And then, just like that, there were five left.
District 3 football continues Friday, and after an exciting first round last week, football fans can expect even more fireworks this time around.
Of the teams that took the field last week, Exeter and Muhlenberg in Class 5A and Schuylkill Valley in Class 3A, only the Eagles managed to keep their season alive.
Berks County teams that earned a bye week to rest and reset include Wilson in Class 6A, Twin Valley and Wyomissing in 4A, and Berks Catholic in 3A.
Exeter will be the only team hitting the road for its matchup, while the rest enjoy at least one more week at home.
6A: No. 5 William Penn (6-3) at No. 4 Wilson (8-2)
The last time the Bulldogs took the field, they suffered a tough 20-14 home loss to Manheim Township in the Lancaster-Lebanon Section 1 title game.
It was a game filled with turnovers, penalties, and missed assignments for Wilson.
“We’ll try to spin it, but who knows,” Dahms said when asked if the team would use this loss as motivation moving forward. “Who knows?”
But maybe with a week off to get back to basics, Wilson will look to make a return to the 6A championship game for the second straight year.
The Bulldogs’ well-balanced offense is averaging more than 38 points per game, while their defense is allowing just two scores per contest.
At the helm is quarterback Mason Young, looking to bounce back after throwing three interceptions two weeks ago.
The senior has thrown for 1,824 yards, 23 touchdowns, and 11 interceptions this season.
If Young can keep the ball out of harm’s way, the Bulldogs’ offense should thrive, with the offensive weapons of Michael Glover and Jaiden Carpenter in the passing game.
The tight end-wide receiver duo has combined for more than 1,000 yards and 16 touchdowns.
To compete with a William Penn offense averaging 40 points per game, Wilson will need both sides of the ball firing from the first snap.
Leading the Bearcats is Syracuse commit Shavane Anderson Jr., an explosive playmaker who can score from virtually anywhere on the field.
Fortunately for the Bulldogs, they should be able to move the ball against a defense that allows 27 points per game.
The Bearcats, from the York-Adams League, are coming off a 56-14 loss to Central York, meaning both teams will be looking to bounce back from tough defeats.
5A: No. 7 Exeter (9-2) at No. 2 Conestoga Valley (10-0)
The Week 9 Section 2 rematch that the entire Lancaster-Lebanon League has been waiting for is finally here.
After rolling past Lower Dauphin 35-0 last week, the Eagles were already thinking about facing the Pioneers again by halftime, eager for some payback after their tough 21-17 loss from a few weeks ago.
“I don’t think we’re going to have any problem getting them up for practice,” Eagles coach Matt Bauer said post-game after their win. “They’re very determined to set the record straight, and we’re gonna challenge them to do so. We’re gonna be us, and hopefully that’s enough.”
A major boost for the Eagles is the return of starting quarterback Riley Martinez, who had been sidelined since Week 2.
In his first game back, the senior completed 8 of 13 passes for 73 yards, with one touchdown and one interception.
The ability to add an elite passing attack, complemented by a top-tier rushing game led by new Exeter single-season rushing record holder Leo Brown, makes the Eagles’ offense scary.
Brown rushed for 269 yards and two touchdowns in the first round, surpassing the 2,000-yard mark for the season.
And while the offense is set to shift into another gear, the Eagles’ defense has been stingy all season, allowing fewer than 10 points and just 170 yards per game.
Exeter fell to the Buckskins during the 2024 regular season but came back five weeks later with a 48-14 victory in the semifinals.
Now in 2025, the Eagles are hoping for a similar outcome, aiming to return to another district championship game.
“We want it more badly than ever. Even more than last year,” senior Jayden Ware said after the first round win. “We’re going back there and we couldn’t be more excited.”
4A: No. 6 West Perry (8-2) at No. 3 Twin Valley (10-0)
The Raiders have proven to be a force to be reckoned with in 2025.
A year removed from losing three times to Section 4 rivals Wyomissing and Lampeter-Strasburg, including a district playoff defeat, the Raiders have made every opponent pay this season.
According to Pennlive.com’s Eric Epler, who compiles the state rankings, the Raiders sit atop Pennsylvania’s 4A class.
