Unbeaten Exeter moves up three spots in state rankings; Wyo holds at No. 2
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Is Exeter headed to another District 3 Class 5A championship? Or are the Eagles a little overrated at this point?
After winning their third straight game, 49-14 over West York, the Eagles jumped three spots in the PennLive.com state rankings to No. 6. They are the only District 3 team in the Top 10 and one of just two listed in the rankings; Cocalico is listed as a team to watch.
The Eagles β the ones from Cocalico β beat Exeter in last yearβs district title game and are coming off an impressive 48-28 win over Manheim Central. Cocalico got off to a rough start, falling to Warwick 17-14 in the season open; it has won two straight since.
Exeter, which won its first district title in 2021, has yet to be challenged this season: It has rung up decisive wins over Daniel Boone, Boyertown and West York, teams with a combined 2-7 record.
Exeter will see its strongest test yet Friday when it opens Lancaster-Lebanon League Section 2 play against rival Gov. Mifflin, which is coming off two straight wins.
Exeter is one of seven unbeatens in District 3 Class 5A, along with Cedar Cliff, which is No. 1 in the power rankings; the Eagles are No. 7.
Exeter is one of three Berks teams in the state rankings.
Wyomissing holds at No. 2 in Class 3A after its thrilling come-from-behind win over state-ranked Trinity, 35-34 on the Shamrocksβ home field. The only other District 3 team in the 3A rankings is West Perry, which the Spartans drummed in last yearβs district championship game, 63-7.
Twin Valley, also off to a 3-0 start, remains a Team to Watch in Class 4A, which is loaded with District 3 entries: Bishop McDevitt is No. 1, Manheim Central is No. 9 and Lampeter-Strasburg is No. 10. The Raiders are among six unbeaten teams in District 3 Class 4A.
Elsewhere, there were no major changes in the rankings as each of the six No. 1βs won to remain on top.
One of the biggest drops comes in Class 5A where Pine-Richland falls from No. 2 to No. 10 after a 26-20 loss to Penn Hills, which remains No. 5 in that class. The Rams dropped their season-opener to Ohio Pickerington North, 35-14.
Manheim Central dropped from No. 4 to No. 9 after its loss to Cocalico.
Loyalsock falls from No. 3 in Class 3A to No. 6 after a 36-7 loss to Southern Columbia.
Trinity fell just one spot in 2A after losing to Wyomissing.
PennLive.com high school rankings
CLASS 6A
Rank β Team β District β Record β Previous
1. St. Josephβs Prep (12) — 2-1 β 1
2. Pittsburgh Central Catholic (7) — 3-0 β 2
3. North Allegheny (7) — 3-0 β 3
4. Parkland (11) — 3-0 β 4
5. Central Bucks West (1) — 3-0 β 6
6. Nazareth (11) β 3-0 β 7
7. Central York (3) — 3-0 β 9
8. Manheim Township (3) — 3-0 β NR
9. Downingtown East (1) — 3-0 β 10
10. Mount Lebanon (7) — 3-0 β NR
Teams to watch: Central Dauphin (3) 2-1, Garnet Valley (1) 2-1, Harrisburg (3) 2-1, Spring-Ford (1) 3-0, State College (6) 1-1.
CLASS 5A
Rank β Team β District β Record β Previous
1. Imhotep Charter (12) — 3-0 β 1
2. West Chester Rustin (1) β 2-0 β 3
3. Penn Hills (7) β 3-0 β 5
4. Roman Catholic (12) β 3-0 β 4
5. Cathedral Prep (10) β 1-1 β 6
6. Exeter (3)Β Β Β Β — 3-0 β 9Β
7. Plymouth-Whitemarsh (1) — 2-0 β 8
8. Strath Haven (1) β 3-0 β 7
9. Peters Township (7) — 3-0 β 10
10. Pine-Richland (7) β 1-2 β 2
Teams to watch: Cocalico (3) 2-1, Southern Lehigh (11) 3-0, Upper St. Clair (7) 3-0, Whitehall (11) 2-1.
CLASS 4A
Rank β Team β District β Record β Previous
1. Bishop McDevitt (3) β 3-0 β 1
2. Aliquippa (7) β 2-0 β 2
3. Thomas Jefferson (7) β 3-0 β 3
4. Allentown C.C. (11) β 3-0 β 6
5. Pope John Paul II (1) β 3-0 β 5
6. Jersey Shore (4) β 2-0-1 β 9
7. Selinsgrove (4) β 2-0-1 β 10
8. McKeesport (7) β 2-1 β 7
9. Manheim Central (3) — 2-1 β 4
10. Lampeter-Strasburg (3) — 3-0 β NR
Teams to watch: Armstrong (7) 2-1, Bethlehem Catholic (11) 3-0, Bonner-Prendergast (12) 1-1, Central Valley (7) 2-1, Twin Valley (3) 3-0.
CLASS 3A
Rank β Team β District β Record β Previous
1. Belle Vernon (7) β 2-0 β 1
2. Wyomissing (3) β 3-0 β 2
3. Avonworth (7) β 3-0 β 4
4. Neumann-Goretti (12) β 1-1 β 5
5. Scranton Prep (2) β 3-0 β 6
6. Loyalsock (4) β 2-1 β 3
7. North Schuylkill (11) β 2-1 β 7
8. Danville (4) — 3-0 β 8
9. West Perry (3) — 3-0 β 9
10. Central (6) — 3-0 β 10
Teams to watch: Beaver Area (7) 3-0, Elizabeth-Forward (7) 3-0, Northwestern Lehigh (11) 3-0, Sharon (10) 3-0, St. Maryβs (9) 3-0.
CLASS 2A
Rank β Team β District β Record β Previous
1. Southern Columbia (4) β 3-0 β 1
2. Farrell (10) β 3-0 β 2
3. Westinghouse (8) β 2-0 β 4
4. Trinity (3) β 2-1 β 3
5. Richland (6) β 3-0 β 6
6. Mount Carmel (4) — 2-1 β 7
7. Central Clarion (9) — 3-0 β 8
8. Bald Eagle Area (6) — 3-0 β 9
9. Washington (7) — 3-0 β NR
10. Troy (4) — 3-0 β NR
Teams to watch: Dunmore (2) 2-1, Executive Education (11) 2-1, Imani Christian (7) 2-1, Steel Valley (1-1), Williams Valley (11) 2-1.
CLASS 1A
Rank β Team β District β Record β Previous
1. Steelton-Highspire (3) — 3-0 β 1
2. Bishop Canevin (7) — 2-0 β 2
3. Canton (4) — 3-0 β 3
4. Northern Bedford (5) — 3-0 β 4
5. Lackawanna Trail (2) β 3-0 β 6
6. Brockway (9) — 3-0 β 7
7. Windber (5) — 3-0 β 8
8. Minersville (11) — 3-0 β 9
9. Redbank Valley (9) — 3-0 β 10
10. Cornell (7) — 3-0 NR
Teams to watch:Β Greensburg C.C. (7) 2-1, Lakeview (10) 3-0, Muncy (4) 2-1, Rochester (7) 2-0, South Side (7) 3-0.Β
