Six Berks County soccer groups stay alive throughout 4 classifications. What number of will keep within the hunt for a District 3 title?
With 4 groups incomes first-week byes of the District 3 soccer playoffs, Exeter and Conrad Weiser acquired proper into win-or-go-home territory, with each popping out victorious.
Each earned huge wins and a lift of confidence, whereas the 4 different Berks groups loved a much-needed week of relaxation after starting their seasons in early August.
Now, heading into the second weekend of November, let’s see who can hold the ball rolling and who will finally see their seasons come to an finish.
Class 6A: No. 4 Wilson (8-2) vs No. 5 Harrisburg (9-2)
Out of all of the Berks County groups that earned a bye, the Lancaster-Lebanon Part 1 champion Bulldogs could have wanted it essentially the most.
“Band aids and duct tape,” Bulldogs coach Doug Dahms mentioned, describing the group’s state of affairs because it offers with a boatload of accidents forward of Friday’s quarterfinal matchup.
There will probably be a number of game-time selections throughout in West Garden, which, at this level within the season, is one thing nearly each group is coping with in a technique or one other.
Amongst these coping with accidents is Louisville commit Justice Hardy, who has appeared in simply 5 video games this season whereas battling a lingering shoulder damage since early September. He’s one other identify who could or could not go well with up Friday.
Hardy has simply 231 dashing yards and 5 touchdowns on 38 carries out of the backfield.
Nonetheless, the Bulldogs are nonetheless loaded with expertise, averaging 38 factors per recreation whereas permitting simply 12.
Senior Cole Peterson has thrown for 1,833 yards and 18 touchdowns, along with his No. 1 goal, James Madison commit Michael Glover, main the group with 587 yards and 6 touchdowns.
Wilson is in search of its ninth district title after falling to Central York 42-7 within the semifinals final season.
The Cougars, loaded with expertise on either side of the ball, are coming off a 42-6 victory over William Penn within the first spherical. They’re in search of their sixth consecutive Class 6A title.
The Cougars have been the Bulldogs’ kryptonite in latest reminiscence, with their championship streak starting in 2021 once they beat Wilson 14-10, earlier than defeating the Bulldogs once more in 2024, 42-14.
The Cougars’ protection has generated 21 takeaways, whereas the offense is led by quarterback Kayden Stephens, who has thrown for 1,557 yards and 18 touchdowns. Additionally they have a weapon within the backfield in 6-foot, 1,000-yard rusher Princeton Dent.
The winner will play whoever comes out on high of No. 1 Central York towards No. 9 Cumberland Valley.
Keys to victory: Play clear soccer. Restrict penalties and turnovers. Wilson has dedicated 69 penalties for 666 yards (66.6 per recreation) and turned the ball over 18 instances this season.
Class 5A: No. 1 Twin Valley (10-0) vs No. 9 Cocalico (7-4)
The Raiders have now accomplished back-to-back 10-0 common seasons and can start their postseason journey seeking one other District 3 championship.
Final season, Twin Valley defeated Susquehanna Township 41-21 in Class 4A. Now, taking up a much bigger beast within the 5A classification, will we see the identical previous Raiders?
Ranked fifth general in 5A within the state in line with Eric Epler of m, Twin Valley could have a Week 10 rematch towards Cocalico this week, the identical group they defeated to safe the Part 3 title.
In that matchup, the Raiders gained 28-9, with Maverik Foster dashing for 169 yards and three touchdowns.
Outgaining the Eagles 386-215, Cocalico’s lone landing got here within the third quarter on a 62-yard run by Jasiah Rios to make it a one-score recreation earlier than a 14-point fourth quarter from the Raiders.
Twin Valley nonetheless has not allowed 100 complete factors this season, locking issues down from the trenches to the second stage, all the way in which again to the secondary.
What they’ve been in a position to accomplish is nothing in need of spectacular.
Offensively, Lucas Myers and Maverik Foster have mixed for 1,723 yards and 29 touchdowns in 2026.
On the opposite facet, the Eagles have 4 gamers, Rios, Rocco Rigney, James Anderson and Logan Horning, who’ve every rushed for over 600 yards and 5 touchdowns.
