Berks girls quarterfinal preview: No. 2 Wyomissing vs. No. 7 Reading High
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No. 2 Wyomissing (22-0) vs. No. 7 Reading (10-12)
How the Spartans got here: Motivation to make it further than last year. Wyomissing had one of its most successful seasons in program history last season winning its first Berks and District 3 titles behind All-State selection Amaya Stewart. Well, Stewart and Co. are back for more. The junior forward, along with senior forward Annie McCaffrey, junior guard Alexis Hardy, and junior wing Audrey Hurleman went all the way to the PIAA quarterfinals last year and want to prove they can advance even further. The Spartans haven’t lost all season and defeated quality non-league opponents in Middletown and Bishop McDevitt, the teams that gave them two of their three losses last year. Sophomore Kacey Maggs and freshman Karly Hyde have stepped up in big roles with the graduation of guards Maddie Campbell and Lexi Loeb and season-ending injuries to Abby Zechman and Lily Marshall.
How the Red Knights got here: Volatility. Reading High has been up and down all season, but when it is up, it can compete with any team in the Berks Girls League. The Red Knights narrowly lost to Berks Catholic (40-38) and Wilson (46-41) in the early season. They then almost beat the Bulldogs last week before falling on a buzzer-beater. They swept two league games against Gov. Mifflin. But Reading High then lost by eight to an inferior opponent in Muhlenberg in the regular season finale which nearly knocked them out of the BCIAA playoff field. Junior Yamilex Rodriguez is out of the BCIAA quarterfinal with a hand injury so the Red Knights will have their work cut out for them. Junior Tamyia Collier is one of the top players in the league, has a ton of experience, and will be motivated after falling to the Spartans in the BCIAA championship last season. A tough non-league schedule that included West Chester Henderson, Manheim Township, Lebanon, Susquehanna Township, and Cedar Crest will also help. Will it be enough to upset the defending champs?
Top Five Spartans Scorers: Stewart (18.5), Hardy (7.0), McCaffrey (6.7), Hurleman (4.7), Maggs (4.4).
Top Five Red Knights Scorers: Collier (10.5), Rodriguez (10.5), Mariah Ruiz (6.6), Bianca Seabury (5.5), Zanaiya Bradley (4.9).
Last season’s Spartans: No. 2 seed defeated Reading High 46-28 in BCIAA championship.
Last season’s Red Knights: No. 4 seed lost to Wyomissing 46-28 in BCIAA championship.
BCIAA playoff appearances by Spartans (in last 10 seasons): 2023, 2022, 2021, 2020, 2019, 2018, 2017, 2016, 2015.
BCIAA playoff appearances by Red Knights (in last 10 seasons): 2023, 2022, 2020, 2019, 2018, 2015, 2013.
County championships by Spartans: One (2023).
County championship by Red Knights: Nine (2010, 2009, 2007, 2004, 2003, 2002, 1981, 1980, 1979).
Spartans best win this season: 50-42 over West York (16-6) Jan. 10.
Red Knights best win this season: 62-42 over Gov. Mifflin (14-8) Dec. 19.
Winner plays: Gov. Mifflin or Oley Valley, Feb. 14 at Santander Arena.
