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.

Neither team scored for nearly three minutes to begin the game. Exeter had a 8-7 edge after the first quarter. The Mustangs went scoreless for the first three minutes of the second quarter and fell behind 13-7. Brooklyn George and Bella Super hit back-to-back triples to even the score. However, the third-seeded Eagles ended the half on a 9-to-3 run. Addison Harper came alive with seven points in the second period. The 5’9 sophomore erupted for 20 points in a 47-36 quarterfinal victory over Twin Valley. Gov. Mifflin trailed 22-16 at halftime. The Mustangs only made five shots in the first half and four of them were from beyond the arc. Their 3-point shooting dried up over the final 16 minutes. They connected just once from long range in the second half.

A layup and a trey by Lillie Keperling put Exeter in front 31-23 with 3:20 left in the third quarter. The 5’7 senior forward made another layup for a 35-28 lead with seven minutes remaining. Mairead Dolan drained a jumper from the right wing which put Gov. Mifflin in a 39-30 hole with 5:36 to go. A bucket by Keperling gave the Eagles a 43-37 cushion with two minutes on the clock. Bridget Martin responded with a 3-pointer from beyond the NBA line. That shot pulled the Mustangs within 43-40 with 1:07 to play. They wouldn’t score again. Harper converted three of her four free throw attempts down the stretch as Gov. Mifflin’s five-game winning streak came to a halt.

Keperling, who averages 9 ppg., finished with a game-high 15 points. Considering the circumstances, it was one of the best performances of her career. “She’s had quite a few good ones, but it has to be in the top 5 for sure,” remarked Wolfe. Harper provided 14 points, including seven in the fourth quarter. Dolan and sophomore Chloe Dauble chipped in with six points apiece. Exeter was 3-of-5 from the foul line. The Eagles swished a trio of triples. Super and George led the Mustangs with eleven points apiece. Super was a third team All-State pick a season ago. The 5’7 junior reached 1,000 career points on January 6th. Martin had nine points for Gov. Mifflin. Longtime coach Mike Clark has four juniors and a sophomore in his lineup. Super, George, and Martin are all three-year starters.

Exeter now awaits top-seeded Wilson. The Bulldogs have won 14 consecutive games. They blew out the Eagles 67-36 on January 22nd. The BCIAA Championship is set for 6pm on Friday at Santander Arena.

Berks Catholic raced out to a 15-5 advantage over Exeter after the first quarter. The Saints led 8-0 before Dauble splashed a 3-pointer from the top of the key. The 6’3, 215-pound senior is committed to Shippensburg for football. He’s averaging 15 ppg. this season. Dauble reached 1,000 career points last month. The (15-9) Eagles trailed 29-15 at halftime.

Carmelo Harper and Altimar hit back-to-back triples in the third quarter. Berks Catholic’s cushion extended to 32-15 with 3:15 left in the period. The Saints were in control 43-27 entering the fourth quarter. McKoy drained a trey from the right wing with six minutes remaining to make it 48-29. The 6’4 Colgate commit finished with a game-high 24 points, including nine in the final period. Harper added 16 points. The 6’1 sophomore guard was responsible for two of Berks Catholic’s five 3-pointers. Johnny Giesa chipped in with seven points and Altimar had six on a pair of shots from beyond the arc. The Saints were without Gavin Welker due to a school-related issue. The 6’3 senior forward had 16 points in a 58-42 win over Schuylkill Valley in the quarterfinals on Monday.

Berks Catholic went 4-of-9 from the foul line, while the Eagles ended up 7-for-11. After Dauble’s early 3-pointer, they didn’t make another attempt from long range until the fourth quarter. Dauble, Jayden Ware, and Braylon Reinert had eight points apiece. “Overall defensively, I thought we did a great job,” said Esterly. The Saints are searching for their first BCIAA title since 2018. They split a pair of games with Reading during the regular season. Berks Catholic prevailed in the most recent matchup 68-47 on January 31st at Lloyd Wolf Gymnasium.