On offense, Twin Valley is averaging a whopping 280 rushing yards per game. The duo of Drew Engle and Lucas Myers has been nearly unstoppable, as defenses get no break; if one goes out, the other steps in and delivers.
Together, they’ve combined for 1,944 yards and 38 touchdowns this season.
Defensively, Twin Valley has been just as impressive, giving up only 80 points through 10 games.
It’s difficult to identify a weak spot on the Raiders, and West Perry, or any future opponent moving forward, will have their hands full for the 48 minutes.
The Mustangs, members of the Mid-Penn Colonial Conference, have enjoyed a successful season, finishing as conference runners-up.
Their only two losses came against undefeated Susquehanna Township, 55-7, and Trinity, 38-14.
The Mustangs feature their own powerful running back duo in Evan Jutba and Adam Yoder, who have made noise in the Mid-Penn Conference.
Through nine games, Yoder has rushed for 1,158 yards and 12 touchdowns, while Jutba has contributed 763 yards and six touchdowns of his own.
The Raiders’ defense, which has seen its share of talented running backs all season, will need to be ready for another exceptional rushing attack.
4A: No. 5 Lampeter-Strasburg (7-3) at No. 4 Wyomissing (9-1)
Every time these two squads face off, it’s must-see football.
There’s a lot of history behind this matchup.
In 2024, when the two teams met in the district title game, it was an instant classic.
The Spartans held a late lead before the Pioneers tied it after a late fourth-and-long conversion, ultimately winning in overtime after making a field goal and blocking Wyomissing’s attempt.
But when the teams met in the regular season this year, the Spartans easily handled the Pioneers, winning 46-7 in the final game of the season.
The Spartans led 25-7 at halftime and continued to apply pressure in the second half, pulling away for a decisive win.
Three players rushed for over 100 yards: Justice Hardy (119), Danny Fleischood (119), and Dom Arguelles (107).
The Spartans had their way on the ground and will look to replicate that success this Saturday.
Pioneers quarterback Asher Jones, who missed two games with an injury, returned but was a non-factor, completing 5 of 14 passes for 56 yards and rushing nine yards on eight carries.
The Pioneers’ offense goes as far as Jones takes them, so if the Spartans’ defense can contain him, they should be able to cruise to another win.
Running back Colby DeJessa rushed for 87 yards and a touchdown on 20 carries, serving as the Pioneers’ lone bright spot.
With both teams rested and having reviewed the film, they’ll go full throttle ahead with their seasons on the line.
3A: No. 4 Bermudian Springs (8-3) at No. 1 Berks Catholic (8-2)
The Saints enter the Class 3A playoffs well rested after a bye week.
Berks Catholic captured its first section title since 2018 with a 14-7 overtime win over Annville-Cleona.
Two months ago, the Saints sat at 1-2, losing to Twin Valley and Bethlehem Catholic by a combined 93-46.
Since then, Berks Catholic has steamrolled every opponent on its schedule.
The Saints are driven by an elite rushing attack, totaling 3,420 yards, an average of 342 yards per game.
Four players have eclipsed 500 yards: Xavier Gerald (748), Jeremiah Camara (680), Aiden Curley (560), and Coy Koller (535), combining for 25 touchdowns.
And even though they hold their own individual talents, keeping defenses on their toes, the running backs all praise the big guys up front for paving the way week after week.
Next up are the Eagles from the York-Adams League, and the Saints hope to carry their season-long success into this matchup.
Bermudian Springs features a talented roster, led on defense by sophomore Cameron Hackman.
With 92 tackles and five sacks, Hackman is a constant threat, and the Saints’ offensive line will have to identify him pre-snap play after play as he has a nose for the football.
Offensively, the Eagles display a well-balanced attack to move the ball down the field.
Quarterback Lane Hubbard is the head of the snake, throwing for 1,301 yards with 13 touchdowns and one interception, while also rushing for 695 yards and 10 scores.
The Saints will face a challenge in trying to contain this dynamic offensive threat.
This week’s schedule
Friday
Bermudian Springs at Berks Catholic, 7 p.m.
Exeter at Conestoga Valley, 7 p.m.
West Perry at Twin Valley, 7 p.m.
William Penn at Wilson, 7 p.m.
Saturday
Lampeter-Strasburg at Wyomissing, 1 p.m.
