muhlenberg – Berks Sports Report https://berkssportsreport.com Paul Roberts Sat, 21 Dec 2024 05:48:19 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.7.1 Zach Suski-Berks Catholic https://berkssportsreport.com/zach-suski-berks-catholic/ Sat, 21 Dec 2024 05:44:50 +0000 https://berkssportsreport.com/?p=4651 Zach Suski was disappointed with how he played last week. The 6’ senior at Berks Catholic has bounced back in a big way. Suski scored 20 points in a 73-52 win at Reading on Tuesday. He topped that performance by pouring in a career-high 34 points against Muhlenberg on Friday night. The Saints held off the Muhls 65-61 at Lloyd Wolf Gymnasium. “I don’t really know what to say. I’m just happy how I played,” replied Suski. He knocked down two of Berks Catholic’s six 3-pointers and went 6-for-6 from the free throw line. Suski, who’s the quarterback of the Saints’ football team, came into the night averaging 10 points per game. He had 18 in the first half versus Muhlenberg. Berks Catholic raced out to a 14-4 advantage. Brady Altimar drilled a 40-foot shot at the buzzer to make it 19-7 after the opening quarter. Suski provided seven points in the first eight minutes. The (6-1) Saints expanded their cushion to 28-11 in the second period. They didn’t commit a single turnover over the first ten minutes and were in front 32-22 at halftime. The Muhls didn’t go down quietly. Senior guards Jayden Kantner and Shermar Killen combined for 15 points in the third quarter. Killen picked up two fouls in the first six minutes and then got his third foul with 1:09 remaining in the second quarter. The All-County pick was limited to two points in the first half, but finished with 14. Kantner ended up with a team-high 26 points. He attacked the basket repeatedly and was 10-of-11 from the foul line. Muhlenberg, which has played just one home game this season, trailed 49-42 after the third quarter. Kingston McKoy started the final period with a trey. The highly-touted 6’2 junior guard provided Berks Catholic with 16 points. Altimar chipped in with eight points. A fast break layup by Killen pulled the (6-3) Muhls within 56-53 with 3:45 left. Suski responded with a three-point play after getting a pass from McKoy in transition. McKoy was a third team All-State selection in Class 4A a season ago. “Everyone focuses on him, sometimes double-team him. I’m just right there for the layup,” explained Suski. Kantner sank a pair of free throws with two minutes to play, but Suski converted another layup for a 61-57 edge. An inside basket by junior forward Michael Miller made it 63-61 in the final minute. On the ensuing possession, McKoy broke Muhlenberg’s press and fired a diagonal pass from half-court to Suski for a layup. That shot came with 30 seconds left and ended the scoring. The Saints were 10-of-12 from the charity stripe, while the Muhls went 12-of-14. “It’s tough. Every game is gonna be a good game. Every game you gotta play like a playoff game,” said Suski about moving up from Division 2 to Division 1 of the Berks Conference. He added, “The atmosphere is way better than last year. The season has been fun so far.” Scoring 54 total points in back-to-back games is also fun.

