Here are 10 Berks football games you don’t want to miss this season

The move to the Lancaster-Lebanon League for 13 teams from the Berks Football League will create some new rivalries and add some big games to the schedule.

Here’s a look at the 10 biggest Berks football games of the 2022 season, with some old standards mixed in with what could become some hot new rivalries.

As always we’ll list these in Letterman Style, going from No. 10 on the list to No. 1. (No cheating by jumping ahead to see what the top game is!)

10. Twin Valley vs. Daniel Boone

Week 9: Oct. 21, at Birdsboro

This series has created some interesting outcomes, none moreso than Boone’s 43-42 win in 2020 when it used a “Philly Special” to win it in the final seconds, with quarterback Carter Speyerer on the receiving end of the decisive two-point conversion pass.

A year earlier the Raiders snapped a 14-game losing streak in the series.

Now that they’re paired in Section 3 of the Lancaster-Lebanon League the rivalry should rachet up a notch, especially with both programs on the upswing. The Raiders are coming off their first District 3 playoff appearance; the Blazers returned to districts last year for the first times since 2014.

Both loom as top contenders in Section 3, along with Ephrata; their late meeting well could determine the section championship.

9. Wilson vs. Central Dauphin

Week 2: Sept. 2, at Landis Field

The Bulldogs and Rams are District 3 royalty and always make for a marquee match-up.

Central Dauphin is one of the few teams around with a series edge over Wilson (7-5) and Rams head coach Glen McNamee — one of the best in the business — knows the Bulldogs’ program inside and out.

He is the only guy on the planet to beat Doug Dahms four straight seasons (2015-18); only one other program, Pottsville (1991-94), has beaten Wilson four straight seasons since John Gurski arrived in West Lawn in 1964.

Central Dauphin slipped a little last season, finishing 5-3 and missing the District 3 Tournament for the first time in McNamee’s 14 seasons.

One of those losses came at Gurski Stadium, 27-21, a game which saw Cam Jones return a punt 70 yards for a TD and his brother, Jadyn, rush for 110 yards and a TD. That gave Wilson a second straight win in the series.

Central Dauphin has handed Wilson some stinging postseason losses, beating them 35-33 in the District 3 Class AAAA championship game Chad Henne’s junior year and again in the same game nine years later, 24-21, getting a field goal that clanged off the crossbar and went over.

Wilson beat CD 21-10 for the 2014 district title.

8. Lancaster Catholic vs. Schuylkill Valley

Week 10: Sept 28, at Leesport

The Panthers haven’t played many big games over the years and have never won a football title of any kind. That could change this season as they figure to be in the mix in Section 5, along with Hamburg, Columbia, Annville-Cleona and Lancaster Catholic. This division is truly up for grabs.

What makes this match-up so intriguing is Schuylkill Valley’s head coach, Bruce Harbach, who coached the Crusaders to four district titles and a pair of state championships during an incredible 16-year run that ended in 2016.

Harbach said at the time he was done with coaching, but he wasn’t. He’s been on the sidelines every year since and took the Schuylkill Valley job last season in large part because he knew the school was joining the LL. He’d like nothing more than to remind people he’s still got what it takes to put together a championship football team. This season finale could be the one that puts the Panthers over the top.

7. Lampeter-Strasburg vs. Wyomissing

Week 10: Oct. 29, at the A-Field

Everyone knows the Spartans have been on a huge roll lately, with three straight perfect regular seasons, three straight district championships and a 42-3 regular season record over the last five years.

The Pioneers have been on a similar roll, winning District 3 Class 4A championships in 2019 and 2020 and falling to Bishop McDevitt 7-0 in last year’s title game.

Lampeter-Strasburg took some heavy graduation hits after last year’s 11-2 finish, losing eight first-team all-league picks.

Wyomissing graduated 11 all-league picks but still has plenty left in the tank and looms as the preseason favorite in Section 4. It’ll likely need to win this game to clinch its first LL title.

6. Manheim Central vs. Gov. Mifflin

Week 9: Oct. 21, at Mifflin Stadium

This is a true heavyweight match-up of recent district champs and top Section 2 contenders.

They met in a classic District 3 Class 5 championship in 2017, the Barons denying the Mustangs their first district title with a touchdown bomb in the final minutes to win 30-29.

A year later it wasn’t quite so close, Manheim steamrolling Mifflin 51-14 in a district quarterfinal.

Even after losing 12 all-league picks to graduation, including top-notch quarterback Judd Novak, the Barons are considered one of the teams to beat in Section 2, along with Exeter and Mifflin.

