Muhlenberg shut out Reading 48-0 in the “Battle of the Border” at Laureldale. Cam Small had five touchdown runs for the (2-0) Muhls.

Wilson won at Plymouth Whitemarsh 27-7. EJ Brownback returned an interception 40 yards for a score. Mason Young tossed two touchdown passes for the (2-0) Bulldogs. They host Nazareth next week. The Blue Eagles outlasted Whitehall 62-33.

Gov. Mifflin lost its home opener 45-13 to Perkiomen Valley. The Mustangs slip to (1-1).

Exeter left Boyertown with a 28-10 victory. The Eagles improved to (2-0).

Twin Valley has started the season with back-to-back blowouts. The Raiders crushed Selinsgrove 62-0. Drew Engle provided 138 yards and 2TD on 14 carries. Lucas Myers added 125 yards and 3TD on seven touches.

Hamburg rallied past Midd-West 22-21 on Hawk Hill. Freshman quarterback Isaac McFadden scored on a 1-yard run with just 26 seconds left. He ran in the 2-point conversion to complete the comeback. The (1-1) Hawks trailed 21-7 in the fourth quarter.

Kutztown evened its record with a 66-26 rout of York Tech.

Thursday:

Conrad Weiser got two late touchdowns to top ELCO 28-14 and give Alan Moyer his 150th career win.

Schuylkill Valley hammered Daniel Boone 42-0. Alex Aletras tied the school record with five touchdown passes. Freshman William Johns finished with 3TD receptions.

Berks Catholic used a big second half to defeat Executive Education Academy 45-20. The (1-1) Saints were down 20-14 at halftime. Aidan Curley ran for 123 yards and a touchdown on 19 carries. Berks Catholic racked up 356 yards on the ground.

Fleetwood fell at home to Upper Perkiomen 35-7. The Tigers drop to (1-1).

Saturday:

Wyomissing battles The Haverford School at 1:30pm on Bob Wolfrum Field.

Cedar Crest linebacker Landyn Kline made 14 tackles with 5 TFL.

Conestoga Valley quarterback Sawyer Esbenshade was 15-of-18 for 249 yards and 3 TD.

Fleetwood running back Beau Fegely finished with 224 yards and 4 TD on 19 carries.

Wyomissing cornerback Marcus Armistead made 2 INT including a pick-6. He also forced and recovered a fumble.

Kutztown sophomore running back Ryan Walters scored 4 TD and ran for 121 yards. He added 3 receptions for 98 yards.

Here are the Linemen of the Week from the L-L League:

Wilson TE/DE Mike Glover caught 5 passes for 77 yards. He also had 4 tackles and 2 sacks.

Exeter G/DE Andre Osborne received a blocking grade of 96% with 5 pancake blocks. He made 9 tackles, including 5 TFL, and forced a fumble.

Conrad Weiser guard Cody Sayers earned a 93% blocking grade as the Scouts rumbled for 284 rushing yards.

Octorara guard Josh Ross helped the Braves pile up 390 yards on the ground. He had 2 pancake blocks.

Pequea Valley OT/DE Sterling Furches racked up 11 tackles, 5 TFL, and a sack.

Mason Young was 17-of-22 for 190 yards and 3TD in his debut for Wilson. The Bulldogs have some things to clean up, however, following a 35-24 win against Cheltenham. Wilson allowed 329 passing yards. The Bulldogs travel to Plymouth Whitemarsh this Friday. The Colonials lost 18 starters from a season ago. They fell to West Chester Henderson 40-35 last week.

Riley Martinez was a perfect 4-of-4 for 100 yards and three scores as Exeter demolished rival Daniel Boone 64-7. Jayden Ware provided a 53-yard touchdown catch and a 25-yard pick-6. The Eagles soar into Boyertown on Friday. The Bears knocked off Upper Perkiomen 20-17 in their opener.

Wyomissing has a tougher test this Saturday after cruising past Southern Columbia 49-27. The Spartans host the Haverford School at 1:30pm. The Fords have plenty of beef up front including Max Powers (6’7, 265), Brennan Apple, (6’2, 275), and the Bernard twins. Owen and Preston Bernard are each 6’3 and 290 pounds. Tight end Quinn Gallagher (6’5, 225) is committed to Columbia. Matthew Jones, a wide receiver and linebacker, is headed to James Madison. His younger brother, Marcus, recently got an offer from Syracuse.