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Shermar Killen-Muhlenberg https://berkssportsreport.com/shermar-killen-muhlenberg/ Fri, 13 Dec 2024 15:36:45 +0000 https://berkssportsreport.com/?p=4636 Shermar Killen was motivated by Tuesday’s loss at Gov. Mifflin. The 6’2 senior guard was limited to three points in the second half as Muhlenberg fell 77-73 to the Mustangs. Killen wasn’t going to let that happen again on Thursday night in front of a sold-out crowd in Laureldale. He erupted for 28 points in an intense 70-58 victory over Reading. “It’s a rivalry game. My coaches always tell me they need me. My teammates tell me they need me. I just want to be the best I can be for them,” he said. Killen is a physical guard who loves to attack the basket. He was 10-for-10 from the free throw line. “The kid took a lot of pride in the offseason in the weight room and conditioning…We rode his back and he delivered,” replied head coach Matt Flowers. Killen’s career-high of 29 points came against the same opponent in the same gym on January 9th. The Muhls beat Reading 87-74 in double overtime on that night. This one wasn’t as close, although the Red Knights were on fire early. They raced out to a 19-7 advantage on Jostin DeCastro’s three-point play with 2:42 left in the opening quarter. The 6’2 sophomore guard jammed all 17 of his points into the first half, including 13 in the first period. Reading was in front 28-18 after eight minutes and 37-22 midway through the second quarter. Killen, an All-County selection last season, scored nine points in the second quarter and brought Muhlenberg within 37-34 at halftime. During the break, the Muhls discussed their defensive game plan and made a key adjustment. “We figured it out. We were playing a little too close to them so they were able to blow by us,” explained Killen. Muhlenberg backed off slightly and the (1-4) Red Knights managed just 21 points in the second half. They didn’t make any 3-point shots. The (5-2) Muhls outscored them 21-10 in the third quarter. Killen provided ten points in that period. Muhlenberg took its first lead with 4:45 remaining in the third quarter on a layup by talented 6’3 sophomore Eli Hemmings. Reading was scoreless for the first three minutes and ten seconds of the fourth quarter. The Red Knights fell behind 59-47. Weshly Rosario finished with 14 points and sophomore guard Jeremiah Camara added a dozen. Reading committed 18 turnovers, while the Muhls only had nine. Senior guard Jayden Kantner contributed ten points for Muhlenberg. Hemmings and sophomore guard LJ Armstrong chipped in with eight points apiece. The Muhls were 17-of-24 from the foul line. Jadin Perez, the son of current Muhlenberg assistant coach Rick Perez, came off the bench and hit two of his team’s three triples. The Red Knights ended up 14-of-16 from the charity stripe, but they only made three field goals in the final period. Meanwhile, Killen has big expectations for the Muhls after going (16-12) a season ago. “I feel like we’re gonna make a long county [playoff] run, a long district run, and a long state run,” he said.

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“Roberts Rankings”-Football https://berkssportsreport.com/roberts-rankings-football-56/ Tue, 08 Oct 2024 14:41:39 +0000 https://berkssportsreport.com/?p=4477 Once again, the top five teams in my poll won last week. Those squads have a combined record of (33-2)! Gov. Mifflin gave unbeaten Conestoga Valley a battle. The Mustangs stay at #6 after a tough 28-21 loss. Honestly, I’m not sure which team to put at #8. I settled on Muhlenberg after Cameron Small set a school record with 346 rushing yards at Exeter. The Muhls were within 27-22 of the Eagles late in the second quarter. Hamburg dropped out of my rankings following a 24-17 loss at Pequea Valley.

Exeter takes on Hempfield this week at Don Thomas Stadium. The Eagles will be without quarterback Riley Martinez. The 6’3 junior suffered a leg injury against Muhlenberg and is expected to miss 3-4 weeks. Martinez has completed 69% of his passes with 14 touchdowns and just one interception. Hopefully, he has a speedy recovery. The (3-4) Black Knights fell at Wilson 38-14 last Friday.

The Bulldogs meet Penn Manor at Millersville University in Week 8. Wilson is (33-0) all-time versus the Comets. Penn Manor has one win so far in 2024.

I’ll be back in Elverson this Friday for an epic Section 4 battle between Twin Valley and Wyomissing. These are two of the top Class 4A teams in Pennsylvania. The Raiders have outscored their opponents 342-40 this year. The Spartans only blemish was in Week 2 against the Haverford School.

Conrad Weiser squares off with Warwick in Robesonia on Friday. The (4-3) Warriors have won four of their last five contests. They’ve allowed just 73 points all season. The Scouts are off to their best start since 2011. Nick Schoener was the starting quarterback that year. He’s now the QB coach at Conrad Weiser.

