Kutztown punter Logan Seip bobbled the snap on the opening possession. He was tackled immediately at the 10-yard line. Ryan Spatz went up the middle for a touchdown on Berks Catholic’s first offensive play. The 180-pound senior ended up with four carries for 21 yards. Spatz was also in on seven tackles at linebacker. The Cougars’ second drive lasted ten minutes and covered 59 yards, but didn’t translate into points. Myles Moriarty threw an incomplete pass on fourth-and-9 from the Saints’ 21-yard line. Moriarty, a 6’4 sophomore, was filling in for injured quarterback Athan Amato.

Coy Koller, Berks Catholic’s leading rusher, ripped off a 24-yard run on their second series. Freshman quarterback Kellen Bowman then lofted a long pass down the left sideline to Jayvien Martinez. Cornerback Hunter Amato had good coverage on the play. He tipped the pass off of Martinez’s helmet. The ball went up in the air and into the hands of Martinez for a 44-yard touchdown. “It’s a funny-shaped ball and sometimes you get a lucky bounce,” replied Stahler. The Saints were in front 14-0 with 10:13 left in the second quarter.

On the ensuing possession, All-State defensive end Faith Zudie blocked Ryan Walters’ punt and stumbled two yards into the end zone for a touchdown. The 6’3, 210-pound senior made it 21-0 with 7:46 remaining in the first half. Three minutes later, Walters found himself punting from his own goal line. The snap to him was high and to his right. Walters picked up the ball and was under heavy pressure again from Zudie. The punt went off the side of Walters’ foot and was scooped up by Jake Schmehl who went two yards for a touchdown. Berks Catholic had increased its margin to 27-0 with 4:41 to go before halftime.

Kutztown couldn’t corral the kickoff and the (3-4, 3-1) Saints recovered at the 28-yard line. That was one of four turnovers by the (2-5, 1-3) Cougars. It resulted in a 38-yard field goal from Alex Reali with 3:02 left in the half. On the following drive, Moriarty and Walters had trouble with the exchange. Berks Catholic pounced on the fumble and turned it into another score. Zudie took a sweep to the right and raced 27 yards for a touchdown. The Saints’ lead had ballooned to 37-0 with two minutes remaining in the second quarter. Martinez isn’t surprised at the success that Zudie is having this fall. “It starts from the weight room, it starts from the summer. He’s always working. He’s always being a leader. He’s always showing us how to get stuff done,” noted Martinez. The first half came to a close with Martinez making an interception.

Berks Catholic turned to its backups in the second half. Armani Arguinzoni broke free for a 63-yard TD run to begin the third quarter. The speedy 170-pound freshman added a 33-yard TD run with 23 seconds left in the third period. Arguinzoni put the Saints on top 51-0. Sophomore Amari Bridges-Weaver capped the scoring with a 31-yard TD run with 2:37 on the clock. Martinez, a 5’10 junior, was glad that the younger players got an opportunity to shine. “It’s really cool. Those kids are always on the scout [team]. They’re working at practice. They’re getting hit and they’re sacrificing their bodies for us to get better. I’m happy seeing them get in,” remarked Martinez.

Walters had piled up 1,220 rushing yards and 15 touchdowns in Kutztown’s first six games. The 6’, 180-pound junior is in pursuit of Calvin Laing’s school record of 1,589 yards which was set in 2005. Walters managed 69 yards on 19 carries at Berks Catholic. Moriarty ran the ball eleven times for just 16 yards out of the Power-T formation. He was 1-of-4 for 20 yards through the air. The Cougars ran 25 more plays than the Saints, but were outgained 309-to-161. Zudie and safety Mason Mace had eight tackles apiece. “All we had to worry about was the run and our [defensive] line and our linebackers took care of that,” said Martinez.

