New PIAA classification numbers are a good fit for Berks Catholic
Once all of the PIAA’s football classification changes settle into place Berks Catholic could emerge as one of the winners in District 3.
The Saints will return to Class 3A status for the 2022 and 2023 seasons — and could be back in the running for a championship.
That hinges, of course, on what happens to Wyomissing. The three-time defending district champs are in line to move up to Class 4A, due to the PIAA’s “Competition Formula.” The school has appealed that ruling but there’s a strong chance the Spartans move up.
If Wyomissing returns to Class 3A it’s a slam-dunk pick to win a fourth straight title. If not the Spartans will slug it out in a real heavyweight class that will include defending champ Bishop McDevitt and District 3 kingpin Manheim Central, which moves down from Class 5A.
That’s a real slugfest, folks.
McDevitt — which reached the state championship game last month — would be the early line favorite to repeat, but Manheim Central, Lampeter-Strasburg, and possibly Wyomissing, would certainly challenge.
The Saints might not be as strong in 2022 as they were last season, when they reached the district semifinals. They’re losing all-league picks Christian Cacchione and Luke Hughes, as well as Trace Brown, Jackson Huddleson and quarterback Mitchell Gatz. Sixteen seniors, all told.
Berks Catholic opted to play up one classification for the last two two-year cycles. The Saints fit into Class 3A but played up so that larger schools, such as Central Dauphin, would be more inclined to schedule them.
After winning 63 games and four district championships over a stunning five-year period — and featuring Division I players such as Isaac and Cooper Lutz and Brandon George — schools its own size didn’t want any part of BC.
Playing in Section 2 of the Berks Football League it needed to find five non-league games — and that became a chore. So the Saints moved up and took games against Central Dauphin, Malvern Prep and McDonogh School of Baltimore. And that became a chore.
“We played all those teams, and our kids competed with them,” said Saints coach Rick Keeley, “but if we’re going to take a step down right now I’m OK with that. I never really wanted to play up, but I would rather play up (a class) than not (have games to) play.”
Berks Catholic and other Berks schools aren’t under such a scheduling crunch now that they’ll be playing in the Lancaster-Lebanon League, starting next season.
“One of the nice things (about) being in this new league is we only need three non-league games,” Keeley said, “and we can have them without having to play a monster like Central Dauphin or Malvern Prep. We can fill those spots with good (similarly sized) schools. Maybe we can have a nice run.”
According to the numbers released by the PIAA earlier this week 22 football programs in District 3 will be changing classification. The most notable moves include Wyomissing, Berks Catholic and Manheim Central, which has won more District 3 championships than any program.
Here’s a class-by-class breakdown of the changes:
Class 6A
Not much changes here. Each of last season’s eight playoff qualifiers return, including champ Harrisburg, runner-up Wilson and Manheim Township, which has become a perennial contender for the title, along with those first two.
Red Lion and Lebanon move up from Class 5A, but don’t expect either to make an impact.
Class 5A
Lots of movement here with seven programs leaving and four moving up.
Three Berks teams move from 5A to 4A: Daniel Boone, Fleetwood and Twin Valley.
Eleven of the 14 playoff qualifiers from 2021 return, including defending champ Exeter, runner-up Gov. Mifflin, Warwick, Cedar Cliff, Spring Grove and Shippensburg, which went unbeaten last season.
The Eagles and Mustangs were senior-oriented and each lose a lot of talent; figure on each taking a step back. Still, each should be in the mix
The most notable addition here is Cocalico, which moves up from Class 4A; the Eagles have been a perennial playoff qualifier. Also moving up is Northern York, which qualified for the 4A playoffs in 2021.
Class 4A
As mentioned this has become a heavyweight division with the addition of Manheim Central, and possibly Wyomissing, and the return of Bishop McDevitt and Lampeter-Strasburg.
Ten programs move into this class, seven of which made districts last year, including Boiling Springs, Middletown and Northern Lebanon in3A. Plus, seven of 10 4A qualifiers return, including Donegal and Conrad Weiser.
Just making the playoff field will be big.
There could be as many as five Berks teams in this class.
Class 3A
With the defending champ, Wyomissing, likely on the way out and with runner-up Boiling Springs and former three-time champ Middletown moving up, this class thinned out in a hurry.
Berks Catholic figures to be right there. Lancaster Catholic, too.
Upper Dauphin and Susquenita, which made the Class 2A playoffs last season, move up.
Keep an eye on Schuylkill Valley, in its second season under Bruce Harbach.
Hamburg, which made the semifinals last season, must replace 11 players — including Diohnny Ruiz, Cameron Harris and Mitchell Watt — and its head coach.
Class 2A
Defending champ York Catholic stays put, as does Columbia, the No. 2 seed last year. They’ll be joined by Delone Catholic, which moves up after reaching the Class 1A title game last year. It’s a small but solid group.
Class 1A
Might as well just engrave Steel-High on the 2022 trophy right now. The defending champs are one of just three schools in this class.
