List of Berks’ state football champions is a short one
2025 Berks football coverage presented by
Utilities Employees Credit Union
There is just one name on the list of Berks football champs: Wyomissing.
The Spartans won each of their 16 games in 2012, the last a 17-14 thriller against Aliquippa in the PIAA Class AA championship game at sun-splashed Hersheypark Stadium.
They were just the second Berks County football team to reach a PIAA championship game. Twenty-three years earlier Kerry Collins led Wilson to the Class AAAA championship game, where it lost to Upper St. Clair 12-7.
In the decade-plus since Pennsylvania Small School Player of the Year Alex Anzalone led the Spartans to that perfect season just two other teams have reached the championship game, both from Wyomissing.
The Spartans made it in 2020 and returned in 2021; each time they lost the Class 3 A title to Central Valley.
Twin Valley is the fifth Berks team to reach the end of the football rainbow: The unbeaten Raiders face District 11 champ Southern Lehigh for the Class 4A championship Thursday at 7 at Cumberland Valley’s Chapman Field.
The Raiders are bidding to become not just Berks’ second state football champ but also the second during the playoffs era to post an unbeaten season.
(Photo courtesy of Wyomissing athletics)
They can become just the third Berks team to win as many as 15 games in a season but can’t match Wyomissing’s record of 16 wins in a season.
The Raiders had an opening-round bye in the district playoffs. Twelve years ago, when Wyomissing made it’s historic run, the tighter District 3 field did not offer any byes.
Berks County has produced 28 District 3 football champs but most have not fared well in the state tournament.
Wilson has won just one of its seven PIAA games. Berks Catholic is 1-4. Exeter and Governor Mifflin lost their only state playoff games.
Wyomissing has accounted for 11 of Berks 14 PIAA playoff victories.
The Spartans were considered an underdog going into its 2012 championship game against Aliquippa, which has one of the most storied football program in Pennsylvania.
In the days leading up to the game someone pointed out to Spartans coach Bob Wolfrum that Aliquippa had produced Pro Football Hall of Famer Mike Ditka and Pro Bowl picks Ty Law and Darrelle Revis (each of whom are also now Hall of Famers).
“I think we’ll be alright,” Wolfrum deadpanned. “None of those guys are playing right now.”
The Spartans scored more points than any team in Berks history but they also had had several close calls. They had to come from 14 back to beat Pleasant Valley, needed a last-minute touchdown to beat Schuylkill Valley, and held off Berks Catholic 14-0 in a tightly played “Backyard Brawl.”
It was more of the same in the state title game against the top-ranked and highest-scoring team in the state. The Quips were lightning fast and it seemed as though the Spartans were hanging on for much of the first half, always a half-step away from disaster.
The Spartans made defensive adjustments, got a championship-game record 52-yard, third-quarter field goal from Jonah Bowman to jolt the Quips, then took the lead on Mason Smith’s second TD run of the day, a 36-yard sweep early in the fourth quarter.
Linebacker Alex Anzalone, who went on the play at the University of Florida, was the team’s top rusher and scorer. He was joined on the All-State team by defensive end Jeriko Reyes, center Ben Wertz, and Bowman. Wolfrum was named the state’s Small School Coach of the Year.
Like that Wyomissing team, Twin Valley has scored a lot of points. In just 13 games it became the highest-scoring team in Berks history.
The Raiders have had some close calls, too. They trailed West York 14-0 in the district semifinals, trailed Susquehanna at halftime in the district championship game, and needed to stop Aliquippa after it had reached the 11-yard line in the final minutes Friday.
Safety Keenan Munn knocked away a fourth-down pass into the end zone and the Raiders held on for a 28-24 victory.
