Moody and Chambersburg senior Ryne Mills both threw complete games in the semifinals on Thursday. Mills only allowed one hit in a 4-1 victory over top-seeded Hempfield. The St. Joseph’s commit is (9-0) this spring with a 1.37 ERA over 66.1 innings. The (17-7) Trojans went with Brady Truett on Monday night. The junior entered the day at (4-1) with a 0.62 ERA. Truett had 26 strikeouts and 14 walks in 34 innings. “I’m not gonna lie, No. 5 through No. 9 hitters, I gave everyone a take until they got a strike,” noted Kopetsky. That strategy worked as Truett walked four and lasted just 1.1 innings. The Muhls ended up with nine hits and eight walks. Burr, Moody, and shortstop Liam Vargas provided two hits apiece. Vargas walked twice and scored a pair of runs. Burr and Moody each drove in two runs. Mike Canfield went 1-for-2 with a walk and 2 RBI. The sophomore third baseman also made a tremendous defensive play. Gavin Moody, Cole’s twin brother, was 1-for-3 with a walk. He scored two runs and knocked in another.

Muhlenberg took control early with four runs on two hits and three walks in the top of the second inning. Sophomore John Martin hit a pop up to shallow right field with men on the corners. Second baseman Brycen Murray made the catch on the run as his momentum took him into foul territory. Vargas alertly scored the first run by tagging up from third base. After walks to Aidan Bonte and Carter Burr, leadoff hitter Cooper Burr ripped a 2-run single through the left side for a 3-0 edge. Senior lefty Hayden Lyons replaced Truett on the mound. Marvin Frias bunted the ball back to Lyons and Carter Burr slid head-first to avoid the tag by catcher Ceagan Truett. The home plate umpire never signaled safe which led to some confusion, but the Muhls had a 4-0 cushion. That was plenty of support for Moody. He’s limited opponents to 45 hits in 70 innings with 88 strikeouts this season.

Muhlenberg tacked on two runs in the fourth. Frias stole second after an infield single. He scored on a two-out single through the left side by Gavin Moody. Cole Moody then hammered a RBI double to right-center. Canfield made it 7-0 with a RBI groundout to second in the fifth. Junior southpaw Cam Wadel took over on the hill for the Trojans in the sixth. RBI singles by Cole Moody and Vargas put the Muhls on top 9-0. A sacrifice fly to right field by Canfield brought home their final run. Truett was charged with four runs on two hits and four walks. Lyons gave up three runs on four hits and three walks over 3.2 innings. Wadel allowed three runs on three hits and a walk in one frame.

Chambersburg has won a record eleven District 3 championships with the last coming in 2009. The Muhls’ first District 3 title was against the Trojans in 1980. Kopetsky was on Muhlenberg’s 1982 team which also brought District 3 gold back to Laureldale. He’s in his 27th season as the Muhls’ head coach. “It’s exciting. This is for everybody who has played in the program. These kids went out and they played for Muhlenberg baseball, and they play for each other. This means an awful lot to a lot of people,” said Kopetsky.

The Muhls have won ten of their past eleven games. The PIAA-6A tournament begins on Monday, June 1st. “There’s no limit to us now. We can keep extending the bar. I think we got a good shot in State’s,” remarked Burr.

Brian Kopetsky, who’s in his 27th year as the Muhls’ head coach, decided not to start Cole Moody. Muhlenberg’s ace had thrown 90 pitches in a 4-0 win over Gov. Mifflin on Thursday in the quarterfinals. Kopetsky gave the ball to sophomore John Martin. If healthy, he would have been one of the Muhls’ top pitchers this season. Martin had only one inning under his belt this spring. The young righty didn’t allow a run over the first two frames against Wilson.

Alex Frantz, the No. 9 hitter, and Gabel opened the bottom of the third with singles. Ryan Rosenberry, who tossed three scoreless innings on Friday in the county semifinals, took over for Martin. After a walk to Pat Lengle, Ben Kulp hit a grounder to third base. Sophomore Mike Canfield came home, but the throw wasn’t in time to get Gabel who scored the first run. Tim Lengle drew a walk to make it 2-0. A balk by Rosenberry gave the Bulldogs a 3-0 lead. Matt Mallis then put a squeeze bunt down the first base line which scored Kulp. Spohn followed with a RBI double down the third base line. “I was fired up. It was a great feeling, top 5 moment in baseball for me,” emphasized Spohn. Wilson took control with five runs on three hits and two walks in the third inning.