The Saints were the District 3-3A runner-up last year. Only four teams qualify for the Class 3A tournament this season. Berks Catholic moved up from #7 to #5 in the District 3 power rankings after defeating Kutztown. The Saints are behind Schuylkill Valley, Wyomissing, Hamburg, and Pequea Valley. Berks Catholic travels to Columbia next Friday.

Jalen Dupree of Penn Manor had 256 all-purpose yards, including 106 yards on the ground and 3 TD. He added five catches for another 99 yards. The senior safety also made six tackles.

Jayden Conaway from Conestoga Valley can do it all. He ran for three scores, caught a touchdown pass, and even threw a 62-yard TD pass. Conaway turned nine carries into 182 yards. The senior cornerback made a handful of tackles, including 2 TFL.

Twin Valley junior running back Maverik Foster finished with 173 yards and 4 TD on ten carries.

Jeremiah Zimmerman was all over the field for Garden Spot. In fact, he played every snap on offense and defense. Zimmerman returned kicks as well. The junior WR/DB reeled in eight passes for 177 yards and a pair of touchdowns. He came up with an interception on the final play to seal the win.

Conrad Weiser senior quarterback Connor Sellars ran 19 times for 129 yards and 2 TD. He was 6-of-7 for 76 yards and another touchdown through the air.

Kutztown’s Ryan Walters racked up 239 yards and 2 TD on 27 carries. The junior safety came up big on defense with five tackles and a 96-yard pick 6.

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

Penn Manor senior center Brady Evans received a high blocking grade in a 28-23 win over Hempfield.

Jonathon “Jon Jon” Serrano helped Conestoga Valley pile up 528 total yards. The senior G/LB also provided nine tackles, including seven solo stops.

Twin Valley offensive tackle Liam Sheehan had five pancake blocks. The 6’5, 270-pound senior is committed to Sacred Heart.

Ryan Kase of Conrad Weiser earned a 92% blocking grade. The senior guard finished with a trio of pancake blocks.

Faith Zudie from Berks Catholic made a dozen tackles. The senior defensive end was in on two goal-line stands in the last three minutes.

Kai Speaks of Cedar Crest returned a kickoff 95 yards to the house. The senior wide receiver had two catches for 106 yards and two touchdowns.

Ephrata linebacker Ben McCracken made nine combined tackles. The junior receiver added four catches for 38 yards and a score.

Lucas Myers from Twin Valley rumbled for 154 yards and 3 TD on just six carries. The Villanova commit and All-State linebacker provided eight tackles.

Kole Kupper of Conrad Weiser set a school record with six rushing touchdowns. The junior running back piled up 261 yards on the ground.

Northern Lebanon senior RB/S Brady Ryan finished with 311 total yards and 3 TD. He ran for 272 yards and contributed 11 total tackles.

Hamburg’s Isaac McFadden went 13-of-18 for 208 yards. The sophomore quarterback had four touchdowns through the air and another on the ground.

Ryan Walters from Kutztown racked up 328 yards and 5 TD on 18 carries. The junior safety also made six tackles, forced a fumble, and blocked an extra point.

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

Senior center Max Kolbrenner helped Manheim Township rush for more than 200 yards in a win over Central York. The linebacker was a force on defense as well with ten combined tackles.

Elizabethtown’s Noah Lloyd earned a 93% blocking grade and had a pair of pancake blocks. He added four tackles, including three tackles for loss.

Twin Valley senior TE/DE Andrew Cabigas provided three pancake blocks and led a defense that held Wyomissing to 2 yards per carry. Cabigas was in on four tackles.

Offensive tackle Westyn Ulrich of Conrad Weiser received a 93% blocking grade with two pancake blocks.

Ben Zellers from Pequea Valley made six tackles and 3.5 sacks. The sophomore FB/DE also blocked two punts and caught a touchdown pass.

