Rick – Berks Sports Report

Rick Keeley Retires

Paul Roberts — Thu, 16 Nov 2023 11:01:00 +0000

Rick Keeley met with the Berks Catholic football team on Wednesday morning and told his players that he’s retiring. Keeley is a member of the Pennsylvania Scholastic Football Coaches Association Hall of Fame, Berks County Football Coaches Association Hall of Fame, Berks County chapter of the PA Sports Hall of Fame, and the Holy Name Hall of Fame. Here’s a look at his remarkable career by the numbers.

48-Total number of years spent coaching high school football

38-Number of years as a head coach

280-Career wins at Berks Catholic, Holy Name, and Hamburg

118-Career wins at Berks Catholic over 13 seasons

74-Winning percentage at Berks Catholic (118-41)

79-Winning percentage in the District 3 playoffs while at Berks Catholic (19-5)

5-District 3 championships (4 at Berks Catholic and 1 at Holy Name)

72-Wins at Berks Catholic from 2012-2017 (72-9)!

22-Years as the head coach at Holy Name

3-Years as the head coach at Hamburg

1971-Graduation year at St. Pius X High School where he was later an assistant for 2 seasons

1975-Graduation year at Kutztown University where he was an all-conference pick as a junior and senior

1978-First year as an assistant at Holy Name

1986-First year as head coach at Holy Name

70-His age as of this Saturday

Happy Birthday and Happy Retirement Coach Keeley!

Breaking: Rick Perez Resigns

Paul Roberts — Fri, 13 Oct 2023 17:04:00 +0000

As I first reported this afternoon, Reading High School boys basketball coach Rick Perez announced his resignation on Friday. Perez spent twelve years as the Red Knights’ head coach. He guided Reading to three state championships, five District 3 titles, and six Berks County gold medals. Perez won more games than any coach in school history. He finished with a record of (281-74). Perez surpassed Jim Gano (251 wins) early last season.

The Red Knights went (32-1) during the 2022-23 campaign. They rallied in the fourth quarter to beat Exeter 70-63 in the BCIAA Championship at Santander Arena. Reading edged Cumberland Valley 55-54 in overtime at the Giant Center for its third consecutive District 3-6A title. The Red Knights knocked off District 12 champ Roman Catholic 63-56 in overtime for the PIAA-6A crown. It was Reading’s third state championship in seven years.

Perez led the Red Knights to their first state title in 2017. Lonnie Walker and company outlasted Pine-Richland 64-60 in front of 9,531 fans at the Giant Center. Reading claimed its second state trophy in 2021. The Red Knights stunned previously unbeaten Archbishop Wood 58-57 after trailing 13-2.

Perez spent one season as an assistant coach at Wilson before joining the staff at Reading. He was an assistant for eight years before becoming the Red Knights’ head coach. Reading has won more games than any high school basketball program in Pennsylvania history. Perez certainly left his mark at the Castle on the Hill.

Rick Perez-Reading

Paul Roberts — Mon, 17 Apr 2023 00:00:00 +0000

It was a magical season at the “Castle on the Hill.” It started with an 87-68 rout of Central York on December 6th. Ruben Rodriguez and Aris Rodriguez combined for 61 points in the opener against the Panthers. It ended back at the Geigle Complex with a celebration on Saturday. Players, coaches, cheerleaders, and fans were singing, dancing, and smiling all afternoon. “We just want to spread as much love, as much joy, as we possibly can,” said head coach Rick Perez. The parade began at 13th and Union Elementary School. The coaching staff and team members were riding in jeeps and pickup trucks. They waved and tossed mini basketballs to the fans who were lining 13th Street. The festivities continued inside the Geigle with performances by the Reading High School dance team and Marine Corps JROTC. The guest speakers included State Senator Judy Schwank, State Representative Manny Guzman, and Reading Mayor Eddie Moran. They praised the (32-1) Red Knights who won their 25th Berks County championship, 24th District 3 title, and third state crown. Reading outlasted Roman Catholic 63-56 in overtime for its third PIAA-6A championship in the last seven years. Perez became the winningest coach in program history this season. He’s (281-74) over a dozen years. Perez emphasized that the trophies don’t mean as much as the bonds that are formed. “The dancing, the cracking jokes, the long prayers…those things are irreplaceable. They’re priceless,” he replied. The Red Knights ended their campaign with 23 consecutive victories. Four starters, including 2000-point scorer Ruben Rodriguez, will be moving on. Yadiel Cruz, Malik Osumanu, Nick Chapman, and Nico Sosa will return for their senior seasons. “We got a long way to go, but I’m excited because I love the toughness that is returning. They’re nasty,” stated Perez. He also noted that freshman guard Weshly Rosario has a bright future. The focus on Saturday, however, was on a special group of young men that reached the top of the mountain in Pennsylvania high school basketball.

