Class 6A:

The Wilson boys fell at New Castle 68-38. The Bulldogs finished (17-11).

The Wilson girls defeated Conestoga 59-46 in West Lawn.

The Gov. Mifflin girls battled District 7 champion Canon-McMillan down to the wire, but the (18-9) Mustangs came up short 48-46.

Class 5A:

Exeter ran into a buzz saw at Chartiers Valley. The Colts went 15-of-28 from 3-point range. The (18-11) Eagles lost 66-42.

Class 4A:

Berks Catholic was upset by Carver High School of Engineering & Science 40-35 at Lloyd Wolf Gymnasium. The Saints end their season at (25-3).

Schuylkill Valley got tripped up by District 2 champion Scranton Prep 65-48. The (16-11) Panthers made their third appearance in the PIAA playoffs.

Wyomissing fell to Archbishop Carroll from the Philadelphia Catholic League 77-52. The Spartans finished (16-11).

Berks Catholic came out hot on Friday with four 3-pointers in the opening quarter. Kingston McKoy and Carmelo Harper hit back-to-back triples to put the Saints in front 16-10. Fareed Brown, a first team selection in the Public League, picked up two fouls in the first quarter and didn’t play the rest of the half. The 5’9 senior guard averages a team-high 13 points and four assists. Matt McField, another first team pick in the Public League, stepped up with Brown on the bench. The 6’ senior guard scored eight points in the first eight minutes and drilled two treys. However, the Engineers trailed 16-12 entering the second period.

Oye “Junior” Guilavogui splashed a 3-pointer from the right corner to make it 20-14. That was the only shot Berks Catholic made in the entire quarter. Carver E&S struggled on the offensive end as well. The Engineers outscored the Saints 6-4 in the period to pull within 20-18 at halftime. Brown connected on a jumper to begin the third quarter. A spin move by McKoy gave the Saints a 30-24 cushion with 2:20 left in the quarter. Berks Catholic was limited to five points over the final ten minutes. Samir Roberts-Mouzon came off the bench and nailed a triple from the right wing at the buzzer. His only field goal of the contest evened things up at 30-30.

A layup by Brown started the fourth quarter. His three-point play with 6:42 to go put Carver E&S on top 35-31. McKoy, a Colgate commit, threw down a breakaway dunk with just under four minutes left. That was the only shot the Saints made in the last quarter. Sahin Rodriguez, a 6’3 senior forward, went to work in the low post with 2:45 on the clock. His bucket provided the Engineers with a 37-33 edge. McKoy connected twice from the free throw line to make it 38-35 with 2:03 remaining. Roberts-Mouzon missed a pair of foul shots with 48 seconds to play. Carver E&S committed a turnover with 29 seconds left, but Berks Catholic didn’t take advantage. McKoy got trapped in the left corner which led to a steal by the Engineers. McField finished off a 2-on-1 fast break to ice it with four seconds on the clock.

The Saints were held 24 points below their season average of 59 ppg. “They really doubled Kingston. When we had some guys that were open, we just didn’t hit the shot,” explained Esterly. Berks Catholic connected seven times from long range, but just twice after halftime. Carver E&S made three 3-pointers and went 11-for-15 from the foul line. The Saints were 4-for-6 from the stripe. McKoy poured in a game-high 19 points. The two-time All-State guard wrapped up an outstanding career with 1,679 points. McKoy averaged 22 ppg. this year. Harper, a 6’1 sophomore, chipped in with nine points and Johnny Giesa had four. McField led the (21-6) Engineers with 14 points. Rodriguez added nine points and Brown had seven in limited minutes due to early foul trouble.

Berks Catholic ends its campaign with a mark of (25-3). The Saints, who reached the state final a season ago, saw their 19-game winning streak come to a halt. They did bring home BCIAA and District 3-4A championships this winter. “I’m so proud of them, the way they developed over the last two years. We just came up short tonight,” replied Esterly.