Wilson was in front 11-5 early, but Exeter ended the opening quarter on a 7-0 run. Jackson Kozik, a transfer from Berks Catholic, came off the bench and drilled a 3-pointer from the right wing to give the Eagles a 12-11 edge after eight minutes. The quarterfinal matchup remained tight the rest of the way. It was even 21-21 at halftime.

Sophomore point guard Nechar Mercado made a short jumper and then found Mike Glover for a layup to give the fourth-seeded Bulldogs a 25-21 advantage early in the third period. Glover and Braylon Reinert, two standout football players, battled all night in the low post. They’re both 6’3, 225-pound juniors. Peter Kelfala hit a triple in front of Wilson’s bench to make it 34-34 after the third quarter. The 6’3 senior forward ended up with a team-high 16 points. Kelfala was responsible for two of the Bulldogs’ three treys.

Exeter was scoreless for the first two minutes and 41 seconds of the fourth quarter, but Wilson couldn’t get any separation. Jayden Ware converted a difficult spinning shot to tie it 37-37 with four minutes remaining. A layup by Dauble put the Eagles on top 39-37 with two minutes to go. After an illegal screen was called against the Bulldogs, Kozik grabbed an offensive rebound and put it home for a 41-37 lead. Mercado then split a pair of free throws. He missed his second attempt, however, Kelfala pulled down the rebound and was fouled with 1:01 on the clock. He also went 1-for-2 at the stripe. Exeter committed a turnover with a 41-39 lead and twenty seconds left. Kelfala drove from the top of the key to the basket and scored with nine seconds to play. That set the stage for Dauble’s heroics. The 6’3, 215-pound senior used a crossover to get into the lane and finished through some contact. Dauble reached 1,000 career points on January 20th against Daniel Boone. He’s committed to Shippensburg for football. The officials put one second back on the clock. Correll Akings missed a heave from half-court which led to a celebration by the Eagles. They were knocked out in the quarterfinals by Gov. Mifflin a season ago.

Reinert chipped in with eleven points, including eight in the first half. “He did a great job defensively. He protected the rim for us and then obviously he finished. I don’t even know if he missed a shot. He’s our X-factor. When he plays like that, we’re hard to beat,” remarked VanGorder. Wilson was limited to two field goals in the fourth quarter. Akings, an All-County selection last year, managed just four points. The 5’9 guard is the lone returning starter for the Bulldogs. Akings has 963 career points and recently committed to Shippensburg for football. He was guarded by Ware, a 6’1 senior and All-State defensive back. “Usually when playoff time comes around, Jayden Ware shows up. Jayden is such a competitor and he accepts the challenge of playing a great player like Correll,” said VanGorder.

Glover provided ten points and Mercado chipped in with eight. Wilson struggled at the foul line, going 4-of-9. Exeter was 5-for-8 at the stripe. Dylan Donate had six points and Kozik added five. They’re part of an Eagles’ roster that has nine seniors. “I’m so happy for them. I’m glad that they get to go play at the arena…Those guys are so close, really a huge part of the Exeter community,” emphasized VanGorder. They gained valuable experience last year by reaching the District 3-5A championship before falling to Hershey at the Giant Center.

Berks Catholic, Muhlenberg, and Reading are also moving on to Santander Arena on Wednesday. The top-seeded Saints got 29 points from Kingston McKoy in a 58-42 win over Schuylkill Valley in the quarterfinals. The (14-9) Panthers were within two points midway through the third quarter. The second-seeded Muhls needed a 3-pointer from Nelson “Coco” Malave at the buzzer to get past Wyomissing 60-57 in Laureldale. The third-seeded Red Knights blew out Antietam 69-43 at the Geigle Complex. Jostin DeCastro and Weshly Rosario finished with 14 points apiece.

A semifinal quadruple is set for Wednesday. The Gov. Mifflin girls face Exeter at 4pm. That will be followed by the Exeter boys versus Berks Catholic. The Wilson girls square off with Reading at 7pm. The nightcap is scheduled for 8:30pm and features rivals Reading and Muhlenberg. The (17-6) Red Knights and (16-6) Muhls split two games during the regular season.

