Saints, Tigers move up, Red Knights hold at No. 2 in ‘Beast of the East’ rankings

By Mike Drago Last updated Jan 23, 2023

Berks Catholic's Josh McKoy. (PhilMarPhoto)

Berks Catholic and Fleetwood each moved up one spot in Class 4A and Reading High remained No. 2 in 6A in the weekly “Beast of the East” Pennsylvania basketball rankings, which include PIAA schools in Districts 1, 2, 3, 4, 11 and 12.

The Saints (14-1), who went 3-0 last week to match the best start in program history, moved up to No. 2, past Cardinal O’Hara, which lost to Archbishop Ryan. Among BC’s wins was a 49-44 victory over Wilson.

The Tigers (16-1) went 3-0 last week to move up to No.6.

Reading High (17-1) went 3-0 week and remains behind Roman Catholic, the defending PIAA champ in 6A. The Cahillites are 15-1.

Exeter, which beat Muhlenberg 57-50 during a 3-1 week, was added to the Class 5A honor mention list. Also listed: Wilson, in 6A; Muhlenberg, in 5A; Schuylkill Valley, in 4A; Oley Valley, in 3A; and Antietam, in 2A.

Cumberland Valley, at No. 7, is the only other District 3 team in the 6A rankings. There are none in 5A after Milton Hershey dropped out.

Eastern York joins Berks Catholic and Fleetwood in the 4A rankings. Columbia (3) and Trinity (7) are ranked in 3A. Halifax is No. 10 in 2A. There are five District 3 teams ranked in 1A: Linville Hill Christian, Greenwood, Mount Calvary, LaAcademia and Lancaster Country Day.

The rankings will be released weekly throughout the remainder of the season.

Reading’s Myles Grey. (Susan L. Angstadt photo)

Class 6A

1. Roman Catholic (12) 15-1

2. Reading High (3) 17-1

3. Archbishop Wood (12) 8-5

4. Lower Merion (1) 15-1

5. St. Joe’s Prep (12) 11-3

6. Spring-Ford (1) 17-1

7. Cumberland Valley (3) 14-1

8. Plymouth Whitemarsh (1) 15-2

9. Emmaus (11) 13-3

10. Father Judge (12) 8-6

Dropped Out

(8) Central Bucks East (1) 15-2; (10) LaSalle (12) 9-7.

Honorable Mention

Coatesville (1) 11-6; Downingtown West (1) 13-4; Garnet Valley (1) 11-5; Methacton (1) 12-6; North Penn (1) 13-4; Central York (3) 12-5; Hempfield (3) 13-5; Waynesboro (3) 15-1; William Penn (3) 12-4; Wilson (3) 15-4; Williamsport (4) 8-4; Freedom (11) 11-5; Parkland(11) 11-5; Northeast (12) 13-4; Olney (12) 14-2.

Class 5A

1. Imhotep(12) 15-2

2. Radnor (1) 15-0

3. Archbishop Ryan (12) 8-7

4. Abington Heights (2) 14-1

5. West Chester East (1) 13-5

6. Dallas (2) 14-1

7. Bonner-Prendergast (12) 9-5

8. Unionville (1) 15-1

9. East Stroudsburg South (11) 14-2

10. Boys Latin (12) 14-2

Dropped Out

(8) Milton Hershey (3) 9-3; (7)Pocono Mountain West (11) 12-4.

Honorable Mention

Chichester (1) 13-3; Upper Dublin (1) 13-4; Upper Moreland (1) 11-6; Pittston (2) 11-4; Exeter (3) 9-4; Lampeter-Strasburg (3) 13-3; Manheim Central (3) 13-3; Mechanicsburg (3) 11-4; Muhlenberg (3) 9-6; Warwick (3) 10-5; Selinsgrove (4) 10-6; Dobbins (12) 16-1; Fels (12) 15-1; Ben Franklin (12) 13-2.

Fleetwood’s Aiden Soumas. (PhilMarPhoto)

Class 4A

1. Neuman Goretti (12) 12-2

2. Berks Catholic (3) 14-1

3. Cardinal O’Hara (12) 10-5

4. Archbishop Carroll (12) 10-5

5. Valley View (2) 12-2

6. Fleetwood (3) 16-1

7. Bethlehem Catholic (11) 12-4

8. Allentown Central Catholic (11) 11-6

9. Scranton Prep (2) 9-6

10. Eastern York (3) 13-2

Honorable Mention

Collegium (1) 8-8; Greater Nanticoke Area (2) 11-6; Bishop McDevitt (3) 10-2; Littlestown (3) 15-3; Schuylkill Valley (3) 11-4; Athens (4) 10-4; Danville (4) 10-3; Shamokin (4) 12-4 Blue Mountain (11) 12-5; North Schuylkill (11) 12-3; Overbrook (12) 10-7.

Class 3A

1. Devon Prep (12) 10-6

2. West Catholic (12) 8-8

3. Columbia (3) 12-1

4. Holy Redeemer (2) 11-2

5. Math Civics and Science (12) 10-7

6. Executive Education (11) 13-2

7. Trinity (3) 13-2

8. Mid Valley (2) 11-3

9. Notre Dame Green Pond (11) 13-3

10. North Penn-Mansfield (4) 15-1

Dropped Out

(9) Old Forge (2) 10-3; (10) Palmerton (11) 14-2.

Honorable Mention

Mast (1) 9-5; Carbondale (2) 9-5; Old Forge (2) 10-3; Riverside (2) 10-4; Delone Catholic (3) 12-3; Oley Valley (3) 13-4; York Catholic (3) 11-5; Southern Columbia (4) 9-5; Loyalsock (4) 8-5; Troy (4) 10-5; Wellsboro (4) 9-4; Palmerton (11) 14-2; Saucon Valley (11) 13-3; SLA-Beeber (12) 13-4.

Class 2A

1. Constitution (12) 10-7

2. Dock Mennonite (1) 15-2

3. Holy Cross (2) 10-3

4. St. John Neumann Regional (4) 9-4

5. Tri-Valley (11) 14-1

6. Sankofa (12) 10-7

7. Maritime (12) 13-3

8. Schuylkill Haven (11) 14-3

9. Mahanoy Area (11) 12-4

10. Halifax (3) 11-3

Dropped Out

(10) Northwest Area (4) 12-3.

Honorable Mention

Church Farm (1) 10-3; Delco Christian (1) 8-7; Antietam (3) 9-7; Lancaster Mennonite (3) 10-6; Muncy (4) 12-3; Northwest Area (4) 12-3; South Williamsport(4) 9-7 Lincoln Leadership (11) 6-8; Marian Catholic (11) 9-7; Minersville (11) 10-6; Paul Robeson (12) 9-10.

Class 1A

1. The City School (12) 15-3

2. Linville Hill Christian (3) 12-0

3. Chester Charter (1) 12-2

4. Greenwood (3) 14-1

5. Phil-Mont Christian (1) 12-5

6. Mount Calvary Christian (3) 11-5

7. LaAcademia (3) 7-7

8. Lancaster Country Day (3) 9-5

9. Northumberland Christian (4) 11-3

10. GAMP (12) 7-3

Honorable Mention

Plumstead Christian (1) 6-7; Forest City Regional (2) 7-6; Conestoga Christian (3) 8-7; Dayspring Christian (3) 12-3; High Point Baptist (3) 8-4; Lancaster County Christian (3) 8-5; West Shore Christian (3) 9-8; York Country Day (3) 7-6; North Penn-Liberty (4) 8-6; Bethlehem Christian (11) 9-3; Notre Dame E-S (11) 9-7.