Schools

Sometimes, Matt Ashcroft was the saying the other night, after his Exeter basketball team punched its ticket to the state final, you have to lose to learn how win. He rattled off each of the Eagles’ setbacks this season and…

You can forgive Aidan Dauble for being overly enthusiastic. The normally placid 14-year-old Exeter freshman was coming off the biggest game of his life, a pulsating 51-47 win over Erie Cathedral Prep in which he scored nine points and…

Almost 50 years later Charlie Booker remembers every last detail of Exeter’s first run to a state championship game in basketball: The thrill of victory, the agony of defeat. Both feelings remain vivid. The Eagles won 30 games, few…

Top players to watch in Division III of the Berks Baseball League in 2023: (listed in alphabetical order) Luke Bensinger, Hamburg: Shortstop led division champs with 21 runs scored as a junior. Had .457 on-base average with…

Editor's note: This story was originally published last month, before the state of the District 3 Tournament. Matt Ashcroft’s sharp basketball mind has been shaped by many he’s come across during nearly three decades around…

Kutztown Cougars Kutztown's Matt Remick. PIAA classification: 2A. Coach: Tim Mertz, 23rd season, 331-177. Last season: 8-3 Berks IV champ, 15-8 overall. 2022 postseason: Berks quarterfinalist, District 3 semifinalist. …

Top players to watch in Division I of the Berks Baseball League in 2023 (listed in alphabetical order) Cameron Burr, Muhlenberg: All-Berks third baseman was a catalyst for league championship club, batting .400 with a…

Top players to watch in Division IV of the Berks Baseball League in 2023: (listed in alphabetical order) Jared Baer, Tulpehocken: Struck out 10 over nine innings as a freshman without allowing an earned run. Held opposing…

Twin Valley Raiders PIAA classification: 5A Twin Valley's Jaydon Goebel. Coach: Corey Schnoke, second season, 23-19. Last season: 5-6 Berks II, 12-9 overall. 2022 postseason: Berks quarterfinals, District 3 qualifier. …

Top players in Division II of the Berks Baseball League (listed in alphabetical order) Conrad Weiser's Riley Civiello. (PhilMarPhoto) Riley Civiello, Conrad Weiser: All-Division pick as a sophomore. Led team with .306…

As Ruben Rodriguez went to the foul line with several minutes left Tuesday in Reading High’s 55-32 win over Spring-Ford, teammate did Myles Grey turned to take a peek at the scoreboard. He noticed Ruben Rodriguez was creeping up on…

COATESVILLE — No one is surprised to see Reading High make it to the PIAA Class 6A championship game, least of all the Red Knights themselves. “We believe in ourselves, (and) that we were capable of getting here,” said senior point…

(This story will be updated later tonight with additional details and postgame reaction.) COATESVILLE -- Spring-Ford coach Joe Dempsey found out Tuesday what two dozen other coaches found out this season: Reading High's great at…

ALTOONA – When the games get tight and the seconds get few, a lot of guys don’t want to be anywhere near the foul line. Exeter’s Kevin Saenz looked like he couldn’t wait to get there in the final seconds Monday against Erie…

(This story will be updated later tonight with additional details and postgame reaction.) ALTOONA -- Two months ago, when his Exeter basketball team was just a few games over .500, Matt Ashcroft told his players they would be…

Gov. Mifflin Gov. Mifflin's Travis Jenkins. (Philmarphoto) PIAA classification: 5A Coach: Chris Hole, 11th season, 155-91. Last season: 11-1 Berks I champ, 20-4 overall. 2022 postseason: Berks quarterfinalist, District…

(This story has been updated with Spring-Ford team statistics.) The games are down to a precious few now for Ruben Rodriguez. One Tuesday, against Spring-Ford in a PIAA Class 6A semifinal. One more after that if his Reading High…

Exeter is 32 minutes away from its first state championship game appearance in nearly 50 years. The Eagles, who play a PIAA semifinal Monday against Cathedral Prep, have done some special things this season, winning their first…

MikeDragoSports.com goes one-on-one with a Berks basketball player to find out what’s on his or her mind — on the court and off. Jack Miller, Berks Catholic Senior guard Q: You’ve got such a great release…

Tyler Minick was an offensive dynamo last season, batting .500, slugging 1.018 and leading the Berks League with a .616 on-base percentage. He went 6-0 on the mound with a league-low 0.93 ERA. His Gov. Mifflin baseball team won…