Wilson sits atop the poll after winning its 13th BCIAA championship. The Bulldogs went (3-0) against their rivals from Shillington. Wilson defeated Waynesboro 7-3 in the District 3-6A third place game. That victory kept the Bulldogs’ season alive. Gov. Mifflin was the Berks League and District 3-5A runner-up. The Mustangs continue to search for their first District title. They’ll be a serious contender again next year.

Twin Valley earned the Division 2 crown. The Raiders won both meetings with Fleetwood. Twin Valley had a tough exit in the District 3-5A bracket. The third-seeded Raiders fell at home to #14 seed Lower Dauphin 8-7 in the opening round. Fleetwood eliminated James Buchanan 5-2 in the District 3-4A third place game. The Tigers have had a nice season under first-year head coach Jon Chwatek.

Muhlenberg was bounced from the Berks County and District 3 tournaments in one-run affairs. The Muhls came up short against Fleetwood 1-0 in the BCIAA quarterfinals before losing to Lower Dauphin 5-4 in the consolation round of the District 3-5A playoffs. Berks Catholic finished on top of the Division 3 standings. Kutztown claimed the Division 4 crown, however, Oley Valley got the nod over the Cougars in my rankings. The Lynx beat Kutztown twice during the regular season.

“The Great 8”

1. Wilson (18-7)

2. Gov. Mifflin (20-5)

3. Twin Valley (15-7)

4. Fleetwood (15-9)

5. Muhlenberg (14-9)

6. Berks Catholic (16-5)

7. Oley Valley (11-10)

8. Kutztown (12-11)

Rudy Tomjanovich once said, “Don’t ever underestimate the heart of a champion.” After struggling early in the season, Reading is rolling now. The Red Knights have won eight of their last nine games. They hammered Muhlenberg 83-46 for the Division 1 championship. Reading is trying for a three-peat in the BCIAA tournament.

Exeter remains second in my poll. The Eagles are riding a five-game winning streak which includes a 63-55 victory over Berks Catholic. If Exeter gets hot from beyond the arc, look out. The Saints traded places with Reading in my rankings. Berks Catholic has dropped two of its last three contests. Sophomore Kingston McKoy was a Player of the Year candidate in Berks County before suffering a fractured tibia.

Muhlenberg and Wilson have flip-flopped in my poll. The Muhls held off the Bulldogs 61-56 last week in Laureldale. Wilson has come up short in three of its last four games. Fleetwood stays put at #6. The Tigers earned their third straight Division 3 title.

Gov. Mifflin is back in the rankings after showing significant improvement since mid-January. The Mustangs took down Hempfield and Muhlenberg. They led Reading after the third quarter late last month. Schuylkill Valley is allowing just 49 points per game. The Panthers qualified for the BCIAA playoffs as the second place team from Division 3. The (8-14) Conrad Weiser Scouts fell out of my poll, but keep an eye on them next season. There’s a nice junior class in Robesonia.

“The Great 8”

1. Reading (15-7)

2. Exeter (15-7)

3. Berks Catholic (19-2)

4. Muhlenberg (13-8)

5. Wilson (14-8)

6. Fleetwood (19-2)

7. Gov. Mifflin (8-13)

8. Schuylkill Valley (15-5)

Exeter moved up three spots in my poll. The Eagles are the highest-scoring team in the county at 72 ppg. They can fill it up in a hurry from beyond the arc. Kevin Saenz has emerged as a Player of the Year candidate. Reading, Wilson, and Muhlenberg seem interchangeable. The Red Knights rallied to beat Wilson at the Geigle Complex before falling at Muhlenberg in double overtime. Reading is still without senior guard Nick Chapman due to an eye injury suffered two days after Christmas. The Bulldogs fell two positions in my rankings. They’ve dropped three of their last five contests after an (8-1) start. Keep in mind that there’s only one senior in Wilson’s starting lineup. Bulldogs’ coach Matt Coldren earned his 400th win last week. The Muhls have lost three of their last four. They square off with Exeter this evening in Laureldale. All five of the Eagles’ losses have come against high quality opponents.

