On schedule: A week-by-week look at the biggest football games in Berks in 2021
Here’s an early breakdown of some of the top match-ups:
Week 1
Game of the Week: Central Dauphin at Wilson
Always a great way to start a season, with two of the elite programs in the state colliding. In any given year you can pencil these two teams in the District 3 semifinals; they’ve met three times in championship games, twice in the semis. The Rams are one of the few teams with a series lead (7-4) over the Bulldogs, and strung together four straight wins before the Bulldogs won the last meeting 21-13, in 2019. (The 2020 game was a COVID casualty.)
Keep an eye on: Weiser at Cocalico
Here’s another potential playoff match-up. The Scouts made districts last season and return their superb pass-catch combination of Logan Klitsch and Aanjay Feliciano. The Eagles are coming of a subpar (for them) 4-4 season but they’re a two-time district champ and always a physical team.
Also worth watching: Wyomissing at Daniel Boone
The Blazers scheduled a tough home opener. The Spartans figure to be loaded again. The Blazers should be much improved and feature quarterback Carter Speyerer, who has had an excellent summer camp season.
Week 2
Game of the Week: Wilson at Gov. Mifflin
The Bulldogs and Mustangs have split the last four meetings, but several of them have gotten out of hand. Mifflin showed what it had in store last season by whalloping Wilson 48-7; a year earlier the Bulldogs were up 42-0 at half en route to a 61-14 win. Wilson leads the series 37-26 and the battle for the Gurski-Linn Trophy 7-2.
Keep an eye on: Berks Catholic at Central Dauphin
The Saints slugged it out with the Class 6A power in their first meeting in 2018 before falling 7-0. A year later they fell 31-6. This is a mouthful for the Saints, but they’ve got enough speed to play with top clubs. They’ll know where they stand after this one, that’s for sure.
Also worth watching: Wyomissing at Pottsville
This has been a tremendous series since its inception in 2007, when the Spartans squeaked out the season-opener 24-20. They found their groove for their 2019 playoff run in this game when, a week after losing starting quarterback Zach Zechman in the season opener, they moved Evan Niedrowski from guard to fullback. He scored a TD in the second OT for the 21-20 win.
By the way, all the games in the series have been played in Pottsville. Spartans coach Bob Wolfrum loves the atmosphere there, and wants his kids to experience it.
Week 3
Game of the Week: Wilson at Exeter
The Bulldogs and Eagles meet for the first time. Exeter is loaded with Division 1 talent, including linebackers J.R. Strauss and Ty Yocum and wide receiver Joey Schlaffler. The Bulldogs will feature powerhouse tailback Jady Jones.
Keep an eye on: Gov. Mifflin at Cocalico
Nick Singleton ran for 148 yards and returned a kickoff 92 yards for a touchdown as a freshman against the Eagles in 2018, but it wasn’t enough to save the Mustangs. They’ve lost four straight in this series, and saw the Eagles end their 2019 season in a district quarterfinal. Payback time.
Week 4
Game of the Week: Pope John Paul II at Berks Catholic
These teams, surprisingly, haven’t met since 2012. The re-start of this series should be fun. The Saints have speed to burn with Josiah Jordan and Christian Cacchione, and are a proven playoff team. The Golden Panthers went 3-0 last fall in their COVID-shortended season, and were 10-2 in 2019.
Fun fact: PJP was BC’s first opponent, in 2011; it beat the Saints 32-21.
Keep an eye on: Fleetwood at Weiser
If you’re looking for a defensive struggle, pick another game. These teams always score points in bunches when they face each other. It’s usually 14-14 before the National Anthem is finished. The Scouts have had the best of this series, and lead 11-1, but the Tigers stunned them 27-14 in a 2019 opener. Fleetwood’s got Villanova recruit Tanner Maddocks at QB, and he can make things happen.
Word of advice: Take the over.
Week 5
Game of the Week: Gov. Mifflin at Episcopal Academy
The Mustangs didn’t get tested until they reached the state semifinals last season. Maybe the Churchmen can provide some competition. QB Jake Fant is getting preseason attention, and he has top WRs to throw to in Bryce Cooper and Neo Vossschulte.
This is the first meeting between the programs.
Keep an eye on: Manheim Central at Wilson
When the kingpins of the Lancaster-Lebanon League collide it’s always fun to watch. The Bulldogs hold an 8-4 series edge, but most of the games have been tight. Last year’s wasn’t; Kaleb Brown wrecked a subpar Barons team by throwing three TDs and running for 243 yards.
Week 6
Game of the Week: Wyomissing at Southern Columbia
This would’ve been the game of the year a season ago, had COVID not stepped in way. Still looms as a great match-up. The Tigers ran the table last year, going 12-0 to claim the PIAA Class 2A title. The Spartans played for the 3A title and have a ton of talent back.
Keep an eye on: Twin Valley at Fleetwood
They’ll be play-makers all over the field in this one, including the Raiders’ Dominic Caruso, who ran for 358 yards and three TDs in last year’s season-ending 28-24 win.
Week 7
Game of the Week: Gov. Mifflin at Exeter
This has essentially been the Berks Section 1 championship game for most of the past nine seasons. Looks like it could be again. There will be half-a-dozen or more Division I players on the field.
The Mustangs have owned this series; they’re up 20-5 and have taken 14-of-15. The last time the Eagles won Michal Menet was in the middle of it, his senior year in 2015. He’s in the NFL now.
Week 8
Game of the Week: Exeter at Berks Catholic
The schedule-makers have done the Eagles no favors here. For the second straight year they get the Saints the week after playing Gov. Mifflin. The Saints have had their way in this series, winning the last four, and by some big margins. Last year it was 56-28.
Week 9
Game of the Week: Twin Valley at Hamburg
A repeat of last season would be fun. The Raiders and Hawks combined for 949 total yards last year in Twin Valley’s epic 42-38 victory. The Raiders scored the last of 11 touchdowns on Nick Harris’ 51-yard catch with 2 ½ minutes left.
Week 10:
Game of the Week: Manheim Township at Wilson
The winner of this game has won or shared the Lancaster-Lebanon League Section 1 title every year since 2004. It would be shocking if that wasn’t the case again this season.
The Blue Streaks and Bulldogs have played 50 times, and last year’s game was as good as it gets. The short-handed Bulldogs, playing without several of their best players, pulled out a 31-28 win at Neffsville, in large part because of Jadyn Jones’ 237-yard effort.
Keep an eye on: Gov. Mifflin at Berks Catholic
This could serve as the Berks 1 championship game (depending on what happens in Weeks 7 and 8).
The Saints should be stronger than a year ago, when they couldn’t stay on the field with the Mustangs; Mifflin won 62-7. Will they be strong enough to hang with the Mustangs this season? Will anyone?
Keep an eye on: Conrad Weiser at Wyomissing
This is a game we really wanted to see last season but couldn’t, because of COVID and all of the scheduling chaos it caused. The Scouts and Spartans ended up sharing the Berks 2 title on the way to unbeaten regular seasons.
This was a classic I-C match-up back in the day; they regularly battled for first place. This will be the first meeting since 2013. The Spartans hold a slim 23-17 series advantage.
Fun fact: Wyomissing defensive line coach Al Silveri was a long-time Scouts head coach. His offensive coordinator was Alan Moyer, who’s now the winningest coach in Weiser history.