Top Players to Watch in Section 3 of the Lancaster-Lebanon League for 2025
2025 Berks football coverage presented by
Utilities Employees Credit Union
No section in the Lancaster-Lebanon League is looking at as complete an overhaul from last season as Section 3.
Just six of 34 first-team all-league picks return; Solanco’s Gabe Forren, the Defensive Back of the Year, is the only major award winner back in the fold.
Conrad Weiser snuck up on everyone last season, racing to a perfect regular season after getting little attention in the preseason.
That won’t be the case this time around: Everyone sees Solanco coming. The Mules gained a lot of experience during their 5-5 season in 2024 and most of their key guys are back, including Forren and All-State fullback Johnny Garcia.
The Mules account for half of the 12 featured Players To Watch for this section.
Here’s your first look at the top players in Section 3 for the 2025 season. Later this week we’ll take a look at the top players in Section 2.
(This is part three of a five-part series and a collaboration between LNP/Lancaster On-Line and MikeDragoSports.com. Jeff Reinhart of LNP contributed player capsules.)
Top Players To Watch in Section 5
Top Players To Watch in Section 4
Eugene Booth, Conrad Weiser
DT
The 6-2, 275-pound tackle was a true run-stuffer on defense, forcing double-teams and clogging up the middle. That helped free up linebackers to make tackles and was a key for a Scouts defense that ranked No. 5 overall in the Lancaster-Lebanon League in scoring defense and No. 6 total defense.
Booth’s effort triggered the Scouts to a historic turnaround and perfect regular season on the way to their first Section 3 title.
Booth recorded 26 tackles as a junior, with three for loss, including a sack; he also forced a fumble and recovered one. He was a first-team all-league pick and was named to the All-Berks Big School team.
He’ll be even more important this season on a Scouts defense that returns just one other starter.
Booth could also see time at center.
Wesley Brunken, Warwick
G/DT
The 6-1, 290-pound rising senior will be a line-of-scrimmages stalwart as Warwick angles for a return trip to the District 3 Class 5A playoffs.
Brunken should help open plenty of running lanes on offense and will team with rising senior center Calvin Bent to hold the fort up front. Brunken and Bent are weight-room fiends, and they’ll supply plenty of beef in the trenches.
Brunken has college feelers from Marist and West Chester; Bent, a 6-foot, 255-pound D-end, has an offer from Ursinus.
Kris Burgos-Wise, Solanco
RB/DB
A two-way all-league pick in 2024, Burgos-Wise has plenty of speed to burn for the Golden Mules, who are set to return a slew of talent from last year’s five-win team.
Burgos-Wise, a rising senior, can flat-out fly; he gouged out 806 yards on 64 carries — a spiffy 12.6 yards per pop — with six TDs as Solanco’s speed-back in the Triple-Option. He also hauled in 11 passes for 167 yards for a team that rarely goes up top.
Burgos-Wise was also a game-changer from his defensive back spot where he was in on 27 tackles, with an interception, three forced fumbles and two fumble recoveries.
For his two-way efforts, Burgos-Wise was a section honorable mention pick at both Athlete and DB. Is there a 1,000-yard rushing season in his immediate future? Perhaps. Catch him if you can.
Bryce Cox, Solanco
DE
Cox has a true football pedigree: Big brother Gavin was an all-league interior lineman for the Golden Mules; his Dad Tony is Solanco’s head coach.
Bryce Cox will bring the noise and be a force off the edge. The rising senior came up big from his D-end spot last fall, piling up 31 tackles, including four stops for loss, a sack and a fumble recovery, as the Mules just missed out on a District 3 Class 5A playoff invite.
Cox earned second-team all-league honors.
He’ll be one of several returning play-makers for Solanco.
(Mark Palczewski/LNP photo)
Gabe Forren, Solanco
RB/DB
All Forren did last year was earn Section 3 Defensive Back of the Year honors after registering 69 tackles with four pass breakups and two interceptions from his spot at safety.
Teams simply didn’t throw his way. When they did, Forren more times than not made them pay.
The 5-8, 150-pound Forren will again be ball-hawk for opponents to avoid.
Forren will put his sprinter’s speed to good on offense use by occasionally running out of the Triple-Option.
Johnny Garcia, Solanco
FB
If you know the Mules’ offensive system, you know they go Triple-Option and get the ball in the hands of their reliable, powerful fullback. That’s Garcia.
The rugged 5-9, 190-pounder dragged plenty of would-be tacklers all over the lot in 2024, finishing with 1,298 yards and 18 TDs on 199 carries. That included an attention-grabbing 363-yard, six-TD night against Eastern York.
Not only did Garcia garner first-team all-leaguer honors but he picked up a Pennsylvania Football Writers All-State nod for his bell-cow efforts.
Eyeballs aplenty on Garcia as he enters his senior season quickly approaching the 3,000-yard mark for his career.
