District 3 playoff preview: Berks Catholic vs. Biglerville
2024 Berks football coverage presented by
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District 3 Class 3A quarterfinal
No. 5 Berks Catholic (6-4) vs. No. 4 Biglerville (7-3)
Kick: Friday, 7, at Musselman Stadium, Biglerville.
Series: Saints lead 1-0.
Last meeting: Isaac Lutz set a program record with five touchdowns as the top-seeded and unbeaten Saints beat the Canners 39-3 in a 2014 Class 2A quarterfinal at Forino Sports Complex. Pop Lacey rushed for a game-high 123 yards and scored a TD for the Saints. Patrick Causa threw three TD passes, each to Lutz.
Fast fact: The teams have one common opponent, Annville-Cleona. The Canners beat the Dutchmen 39-36 in Week 1; the Saints beat them 49-14 last week.
Saints update: Have won four straight since 20-14 loss to Schuylkill Valley in Week 6. . . Each of four losses came to eventual district playoff qualifiers: Twin Valley (8-2), Bethlehem Catholic (4-6), Lancaster Catholic (6-4), and Schuylkill Valley (8-2). . . Beat one district qualifier, Executive Education (5-5), and two Eastern Conference qualifiers, Pequea Valley (5-5) and Hamburg (6-4). . . Ranked No. 11 in the league in both total offense (351 yards per game) and scoring (33.1). . . Ranked No. 11 in the league in total defense (243) and No. 14 in scoring defense (21.2). . . QB Zach Suski enjoying a potential record-setting season, throwing for 1,286 yards and 16 touchdowns, with three interceptions. . . His completion percentage (70.4) would be a record; Patrick Causa set the mark (65.6) in 2014. . . He needs 93 yards to top Terrance Derr’s single-season mark of 1,378 yards. . . Suski’s 205.0 passing efficiency rating is the best since Causa’s 216 in 2014. . . During the four-game winning streak he has completed 74.3 percent of his passes with 11 TDs and no INTs. . . Bryce Gumby leads team with 789 rushing yards and is averaging 9.4 yards per carry. . . Nathaniel Rose has rushed for 786 yards. . .Xavier Gerald is averaging 12.0 yards per carry in limited duty. . . Looking for its first district victory since 2021. Overall, 19-5 with championships in 2013, 2015, 2016 and 2017.
Canners update: Finished fourth in Division 3 of the York-Adams League, behind Bermudian Springs, Delone Catholic, and Littlestown. . . QB Bo Forney has thrown for 1,014 yards but is completing less than half his passes and has thrown seven INTs. . . Team has fumbled just once, and is a plus-3 in takeaway differential. . . RB Aidan Hoffman has rushed for 1,012 yards and scored nine TDs; he’s averaging 8.3 yards per carry. . . He’s also second on the team with 22 receptions. . . Making fifth district appearance. . . Have not appeared in postseason since 2015 when they were ousted by Wyomissing 42-14 in the semifinals.
Winner plays: At No. 1 Bermudian Springs (9-1) Nov. 7 in district quarterfinal.
Championship: Nov. 15/16 at neutral site.
