Berks girls quarterfinal preview: No. 4 Berks Catholic vs. No. 5 Exeter
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No. 4 Berks Catholic (11-10) vs. No. 5 Exeter (14-8)
How the Saints got here: Schedule and experience. Things have been rockier than usual for Berks Catholic this season, but the Saints still finished second in Berks I and having played a tough schedule always helps come playoff time. Juniors Madison Langdon and Sydney Corado have played varsity minutes since they were freshmen. They’ll be motivated to advance past the BCIAA semifinals, which hasn’t happened for Berks Catholic since it won the title in 2021. The Saints were upset by Reading High last season and lost to Mifflin on a buzzer-beater in 2022, both in the semifinals. Junior Giana Mirenda has boosted her scoring and rebounding production as Molly McFadden, an all-division selection last season, has been limited to 13 games with a nagging ankle injury. The Saints defeated Exeter 54-37 in January.
How the Eagles got here: Grace Reedy and more balance, consistency around her. The prolific scorer will likely leave Reiffton as the top scorer in program history; she needs 19 points to get there. Senior guard Aaliyah Ware, junior Meredith Fylypowycz, and sophomores Lillie Keperling and Chayse Flood have played in all 22 games alongside Reedy. Junior Maggie Kopanski and senior Leah Schmid have chipped in at times. They’ll be motivated to send Reedy out with a bang after the program has seen improvements from six total wins in her first two seasons to 25 total the last two. The Eagles have the fifth-best offense in the league but need to hunker down defensively; they allow the fifth-most.
Top Five Saints Scorers: Langdon (16.5), Corado (10.0), Mirenda (5.4), McFadden (3.9), Gianna Roberts (3.6).
Top Five Eagles Scorers: Reedy (21.3), Ware (6.1), Fylypowycz (5.6), Keperling (4.1), Schmid (3.7).
Last season’s Saints: No. 1 seed lost to Reading High 39-33 in BCIAA semifinals.
Last season’s Eagles: No. 7 seed lost to Wyomissing 59-26 in BCIAA quarterfinals.
BCIAA playoff appearances by Saints (in last 10 seasons): 2023, 2022, 2021, 2020, 2019, 2018, 2017, 2016, 2015, 2014, 2013.
BCIAA playoff appearances by Eagles (in last 10 seasons): 2023, 2015.
County championships by Saints: Three (2021, 2018, 2017). Holy Name won twice in 2001 and 1994.
County championship by Eagles: Three (1977, 1976, 1973).
Saints best win this season: 55-48 over Gov. Mifflin (14-8) Jan. 5.
Eagles best win this season: 63-61 over Eastern York (12-10) Dec. 11.
Winner plays: Wilson or Schuylkill Valley, Feb. 14 at Santander Arena.