Dauble is one of nine seniors on Exeter’s roster. “We’re really close. We’ve been hanging out a lot over the weekends. The seniors and everybody are always getting team bonding in. I feel like that helps our chemistry on the court,” he noted. Dauble has been a model of consistency for head coach Jeff VanGorder. As a junior, he averaged 17 points and nine rebounds while shooting 45% from the field. Dauble is providing 15 ppg. and nearly ten boards while shooting 44% this year. He has always been known as a shooter. Dauble knocked down 42 treys a season ago when he was voted to the All-Division team. VanGorder emphasized what a great job he does on the glass. In the last three years, Dauble has pulled down 522 rebounds. He mentioned that his mom, who was a standout player at Lafayette, tells him before every game to get fifteen rebounds.

Dauble remarked that playing football has helped him with the physical aspects of basketball like rebounding. The 215-pound LB/TE helped the Eagles win ten games and reach the District 3-5A semifinals this past fall. He piled up a team-high 94 tackles to go along with 7.5 TFL, two sacks, and an interception. Those numbers earned him first team honors at linebacker in Section 2 of the Lancaster-Lebanon League. Dauble also caught fifteen passes for 298 yards and five touchdowns. Dauble hasn’t decided yet where he wants to attend college, but he knows which sport he would prefer to play. “I’m definitely leaning towards football right now,” he acknowledged.

Dauble was a freshman on the 2022-23 Exeter basketball team that made history. The Eagles beat Manheim Central 67-53 for the program’s first District 3 championship. They advanced all the way to the PIAA-5A Final before falling to Justin Edwards and Imhotep Charter 78-40. Exeter lost to Reading that season in the BCIAA Championship. The Eagles haven’t captured a BCIAA title since 1974. “We don’t really talk about it, but we know in the back of our minds it’s a goal to get back there and try to win it. Hopefully this year is the year,” said Dauble.

Exeter jumped out to a 13-5 advantage on a layup by Mason Goodhart. Braylon Reinert jammed seven of his 18 points into the opening quarter. “If you look at the games that we’ve performed well, he’s gotten a lot of touches. It’s a big emphasis…he’s huge for us,” emphasized VanGorder. The 6’3, 225-pound junior forward is a tight end and linebacker in the fall. The (10-6) Eagles were tied 13-13 after eight minutes. State College went scoreless for four and a-half minutes in the second quarter. When Carr went down, the Little Lions trailed 28-14. However, they closed the first half on a 7-0 run.

It was even at 37-37 when Jayden Ware converted a three-point play with 50 seconds left in the third period. Ware chipped in with eleven points before fouling out late. Exeter had a 41-37 edge entering the final quarter. A putback by Dauble made it 47-42 with 5:31 remaining. Dylan Donate drilled a 3-pointer from the left corner to give the Eagles a 50-42 cushion with 5:05 to go. Sophomore Cam Scott knocked down a pull-up jumper to extend the margin to 54-44 with 3:10 on the clock. It was his only bucket of the afternoon. Scott then found Goodhart for a layup to make it 58-50.

Exeter went 14-of-16 from the free throw line, while State College was just 2-for-6. “We’ve been struggling a little bit from the foul line. Some of it is Dylan [Donate] and Dauble were hurt. I knew coming in that State College was really good, but they didn’t shoot a ton of free throws and we did. That was an advantage that we ended up having,” noted VanGorder. Dauble and Ware were each 5-of-6 from the stripe. The Little Lions hit seven triples, including three by senior forward Parker Thurley. All eleven of his points came in the second half. Micah James scored eight of his team-high 13 points in the fourth quarter. Sophomore point guard Chase Rhoades and Lucas Starks added nine points apiece. Chase is the son of Penn State head coach Mike Rhoades.

Dauble will try to surpass 1,000 points on Tuesday when the Eagles host Daniel Boone. He’s averaging a team-high 14.3 ppg. this season. “I’m very happy that he’s about to reach this milestone. He’s been one of the best players in Berks County for three years,” said VanGorder.

