Bulldogs – Berks Sports Report

Mike Glover-Wilson

Paul Roberts — Sat, 16 Nov 2024 06:30:25 +0000

Central York entered Friday’s District 3-6A semifinal averaging 38 points. Junior quarterback Brooklyn Nace had thrown for 2,147 yards and 27 TD in eleven games. However, the third-seeded Panthers managed just 3 points and 71 yards in the second half of a 28-20 loss at Wilson. “I’m so proud of our defense. They did great. They gave our offense chances…our coaches made up a great game plan,” said Mike Glover. The 6’3, 220-pound sophomore TE/DE finished with five receptions for a game-high 117 yards and two touchdowns. Glover made a pivotal 61-yard catch with four minutes left. “It was just a go [route] and they didn’t stick with me so I was open. Madyx threw a great ball and I did what I could to get the yards,” explained Glover. He’s a nightmare for defenders to bring down. On fourth-and-13 with two and a-half minutes remaining, Madyx Gruber found Cam Zullinger for a 16-yard gain. On the next play, Correll Akings ran six yards off the left side for a score. Akings capped a quick 80-yard drive that put the second-seeded Bulldogs up 28-20 with 2:24 to go. Brendyn Smith returned the ensuing kickoff to Central York’s 46-yard line. On fourth-and-10 from Wilson’s 42-yard line, Nace overthrew UConn commit Saxton Suchanic down the right sideline with 35 seconds to play. Wilson fans could finally breathe a sigh of relief. The (11-1) Bulldogs extended their winning streak to nine. The Panthers end up (9-3). They outgained Wilson 292-to-283, but committed three turnovers and nine penalties. Sophomore running back Legend Johnson fumbled on Central York’s first two possessions, but the Bulldogs couldn’t take advantage of either red zone opportunity. On the Panthers’ third series, punter Matthew Parker fielded a low snap which caused his knee to touch the turf at the 13-yard line. This time Wilson cashed in with an 8-yard TD toss from Gruber to Zullinger. The senior tight end had five receptions for 49 yards. Central York responded immediately with a 66-yard bomb from Nace to Smith down the left sideline. It was 7-7 with 2:51 left in the first quarter at John Gurski Stadium. Smith, a 150-pound speedster, hauled in six catches for 107 yards. Johnson ripped off a 52-yard TD run up the middle to put the Panthers in front 14-7 with 8:16 remaining in the first half. The Bulldogs replied with an 80-yard drive. Gruber hit Glover for a 12-yard touchdown pass to even the score at 14-14. Nace then attempted a deep ball down the left sideline, but Jaiden Carpenter tipped the pass into Gruber’s hands for an interception. Three plays later, Glover boxed out his defender for an 18-yard touchdown grab. Wilson went just 34 yards for the 21-14 lead. In the final minute of the half, Gruber got hit and his fluttering pass was picked off by Dwayne Morgan at the 42-yard line. That set up a 56-yard field goal by Parker as time expired. The Penn State commit with a strong leg pulled Central York within 21-17 at the break. Parker added a 43-yard field goal with 4:40 to play. The Panthers were suddenly within 21-20. Gruber engineered an 80-yard drive when it mattered most. “We’ve got a great connection. He’s a dog back there…he takes hits all day and he just gets back up. He’s tough,” said Glover. Gruber went 13-of-24 for 172 yards and 3 TD. The first-year starter at quarterback was sacked five times. Akings was limited to 45 yards on 14 carries. Johnson ran for 123 yards on 17 carries for Central York. Nace was 18-of-32 for 171 yards. He was sacked four times. Mel Gaston, a 215-pound junior, had three tackles for loss. Junior outside linebacker Ethan Harding made a team-high eight tackles for the Bulldogs. Senior linebacker Christo Hunsicker added six tackles and a 71-yard punt on a very windy night. Wilson advanced to the District 3-6A championship game against Harrisburg. “A lot of critics were saying that we weren’t gonna go far because we didn’t have a lot of starters back. I always believed in my guys and I knew we could do this,” stated Glover.

