10 Fast Facts about Reading High’s District 3 championship history
Top-seeded Reading High meets No. 7 Warwick in the District 3 Class 6A championship game Saturday at 7:45 at Giant Center. Here are 10 facts about the Red Knights’ district championship game history.
The Red Knights have won 22 District 3 championships, more than any other boys program. Trinity is next with 18 titles, followed by Steel-High (16), Harrisburg (13) and Scotland (13).
Ten different head coaches have won district championships at Reading. Jim Gano has the most gold medals, with six (1981, 1979, 1977, 1976, 1973 and 1972). Rick Perez has won three, Richard Reyes, Pete Carril, Bill Horine, John Dietrich and Charlie Dunkelberger each won two and Tim Redding, Rick Binder and John Smith each won one.
The Red Knights have made five straight district title games , matching the longest streak in program history. They also reached five straight finals from 1975-79.
The Red Knights’ first district championship came in 1929. There was no formal tournament that season. They earned the championship by virtue of their 12-2 record in the Central Penn League, one game ahead of Steelton.
Reading’s 21 championship-game victories have come against 17 different schools. The most common? Surprisingly, it’s Hanover (1939, 1952, 1957). Two wins came against Conestoga Valley (1966 and 1983) and two against Harrisburg (1976 and 2018). Only one has come against a Berks opponent: Wilson (2021).
Middletown, after losing to Berks Catholic on Thursday, now has 11 losses in District 3 championship games, more than any other boys program. Reading is one of four schools with 10 title-game losses. Three of those came to Harrisburg (2019, 1991 and 1978) and two to Steel-High (1990, 1975). Only one has come against a Berks opponent: Wilson (2020).
Lonnie Walker IV didn’t win a district title as a senior in 2017. The Red Knights were knocked out in the semifinals by Harrisburg, then rebounded to win the PIAA title. Walker’s only district title came in 2016, as a junior. In 2015, Walker’s sophomore season, Reading was beaten in the semifinals by Cedar Crest, with Walker ineligible to play after being ejected in the quarterfinals when a melee broke out against McCaskey.
The Red Knights have won District 3 championships in four different classifications: 6A, 4A, 3A and Class A. (Until 1976 the classifications were: A, B and C, with A being the largest schools. From 1984-2016 there were four classifications. Since 2017 there have been six.)
In the six seasons since the PIAA expanded to six classifications Reading High has reached the 6A title game five times, more than any other program. Harrisburg has played in three 6A finals, Wilson in two. Reading and Harrisburg each have a pair of titles; Wilson won the other.
Reading’s 1977 Class AAA championship game against Steel-High went to three overtimes. Steve Rossignoli scored 29 points to lead the Red Knights and Pete Mullenberg hit the game-winner in the 65-63 victory. The Rollers, led by All-State guard and University of Maryland recruit Greg Manning had beaten the Red Knights twice earlier that season in Central Penn League play; they beat them a third time in the state semifinals.