Twin Valley travels to Selinsgrove this Friday, and Gov. Mifflin faces Perkiomen Valley in Shillington. Lebron Leaf ran for 68 yards and 2TD in his first start at quarterback. The Mustangs piled up 280 yards on the ground at Pleasant Valley. Meanwhile, the Vikings got tripped up by Springfield 33-24 in Week 1.

There’s a Thursday night contest this week in Robesonia. Conrad Weiser entertains ELCO. The Raiders committed four turnovers in a 42-7 loss to West York. ELCO’s roster of 61 players includes 25 freshmen.

Sophomore Adriel Baez threw for 233 yards and two scores in Muhlenberg’s rout of Schuylkill Valley. Mike Miller finished with four receptions for 156 yards and 2TD. The Muhls square off with Reading on Friday in the “Battle of the Border.” The Red Knights have won three straight in this rivalry.

Berks Catholic tries to rebound this Thursday. The Saints are home against Executive Education Academy at 6pm. Owen Schalk, who missed the opener at Twin Valley, will be back for Berks Catholic. The 6’1, 180-pound senior is expected to be the Saints’ top running back.

Schuylkill Valley and Daniel Boone are looking to turn things around. They meet in another Thursday contest at Birdsboro. I’ll be covering games at Conrad Weiser, Muhlenberg, and Wyomissing this week. Without further ado, here are the “Roberts Rankings” for Berks County high school football.

“The Great 8”

1.Wilson (1-0)

2.Exeter (1-0)

3.Wyomissing (1-0)

4.Twin Valley (1-0)

5.Gov. Mifflin (1-0)

6.Conrad Weiser (1-0)

7.Muhlenberg (1-0)

8.Berks Catholic (0-1)

The Saints were missing Owen Schalk, their top running back, and 285-pound defensive tackle Damoni Daglis. Schalk returns next week and Daglis will be back in Week 3. Berks Catholic went three and out on the opening drive. Grant Moser then blocked a punt to set up Twin Valley at the 33-yard line. Engle’s 29-yard TD run made it 7-0 three and a-half minutes into the game. Sophomore quarterback Maverik Foster, who made his first career start, hit Ben Grundy for a 27-yard gain on the Raiders’ second series. Ryan Rementer capped it off with an 8-yard run up the middle. The 6’1, 200-pound senior had 41 yards on five carries, as well as a team-high seven tackles. “He’s definitely gonna make plays. He’s been working hard all offseason. He’s one of those guys that has been at every lift, always working hard,” noted Myers. With 1:46 remaining in the first quarter, Myers ripped off a 27-yard touchdown run for a 20-0 advantage.

Berks Catholic sophomore Coy Koller recovered a fumble which gave the Saints the ball at Twin Valley’s 17-yard line midway through the second quarter. Berks Catholic settled for a 31-yard field goal from Jay Tripathi. Grundy, a track standout, took the ensuing kickoff 98 yards up the middle for a touchdown. The Saints then lost a fumble at their 23-yard line while returning a kickoff. Myers rumbled nine yards for another score and a 32-3 lead with four minutes to go before halftime. After Engle’s interception, Foster found Dominic Summers on the right side of the end zone for a 12-yard score. Foster was 6-of-8 for 80 yards. “He’s comfortable, he’s making plays, and he’s communicating. He looks like he’s not a sophomore. He looks like he’s a vet that’s been here for years,” remarked Myers. Foster took over for Myers’ older brother, Evan, who’s at Kutztown University. Evan was a four-year starter under center and the school’s all-time passing leader with more than 5,000 yards. A 7-yard touchdown run by Lucas Myers put the Raiders in front 45-3 with 6:49 left in the third quarter. Koller and backup quarterback Braden Pennington had touchdown runs for Berks Catholic in the fourth quarter.

Twin Valley ended up with 362 total yards, including 282 on the ground. The Raiders had 236 rushing yards in the first half. They went (9-3, 5-2) a season ago and reached the District 3-4A semifinals. This is Brett Myers’ fourth year as head coach. “It’s awesome playing for my dad. We can go home and talk about the game…It’s always football, even in the offseason, it’s always football. It’s a football household,” said Lucas Myers.