Rick Perez-Reading

Paul Roberts — Sun, 12 Mar 2023 15:53:00 +0000

After winning its 24th District 3 championship, Reading went eight days without playing a game. The Red Knights’ starting lineup consists of five seniors. They showed no signs of rust on Saturday afternoon in the opening round of the state playoffs. Reading was 12-19 from beyond the arc and blew out Haverford 74-43 at the Geigle Complex. “These young men are very self-disciplined. We don’t have to be after them all the time to do what they need to do,” said head coach Rick Perez. A dunk by Ruben Rodriguez gave the (28-1) Red Knights an early 9-3 edge. It was 22-15 after eight minutes. The (14-14) Fords committed 21 turnovers including 15 in the first half. The #12 seed from District 1 trailed 40-22 at the break. Myles Grey sank four 3-pointers in the third quarter. The 5’11 senior put on a shooting clinic in his final home game. Grey hit eight triples and tied his career-high with 30 points. “He’s always the last in the gym every day shooting. It’s just awesome to watch him play,” remarked Perez. Grey only missed twice from long range. He piled up seven rebounds and six steals. Rodriguez finished with 19 points, ten boards, and eight assists. The Rider commit jammed ten points into the first quarter. Rodriguez increased his career total to 1,931 points. Aris Rodriguez chipped in with nine points. Yadiel Cruz provided seven points off the bench as Reading extended its winning streak to 19. Haverford was led by “Googie” Seidman. The senior guard splashed seven treys and poured in 27 points. The Catholic University commit scored more than 1,000 points during his time with the Fords. “As soon as he steps off the bus, you gotta guard him. We knew, everybody was well aware,” noted Perez. Eleven of Seidman’s points came in the final period. Haverford went 10-18 from 3-point land. All eight of Tommy Wright’s points were in the first half. The Red Knights march on to the second round of the PIAA-6A tournament. They’ll take on Upper Darby on Wednesday at Coatesville. That’s a 7:30pm tip. Perez was all smiles on Saturday. He had fun talking about the best dancer on the basketball team. His squad hopes to keep dancing in March.

