Berks Catholic joins Wyo, two other Berks teams, in PA state rankings

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2023 Berks football coverage presented by

Utilities Employees Credit Union

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An unexpected comeback against state-ranked Executive Education Academy has earned Berks Catholic a little notoriety — and a spot in the state rankings.

Berks Catholic is listed as a Team To Watch in Class 3A after a 19-14 win over the Raptors, who were ranked No. 10 in Class 2A last week. Their second loss at Forino Sports in as many appearances knocked them out of the state rankings.

The Saints become the fourth Berks team to appear in the PennLive.com state rankings this season, joining Wyomissing, Exeter and Twin Valley.

The Spartans remain No. 2 in Class 3A after a resounding 41-7 win at Pottsville. Wyomissing spent much of last season ranked No. 1 before losing to Neumann-Goretti in the state semifinals. It was ranked No. 2 in the preseason.

The Eagles, who shook off a slow start to beat Boyertown 36-14 Friday, move up to No. 9 in Class 5A; they had been listed among the honorable mention entries last week. Exeter ended last season ranked No. 5.

The Raiders, who held off Lower Dauphin 24-21 Friday, remain a Team to Watch in Class 4A.

Berks Catholic has its work cut out to remain in the state rankings: Friday it hosts unbeaten Pope John Paul II, which is ranked No. 5 in Class 4A. Berks Catholic appeared in the rankings early last year but dropped out after some early losses.

Wyomissing gets its biggest challenge to date in Week 3 as it heads to Trinity, which is 2-0 and ranked No. 3 in Class 2A.

There were no major changes at the top of the rankings: Each of the six top-ranked teams won, including Class 3A leader Belle Vernon, which was idle in Week 1.

Pennsylvania high school football rankings

CLASS 6A

Rank – Team – District – Record – Previous

1. St. Joseph’s Prep (12)          — 1-1 – 1

2. Pittsburgh Central Catholic (7)     — 2-0 – 2

3. North Allegheny (7)            — 2-0 – 3

4. Parkland (11)                       — 2-0 – 4

5. Harrisburg (3)                      – 2-0 – 5

6. Central Bucks West (1)        — 2-0 – 6

7. Nazareth (11)                      – 2-0 – 8

8. Coatesville (1)                     – 2-0 – 9

9. Central York (3)                   — 2-0 – NR

10. Downingtown East (1)      — 2-0 – NR

Teams to watch: Garnet Valley (1) 1-1, La Salle College HS (12) 1-1, Manheim Township (3) 2-0, Mount Lebanon (7) 2-0, State College (6) 1-1.

CLASS 5A

Rank – Team – District – Record – Previous

1. Imhotep Charter (12)          — 2-0 – 1

2. Pine-Richland (7)                 – 1-1 – 2

3. West Chester Rustin (1)      – 1-0 – 3

4. Roman Catholic (12)           – 2-0 – 4

5. Penn Hills (7)                       – 2-0 – 5

6. Cathedral Prep (10)             – 1-1 – 6

7. Strath Haven (1)                  – 2-0 – 7

8. Plymouth-Whitemarsh (1)  — 2-0 – NR

9. Exeter (3)            — 2-0 – NR

10. Peters Township (7)          — 2-0 – NR

Teams to watch: Bethel Park (7) 1-1, Cocalico (3) 1-1, Southern Lehigh (11) 2-0, Upper Dublin (1) 1-1, Whitehall (11) 1-1.

CLASS 4A

Rank – Team – District – Record – Previous

1. Bishop McDevitt (3)            – 2-0 – 1

2. Aliquippa (7)                       – 1-0 – 2

3. Thomas Jefferson (7)          – 2-0 – 3

4. Manheim Central (3)           – 2-0 – 4

5. Pope John Paul II (1)           – 2-0 – 5

6. Allentown C.C. (11)             – 2-0 – 6

7. McKeesport (7)                   – 2-0 – 7

8. Bonner-Prendergast (12     – 1-0 – 8

9. Jersey Shore (4)                   – 2-0 – 9

10. Selinsgrove (4)                  – 2-0 – 10

Teams to watch: Armstrong (7) 1-1, Bethlehem Catholic (11) 2-0, Central Valley (7) 1-1, Lampeter-Strasburg (3) 2-0, Twin Valley (3) 2-0.

CLASS 3A

Rank – Team – District – Record – Previous

1. Belle Vernon (7)                  – 1-0 – 1

2. Wyomissing (3)                   – 2-0 – 2

3. Loyalsock (4)                       – 2-0 – 3

4. Avonworth (7)                     – 2-0 – 6

5. Neumann-Goretti (12)        – 0-1 – 7

6. Scranton Prep (2)                – 2-0 – 8

7. North Schuylkill (11)           – 1-1 – 4

8. Danville (4)                          — 2-0 – 10

9. West Perry (3)                     — 2-0 – 9

10. Central (6)                         — 2-0 – NR

Teams to watch: Berks Catholic (3) 1-1, Elizabeth-Forward (7) 2-0, Grove City (10) 1-1, Northwestern Lehigh (11) 2-0, Oil City (10) 2-0.

CLASS 2A

Rank – Team – District – Record – Previous

1. Southern Columbia (4)        – 2-0 – 1

2. Farrell (10)                           – 2-0 – 2

3. Trinity (3)                             – 2-0 – 5

4. Westinghouse (8)                – 1-0 – 6

5. Steel Valley (7)                    – 1-0 – 7

6. Richland (6)                         – 2-0 – 8

7. Mount Carmel (4)               — 1-1 – NR

8. Central Clarion (9)               — 2-0 – 9

9. Bald Eagle Area (6)              — 2-0 — NR

10. Williams Valley (11)          — 2-0 — NR

Teams to watch: Beaver Falls (7) 1-1, Dunmore (2) 1-1, Executive Education (11) 1-1, Imani Christian (7) 1-1, Troy (4) 2-0, Washington (7) 2-0.

CLASS 1A

Rank – Team – District – Record – Previous

1. Steelton-Highspire (3)         — 2-0 – 1

2. Bishop Canevin (7)              — 1-0 – 2

3. Canton (4)                           — 2-0 – 3

4. Northern Bedford (5)          — 2-0 – 4

5. Union Area (7)                     – 2-0 – 5

6. Lackawanna Trail (2)           – 2-0 – 6

7. Brockway (9)                       — 2-0 – 8

8. Windber (5)                         — 2-0 – NR

9. Minersville (11)                   — 2-0 – 10

10. Redbank Valley (9)            — 2-0 – NR

Teams to watch: Greensburg C.C. (7) 1-1, Lakeview (10) 2-0, Muncy (4) 1-1, Portage (6) 2-0, Rochester (7) 1-0.