Madyx Gruber-Wilson

Paul Roberts — Sat, 26 Oct 2024 06:12:44 +0000

It was fitting that Manheim Township’s final possession ended with an interception by Madyx Gruber. The 5’11, 160-pound senior threw three touchdown passes and ran for another score in a 34-16 victory at Neffsville. The (9-1, 6-0) Bulldogs claimed their record 29th Section 1 championship in the Lancaster-Lebanon League. “It feels so awesome. This is what we work for all season. I can’t even put words to describe it,” said Gruber. The (9-1, 5-1) Blue Streaks had won 21 of their previous 22 games. They were ranked #5 in the state in Class 6A by PennLive. Wilson marched 77 yards on 13 plays to begin this heavyweight battle. A tremendous leaping 20-yard reception by Christo Hunsicker on fourth-and-3 set up Correll Akings’ 1-yard score. Manheim Township responded by going 62 yards in just four plays. Declan Clancy broke free for a 42-yard run. The physical 195-pound senior capped the drive from five yards out. Clancy finished with 137 yards on 27 carries. He surpassed 1,600 rushing yards for the season. Early in the second quarter, Gruber scrambled to his left and launched a pass to Akings down the sideline for a 65-yard touchdown. Akings had 16 carries for 52 yards. The 5’10, 170-pound junior added three catches for 79 yards. “He’s a special athlete,” noted Gruber. They’re basketball teammates in the winter. The Bulldogs put together an 85-yard drive before halftime. Gruber found sophomore Michael Glover in the left corner of the end zone for a 10-yard TD. A two-point conversion run by Akings made it 22-7 with 2:35 remaining in the second period. The Blue Streaks got the ball first in the second half and went 57 yards on eleven plays. Taylor Veilleux, a 260-pound fullback, crashed in from the 1-yard line, however, the extra point was not good. Manheim Township trailed 22-13. Johnny Morales kicked a 21-yard field goal with 16 seconds left in the third quarter to cut Wilson’s lead to 22-16. The play of the night came with seven minutes to go. Gruber heaved the ball over the middle and Brady Kline made the reception between two defenders. The 235-pound tight end raced 15 yards for a 41-yard touchdown. “I was in disbelief…I underthrew him. It was a pretty bad ball and he made a play. I gotta give all the props to Brady,” replied Gruber. The two-point conversion failed, but the Bulldogs’ edge had grown to 28-16. With six minutes remaining, Wilson stuffed the Blue Streaks on fourth-and-1 at the 29-yard line. The Bulldogs took advantage of the short field. Gruber’s 4-yard touchdown run created a 34-16 cushion with 1:37 on the clock. He provided 55 rushing yards on 16 carries. Gruber’s mobility is a huge asset. “It’s really important. If I don’t have any receivers open, I’m gonna try to get the yards with my legs,” he explained. The converted wide receiver was 11-of-18 for 207 yards and one interception. Gruber, who also plays cornerback, picked off Carson Weisser’s deep ball at the 1-yard line with 19 seconds left. Weisser was 10-of-27 for 123 yards. Wilson outgained Manheim Township 376-312. The Blue Streaks entered the night averaging 39 points per game. They struggled in short yardage situations, and were hurt by ten penalties for 128 yards. Wilson’s defense adjusted quickly after Manheim Township’s opening drive. The Bulldogs will get a bye in the District 3-6A tournament. Their first playoff game will be on Friday, November 8th. “We’re not done yet,” stated Gruber.

