Muhls – Berks Sports Report

Eli Keller-Muhlenberg

Paul Roberts — Fri, 11 Apr 2025 14:42:52 +0000

Due to the weather forecast, Thursday’s baseball game between Wilson and Muhlenberg was changed from 7pm to 4:15pm. That turned out to be a great decision. The Bulldogs and Muhls kept going and going and going. “I don’t know if this thing is gonna end. We might be going to 10 o’clock…I think this is the longest game I ever played in. It was something else,” said Muhlenberg senior shortstop Eli Keller. The marathon Division 1 battle lasted 12 innings and just over four hours. Keller’s sacrifice fly to left field scored Gavin Moody in a 1-0 win at Laureldale. “Before I went up, Coach K looked at me and he said, ‘You’re built for this moment.’ I was looking for a fastball and he gave me a high inside fastball,” explained Keller. Brian Kopetsky picked up his 359th career victory over 26 seasons as the Muhls’ head coach. Moody, a junior center fielder, led off the bottom of the 12th by ripping a double to left-center. No. 9 hitter Kaleb Mendoza followed with a bunt that first baseman Ben Kulp opted to throw to third base. Moody retreated to second base which put two men on with nobody out. After the runners advanced on a wild pitch by Austin Snyder, Marvin Frias was intentionally walked to load the bases for Keller. “Stepping up in these big moments means everything to me,” he remarked. The throw from left field was high as Moody slid head-first into home plate with the lone run. The (5-4) Muhls snapped a three-game slide and ended Wilson’s three-game winning streak. Ryan Kemp, who had only pitched one-third of an inning all season, earned the win. The senior righty allowed four hits and a walk over three frames. “In such a big game and such a big moment, he definitely stepped up to the plate,” emphasized Keller. Kemp struck out three. He replaced Ethan Weiler, an All-Division selection last year. Weiler gave up six hits and a walk in six innings. Ryan Rosenberry got the start for Muhlenberg. The sophomore worked around two hits, three walks, and two hit batters. He had a pair of strikeouts over three frames. Jack Gabel tossed six shutout innings for the (6-3) Bulldogs. The junior used a sharp curveball and 83-85 mph fastball to strike out eight. He limited the Muhls to four hits with three walks. Snyder took the loss, but was terrific in relief on a cold and windy night. The senior allowed just two hits over 5.1 innings. He finished with five strikeouts. Both teams have struggled at times offensively. Muhlenberg entered the contest with a .229 team batting average, while Wilson was hitting .269. The Bulldogs had twice as many hits as the Muhls, twelve to six, but Wilson left a staggering twenty men on base. In the 4th, the Bulldogs had a man on third with one out and didn’t score. Muhlenberg left the bases juiced in the bottom half of that frame. In the top of the 9th, Tim Lengle lined out sharply to right field with two runners on to end the threat. Wilson had a golden opportunity in the top of the 11th with men on second and third and no outs. Once again, however, they couldn’t cash in. In the 12th, the Bulldogs put runners on second and third with one out. Kemp wiggled out of that jam too with a strikeout and a pop-up to third base. Junior catcher Gabe Spohn had three hits. Ryan Marmolejos, Alex Ernesto, Stanley Maoury, and Gabel added two hits apiece. Junior catcher Cooper Burr and Moody each had a pair of hits for the Muhls. “This was definitely a big stepping stone for us…This win will give us a lot of momentum and a lot of energy,” said Keller.

Weshly Rosario-Reading

Paul Roberts — Fri, 24 Jan 2025 14:44:39 +0000

Weshly Rosario is known for his great court vision and flashy passes. On Thursday evening, the 6’ junior guard decided to flip the script. “I changed today because they know I pass the basketball so I was looking more to score,” he explained. Rosario finished with a career-high 28 points in Reading’s 88-80 victory over Muhlenberg at the Geigle Complex. He had eleven points in the fourth quarter including two pivotal plays. With three and a-half minutes remaining, Rosario drilled a 3-pointer from the right corner to put the Red Knights on top 73-67. On their next possession, he converted a three-point play for a 76-67 advantage. Xavier Beatty provided the exclamation point with a one-handed dunk that sent the crowd into a frenzy. “Oh my God, that was crazy. That was amazing. I got excited,” said Rosario. Beatty, a 6’3 senior forward, contributed a dozen points off the bench. Reading raced out to a 7-0 lead. Blake Adams, a 6’9 junior transfer from Nativity, picked up two fouls in 90 seconds. However, the Red Knights were still in front 21-18 after the opening quarter. Adams was playing in just his fourth game after winning an appeal on his eligibility. The Muhls reeled off the last eight points of the first half and trimmed their deficit to 40-39 at the break. The offensive explosion continued in the second half. Reading had a 63-57 edge after the third quarter. A total of 48 points were scored in the final eight minutes. Michael Miller hit a triple with 5:45 left to bring Muhlenberg within 68-66. The 6’ junior forward made four of the Muhls’ eleven treys. Miller, who averages seven points, ended up with 14. All-County guard Shermar Killen dropped a team-high 23 points and LJ Armstrong added 18. Jayden Kantner was a spark off the bench with 15 points. Both teams were very good from the free throw line. Reading went 30-for-36, while Muhlenberg was 17-for-23. Rosario attacked the basket repeatedly and was rewarded. He shot 14-of-15 from the charity stripe. Rosario also sank both of the Red Knights’ 3-pointers. He was setting up his teammates as well. Rosario dished out nine assists. Reading prefers to create off the dribble than dial long distance. Sophomore guard Jostin DeCastro provided 20 points and senior Kahlil Samuel finished with 15. The (13-5, 5-4) Muhls saw their five-game winning streak come to an end. The (8-10, 4-4) Red Knights have won four in a row, including an impressive 44-41 victory over Central Dauphin on Saturday. After a tough start to the season, Reading is in desperation mode to qualify for the Berks County playoffs. The Red Knights have the lowest power ranking of the five teams in Division 1. They’re behind Wilson, Berks Catholic, Muhlenberg, and Gov. Mifflin with four games to go. Reading hasn’t missed the BCIAA tournament since 1997. “We talk about it every day. If we go to County’s, they better be ready because we’re coming for everybody,” stated Rosario.