Wilson visits District 7 runner-up New Castle on Saturday at 1pm. The (17-10) Bulldogs are in the state bracket for the fifth time in the past eight years. They defeated Cedar Crest 48-36 to finish seventh in the District 3-6A field. Shippensburg football commit Correll Akings is averaging a team-high 11.5 points per game. The 5’9 guard is the only returning starter for Wilson. He reached 1,000 career points in a 50-45 loss at Red Lion in the District 3 quarterfinals. The (23-2) Hurricanes fell 52-51 to Upper St. Clair in the WPIAL Championship. Their only other loss was by two points against Pine-Richland on January 30th. “They’re probably the most well-rounded team that we have faced this season. They can play fast and be effective. They can also be effective in the half-court. When you have three guys that can score from all three levels, it makes them extremely hard to defend. We’re looking forward to the challenge,” replied Bulldogs’ coach Matt Coldren. He added that freshman Marino Graham is the best point guard that he’s seen this year. Graham is also the starting quarterback at New Castle. He threw for 1,425 yards and 18 touchdowns during the fall. Graham ran for another 856 yards and 11 TD.

Exeter is making its fifth consecutive trip to the PIAA tournament. The (18-10) Eagles earned the ninth and final berth from District 3. They won elimination games versus ELCO, Greencastle-Antrim, and Red Land. Aidan Dauble, a 1,000-point scorer and Shippensburg football commit, leads Exeter at 14.6 ppg. The 6’3, 215-pound senior is also an excellent rebounder. The Eagles have a balanced attack with Dylan Donate, Jayden Ware, and Braylon Reinert each providing 10-to-12 points a night. They head west to battle District 7-5A champion Chartiers Valley on Friday at 6pm. The (23-2) Colts ran over Thomas Jefferson 63-37 in the WPIAL Final. Luca Federico, a lean 6’5 sophomore, exploded for 31 points and eight boards. Moon and Fox Chapel are the only teams to beat Chartiers Valley this season. “Chartiers Valley is a very good, well-coached team. They have five guys in the lineup who can all shoot it and play hard defensively. We also have veteran players who have not only played in, but won games in the state tournament. I know they’re excited about the opportunity to compete against another good program on the western side of Pennsylvania,” noted Exeter coach Jeff VanGorder.

Wyomissing has advanced to the state playoffs for the first time since 2011. The (16-10) Spartans cruised by Oley Valley 67-44 in an elimination contest last week. Wyomissing ended up in fifth place in the District 3-4A tournament. Point guard Dom Arguelles is putting up 17.8 ppg. this year. The All-County selection loves to attack the basket. Sophomore Brady Eisenhower gives the Spartans a threat from beyond the arc. He’s connected 36 times from long range. Daniel Moyer, a 6’ senior forward, is averaging 13.3 points. Wyomissing travels to Radnor on Friday to take on Archbishop Carroll from the mighty Philadelphia Catholic League. They will get underway at 7pm. Don’t be fooled by the Patriots’ record of (14-10). They’ve faced an extremely challenging schedule. “They’re a very good team from one of the top leagues in the state. We look forward to playing them,” stated Spartans’ second-year coach Konlan Krick. Archbishop Carroll knocked off PCL champion Father Judge, Neumann-Goretti, and Bonner-Prendergast in January. Father Judge won the PIAA-6A title a season ago. Neumann-Goretti has claimed ten state crowns in its history. The Patriots had three players named to the second team in the PCL this year in Nasir Ralls, Ian Williams, and sophomore Yasir Turner.

Schuylkill Valley is making its third appearance in the state bracket. Despite losing its top three scorers to graduation, the (16-10) Panthers reached the District 3-4A semifinals for the first time in 22 years. They took third place with a 60-52 victory over Big Spring. Schuylkill Valley has a balanced squad with no one averaging more than 11 points per game. Josiah Urbaez and Alex Aletras have been sparks off the bench. Logan Cammauf, an All-State linebacker, provides some muscle and 10 ppg. The Panthers hit the road on Friday to square off with Scranton Prep at 7pm. The (20-5) Cavaliers took down Dallas 68-52 in the District 2-4A Championship. Sophomore guard Chicky Skoff poured in 28 points and hit three triples. Scranton Prep brought home its eighth District title since 2017. The Cavaliers allowed just 14 points in the second half. “Prep has multiple guards who can shoot consistently from the perimeter and score putting the ball on the floor. Their defensive ball pressure causes turnovers and they’re really strong scoring in transition,” explained Schuylkill Valley coach Taylor Grim. The Cavaliers dropped a nailbiter to Berks Catholic 51-47 in the second round of last year’s PIAA-4A tournament.

