game – Berks Sports Report

Jack Gabel-West Lawn Owls

Paul Roberts — Wed, 16 Jul 2025 13:59:18 +0000

West Lawn entered Tuesday needing two wins to capture the Berks County Legion League championship. Pitching has carried the Owls all season, and it didn’t let them down with the title on the line. West Lawn allowed just two runs over fourteen innings to sweep a doubleheader with Exeter. “Steve Carroll, our pitching coach, has put a plan in place all year. Our pitching has been outstanding all year. I can’t be more proud of Dylan because he went out there and set the tone,” said head coach Scott Spatz. Dylan Siwik fired a four-hitter with nine strikeouts and one walk in the first game. “He’s been battling arm injuries. He’s our guy. I consider him our ace. He pounds the zone,” stated shortstop Jack Gabel. The third-seeded Owls blanked the eighth-seeded Blue Jays 2-0 to force a second game in the double-elimination tournament at Owls Field.

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.

Travis Jenkins-Gov. Mifflin

Paul Roberts — Tue, 03 Jun 2025 03:45:57 +0000

Survive and advance. That’s what playing in the state tournament is all about. There is no consolation bracket. There aren’t any third and fifth place games. It’s win or go home. Gov. Mifflin overcame some pitching issues and beat Perkiomen Valley 6-1 in the first round of the PIAA-6A playoffs. The District 3 champions jumped out to a 4-0 lead in the 1st inning. After an error and a walk, Travis Jenkins ripped a two-run double to right-center. The Canisius commit and All-State catcher said it’s important to strike first in the postseason. “You don’t want to feel like you’re playing from behind at all. You know teams are gonna be tough, teams are gonna battle. You can’t take an out off,” he replied. Jenkins went 3-for-4 on Monday afternoon in Shillington. The senior catcher was a home run shy of the cycle. Matt Koehler made it 3-0 with a RBI groundout to shortstop. Billy Angstadt knocked in another run with a single to center. Mikey Strechay needed 39 pitches to get through the opening frame. The senior righty entered the day with a (5-2) record and 1.35 ERA. The Vikings finished sixth in the District 1 tournament after winning the PAC title. Strechay allowed six runs, four earned, on six hits over just 1.1 innings against the (26-1) Mustangs. Bryce Detwiler started the bottom of the 2nd with a triple to right-center. The UConn commit scored on a groundout by Branson Adams. Jenkins then hammered a triple to right field which ended Strechay’s outing. Nick Cress took over on the hill for the (17-9) Vikings. Ethan Grim hit a hard ground ball to Liam McNeill at third base. His throw to home plate hit courtesy runner Nick Montgomery in the back. Gov. Mifflin had quickly built a 6-0 cushion. Grim (8-0) felt some tightness in his arm which prompted head coach Chris Hole to turn to Evan Glucksnis. Grim, who’s headed to Virginia Tech, gave up one hit and a walk in two innings. He struck out three. Glucksnis went 1.2 innings before he was also taken out due to arm tightness. Hole expects both pitchers to be fine moving forward. Glucksnis was given credit for the win after not permitting a run. The junior got a pair of strikeouts and limited Perkiomen Valley to one hit. Aden Reiter entered with runners on first and second and two outs in the 4th. The 5’5 junior got Chris Allen to ground out to third to end the threat. Reiter had only pitched a few innings all season. “Aden came in and shut the door. We knew he could pitch, but we never knew it would be in this spot…We needed people to step up in roles and they obviously did,” noted Jenkins. Reiter provided 2.1 innings of relief. He limited the Vikings to one run on two hits. They got on the scoreboard in the 5th thanks to a RBI single down the third base line by Washington College commit Andrew Keenan. He came into the week with a .361 batting average, seven doubles, and three homers. Perkiomen Valley left two runners on base in the 5th. RJ Weaver was called upon in the 7th for the Mustangs. The junior gave up one hit and a walk before sealing the deal. Aidan Autovino, a Mount St. Mary’s commit, had three of the Vikings’ five hits. They committed two errors. Gov. Mifflin racked up ten hits. Eight different Mustangs had at least one hit. They will meet District 11 runner-up Liberty in the state quarterfinals on Thursday. Gov. Mifflin won the PIAA-5A title last year. The Mustangs have claimed BCIAA and District 3 championships this spring. They’re still looking for more. “We all came back with the same mentality. We want to win all three [titles] this year,” stated Jenkins.