12pm-York High vs. Hazleton (Boys)

1:45pm-Exeter vs. State College (Boys)

3:30pm-Muhlenberg vs. Central Dauphin East (Boys)

5:15pm-Reading vs. West York (Girls)

7pm-Reading vs. Spring-Ford (Boys)

The (9-4, 4-1) Eagles jumped out to a 8-2 advantage. Berks Catholic went on a 6-0 run to tie things up, but Chayse Flood banked in a shot from the foul line to end the opening quarter. Liv Welker drilled a 3-pointer from the top of the key with a minute left in the first half to pull the Saints within 20-19. They trailed 22-19 at halftime. Welker, a 5’10 senior, ended up with a game-high 18 points. She jammed eleven points into the third quarter. Her triple from the left corner put Berks Catholic in front 26-24 with 5:20 remaining in the third quarter. However, Exeter responded with a 8-1 run over the next two and a-half minutes. The Eagles made a living at the foul line in the third period. They connected on 11 of their 13 free throw attempts in that quarter. Harper went 7-for-8 from the stripe and Lillie Keperling was 4-for-4. The Saints made ten trips to the foul line in the third period and only missed once. Welker was a perfect 6-of-6 in that quarter. Exeter had a 39-35 cushion entering the final eight minutes.

Harper started the fourth quarter with a layup and an assist to sophomore Chloe Dauble. Her brother, Aidan, is averaging 13 ppg. for the Eagles’ boys basketball team. A putback by Janaiyah Ford got Berks Catholic within 43-39 with 3:14 on the clock. The (4-9, 1-4) Saints wouldn’t score again. “I feel like knowing their cuts and screens really helped us play defense better,” noted Harper. Alexa Turman finished a fast break for Exeter to make it 45-39. There was a scary scene with 58 seconds left. Berks Catholic sophomore point guard Abby Cannon was hustling back on defense when she crashed into the padded wall and hit her head. Cannon was down for a few minutes before being helped off the court. She was averaging 10 ppg. going into the matchup with the Eagles, but was held scoreless. Ford, a 5’9 sophomore forward, chipped in with seven points for the Saints. Freshman guard Jaylianni Ortiz added six points for longtime coach Bob Birmingham. He has a Berks County Girls League record 665 career wins over 37 years. The Saints are starting three sophomores this season and Ortiz gets significant minutes off the bench.

Flood, who’s committed to Elizabethtown for soccer, contributed ten points for Exeter. “She’s very valuable because sometimes we need another scorer,” said Harper. Keperling helped the Eagles’ cause with six points. They were 13-of-17 overall from the foul line, while Berks Catholic went 12-for-20. The Saints, who dropped their third game in a row, made three 3-pointers. Exeter didn’t hit any shots from beyond the arc. There were 53 combined turnovers, including 27 by the Eagles.

Pottstown-63, Cedar Crest-54

The Falcons lost ten seniors to graduation from a team that won the Lancaster-Lebanon League championship a season ago. They led the Trojans 15-13 after the first quarter and 26-25 at halftime. Elias Butler, a 6’2 senior forward, came alive in the third quarter with nine points for Pottstown. It was even at 42-42 with eight minutes remaining. A three-point play by Yahsir Wood gave the Trojans a 49-44 edge early in the fourth quarter. The 6’5 senior center stuffed the boxscore with 16 points, 10 rebounds, and 5 blocks. Keeyon Jackson drilled a triple from the top of the key with two minutes left to put Pottstown in front 56-52. Butler knocked down a pair of free throws with 47 seconds to go for a 60-52 advantage. He provided a dozen points. Syncere Whitehurst added 13. Sophomore Jemar Pauleus led Cedar Crest with 24 points. The Falcons were 10-18 from the foul line and 4-19 from beyond the arc.