Matt Flowers-Muhlenberg

Paul Roberts — Fri, 17 Jan 2025 17:13:41 +0000

Exeter put up 69 points in a 17-point win over Gov. Mifflin on Tuesday. The Eagles upset Berks Catholic last week at Lloyd Wolf Gymnasium. Muhlenberg head coach Matt Flowers knew he was facing a hot team on Thursday night in Reiffton. The Muhls’ pressure defense forced 19 turnovers in a 59-50 victory. “Everything was triggered by our uptempo pace on the defensive end. We weren’t fouling. We were playing team defense which is what we preach,” explained Flowers. The Eagles committed 13 turnovers in the first half and trailed 27-17 at the break. Eli Hemmings provided a spark in the third quarter with nine points. The 6’3 sophomore finished with 13 points and was a key figure on defense. “He’s one of our go-to guys and he’s been trending in the right direction. His shot wasn’t going down in the beginning of the season, but he put in more work and more work and now it’s going down,” said Flowers. Exeter was within 37-32 in the third period, but Muhlenberg closed the quarter on a 9-to-2 run. A three-point play by Shermar Killen made it 51-38 with 4:07 left. The All-County guard scored a game-high 22 points including eight in the fourth quarter. “He utilizes his body very well. He’s a rebounding machine. He can get downhill. He can knock down the 3. He’s a really good all-around player…and he took pride in the weight room,” stated Flowers. A layup by 6’4 sophomore Braylon Reinert brought the Eagles within 53-48 with 1:45 remaining. That basket capped a 10-to-2 run by Exeter and got the crowd back into the game. Jayden Ware’s layup made it 55-50 with 53 seconds to go. After Jayden Kantner went 1-for-2 from the free throw line, Ware’s pull-up jumper rattled out. Killen sank a pair of foul shots with 27 seconds to play to increase the Muhls’ advantage to 58-50. The (7-8, 4-2) Eagles committed their final turnover on the ensuing possession. Aidan Dauble came alive in the second half. The 6’2 junior jammed eleven of his eighteen points into the third quarter. Dauble was 9-for-15 from the free throw stripe. He worked tirelessly on the glass to get second chance opportunities. Exeter ended up 16-of-25 from the line, while Muhlenberg was 10-of-13. Brady Murray, a 6’2 senior guard, added 14 points and Reinert provided eight for the Eagles. Michael Miller contributed ten points to the (11-4, 4-3) Muhls. “He’s been Mr. Consistent all season. He does things that need to get done,” noted Flowers. Muhlenberg committed 13 of its 18 turnovers in the second half, but went 7-of-9 from the foul line in the fourth quarter to hold on. Jadin Perez came off the bench and hit two of the Muhls’ three triples in the first half. Murray drilled three of Exeter’s four 3-pointers. He has 46 treys this year. Carter Redding, who was averaging 10 ppg., batted foul trouble and was limited to one point. The Eagles remain atop the Division 2 standings. Muhlenberg is in a tight race in Division 1 with Wilson, Berks Catholic, and Gov. Mifflin. The Bulldogs are in first place with a (6-1) league record. “It’s wide open,” emphasized Flowers.

Zach Suski-Berks Catholic

Paul Roberts — Sat, 21 Dec 2024 05:44:50 +0000

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.

Shermar Killen-Muhlenberg

Paul Roberts — Fri, 13 Dec 2024 15:36:45 +0000

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.

Brian Kopetsky-Muhlenberg

Paul Roberts — Sat, 18 May 2024 15:23:00 +0000

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.

Cam Burr-Muhlenberg

Paul Roberts — Tue, 30 Apr 2024 13:23:00 +0000

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.

Gavin Moody-Muhlenberg

Paul Roberts — Tue, 09 Apr 2024 09:48:00 +0000

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.

Reading Rolls into BCIAA Final-Boys Basketball

Paul Roberts — Thu, 15 Feb 2024 01:18:00 +0000

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.

Nick Chapman-Reading

Paul Roberts — Wed, 07 Feb 2024 01:24:00 +0000

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.