Madyx Gruber-Wilson

Paul Roberts — Sat, 28 Sep 2024 13:05:05 +0000

Over the course of a 48-minute game, mistakes will happen. The question becomes how do athletes handle adversity. Madyx Gruber passed that test with flying colors. Wilson’s senior quarterback overcame an interception in the red zone on the opening drive and led the Bulldogs to a 43-20 victory at Gov. Mifflin. Gruber tied the school record with five touchdown passes. He finished 15-of-20 for 232 yards. The basketball standout also ran for a career-high 204 yards on 19 carries. “I’m super proud of the team. We came into this game so prepared, probably more prepared than ever. I’m just so excited,” said Gruber. The (5-1) Bulldogs outgained the (3-3) Mustangs 532-to-243 in their 67th meeting. Wilson holds a (40-27) advantage in the heated rivalry. The Bulldogs racked up 300 rushing yards while averaging 7.9 yards per carry. They had 26 first downs, 15 more than Gov. Mifflin. Two of Gruber’s TD passes went to junior Jaiden Carpenter on wide receiver screens. “We seen that on film. We know that their cornerbacks like to play off a little bit. We just took what they gave us,” explained Gruber. The Mustangs’ defensive tackles, Ismael Ayala Vargas and Noah Viruet, are 335 and 345 pounds respectively. Jeremy Palm, in his 24th year as Wilson’s offensive coordinator, opted to attack the edge. “We knew that they had bigger guys up front and that we could probably get to the outside. Our game plan was outside zone a lot,” revealed Gruber. On a rainy night, Bulldogs’ punter Christo Hunsicker lost a fumble at the 12-yard line early in the second quarter. Javien Pletz’s 10-yard run up the middle gave Gov. Mifflin a 14-7 lead. Wilson responded with a 86-yard drive that included an incredible 37-yard catch by sophomore Michael Glover. The 6’3, 220-pound tight end had three receptions for 85 yards. His grab over a defender set up Gruber’s 4-yard TD pass to sophomore running back Monty Greer. After a penalty on the Mustangs during the extra point, the Bulldogs went for a 2-point conversion. Gruber found Hunsicker wide open for a 15-14 lead with four minutes left in the first half. Wilson got the ball back and drove 70 yards in only 66 seconds. Gruber connected with junior running back Correll Akings in the right corner of the end zone for a 10-yard score. The Bulldogs were in front 22-14 at the break. Akings added 58 yards on 10 carries. Gov. Mifflin pulled within 29-20 when Pletz broke free for a 45-yard touchdown run midway through the third quarter. The 2-point conversion was stuffed. Wilson replied with a 79-yard drive that was capped by Gruber’s 17-yard strike over the middle to senior tight end Brady Kline. Just 47 seconds later, Akings returned an interception 46 yards for a touchdown. Pletz ended up 1-of-7 for 24 yards. The senior quarterback ran for 82 yards on six carries. Grady Garner, a 200-pound senior fullback, rumbled for 127 yards and a score on 23 touches. The Mustangs accumulated 219 yards on the ground, but the Bulldogs held the ball for nearly 29 minutes. There were twenty total penalties, including eleven for 120 yards against Wilson. Sophomore linebacker E.J. Brownback led the Bulldogs with ten tackles and a sack. Wilson has won eleven of the past fourteen contests with Gov. Mifflin. The series began in 1954. Gruber was the main character in this chapter of the rivalry.

Doug Dahms-Wilson

Paul Roberts — Sat, 07 Sep 2024 13:54:27 +0000

Wilson made an 80-minute trip north to Nazareth and nearly knocked off the #5 ranked team in the state in Class 6A. “We had them. We had them. I think the second half we outplayed them,” said longtime coach Doug Dahms. The (3-0) Blue Eagles held on for a thrilling 35-31 victory. The (2-1) Bulldogs reached the 1-yard line when Correll Akings fumbled with 54 seconds left. Matt Dorniak, a 270-pound senior defensive lineman, recovered the ball in the end zone for the defending District 11 champions. The first half was loaded with big plays. The second half, however, included just one touchdown. Peyton Falzone sprinted 50 yards down the left sideline to give Nazareth a 35-31 lead with four minutes remaining in the third quarter. The 6’5, 205-pound junior quarterback is also on the track team and has run the 100 meters in 11.1 seconds. “His speed really makes him a threat to run all the time. He has a nice nucleus of receivers and he finds them,” replied Dahms. Falzone showed off his arm strength in the first half. The Virginia Tech commit hit Caleb Newsome for a 53-yard score on the opening possession. The teams combined for eight consecutive touchdown drives! There were 525 total yards and 27 first downs in the first half. A 4-yard run by Wilson senior quarterback Madyx Gruber made it 7-7. Falzone responded with a 62-yard touchdown pass to junior tight end Tanner Zelachowski. After his defender fell down, Zelachowski raced untouched down the right sideline. Falzone heaved a 35-yard TD pass to Newsome early in the second quarter for a 21-13 advantage. Dahms and his assistants were screaming for offensive pass interference, but no flag was thrown. Gruber answered with his second 1-yard touchdown run with seven minutes to go in the second quarter. The basketball standout connected with tight end Cam Zullinger for the 2-point conversion which knotted the game at 21-21. The Blue Eagles went back on top just three plays later. This time it was Falzone to sophomore Matt Leluga for a 42-yard strike. A 1-yard run by Akings capped a 45-yard drive to even things at 28-28 with 3:22 left in the first half. On their next possession, the Bulldogs pulled off a successful fake punt from their own 33-yard line. Christo Hunsicker hit Zullinger for a 14-yard gain. Hunsicker kicked a 32-yard field goal as time expired and Wilson was on top 31-28 at the break. Hunsicker, who piled up a team-high eight tackles, missed a 33-yard field goal to begin the second half. Nazareth then marched 80 yards on six plays. Falzone’s 50-yard run ended up being the difference. He also boomed a 64-yard punt early in the fourth quarter that pushed the Bulldogs back to their 10-yard line after a penalty. Gruber lofted a 24-yard pass down the right sideline to Akings in the final minutes. 6’3, 220-pound sophomore tight end Michael Glover reeled in a 20-yard pass before Akings’ fumble on a toss to the left. Akings ran for 131 yards on 29 carries. Glover provided 132 yards on eight catches. Gruber finished 15-of-24 for 233 yards and three touchdown runs. “He’s making a lot of plays. He’s not the greatest passer in the world, but he keeps things alive with his feet. He’s smart,” noted Dahms. Wilson outgained the Blue Eagles 434-397. Falzone went 13-of-23 for 254 yards and four scores. Newsome, who’s committed to Lafayette, had four receptions for 102 yards and two touchdowns. Nazareth was limited to 24 passing yards in the second half. Dahms, in his 19th season as head coach, mentioned that speedy freshman Damian Greer was inserted at cornerback to give Akings a break. The Bulldogs also made sure that Gruber was covering Newsome in the second half. This was only the second meeting between the schools. Jami Sands, now the head coach at Boyertown, ran for 227 yards and 3 TD in Wilson’s 61-21 win over Nazareth in 1995. Despite the miscues on Friday night, including a dozen penalties, Dahms was proud of his team’s effort. “They fought all the way to the end…That was just two really good football teams going at it,” he said.