Riverside-57, Penncrest-51

The District 2-3A champions took on a Lions squad that went (24-5) last year and reached the PIAA-5A quarterfinals. Nico Antoniacci lived up to all of the hype. The 6’3 sophomore guard has offers from Marquette, Syracuse, and Penn State. He erupted for 53 points in Riverside’s 97-37 rout of Wyoming Valley West to begin the season. On Saturday afternoon, Antoniacci poured in 40 points while shooting 7-13 from 3-point range. He added nine rebounds and five steals in an electrifying performance. Antoniacci scored 25 points in the first half and showed off his tremendous range. The Vikings led 36-26 at the break. Their advantage grew to 42-28 early in the third quarter. Antoniacci splashed a trey from the top of the key to end the period and put Penncrest in a 49-40 hole. He opened the fourth quarter with another long ball from the left wing. His fast break layup gave Riverside a late 54-47 cushion. Brayden Rose, a 6’4 junior, contributed nine points. The (3-0) Vikings were 12-32 from beyond the arc, while the Lions went just 3-18. Penncrest also struggled at the charity stripe, going 6-14. Mikey Mita and Sean Benson ended up with 18 points apiece. Mita reached 1,000 career points on a tip-in with 2:15 left. The 6’7 senior forward is the sixth player in school history to hit the milestone. Mita, who’s committed to Carnegie Mellon, was a third team All-State selection last season.

Parkland-53, Berks Catholic-39

The District 11-6A champions squared off with the District 3-4A champs in the third contest on Saturday. The Saints scored the first eight points, but trailed 13-11 after the opening quarter. The Trojans used a balanced attack in the second period and outscored Berks Catholic 17-to-9. Six different players scored in that quarter for the Trojans. The Saints were down 39-29 after each team was limited to nine points in the third period. A three-point play by 6’3 senior guard Javian Porter made it 49-36 with 2:15 to go. Blake Nassry, a 6’4 junior, had a game-high 16 points. Porter finished with 14. Parkland went 10-12 from the foul line, while Berks Catholic was 7-11. Colgate commit Kingston McKoy led the (1-1) Saints with 15 points. Sophomore guard Carmelo Harper added 14, including 11 in the first half. Berks Catholic was without Jeremiah Camara and Gavin Welker due to injuries. The Saints hope to get Welker back on Monday when they host Wilson. The Trojans were missing football standout TJ Lawrence who’s injured. Ryan Kearney and Tyler Beck helped their cause with seven points apiece.

Exeter-66, Pottsgrove-39

The Falcons had a mark of (23-5) during the 2024-25 campaign. They came in third place in the District 1-5A tournament. Deymein Doctor was a key piece to the puzzle for Pottsgrove. However, the 6’5 senior guard suffered a serious knee injury during football season and won’t be able to play basketball this year. The Eagles knew they could take advantage of the Falcons’ undersized lineup. Braylon Reinert, a 225-pound TE/LB on the gridiron, piled up 19 points and 7 rebounds on Saturday night. “I challenged Braylon before the game to play confident and aggressive because we were going to make him a focal point of the offense. A lot of credit also goes to the four other guys with him who executed a game plan and made it a priority to get him the ball,” said head coach Jeff VanGorder. Reinert picked up two fouls in the first four minutes, but bounced back with eight points in the third quarter. “I’m very proud of how Braylon played,” added VanGorder. Exeter outscored Pottsgrove 18-to-8 in the second quarter and took a 29-20 lead into the locker room. The Falcons were held to 19 points in the second half. Dylan Donate led everyone with 20 points. The 6’ senior guard jammed eight points into the final eight minutes, including a pair of three-point plays. Jackson Kozik, a transfer from Berks Catholic, pitched in with eight points off the bench. The (2-0) Eagles won easily despite missing two starters. Aidan Dauble, their leading returning scorer, and Michael Fisher didn’t play due to injuries. Each team only connected three times from 3-point range. Jayden Ware’s trey put Exeter on top 42-31 with 1:25 left in the third quarter. Greg Rosenberger had a team-high 15 points and 7 rebounds for Pottsgrove. Bryce Phillips provided a dozen points before fouling out.

