State rankings: Unbeaten start propels Muhlenberg into new territory

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2025 Berks football coverage presented by

Utilities Employees Credit Union

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Most of the players on Muhlenberg’s football roster were not born the last time the Muhls appeared in the state rankings.

Now, after their best start in 18 years, the Muhls — winless not that long ago — find themselves listed among the elite programs in the state.

For the first time since midseason in 2008 Muhlenberg is listed in the PennLive.com state rankings, as a Team To Watch in Class 5A.

The Muhls are the seventh Berks team to crack the list this season and are one of five currently listed. Wilson remains a Team To Watch in Class 6A; Exeter holds at No. 5 in 5A; and Wyomissing is No. 3 and Twin Valley No. 5 in 4A, each up one spot from last week.

Schuylkill Valley opened the season ranked No. 10 in 3A before a Week 1 loss to the Muhls; Conrad Weiser spent a couple weeks as a Team To Watch in 5A.

This is the 70th time that Muhlenberg appears in the state rankings, 60 of those as a Team To Watch. To stay there the Muhls will likely need to beat Exeter, which they play Friday in Laureldale in a Lancaster-Lebanon League Section 2 showdown. Conestoga Valley, also in Section 2, is listed as a Team To Watch in 5A for the first time this season.

Muhlenberg clinched its first winning season in eight years last week with a 35-21 win over Elizabethtown. The Muhls were 4-7 last season and winless in both 2019 and 2020, with a 26-game losing streak at one point. They last appeared in the state rankings in 2008.

There was one major move in the rankings this week, with Harrisburg ascending to No. 1 in 6A. The Cougars take the place of La Salle College, which lost last week to Roman Catholic, 39-36. Roman is ranked No. 2 in 5A.

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PennLive.com state rankings

CLASS 6A
Rank – Team – District — Record — Previous
1. Harrisburg (3)                     — 6-0   – 2
2. La Salle College HS (12)   — 4-1   – 1

3. Parkland (11)                     — 6-0   – 3

4. Pittsburgh CC (7)               — 5-1   – 4

5. St. Joseph’s Prep (12)       — 2-3   — 6

6. State College (6)                — 5-1   – 7

7. Central York (3)                 — 6-0   — 8
8. Coatesville (1)                    — 6-0   — 9
9. North Allegheny (7)            — 5-1   — 5

10. Easton Area (11)              — 6-0   — 10

Teams to watch: Manheim Township (3) 5-1, Neshaminy (1) 5-1, Pennridge (1) 6-0, WILSON (3) 5-1.

CLASS 5A

Rank – Team – District — Record — Previous
1. Pine-Richland (7)                           — 5-1   – 1

2. Roman Catholic (12)                      — 3-2   – 3

3. Peters Township (7)                      — 6-0   – 2

4. Chester (1)                                     — 6-0   – 4

5. EXETER (3)                      — 6-0   – 5

6. Springfield-Delco (1)                      — 6-0   — 7
7. Bishop McDevitt (3)                       — 4-2   – 8
8. Upper St. Clair (7)                          — 5-1   — 6
9. Woodland Hills (7)                         — 4-2   – 9

10. Hollidaysburg (6)                          — 6-0   — NR
Teams to watch: Conestoga Valley (3) 6-0, MUHLENBERG (3) 6-0, Penn-Trafford (7) 5-1, Strath Haven (1) 5-1, Wissahickon (1) 6-0.

CLASS 4A
Rank – Team – District — Record — Previous
1. Southern Lehigh (11)                     — 6-0   – 1

2. Bonner-Prendergast (12)               — 4-1   – 3

3. WYOMISSING (3)                              — 6-0   – 4
4. Shamokin (4)   — 6-0   – 5
5. TWIN VALLEY (3)  — 6-0  — 6

6. Thomas Jefferson (7)                    — 5-1   – 7
7. Jersey Shore (4)                            — 5-1   — 8
8. Susquehanna Twp. (3)                  — 6-0   — 9
9. Pope John Paul II (1)                     — 5-1   – 2

10. Bishop Shanahan (1)                   — 5-1   — 10

Teams to watch: Bethlehem Catholic (11) 5-1, Lampeter-Strasburg (3) 5-1, North Pocono (2) 6-0, West York (3) 6-0.

CLASS 3A
Rank – Team – District — Record — Previous
1. Avonworth (7)   — 6-0   – 1

2. Northwestern Lehigh (11)             — 6-0   – 2

3. ND-Green Pond (11)                     — 6-0   – 4

4. Imani Christian (7)                         — 6-0   – 5

5. Hickory (10)   — 5-1   – 3

6. Berwick (2)  — 6-0  — 8
7. Mifflinburg (4)  — 5-1   — 10
8. Elizabeth-Forward (7)                    — 5-1   — NR
9. North Catholic (7)                           — 5-1   — 6

10. Penn Cambria (6)                        — 5-1   — NR
Teams to watch: Huntingdon (6) 5-1, Montoursville (4) 5-1, Southmoreland (7) 6-0, Wyoming Area (2) 5-1.

CLASS 2A
Rank – Team – District — Record — Previous
1. Schuylkill Haven (11)         — 6-0   – 1

2. Troy (4)                               — 5-1   – 2

3. Farrell (10)                         — 5-1   – 4

4. Bishop McCort (6)              — 6-0   — 5

5. Southern Columbia (4)      — 5-1   – 6

6. Williams Valley (11)           — 5-1   – 3

7. South Allegheny (7)           — 6-0   — 7

8. Western Beaver (7)           — 6-0   — 9
9. Richland (6)                        — 5-1   — 10
10. Seton-LaSalle (7)             — 5-1   — NR
Teams to watch: Lakeland (2), 5-1, Minersville (11) 4-2, Riverside (2) 5-1, Steelton-Highspire (3) 3-2, Washington (7) 5-1.

CLASS 1A
Rank – Team – District — Record — Previous
1. Fort Cherry (7)                   — 6-0   – 1

2. Clairton (7)                         — 5-1   – 2

3. Line Mountain (4)               — 6-0   – 3

4. Bishop Guilfoyle (6)           — 5-1   – 4

5. Port Allegany (9)                — 6-0   – 6

6. Westinghouse (8)               — 5-1   – 7

7. Lackawanna Trail (2)         — 5-1   – 8

8. Wilmington (10)                  — 4-2   – 5

9. Greenville (10)                   — 5-1   — 9

10. Bishop Canevin (7)          — 4-2   — NR
Teams to watch: Marian Catholic (11) 5-1, Meyersdale (5) 5-1, Neshannock (7) 4-1, Windber (5) 4-1.