Say hello to Pennsylvania’s newest top-ranked team, the Twin Valley Raiders
2024 Berks football coverage presented by
Utilities Employees Credit Union
A rare regular season loss by long-time state power Aliquippa has opened the door for football history at Twin Valley.
The unbeaten Raiders ascended to No. 1 in the state in for the first time in the PennLive.com Class 4A rankings today.
Twin Valley joins Gov. Mifflin and Wyomissing as the only Berks football programs to reach No. 1 in the state in the long-time rankings.
The Raiders were No. 2 last week, the highest ranking ever for the program at that point.
They moved up a notch when top-ranked Aliquippa was upset by Penn Hills 21-13. The Indians were 1-3 but took advantage of a sloppy game by the Quips and the absence of Aliquippa’s top player, Penn State running back recruit Tikey Hayes.
The loss snapped a 27-game regular season winning streak by Aliquippa and an overall 17-game winning streak. The Quips (3-1) won the PIAA Class 4A championship last year.
Aliquippa was target to move up to Class 5A this year by the PIAA’s “Success Formula” but fought the move and in April won its request for a preliminary injunction in court. That ruling has allowed the Quips to remain in Class 4A this year.
The Raiders had never appeared in the Top 10 until last season. They opened this season at No. 7, their highest ranking ever. The Raiders set a program record last season by winning 10 games.
Twin Valley has crushed its opposition, winning each game by at least 30 points and mercy-ruling four of its five opponents. The Raiders are ranked No. 1 in the 37-team Lancaster-Lebanon League in total offense and scoring and No. 2 in total defense.
Interestingly, the Raiders (5-0) are ranked fourth in the District 3 Class 4A power ratings, behind Wyomissing, Lampeter-Strasburg and West York, each also unbeaten. The power ratings are based largely on strength-of-schedule and Twin Valley’s schedule hasn’t proven to be the most challenging to date.
The Raiders’ five opponents have combined to go 9-16. Only Selinsgrove and Octorara have winning marks, both at 3-2; Olney Charter is winless.
Twin Valley’s opponent’s winning percentage is .438, fourth-lowest among the 21 Class 4A teams in District 3.
Wyomissing, ranked No. 4 in the state in Class 4A, and Lampeter-Strasburg, ranked No. 6 in the state in that classification, are the top two teams in the district rankings. Twin Valley plays Wyomissing in Week 8 and Lampeter-Strasburg in Week 9.
Wilson, in Class 6A, and Exeter, in Class 5A, remain listed as Teams To Watch in their respective classifications.
PennLive.com state rankings
CLASS 6A
Rank – Team – District – Record — Result
1. St. Joseph’s Prep (12) — 2-1 — 1
2. Central Bucks South (1) — 5-0 — 2
3. La Salle College HS (12) 5-0 — 3
4. Imhotep Charter (12) — 4-1 — 4
5. North Allegheny (7) — 5-0 — 5
6. Bethlehem Freedom (11) — 5-0 — 6
7. Manheim Township (3) — 5-0 — 7
8. Downingtown West (1) — 5-0 — 8
9. Harrisburg (3) — 4-1 — 9
10. North Penn (1) — 5-0 — 10
Teams to watch: Bethlehem Liberty (11) 5-0, Central York (3) 4-1, Easton Area (11) 4-1, State College (6) 4-1, WILSON (3) 4-1.
CLASS 5A
Rank – Team – District – Record – Result
1. Roman Catholic (12) — 4-1 — 1
2. Peters Township (7) — 5-0 — 2
3. West Chester Rustin (1) — 5-0 — 3
4. Chester (1) — 4-1 — 4
5. Pine-Richland (7) — 4-0 — 5
6. Strath Haven (1) — 5-0 — 8
7. Bishop McDevitt (3) — 4-1 — 7
8. Springfield-Delco (1) — 5-0 — 9
9. Cathedral Prep (10) — 5-0 — 10
10. Upper St. Clair (7) — 5-0 — NR
Teams to watch: Bethel Park (7) 5-0, EXETER (3) 5-0, Garnet Valley (1) 4-1, Hollidaysburg (6) 5-0, Mechanicsburg (3) 5-0, New Oxford (3) 5-0.
CLASS 4A
Rank – Team – District – Record – Result
1. TWIN VALLEY (3) — 5-0 — 2
2. Aliquippa (7) — 3-1 — 1
3. Pope John Paul II (1) — 4-1 — 3
4. WYOMISSING (3) — 4-1 — 4
5. Thomas Jefferson (7) — 5-0 — 5
6. Lampeter-Strasburg (3) — 5-0 — 6
7. Shamokin (4) — 5-0 — 7
8. Bonner-Prendergast (12) — 3-0 — 8
9. Jersey Shore (4) — 4-1 — 9
10. Montour (7) — 5-0 — 10
Teams to watch: Clearfield (9) 5-0, General McLane (10) 4-1, New Castle (7) 4-0, West York (3) 5-0.
CLASS 3A
Rank – Team – District – Record – Result
1. Danville (4) — 5-0 — 1
2. Northwestern Lehigh (11) — 5-0 — 2
3. Scranton Prep (2) — 4-1 — 3
4. Imani Christian (7) — 5-0 — 4
5. Western Wayne (2) — 5-0 — 5
6. Tamaqua (11) — 5-0 — 6
7. Mount Carmel (4) — 4-1 — 7
8. Sharon (10) — 4-1 — 8
9. Lewisburg (4) — 5-0 — 9
10. Hickory (10) — 4-1 — 10
Teams to watch: Deer Lakes (7) 5-0, Notre Dame-Green Pond (11) 4-1, Penn Cambria (6) 4-1, Trinity (3) 4-1.
CLASS 2A
Rank – Team – District – Record – Result
1. Troy (4) — 5-0 — 1
2. Riverside (2) — 5-0 — 2
3. Central Clarion (9) — 5-0 — 3
4. Williams Valley (11) — 5-0 — 4
5. Seton-LaSalle (7) — 5-0 — 5
6. Schuylkill Haven (11) — 4-1 — 6
7. Southern Columbia (4) — 3-2 — 7
8. Cambria Heights (6) — 5-0 — 9
9. Ellwood City (7) — 4-0 — NR
10. Richland (6) — 4-1 — 10
Teams to watch: Bald Eagle Area (6) – 3-2, Camp Hill (3) 3-2, South Park (7) 4-1, Sharpsville (10) 4-1.
CLASS 1A
Rank – Team – District – Record – Result
1. Fort Cherry (7) — 5-0 — 1
2. Bishop Guilfoyle (6) — 5-0 — 2
3. Westinghouse (8) — 4-1 — 3
4. Clairton (7) — 5-0 — 4
5. Lackawanna Trail (2) — 4-1 — 5
6. Port Allegany (9) — 5-0 — 6
7. Bishop Canevin (7) — 3-1 — 7
8. Neshannock (7) — 4-1 — 8
9. Wilmington (10) — 3-1 — 9
10. Line Mountain (4) — 4-1 — 10
Teams to watch: Cambridge Springs (10) 4-1, Greenville (10) 4-1, Redbank Valley (9) 4-1, South Side (7) 4-1.