Wilson-69, Abington-57

The Bulldogs got off to a hot start and led 19-6 after the opening quarter. Peter Kelfala provided eight of those early points. The senior forward racked up 22 points, 12 rebounds, and 6 blocks against the Galloping Ghosts. “Peter matured and grew as a player in front of our eyes. He worked extremely hard in the offseason. I can’t wait to see him continue to improve as he gains more game experience,” said head coach Matt Coldren. Abington committed eight turnovers in the first eight minutes. Junior guard Xander Grasty kept them in it with 14 points in the first half. Correll Akings, the lone returning starter for Wilson, drilled a three-pointer early in the second period for a 26-13 cushion. The defending BCIAA champions were in front 33-21 at halftime. The Bulldogs attempted 19 free throws in the first 16 minutes. Meanwhile, the Galloping Ghosts didn’t get to the foul line once in the first half. Abington began the third quarter with a 12-to-2 run. After Coldren used a timeout, sophomore point guard Nechar Mercado drained a 3-pointer from the right wing to make it 38-33. Akings hit another triple with two minutes remaining in the period for a 46-38 edge. The (2-1) Galloping Ghosts were behind 48-42 entering the fourth quarter. They missed five of their first eight free throw attempts in the final period. With just under five minutes to play, Akings buried a 3-pointer from the top of the key. Mike Glover followed with a layup to extend Wilson’s lead to 58-46. Kelfala’s dunk put the Bulldogs up 62-52. Wilson was 8-9 from the charity stripe in the fourth quarter and 22-32 overall. Abington went 9-14 from the foul line and 6-17 from beyond the arc. Grasty piled up 32 points. Senior guards Faizon Garland and Kyler Pickron added nine points apiece. The (1-1) Bulldogs got 20 points from their bench, including seven from junior guard Jayden Lockhart. Akings ended up with 14 points. Wilson was 7-18 from long range.

Brown’s performance wasn’t the only positive news for #7 seed Exeter. Riley Martinez, a three-year starter, was back at quarterback. The 6’4, 205-pound senior returned faster than expected from a shoulder injury that he suffered in Week 2 at Boyertown. Martinez was 8-of-13 for 73 yards and a touchdown on a windy night in Reiffton. He was picked off by junior Tyler Newman on the opening drive. However, that didn’t slow down the (9-2) Eagles. Brown raced down the right sideline for a 44-yard score with 5:33 left in the first quarter. On the ensuing kickoff, Elan Goeke fumbled without being hit. Braylon Reinert scooped up the loose ball and rumbled 27 yards for a touchdown. On third-and-14 late in the second quarter, Martinez found tight end Aidan Dauble for a first down at the 20-yard line. Martinez then hit Jayden Ware over the middle. The 6’2, 160-pound senior receiver broke a tackle and scooted down the left sideline for a 19-yard touchdown. Exeter was on top 21-0 at halftime.

Brown broke free up the middle for a 52-yard score with 8:37 left. Lower Dauphin trailed 28-0 and was in the uncomfortable position of having to throw the ball. During the regular season, the Falcons had just two touchdown passes and six interceptions. They were only averaging 69.2 passing yards per game. Lower Dauphin prefers to rely on Hunter Strohm between the tackles. The 6’2, 215-pound senior entered the night with 1,308 rushing yards and 23 TD on 200 carries. Strohm is a standout catcher who’s committed to Mississippi State for baseball. The Falcons’ offense was limited to 155 total yards by the Eagles. Lower Dauphin committed four turnovers including a 38-yard pick-6 by Reinert with 6:35 remaining. Defensive end Jackson Kozik, a transfer from Berks Catholic, hit Newman as he was attempting to throw. The pass went into Reinert’s chest and the 6’4, 225-pound junior linebacker ended up with his second touchdown of the evening. Donovyn Alvarez, a junior linebacker, came up with another interception on the next possession. Ware also had a pick for an Exeter defense that’s only allowing 9.8 points per game. Ware chipped in on offense with five receptions for 48 yards.

The Eagles finished with 344 total yards. As usual, Brown gave credit to the offensive line which consists of Kevin Oswalt, Matt Lis, Joel Ummarino, Andre Osborne, and Wyatt Richard from left to right. “Their size, their focus, their concentration, and the little details at practice really makes them who they are. They work so well together,” explained Brown. Oswalt, Richard, and Lis will return next season. Ummarino, the 273-pound center, and Osborne are seniors. Dauble is also a key blocker in the rushing attack at 6’4 and 215 pounds.

Exeter heads back to Conestoga Valley next Friday in the District 3-5A quarterfinals. The (10-0) Buckskins beat the Eagles 21-17 in Week 9. Conestoga Valley rallied from a 17-7 deficit with three minutes to go. “It was a real heartbreaker. We’re so determined to make that right,” stated Brown.