Fleetwood remains at #6. The Tigers are on top of Division 3. They’re allowing just 38.5 ppg. Schuylkill Valley jumps up one spot to #7. Conrad Weiser is back in my poll. The Scouts blew out Gov. Mifflin 57-38 in Shillington last Thursday. That result knocked the Mustangs out of my rankings. Gov. Mifflin did snap a 5-game slide on Saturday by defeating Hempfield 35-24. The Black Knights managed just three points in the final quarter.

“The Great 8”

1. Berks Catholic (10-0)

2. Exeter (7-5)

3. Reading (8-6)

4. Wilson (10-4)

5. Muhlenberg (8-6)

6. Fleetwood (11-2)

7. Schuylkill Valley (10-3)

8. Conrad Weiser (6-5)

To quote Ric Flair, “To be the man, you gotta beat the man!” Reading has won three consecutive District 3 titles and two straight BCIAA championships. That’s the good news. The bad news is the Red Knights lost four starters including a trio of All-State selections. Plus, Rick Perez stepped down after a school record 281 victories over a dozen years. Perez is now an assistant to his good friend Matt Flowers at Muhlenberg. Meanwhile, former JV coach Francis Camara takes over at the castle on the hill. We’ll see which knights emerge to protect the fortress now that Ruben Rodriguez, Aris Rodriguez, Myles Grey, and Amier Burdine have moved on. Yadiel Cruz’s point production should increase. Nick Chapman and 6’5 Malik Osumanu will have bigger roles as seniors. Sophomore guard Weshly Rosario is a player to keep an eye on.

Jeff VanGorder replaced Matt Ashcroft at Exeter after Ashcroft was named the Class 5A Coach of the Year in Pennsylvania. He wanted to spend more time with his family. VanGorder brings twelve years of experience as a college coach to Reiffton. Don’t be surprised to see the Eagles out and running this season. Kevin Saenz has assumed the point guard duties from All-State pick Zyion Paschall. Anthony Caccese is playing football at Delaware. Exeter will miss the presence of the 6’6, 280-pound All-State center. The Eagles have multiple shooters including Saenz, Reece Garvin, and sophomore Aidan Dauble. St. Joseph’s baseball commit Alex Kelsey gives Exeter a physical guard. They’re searching for their first county title since 1974.

Snip Esterly has to find four new starters at Berks Catholic. Esterly enters his 35th season as a head coach with 792 wins. JayJay Jordan and Ryan Koch, both 1,000 point scorers, helped Esterly claim his 14th District 3 championship a season ago. The McKoy brothers, Josh and Kingston, will be the main attractions at Lloyd Wolf Gymnasium. Parker Nein, a standout baseball player for the Saints, is much stronger and more athletic.

Wilson will also have four newcomers in the lineup this winter. Tommy McFadden was slated to be a starter, but the junior guard is dealing with an ankle injury. Madyx Gruber averaged nearly 9 points as a sophomore. Tommy Hunsicker, who threw touchdown passes to Gruber this fall, will get more minutes this year. The Bulldogs’ quarterback is also one of their top baseball players. Remember the names Kellen Green and Michael Glover for down the road. They’re both freshman.

All five of Muhlenberg’s starters graduated. The Muhls have a new guard in the mix. Jayden Kantner transferred from Brandywine Heights where he led the Bullets with 12.6 ppg. as a sophomore. Kyle Archie and Alex Collado return along with promising sophomore Michael Miller. It will be great to see Matt Flowers and Rick Perez working together again. Their coaching roles have been reversed from their days at Reading High.

Conrad Weiser is #6 in my poll which may surprise some after the Scouts managed just seven wins. The Scouts were impressive during the West Reading Summer League playoffs. They advanced to the championship before falling to Berks Catholic. Donovan Gingrich and Brady McKee give new head coach Mike Dooley a nice 1-2 punch. They combined for nearly 27 points a night as sophomores. Soccer star Gavin Rapp and Josh Plummer are also part of a talented junior class. They’re both 6’4 forwards.