Rick Perez-Reading

Paul Roberts — Fri, 03 Feb 2023 00:52:00 +0000

On Senior Night at the Geigle Complex, it was a junior that made pivotal plays down the stretch for the Red Knights. Yadiel Cruz came to Reading last year from the Dominican Republic. The 6’2 guard scored half of his 14 points in the fourth quarter of a 56-43 victory over Wilson. “He’s an outstanding basketball player. He’s growing in confidence. He’s always been an outstanding 3-point shooter…He’s the most humble of humble. He’s never too high and never too low,” said head coach Rick Perez. The (14-6, 6-4) Bulldogs outscored the Red Knights 20-8 in the third quarter to pull within 37-35. Cruz opened the final period with a trey from the right corner. He added a pair of free throws before draining a jumper along the left baseline. That shot put Reading in front 47-37 with 2:10 remaining. The (20-1, 10-0) Red Knights outscored Wilson 19-8 over the final eight minutes. Ruben and Aris Rodriguez finished with 16 points apiece. Aris, a 6’5 senior guard, jammed eight points into the second quarter. He went 5-of-6 from the charity stripe in the last period. Reading was up 29-15 at halftime. The Bulldogs had two long scoring droughts. They went almost five minutes before Cleveland Harding’s putback got them on the board. The Red Knights led 13-3 after the first quarter. Wilson was scoreless for three and a-half minutes in the final period. Cam Jones had a team-high ten points off the bench. This was his seventh game since returning from injury. Jones made a layup at the end of the third quarter to pull the Bulldogs within a deuce. Ofure Odiale chipped in with eight points. Seamus Breslin provided seven. Wilson was held ten points below its season average despite connecting six times from long distance. Reading splashed five 3-pointers. The defending Berks County champions ended up 21-27 from the foul line. The Bulldogs were 5-8. The Red Knights are (12-0) at home this season. “People are in awe when they come in. It’s an experience. It’s a blessing just to say that you played here. In addition, there’s no fan like ours,” remarked Perez. Reading is (513-97) at the Geigle since it opened in 1973. The Red Knights have won six consecutive meetings with Wilson. There are six seniors on Reading’s roster including four starters. I asked Perez about that class. He replied, “It’s a true family. There’s nothing we won’t do for each other. We got each other’s back through and through.”

Ruben Rodriguez/Rick Perez-Reading

Paul Roberts — Wed, 11 Jan 2023 10:03:00 +0000

Reading’s boys basketball team is like an avalanche. You’re never sure when it’s coming, but when it does, look out. The avalanche came in the third quarter of Tuesday’s Division 1 matchup with Muhlenberg. The Red Knights erupted for 27 points in eight minutes and turned a 33-28 halftime edge into a 17-point lead. Ruben Rodriguez opened the second half with a dunk off of a Muhls’ turnover. The Rider commit followed his slam with a 3-pointer from the left wing. The 6’2 guard threw down another jam after a steal with 18 seconds remaining in the quarter. It was deafening inside the Geigle Complex as Reading rolled to a 77-60 victory. “We have the best fans around. I couldn’t even hear anything. That’s what we expect every night. We love it when it’s like that,” said Rodriguez. He finished with 26 points, 7 rebounds, and 4 assists. Rodriguez crammed 13 points into the pivotal third period when the (12-1, 4-0) Red Knights got their transition game going. The first half was very physical. Each team had seven fouls in the opening quarter. Players had to be separated midway through the second period and both teams received a technical foul. “We knew that’s what type of game it was gonna be and we can play any type of game. We love playing physical. That’s a great program and a very well coached team,” stated Rodriguez. The (7-5, 2-2) Muhls led 10-4 early thanks to seven quick points from Xzavion Robertson. The 5’11 lefty hit three of Muhlenberg’s ten triples. Robertson ended up with 19 points. “Dan Dan” Mosquera had a team-high 23 points. The 5’9 senior made an NBA 3-pointer to even the score at 24 with three minutes left in the second period. Mosquera was 10-of-10 from the free throw line. Yadiel Cruz gave Reading a big lift off the bench. The 6’2 junior from the Dominican Republic provided a season-high 15 points along with 11 boards. Cruz, who leads the team in rebounds, shot 6-of-7 from the field. His trey from the right corner made it 70-48 with five minutes to play. Aris Rodriguez added 13 points. The Red Knights were just 17-34 from the foul line and 3-14 from beyond the arc. “We have so much more we have left. We have a lot in store for the county,” noted Ruben Rodriguez. He passed Reading legends Stu Jackson (1,563) and Donyell Marshall (1,581) on the all-time scoring list. Rodriguez, who’s averaging 22 points this season, is up to 1,582 career points. Rick Perez was honored before the game for becoming the program’s winningest coach earlier this season. Perez is (261-74) over 12 years. Jim Gano previously held the school record with 251 victories. I asked Ruben Rodriguez what it’s like playing for Perez. He replied, “It’s legendary. He’s going down in the [record] books. It’s a blessing to be able to make history with him.” Perez said that Rodriguez belongs on Reading’s Mount Rushmore with Lonnie Walker, Marshall, and Jackson.