Gov. Mifflin entertains Lebanon in Shillington. The Cedars’ losing streak is up to 39 games. Mustangs’ fullback Grady Garner surpassed 1,000 rushing yards for the season last week. The 200-pound senior has 15 touchdown runs in seven games.

Schuylkill Valley travels up Route 61 to “Hawk Hill” for the 50th edition of the Frost Bowl. The rivalry is even at (24-24-1). The Panthers stand alone atop the Section 5 standings after winning four in a row.

Muhlenberg is on the road again this Friday. The Muhls face Ephrata. After reaching the District 3-5A championship game last fall, the Mounts sit at (3-4) this year.

Without further ado, here is my Berks County high school football poll. Remember that no matter where your favorite team is ranked, the sun will come out tomorrow!

“The Great 8”

1.Exeter (7-0)

2.Wilson (6-1)

3.Twin Valley (7-0)

4.Wyomissing (6-1)

5.Conrad Weiser (7-0)

6.Gov. Mifflin (3-4)

7.Schuylkill Valley (5-2)

8.Muhlenberg (3-4)

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Troy Godinet-Reading https://berkssportsreport.com/troy-godinet-reading-2/ Sat, 31 Aug 2024 06:17:16 +0000 https://berkssportsreport.com/?p=4405 It may not have been pretty, but the “Battle of the Border” trophy is staying at Reading High. The (1-1) Red Knights defeated rival Muhlenberg 34-20 at Shirk Stadium. “We’re still working on building the culture here, but these kids have worked extremely hard. I’m proud of them. I love them,” said head coach Troy Godinet. The former All-County linebacker at Reading saw his defense allow just six points in the second half. The (1-1) Muhls failed to score on their final four possessions. Each team committed three turnovers and more than ten penalties. Gabriel Laws provided the first and last touchdowns of the night. His 12-yard run off the left side capped a 55-yard drive and put the Red Knights on top 7-0 just three minutes into the contest. Laws, a 210-pound senior linebacker, powered his way into the end zone from two yards out with 11:22 remaining. That touchdown gave Reading a 14-point cushion. “He is the emotional leader of this team. That kid has worked his tail off…He’s one of the reasons I applied for this job,” stated Godinet. Laws finished with 69 yards on ten carries. Kayson Fritz was nearly perfect through the air. The 6’1, 200-pound senior went 11-of-12 for 126 yards. Fritz also ran for 111 yards on 16 carries. After a 31-yard completion down the left sideline to 6’2 senior Xavier Beatty, Fritz ran seven yards for a score and a 14-6 edge in the second quarter. An interception by senior cornerback Alexis Alvarado set up the Red Knights at Muhlenberg’s 25-yard line. Fritz found Jared Santos over the middle for a 24-yard touchdown with 23 seconds to go before halftime. Santos, a 5’10 senior, made a terrific leaping grab for a 21-14 lead. Reading opened the second half by marching 66 yards in just five plays. A 1-yard score by Alvarado made it 27-14. He had 68 yards on 13 carries. “He’s just a competitive kid. He’s gonna bounce back. He’s battled a tremendous amount of adversity over this past year. He’s a great kid,” replied Godinet. The Red Knights outgained the Muhls 392-to-306. Reading transfer Cameron Small grinded out 170 yards and 3TD on 29 carries. Small, a 182-pound junior, sprinted 16 yards up the middle for a touchdown with 7:38 left in the third quarter. That pulled the Muhls within 27-20. Head coach Rob Flowers turned to freshman quarterback Adriel Baez in the fourth period. Starting QB Christian Coley ended up 8-of-18 for 63 yards and a pick. Baez was intercepted by Jeremiah Camara midway through the final quarter. The Red Knights have won three straight in the series with Muhlenberg. “It’s a great rivalry. The kids know each other. The communities come out,” said Godinet.