Ethan Grim-Gov. Mifflin

Paul Roberts — Wed, 28 May 2025 16:29:45 +0000

Ethan Grim mentioned after the District 3-6A championship that he wasn’t at his best on Monday night at Penn Medicine Park. “I was kind of feeling weak because of the sun hitting me weird. I was trying to drink a lot of water. I wasn’t feeling myself,” he noted. That’s a scary thought because the Virginia Tech commit was still able to throw a five-hitter with 13 strikeouts. Gov. Mifflin beat Cedar Cliff 6-1 for its first District 3 title. The top-seeded Mustangs improved to (25-1). Grim held the third-seeded Colts to five hits and one walk. Their lone run came in the 7th on a bloop RBI single by Will Kocher. “I didn’t have my best fastball so I was kind of relying on my off-speed [pitches],” explained Grim. The 6’1, 195-pound senior fired a 93 mph fastball in the final inning. He reached 300 career strikeouts and went 2-for-3 at the plate. Grim (8-0) punched out five batters in the first two frames. Meanwhile, Cedar Cliff turned to senior catcher Bennett Secrest due to an injury to ace Peyton Price. The sophomore has 72 strikeouts and only five walks over 52.1 innings. Price (8-1, 0.80) has given up just 34 hits all season. Secrest did his best to keep the (17-6) Colts in the game. Dylan Barrett got Gov. Mifflin on the board with a RBI single to right field in the bottom of the 2nd. Grim ripped a two-out double down the third base line in the next inning. One run scored on the play, but Bryce Detwiler was thrown out at the plate. Secrest was charged with a pair of runs on five hits and a walk in three innings. Kaiden Alday took over on the mound in the 4th, however, he only recorded one out. Designated hitter Charlie Ainge made it 3-0 with a RBI single to right. Detwiler, who’s headed to UConn, knocked in another run with a groundout to shortstop. Alday allowed two runs on two hits and two walks. Matt Koehler delivered a RBI single to left in the 5th for a 5-0 cushion. The Juniata commit was 3-for-3 and scored twice. “He’s under recognized this year. We have dudes throughout the lineup,” stated Grim. Koehler is also an All-County basketball player. Sophomore Max Utsick gave up one run on three hits and a walk in one inning of relief. He was replaced by junior Michael Boblick. In the bottom of the 6th, Brandon Adams crushed a solo homer to right field for a 6-0 advantage. “That definitely went out of the stadium. Off the bat, I knew it was gone,” replied Grim. The Mustangs finished with eleven hits. Eight different batters had at least one hit. There were no errors in the game which lasted less than two hours. Gov. Mifflin has earned BCIAA and District 3 championships this spring. The Mustangs captured the PIAA-5A crown last season. The state tournament begins on Monday. “We were coming into this season wanting all three [titles]. It feels pretty good,” said Grim.