Speaking of Berks Catholic, the Saints meet a familiar foe at Lloyd Wolf Gymnasium on Friday at 6pm. They battle Carver High School of Engineering & Science from Philadelphia. Berks Catholic beat the Engineers 53-49 in its season opener at the CoBL Winter Showcase at Exeter. The Saints trailed by five points at halftime. Kingston McKoy took over with 28 points and four 3-pointers. Fareed Brown had a team-high 17 points for Carver E&S. The 5’9 senior averages nearly 14 points and 4 assists. Matt McField (13 ppg.) and Billy Henighan (12 ppg.) are also capable scorers for the Engineers. Carver E&S forfeited its Public League quarterfinal against Constitution due to an altercation. The (20-6) Engineers were up twelve points with one minute remaining when one of their players was pushed. His teammates left the bench and fans came on the court. Carver E&S was ruled eligible for the PIAA tournament and was given the fifth and final seed in District 12-4A. Meanwhile, Berks Catholic outlasted Reading and then Bishop McDevitt in the BCIAA and District 3-4A Finals. Both of those instant classics went to overtime. “I think it builds so much confidence in these guys. We never think we’re out of it,” remarked longtime coach Snip Esterly. He’s (52-30) all-time in the PIAA playoffs. Esterly has 865 career victories over 37 years. The Saints lost to Devon Prep 55-39 in the state championship game a season ago. Berks Catholic is making its 12th appearance in the PIAA tournament.

Harper, Kingston McKoy, Brady Altimar, and Gavin Welker each knocked down a 3-pointer to put Berks Catholic on top 16-0 after six minutes. Schuylkill Valley was scoreless until Zach Reeser hit a triple with a minute left in the opening quarter. Alex Aletras came off the Panthers’ bench and sank a trey from the left wing at the buzzer to make it 18-6. That shot ignited a 19-to-7 run for Schuylkill Valley. The (15-10) Panthers were making their second appearance in the District 3 semifinals and their first since 2004. They got hot from long range in the second quarter, drilling four 3-pointers. Aletras buried two more triples in that period. Reeser and Derek Grim also connected from downtown. The (24-2) Saints managed to stop the bleeding with the final five points of the half. McKoy found Johnny Giesa underneath the basket for a layup before the buzzer and a 30-22 advantage.

Welker made a trey from the left corner and then a layup to put Berks Catholic in front 39-25 with 4:40 remaining in the third quarter. The 6’3 senior forward finished with eight points. “He’s very important. He can shoot it,” noted Harper. Altimar drained another 3-pointer midway through the third period. After a turnover by Schuylkill Valley, Altimar fed McKoy for a layup and a 44-25 cushion. The Saints increased the margin to 50-26 entering the fourth quarter. Eight of McKoy’s 18 points came in the third period. The 6’4 senior guard is up to 1,625 career points. The Colgate commit was recently voted the BCIAA Player of the Year for the second consecutive season. “He’s a very poised player, he’s humble. Every practice, he’s pushing all of us. He just wants to win most importantly. He makes sure nobody is slacking,” explained Harper.

The Panthers were held to 13 points in the second half. All six of their 3-pointers came before halftime. “We were communicating more on defense. In the first half, we weren’t communicating so they were getting open 3s,” replied Harper. Aletras had a team-high eleven points and Reeser added ten. The junior guards combined for five triples. Berks Catholic made eight shots from beyond the arc. The Saints were 6-for-6 from the foul line, while Schuylkill Valley went 3-for-5. Harper provided 16 points. The 6’1 sophomore guard got off to a quick start with seven points in the first eight minutes. Giesa chipped in with eight points and Altimar had six.

