Exeter continues rise in state rankings
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Exeter continued its upward climb in the state rankings, moving up two spots to No. 4 in Class 5A after opening Lancaster-Lebanon League Section 2 play with a 31-9 win over Gov. Mifflin.
The Eagles, coming off a season which saw them win a program-record 12 games, were not listed in the PennLive.com preseason rankings but broke into the rankings at No. 9 following a Week 2 win over Boyertown.
They leaped to No. 6 last week, after beating West York. Exeter spent most of last season in the Top 10, including six weeks at No. 2 β the highest ranking ever for the program.
The Eagles are joined in the rankings by two other Berks teams, Wyomissing and Twin Valley.
The Spartans remain at No. 2 in Class 3A, where theyβve been since the preseason. They extended their Berks record with a 39th straight regular season victory last week, beating Berks Catholic 35-7. Unbeaten Belle Vernon remains entrenched at No. 1.
Twin Valley, 4-0 for the first time in program history, remains listed as a Team To Watch, where it has been for the last three weeks. The Raiders opened Section 3 play with a 49-19 win over Fleetwood last week.
Exeter moved up in part because of a big shakeup in Class 5A where No. 4 Roman Catholic lost in five overtimes to Dematha Catholic of Maryland and No. 3 Penn Hills lost 14-13 to previously winless Moon. Penn Hills dropped seven spots, to No. 10.
Exeter is one of three District 3 teams listed in the Class 5A rankings; Cedar Cliff (4-0) and Cocalico (3-1) are each listed as a Team To Watch.
Trinity took a big tumble in Class 2A after a 19-16 loss to West Perry, which was No. 9 in 3A. The Shamrocks fell from No. 4 to No. 9 after their second straight loss; they fell to Wyomissing 35-34 in Week 3.
In Class 6A, Central Dauphin (3-1) moved into the Top 10 following its third straight win. The Rams, who defeated Wilson 36-35 in Week 2, are at No. 10. They are one of four District 3 teams in the rankings. Central York (4-0) is No. 6, Manheim Township (4-0) is No. 7 and Harrisburg (3-1) is a Team To Watch.
CLASS 6A
Rank β Team β District β Record β Previous
1. St. Josephβs Prep (12) — 3-1 β 1
2. Pittsburgh C.C. (7) — 4-0 β 2
3. North Allegheny (7) — 4-0 β 3
4. Parkland (11) — 4-0 β 4
5. Central Bucks West (1) — 4-0 β 5
6. Central York (3) — 4-0 β 7
7. Manheim Township (3) — 4-0 β 8
8. Downingtown East (1) — 4-0 β 9
9. Nazareth (11) β 3-1 β 6
10. Central Dauphin (3) — 3-1 β NR
Teams to watch: Downingtown West (1) 4-0, Garnet Valley (1) 3-1, Harrisburg (3) 3-1, State College (6) 2-1.
CLASS 5A
Rank β Team β District β Record β Previous
1. Imhotep Charter (12) — 4-0 β 1
2. West Chester Rustin (1) β 3-0 β 2
3. Cathedral Prep (10) β 2-1 β 5
4. Exeter (3)Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β — 4-0 β 6Β
5. Roman Catholic (12) β 3-1 β 4
6. Peters Township (7) — 4-0 β 9
7. Strath Haven (1) β 4-0 β 8
8. Upper St. Clair (7) — 4-0 β NR
9. Southern Lehigh (11) — 4-0 β NR
10. Penn Hills (7) β 3-1 β 3
Teams to watch: Cedar Cliff (3) 4-0, Cocalico (3) 3-1, Pine-Richland (7) 2-2, Springfield-Delco (1) 3-1, Whitehall (11) 3-1.
CLASS 4A
Rank β Team β District β Record β Previous
1. Bishop McDevitt (3) β 4-0 β 1
2. Aliquippa (7) β 3-0 β 2
3. Thomas Jefferson (7) β 4-0 β 3
4. Allentown C.C. (11) β 4-0 β 4
5. Pope John Paul II (1) β 4-0 β 5
6. Jersey Shore (4) β 3-0-1 β 6
7. Selinsgrove (4) β 3-0-1 β 7
8. McKeesport (7) β 3-1 β 8
9. Manheim Central (3) — 3-1 β 9
10. Lampeter-Strasburg (3) — 4-0 β 10
Teams to watch:Β Armstrong (7) 3-1, Bethlehem Catholic (11) 4-0, Bonner-Prendergast (12) 2-1, Central Valley (7) 3-1, Twin Valley (3) 4-0.Β
CLASS 3A
Rank β Team β District β Record β Previous
1. Belle Vernon (7) β 3-0 β 1
2. Wyomissing (3)Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β Β β 4-0 β 2Β
3. Avonworth (7) β 4-0 β 3
4. Neumann-Goretti (12) β 2-1 β 4
5. Scranton Prep (2) β 4-0 β 5
6. Danville (4) — 4-0 β 8
7. North Schuylkill (11) β 3-1 β 7
8. West Perry (3) — 4-0 β 9
9. Loyalsock (4) β 2-2 β 6
10. Central (6) — 4-0 β 10
Teams to watch: Beaver Area (7) 4-0, Elizabeth-Forward (7) 4-0, Knoch (7) 4-0, Lancaster Catholic (3) 4-0, Northwestern Lehigh (11) 4-0.
CLASS 2A
Rank β Team β District β Record β Previous
1. Southern Columbia (4) β 4-0 β 1
2. Farrell (10) β 4-0 β 2
3. Westinghouse (8) β 3-0 β 3
4. Richland (6) β 4-0 β 5
5. Bald Eagle Area (6) — 4-0 β 8
6. Central Clarion (9) — 4-0 β 7
7. Washington (7) — 4-0 β 9
8. Troy (4) — 4-0 β 10
9. Trinity (3) β 2-2 β 4
10. Berlin Brothersvalley (5) — 4-0 β NR
Teams to watch: Dunmore (2) 3-1, Mount Carmel (4) 2-2, Sharpsville (10) 4-0, Steel Valley (7) 2-1, Williams Valley (11) 3-1.
CLASS 1A
Rank β Team β District β Record β Previous
1. Steelton-Highspire (3) — 4-0 β 1
2. Bishop Canevin (7) — 3-0 β 2
3. Canton (4) — 4-0 β 3
4. Northern Bedford (5) — 4-0 β 4
5. Lackawanna Trail (2) β 4-0 β 5
6. Windber (5) — 4-0 β 7
7. Redbank Valley (9) — 4-0 β 9
8. Cornell (7) — 4-0 — 10
9. Lakeview (10) — 4-0 β NR
10. South Side (7) — 4-0 β NR
Teams to watch: Juniata Valley (6) 4-0, Minersville (11) 3-1, Muncy (4) 3-1, Rochester (7) 3-0, South Williamsport (4) 4-0.