The Mustangs took the biggest graduation hit of all, losing all-world Nick Singleton (as well as eight other all-league picks), but there’s plenty of powder left in the muzzle.

The teams meet in Week 9; the loser likely will be eliminated from title contention.

5. Exeter vs. Manheim Central

Week 10: Oct. 28, at Rettew Field

Tough closing run for the Barons, who likely will have to beat Mifflin and Exeter in back-to-back weeks to win the Section 2 title.

The Eagles will certainly have their attention after last season’s 43-26 beatdown in a District 3 Class 5A quarterfinal at Manheim — perhaps the biggest win in program history. It was the first of three straight playoff road wins for Exeter on the way to its first championship.

Exeter figures to be up for the challenge again this season. Despite graduating stalwarts such as linebackers Ty Yocum and J.R. Strauss and quarterback Colin Payne the Eagles return as much talent as anyone. Start with Penn State recruit Joey Schlaffer and continue with returning all-league linemen Lucas Palanage, Anthony Caccese and Kyle Lash. They figure to be every bit as physical as a year ago.

4. Exeter vs. Gov. Mifflin

Week 4: Sept. 16 at Mifflin Stadium

Do we really have to say anything about this one?

For years it was the game in Section 1 of the Berks Football League, with the winner almost always claiming the title.

Last year they elevated the rivalry to an epic level. First, there was Mifflin’s 54-21 mercy rule win at Don Thomas Stadium, with Nick Singleton finding the end zone four times. Seven weeks later came one of the most stunning upsets in Berks football history as the Eagles played a near-perfect game to beat the top-ranked team in the state 31-28 in the District 3 Class 5A title game, ending Singleton’s high school career.

The Mustangs figure to fall a notch from last season; the Eagles might not.

3. Wilson vs. Manheim Township

Week 10: Oct. 28, at Neffsville

The Blue Streaks snapped the Bulldogs’ record 69-game winning streak in 2017 and have waged war against them ever since.

Mark Evans is one of the few coaches who have been able to put together a program that can challenge Wilson on a yearly basis. His Township team has beaten Wilson three times in the last five seasons, won outright Section 1 championships in 2017 and 2019 and shared one with the Bulldogs and Warwick in 2018.

The Bulldogs have regained their equilibrium, with back-to-back wins in the series but neither was easy: They won 31-28 at Township in 2020 and 21-14 at home last season.

The Blue Streaks took some heavy graduation losses: Eleven all-league picks, including Penn State wide receiver recruit Anthony Ivey.

The Bulldogs will likely enter the season as the Section 1 favorite but they’ll need to take this season-ender to secure a third straight section title.

2. Wilson vs. Gov. Mifflin

Week 6: Oct. 1, at Mifflin Stadium

Again, we don’t need to say much to hype this one; just seeing the names together in the same sentence should get you a little charged up.

These schools have been playing each other for 70 years and the rivalry only seems to be getting hotter, especially with the Mustangs’ ability to now compete on even terms.

In fact the last two games haven’t been close, with Mifflin winning 48-7 at Gurski Stadium in 2020 and 42-14 last year. With Nick Singleton gone it figures to be a lot closer this time around.

Wilson dominated this series throughout the 1980’s, 90’s and early 2000’s and leads overall 37-27. More recently Mifflin has won seven of the last 18 meetings.

Note of interest: Back in the Tri-County League days Mifflin was the dominant force and beat Wilson 12 straight seasons, from 1955-1966. John Gurski changed all of that.

1. Wyomissing vs. Berks Catholic

Week 4: Sept. 16, at Forino Sports Complex

You skipped right down here, didn’t you?

OK, so you’re not surprised to see this one at the bottom — well, really at the top — of the list, are you?

It’s been No. 1 — or No. 1A, next to Mifflin/Wilson — since its inception. From 2012 on, when the Spartans were on their way to a state title, it’s been a must-see.

The Saints got their first win in the series in 2013 by stuffing two-point conversion in final minute for a 14-13 win, then pulled out another the following year on two incredible catches by Isaac Lutz in the final minute.

In consecutive years, 2014 and 2015, they played twice, the second time for time for a District 3 championship.

The series reached an emotional pitch in 2018 when Luis Garcia, just days after learning of teammate Anthony Myers’ diagnosis of brain cancer, pulled on Myers’ No. 17 BC jersey and opened the game with a 38-yard touchdown catch.

This series — despite its brief history — is packed with great memories. Now, after a two-year hiatus, they’re back together in Section 4 of the Lancaster-Lebanon League and ready to add to the lore of the series.