Madyx Gruber-Wilson

Paul Roberts — Thu, 22 Aug 2024 23:20:42 +0000

When a wide receiver catches nine touchdown passes in a season, he usually isn’t asked to switch positions. However, Wilson was searching for a new quarterback after All-State pick Tommy Hunsicker graduated. The Bulldogs have settled on Madyx Gruber. “It’s a process, but I’m ready for it,” responded Gruber. The 5’11, 160-pound rising senior had 28 catches for 461 yards in 2023. Fortunately, Gruber has some good teachers to help him learn his new role. Offensive coordinator Jeremy Palm has been on Wilson’s staff for 24 seasons. Assistant coach Chad Henne spent 15 years in the NFL and won two Super Bowls. “He knows exactly what the defense is gonna do and he tells me who’s gonna be open. It’s just amazing what he knows,” Gruber said of Henne. The Bulldogs begin their 80th season on Saturday at 1pm against Cheltenham. The game was moved to Upper Merion High School because Cheltenham’s field isn’t ready. Wilson returns just four starters on offense and two on defense from a (7-4, 5-1) squad. The Bulldogs finished second in Section 1 of the Lancaster-Lebanon League behind Manheim Township. They fell to fourth-seeded Cumberland Valley 20-14 in the District 3-6A quarterfinals. Gruber’s basketball teammate Correll Akings is back at running back. The rising junior ran for 468 yards and seven touchdowns on 80 carries last fall. Gruber and Akings will hold down the cornerback position as well. Gruber, an All-County selection in hoops, came up with three of Wilson’s seven interceptions a season ago. Senior guard Derek Reiniger is the only returning starter on the offensive line. The good news is that the Bulldogs have a very talented and deep tight end room. Brady Kline, Michael Glover, Cam Zullinger, and Christo Hunsicker are all in the mix. Expect Wilson to use a lot of sets with multiple tight ends. Hunsicker led the Bulldogs with 64 tackles, 9.5 TFL, and three sacks in 2023. The 6’2, 195-pound outside linebacker is also a standout baseball player. Zullinger and Glover, a 220-pound sophomore, combined for 12 TFL and four sacks at defensive end. Safety Monty Greer and linebacker EJ Brownback are two other promising sophomores. Wilson allowed 25.5 points and 297 yards per game last year. The Bulldogs sit on 600 all-time victories. They’ve won a record 28 Section 1 championships and seven District 3 titles. Wilson holds the state record with 48 consecutive winning seasons. “Our expectations don’t change. We want to win. We want to get that L-L championship. We want to get the district [championship] and then see how far we get in State’s,” stated Gruber.