Donovan Gingrich-Tri-County All-Star Game

Paul Roberts — Sun, 25 May 2025 12:41:50 +0000

After getting blown out 35-0 last year, the Berks/Lebanon team was determined to have a better showing in the 23rd Tri-County All-Star Game. They jumped out to a 17-0 lead and were within three points with one minute remaining. The Lancaster squad prevailed 49-39 in a very entertaining contest at Manheim Central on Friday night. “We matched up pretty well. I think if we play ten times, it goes pretty evenly,” said Conrad Weiser quarterback Donovan Gingrich. The Bloomsburg commit finished 10-of-16 for 207 yards and three touchdowns. “Playing with people that I haven’t been able to play with, that are the best on their team, is pretty fun,” replied Gingrich. Wilson offensive lineman Derek Reiniger moved to running back in short yardage situations for Berks/Lebanon. He made the most of the opportunity with a pair of touchdown runs up the middle. Lancaster trailed 17-0 with 6:23 left in the second quarter. Caileb Howse from Lampeter-Strasburg scrambled six yards for a score to get them on the board with two minutes to go in the first half. After an interception by Warwick’s Quinn Care, Howse lofted a beautiful pass down the left sideline to his high school teammate Dom Brown. That 74-yard strike made it 17-14. Brown and Howse are both headed to Millersville University. Manheim Township quarterback Carson Weisser started the second half with a bang. He found McCaskey’s DeAndre Jones for a 80-yard touchdown and a 21-17 lead. Berks/Lebanon answered right back when Gingrich connected with Exeter’s Carter Redding down the right seam for a 64-yard score. “You’ve got weapons all over the field,” emphasized Gingrich. Redding racked up 170 yards on six receptions. The East Stroudsburg commit was named the MVP for Berks/Lebanon. Brown received that award for Lancaster. His 9-yard touchdown run put Lancaster back in front at 28-24 with 6:21 to play in the third quarter. Brown ended up with 98 yards on eight carries. Declan Clancy of Manheim Township rumbled for 87 yards on 13 carries. He’s also going to Bloomsburg. Weisser and Jones hooked up again for a 31-yard touchdown with 9:16 remaining. The pass was tipped at the 4-yard line, but Jones demonstrated outstanding concentration to bring it in. Berks/Lebanon pulled within 35-32 with 7:40 left. Gingrich rolled right and hit Exeter’s Genuine Stutzman for a 16-yard score. The 6’3, 220-pound TE/LB is another Bloomsburg recruit. After a long kickoff return, Howse threw a perfect fade to Hempfield’s Brayden Charles for a 21-yard touchdown. The 6’3, 205-pound target was named the Section 1 Wide Receiver of the Year last fall. Berks/Lebanon was down 42-32 with 7:16 to go. A fumble by Lancaster set them up with a short field at the 33-yard line. Gingrich zipped a 6-yard touchdown pass over the middle to Max Heffner of Daniel Boone with 1:37 left. However, Howse sealed the victory for Lancaster with a 44-yard touchdown run with 36 seconds to play. The L-S star had two scores through the air and two more on the ground. Howse passed for 135 yards and ran for 59. Weisser went 6-for-10 for 147 yards. Jones had a big night with five catches for 148 yards. Lancaster piled up 506 total yards, while Berks/Lebanon accumulated 446. Evan Myers, the son of head coach Brett Myers, was very efficient. The Kutztown commit was 7-of-8 for 156 yards. He’s the all-time passing leader at Twin Valley. Gingrich wrapped up a standout career at Conrad Weiser. The Scouts went (10-1) in 2024 and won the Section 3 championship. “It hurts that this is gonna be the last time playing with my friends, but I’ve got college to look forward to,” said Gingrich.

