PIAA girls lacrosse: Berks guaranteed a 2A state title as Wyomising-Twin Valley square off
For the first time in PIAA history, two Berks County lacrosse teams will meet in a state championship game.
Twin Valley (21-2) and Wyomissing (23-2) are more than familiar with one another.
The two top squads in Berks County, District 3 and the PIAA will face off for the third time this season in the Class 2A girls lacrosse championship at 10 a.m. Saturday at Penn State’s Panzer Stadium.
Both teams have enjoyed exceptional seasons, with Twin Valley winning the BCIAA title and Wyomissing earning a 6-5 victory over the Raiders in the District 3 2A championship game.
“I love it. Yes, we battle, and the games that we have are really full of emotion, and they’re tight games, but I love to see us represent the state, and to get that far,” Raiders coach Courtney Kaplan said. “It is a testament to the work that everybody puts in around here.”
For the Raiders, it marks their fourth state title appearance in five seasons. They have lost to Archbishop Carroll each time by scores of 16-7, 17-5, and 10-8, and are still searching for their first state championship.
After a loss to Wyomissing in the district title game, the Raiders earned wins over Abington Heights and Gwynedd Mercy, outscoring them 32-12 before facing defending champion Villa Maria Academy, who knocked them out in the quarterfinals last season.
The Raiders responded with a 13-11 victory, behind senior Ellie Kaplan’s five goals. In the process, she became Berks County’s all-time leading scorer with 310 goals.
“We were super excited to get another shot at Villa, because last year they ended our season,” Courtney Kaplan said. “Everything’s coming together at the right time. We knew it’d be a really very competitive game, because they are so strong and the game planning and putting it all together and seeing it actually play out and us coming out on top is exactly what we were looking for and hoping for and to getting back to Penn State.”
Ellie Kaplan, a University of Michigan commit, has scored 17 goals in this year’s state playoffs as the Raiders will once again lean on her.
Twin Valley knows it will be far from an easy task, as both squads know each other well, including tendencies, game plans, and where each side can capitalize on weaknesses.
“We know exactly what we need to do, which is great,” Courtney Kaplan said. “I feel like in the district game there were some other factors that played in, and I’m hoping with being at Penn State with all eyes on the game that it’s going to be on we’re definitely having a different outcome.”
Kaplan referred to the physicality of the game, in which the officials had their hands full through the 32-minute affair. She also added that turnovers on the offensive end contributed to the narrow 6-5 loss.
“I feel like this solidified our rivalry as two of the top teams in the county and gave each game with Twin Valley its own mental challenge with there being so many emotions invested,” Spartans coach Rachel Shappell said.
“This season we’ve split 1-1, but I think that just shows how evenly matched we are. Every time we play Twin Valley we try to see what we can add to our game plan, but it ultimately comes down to who is going to fight harder to win. They are a very talented team with a great coaching staff and we have nothing but respect for them every time we play. This is going to be an awesome game to watch.”
Ellie Kaplan had three goals in the game, while Skylar Maggs made 15 saves to help Wyomissing come out with the win.
The two squads have combined for the last five district titles dating back to 2022, meeting in the championship twice and in the semifinals once during that span.
Earlier this season, on April 21, Maddison Lawrence and Kaplan combined for seven goals in a 12-7 win over the Spartans.
So, with the season series sitting at one apiece, it will all come down to one final matchup to decide who will bring home state gold.
As for the Spartans, they defeated South Fayette (18-1), Quaker Valley (12-2), and West Chester Rustin (14-12) en route to the championship game.
“Coming into this season we felt we had unfinished business and we are just so thrilled to be here right now,” Shappell said. “This is the ultimate goal. We knew we had the talent to get to this point, and it is just very motivating and validating to see the culmination of all the hard work the team puts in day in and day out. The girls have been progressing throughout the season and I feel like we are playing our best lacrosse right now at the perfect time.”
Junior Karly Hyde has led the team with 11 goals in the state playoffs, while goalkeeper Skylar Maggs has played exceptional, recording 28 saves over the three games.
This will be Wyomissing’s first state championship appearance after falling to eventual champions Villa Maria Academy 10-7 in the semifinals in 2025.
“The excitement for this game is not only felt by the girls and coaches, but the parents, families, and the school all around,” Shappell said. “We have a wonderfully supportive crew of fans that want to see these girls achieve their goals.
“At the start of the season, we set out with the goal of going one step further than last season, and that brings us to the state finals on Saturday. There’s only one job left to do, and that is to bring the title to Wyomissing and make history. I think the girls feel the weight of this and are mentally and physically ready for this challenge.”
With a title run extending past graduation, prom, and other end-of-the-school-year activities, lacrosse remains the top priority for both sides.
For any athlete at any level, maintaining focus and commitment can be difficult as outside noise plays a factor. But for Wyomissing and Twin Valley alike, both teams have remained locked in on their main goal.
“It’s the hardest thing to do to keep everybody focused and dialed,” Courtney Kaplan said. “We just try to keep things fresh and we try to change things up a little bit, so that it’s not the monotonous day in and day out of the same exact things.”
Kaplan added that peer-to-peer motivation has been driving her squad through these final games and practices. The Raiders want to stay locked in and play for each other as they pursue their collective goal.