These teams also met in the BCIAA quarterfinals with Berks Catholic prevailing 58-42. The Panthers will host Big Spring in the District 3-4A third place game on Thursday night. Meanwhile, the Saints square off with #2 seed Bishop McDevitt in the championship on Friday at 7pm at Garden Spot. Berks Catholic is the defending champion. The Saints are searching for their seventh District 3 title. The Crusaders are looking for their fifth crown and first since 2019.

Schuylkill Valley lost both of its regular season meetings with the Spartans by eight and eleven points respectively. The difference this time around was simple. “We made shots early. We got the same kind of shots that we got in the other games. We made baskets and then we didn’t have to spend the whole rest of the game trying to chip out from a big hole,” explained Grim. Alex Aletras came off the bench and provided a spark in the opening quarter with all six of his points. The 5’11 junior hit a triple from the right wing to put the fifth-seeded Panthers on top 15-8. They held a 15-12 advantage after eight minutes. Dom Arguelles and sophomore Brady Eisenhower combined for 15 of Wyomissing’s 16 points in the second quarter. The fourth-seeded Spartans trailed 29-28 at halftime.

A bucket by Daniel Moyer put Wyomissing in front 38-36 with three minutes left in the third period. That would be the final lead of the night for the (14-10) Spartans. Schuylkill Valley scored the next seven points, including a 3-pointer by Ervin Ortiz. The (15-9) Panthers had a 44-40 edge entering the fourth quarter.

A fast break layup by Ortiz made it 53-44 with just under five minutes to go. The 5’8 junior then found Josiah Urbaez for a layup and a 55-46 lead midway through the quarter. Urbaez sank a pair of free throws to increase the margin to 57-48 with 2:23 on the clock. Another layup by Ortiz extended Schuylkill Valley’s cushion to 59-50 with two minutes left. Derek Grim, the coach’s son, went 2-for-2 at the foul line with 39 seconds to play. Wyomissing, which was down 61-52, committed a turnover on the ensuing possession. Grim, a senior guard, converted two more free throws to close it out. The Panthers finished 19-of-26 from the stripe, while the Spartans were 8-of-16. Wyomissing connected just twice from beyond the arc.

Four players ended up in double figures for Schuylkill Valley. “I’ve got easily seven guys that could be starters for us…That’s the strength of what we do. We’ve got guys that each night can put the ball in the basket. Somebody is not having a good night, somebody else steps up,” emphasized Taylor Grim. Ortiz and Urbaez provided 13 points apiece. Urbaez, a 6’ senior guard, came alive in the fourth quarter with eight points. “He’s been that for us all year. He gives us that punch coming off the bench. Defensively, he makes plays for us,” replied Grim. Seniors Tanner Staus and Derek Grim added eleven and ten points respectively. Arguelles, a senior point guard, had a game-high 18 points for the Spartans. Eisenhower chipped in with fourteen points and Moyer had eleven. Wyomissing was outscored 34-to-24 in the second half.

The Spartans have dropped four of their last five games. They host #8 seed Eastern York on Monday in an elimination game. The top five teams in the District 3-4A bracket qualify for the state tournament. Meanwhile, the Panthers have reached the District semifinals for just the second time in program history. They travel to top-seeded Berks Catholic on Tuesday. The (23-2) Saints defeated Schuylkill Valley 58-42 in the BCIAA quarterfinals on February 9th.

As expected, the (21-5) Wildcats were patient on offense in the opening quarter. Wilson had a 7-6 edge after eight minutes. Hardy found sophomore forward Jade Lee who finished a fast break with 5:48 left in the second quarter. Laila Jones followed with a 3-pointer from the left wing to put the Bulldogs in front 18-9 midway through the second period. Mechanicsburg responded with eight of the next ten points. Asha Pratt, a 5’10 junior, hit a triple from the top of the key with two and a-half minutes to go before halftime. The score remained 20-17 at the break.