Zander Westwood-Wyomissing

Paul Roberts — Tue, 20 May 2025 14:53:02 +0000

When Wyomissing and Kutztown met in the regular season, the Cougars won 4-1. They squared off again in the District 3-3A quarterfinals, but this turned into a shootout. Monday’s game included 25 runs, 24 hits, and 19 runners left on base. When the dust cleared, the fourth-seeded Spartans defeated Kutztown 13-12 in eight innings. The fifth-seeded Cougars made it very interesting after they fell behind 11-0. “That game was a roller coaster. It kept going up and down. Kutztown battled back a lot. We just had to keep our heads up,” said Zander Westwood. The 6’2, 200-pound sophomore led off the bottom of the 8th with a triple. Dan Noey, a senior catcher, delivered a one-out single to left field to end the marathon. “I’m excited for him. He’s a really good kid. He’s done a lot for this team,” replied Westwood. Wyomissing was making its first appearance in the District 3 playoffs since 2021. The Cougars were the runner-up in Class 2A last year. The (15-7) Spartans erupted for five runs in the first frame. Birkley Ziegler’s single to center drove in sophomore Parker LaFerriere who started the inning with a double. Teddy White’s double down the left field line made it 2-0. Westwood hammered a three-run home run to right-center for a quick 5-0 advantage. It was the first homer of his career. “It was a big home run in a big time game. That let off a spark at the beginning of the game,” remarked Westwood. Lefty Ashton Dunn was only able to get one out. Colin Diehl, another southpaw, surrendered six more runs in the 2nd. He gave up four hits and walked five. White and LaFerriere each had two-run singles in the 2nd inning. Noah Rauenzahn helped himself with a RBI double down the right field line. The junior righty left the game after three innings with an apparent hamstring injury. Rauenzahn hadn’t allowed a hit. Wyomissing’s bullpen struggled to throw strikes. The Spartans issued a total of nine walks and hit four batters. Kutztown put up five runs in the 4th. Dunn and catcher Corey Gilbert provided RBI singles. Sophomore Elliot Knutsen was hit with the bases loaded. Chase Schuler, the No. 9 hitter, walked with the bases juiced. The (13-9) Cougars tacked on two runs in the 5th inning thanks to RBI singles by Dunn and Zane Cherrie. Kutztown pulled within 12-11 with four runs on just one hit in the top of the 6th. Dunn got down a perfect bunt to knock in one run. Chris Bergstrom and Knutsen chipped in with RBI groundouts. Schuler grounded out to second base with men on second and third to end the inning. The Cougars were down to their final out when Bergstrom hit a RBI single through the left side to tie it at 12-12 in the top of the 7th. “Some teams just don’t battle back. They kept battling, kept working hard. They executed on small ball,” noted Westwood. The sophomore, who’s a FB/LB on the football team, came through with a triple to left field in the 8th. That set the stage for Noey who was mobbed by his teammates after a walk-off single to left. Chase Bailey earned the win in relief. The junior limited Kutztown to one run on three hits and two walks over 2.2 innings. His was the fifth pitcher used by first-year head coach Nick Wojciechowski. Knutsen did an outstanding job of keeping the Cougars in the game. The young right-hander was charged with two runs on seven hits in 5.2 innings. He finished with six strikeouts and a walk. Tim Mertz ends his 25th season at the helm with 375 career wins, the most in school history. Dunn had three hits for Kutztown. He scored three runs and drove in three more. The Cougars didn’t commit an error, however, they left eleven runners on base. Wyomissing piled up 15 hits, three coming from Ziegler. Westwood, White, LaFerriere, and Ryan Graham had two hits apiece. Westwood and White each had 3 RBI. The Spartans travel to top-seeded Bermudian Springs on Thursday at 4:30pm. “They’re going to be a tough challenge. We have to go execute against them,” said Westwood.

Tri-County All-Star Game

Paul Roberts — Thu, 01 May 2025 21:58:14 +0000

The Tri-County All-Star Football Game will be held later this month. The top seniors from the Lancaster-Lebanon League will square off on Friday, May 23rd at 7pm. The game will take place at Manheim Central’s Elden Rettew Stadium. The Lancaster team rolled over the Berks/Lebanon squad 35-0 last year. Zac Hahn of Manheim Central threw for 135 yards and a pair of touchdowns. He was named the MVP. Bode Sipel, Hahn’s high school teammate, caught a 9-yard TD pass and returned an interception 86 yards for another score. This year’s game is expected to be more competitive. Here’s a look at the rosters.

Berks/Lebanon Team:

0-Genuine Stutzman (Exeter)

1-Bryce Gumby (Berks Catholic)

2-Justin Kaplan (Palmyra)

3-Dequan Small (Muhlenberg)

5-Carter Redding (Exeter)

6-Devyn Sutton (Berks Catholic)

7-Brendan Ryan (Northern Lebanon)

9-Donovan Gingrich (Conrad Weiser)

10-Evan Myers (Twin Valley)

11-Max Heffner (Daniel Boone)

12-Logan Nawrocki (Schuylkill Valley)

13-Bryce Keller (Annville-Cleona)

14-Evan Johnson (Twin Valley)

15-Brendan Yagle (Twin Valley)

16-Alex Malone (Conrad Weiser)

