What’s next for the . . . Twin Valley Raiders?
2026 Berks football coverage presented by
Utilities Employees Credit Union
(This is the first of a series as MikeDragoSports.com takes an offseason dive into Berks’ top programs.)
When he meets with his Twin Valley players today Brett Myers will remind them that they’re starting over, that the team that won 14 times last season and played for a PIAA championship is gone, that they need to create their own identity.
It’s true, the Raiders are starting over as they head into the teeth of their offseason training program but they’re starting from a much different place.
The ceiling for the program has been raised considerably since when Myers took the reins before the 2022 season and the corps of returning players is much deeper.
Even after graduating four All-State players and 13 all-league picks the Raiders have plenty back for another strong run at league and district titles.
Start with Lucas Myers, an All-State linebacker and 1,000-yard rusher who scored 25 touchdowns. He’ll line up next to quarterback Maverik Foster, who enjoyed a record-setting sophomore season that may be only the tip of the iceberg for him.
They’re among 10 return starters and 15-plus players who saw significant time during an extended season which saw the Raiders become the highest-scoring team in Berks history.
Just as big is the fact that the sophomores and freshmen, about a third of last season’s roster, have grown up in a winning program. The Raiders have averaged 10 wins per season over the last four years. The younger players are taking ownership of a program that’s been at the top. That wasn’t the case four years ago when future All-State picks Drew Engle, Grayson Miller, and Ben Grundy entered the program.
On a given day after school you’ll find upwards of 40 junior high students in the Twin Valley weight room, lifting and training alongside the varsity guys.
“Four years ago, there might’ve been 10,” Brett Myers said of the seventh- and eighth-graders preparing to enter the program.
That’s a scary premise for the teams in Section 3 of the Lancaster-Lebanon League, where the Raiders will play for the next two seasons after winning the Section 4 title last year.
“They understand the program has expectations, and they want to be part of it,” Myers said of the next wave of Raiders. “They understand the procedure of setting goals.”
A major part of Twin Valley’s success under Myers has been an outstanding offseason program that gets players bigger and faster and ready to compete with any team on their schedule.
Come spring Myers and his staff will evaluate the winter work that’s been done and will begin moving players around to plug holes. Those holes are considerable.
Engle rushed for 2,095 yards, scored 37 touchdowns and completely rewrote the program record book. Miller was the Section 4 Offensive and Defensive Lineman of the Year. Grundy was the Receiver of the Year.
Four of the five starting offensive linemen are set to graduate. All told, six starters on offense, six on defense and both kickers need to be replaced.
A major focus will be on rebuilding the offseason line. The lone returnee is Liam Sheehan, a first-team all-league tackle. Joey Buckley, an all-league defensive end who played H-back as a junior, will slide over to the O-line. The Raiders were deep on the defensive line last season; some of those guys will move over, too.
Lucas Myers, who rushed for nearly 1,200 yards while splitting time at tailback with Engle, will fill that same role again. There is no shortage of candidates to join him in the backfield, starting with Bayliss Brunacini and Chase Reilly.
Foster passed for 1,300 yards and 17 touchdowns and didn’t throw an interception until his 15th game. He’ll get a bigger role in the offense, both as a passer and runner.
“Maverik’s a really good athlete,” Brett Myers said. “There’s some explosion and athletic ability there that we didn’t necessarily have to showcase because of guys like Drew and Ben and some others.”
His brother Gavin, the backup QB and only freshman on the roster last season, figures to soon make an impact, too. He’s 6-2 and athletic and can help the Raiders at several positions. You might see him catching passes from his brother.
Twin Valley grabbed headlines with an offense that produced a Berks-record 730 points, ranked No. 1 in the 37-team league in total offense and was No. 2 in the state in scoring. It was also strong on defense, where it was No. 1 in the league in three categories (total, scoring, passing).
The Raiders bring back a dozen players who saw considerable time on that unit, among them all-league end Aaryn Sumner, end Andrew Cabigas, cornerback Grant Moser, safety Keenan Munn, Oliver, Sheehan, Reilly and Maverik Foster. Myers was Linebacker of the Year in Section 4 and will be a fourth-year starter on defense; Moser and Buckley will each be three-year starters.
“We have a lot of pieces there with a lot of experience,” Brett Myers said of his defense. “I would expect us to be able to put a pretty fast defense on the field.”
No matter how you slice it, 2026 will be a tougher season for the Raiders. They’ll be competing against Class 5A teams in the postseason and will have a much more challenging schedule now that they’re in Section 3. Manheim Central and Cocalico have historically strong programs, Warwick has been on an upswing in recent seasons and Solanco is coming off an appearance in the District 3 Class 5A championship game.