The Bulldogs ended it early with five more runs in the sixth. Sophomore Landon Kostelac led off with a double before Frantz walked. A single to left field by Gabel made it 6-0. A sacrifice fly to left by Ryan Marmolejos gave Wilson a 7-0 cushion. After walking Pat Lengle, Rosenberry was replaced by Chase Kreider. Following a walk by Kulp, Tim Lengle hit a 2-run opposite field single to left. Spohn’s RBI single through the middle was the final blow. The (17-6) Bulldogs claimed their second BCIAA title in three years and 14th overall. The (13-8) Muhls await the District 3-6A playoffs which begin on Friday.

Martin was charged with two runs on four hits in two innings. Rosenberry allowed seven runs on four hits and four walks in 3.1 innings. Gabel needed just 72 pitches to get through six frames. He also provided three of Wilson’s ten hits. Gabel boosted his batting average to .389 this year. Tim Lengle went 2-for-3 with a walk and 3 RBI. Spohn provided two hits and knocked in a pair of runs. “If you’re down, he really keeps you in it. He’s a great captain. Behind the plate, he’s a brick wall,” remarked Gabel of his catcher. Pat Lengle was 1-for-2 with two walks and two runs. The freshman is hitting .464 this season. His older brother, Tim, isn’t far behind at .431.

The Bulldogs are hitting .351 as a team this spring. They only used three pitchers to navigate through the county playoffs. Gabel, Kulp, and Pat Lengle each threw a complete game. Wilson outscored its three opponents 24-to-3. “I don’t think anyone can beat us when we’re playing our game,” stated Gabel.

McKoy, a two-time All-State selection, drilled a pair of 3-pointers and made a layup to put Bishop McDevitt in an early 18-8 hole. The two-time BCIAA Player of the Year squeezed nine points into the opening quarter. Berks Catholic led 18-10 after eight minutes. The Crusaders went on a 9-0 run to pull within 22-21 with 1:21 left in the first half. The action heated up before the break with Kenyon Portee throwing down a breakaway dunk. The 6’2 junior guard entered the night averaging 16 ppg. Portee, a transfer from Trinity, had 20 points in Bishop McDevitt’s 64-46 rout of Big Spring in the semifinals. Brady Altimar answered with a trey from the right wing in the final seconds to even the score at 25-25.

Portee began the third quarter by hitting a triple, the first of the game for the Crusaders. He then found Ethan Hammer for a layup and a 30-25 edge. Hammer, a 6’ senior, finished with a team-high 16 points. Portee and Pat Denisco added ten points apiece. McKoy splashed another 3-pointer with 3:35 remaining in the period to put the Saints on top 34-32. Berks Catholic connected eight times from beyond the arc, while Bishop McDevitt was limited to three shots from long range. The Saints had a slim 37-33 cushion after the third quarter.

Portee started the final period with a three-point play. Denisco, a 5’10 senior, came alive in the fourth quarter. He hit a triple from the right wing and then dished the ball to Hammer for a layup on a 2-on-1 break. Denisco then drained a pull-up jumper to give the Crusaders a 45-44 lead with 2:42 to go. After McKoy dropped off a pass to Johnny Giesa for a bucket, Denisco delivered another 3-pointer from the right wing. Bishop McDevitt was up 48-46 with 1:36 to play, but a layup by McKoy knotted things up. Dom Baker grabbed an offensive rebound and put it home with 46 seconds on the clock. The 6’3 freshman chipped in with nine points off the bench. McKoy drove to the basket and was fouled with 25 seconds left. He went 2-for-2 to tie it at 50-50. Portee’s off-balance scoop shot rimmed out with one second remaining. This instant classic would be decided in overtime.

McKoy started the extra session with a floater in the middle of the lane. He powered his way to the basket and scored again with 1:32 to go. After Portee was called for traveling, Gavin Welker made a pair of free throws for a 56-50 advantage with 56 seconds to play. Baker knocked down two foul shots to get the Crusaders within 56-52. Those would be their only points in overtime. Following two missed free throws by Giesa, Baker was unable to finish a drive down the right side of the lane. McKoy sealed the deal with two more foul shots with 14 seconds left. He ended up 15-of-18 from the stripe. “He should’ve got there 30 times,” stated Esterly. Berks Catholic was 18-of-25 from the foul line, while Bishop McDevitt went 9-of-11.

