Wyomissing, Twin Valley to open season among state’s top-ranked teams
2024 Berks football coverage
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One year after cracking the state rankings for the first time Twin Valley will open the season at No. 7 in Class 4A in the PennLive.com preseason rankings.
The Raiders open two spots behind No. 5 Wyomissing, its new rival in Section 4 of the Lancaster-Lebanon League. Twin Valley played in Section 3 last season.
The Raiders and Spartans meet in Week 8 at Twin Valley.
The only other Berks team in the rankings is Schuylkill Valley, which is listed as one of five Teams To Watch in Class 3A.
The only other Lancaster-Lebanon team in the Top 10 is Manheim Central, at No. 7 in Class 5A; the Barons played at 4A last year. Manheim Township (6A), Cocalico (5A), and Lampeter-Strasburg (4A) are each listed as a Team To Watch.
Defending PIAA champs St. Joseph’s Prep (6A), Aliquippa (4A), and Southern Columbia (2A) open the season ranked No. 1 in those classifications.
Class 5A champ Imhotep Charter opens at No. 5 in Class 6A; Imhotep was moved up one classification by the PIAA’s “Success Formula.”
Class 3A champ Belle Vernon opens at No. 8 in Class 4A. Class 1A champ Steel-High opens as a Team To Watch in 2A.
The other preseason No. 1’s are Roman Catholic in 5A, two-time state champ Central Valley in 3A, and Westinghouse in 1A; Westinghouse lost last year’s Class 2A title game to Southern.
Wyomissing is in Class 4A for the first time, the result of the PIAA’s “Success Formula.” The Spartans were ranked No. 2 in Class 3A most of last season and ended up No. 3 after losing to Northwestern Lehigh in the PIAA semifinals.
Prior to last season Twin Valley had only ever been listed in the state rankings once, as a Team To Watch for one week. The Raiders returned last year after they opened the season 7-0; they finished as a Team To Watch and with a program-record 10 wins.
Exeter opened last season ranked No. 6 in Class 5A and rose to No. 3 after an 8-0 start. The Eagles do not appear on this year’s preseason list.
Wyomissing and Gov. Mifflin are the only Berks teams ever to ascend to No. 1 in the state rankings. Exeter and Wilson have each reached No. 2 and Berks Catholic was once ranked No. 3.
PennLive.com preseason rankings
(With district and last year’s final record)
CLASS 6A
1. St. Joseph’s Prep (12) 13-1
2. Pittsburgh Central Catholic (7) 10-2
3. Central Bucks South (1) 13-2
4. Harrisburg (3) 12-2
5. Imhotep Charter (12) 15-0
6. Nazareth (11) 12-2
7. Downingtown West (1) 11-3
8. North Allegheny (7) 13-2
9. Spring-Ford (1) 9-3
10. Central York (3) 11-1
Teams to watch: Parkland (11) 12-1, Manheim Township (3) 12-1, La Salle College HS (12), Coatesville (1) 7-4, Cumberland Valley (3) 7-5.
CLASS 5A
1. Roman Catholic (12) 8-3
2. Peters Township (7) 15-1
3. Chester (1) 12-2
4. West Chester Rustin (1) 10-2
5. Bishop McDevitt (3) 13-1
6. Garnet Valley (1) 9-3
7. Manheim Central (3) 11-2
8. Strath Haven (1) 13-2
9. Woodland Hills (7) 6-4
10. Cathedral Prep (10) 7-4
Teams to watch: Pine-Richland (7) 9-4, Springfield-Delco (1) 11-2, Cocalico (3) 12-2, Penn-Trafford (7) 5-6.
CLASS 4A
1. Aliquippa (7) 14-0
2. Jersey Shore (4) 10-1-1
3. McKeesport (7) 11-2
4. Pope John Paul II (1) 12-1
5. Wyomissing (3) 12-2
6. Valley View (2) 10-3
8. Belle Vernon (7) 13-1
7. Twin Valley (3) 10-2
9. Bonner-Prendergast (12) 9-3
10. Allentown Central Catholic (11) 9-3
Teams to watch: Mars (7) 10-3, Thomas Jefferson (7) 9-3, Juniata (6) 8-6, Selinsgrove (4) 13-1-1, Meadville (10) 9-3, Lampeter-Strasburg (3) 9-3.
CLASS 3A
1. Central Valley (7) 8-4
2. Danville (4) 12-2
3. Scranton Prep (2) 12-2
4. Neumann-Goretti (12) 10-2
5. Northwestern Lehigh (11) 15-1
6. Hickory (10) 11-3
7. Notre Dame-Green Pond (11) 8-4
8. Mount Carmel (4) 9-3
9. Avonworth (7) 12-1
10. Elizabeth-Forward (7) 10-2
Teams to watch: Beaver (7) 9-3, Central (6) 13-1, Western Wayne (2) 8-4, Schuylkill Valley (3) 9-3, Sharon (10) 9-3.
CLASS 2A
1. Southern Columbia (4) 15-1
2. Steel Valley (7) 10-2
3. Troy (4) 12-1
4. Bald Eagle Area (6) 12-2
5. Farrell (10) 11-2
6. Central Clarion (9) 11-1
7. Berlin Brothersvalley (5) 10-2
8. Riverside (2) 8-4
9. South Williamsport (4) 11-3
10. Camp Hill (3) 8-6
Teams to watch: Richland (6) 11-2, Washington (7) 11-2, Steel-High (3) 16-0, Minersville (11) 10-3, Schuylkill Haven (11), Mercyhurst Prep (10) 10-1.
CLASS 1A
1. Westinghouse (8) 13-1
2. Fort Cherry (7) 15-1
3. Bishop Guilfoyle (6) 6-5
4. Clairton (7) 10-3
5. Lackawanna Trail (2) 13-1
6. Windber (5) 8-4
7. Neshannock (7) 9-2
8. Wilmington (10) 4-6
9. Cambridge Springs (10) 12-2
10. Line Mountain (4) (9-3)
Teams to watch: Redbank Valley (9) 12-2, Lakeview (10) 9-3, South Side (7) 13-1, Bishop Canevin (7) 10-2, Muncy (4) 10-2, Canton (4) 8-3.