Rick Keeley-Berks Catholic

Paul Roberts — Sat, 22 Oct 2022 01:05:00 +0000

Berks Catholic knew what was coming, but the Saints couldn’t stop it. Cocalico fullback Sam Steffey got a whopping 42 carries in a 31-10 victory over the Saints. The 5’9, 185-pound junior rumbled for 234 yards and three touchdowns. “I don’t think I’ve been this tired playing football in my life,” said Steffey with a smile. He’s up to 1,034 rushing yards this season. The (5-4, 4-2) Eagles only average five pass attempts per game. When you execute the Flexbone offense as well as they do, there’s no need to throw the football. Sophomore quarterback Josh Myer was just 1-of-3 for six yards and an interception, yet Cocalico came out on top. The Eagles piled up 309 yards on the ground. Their first possession took 14 plays and nearly eight minutes off the clock. Steffey’s 1-yard plunge ended a 71-yard drive. Cocalico’s next series took 13 plays and resulted in a 25-yard field goal by sophomore Talen Popolis. “They’re disciplined. They ran that offense pretty much to perfection. We struggled to stop it,” lamented Berks Catholic head coach Rick Keeley. The Eagles outscored the (3-6, 3-3) Saints 21-0 in the second half. Steffey’s 30th carry of the night was a 9-yard score with 2:12 remaining in the third period. After forcing a three-and-out, Cocalico ran more than five minutes off the clock. Steffey capped that 60-yard drive with a 4-yard touchdown which gave the Eagles a 24-10 advantage. On the ensuing possession, William Hess was sacked and fumbled on fourth down. Cocalico took over at Berks Catholic’s 24-yard-line midway through the final quarter. Backup fullback Owen Weaver, a 210-pound junior, powered his way into the end zone from 1-yard out with 1:17 left. “We couldn’t get the ball back…They controlled the line of scrimmage and they didn’t fumble,” stated Keeley. Steffey takes pride in the Eagles’ physical style of play. “They know what we’re doing, we just give it to them. A lot of teams try to trick them, but we just go straight at them and show how tough we are,” he replied. Steffey broke off a 50-yard run in the second quarter. He had 119 yards at the break. “[He’s] very durable. He must spend a lot of time in the weight room to take that team and carry them on his back. His linemen were moving us off the ball. My hat’s off to them,” acknowledged Keeley. JayJay Jordan was a bright spot for the Saints on senior night. The 170-pound running back had a team-high 73 yards on 13 carries. His 23-yard touchdown knotted things up at 7-7 with 32 seconds to go in the opening quarter. Jordan started to the right and then cut back to the middle. The cornerback also came up with an interception and returned it 25 yards to Cocalico’s 40-yard line with one minute remaining in the first half. “JayJay always gives a great effort. I have nothing but good things to say about him. I wish this team could’ve got more wins for him,” said Keeley. After a pretty 23-yard pass down the left sideline from Hess to Jaxon Geddio, Andrew Kurtas drilled a 22-yard field goal to even the score with 15 seconds left. However, the second half belonged to the Eagles. They were looking for revenge after losing to Berks Catholic 21-7 in the District 3 quarterfinals a season ago. Cocalico allowed just 129 total yards this time around. Saints’ fullbacks Devin Garcia and Nafis Blythe were held to 35 yards on eight combined touches. The Saints managed just 25 yards in the second half. “I didn’t see any quit out there. I thought our kids played to the end and that’s all you can ask for. Sometimes the other team is just better,” noted Keeley.