Jake Karnish has moved on from Fleetwood to King’s College. He became the Tigers’ all-time leading scorer with 1,420 points. Karnish led Fleetwood to the state tournament for the first time since 1990. The Tigers will be relying on three multi-sport athletes with starting experience. Aiden Soumas, Nate Herb, and Hunter Svoboda (6’7, 270) are back. Svoboda is committed to William & Mary for football. Herb was instrumental to the success of Fleetwood’s soccer team which won Berks County and District 3 championships.

These are exciting times in Shillington. A ribbon-cutting ceremony is scheduled for Saturday morning at the GMACC. There are four video boards inside the new gymnasium. There is also seating on the second level. The facility includes eight locker rooms, a weight room, a turf room, offices and a classroom to watch film. This is Brian Wrobel’s second year as the Mustangs’ head coach. The McNeil twins graduated, but Andrew Galantuomo and Cole Renninger return. Matt Koehler and Bryce Detwiler are part of a big junior class. You will hear a lot about them in the spring when baseball season arrives.

Wyomissing is one of the few squads in the county that has a great deal of varsity experience. Three starters are back, as well as sixth man Aiden Schippers. Alex Campbell averaged a team-high 9 points and connected 39 times from beyond the arc. The Spartans are hoping Drew Forrey (6’4, 210) has a speedy recovery from a leg injury that he suffered during football season. Former Gov. Mifflin and Alvernia standout guard Garrett Etzel takes over as head coach. He was an assistant under Ryan Ludwig last year.

“The Great 8”

1.Reading (32-1)

2.Exeter (27-7)

3.Berks Catholic (23-5)

4.Wilson (19-10)

5.Muhlenberg (18-11)

6.Conrad Weiser (7-15)

7.Fleetwood (22-5)

8.Gov. Mifflin (7-15)

Honorable Mention: Wyomissing (8-14)

“The Great 8”

1.Wyomissing (12-1)

2.Wilson (7-4)

3.Exeter (8-3)

4.Twin Valley (10-2)

5.Gov. Mifflin (5-6)

6.Berks Catholic (5-6)

7.Schuylkill Valley (9-3)

8.Fleetwood (6-5)

Wyomissing was hoping to play on Saturday afternoon, but the Spartans have to settle for a Friday night date with Danville in the Class 3A state quarterfinals. Kickoff is set for 7pm at Albright College. The (12-1) Ironmen crushed Loyalsock 40-7 in the District 4 championship. Meanwhile, Wyomissing rolled over West Perry 42-14 for its 5th consecutive District 3 title and 12th overall. The Spartans beat Danville 21-19 a season ago in this round. I’ll have updates on Friday from Albright.

Wilson remains in the second spot in my poll this week. The only change is Exeter and Twin Valley trading places at #3 and #4. After a tight first half, the Raiders fell to Manheim Central 65-28 in the District 3-4A semifinals. Twin Valley established a new single season school record for victories. The Raiders have been .500 or better in seven of the last eight years. Look out for this squad in 2024. Evan Myers, Evan Johnson, Drew Engle, Ben Grundy, Greyson Miller, Aris Drake, Noah DiGiacomo, and freshman Lucas Myers all return.

Gov. Mifflin and Berks Catholic are both searching for new head coaches. Best of luck in the future to Jeff Lang and Rick Keeley! Schuylkill Valley set a school record for wins this season. Fleetwood bounced back nicely from a (2-8) campaign.

“The Great 8”

1.Wyomissing (11-1)

2.Wilson (7-4)

3.Exeter (8-3)

4.Twin Valley (10-2)

5.Gov. Mifflin (5-6)

6.Berks Catholic (5-6)

7.Schuylkill Valley (9-3)

8.Fleetwood (6-5)

Wyomissing dominated Schuylkill Valley 48-0 in the District 3-3A semifinals. The top-seeded Spartans return to Bob Wolfrum Field this Saturday. They battle third-seeded West Perry at 1pm. These programs squared off in the championship game last year with Wyomissing rolling to a 63-7 win. The Spartans are trying to pull off a five-peat and history is on their side. They’re (19-0) all-time in home playoff games. The (11-1) Mustangs are searching for their first District 3 title. This is their third appearance in the finals. West Perry put up 42 points against Bermudian Springs in the quarterfinals and 49 points last week at Lancaster Catholic.