Jami Sands-Boyertown

Paul Roberts — Mon, 19 Aug 2024 21:25:57 +0000

After more than two decades as an assistant, Jami Sands has become the head football coach at Boyertown. “It’s refreshing and it’s a new challenge. It’s almost as if I was a chef getting new ingredients. It’s gonna be exciting,” he said. Sands was the defensive backs coach at Wilson, his alma mater, for the past four years. He ran for nearly 1,600 yards as a senior in 1995. Sands averaged a staggering 8.6 yards per carry for his career with the Bulldogs. He’s a member of the Wilson Hall of Fame. Sands talked about leaving the staff in West Lawn. “You have to follow where the opportunities go. You can’t always have everything perfect the way you want,” he replied. Sands is a 2001 graduate of Kutztown University. He played both football and baseball for the Golden Bears. Sands spent eight seasons at Lancaster Catholic with head coach Bruce Harbach. He was the defensive coordinator when the Crusaders won the state championship in 2009. Sands was an assistant under Mark Evans at Manheim Township for eight years before going to Wilson. He coached alongside Doug Dahms who holds the Bulldogs school record with 185 victories. Sands takes over a Boyertown program that hasn’t had a winning season since 2013. The Bears were (3-7) overall and (1-4) in the Liberty Division of the Pioneer Athletic Conference in 2023. “It’s a very good division. It’s gonna be a gauntlet for us to run. It’s not a friendly schedule for a first-year head coach,” noted Sands. The Liberty Division includes Spring-Ford, Perkiomen Valley, and Owen J. Roberts. Those three schools won 26 games a season ago. The Bears fell to Methacton and Pottsgrove by just three points apiece. Justin Konnick stepped down following two years at the helm. Sands has been busy evaluating the returning players at Boyertown. “The boys have not been discouraged with moving positions, trying new things that they’re maybe not comfortable with. It’s been a real positive,” emphasized Sands. There are some holes to fill at the skill positions. Cole Yesavage and quarterback Ryder Gehris graduated. Yesavage rumbled for 1,448 yards and 16 touchdowns on a whopping 204 carries. Senior Nick Billetta and junior Logan Oakes will see time at running back this fall. Jason Oakes, Logan’s older brother, led the Bears with 67 tackles last year. Connor Foskey is expected to take over at quarterback. Juniors Tilman Henley and Connor Houck will be two of his targets. Sands makes his head coaching debut this Friday when Boyertown hosts Upper Perkiomen. “I’m just thrilled that Boyertown has given me that opportunity,” he said.

Wilson hires Matt Raquet

Paul Roberts — Mon, 05 Aug 2024 23:55:43 +0000

Wilson has found its new girls basketball head coach. Matt Raquet was approved at tonight’s school board meeting. Raquet graduated from Holy Name in 2005. He was on the Blue Jays’ basketball, football, and track and field teams. Berks Catholic inducted Raquet into its Hall of Fame in 2016.

Raquet spent three years (2010-13) as a graduate assistant/video coordinator with the Temple women’s basketball team. His next stop at the Division I college level was Holy Cross. He was an assistant women’s basketball coach for the Crusaders from 2013-18. Raquet stepped down for family reasons, but later coached one of the top AAU programs in Philadelphia for four years. He moved back to Berks County a few years ago.

Chris Gallo resigned as Wilson’s head coach in early May. He had a record of (65-30) over four seasons. The Bulldogs went (24-5) this year and reached the state playoffs. They lost to Wyomissing 45-36 in the BCIAA championship and finished fourth in the District 3-6A tournament.

Wilson’s starting lineup this past season included four sophomores. Unfortunately, point guard Laila Jones suffered a torn ACL last month during an AAU tournament. The two-time All-County selection has 788 career points. Jones averaged a team-high 16 points as a sophomore.

Correll Akings-Wilson

Paul Roberts — Sat, 03 Aug 2024 02:45:35 +0000

The West Reading Summer Basketball League championship came down to the final second. Zach Suski got behind Wilson’s defense after a missed free throw. Suski missed an open layup and the Bulldogs held on for a 37-35 victory over Berks Catholic. “I thought it was gonna be a tie game and we were gonna have to fight through overtime. That game was very tough and it came down to the wire,” said Correll Akings. The Saints had won the previous three West Reading League titles. They battled back after trailing 8-0 and 15-4 on Thursday night. Kingston McKoy finished with a game-high 20 points, including four three-pointers. “He’s so good and crafty. He knows how to get a bucket whenever he needs one,” acknowledged Akings. Suski, who had 12 points, sank a triple from the right corner before the halftime buzzer. Berks Catholic was down 21-14 at the break. Wilson was on top 27-24 after the third quarter. A jump hook by Luke Levan gave the Bulldogs a 33-31 advantage with 1:45 remaining. McKoy’s putback tied the score. A tough floater by Madyx Gruber made it 35-33. A layup by Akings gave Wilson a 37-33 cushion with 36 seconds left. However, Akings missed five consecutive free throws down the stretch which gave the Saints a chance. The rising junior guard still ended up with a team-high 11 points. Levan provided eight points. “He’s developed so much and he’s become such a strong player for us,” emphasized Akings. Gruber received the Terry Brennan Most Outstanding Player award. The rising senior guard had 16 points in a 38-29 semifinal win against Warwick. The Bulldogs captured the West Reading League championship for the first time since 2019. Akings, Gruber, Levan, Tommy McFadden, Jon Etim, Cam Zullinger, and Christo Hunsicker are all back from the team that won the BCIAA title this year. “The chemistry is getting stronger and stronger day in and day out. I love the guys so much. They mean a lot to me,” said Akings.