Cody Hess, Manheim Central
WR/LB
The Barons were off stride in 2024 but the 5-10, 170-pound Hess didn’t let that affect his game as he remained a two-way stalwart and play-maker.
On offense he hauled in 17 passes for 187 yards — a steady 11 yards per grab in half a season. On defense, the hard-nosed linebacker was in on 28 tackles before his season was cut short after six games due to injury.
If the Barons are going to bounce back and once again be a factor in the section and district playoff races they’ll need Hess to catch a lot of passes and to limit pass-catchers on the other side of the ball.
Hess also plays baseball and wrestles for the Barons.
Dane Horning, Cocalico
RB/LB
The Eagles’ list of key players lost is daunting. On the bright side there’s the return of Horning, who is expected to inflict more damage on offense and defense.
Horning had a fabulous 2024 season. He was the Eagles’ fullback and feature runner in the Triple-Option, piling up 1,254 yards with 10 TDs on 243 workmanlike carries.
He was a first-team all-league pick at running back for those between-the-tackles efforts.
On defense, Horning was the ultimate ball-hawker with 112 tackles, six for a loss, 2.5 sacks and a pair of forced fumbles. He was a first-team all-league pick at linebacker.
There will be a lot of newbies around Horning this season; he’ll be a true vet and ringleader.
Eric Koch, Solanco
WR/CB/KR
The Golden Mules are loaded in the skills department, and that very much includes Koch, another burner who can make big plays down the field.
The rising senior made a slew of big plays last fall, catching a team-leading 11 passes for 371 yards. That’s an eye-popping 33.7 yards per catch. The Mules don’t put the ball up much, and they accounted for just seven TD passes last season, but Koch came up with five of them.
Koch garnered second-team all-league honors.
Opponents will need to keep a better eye Koch this time around.
Tyler Kreider, Solanco
OT
With all of those playmakers due back for the Golden Mules they’re going to need a spirited effort from the O-line. Say hello to Kreider, a 5-10, 190-pound rising junior who has already established himself as one of the top linemen in the section.
Kreider was a second-team all-league pick as a sophomore after helping Solanco average better than 344 rushing yards per game, tops in the 37-team league. The Mules were also ranked No. 1 in total yards, at 413 yards per game during the regular season.
Kreider scored 11 pins for the Mules wrestling at 189 last season.
Jayvior Morales, Manheim Central
WR/QB/DB
The rising senior and three-year starter will play all over the place for the Barons, who are hoping to forget last year’s 3-7 finish and get back to doing Central-like things.
As a junior, the 6-1, 200-pound Morales caught nine passes for 109 yards with a TD catch in seven games before being sidelined by injury.
On defense the free safety was in on 47 tackles and blocked a kick.
The quarterback spot appears to be up for grabs in Manheim and the athletic Morales has been working to get that spot.
Morales is getting looks from Division II college programs.
Dylan Parr, Conrad Weiser
WR/CB
The Scouts matched Parr up with their opponents’ top receiver last season and it turned out to be a key for a defense that ranked No. 1 in the entire Lancaster-Lebanon League in pass defense. He provided a huge spark for a team that enjoyed a turnaround season on the way to its first Section 3 title.
The 6-3, 170-pound rising senior reacts well when the ball’s in the air, and he showed that by snatching a team-leading four interceptions, tied for second-most in Berks. He returned one pick 36 yards for a touchdown against Abington. That earned him a first-team spot on the all-league team.
He goes and gets it on offense, too, as a wide receiver; he was second on the team last year with 23 receptions, for 255 yards and two TDs. He was named a second-team all-league pick on offense.
Parr will also see time on special teams.
He’s the only two-way starter returning for the rebuilding Scouts.
Others to watch
| Vinny Bagonis | NG | Warwick |
| Chase Breneman | RB/DB | Cocalico |
| Calvin Dent | G | Warwick |
| Logan Geib | RB/CB | Manheim Central |
| Nate Gilfert | OT | Conrad Weiser |
| Noah Gote | OL/DT | Solanco |
| Logan Horning | FB/LB | Cocalico |
| Bode Madara | WR/DB | Warwick |
| James Magot | T | Manheim Central |
| Gabe Martin | RB/DB | Garden Spot |
| Chase McMonagle | QB | Fleetwood |
| Thomas Myers | QB | Warwick |
| Cooper Neid | OT/DT | Manheim Central |
| Andrew Pemberton | RB/KR | Garden Spot |
| Shane Pekuri | T/DT | Fleetwood |
| Javien Rivera | TB/CB/KR | Conrad Weiser |
| Tyler Schoffstahl | PK | Warwick |
| Chase Sensenig | QB | Solanco |
| Brayden Sweitzer | RB/LB | Conrad Weiser |
| Brendon Zimmerman | RB/DB | Cocalico |