Altimar had eight points, including a couple of 3-pointers. Carmelo Harper helped the cause with seven points and Welker provided five. The Saints are (37-9) all-time in the District 3 playoffs. Esterly picked up his 16th District 3 championship over 37 years. Berks Catholic will head to the state tournament riding a 19-game winning streak. “I think it builds so much confidence in these guys. We never think we’re out of it. There was a time it looked dim when they took a lead, but we came storming back,” said Esterly.

Leaman was thrilled for the seniors on the team including Jones, Laura Crocona, and Violet Houck. That trio has been starting since they were freshman. Jones, the point guard and a 1,000-point scorer, missed all of last season with a torn ACL. “They’re my best friends. Just being with them every day is amazing. I couldn’t be happier for them,” emphasized Leaman. Wilson also captured the BCIAA Championship this year for the first time since 2014. They defeated Exeter 54-44 at Santander Arena.

The Bulldogs got off to a slow start against the (24-4) Wildcats. Wilson committed five turnovers in the first four minutes and a dozen in the first half. Denyla Handy drilled a 3-pointer at the buzzer to give Dallastown a 11-6 edge after eight minutes. The talented 5’6 freshman poured in a game-high 16 points. The Wildcats were on top 14-8 in the second quarter when the Bulldogs responded with a 8-0 run. In the closing seconds of the opening half, Leaman raced up the court and threw a diagonal pass to Crocona who splashed a jumper from the right wing. Wilson had a slim 18-17 advantage at the break. Crocona, who’s committed to Kutztown University, scored seven of her ten points in the first half. The 5’8 guard sank a trey from the right corner to make it 28-24 with three minutes left in the third quarter. Kailani Hardy’s putback gave the Bulldogs a six point cushion. The 5’10 junior guard ended up with a team-high twelve points. Hardy was recently voted the BCIAA Player of the Year. Jones was called for a personal foul and a technical foul with 52 seconds to go in the period. She managed not to pick up her fifth foul over the rest of the contest. Dallastown trailed 30-26 entering the fourth quarter.

Leaman got an easy fast break bucket and then connected from long range to give Wilson a 37-29 cushion with 4:50 to play. The Wildcats answered with five points in the next minute. Ava Jamison, a 5’11 senior, nailed a 3-pointer and Handy followed with a jumper. Jamison reached 1,000 career points in a 42-38 semifinal win over Central Dauphin on Monday. She had nine points against the Bulldogs. Dallastown and Wilson went scoreless for two and a-half minutes until Natalie McLane hit a triple from the right wing with 1:05 left. The freshman tied it at 37-37. After a timeout, McLane came up with a steal. The Wildcats held the ball for the last 50 seconds of regulation, but didn’t get off a shot. Hardy poked the ball away from Handy just before time expired in regulation.

Following Leaman’s trey in the extra session, Hardy got a layup to make it 42-37 with 55 seconds remaining. The Bulldogs didn’t allow a point in overtime. Even with the extra time, Dallastown was held 14 points under its season average. “We work on [defense] the whole season at practice. That’s part of playing to our standard,” said Leaman. Wilson prevailed despite going 1-for-6 from the foul line. The Wildcats were 8-of-11. Each squad sank five 3-pointers.

In recent years, the Bulldogs have suffered some heartbreaking postseason losses. The 2025-26 campaign has been a redemption tour for Wilson. “This team just doesn’t back down, nothing seems to faze them. They’re a really experienced group and that showed late in the game. I’m so happy for this team. They deserve it,” remarked Raquet.

Jones returned this season and wasn’t going to let another chance at a goal medal slip away at Santander Arena. After trailing by 16 points at halftime, third-seeded Exeter had pulled within 46-42 of the top-seeded Bulldogs with 2:22 left. Jones knocked down two key foul shots with 1:36 remaining and then came up with a pivotal steal. The Eagles fouled Laura Crocona who split a pair of free throws. She missed her second attempt, but 6’ senior forward Violet Houck grabbed the rebound. Exeter was forced to foul again with just 53 seconds to go. Houck went 2-for-2 from the stripe to give Wilson a 51-42 cushion. The (23-2) Bulldogs survived a scare and defeated the Eagles 54-44 on Friday night. “It feels like a very special moment. We waited four years to do this,” said Jones. The two-time All-County selection finished with a team-high 14 points as Wilson earned its first league title since 2014. Jones provided six points in the fourth quarter and was 4-for-4 from the foul line down the stretch. “It feels great that I was able to play and be able to even step my two feet on this floor. You can’t take anything for granted,” she emphasized.