Matt Coldren-Wilson

Paul Roberts — Tue, 16 Jul 2024 17:26:50 +0000

The extreme temperatures haven’t slowed down Wilson’s boys basketball team this summer. After beating Exeter 54-37 last week, the Bulldogs improved to (7-0) in the West Reading League. They’re also unbeaten in the Cedar Beach League with a mark of (12-0) in Allentown. “It’s been a good summer. The kids have been very committed. I’m really pleased with where we’re at,” said head coach Matt Coldren. He likes what he has seen on the offensive end of the court. “I think what I’ve been most pleased about is they are sharing the ball which is really huge for us,” noted Coldren. He has an experienced squad with four starters and some key reserves returning from a county championship team. Wilson defeated Reading 54-53 in the Berks Conference Final at Santander Arena. The Bulldogs claimed their third county title in five years. “I think what’s the greatest thing about winning championships…it’s the joy on the kids’ faces and the glow they had,” emphasized Coldren. Wilson finished (17-9) a season ago. Madyx Gruber, Correll Akings, Luke Levan, and Tommy McFadden are all back. Gruber was an All-County selection who averaged nearly twelve points per game. Levan, a 6’5 rising senior, gives the Bulldogs some size. Akings provided a team-high 12.1 ppg. as a sophomore. Coldren has won a school record 408 games over 23 years. He understands that expectations will be high this winter. “I’ve been at Wilson long enough to realize that we’re not really liked so it doesn’t matter whether we’re the favorite or we’re the underdog,” he stated.

Tommy Hunsicker-Wilson

Paul Roberts — Tue, 21 May 2024 10:17:00 +0000

One big inning and a dominant pitching performance propelled Wilson to the District 3-6A semifinals. The fourth-seeded Bulldogs beat fifth-seeded Manheim Township 4-1 on Monday in a matchup of league champions. Matt VanOstenbridge tossed a 3-hitter with ten strikeouts. The Penn State commit improved to (5-1) with a 1.03 ERA. “I think it’s his arsenal of pitches and how he’s able to change speeds. They weren’t really able to touch his off-speed, especially his changeup,” said Tommy Hunsicker. VanOstenbridge has allowed just 24 hits in 47.2 innings this season with 67 strikeouts. Wilson got all four of its runs in the second frame. Designed hitter Ben Kulp drew a leadoff walk. VanOstenbridge followed with a single. Freshman Ryan Marmolejos beat out a bunt to load the bases. C.J. Fernandez and Hunsicker ripped consecutive RBI singles to center. Jack Gabel walked with the bases loaded to make it 3-0. Nick Fiorini added a sacrifice fly to left field. Hunsicker, who’s headed to Millersville for football, went 3-for-3 with a walk. “I was feeling balanced, staying back more and adjusting to whatever pitches they were throwing,” he explained. The senior third baseman raised his batting average to .375. The (17-6) Bulldogs didn’t commit an error. “Our coaches gave us a good scouting report. They put us in the right spots,” noted Hunsicker. Trey Eckman entered the day with a 1.58 ERA for the Blue Streaks. The senior righty had only given up 26 hits and 17 walks over 40 innings. Eckman was charged with four runs on five hits and five walks in three innings. Sophomore Tyler Shirk limited the Berks County champs to one hit over three frames. Wilson left eight runners on base. Manheim Township finished (18-7). The Blue Streaks lost 4-2 to the Bulldogs in the District 3 semifinals a season ago. Wilson will host ninth-seeded Ephrata on Thursday at 4:30pm. The (17-7) Mounts upset top-seeded Cedar Cliff 6-5 in ten innings on Monday. The Bulldogs are trying to reach the District 3 championship game for the second straight year. “This is where we wanted to be, expected to be all year,” said Hunsicker.