Wyomissing elevated to Class 4A by PIAA competition formula

Wyomissing, which reached the last two Class 3A football state championship games, will be bumped up to Class 4A for the next two seasons in accordance with the PIAA’s competition formula, the organization announced Tuesday.

The Spartans are among eight football teams that will move up a class based on the PIAA’s formula, which includes enrollment, success and athletic transfers.

They received four points apiece for their 3A runner-up finishes, giving them eight.

“If a school receives (at least) six points in the previous (two-year) classification cycle,” the PIAA rule reads, “and accepts transfer students by sport and gender that equals or exceeds the stated number, they will move up one classification.”

That number is three in football, which means that Wyomissing and the other schools have had at least three transfers in the last two years.

Central Valley, which beat the Spartans in the last two 3A finals, also is moving up to 4A for the next two seasons because of the competition formula.

The other six schools forced to move up one class in football for the next two seasons are Erie Cathedral Prep, a 5A quarterfinalist this year; Jersey Shore, a 4A semifinalist; Aliquippa, the 4A champion; Southern Columbia, the 2A champ (its 12th overall title); Bishop Guilfoyle, the 1A champ; and Redbank Valley, the 1A runner-up.

Under longtime coach Bob Wolfrum, Wyomissing became the first Berks County football team to play in consecutive title games, losing to Central Valley 35-21 in 2020 and 7-0 last month.

The Spartans have been one of the most successful football teams in District 3 and the state, going 55-8 the last five seasons, including 24-2 the last two years. They’ve won three consecutive District 3 Class 3A championships.

Wyomissing has appeared in 10 district finals in the last 12 seasons and has won five titles.

Five Berks schools will move down one class in football based on enrollment. Daniel Boone, Fleetwood and Twin Valley, which were 5A, will be 4A the next two seasons; Berks Catholic and Kutztown, which has a co-op agreement with Brandywine Heights, move from 4A to 3A.

Reading High (6A), Wilson (6A), Gov. Mifflin (5A), Exeter (5A), Muhlenberg (5A), Conrad Weiser (4A), Hamburg (3A) and Schuylkill Valley (3A) will stay in the same class.