended up 7-for-12 from the free throw line and committed just three turnovers. Simon Gratz finished 8-for-12 from the stripe. Senior Rashaan Murphy, a 6’3 lefty forward, had a team-high eleven points. Nasir Mackley, another 6’3 senior, chipped in with ten points. Sihaaj “Pop” Johnson was held to six points on a pair of 3-pointers in the first half. He was the Player of the Year in the Liberty Division of the Philadelphia Public League. Berks Catholic will meet District 2 runner-up Scranton Prep in the second round on Tuesday. The Cavaliers blew out Northwestern Lehigh 75-48 in the opening round. “Anybody that comes to play us, we’re ready to play them,” said Suski.

District 3 Boys Basketball Rankings

Paul Roberts — Wed, 05 Mar 2025 01:32:17 +0000

Congratulations to Central York, Hershey, Berks Catholic, Trinity, York Catholic and High Point Baptist for winning District 3 boys basketball championships in their respective classifications. It was the first District 3 title for Central York, and the first in 51 years for Hershey. Trinity claimed its 20th District 3 crown, only Reading has more with 24. York Catholic earned District 3 gold for the 13th time. Good luck to all of the District 3 teams that qualified for the state tournament which begins on Friday.

It’s time for another edition of my District 3 rankings. I give you the top five squads in all six classes. Remember that no matter where your favorite school is ranked , the sun will come out tomorrow!

Class 6A

1.Central York

2.Central Dauphin

3.Gov. Mifflin

4.Chambersburg

5.Wilson

Class 5A

1.Hershey

2.West York

3.Exeter

4.York Suburban

5.Lampeter-Strasburg

Class 4A

1.Berks Catholic

2.Eastern York

3.Big Spring

4.Susquehanna Township

5.Bishop McDevitt

Class 3A

1.Trinity

2.Lancaster Mennonite

3.Antietam

4.Halifax

5.Brandywine Heights

Class 2A

1.York Catholic

2.Linville Hill Christian

3.Delone Catholic

4.Greenwood

5.Steel-High

Class A

1.High Point Baptist

2.Shalom Christian

3.York Country Day

4.Lancaster Country Day

5.Ephrata Mennonite

PIAA Girls Basketball First Round Games

Paul Roberts — Sun, 02 Mar 2025 19:36:58 +0000

And then there were three. Only a trio of girls basketball teams from Berks County have advanced to the state playoffs. Congratulations to Wyomissing on winning its third consecutive District 3-4A championship on Friday at the Giant Center in Hershey. The (23-4) Spartans held off Lancaster Catholic 26-24. Wilson and Conrad Weiser also qualified for the PIAA tournament. Here are their first round matchups.

Class 6A-Friday, March 7

Wilson at Upper Dublin at 6pm

Class 5A-Saturday, March 8

Conrad Weiser at Peters Township at 1pm

Class 4A-Saturday, March 8

Nazareth Academy at Wyomissing at 1pm

Kingston McKoy-Berks Catholic

Paul Roberts — Fri, 28 Feb 2025 04:10:19 +0000

Eastern York had to feel like it was getting hit by a tidal wave. One 3-pointer after another after another rained down on the Golden Knights in the first quarter of the District 3-4A Championship. Berks Catholic splashed its first six shots from beyond the arc. The top-seeded Saints raced out to a 22-6 advantage and cruised to a 67-44 victory. “We came out hungry. We wanted to play this game really bad,” emphasized Kingston McKoy. The 6’2 junior broke his tibia last January and missed the postseason. He had to watch as Eastern York defeated Berks Catholic 51-44 in the District 3 semifinals at Lloyd Wolf Gymnasium. McKoy exploded for 29 points against the second-seeded Golden Knights on Thursday. “I think it shows what would’ve happened last year,” replied the All-State guard. McKoy jammed 14 points into the opening quarter. The (21-5) Saints were up 28-10 after eight minutes. Zach Suski came out on fire as well. He hit three triples in the first quarter. “He knows his role. He knows we need him on the offensive side. He shoots it with confidence. I love him,” said McKoy. Eleven of Suski’s 19 points came in the first period. Berks Catholic made its first nine shots from the field and didn’t commit a turnover until the 6:31 mark of the second quarter. The Saints put on a clinic in Hershey. Eastern York trailed 41-26 at halftime. The (21-5) Golden Knights, who claimed their fourth District 3 crown a season ago, pulled within eleven points in the third quarter. McKoy scored eleven consecutive points for Berks Catholic as the Saints built their cushion back to 52-35. Eastern York, which was averaging 58 points per game, was down 56-37 after the third period. Carter Wamsley, a 6’7 Gannon commit, finished with 21 points. “He’s a great player. He’s a smart player. He’s a big body. He gets to the foul line a lot,” noted McKoy. Wamsley was 9-for-11 from the stripe. Noah Cunningham, one of ten seniors on the roster, chipped in with a dozen points. He sank four of the Golden Knights’ five treys. Berks Catholic connected nine times from long range and went 4-for-4 at the foul line. McKoy and Suski each nailed three 3-pointers. The Saints only turned the ball over three times. Bryce Gumby provided ten points off the bench. Berks Catholic earned its sixth District 3 championship in 14 years. The Saints are a remarkable (34-9) all-time in the District 3 tournament. McKoy won a District 3 title as a freshman when Berks Catholic blew out Fleetwood 73-44 at the Giant Center. “It’s amazing, I love playing here. I’ve been dreaming about it ever since,” he said.