Rick Keeley-Berks Catholic

Paul Roberts — Tue, 09 Aug 2022 20:06:00 +0000

Rick Keeley has retired as a teacher at Berks Catholic, but he’ll still be roaming the sideline with the Saints’ football team. Keeley is preparing for his 37th season as a head football coach, a Berks County record. We talked about his new life outside of the classroom. When asked what he loves most about coaching, Keeley answered immediately. “The kids. The kids keep me young. I enjoy coming in every day and working with the kids. I do it because of the kids,” he said with his trademark smile. Keeley is (270-148-3) overall and a remarkable (108-29) over eleven years at Berks Catholic. He’s guided the Saints to four District 3 championships. Their streak of seven consecutive trips to the District 3 final came to an end two years ago. Keeley also captured District 3 gold with Holy Name in 2010. Berks Catholic finished (7-5) last season and reached the District 3-4A semifinals. The Saints have to replace two-thirds of their Wing-T backfield. Halfback Christian Cacchione and 225-pound fullback Luke Hughes graduated. Cacchione ran for a team-high 1,196 yards and 13TD. Hughes added 554 yards and seven scores. JayJay Jordan (807 yards) will be joined by speedy junior Marvin Armistead. Devin Garcia, a 190-pound junior, will get the first crack at fullback. Keeley said, “He’s been faithful in the weight room here. He’s made himself stronger. Those two positions, fullback and linebacker, you really have to be tough. He has a bright future ahead of him.” Garcia’s older brother, Luis, was a standout football and basketball player for the Saints. William Hess is expected to get the nod at quarterback. “He’s certainly someone who’s been around the program his entire life. He’s been running the Wing-T since he’s been old enough to call a play. He has moxie about him. You know you’re going to get the best effort out of him, and he really works hard at throwing the ball,” Keeley said. William’s father, Bill, played for Keeley at Holy Name. Bill Hess served as athletic director at Holy Name and Berks Catholic. The longtime assistant football coach is currently the Head of School at Berks Catholic. The Saints return a handful of starters on offense and four on defense. Pat Sisk left Exeter to become the new defensive coordinator at Berks Catholic. Keeley is looking forward to joining the Lancaster-Lebanon League. He told me that it was very difficult to find non-league matchups when the Saints were in the Berks Football League. Berks Catholic will be part of Section 4 along with Wyomissing, Conrad Weiser, Cocalico, Lampeter-Strasburg, ELCO, Donegal, and Octorara. The Saints and Spartans will renew their rivalry on September 16th. They haven’t squared off since 2019.

Rick Perez-Reading

Paul Roberts — Sun, 13 Mar 2022 22:23:00 +0000

The second round matchup between Reading and Archbishop Wood in the PIAA-6A playoffs was a tale of two halves. The (26-4) Red Knights fell behind 18-7 after the first quarter and 36-15 at the break. Reading shot 6-27 from the field in the first half at Easton Middle School. The (19-7) Vikings went up 40-15 early in the third quarter, but the Red Knights were not going to go out without a fight. They scored 16 straight points to get within nine points late in the third period. Justin Walker, a 6’1 senior, came off the bench to hit two triples and a pair of free throws. Head coach Rick Perez told me that Walker overcame health issues early in his high school career. Ruben Rodriguez, the Berks County Player of the Year, had three baskets in the third period. Jalil Bethea ended the Vikings’ drought with a dunk. He completed the three-point play to put Wood in front 43-31 with eight minutes remaining. Senior forward Tyson Allen made two consecutive layups to extend the Vikings’ advantage to 49-34 with six minutes to play. Allen fouled out a minute later with eleven points. Reading cranked up the defensive pressure and turned defense into offense during a 13-0 spurt. Wood’s lead was trimmed to 49-47 on a layup by Rodriguez with 3:20 to go. Justin Moore sank two free throws to make it 55-48 with two minutes left. The Drexel commit and 1,000 point scorer finished with a team-high 18 points. Moore, a 6’2 guard and first team All-Catholic League selection, was 7-8 from the charity stripe in the fourth quarter. Aris Rodriguez nailed a 3-pointer with one minute remaining. After Bahsil Laster missed a dunk, Joey Chapman converted a layup to get the Red Knights within 57-55 with 37 seconds on the clock. The crowd, consisting mostly of Reading fans, was in a frenzy. 6’7 junior Carson Howard and Laster went 4-4 from the foul line to quiet the crowd. Ruben Rodriguez drilled a trey in the closing seconds to pull the Red Knights within four points. However, the Vikings held on for a dramatic 64-58 victory. The #3 seed from District 12 went 26-32 from the FT line, while the District 3 champs were 8-17. Chapman was 2-7 with all of those attempts coming in the second quarter. Wood prevailed despite committing 22 turnovers including eight in the third quarter. Reading outscored the Vikings 43-28 in the second half. Perez said his team was apprehensive in the first two quarters, but this group has always been resilient. He thinks Wood has a good shot to win the state title. The Red Knights defeated the Vikings 58-57 in last year’s state final, and 64-58 on January 22nd at the Geigle Complex. Daniel Alcantara played in both of those games. The 6’5 senior suffered a season-ending left hand injury in the District 3 quarterfinals against Wilson. Alcantara scored 1,056 career points. He was named third team all-state last year. Perez mentioned that Alcantara remained a leader even while he wasn’t on the court. Ruben Rodriguez poured in a game-high 21 points. The 6’1 junior had eleven in the final quarter. Rodriguez will enter his senior campaign with 1,291 points. Walker added a dozen points. Reading buried six shots from long distance, while Wood only made two 3-pointers. Laster and Bethea chipped in with ten points apiece. They were both third team All-Catholic League choices. Bethea is a 6’4 sophomore who has more than 70 treys this season. He dropped 23 points on Plymouth-Whitemarsh in the opening round of the tournament. Head coach John Mosco had to replace all five starters, including four Division I players, from last year’s runner-up squad. The Vikings improved to (15-2) all-time in the PIAA playoffs. They captured the 5A title in 2017. The Red Knights won their 24th Berks Conference and 23rd District 3 championships this year. Perez would like to see a Netflix movie done about his team. He stressed that these players have been through a lot on and off the floor. Perez will be looking for his 250th career victory when next season begins.