Senior guard Alaina Sweet started the third quarter with a bucket, but Wilson answered with twelve consecutive points. Hardy converted back-to-back drives down the right side of the lane. Junior guard Ryan Leaman, a North Carolina lacrosse commit, drilled a trey from the right corner to end the pivotal run. Laura Crocona, who’s headed to Kutztown University for hoops, splashed a 3-pointer from the top of the arc to give the Bulldogs a 35-22 cushion with 57 seconds to play in the quarter. The Wildcats quickly found themselves in a 35-24 hole entertaining the final period.

Mia Masser buried a trey from the left corner with four and a-half minutes remaining to pull Mechanicsburg within 39-31. Crocona nailed a jumper from the right elbow on the ensuing possession to push the margin back to double digits. The 5’8 senior sank four straight free throws down the stretch. Eight of Crocona’s thirteen points came in the fourth quarter. Jones ended up with a game-high 14 points. The two-time All-County pick was responsible for two of Wilson’s four 3-pointers. Jones missed her entire junior season due to a torn ACL. “It’s like my partner in crime. I get to have her back again,” replied Hardy with a smile. Jones reached 1,000 career points one month ago. She will continue her basketball career at Penn State Harrisburg.

The (25-2) Bulldogs allowed just 16 points in the second half. Raquet discussed the keys on the defensive end. “Talk and give effort the whole possession. We knew we were gonna be in really long ones so you have to continue to communicate on all their screening action and the dribble drive stuff,” he said. Sweet led the Wildcats with nine points. Pratt and Maycee Yanoski chipped in with seven points apiece. Pratt made two of their six shots from long range. Mechanicsburg went 3-for-4 from the foul line, while Wilson was 12-for-13.

Hardy provided nine points. She has been a standout on the defensive end of the floor all year. In late January, Hardy got her first Division I offer from La Salle. “This is like a dream that I had. Being able to accomplish that feels amazing,” she remarked. Hardy is expecting more offers to come in the future. The Bulldogs are currently focused on a trip to York County on Monday. They will face top-seeded Red Lion at 7pm in the District 3-6A semifinals. Wilson is searching for its first District 3 title since 2014. Meanwhile, the Lions snuck past #8 seed Cedar Cliff 32-30 on Thursday night. Red Lion was the District 3-6A runner-up a season ago.

The Red Knights won at York 70-60 back on December 6th. The Bearcats came out with a much more aggressive mentality this time around. They pounded the offensive glass and held Reading scoreless for three minutes and fifteen seconds. A 3-pointer by Sincere Burgos made it 7-0 after two minutes. Justin Brown came off the bench and hit a triple from the left corner with five seconds left in the opening quarter. The Red Knights trailed 22-10 after eight minutes and point guard Weshly Rosario had picked up a pair of fouls. He’s the lone senior in Reading’s starting lineup. Meanwhile, six different players scored for York in the first quarter.

The Bearcats began the second period with a pivotal 16-to-6 run. Nasir Barnes made three free throws after getting fouled beyond the arc with five and a-half minutes remaining in the first half. The 6’1 junior point guard was just getting warmed up. He piled up 33 points and nine assists. Barnes is already the school’s all-time leading scorer with 1,614 career points. The smooth southpaw splashed a trey midway through the second quarter to give York a 33-16 advantage. A three-point play by Brown increased the margin to 38-16 with three minutes to go before halftime. The Red Knights closed out the half on a 13-to-2 run to finally gain some momentum. Javon Merriweather nailed a triple and Jostin DeCastro provided two three-point plays. DeCastro finished with a team-high 20 points before fouling out with 2:35 left. The 6’3 junior guard squeezed ten points into the third quarter. Reading was behind 40-29 at halftime.