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Brian Kopetsky-Muhlenberg https://berkssportsreport.com/brian-kopetsky-muhlenberg-5/ Sat, 18 May 2024 15:23:00 +0000 https://berkssportsreport.com/?p=4244 Muhlenberg and Manheim Central are very familiar with each other. They’ve met in the District 3 playoffs three times in the past four years. They also squared off in the 2024 season opener with the Barons winning 4-3. Brian Kopetsky, who’s in his 25th year as the Muhls’ head coach, expected a tight game and that’s exactly what he got. Eli Keller sprinted home with the winning run on a wild pitch in the 9th for a 6-5 victory. “Keller is one of our best baserunners, he’s aggressive. There was no hesitation, there was no flinch. He was gone as soon as he saw the ball hit the dirt,” noted Kopetsky. Muhlenberg advanced to the District 3-5A quarterfinals at second-seeded Mechanicsburg on Monday at 4:30pm. Manheim Central finished (13-9). The seventh-seeded Muhls scored three runs on three hits and an error in the second frame. Sophomore Gavin Moody hit a sacrifice fly to right field. Lincoln High and Cam Burr followed with RBI singles. Burr, a two-time All-County selection, got the start on the mound. The Kutztown University commit allowed a three-run homer to left by Mount St. Mary’s commit Nolan Book in the 3rd. Muhlenberg responded with a pair of runs in the bottom half of the inning. Aaden Lopez crushed a RBI double to center. He stole third base and scored on a bunt by Josh Smeltzer with two outs. The tenth-seeded Barons got one run back on a two-out error by High at third base. A sacrifice fly by sophomore catcher Carter Kyle tied it at 5-5 in the 6th. Smeltzer tossed three scoreless innings of relief. The senior southpaw gave up just one hit with two strikeouts. “His fastball has a lot of tail on it…You get a lot of fly balls out of Smeltzer,” said Kopetsky. Book walked Keller and Shane Rosenberry to begin the bottom of the 9th. Those were the only free passes issued by Manheim Central’s four pitchers. Kevin Rodriguez hit a bloop single to load the bases with nobody out. Keller then raced home to end the tense first round matchup. Rodriguez, who missed about two weeks with a broken hand, had four of the Muhls’ twelve hits. Smeltzer and High contributed two hits apiece. Barons’ starter Chase Travitz was charged with five runs, three earned, on six hits over three innings. Kyle Mylin fired 2.1 innings of shutout relief and Trevor Lowe got two key outs in the 6th. Book took over on the hill in the seventh frame. Muhlenberg got the leadoff hitter on base in the 7th and 8th innings, but couldn’t score. Book struck out three. Burr allowed five runs, four earned, on six hits over six innings. The Muhls’ seniors may have arrived at prom a little late on Friday, but they kept their season alive. “It does show a lot about their character that they’re willing to fight and battle all the way to the end,” stated Kopetsky.