17-Evan Rittle (Conrad Weiser)

18-Casey Gerhart (Exeter)

19-Riley Messinger (Northern Lebanon)

20-Kai Rivera (Lebanon)

21-Ashton Kiebach (Conrad Weiser)

25-Luke Spotts (Schuylkill Valley)

26-Cooper Hohenadel (Schuylkill Valley)

33-Brady Stoops (ELCO)

35-Matt Knight (Twin Valley)

41-Jonathan Shay (Annville-Cleona)

50-Anthony Geloso (Wilson)

51-Derek Reiniger (Wilson)

52-Aris Drake (Twin Valley)

54-Malacai Victa (Annville-Cleona)

55-Brayden Malloy (ELCO)

56-Kenly Rivera (Reading)

57-Eli Thompson (Northern Lebanon)

60-Kaleb Holl (Conrad Weiser)

70-Ayden Jimenez (Wyomissing)

76-Samson Evans (Muhlenberg)

Lancaster Team:

0-Declan Clancy (Manheim Township)

1-DeAndre Jones (McCaskey)

2-Isaiah Sensenig (Conestoga Valley)

3-Chase Gerz (Donegal)

4-Quinn Care (Warwick)

5-Danny Weichler (Lampeter-Strasburg)

6-Jackson Shelby (Warwick)

7-Dominic Brown (Lampeter-Strasburg)

8-Emory Fluhr (Lampeter-Strasburg)

9-Brodie Daugherty (Manheim Central)

10-Lex Huberbosch (Manheim Township)

11-Carson Weisser (Manheim Township)

12-Brayden Charles (Hempfield)

13-Caileb Howse (Lampeter-Strasburg)

14-Dominic Pugh (Ephrata)

15-Jack Warfel (Penn Manor)

16-Loudon Rupp (Columbia)

17-John Morales (Manheim Township)

18-Asher Cook (Manheim Central)

19-Josh Myer (Cocalico)

20-Chandler Stoltfus (Octorara)

21-Jayden Johnson (Conestoga Valley)

22-Brayden Eppinette (Cocalico)

28-Trenton Hoober (Garden Spot)

33-Austin Kurtz (Octorara)

34-Seth Morgan (Conestoga Valley)

42-Zion Rolon (Manheim Central)

50-Jason Dougherty (Manheim Central)

51-Thomas Capizzi (Manheim Township)

53-Owen Marks (Manheim Township)

54-Joseph Murry (Solanco)

55-Justin Corson (Conestoga Valley)

60-Tom Dattoli (Cocalico)

61-Tal Stoltzfus (Conestoga Valley)

62-Matthew Neumann (Penn Manor)

63-Jeremiah Garber (Pequea Valley)

65-Cullen Witner (Garden Spot)

66-Riley Yencha (Elizabethtown)

71-Tommy O’Neill (Garden Spot)

72-Hunter Garber (Manheim Central)

76-Spencer McClintock (Manheim Township)