Cocalico will want distinctive performances from all of its playmakers if the Eagles need to get the job accomplished this time round.
It’s laborious to beat a group twice in a single season. Can the Raiders get it accomplished and punch their ticket to the semifinals?
The winner will play whoever comes out on high of No. 4 Spring Grove and No. 5 Exeter, doubtlessly establishing a rematch of the Raiders’ Week 9 victory at Reiffton.
KEYS: Maintain taking part in Twin Valley soccer. If it’s not damaged, don’t repair it, and the Raiders are firing on all cylinders. Proceed to pound the rock and put collectively one other robust defensive efficiency.
Class 5A: No. 5 Exeter (9-2) vs No. 4 Spring Grove (8-2)
The Eagles have probably hit their stride on the good time.
Following a troublesome 56-29 loss to Twin Valley in Week 9, Exeter has made their opponents pay since.
Successful the Lancaster-Lebanon League Part 2 title with a 23-13 victory over Conestoga Valley, the Eagles carried that momentum right into a 40-19 win over Hershey within the first spherical at Reiffton.
Josh Jackson and Donovyn Alvarez have mixed for 506 yards and 7 touchdowns in these wins, working behind a robust upperclassmen-led offensive line.
The Eagles’ protection has restricted the large performs, even when going through backs with the expertise to make them pay over the previous two weeks. They’ve compelled loads of punts within the course of, controlling the sport on either side of the ball.
Exeter is seeking to make its fourth journey to the title recreation in 2026, having misplaced its final look to Bishop McDevitt in 2024, 48-14.
Up subsequent is Spring Grove, a member of the South Central Atlantic Convention’s Division 1. The Rockets are sizzling themselves, driving a five-game successful streak.
It’ll be one other matchup the place each groups predominantly hold the ball on the bottom.
Sophomores Brody Redding and Kade Gibbs have mixed for 1,025 yards and 16 scores, whereas quarterback Davon Melbourne has added 724 yards and 10 touchdowns along with his legs.
Melbourne has thrown for simply 534 yards, six touchdowns and 5 interceptions.
Defensively, senior Oliver Smith leads the group with 107 tackles.
The Rockets had been knocked out of the playoffs by New Oxford, 31-26, within the quarterfinals final 12 months.
KEYS: Management the time of possession and don’t permit big performs. Exeter began its final recreation with a virtually seven-minute drive. Sustaining these lengthy possessions whereas limiting Spring Grove’s floor recreation will probably be essential.
Class 4A: No. 8 Conrad Weiser (7-4) vs No. 1 West York (10-0)
The Scouts are coming off a revenge recreation, incomes a 20-6 win over ELCO within the first spherical after dropping to the Raiders again in September.
Junior Kole Kupper returned to common kind with 139 yards and two touchdowns after being restricted to simply 68 yards within the first assembly. Kupper now has over 1,500 yards and 24 scores on the season.
The Scouts might want to deliver their greatest in what will probably be their hardest check of 2026 as they journey to West York.
A member of the South Central Atlantic Convention’s Division 2, the Bulldogs gained the league title and are ranked No. 1 within the Class 4A state rankings in line with Epler of m.
West York has gained three District 3 championships however was knocked out within the semifinals final season by Twin Valley, 45-14.
This 12 months, averaging over 40 factors per recreation whereas permitting fewer than 10 defensively, the Bulldogs are as well-rounded because it will get in highschool soccer.
All-State quarterback Jensen Ferber is nearing the two,000-yard mark, presently sitting at 1,937 yards and 22 touchdowns to simply three interceptions.
In a position to distribute the ball to a handful of various receivers, the Bulldogs have three gamers with greater than 5 touchdowns.
The Scouts should get strain on the pocket passer to have an opportunity on this one.
On the opposite facet of the ball, the Bulldogs’ junior defensive ends have wreaked havoc on opposing offenses.
Jamen Garnett and Logan Boyer every have 15 tackles for loss and have mixed for 19, sure, 19 sacks.
Head coach Alan Moyer and the Scouts could have their arms full in all three phases of the sport. They’ll have to manage the clock to maintain Ferber off the sphere and put on down the junior edge rushers as a lot as attainable.