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Cam Burr-Muhlenberg https://berkssportsreport.com/cam-burr-muhlenberg-2/ Tue, 30 Apr 2024 13:23:00 +0000 https://berkssportsreport.com/?p=4206 It doesn’t matter how many games you’ve seen, you never know exactly what will happen when you head to the ballpark. Wilson and Muhlenberg squared off in a key Division 1 battle on Monday night in Laureldale. The outcome wasn’t determined until Tuesday morning after the PIAA made an interpretation. Cam Burr was sent to the mound with a man on first base and nobody out in the top of the 7th inning. The Muhls were up 3-2. However, the All-County selection had thrown 90 pitches on Friday which requires three days of rest. Longtime Muhlenberg coach Brian Kopetsky said he simply got caught up in the emotion of the game. He had Burr intentionally walk Nick Fiorini and then brought in sophomore righty Cole Moody. Muhlenberg contacted the BCIAA after the game to explain what happened. The BCIAA notified the PIAA and a rules interpreter deemed that since Burr didn’t actually throw a pitch, there was no violation. An intentional walk doesn’t require a pitch to be thrown. Moody made a terrific sliding catch of Cooper Kennedy’s bunt. The 6’2, 200-pound sophomore then fired to second base for a pivotal double play. “Oh my God, talk about being an athlete there. I don’t know how much better you could draw that one up,” emphasized Burr. Moody ended the tense affair by striking out designated hitter Ben Kulp who had homered in the 2nd inning. The (11-5, 7-3) Muhls and the (11-6, 7-3) Bulldogs are tied for second place in the division. They’re one game behind Gov. Mifflin. Burr scored on a safety squeeze bunt by Gavin Moody in the bottom of the 1st inning. Matt VanOstenbridge put Wilson in front 2-1 in the 5th with a RBI single to right field. VanOstenbridge, who was coming off a no-hitter against Exeter, didn’t allow a hit through five frames on Monday. Sophomore Cooper Burr, Cam’s younger brother, got Muhlenberg’s first hit in the 6th inning. No. 9 hitter Anthony Cipolla followed with another single. Cam Burr, a Kutztown University commit, singled to right to even the score at 2-2. “He was throwing me a lot of off-speed, a lot of junk. It was definitely an approach to sit back and drive it the other way,” explained Burr. Gavin Moody knocked in Cipolla with a sacrifice fly to center to give Muhlenberg a 3-2 edge. The inning came to a close with Kaleb Mendoza getting thrown out at the plate on an attempted double steal. Christo Hunsicker started the 7th with a bloop single to center field. That’s when Burr replaced Ethan Weiler on the hill. Weiler (3-1) allowed ten hits, but just a pair of runs. The 6’2 junior struck out three and walked one. VanOstenbridge gave up three runs, two earned, on three hits and a walk. The Penn State commit had seven strikeouts. The southpaw entered the night with a (3-0) record and a 0.52 ERA. Fiorini and C.J. Fernandez had two hits apiece for Wilson. The Muhls rallied late after dropping three of their previous four contests. “It just shows our character and that we can get through anything as a team. We’re the comeback kids,” stated Burr.

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Matt Koehler-Gov. Mifflin https://berkssportsreport.com/matt-koehler-gov-mifflin/ Thu, 25 Apr 2024 12:03:00 +0000 https://berkssportsreport.com/?p=4196 Gov. Mifflin is one of the top teams in Berks County, as well as Class 5A in District 3. The Mustangs could be even better next year and that’s a scary thing to think about for their opponents. They had seven juniors in the starting lineup for the Berks High School Baseball Showcase at Owls Field. Gov. Mifflin cruised past Muhlenberg 10-0 in five innings on Wednesday night. Matt Koehler is part of that talented junior class. The 6’3 third baseman went 2-for-3 with 2RBI out of the No. 6 spot in the order. He crushed a double to left field in the 3rd to knock in a run and put the Mustangs up 6-0. “We were really motivated because they beat us on our field and they acted really excited,” said Koehler. The Muhls took the first matchup 4-3 in Shillington two weeks ago. This was a much different story. Bryce Detwiler went the distance and allowed just a pair of hits. The UConn commit struck out eight and walked two. “It’s not only what he shows on the field. He’s always hitting after practice. He never lets up,” remarked Koehler. Detwiler and Ethan Grim had two hits apiece. Travis Jenkins singled and was on base three times. Detwiler, Grim, and Jenkins are all juniors. Gov. Mifflin scored twice in the second inning on a RBI single by Koehler and a sacrifice fly from Bryce Wunderlich. The (11-2, 6-2) Mustangs blew it open with eight runs on eight hits in the third frame. Grim knocked in two runs with a couple of singles during the hit parade. Dylan Barrett, Joey Berg, and Detwiler provided RBI singles as well. Dante Casantini added a line drive RBI double down the right field line. Gov. Mifflin piled up a dozen hits from nine different players. Aaden Lopez was charged with four runs on one hit and four walks. The junior righty hit two batters over two innings. Lopez has issued 24 walks in 17 innings this season. Koehler noted that their game plan was to be patient at the plate. Cole Moody replaced Lopez with no outs and two runners on base in the top of the third. The sophomore gave up six runs on six hits while getting just one out. Muhlenberg is still in the race for the Division 1 title. The (9-4, 5-3) Muhls trail the Mustangs and Wilson by one game. Koehler, who led Gov. Mifflin’s basketball team with 11.5 ppg., knows that nothing has been settled. “It’s gonna be a tight race going to the end,” he stated.

