Wilson boys No. 1 in Class 6A

Boys

Wilson rose to the occasion in its biggest game of the season a week ago when it knocked off state-ranked Methacton on its home court.

Bulldogs coach Matt Coldren hopes his team is peaking at the right time, what with the Berks Conference playoffs this week and the District 3 Tournament to follow.

“We proved to ourselves and to everybody that we’re the real deal and that we can play with anybody,” said Wilson junior Stevie Mitchell. “As long as we keep getting better, we’ll be all right.”

The Bulldogs, who have won 15 straight games, are the hands-on favorite to win their first Berks title in six years and will enter the District 3 Class 6A Tournament as the top seed for the second straight year.

Wilson (21-1) is one of nine Berks teams to qualify for the district tournament. It’s joined by third-seeded Reading High (15-6) and 10th-seeded Gov. Mifflin (13-9) in 6A; eighth-seeded Muhlenberg (17-5) in 5A; seventh-seeded Wyomissing (16-6) and 10th-seeded Berks Catholic (12-8) in 4A; fifth-seeded Brandywine Heights (14-8) in 3A; thirdseeded Antietam (12-9) in 2A; and 10th-seeded High Point (811) in 1A.

The Bulldogs and Red Knights earned first-round byes; they,

First round, Monday, Feb. 17

No. 10Berks Catholic at No. 7Wyomissing, 7p.m. Thursday, Feb. 20

Class 3A

Quarterfinals, Monday, Feb. 17

No. 5Brandywine Heights at No. 4Upper Dauphin, 7p.m. Class 2A

Semifinals, Wednesday, Feb. 19

No. 3Antietam at No. 2Millersburg, 7p.m.

Class 1A

First round, Monday, Feb. 17

No. 10High Point at No. 7Greenwood7p.m.

along with the Muhls and Spartans, earned home openers.

Wilson begins pursuit of its first district championship Feb. 21 when it hosts the winner of the McCaskey (15-7)/Chambersburg (16-6) first-round game.

Reading High opens Feb. 21 against the winner of the 6/11 game between Cumberland Valley (18-4) and Harrisburg (13-8).

Gov. Mifflin opens on the road Feb. 18 against No. 7 Warwick (17-4), a team it lost to 64-36 on Jan. 11.

Muhlenberg reached the 5A championship a year ago as the No. 7 seed. It will open Feb. 17 in Laureldale against No. 9 Northeastern (14-8).

The Spartans and Saints will meet for the fourth time, this time at Wyomissing, when the Class 4A tournament opens Feb. 17. The loser will be eliminated.

Brandywine opens at No. 4 Upper Dauphin (15-6) Feb. 17.

The winner qualifies for the PIAA Tournament and the loser is eliminated.

Antietam opens at No. 2 Millersburg (17-5) Feb. 19. A win will send the Mounts to the state tournament for the second straight season; a loss ends their season.

High Points opens at No. 7 Greenwood (12-9) Feb. 17.

State qualifiers for the various classifications: Class 6A, 6; Class 5A, 9; Class 4A, 5; Class 3A, 4; Class 2A, 2; Class 1A, 6.

Girls

First round, Tuesday, Feb. 18

No. 9Kennard-Dale at No. 8Fleetwood, 7p.m. No. 10Schuylkill Valley at No. 7 Bishop McDevitt, 7 p.m.

Quarterfinals, Friday, Feb. 21

No. 6Wyomissing at No. 3Eastern York, 7p.m.

Seven Berks girls basketball teams have qualified for the District 3 playoffs.

Gov. Mifflin (18-5) and Wilson (12-10) are in the Class 6A field. Mifflin landed the No. 4 seed and a first-round bye. It will play either fifth-seeded Red Lion or No. 12 Warwick in the quarterfinals

Feb. 20. Wilson is seeded 10th and plays at Hempfield in the first round Feb. 17.

Twin Valley (18-5) and Berks Catholic (15-8) made it in Class 5A and will play firstround games Feb. 19.

Twin Valley is seeded fourth and hosts No. 13 Greencastle-Antrim. Eighth-seeded Berks Catholic hosts No. 9 Solanco.

Fleetwood (13-9) and Schuylkill Valley (14-9) play first-round games in Class 4A Feb. 18. No. 8 Fleetwood hosts ninth-seeded Kennard Dale and No. 10 Schuylkill Valley travels to face No. 7 Bishop McDevitt.

Wyomissing (17-6) is seeded sixth and has a first-round bye in Class 4A. It travels to No. 3 Eastern York for the quarterfinals Feb. 21.

Seven teams qualify for states in Class 6A, eight teams qualify in Class 5A and five teams qualify in Class 4A.