Twin Valley rolled over Berks Catholic 45-19. The Raiders led 39-3 at halftime.

Exeter hammered Daniel Boone 64-7 at Don Thomas Stadium. The Eagles have won 13 straight in the battle for the Pig Iron Trophy.

Muhlenberg took down Schuylkill Valley for the second year in a row. The Muhls cruised past the Panthers 45-14.

Wilson held off Cheltenham 35-24 at John Gurski Stadium. Mason Young was 17-of-22 for 190 yards and three touchdowns.

Gov. Mifflin traveled to Pleasant Valley and came home with a 35-20 victory.

Reading fell at Phoenixville 28-6.

Conrad Weiser got past Abington 29-22.

Fleetwood outscored Kutztown 54-34.

Hamburg lost at Octorara 34-6.

Boyertown beat Upper Perkiomen 20-17.

Many media outlets focus too much on last year’s results when making predictions for the upcoming season. That’s not how I roll. I prioritize how many key players have returned and the experience factor. What you did on the field last year doesn’t really matter when the clock strikes 7pm on Friday. It’s also extremely important to remember that no matter where your favorite team is ranked, the sun will come out tomorrow!

Wilson has a new quarterback in Mason Young, however the Bulldogs have plenty of experience surrounding him. They looked very sharp in their scrimmage with Coatesville. Wilson faces Cheltenham in Week 1 at John Gurski Stadium.

Exeter takes on rival Daniel Boone for the Pig Iron Trophy this Friday in Reiffton. The Eagles have won twelve straight in this series. It’s the 67th meeting between the two schools.

Wyomissing travels to Southern Columbia which is a big matchup on paper. The Tigers were (7-5) a season ago and fell 35-21 at Bob Wolfrum Field. Southern Columbia has claimed a staggering 14 state championships. The Spartans’ backfield could be one for the ages.

I’ll be in Elverson on Friday to see Twin Valley battle Berks Catholic. Both teams reached the District 3 semifinals in their respective classifications last year. Evan Myers, Evan Johnson, Aris Drake, and Carter Faubel graduated, but it would be foolish to overlook the Raiders. Drew Engle, Ben Grundy, Lucas Myers, Greyson Miller, Noah DiGiacomo, Joey Buckley, and Ryan Rementer all return. The Saints will be missing some key pieces in Week 1. They should be in better shape after the first few games.

Gov. Mifflin visits Pleasant Valley in its opener. The Bears were winless a season ago. Lebron Leaf takes over under center for the Mustangs. He’s a gifted athlete who can break a long run at any time. Patrick Steuer and Cam Overley will handle the slot back duties in Gov. Mifflin’s option attack. Nick Kalis and Tom Millisock are the fullbacks for Nick Morrissey’s second year at the helm. Pat Sisk will be his new defensive coordinator this fall.

Schuylkill Valley takes on Muhlenberg this Friday in Leesport. The Muhls received serious consideration to crack my preseason rankings. They have eight starters back on offense and seven on defense. In addition, this is Rob Flowers’ second season as head coach at his alma mater, and they’ll have eight home games. The Panthers lost All-State picks Logan Nawrocki and Luke Spotts, but head coach Bruce Harbach remains very confident.

Conrad Weiser went undefeated during the regular season last fall and earned the Section 3 title in the Lancaster-Lebanon League. However, the Scouts return just two starters on offense and four on defense. They’re on the road against Abington on Friday. The Galloping Ghosts finished (1-9) in 2024.

Without further ado, here are my preseason Berks County high school football rankings. The records that you see below are from last year.

“The Great 8”

1.Wilson (11-2)

2.Exeter (12-2)

3.Wyomissing (10-3)

4.Twin Valley (9-3)

5.Gov. Mifflin (5-6)

6.Berks Catholic (7-5)

7.Schuylkill Valley (9-3)

8.Conrad Weiser (10-1)

Camara’s father, Francis, had been Reading’s boys basketball head coach the past two years. He was informed last week that his coaching position was being opened. The Red Knights went (13-12) and reached the BCIAA Championship Game. They didn’t qualify for the District 3 playoffs.