A three-point play by Barnes put York in front 50-33 with 3:40 to play in the third period. The Red Knights responded with eight straight points. “A well-coached team, a lot of talented players, and we know Reading is gonna be tough and physical,” acknowledged Glover. The Bearcats maintained a 61-47 edge entering the fourth quarter. They missed their first four foul shots to start the period. Merriweather connected from long range to pull the Red Knights within 74-64 with 2:40 remaining. The 6’2 sophomore drained another trey from the left wing to make it 78-69 with two minutes on the clock. However, York sealed the deal with the final seven points including a 3-pointer from Barnes. He poured in 13 points over the last eight minutes. “Everyone knows he can score the basketball. I’ve challenged him to not just be the best scorer in District 3, be the best player. Be a leader, get other guys involved, and make sure we control the tempo,” remarked Glover.

When Barnes wasn’t scoring, he was getting into the lane and finding his teammates for easy buckets. He also spent a lot of time at the foul line, going a perfect 12-for-12. Brandon DeShields, a 6’6 senior, had 13 points. Yoziah Romero and Brown added ten points apiece. Dawone Hodges, a 6’3 senior, chipped in with eight points. The Bearcats went 24-of-31 from the stripe, while Reading was 20-of-26. York made seven 3-pointers, compared to just three for the Red Knights. Raybin Rubio provided a spark for Reading with a dozen points. The sophomore guard became a starter a few games ago. Rosario had ten points in his finale.

York clinched a berth in the state playoffs. The top eight teams in Class 6A advance to the PIAA tournament. Red Knights’ head coach Rick Perez will enter next season with 299 career wins. He’ll have a much more experienced squad next winter. DeCastro, Merriweather, Cameron “Bron Bron” Jones, Jamier Jacob, Rubio, and freshman Tai’je Slaughter will return. “This game has become much more than winning and losing to me. I fell short of being able to impose that on our guys and have them believe in that. That has always been the driving force to this program. I pray I can teach that, and show them that playing for something bigger than wins, losses and championships can take you further than you imagined. I will be better,” said Perez.

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

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

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

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

Crocona, who’s headed to Kutztown University, helped Wilson get off to a fast start. Two of her three 3-pointers came in the opening quarter. “I’ve obviously had some ups and downs with shooting this year, but tonight my shot felt really good. It felt good to see them go in,” said Crocona. The (13-11) Red Knights fell behind 19-10 after eight minutes. The Bulldogs began the second quarter with six straight points. The defending county champions were limited to five points in that period when they committed eight turnovers. Wilson was on top 29-15 at halftime and 42-25 entering the fourth quarter.

JilliAnn Laws, a 5’11 senior forward, made a layup with 2:23 left to pull Reading within 46-34. Following a bucket by Wilson’s Violet Houck, Xiani Beatty nailed a triple to make it 48-37 with 1:15 remaining. Junior guard Ryan Leaman converted three of four foul shots to seal it. The North Carolina lacrosse commit finished with a dozen points. Kailani Hardy added eleven points and Houck had six. Hardy, a 5’10 junior guard, picked up an offer from La Salle late last month. Houck is committed to Jacksonville University for track and field. “We’re a really close group. We hang out all the time. It’s so nice to know that if someone is not having their best day, other people have each other to pick each other up,” remarked Crocona.

The Bulldogs are back at full strength this season with the return of Laila Jones. The 5’8 point guard missed the 2024-25 campaign due to a torn ACL. Jones is a two-time All-County selection and a 1,000-point scorer. “She’s so talented, she’s a great teammate. Having her back has been so big this year. We really missed her last year,” said Crocona. Jones recently committed to Penn State Harrisburg. She’s averaging 12 ppg. this season as part of a balanced attack.

Wilson went 9-of-16 from the stripe, while the Red Knights were just 1-for-6. Each team connected four times from beyond the arc. Crocona is second on her squad with 31 3-pointers. She was an all-division field hockey player in the fall. Crocona also excels in the classroom with a lofty 4.25 GPA. Her older brother, Nick, played football, baseball and basketball during his high school days in West Lawn.

The talented Bulldogs spent very little time celebrating after beating Reading. Their focus is on winning their first county title in twelve years. “We know that our job is not done…We know that Exeter is gonna come to play,” stated Crocona.

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

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

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