Snip Esterly-Berks Catholic

Paul Roberts — Fri, 28 Mar 2025 12:41:48 +0000

For 24 minutes, Berks Catholic stayed right with one of the top teams in the mighty Philadelphia Catholic League. The Saints trailed Devon Prep 38-36 entering the fourth quarter of the PIAA-4A championship on Thursday night at the Giant Center. Then Berks Catholic got cold, ice cold. The District 3 champions were 1-of-12 from the field and 0-for-6 from beyond the arc over the final eight minutes. The Tide outscored the Saints 17-3 in the fourth quarter for a 55-39 victory. “It wasn’t our night offensively. We had some good looks, but we turned the ball over way too many times. You can’t do that against a team like that,” said longtime head coach Snip Esterly. Berks Catholic shot 33% overall and finished 6-of-24 from long range. The (25-6) Saints committed 14 turnovers in their first appearance in the state finals. They went scoreless for nearly six minutes in the final period. While a lot of the pregame talk surrounded Devon Prep’s frontcourt of 6’7 Reece Craft and 6’5 Zane Conlon, the Tide’s backcourt was the difference. Mason Thear, a 6’ senior who averaged 11 ppg., scored a game-high 17 points. Thear sank three of his five 3-point attempts and added seven rebounds. Calvin Smith, a 6’3 sharpshooter, provided 13 points and hit three triples. Devon Prep shot 43% from the field and went 6-for-15 from downtown. The Tide rattled off the first twelve points of the fourth quarter. Thear drilled a trey from the top of the key and Smith followed with a 3-pointer from the left wing. They gave Devon Prep a 46-36 advantage with 4:49 remaining. Conlon, who’s older brother Joey played at Berks Catholic, provided nine points. Craft and Shane Doyle chipped in with eight points apiece. Doyle also contributed defensively with four steals. The 6’3 senior guard has strong ties to Berks County. His mother graduated from Central Catholic and his father attended Holy Name. Doyle’s grandparents also went to Central Catholic and his cousin, Matt Ashcroft, helped the Cardinals win a PIAA title in 2007. The (23-4) Tide earned their third state crown in four years. They claimed Class 3A championships in 2022 and 2024. Kingston McKoy led the Saints with 16 points and a dozen rebounds. The All-State guard buried a 3-pointer from the top of the key and scored in transition in the last 35 seconds of the second quarter. The 6’2 junior pulled Berks Catholic within 28-25 at halftime. “We just can’t rely on Kingston. We gotta make sure we get more scoring,” noted Esterly. He mentioned that Devon Prep’s balanced offensive attack was the difference. The Tide were in front 18-10 after the opening quarter. They ended up 9-of-11 from the free throw line, while the Saints went 1-for-2. Carmelo Harper, a promising freshman guard, had nine points off Berks Catholic’s bench. Zach Suski, the lone senior in their starting lineup, scored five points. “Zach made himself a nice little player. I can’t say enough about Zach. He played his heart out all year,” emphasized Esterly. After losing four starters from a season ago, the Saints won their sixth District 3 title and reached uncharted territory in the PIAA tournament. “They gave us a nice ride. It was a privilege to be able to coach these young guys. They’re pretty special,” remarked Esterly.

Saints are going against the Tide

Paul Roberts — Wed, 26 Mar 2025 14:25:57 +0000

The Berks Catholic boys basketball team will try to make history on Thursday night at the Giant Center in Hershey. In the 14th season since Holy Name and Central Catholic merged, the Saints have advanced to the state championship game for the first time. They will take on Devon Prep, the top seed from District 12, at 8pm in the PIAA-4A Final.

Over his 36 years as a head coach, Snip Esterly has always made defense a priority and this year’s squad is no different. Berks Catholic is allowing just 45.4 points per game during the District 3 and PIAA playoffs. The (25-5) Saints have won seven straight games since falling to Reading 48-41 in the BCIAA semifinals at Santander Arena. Berks Catholic rallied from a five point deficit in the fourth quarter to top North Catholic 67-59 last Friday in the semifinals. The Saints held the Trojans to eight points over the final six and a-half minutes. Berks Catholic got past Scranton Prep 51-47 in the second round before defeating Sharon 67-58 in the quarterfinals. This is the Saints’ 11th appearance in the PIAA tournament. They’re (9-10) overall in the state playoffs. Esterly guided Central Catholic to a state title in 2007. He has 840 career wins and 15 District 3 championships on his resume. The Saints hammered Eastern York 67-44 in the District 3-4A Final one month ago.

Berks Catholic is led by 6’2 junior guard Kingston McKoy. He was a third team All-State selection a season ago. McKoy is providing 21.6 ppg., along with a team-high 61 triples. After pouring in 24 points against North Catholic, McKoy is up to 1,039 for his career. He’s also an elite defender. Zach Suski, the Saints’ quarterback in the fall, is averaging 13 ppg. with 31 treys. Carmelo Harper and Bryce Gumby have come up big off the bench this postseason. Harper, a soft-spoken 5’10 freshman, scored 17 points in the state quarterfinals versus Sharon. He followed up that performance with 13 points in the semifinals. Gumby set a career-high with 19 points in the thrilling victory over North Catholic. Eleven of his points came in the fourth quarter. Berks Catholic remains without 6’2 junior forward Gavin Welker. He’s ineligible after transferring from Daniel Boone.

