When you think of Berks County wrestling, Class AA schools like Schuylkill Valley and Brandywine Heights come to mind.
Nothing in Class AAA.
But that's changing.
Wilson (West Lawn) and Exeter have put together impressive seasons. The two teams have combined to go 37-9 and finish third and fourth in the District 3-AAA Team Championships, earning a trip to the PIAA Championships.
For the Bulldogs, it's a second straight appearance in the state pool. Exeter is making it's first journey to the big dance. Before Wilson's berth last season, you have to go all the way back to Boyertown to find a Berks Class AAA team that has gone this far.
“It says, obviously, that Berks Class AAA wrestling is getting better,” Exeter head coach Jon Rugg said. “We have some good young coaches.
“You have Derek Sola (Hamburg), Wilson coach Ken Thomason, and I like to think myself. We don't plan on going anywhere.”
It's all attitude.
District 3-AAA has been owned by the Mid-Penn Conference. The last 13 dual-meet championships have come from the big schools in the Harrisburg area, specifically Central Dauphin and Cumberland Valley.
The Rams won six straight (2008-2013). Before that, Lower Dauphin topped the charts (2007) for one year. The Eagles took the strap from 2003 through 2006 and defeated CD Saturday to regain the title.
And the Berks County teams have taken notice.
“We have really worked hard in the offseason,” said Ken Thomason, Wilson head coach. “We have to do what the Mid-Penn does.
“We have a lot of respect for them, and we have to change our mindset from the way Berks County normally thinks.”
Schools like Central Dauphin and Cumberland Valley, and others in the Mid-Penn region, wrestle with toughness. They have a chip on their shoulder and expect to win any time they take the mat.
That comes from coaching. It comes from a difficult schedule. It is bred from being in close matches and learning how to win.
“We need to try and schedule tougher and expose the kids to a tougher schedule,” Thomason said. “The Mid-Penn is known for a hard-nosed type of wrestling. Berks is a little behind in Class AAA.”
Not for long.
Exeter gave the Rams everything they could handle in last week's district semifinal before beating Big Spring to make states. Wilson downed South Western and stormed past No. 4 seeded Spring Grove to earn their berth.
Thomason admits there is still a gap between the two conference. Still, progress is being made in the right direction.
“Hey, it's time to do what the Mid-Penn does,” Thomason said. “We are slowly getting where we need to be.”