At Kutztown High School, however, they still want to play the game in a phone booth. The Cougars are all about grinding out the tough yards between the tackles. “It works. We were one of the best offenses in the Lancaster-Lebanon League last year. We run our system well,” said running back Ryan Walters. In 2025, Kutztown became the first team in Berks County history with three 1,000-yard rushers. “It was definitely cool making history, and to experience something like that with the older guys,” replied Walters. The 5’11, 175-pound junior finished with 1,031 yards and 13 touchdowns on 137 carries. Mason Sherry had a team-high 1,351 yards on 168 touches. He was named a first team running back and linebacker in Section 5 of the L-L League. Fullback Ian Bahr added 1,008 yards and ten touchdowns on 153 carries. Sherry and Bahr left an impression on Walters before they graduated. “I definitely learned a lot. They pushed each other and they definitely pushed me,” emphasized Walters.

Athan Amato, a rising senior, returns for his second season at quarterback. “He knows our system very well,” noted Walters. Levi Martin, who’s entering his sophomore campaign, will take over at fullback. Hunter Amato, a junior halfback, joins them in the backfield this fall. Seniors Aiden Showers and Tallan Fitzsimmons will handle the tight end position. They’re two of the most physical players on the team. Fitzsimmons is back after suffering an injury a season ago. “Our tight ends are beasts,” said Walters. The Cougars had 37 players on their roster last year, up from just 31 in 2024.

Unfortunately, all of those rushing yards only translated into a pair of wins last fall. Kutztown tied for sixth place in Section 5 with a (1-6) record in league contests. The Cougars did knock off Pequea Valley 36-28 in their regular season finale. Walters, who also plays baseball, is hoping for significant improvement. “One of our goals this year is to go .500 or better because that would most likely get us into the playoffs,” said Walters. Kutztown has never qualified for the District 3 tournament. Larry Chester guided the Cougars to a school record six victories in 2004. Chester is in his second stint as Kutztown’s head coach. He’s preparing for his 13th season at the helm of the football program.

Muhlenberg was the last team standing from the BCIAA. The (18-9) Muhls caught fire after a (7-7) start to the season. They won their first District 3 championship since 2008 and fourth overall. Muhlenberg was the only school from Berks County to reach the PIAA playoffs. The Muhls fell to Owen J. Roberts 7-2 in the Class 6A quarterfinals at FirstEnergy Stadium. Cole Moody ended his campaign with a perfect (11-0) record and nine complete games.

Wilson earned its 14th BCIAA title with a 10-0 victory over Muhlenberg in six innings. West Chester commit Ben Kulp was voted the Berks County Player of the Year, while Bill Underwood took home Coach of the Year honors. The (17-7) Bulldogs were upset 3-1 by #13 seed Northeastern in the first round of the District 3-6A tournament. Freshman Pat Lengle demonstrated his potential with a .441 batting average. His older brother, Tim, hit .426 with a team-high 32 RBI.

Exeter suffered a pair of tough losses in the postseason. The (15-8) Eagles came up short against Wilson 1-0 in the BCIAA semifinals. Exeter was then tripped up at home 2-1 by #10 seed Spring Grove in the opening round of the District 3-5A playoffs. Jake Hafer was once again one of the toughest outs in the league. The East Stroudsburg commit hit .432 and led the Eagles with 27 runs.

Tom Frees returned to Berks Catholic and guided the Saints to the Division 3 crown. Berks Catholic lost to Exeter 7-5 in the county quarterfinals. The (15-7) Saints got doubled up at second-seeded Trinity 12-6 in the District 3-3A semifinals.

Oley Valley claimed the Division 4 championship. The (15-7) Lynx dropped a nailbiter to #7 seed Daniel Boone in the BCIAA quarterfinals. Oley Valley had a rough draw in the District 3-4A tournament. The Lynx were defeated by perennial power East Pennsboro 10-3 in the quarterfinals.

Kutztown advanced to the District 3-3A semifinals before running into top-seeded Bermudian Springs. The (14-9) Cougars lost 6-1 in their season finale. Kutztown was eliminated in the BCIAA quarterfinals 13-3 by #1 seed Wilson.