Berks Catholic won the District 3-4A title and advanced to the state final before falling to Devon Prep 55-39. The Saints will return two-time All-State selection Kingston McKoy, as well as Gavin Welker, Brady Altimar and Carmelo Harper. Berks Catholic finished (25-6) during the 2024-25 campaign.

Camara also played football at Reading. The Saints open their football season this Friday at Twin Valley.

In other news, Rick Perez has stepped down as an assistant boys basketball coach at Muhlenberg. Perez joined the Muhls after twelve years as Reading’s head coach. He won three state championships with the Red Knights while setting the school record for victories with 281. Perez also led Reading to five District 3 titles and six Berks County championships. The Red Knights hold the state record for all-time wins.

Owen Schalk, Cole Harter, and Aidan Curley helped the Saints capture the District 3-3A baseball championship this spring. They’re going to be key pieces on the gridiron. Schalk, who hit .416 with 39 RBI, will be getting a lot of carries. Schalk and Curley each ran the ball just 31 times in 2024. They were more of a factor on defense with 86 combined tackles. Meanwhile, Harter takes over for Zach Suski at quarterback. Senior Xavier Gerald made the most of his touches last year. He ran for 334 yards and four touchdowns on only 27 carries. “He’s got so much speed. He’s like the Flash back there and he’s got some muscle on him too,” replied Reber. Gio DiSabatino will be at wide receiver, along with Josiah Turman and sophomore Logan Gonzalez.

Berks Catholic will be missing some familiar faces. Nate Rose is at Germantown Academy, Jackson Kozik transferred to Exeter, and Gavin Welker opted not to play. Rose ran for a team-high 1,066 yards and 11 TD a season ago. Kozik led the Saints with 24 catches and 70 tackles. Welker, a 6’3 senior, turned 17 receptions into five scores at wide receiver. In addition, defensive coordinator Pat Sisk has gone from Berks Catholic to Gov. Mifflin. Eric Hancock is the Saints’ new DC. The Holy Name graduate was a former head coach at Twin Valley. Hancock was an assistant at Schuylkill Valley last season.

Speaking of the Panthers, they won the Section 5 title outright in 2024. Berks Catholic and Lancaster Catholic finished two games behind at (5-2) in league play. Hamburg was in fourth place with a (4-3) mark. The Saints ended up (7-5) overall and got back to the District 3 playoffs after a two-year absence. They fell to eventual champion Bermudian Springs 42-25 in the District 3-3A semifinals.

Dave Stahler, a Holy Name and Kutztown University graduate, enters his second year as head coach at Berks Catholic. The Saints have an intriguing opener at Twin Valley next Friday night. The Raiders have reached the District 3 semifinals in three straight seasons. Berks Catholic hosts Lancaster Catholic on September 19th. The Saints travel to Leesport the following week to face Schuylkill Valley. We will learn a lot about Berks Catholic in the first month of the season. We already know that they have some heavy hitters in the trenches.

Here is a look at the number of returning starters for all of the high school football teams in Berks County. You will see how many players are back on each side of the ball. Experience could be the difference during the games in August and early September, before everyone settles into their role. I also included some of the top contenders in the Lancaster-Lebanon League from outside of Berks County.

Section 1:

Wilson-5 on offense, 6 on defense

Reading-3 on offense, 3 on defense

Manheim Township-6 on offense, 6 on defense

Section 2:

Exeter-7 on offense, 7 on defense

Gov. Mifflin-3 on offense, 5 on defense

Muhlenberg-8 on offense, 7 on defense

Conestoga Valley-7 on offense, 6 on defense

Section 3:

Conrad Weiser-2 on offense, 4 on defense

Fleetwood-6 on offense, 6 on defense

Cocalico-5 on offense, 5 on defense

Solanco-10 on offense, 9 on defense

Manheim Central-6 on offense, 5 on defense

Section 4:

Wyomissing-6 on offense, 7 on defense

Twin Valley-7 on offense, 7 on defense

Daniel Boone-7 on offense, 6 on defense

Lampeter-Strasburg-5 on offense, 3 on defense

ELCO-4 on offense, 3 on defense

Section 5:

Schuylkill Valley-6 on offense, 6 on defense

Berks Catholic-6 on offense, 8 on defense

Hamburg-6 on offense, 7 on defense

Kutztown-7 on offense, 7 on defense

Lancaster Catholic-5 on offense, 5 on defense