Wilson’s season ended with a 20-14 loss at Cumberland Valley, but the streak is still alive. The Bulldogs own the current state record with 48 consecutive winning seasons. Wilson was outgained on the ground 145-35 by the (7-4) Eagles in the District 3-6A quarterfinals. Twin Valley advanced to the Class 4A semifinals by hammering #7 seed ELCO 35-7. The Raiders host third-seeded Manheim Central this Friday night. The (10-1) Barons have claimed a record 18 District 3 titles. Their overall record in the tournament is (62-16). Manheim Central has scored over 40 points in seven straight contests. Twin Valley is trying to reach the finals for the first time.

Schuylkill Valley set a school record for wins this season. The Panthers advanced to the District 3 semifinals for just the second time. They fell to Wyomissing in 2012 as well. Schuylkill Valley will be a team to watch in 2024 with several key players returning.

“The Great 8”

1.Wyomissing (10-1)

2.Wilson (7-4)

3.Twin Valley (10-1)

4.Exeter (8-3)

5.Gov. Mifflin (5-6)

6.Berks Catholic (5-6)

7.Schuylkill Valley (9-3)

8.Fleetwood (6-5)

There are no changes in this week’s poll. Three of the top four squads were off last week. Wilson gets back to work with a trip to #4 seed Cumberland Valley in the District 3-6A quarterfinals. The (6-4) Eagles have won five in a row. 215-pound senior Bryce Staretz has been a workhorse with 236 carries. He has 1,265 rushing yards and 16 TD. The Bulldogs trail the all-time series with Cumberland Valley. The Eagles have taken nine of their fifteen matchups. Wilson (7) and CV (13) have combined for twenty District 3 titles. Wyomissing is getting ready for its first playoff game at Bob Wolfrum Field. The top-seeded Spartans battle #4 seed Schuylkill Valley on Saturday. This District 3-3A semifinal will kick off at 1pm. The Panthers took care of Littlestown 45-21 in Leesport. SV earned its second victory in the District 3 tournament and first since 2012. The Spartans have won four straight District 3 championships.

Exeter’s season came to a close with a stunning 28-27 loss to #8 seed Hershey in the opening round of the District 3-5A playoffs. The Trojans won their first District 3 postseason contest in 13 years. The Eagles dip to (10-13) all-time in the tournament. Twin Valley is coming off a bye. The second-seeded Raiders meet #7 seed ELCO on Friday in Elverson. 185-pound senior Jake Williams has run for 2,233 yards and 29 TD this year. He’s averaging 11.6 yards per carry. ELCO has only attempted 51 passes in eleven games. Twin Valley is making its third consecutive appearance in the District 3 playoffs. The winner advances to the Class 4A semifinals.

Gov. Mifflin came up short in the Eastern Conference 5A/6A championship. The Mustangs got tripped up by Pleasant Valley 28-19. Berks Catholic wrapped up its campaign with a victory on Hawk Hill. The Saints used a big second half to defeat the (6-5) Hawks 40-21. Berks Catholic takes home an Eastern Conference title for the second year in a row. Fleetwood rallied to beat Shamokin 42-41 in overtime in the Eastern Conference 4A final. Jack Riffle threw for a school record 419 yards.

“The Great 8”

1.Wilson (7-3)

2.Wyomissing (9-1)

3.Exeter (8-3)

4.Twin Valley (9-1)

5.Gov. Mifflin (5-6)

6.Berks Catholic (5-6)

7.Schuylkill Valley (9-2)

8.Fleetwood (6-5)

Wilson’s 7-game winning streak ended at home against state-ranked Manheim Township 49-34. The 15-point margin is the closest game that the Blue Streaks have had this season. The Bulldogs have a bye before traveling to #4 seed Cumberland Valley on November 10th. These two programs have combined for 20 District 3 titles. The only change in my poll is that Wyomissing and Exeter traded places. The Spartans got a quality road victory over state-ranked Lampeter-Strasburg 18-13. Freshman Justice Hardy had two interceptions including a pick-six. Exeter fell to perennial powerhouse Manheim Central 42-14 in Reiffton. The Eagles have dropped two in a row. They travel to #8 seed Hershey on Friday. The (7-3) Trojans are making their first appearance in District’s since 2013. They were (1-9) just two years ago. Exeter will face 230-pound senior Angel Cabrera who has rushed for 1,408 yards and 20 TD. I’ll have updates from Hersheypark Stadium.