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Gavin Moody-Muhlenberg https://berkssportsreport.com/gavin-moody-muhlenberg/ https://berkssportsreport.com/gavin-moody-muhlenberg/#comments Tue, 09 Apr 2024 09:48:00 +0000 https://berkssportsreport.com/?p=4168 The beauty of baseball is that there isn’t a time limit. Until the final out is recorded, anything can happen. Muhlenberg proved that on Monday night in Shillington with a dramatic 4-3 victory over Gov. Mifflin. Gavin Moody hit a two-run double to left-center with two outs in the top of the 7th. “I was sitting fastball the entire time, thinking I could drive it,” explained the sophomore outfielder. Kevin Rodriguez dove head-first into home plate with the go-ahead run. Ethan Weiler threw a complete game in his first varsity start. The 6’2 junior struck out Dante Casantini with runners on first and second to end it. “That was great, he shoved. They couldn’t touch him,” said Moody. Weiler gave up ten hits and four walks. He struck out five while keeping the Mustangs off-balance with changeups and curveballs. Weiler was effective without an overpowering fastball. Moody mentioned that Weiler reminds him of Dalton Follweiler, an All-County selection for the Muhls last year. Muhlenberg took a 2-1 lead in the 4th inning. Eli Keller ripped a RBI double down the third base line. The relay throw got away which allowed Keller to move up to third base. He scored on a sacrifice fly to left by Rodriguez. Gov. Mifflin responded with a pair of runs in the 6th inning. Nate Radwanski brought in courtesy runner Joe Kowalski with a sacrifice fly to center field. After an infield single by Joey Berg, Bryce Wunderlich came through with a two-out RBI double. Ethan Grim walked Keller to open the 7th frame. Rodriguez then hit a grounder to shortstop that looked like a routine double play ball, but the toss was dropped by Radwanski at second base. Grim struck out Aaden Lopez before reaching 100 pitches and being replaced by sophomore RJ Weaver. Assistant coaches from North Carolina and Pittsburgh were in attendance to see Grim. The hard-throwing junior held the Muhls to two hits with nine strikeouts and two walks. He was charged with four runs, but only one was earned. The (4-1) Mustangs committed three errors. Weaver struck out Josh Smeltzer before Moody delivered the clutch double. “The energy here was immaculate,” remarked Moody. Gov. Mifflin left nine men on base. Bryce Detwiler, Travis Jenkins, Grim, Berg, and Wunderlich each finished with two hits. Detwiler, a junior shortstop, is committed to UConn. Muhlenberg second baseman Cam Burr is headed to Kutztown University. He went 1-for-2 with a run. The (3-2) Muhls have another test on Tuesday when they visit Wilson.