Snip Esterly-Berks Catholic

Paul Roberts — Tue, 25 Feb 2025 14:15:22 +0000

Berks Catholic picked a good time to play one of its best games of the season. The top-seeded Saints blew out fifth-seeded Susquehanna Township 61-42 to earn a trip to Hershey. “It’s absolutely unbelievable. I love the place,” said longtime coach Snip Esterly. Berks Catholic will face second-seeded Eastern York in the District 3-4A championship. They meet at 4:30pm on Thursday at the Giant Center. The (20-5) Saints came out on fire against the (15-8) Indians. Kingston McKoy and Jackson Kozik each knocked down a 3-pointer and Johnny Giesa hit a pair of jumpers. Carmelo Harper provided instant offense with six points in the first quarter. The 5’10 freshman finished with ten points. “Melo came off the bench and gave us a heck of a spark…He loves the game. He has the passion for the game,” emphasized Esterly. Harper had a career-high 15 points in the District 3-4A quarterfinals versus Bishop McDevitt. Susquehanna Township, which had won eight straight games, found itself down 18-8 late in the opening period at Lloyd Wolf Gymnasium. Harper pulled down an offensive rebound and found Zach Suski for a layup right before halftime. Berks Catholic was in control 32-18 at the break. Esterly noted that facing Reading helped them immensely to prepare for the Indians’ up-tempo style. “The three times we played Reading, it got us ready for this,” he replied. The Saints continued to roll in the third quarter. They outscored Susquehanna Township 15-6 in that period. Suski came alive with seven points, including a three-point play that made it 47-24 with 26 seconds left. He added another three-point play with 4:20 remaining to put Berks Catholic on top 55-32. Twelve of Suski’s 17 points came in the second half. “He does everything. He’s a sneaky offensive player. First of all, he has a great outside shot. He gets a lot of offensive rebounds. He cuts and he gets easy layups,” explained Esterly. The Saints’ defense was outstanding again. Brady Altimar limited junior guard Mekhi Slappy to seven points. Slappy is averaging nearly 15 ppg. and he’s made 69 triples this season. The Indians were held to 24 points through 24 minutes on Monday night. They committed ten turnovers in the first half. Susquehanna Township was 10-for-16 from the free throw line, while Berks Catholic went just 8-for-19. Jahkai Sloane-Marks led the Indians with 17 points. The 6’6 freshman had 25 points and 11 rebounds in a 65-60 quarterfinal victory at Wyomissing. Alfonso Burnett, a 6’2 senior, chipped in with a dozen points against the Saints. McKoy led everyone with 21 points. The 6’2 junior guard was responsible for three of Berks Catholic’s five treys. “Kingston was Kingston,” stated Esterly. Berks Catholic gets a chance at some redemption on Thursday at the Giant Center. Eastern York defeated the Saints 51-44 in the semifinals last year. Berks Catholic is searching for its sixth District 3 crown.

PSFCA Football All-Star Games

Paul Roberts — Fri, 21 Feb 2025 17:39:54 +0000

The Pennsylvania Scholastic Football Coaches Association East/West All-Star Games will be held on Sunday, May 18th at Cumberland Valley’s Chapman Field. The Big School game kicks off at 5pm. It features players from high schools in Class 4A-6A. Here are the selections from Berks County.

QB-Donovan Gingrich-Conrad Weiser

OL-Aris Drake-Twin Valley

OL-Keyshawn Efese-Reading

K-Alex Malone-Conrad Weiser

The PSFCA East/West Small School All-Star Game will begin at noon on May 18th. Tight end Luke Spotts from Schuylkill Valley was the only Berks County player chosen for that game.

No players from Berks County were picked for the Big 33 Football Classic this year.