The Saints’ frontcourt will be tested by Devon Prep. Reece Craft is putting up 16 points and 7 rebounds a night. The 6’7 Swarthmore College commit was a third team All-State pick in Class 3A last year. Zane Conlon was chosen for the first team. The 6’5 senior is contributing 16 points and 9 rebounds per game this season. He’s headed to Southeastern University, a NAIA school in Florida. Conlon is very familiar with Berks Catholic’s program. His older brother, Joey, played for the Saints. Craft and Conlon combined for 51 points in their 64-44 semifinal win over Valley View. The Tide’s closest game in the state tournament came in the opening round when they eliminated Bishop McDevitt 77-63. They blew out District 1 champ Bishop Shanahan 64-40 in the quarterfinals. Mason Thear (11 ppg.) and Calvin Smith (10 ppg.) are part of an offensive attack that averages 65 points per contest. Smith is their top threat from beyond the arc.

Shane Doyle, a 6’3 senior, has a wealth of connections to the Reading area. His mom and grandparents attended Central Catholic. His father, Jim, is a Holy Name graduate. Doyle’s cousins, Matt and Justin Ashcroft, both played for Coach Esterly at Central Catholic. Matt was a key piece of the Cardinals’ 2007 state championship team. He later served as an assistant under Esterly before becoming the head coach at Exeter. Doyle dishes out six assists per game to go along with nine points.

The top five scorers for Devon Prep are all seniors. This is a very experienced group. The Tide claimed PIAA-3A crowns in 2022 and 2024. They knocked off Franklin Area 60-56 in last year’s state final. Jason Fisher was named the Coach of the Year in Class 3A a season ago. He was an outstanding player at the University of Scranton, scoring more than 1,500 career points. Devon Prep is (27-15) all-time in the PIAA playoffs. The Tide have a (22-4) mark this year. Two of those losses were at the hands of Roman Catholic, a state finalist in Class 6A.

Exeter falls to Hershey in District 3 Final

Paul Roberts — Sat, 01 Mar 2025 22:42:49 +0000

Exeter limited Hershey to seven points in the first quarter of the District 3-5A championship on Friday night. However, the eighth-seeded Eagles couldn’t slow down the second-seeded Trojans over the final 24 minutes at the Giant Center. Hershey defeated Exeter 69-49 for its third District 3 title overall and first since 1974. The (15-12) Eagles were in front 11-7 after the opening quarter. They were outscored 20-to-4 in the second period. The (22-3) Trojans trailed 15-12 before rattling off 15 straight points. “We turned the ball over more in the second quarter and allowed them to get out in transition. They also did a good job on the offensive glass getting second chance opportunities,” explained Exeter coach Jeff VanGorder. The Eagles committed eight turnovers in the second period. Aidan Dauble and Brady Murray were scoreless in the first half. They average 16 and 13 points per game respectively. Cameron Sweeney, a 6’3 junior guard, jammed nine points into the second quarter. “He’s elite in transition and a very good offensive rebounder. He cuts so well off the ball even in transition. I thought in the half-court we did a very good job on him, but he got us in transition and on the offensive glass,” said VanGorder. Sweeney finished with 28 points including eleven in the fourth quarter. Jayden Ware hit a triple from the left corner to pull Exeter within 44-32 with ten seconds remaining in the third period. The 6’1 junior had a team-high 17 points. Grant Later came off the Trojans’ bench and drilled a 3-pointer from the left wing. On their next possession, Sweeney converted a three-point play to give Hershey a 55-37 cushion with 5:15 to play. James Campbell came alive in the third quarter and ended up with a dozen points. The 6’6 senior guard is committed to Case Western Reserve in Cleveland. Jack Zakovitch provided a spark off the pine with ten points. The Trojans went 6-of-10 from the foul line, while the Eagles were 12-of-23. Each team made three 3-pointers. Paul Blackburn earned his 434th career victory, perhaps none bigger than this one. Blackburn is in his 27th year as a head coach. He’s spent fifteen years at Hershey. Dauble chipped in with eight points for Exeter. Murray and Carter Redding, both seniors, had six points apiece. The Eagles beat Middletown and York Suburban in overtime to reach the District 3-5A Final. “Very proud of the guys for not only this playoff run, but the entire season so far. We played a tough schedule that was more of a 6A type schedule. I believed we were a top team in 5A all season long and they went out and proved it,” noted VanGorder. Exeter will now prepare for the state tournament which begins on Friday, March 7th. “They have represented the school and community in the very best ways possible. I’m excited for them to host a state playoff game,” replied VanGorder.