Rick Perez-Reading

Paul Roberts — Fri, 18 Feb 2022 23:39:00 +0000

When the calendar turns to February and March, it’s usually time to make more room in the trophy case at Reading High. The Red Knights captured their 24th Berks County championship in front of 3,698 fans at Santander Arena. They defeated #2 seed Berks Catholic 51-35. Three of the Saints’ four losses this season have come against Reading. Ruben Rodriguez came alive in the second quarter with eight points including a dunk in the final minute of the period. The (22-3) Red Knights outscored Berks Catholic 12-3 in the second quarter for a 28-12 advantage at halftime. The Saints came into the night averaging 60 points. Reading’s lead expanded to 35-14 in the third quarter, but Snip Esterly’s group wasn’t about to go down without a fight. Berks Catholic got within six on a layup by Aidan Sands early in the fourth quarter. Rodriguez answered with five straight points on a pair of free throws and a three-point play. That was part of a 9-0 run that put the Red Knights on top 45-30. Rodriguez provided the exclamation point with a thunderous one-handed dunk with just less than two minutes remaining. The all-state guard poured in 22 points and raised his career total to 1,183. Rodriguez had nine points in the final period. Head coach Rick Perez said, “He’s always going to come through. He’s always going to be there when push comes to shove.” We also discussed the contributions of junior forward Amier Burdine. The Reading quarterback scored six of his eight points in the fourth quarter. Burdine is also an excellent defender. The Saints managed just seven points over the last eight minutes. They dropped 70 on the Red Knights on January 31st. Perez told me that his players committed to not letting that happen again. Ryan Koch had a game-high 13 points for Berks Catholic. Point guard Jay Jay Jordan chipped in with a dozen. The (20-4) Saints were 9-12 from the free throw line, while Reading went 13-18. It’s the fifth county championship for Perez who improved to (245-72) over eleven seasons. We talked about the expectations at Reading. Perez stressed that he doesn’t care about wins and losses. He focuses on the growth of his players. Perez really appreciates the alumni who come back and support the current players. The Red Knights have won eleven of their last twelve contests. Perez mentioned how much they enjoy playing at Santander Arena. They’re (5-2) against Berks Catholic in championship games. Reading is the #1 seed in the upcoming District 3-6A playoffs. The Saints are the top seed in Class 4A.