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Reading Rolls into BCIAA Final-Boys Basketball https://berkssportsreport.com/reading-rolls-into-bciaa-final-boys-basketball/ Thu, 15 Feb 2024 01:18:00 +0000 https://berkssportsreport.com/?p=4051 Reading and Muhlenberg squared off for the third time this season in the BCIAA semifinals at Santander Arena. The second-seeded Red Knights and sixth-seeded Muhls split their regular season battles. Muhlenberg was trying to reach the Berks County championship game for the first time since 1974. Reading, however, pulled away in the second half for a convincing 69-47 victory. The (17-7) Red Knights had a 16-9 advantage after the opening quarter. They went scoreless for three and a-half minutes in the second period and the Muhls grabbed an 18-16 lead. Reading used a 19-to-5 run to go up 35-23 at halftime. Muhlenberg was down 49-34 entering the fourth quarter. Jeremiah Camara squeezed nine points into the final frame. The 5’9 freshman finished with a season-high 20 points. Camara went 9-for-11 from the foul line. Malik Osumanu also had a career night with 18 points. The lanky 6’5 senior was a force in the lane with six blocks. Yadiel Cruz piled up seven rejections as the Red Knights held the Muhls 16 points under their season average. Cruz, a 6’2 senior, chipped in with 15 points. Reading ended up 20-of-26 from the charity stripe, while Muhlenberg was 12-of-19. Junior guard Shermar Killen scored a team-high 15 points for the (14-9) Muhls. Jayden Kantner and Kyle Archie had nine points apiece. Alex Collado fouled out with just two points. The 6’2 senior guard was putting up 15 points a night. The Red Knights are riding a seven-game winning streak. They’re searching for their third straight Berks County title and 26th overall. Reading meets rival Wilson in the championship on Friday at 8pm.

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Nick Chapman-Reading https://berkssportsreport.com/nick-chapman-reading/ Wed, 07 Feb 2024 01:24:00 +0000 https://berkssportsreport.com/?p=4032 Nick Chapman suffered a broken orbital bone a couple of days after Christmas which caused him to miss eight games including Reading’s first matchup with Muhlenberg. The Red Knights fell 87-74 in double overtime on January 9th in Laureldale. Chapman waited nearly a month to get a shot at the Muhls and this time the Division 1 championship was up for grabs. The 5’10 senior had 18 points in a resounding 83-46 victory at the Geigle Complex. The gym was rocking on senior night. “Their energy feeds into us. That’s what makes us stay together,” said Chapman. He was emotional before the game and admitted to coming close to shedding a few tears. Chapman knows that his remaining home games are numbered. The Red Knights put on a show on Tuesday night. Yadiel Cruz finished with 26 points and eight rebounds. The 6’2 senior jammed nine points into the first eight minutes. “He works every day on and off the court. He’s a great role model,” remarked Chapman. Nico Sosa, a senior guard, drilled a 3-pointer at the buzzer to give Reading a 27-18 advantage after the opening quarter. The (15-7, 8-3) Red Knights hit four triples in the first period. They ended up 7-of-15 from beyond the arc and shot a blistering 65% from the field. Chapman only missed two of his eight field goal attempts. He was 6-for-9 from the free throw line. Reading’s defense was also superb. They held Muhlenberg 18 points below its season average. “Without defense there’s no offense,” stated Chapman. The (13-8, 7-4) Muhls were outscored 39-to-16 in the middle quarters. Kyle Archie had all eight of Muhlenberg’s points in the second period. They trailed 43-26 at the break. Weshly Rosario sank a trey from the top of the key with 1:10 remaining before halftime. The sophomore guard converted a putback before the horn. Rosario piled up ten points, seven rebounds, and seven assists. Sosa chipped in with nine points off the bench. The Red Knights are peaking at the right time. They’ve won eight of their last nine contests. Alex Collado led the Muhls with 15 points, but only six came after the first quarter. Archie and Jayden Kantner provided eleven points apiece. Muhlenberg went 12-of-17 from the foul line while Reading was 16-of-23. Ruben Rodriguez was back in the building to cheer on his former teammates. Rodriguez was named the Class 6A Player of the Year in Pennsylvania after helping the Red Knights capture their third state title a season ago. He’s now a freshman guard at Rider. Reading is searching for its 26th Berks County championship. The quarterfinals are set for next Monday. Chapman had a message for the rest of the teams in the BCIAA playoffs. “We’re coming for everybody,” he said.

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