The Bulldogs blew out the Eagles 67-36 on January 22nd. Jones poured in 21 points during that regular season rout. Wilson led 21-13 after the opening quarter and 32-16 at halftime on Friday. Exeter went scoreless for six minutes in the second quarter. It looked like the Bulldogs may cruise to the county championship, however, the (15-10) Eagles weren’t going down without a fight. They outscored the Bulldogs 17-10 in the third quarter. Addison Harper jammed seven points into those eight minutes. The 5’9 sophomore guard ended up with a game-high 17 points. In the final seconds of the third period, Harper was fouled while attempting a desperation shot just past half-court. She converted all three free throws to make it 42-33.

Harper hit a triple from the right wing with 5:33 on the clock to pull the girls from Reiffton within 42-36. After a layup by Lillie Keperling, Wilson committed a turnover in the backcourt. Harper nailed a jumper from the left wing and all of a sudden Exeter’s deficit was cut to 46-42 with two and a-half minutes left. That’s as close as the Eagles would get thanks to some clutch plays by Jones, Houck, and Crocona. All three seniors have been starting in West Lawn since they were freshman. Jones is committed to Penn State Harrisburg and Crocona is going to Kutztown. Houck will be headed south to Jacksonville University for track and field.

Exeter reached the BCIAA Final for the first time since 1977. The Eagles made tremendous strides following a (7-15) campaign in 2024-25. Chloe Dauble and Mairead Dolan chipped in with eight points apiece. Wilson utilized a 1-2-2 trap to force 22 turnovers. Exeter went 12-of-13 from the foul line, while the Bulldogs were 17-of-25. Kailani Hardy, a promising 5’10 junior guard, had eleven points. Crocona contributed nine points and Houck had eight. Matt Raquet improved his record to (43-12) in his second year as head coach. Wilson claimed its tenth Berks County crown.

Only five girls basketball teams from the county qualified for the District 3 playoffs. Exeter visits fifth-seeded Lampeter-Strasburg in the first round of the Class 5A tournament on Tuesday. The fourth-seeded Bulldogs host #13 Penn Manor in the Class 6A bracket on Monday. Both of those matchups begin at 7pm. “It feels great to win this game, but a lot of things to work on,” acknowledged Jones.

Altimar, who finished with seven points, said it was one of the best games that he’s ever played in. “It’s definitely top 5. Reading is always a tough team. They play good defense, they hustle, and they play hard. It was a great game,” replied Altimar. Esterly, who earned career win #862 over 37 years, agreed that this was an instant classic. “I’m not gonna say it was the best [BCIAA] Final ever, but it was a great game,” he emphasized. Altimar mentioned that most people have the wrong impression of Esterly. “Everyone thinks he’s just mean and yells, but he’s one of the nicest guys I’ve ever met. He always asks how I’m doing. He’s probably the best coach I’ve ever had,” stated Altimar. Esterly has nine Berks Conference championships on his resume, including four with the Saints.

Both teams came out on fire. Kingston McKoy hit two triples in the opening quarter and Berks Catholic led 19-16 after eight action-packed minutes. Before the second quarter began, there was a delay to replace one of the nets. The scoring slowed down considerably in second period as the Red Knights built a 26-21 advantage. The Saints were held to two points until Oye “Junior” Guilavogui drained a trey from the left corner with six seconds to go. The senior guard had 16 points in the Saints’ 68-47 rout of Reading on January 31st at Lloyd Wolf Gymnasium. The Red Knights took their first meeting 48-40 at the Geigle Complex on December 29th.

McKoy started the second half with five quick points. His three-point play put Berks Catholic in front 29-26. The Colgate commit and two-time All-State pick poured in 29 points, including eleven in the third quarter. Carmelo Harper, a 6’1 sophomore guard, added 14 points. “He’s gonna be good. He’s frying everybody. It’s gonna be scary for the county next year,” remarked Altimar. Harper sank a 3-pointer from the right wing to make it 32-28 with 6:27 to play in the third period. Reading responded and took a 33-32 lead on Raybin Rubio’s three-point play. The 6’1 sophomore guard was recently inserted into the starting lineup. The Saints answered with a 8-0 run. Guilavogui, who chipped in with eight points, and McKoy drilled shots from beyond the arc to give Berks Catholic a 40-33 cushion with 4:36 left in the third quarter. Weshly Rosario, the lone senior starter for the Red Knights, made a short jumper at the buzzer to even things up at 45-45. Rosario and sophomore Cameron “Bron Bron” Jones contributed twelve points apiece. Jamier Jacob had nine points, while Jostin DeCastro was limited to eight. The 6’3 junior guard came into Friday averaging 20.8 ppg.

