Wyomissing opens season in familiar spot in state rankings
Wyomissing opens this season where it ended the last two: At No. 2.
The Spartans, who have reached the PIAA Class 3A championship game in back-to-back seasons, are ranked No. 2 in that classification behind Belle Vernon in the PennLive.com preseason rankings.
Wyomissing is among five Berks teams mentioned in the rankings. Exeter, the defending District 3 Class 5A champ, opens at No. 7 in that classification, one spot ahead of Gov. Mifflin. Wilson, in Class 6A, and Berks Catholic, in Class 3A, are listed as Teams To Watch outside their respective top 10’s.
Aliquippa, in Class 4A, and Southern Columbia, in Class 2A, are the only reigning PIAA champs to open the season ranked No. 1.
Central Valley, which beat Wyomissing in each of the last two Class 3A championship games, has moved up to Class 4A, where it opens at No. 6.
Bishop Guilfoyle, last season’s Class 1A champ, moves up to 2A, where it opens at No. 7.
St. Joseph’s Prep, which fell to Mount Lebanon in last year’s Class 6A championship, opens at No. 1 in that classification; Mount Lebanon is at No. 7. Harrisburg, which beat Wilson for the District 3 title last year, opens at No. 3 and is the lone District 3 team in the Class 6A Top Ten.
Imhotep Charter, which lost to Penn-Trafford 17-14 in overtime in last year’s Class 5A championship, opens at No. 1 in that field. Penn-Trafford is No. 4.
Belle Vernon won its first 10 games last season before falling to Aliquippa 28-13 in the District 7 Class 4A championship game. It has moved down one classification since last season.
Belle Vernon is led by 6-3, 200-pound running back/wide receiver Quinton Martin, one of the top-rated juniors in the nation. He rushed for 902 yards and 12 touchdowns in eight games last season. He has offers from Penn State, Ohio State, Notre Dame and Wisconsin, along with other powerhouse programs.
He is ranked the No. 1 junior in the state by 247sports.com.
Wyomissing graduated 11 all-league picks, including Richmond tight end recruit Aiden Mack, but has plenty of top-flight talent returning, including Penn State offensive line recruit Jven Williams.
Wilson is among five schools listed as Teams To Watch in Class 6A, along with Central York, the only other District 3 team in the rankings. Wilson beat Central 14-11 in the district semifinals last year.
Wyomissing and Berks Catholic are the lone District 3 teams listed in the Class 3A rankings. The Saints reached the District 3 Class 4A quarterfinals last season. They will play each other for the first time in three seasons in Week 4.
Teams are listed with their PIAA district in parentheses, their 2021 record and their final ranking last season. (RN indicates not ranked)
CLASS 6A
Rank β Team β District β β21 record β β21 final rankΒ
1. St. Josephβs Prep (12) β 11-3 β 2Β
2. Pittsburgh C.C. (7) β 9-3 β HM
3. Harrisburg (3) β 12-2 β 7
4. North Penn (1) β 11-1 β HM
5. Bethlehem Freedom (11) β 12-3 β 4
6. Garnet Valley (1) β 14-1 β 3
7. Mount Lebanon (7) β 15-0 β 1Β
8. Seneca Valley (7) β 7-4 β NR
9. State College (6) β 8-6 β 6
10. McDowell (10) β 9-3 β 10
Teams to watch:Β Central York (3) 11-1, Downingtown East (1) 9-3, Emmaus (11) 9-4, Parkland (11) 9-2, Wilson (3) 9-4.Β
CLASS 5AΒ
Rank β Team β District β β21 record β β21 final rank
1. Imhotep Charter (12) β 11-2 β 2
2. Cathedral Prep (10) β 11-2 β 8
3. Delaware Valley (2) β 9-4 β NR
4. Penn-Trafford (7) β 13-2) β 1
5. Upper Dublin (1) β 9-3 β NR
6. Penn Hills (7) β 8-4 β NR
7. Exeter (3) β 10-4 β 3Β
8. Gov. Mifflin (3) β 10-1 β 5Β
9. Pine-Richland (7) β 7-5 β NR
10. West Chester Rustin (1) β 11-2 β 7
Teams to watch: Gateway (7) 7-4, Shippensburg (3) 11-1, Strath Haven (1) 13-2, Unionville (1) 10-2, East Stroudsburg South (11) 9-4.
CLASS 4AΒ
Rank β Team β District β β21 record β β21 final rank
1. Aliquippa (7) β 13-1 β 1
2. Bishop McDevitt (3) β 12-2 β 2
3. Jersey Shore (4) β 14-1 β 3
4. Thomas Jefferson (7) β 8-3 β 8
5. Allentown C.C. (11) β 9-4 β HM
6. Central Valley (7) β 15-0 β 1 (3A)
7. Lampeter-Strasburg (3) β 11-2 β 6
8. Meadville (10) β 9-4 β 10
9. McKeesport (7) β 9-3 — 9
10. Valley View (2) β 12-2 β 7
Teams to watch: Bishop Shanahan (1) 11-4, Manheim Central (3) 9-2, Pope John Paul II (1) 7-3, Selinsgrove (4) 8-4.
CLASS 3AΒ
Rank β Team β District β β21 Record β β21 final rank
1. Belle Vernon (7) β 10-1 β 5 (4A)
2. Wyomissing (3) β 15-1 β 2Β
3. Neumann-Goretti (12) β 12-2 β 5
4. Danville (4) β 8-5 β 4
5. Central Martinsburg (6) β 14-1 β 3
6. Elizabeth Forward (7) β 9-3 β NR
7. Hickory (10) β 7-4 β NR
8. North Schuylkill (11) β 10-2 β 9
9. Scranton Prep (2) β 11-1 β 4
10. Grove City (10) β 10-3 β 8
Teams to watch:Β Avonworth (7) 9-3, Bedford (5) 10-2, Berks Catholic (3) 7-5, Clearfield (9) 11-1, Loyalsock (4) 7-5.Β
CLASS 2AΒ
Rank β Team β District β β21 Record β β21 final rank
1. Southern Columbia (4) β 15-1 β 1
2. Farrell (10) β 11-1 β 3
3. Beaver Falls (7) β 9-4 β HM
4. Sto-Rox (7) β 12-1 β 4
5. Mount Carmel (4) β 10-3 β 9
6. Richland Township (6) β 11-3 β 5
7. Bishop Guilfoyle (6) β 11-4 β 1 (1A)
8. Lakeland (2) β 10-2 β HM (3A)
9. Wilmington (10) β 7-3 β NR
10. York Catholic (3) β 11-1 β 10
Teams to watch: Berlin Brothersvalley (5) 8-3, Serra Catholic (7) 14-2, Sharpsville (10) 7-3, South Williamsport (4) 7-4, Steel Valley (7) 11-1, Washington (7) 9-1.
CLASS 1AΒ
Rank β Team β District β β21 Record β β21 final rank
1. Bishop Canevin (7) β 13-2 β 5
2. Old Forge (2) β 11-1 β 4
3. Steelton-Highspire (3) β 8-3 β 7
4. Canton (4) β 13-1 β 3
5. Our Lady of the Sacred Heart (7) β 9-4 β 9
6. Reynolds (10) β 7-5 β NR
7. Homer-Center (6) β 8-4 β HM
8. Tri-Valley (11) β 9-2 β HM
9. Muncy (4) β 10-2 β HM
10. Redbank Valley (9) β 13-2 — 2
Teams to watch: Clairton (7) 7-3, Leechburg (7) 9-3, Northern Bedford (5) 9-4, Northern Lehigh (11) 11-4, Rochester (7) 9-3.