Luke Levan-Wilson

Paul Roberts — Sat, 15 Feb 2025 16:48:09 +0000

We’ve often heard that defense wins championships. Matt Coldren has preached about the importance of defense over his 24 years as Wilson’s head coach. He learned that approach from the legendary Reggie Weiss who won 362 games with the Bulldogs. Wilson allowed ten points or less in three quarters of a 55-39 victory over Reading in the BCIAA Championship on Friday night. Luke Levan stuffed the stat sheet with 15 points, 14 rebounds and six blocks in front of 1,800 fans at Santander Arena. “When we have good defense, it sets up our offense. We gotta keep that going in District’s,” said Levan. The 6’6 senior provided nine points in the fourth quarter, and made it difficult for the fourth-seeded Red Knights to finish in the lane. Reading had won nine of its previous ten contests. All-County guard Madyx Gruber poured in a game-high 23 points. “He’s incredible, he’s a really good player. I’m excited to see where he goes after this,” remarked Levan. Gruber made two of his team’s four 3-pointers. The 5’11 senior was 9-of-12 from the foul line with five rebounds and four steals. The second-seeded Bulldogs attempted just two free throws before the fourth quarter. They ended up 17-of-24 from the stripe. Wilson only committed ten turnovers. “In a game like this, the refs aren’t gonna call as many fouls which makes it even harder. They’re a really good pressuring team. I thought we did a really good job beating the pressure and playing strong,” noted Levan. The (20-5) Bulldogs earned their second straight Berks County title and fourth in six years. Levan was asked where this one ranks among the best performances of his career. “I think it’s gotta be up there. I gotta say thanks to all my teammates for getting me the ball and trusting me,” he replied. The (13-12) Red Knights saw their season come to an end. They trailed 9-8 after the opening quarter and 20-15 at halftime. Wilson began the second half with a 10-to-2 run. Tommy McFadden hit a triple from the left corner and scored on a fast break. Six of his eight points came in that period. Much like the second half of the season, Reading wouldn’t go away. The Red Knights battled back with nine consecutive points. Weshly Rosario fired a sweet pass to Xavier Beatty for a layup with 1:24 left in the third quarter. After a timeout, Gruber answered with a deep trey from the left wing for a 33-26 lead. Jeremiah Camara banked in a 3-pointer from the top of the key with 35 seconds to go. Reading was within 33-29 entering the final period. Camara and Jostin DeCastro, both sophomore guards, had ten points apiece. The Bulldogs were in front 41-35 with just over three minutes to play. They went on a pivotal 9-to-2 run to put the game on ice. Levan had a pair of layups during that stretch. Camara was called for a personal foul and then a technical foul after pushing a Wilson player with 56 seconds left. Gruber made three of his four free throw attempts for a 50-37 cushion. Rosario, who averaged nearly 13 ppg., was limited to five points. The Red Knights were 5-of-13 from the foul line and connected just twice from beyond the arc. They were searching for their 26th BCIAA championship. Meanwhile, Coldren improved his overall record to (428-202). The former All-County guard for the Bulldogs has guided them to six Berks County titles. Wilson has eight seniors on its roster including four in the starting lineup. The Bulldogs will host #12 seed Cedar Crest in the first round of the District 3-6A playoffs on Tuesday. “I’m excited for Cedar Crest because they kicked us out last year,” stated Levan.