McKoy opened the fourth quarter with a triple from the top of the key. He found Johnny Giesa for a layup and a 50-47 edge with just over six minutes remaining. McKoy went 2-for-2 from the stripe with 3:24 to go. Reading trailed 54-48 before scoring the next six points. DeCastro split a pair of foul shots with 1:24 on the clock to tie it at 54-54. The Red Knights missed five free throws in the fourth quarter. They were 12-for-19 overall, while the Saints knocked down eight of their nine attempts.

Berks Catholic held the ball for one final shot. McKoy drove down the right side of the lane with five seconds to play. Rosario got a piece of the ball as McKoy was going up and his layup rolled off the rim. In overtime, Jones buried a trey from the right wing with 2:49 on the clock. That was Reading’s only 3-pointer all night. It would also be the last time they scored. Altimar responded thirty seconds later with a long range strike of his own. “Kingston and all my teammates were telling me to keep shooting it, shoot it with confidence. I got open in the corner and let it fly,” he said. It was the tenth 3-pointer for the Saints who played without 6’3 senior forward Gavin Welker for the second straight game due to a school-related issue. Altimar’s clutch free throws made it 59-57. After sophomore Javon Merriweather misfired on a triple from the top of the key, McKoy went 2-for-2 from the stripe with thirty seconds left. The Red Knights were down 61-57 when they committed a turnover with 16 seconds remaining. McKoy split a couple of foul shots for the final margin. The Colgate commit is up to 1,583 career points.

Berks Catholic outscored Reading 8-to-3 in overtime. Both teams did a terrific job of taking care of the basketball. There were only 15 combined turnovers and just seven by the Saints. This heavyweight battle lived up to the hype.

The Red Knights will face #12 seed York High on Tuesday at 7pm at the Geigle Complex in the first round of the District 3-6A playoffs. The Saints don’t play again until Friday, February 20th. They host #8 seed Eastern York at 6pm in the District 3-4A quarterfinals. Berks Catholic blew out Eastern York 67-44 in the District 3-4A Championship last year. It was the sixth District 3 crown for the Saints. Altimar is confident that they will have a long postseason run. “We’re gonna win District’s. We’re gonna go far in State’s too,” he stated.

The Indians are also searching for their first District 3 title. They stunned fourth-seeded Wyomissing 37-35 in the semifinals. Evans scrambled to his left before finding Josh Nengite in the end zone for a 15-yard TD on the final play. Nengite, who’s headed to Temple, is a standout on defense. The 6’3, 205-pound linebacker leads Susquehanna Township in tackles with 81. Evans also has a pair of 6’2 wide receivers to target in a passing attack that averages 226 yards per contest. Jarrett Kern has a team-high 46 catches for 724 yards and nine scores. Syracuse commit Zi’khere Leaks has provided 38 receptions for 629 yards and 10 TD. Running back Rakhi Seville, a 5’8 senior, has chipped in with 741 rushing yards and 15 touchdowns. Twin Valley fell behind #2 seed West York 14-0 last week before reeling off 45 unanswered points. “The teams get better as we keep winning. We know that if we get down 14-0 again, it’s gonna be a lot harder to come back this time,” replied Engle.

The third-seeded Raiders haven’t had to play from behind very often this fall. They’ve dominated almost all of their opponents during a historic year. Twin Valley went unbeaten in the regular season for the first time in the program’s 29-year history. The (12-0) Raiders are putting up an eye-popping 53.3 points a night while allowing just 9.1 ppg. Engle has set school records with 3,690 career rushing yards and 57 touchdowns. “I’m pretty proud, but I wouldn’t have been able to do it without my offensive line. They’re fantastic at what they do,” he emphasized. Twin Valley’s front five averages 279 pounds. “They’re some of our hardest workers and you can see them improve throughout the year. They keep getting better week by week and it’s awesome to watch them improve as a unit,” remarked Engle. The Army lacrosse commit is averaging 10.4 yards per carry this season with 28 TD. He needs just 26 yards to top his single-season school record of 1,599 rushing yards. Engle is joined in the backfield by 215-pound junior Lucas Myers. He’s added 1,020 yards and 20 TD while averaging a lofty 11.2 yards per pop.