The winner will play whoever comes out victorious between No. 4 Massive Spring and No. 5 Lampeter-Strasburg.
KEYS: Management the clock and restrict the Bulldogs’ possessions. Getting Kole Kupper going would be the No. 1 precedence if the Scouts need to pull off the upset.
Class 3A: No. 2 Schuylkill Valley (8-2) vs No. 3 Annville Cleona (7-3)
Two groups which have change into very acquainted with one another over time will conflict for the second time in three weeks.
And as acknowledged earlier than, it’s not straightforward to beat a group twice in a single season.
The Panthers will look to capitalize on that problem, because the Dutchmen dominated them in Week 10, incomes a share of the Part 5 title within the course of with a 56-21 win. Annville-Cleona outgained them 605-253.
Early on, the sport was tied 14-14 within the second quarter. Then the slaughtering started.
Annville-Cleona’s Yama Navarro, a 2,000-yard rusher, rushed for 411 yards and 6 touchdowns, main a 42-0 run that busted the sport broad open.
Utter dominance.
With one other two weeks of preparation, head coach Bruce Harbach and his group will look to sluggish Navarro down by any means attainable to have an opportunity at reaching the varsity’s first-ever District 3 championship look.
Not solely will the Panthers’ protection have to step up in a significant means, however senior quarterback Alex Aletras might want to put his greatest efficiency on show.
Aletras has thrown for 1,458 yards and 20 touchdowns to simply two interceptions, whereas additionally main the group in dashing with 623 yards and 9 extra scores.
The winner will play whoever comes out victorious between No. 1 Wyomissing and No. 4 Trinity within the Class 3A championship subsequent week.
KEYS: Wouldn’t have a repeat of the Week 10 matchup. Decelerate Yama Navarro by any means attainable, and let Alex Aletras do what he does greatest: make performs.
Class 3A: No. 1 Wyomissing (7-2) vs No. 4 Trinity (6-4)
The Spartans will start their postseason run in hopes of capturing their thirteenth District 3 title.
Again in Class 3A after two seasons within the 4A classification, Wyomissing had gained 5 consecutive district titles earlier than shifting up.
In these two seasons, the Spartans fell within the championship to Lampeter-Strasburg, 30-27, in time beyond regulation, and misplaced 37-35 to Susquehanna Township within the semifinals on a last-second landing.
Now, after successful Part 4 two weeks in the past, Wyomissing will tackle final 12 months’s Lancaster-Lebanon postseason grim reaper: Trinity.
Because the third seed, the Shamrocks defeated Schuylkill Valley, Annville-Cleona after which Berks Catholic to seize their second championship in 4 straight journeys to the large recreation.
One other run-first group, Trinit, is led by 6-foot-3, 230-pound junior working again Brandon Harris. He has 1,276 yards, 18 touchdowns and 7 100-yard dashing video games in 2026.
As for Wyomissing, ranked tenth within the state Class 3A rankings in line with Epler of m, fullback Ethan Nye has put collectively a string of robust performances out of the backfield.
The junior has scored 9 of his 10 touchdowns within the remaining three weeks of the season, so search for head coach Bob Wolfrum to proceed to journey Nye within the playoffs.
Senior Zander Westwood leads the group with 870 yards and can want an enormous efficiency as effectively if the Spartans need to advance this Saturday.
The Shamrocks common eight tackles for loss per recreation, which speaks to their skill to get after it within the trenches. The Spartans should keep on their assignments up entrance for all 48 minutes.
KEYS: Management the clock. It’s what the Spartans do greatest.
This week’s schedule
Friday
District 3 Class 6A Quarterfinal
Harrisburg at Wilson, 7 p.m.
District 3 Class 5A Quarterfinal
Cocalico at Twin Valley, 7 p.m.
Exeter at Spring Grove, 7 p.m.
District 3 Class 4A Quarterfinal
Conrad Weiser at West York, 7 p.m.
District 3 Class 3A Semifinal
Annville Cleona at Schuylkill Valley, 7 p.m.
Saturday
District 3 Class 3A Semifinal
Trinity at Wyomissing, 1 p.m.
