Twin Valley on the District 3 bubble entering final regular season game
The District 3 playoffs open Friday, but for Twin Valley they begin Monday afternoon.
The Raiders are on the bubble in Class 5A, ranked 16th in a 16-team field and with a slim power rating lead over No. 17 Northern York.
Twin Valley (10-9) concludes its season against Mechanicsburg (13-6) Monday at 4:15. With a win it should clinch a playoff berth and could even move up to 15th. With a loss the Raiders face the prospect of dropping behind Northern.
Official numbers will be posted on the District 3 website Tuesday.
Nine other Berks teams appear to have locked up spots in the tournament, which opens Friday with games in four of the six classifications and continues with games in all six classes Monday, May 19.
Championships in Class 1A and 2A and semifinals in the four largest classes are scheduled for May 25; championships in the four largest classes are scheduled for May 30.
Monday is the final day for games to be included in the power ratings, which are used to seed the tournament. League playoff games do not count in the power ratings, nor do games against non-PIAA opponents.
Gov. Mifflin, in Class 5A, and Kutztown, in 2A, will enter as No. 2 seeds, barring some late and unexpected changes.
Fleetwood, in Class 4A, is the only Berks team in line for an opening-round bye. The Tigers are expected to be the No. 4 seed; the top four teams in that class get opening-round byes.
All games through the semifinals will be played at the home of the higher-seeded team; the championship games will be played at neutral sites.
Wilson figures to enter as the No. 7 seed in 6A and will host the No. 9 seed. The top three finishers advance to the PIAA Tournament.
As many as five Berks League teams figure to qualify in Class 5A. Muhlenberg is currently No. 8 and in line for a home game, though its margin over No. 9 Manheim Central is razor-thin. Daniel Boone (13), Exeter (14) and Twin Valley (16) are the others. The top five finishers advance to the PIAA Tournament.
In addition to Fleetwood, Berks Catholic will qualify in Class 4A, likely as the No. 9 seed. The Saints will open on the road at the No. 8 seed, currently Middletown. The top three finishers advance to the PIAA Tournament.
In Class 3A it appears Oley Valley and Brandywine Heights will face each other in the opening round; the Lynx are currently No. 4, the Bullets No. 5. Oley defeated Brandywine 3-2 in their only meeting this season. The top three finishers advance to the state tournament.
Kutztown will open at home May 22 in a semifinal against the No. 3 Newport. Only the district champion advances to states in Class 2A.
It appears Wyomissing will be squeezed out of the Class 3A field. The Spartans are currently No. 8; the top seven qualify.