The Raiders are piling up 399 yards per game and 293 of that total comes on the ground. Maverick Foster has been extremely efficient in his first year as the starting quarterback. The sophomore is completing 72% of his attempts without a single interception. “He’s doing fantastic. He’s done a great job. He works super hard at practice,” noted Engle. Foster has thrown for 1,145 yards and 15 touchdowns.

Susquehanna Township’s defensive line features Coastal Carolina commit Yendor Mack and Jayden Riley. Mack (6’3, 295) leads the Indians with ten tackles for loss and four sacks. Riley (5’10, 290) has racked up 50 tackles including 6.5 TFL. Steph Malette and Jasani Brown have combined for six interceptions. Brown, a 6’2 junior with 42 tackles, has offers from Old Dominion and Akron. They’re joined in the secondary by Kern who’s an invaluable piece to the puzzle for Susquehanna Township.

Two of the premier Class 4A squads in Pennsylvania will square off on Friday. Kickoff is set for 7pm at ELCO. The Raiders are ranked first in the state by PennLive. The Indians aren’t far behind at #4 in the statewide poll. They met in the District 3-4A quarterfinals a season ago with Twin Valley prevailing 47-19. “We can’t wait. We’re super excited for this game,” said Engle.

On the Bulldogs’ second possession, Mason Young rolled right and tossed a short pass behind Monty Greer. The ball was tipped and intercepted by Zach Bomberger at Wilson’s 32-yard line. The (9-1, 6-0) Blue Streaks settled for a 31-yard field goal from Rowan Crispeno. Manheim Township marched 84 yards on its next series. Kenneff, who’s committed to Quinnipiac for baseball, found Daryus Dixon over the middle for a 33-yard gain. Kenneff ended the drive with a 10-yard touchdown run to make it 10-0 with 8:46 left in the second quarter. All-State tight end Mike Glover got the Bulldogs on the scoreboard with 1:14 remaining before halftime. The 6’3, 223-pound junior took a shovel pass from Young and rumbled 76 yards down the left sideline for a touchdown. Glover had three catches for 88 yards. Wilson was without starting wide receiver Eli Dean due to an injury. Young finished 13-of-18 for 205 yards and three interceptions.

The Blue Streaks got the ball first in the second half and drove 65 yards for a 17-7 edge with 7:08 to go in the third quarter. Kenneff lofted a deep pass down the right sideline to Dixon who wrestled the ball away from Jaiden Carpenter at the 3-yard line. Dixon provided eight receptions for 111 yards. He has 13 TD catches this season. “He’s a freak. I’ve been saying he’s the best receiver in PA. He needs some college looks. He makes my job super easy,” remarked Kenneff. That possession ended with a play-action pass to Dehvyn Lauano who was wide open for a 3-yard score. Kenneff went 14-of-20 for 155 yards on the night.

The (8-2, 5-1) Bulldogs responded immediately with a 80-yard drive. Monty Greer took a sweep to the left for a 13-yard touchdown run with 4:21 to play in the third quarter. Wilson was within 17-14, however, the Bulldogs were called for two personal fouls on the extra point. They had to kickoff back at their 13-yard line. Allan Feliciano broke free for a 42-yard return to Wilson’s 25-yard line. Manheim Township only turned that short field into three points on a 38-yard field goal by Crispeno with 1:27 left in the third quarter. A low snap put a halt to the Bulldogs’ next series. Defensive lineman Jake Ruch recovered the fumble at the Blue Streaks’ 39-yard line with 11:17 remaining.

Wilson got the ball back at its 8-yard line with 7:48 to go. Sophomore Damian Greer made a leaping 25-yard grab to the 45-yard line. On third-and-5, Young connected with sophomore Braydon Farrell for 11 yards to the 29-yard line. Ethan Harding’s 8-yard run set up the Bulldogs at Manheim Township’s 9-yard line. Lauano stripped the ball out of Glover’s hands on the next running play. It resulted in a 12-yard loss. A holding penalty pushed Wilson back to the 31-yard line. Young then scrambled left and threw back across the middle of the field. His pass was intercepted by Luke Wagner with 35 seconds to play. The Blue Streaks couldn’t pick up a first down and punted the ball back to the Bulldogs. On the final play from their own 42-yard line, Young was intercepted by Feliciano. Kenneff gave credit to his defense which was facing an offense that had been averaging 41.2 points per game. “They’re just a bunch of dogs. They get after it, they’re wild. They’re firing on all cylinders,” he replied.