Twin Valley shared the Section 3 championship with Ephrata and Garden Spot. The second-seeded Raiders are off this week. They’ll host ELCO or Big Spring in the Class 4A quarterfinals. Gov. Mifflin entertains Pleasant Valley on Friday in the Eastern Conference 5A/6A final. Berks Catholic is looking for its second straight Eastern Conference crown. The Saints battle (6-4) Hamburg on Hawk Hill in the 3A championship. Schuylkill Valley settled for a piece of the Section 5 title with Lancaster Catholic and Annville-Cleona. The Panthers’ 8-game winning streak came to a halt against the Crusaders. Schuylkill Valley squares off with #5 seed Littlestown on Friday in Leesport. The (8-2) Thunderbolts have won five in a row. This is their first appearance in the District 3 playoffs in four years and 26th overall. Littlestown is putting up 34 points a night while allowing 14 per contest. The winner will visit top-seeded Wyomissing on Saturday, November 11th in the Class 3A semifinals. Fleetwood takes a trip to Shamokin on Friday for the Eastern Conference 4A final.

“The Great 8”

1.Wilson (7-3)

2.Wyomissing (9-1)

3.Exeter (8-2)

4.Twin Valley (9-1)

5.Gov. Mifflin (5-5)

6.Berks Catholic (4-6)

7.Schuylkill Valley (8-2)

8.Fleetwood (5-5)

We have a change at the top of my poll. Wilson takes over the #1 spot from Exeter. The Bulldogs reached 600 victories all-time by defeating McCaskey 47-20 in Lancaster. Wilson returns home to face Manheim Township on Friday with the Section 1 title on the line. The unbeaten Blue Streaks have outscored their opponents 426-53. They haven’t allowed a point in their last three contests. The Bulldogs have won seven in a row. Exeter suffered its first loss last week at Conestoga Valley. The Eagles meet Manheim Central on Friday at Don Thomas Stadium. Aaron Enterline has 56 catches for 1,144 yards and 20TD for the (8-1, 5-0) Barons. Exeter can earn a share of the Section 2 championship with a win. There aren’t any changes from #3 through #8 in my rankings.

Wyomissing travels to Lampeter-Strasburg this week. The Spartans and (8-1, 5-1) Pioneers sit one game behind Cocalico in Section 4. Twin Valley wraps up the regular season with a non-league affair versus Hatboro-Horsham in Elverson. The Raiders have a-half game advantage over Ephrata and Garden Spot in the Section 3 standings. Don’t be surprised if there’s a 3-way tie for first place.

Gov. Mifflin takes on Warwick in Shillington on Friday. The Warriors upset Cocalico in Week 1, but are (3-6) overall. The Mustangs are 13th in the District 3-5A power rankings. The top 12 teams will qualify for the tournament in that classification. Berks Catholic hosts ELCO this Friday. Jake Williams has 1,664 rushing yards and 22TD for the (6-3) Raiders. Berks Catholic is 7th in the District 3-3A rankings. Only six teams move on to the dance in that class.

Schuylkill Valley extended its winning streak to eight after Annville-Cleona missed a 39-yard field goal as time expired. The Panthers can claim the Section 5 title outright with a victory at Lancaster Catholic this week. Bruce Harbach’s former squad is (8-1) this year. Fleetwood makes the trip to Birdsboro on Friday. The (1-8) Blazers have been decimated by injuries. They were without seven two-way starters last week in a 54-7 loss to Twin Valley.

“The Great 8”

1.Wilson (7-2)

2.Exeter (8-1)

3.Wyomissing (8-1)

4.Twin Valley (8-1)

5.Gov. Mifflin (4-5)

6.Berks Catholic (4-5)

7.Schuylkill Valley (8-1)

8.Fleetwood (4-5)