Defending District 3 champ Wyomissing again opens with lofty state ranking
2023 Berks football coverage presented by
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They may be without 11 all-league players, including Penn State recruit Jven Williams, but the Wyomissing Spartans will open the season Aug. 25 right where they spent much of last season: Ranked No. 2 in the state in Class 3A by PennLive.com.
The Spartans won their first 13 games a season ago before being beaten in the final seconds by District 12 champ Neumann-Goretti 20-17 in a PIAA semifinal.
Wyomissing is ranked No. 2 entering the season behind Belle Vernon, which defeated Goretti 9-8 in the state championship game.
The Spartans are used to being on top. They’ve spent 17 weeks ranked No. 1 in the state and 33 weeks ranked No. 2 in recent seasons. They’ve won four straight District 3 championships and gone 49-4 over the past four seasons, reaching the PIAA championship game in 2020 and 2021.
This team has similar aspirations, but the playoffs are months away.
“It’s definitely really exciting,” said Wyomissing senior and Penn State offensive line recruit Caleb Brewer of being ranked No. 2, “(but) rankings don’t mean anything until the postseason.”
Senior linebacker Ryker Jones, a Princeton recruit, echoed similar thoughts.
“None of us really care very much,” said Jones, “we know the rankings don’t mean anything, really. It matters what you do on the field. It’s nice to see but it also doesn’t prove anything.”
Wyomissing is the only Berks team in the rankings. Two other Lancaster-Lebanon League teams are ranked.
Defending District 3 champ Cocalico is No. 6 in Class 5A; Manheim Central is No. 4 in Class 4A. Cocalico and Wyomissing will face each other in Section 4 of the Lancaster-Lebanon League.
St. Joseph’s Prep, which beat Harrisburg 42-7 in the Class 6A championship game, opens at No. 1 in the highest classification. Harrisburg is No. 6 and the lone District 3 team ranked among the big schools.
Imhotep Charter, which lost to Pine-Richland 28-14 in the Class 5A championship last year, opens at No. 1 in that class; Pine-Richland is No. 2.
Bishop McDevitt, which beat Aliquippa 41-18 for the 4A title, opens at No. 1, one spot ahead of the Quips.
Southern Columbia, a 37-22 winner over Westinghouse in the 2A championship, opens the season at No. 1. Farrell, knocked out last year in the quarterfinals by Westinghouse, is No. 2.
Class 1A defending champ Steel-High is No. 1 in the smallest classification, ahead of Bishop Canevin, which did not reach the state tournament last year. Steel-High beat Union 22-8 in the title game.
CLASS 6A
Rank – Team – District – ’22 record – Previous rank
1. St. Joseph’s Prep (12) 12-1 1
2. Pittsburgh C.C. (7) 7-5 NR
3. Garnet Valley (1) 13-1 4
4. North Allegheny (7) 11-2 5
5. Parkland (11) 9-5 6
6. Harrisburg (3) 11-3 2
7. State College (6) 13-1 3
8. Central Bucks West (1) 9-5 9
9. Nazareth (11) 9-2 NR
10. Coatesville (1) 8-2 HM
CLASS 5A
Rank – Team – District – ’22 record – Previous rank
1. Imhotep Charter (12) 10-3 2
2. Pine-Richland (7) 13-3 1
3. Gateway (7) 7-4 NR
4. Cathedral Prep (10) 8-3 6
5. West Chester Rustin (1) 11-2 7
6. Cocalico (3) 10-5 4
7. Delaware Valley (2) 7-6 NR
8. Penn Hills (7) 5-5 NR
9. Strath Haven (1) 12-1 8
10. Roman Catholic (12) 8-3 9
CLASS 4A
Rank – Team – District – ’22 record – Previous rank
1. Bishop McDevitt (3) 13-1 1
2. Aliquippa (7) 13-1 2
3. Thomas Jefferson (7) 8-4 HM
4. Manheim Central (3) 11-2 9
5. Pope John Paul II (1) 10-2 NR
6. Allentown C.C. (11) 9-5 5
7. McKeesport (7) 11-2 8
8. Bonner-Prendergast (12) 11-2 10
9. Jersey Shore (4) 12-1 3
10. Selinsgrove (4) 9-3 NR
CLASS 3A
Rank – Team – District – ’22 record – Previous rank
1. Belle Vernon (7) 12-2 1
2. Wyomissing (3) 13-1 3
3. Neumann-Goretti (12) 10-4 2
4. Loyalsock (4) 11-2 8
5. North Schuylkill (11) 10-3 9
6. Grove City (10) 9-4 HM
7. Notre Dame-GP (11) 9-3 10
8. Scranton Prep (2) 9-4 NR
9. West Perry (3) 11-2 HM
10. Avonworth (7) 11-2 6
CLASS 2A
Rank – Team – District – ’22 record – Previous rank
1. Southern Columbia (4) 13-3 1
2. Farrell (10) 10-2 7
3. Dunmore (2) 8-4 NR
4. Beaver Falls (7) 11-2 5
5. Trinity (3) 10-5 6
6. Westinghouse (8) 14-1 2
7. Steel Valley (7) 12-1 3
8. Richland (6) 11-1 HM
9. Central Clarion (9) 10-2 HM
10. Executive Education (11) 8-4 10
CLASS 1A
Rank – Team – District – ’22 record – Previous rank
1. Steelton-Highspire (3) 14-1 1
2. Bishop Canevin (7) 12-2 7
3. Canton (4) 12-2 2
4. Northern Bedford (5) 11-1 NR
5. Union Area (7) 12-4 3
6. Lackawanna Trail (2) 8-5 NR
7. Northern Lehigh (11) 12-1 5
8. Muncy (4) 10-1 9
9. Brockway (9) 8-5 HM
10. Clairton (7) 6-6 NR