Correll Akings, a three-year starter, was limited to 39 yards on eight carries. Harding chipped in with 36 yards on six touches. Glover provided 11 yards on seven carries. The Blue Streaks were outgained 316-to-282. Wilson had six more first downs, but Manheim Township dominated in the time of possession department. The Blue Streaks held the rock for 28 minutes and 38 seconds. Marcos Fernandez was the leading rusher with 81 yards on 21 carries. EJ Brownback gave another tremendous defensive effort for the Bulldogs. The 218-pound junior linebacker racked up 16 total tackles, including a TFL on fourth-and-1 at the 11-yard line in the second quarter. “The intensity was there, we fought. They made plays and we didn’t. That was the bottom line,” explained Dahms. Both of these teams will get a bye in the opening round of the District 3-6A playoffs which begin next week. “We’re trying to go the whole way and we think we can go the whole way,” stated Kenneff.

Berks Catholic won Division 1 of the Ron Krick Memorial League with a (9-3) record during the regular season. Wilson was in second place at (8-4). These squads squared off for the West Reading League title last summer as well. Wilson prevailed 37-35 a year ago.

Berks Catholic left Wyomissing with some individual hardware on Thursday night. McKoy received the Terry Brennan Memorial Most Outstanding Player award. Giesa took home the Woozy Smith Memorial Most Improved Player award. The Bill Snyder Best Defensive Player award went to Exeter’s Jayden Ware. Xavier Negron from Conrad Weiser won the West Reading Drug Store Sportsmanship award.

Brock Shrawder got the ball for the nightcap for Exeter. However, he suffered an injury and left the game after getting just two outs. Jake Franek took over on the mound with the Blue Jays trailing 1-0 thanks to a sacrifice fly by Austin Snyder. Exeter loaded the bases with no outs in the bottom of the 1st, but failed to score. Mikey Fidler ripped a line drive to first base that Christo Hunsicker turned into an inning-ending double play. A two-out, RBI single to right field by Cole Lavin put West Lawn on top 2-0 in the second frame. The Blue Jays tied it with a pair of runs in the 2nd, but they left the bases loaded. Snyder gave up two runs on five hits over three innings. He struck out five and walked three. The Owls opened the 4th with a single by Michael Bradley and a double from Gabel. With one out and the bases full, Alex Ernesto hit a grounder to third base. Brenton Feathers came home with the throw, but it was dropped which allowed West Lawn to go in front 3-2. Eight errors were committed in the final game, including five by Exeter. A wild pitch by Franek made it 4-2. Hunsicker, who just returned from vacation, tossed three scoreless frames of relief. The Millersville commit held the Blue Jays to one hit. Tyler Herbein, the No. 8 hitter, gave the Owls a 5-2 advantage in the 5th. The catcher hit a leadoff double and then scored all the way from second on a wild pitch. Herbein had three of West Lawn’s twelve hits. “That production was great. We couldn’t have asked for anything more from him. He’s been playing great behind the plate,” noted Gabel. A passed ball in the 5th gave the Owls a 6-2 cushion. Gabel, a rising senior who’s committed to West Chester, broke it open with a 3-run double to left in the 6th. Franek was charged with nine runs on nine hits in five innings. He walked four to go along with three strikeouts. In the 7th, Feathers walked Jack Froelich and Alex Frantz with the bases juiced. West Lawn won 12-2 to earn its 11th league championship. “They never give up. We built a schedule that made them play some games in hot weather and I think it paid off for us,” added Spatz. Gabel, Lavin, and Ernesto provided two hits apiece. “Throughout the whole year, we haven’t been able to get hits. Tonight, we put it together and that’s who we are. When we’re doing that, we’re pretty dangerous,” explained Gabel. Franek had two of Exeter’s six hits on a pair of infield singles. The Blue Jays were missing Jake Hafer and Brandon Weller, two of their top players. They upset top-seeded Norchester in the first round of the tournament. The (23-4) Owls advanced to the Region 2 tournament at Boyertown. They will face South Parkland at 4:15pm on Friday.