It was a much different year in Shillington. The Mustangs lost eight starters and five All-State picks from the 2025 squad. They were blanked 4-0 by third-seeded Muhlenberg in the Berks County quarterfinals. Gov. Mifflin barely missed out on the District 3-6A field. The (10-11) Mustangs ended up 15th in the power rankings and only 14 teams qualified.

Daniel Boone was in a similar boat. The (10-11) Blazers finished 15th in the District 3-5A power ratings and missed the cut by one spot. Muhlenberg shut out Daniel Boone 5-0 in the league semifinals. Sophomore Greyson Bell delivered as advertised. The 6’2, 185-pound southpaw was (6-1) with a 1.01 ERA. Bell limited opponents to only 12 hits over 41.2 innings. The top-rated lefty in the Class of 2028 piled up 75 strikeouts.

Wyomissing and Twin Valley had winning records and made it to the postseason. The (11-9) Spartans lost 6-1 at fourth-seeded Kutztown in the District 3-3A quarterfinals. The (12-9) Raiders fell 5-0 at #8 seed New Oxford in the first round of the District 3-5A tournament.

Hamburg went (12-8) this spring, but didn’t qualify for the playoffs. Isaak Stewart was selected to the All-County team. The junior hit .433 and pitched a team-high 46 innings with a 2.38 ERA.

Reading showed improvement and ended up with a mark of (9-11). The Red Knights knocked off Muhlenberg, Wilson, and Exeter. They also beat Berks Catholic twice. Janser Paredes had another outstanding season. The senior hit .462 and was voted onto the All-County team.

Kutztown struck first thanks to a two-out RBI single by Zane Cherrie in the bottom of the first. A second run scored on the play as the ball rolled past the right fielder. “It was a huge hit. It felt like a little bit of relief on our backs,” noted Bergstrom. Wyomissing had two men on base in the first and the fourth innings. Elliot Knutsen got out of both jams with strikeouts. The junior righty held the Spartans to three hits over four scoreless frames. “Elliot has been a huge piece all year. He’s been pitching and catching. I don’t know how he does it,” emphasized Bergstrom. Knutsen struck out three and walked four. “He does a very good job mixing pitches and keeping a batter off balance,” explained Mertz.

Bergstrom took over on the mound in the fifth. He struck out Zander Westwood with runners on first and second to get out of trouble. Sophomore Ryan Walters led off the bottom half of the inning with a single. After Chase Schuler was hit by a pitch, Bergstrom delivered a two-run single to center that made it 4-0. “I tend to overthink when I go up to the plate. Don’t think, just hit the ball hard somewhere,” said Bergstrom. Wyomissing loaded the bases with one out in the sixth. Bergstrom struck out Teddy White and Ryan Graham to avoid any damage. White and Graham hit .427 and .455 respectively this year. Graham, an Alvernia commit, went 2-for-4 on Monday.

The Cougars tacked on a pair of runs in the sixth. A RBI groundout to shortstop by Walters gave them a 5-0 cushion. Schuler followed with a two-out RBI single through the left side. The Spartans finally got on the scoreboard when Westwood hammered a solo homer to left in the seventh. It was the fourth home run of the season for the 6’3, 225-pound junior. Westwood is also a linebacker and fullback on the football team. Noah Rauenzahn was charged with three runs, one earned, on three hits in four innings. The Alvernia commit had five strikeouts and three walks. Chase Bailey gave up three runs, two earned, on three hits in two innings. He hit three batters and struck out two. Wyomissing committed a pair of errors, while Kutztown only made one.

The Cougars have won six District 3 championships. They’re (45-27) overall in the District 3 tournament. “Kutztown is a baseball town. I love it here. We play on this beautiful field and all of the community was out here. It’s great to play for Kutztown,” stated Bergstrom.