District 3 Girls Basketball: How Do Wilson and Red Lion Stack Up?
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The fourth-seeded Wilson Bulldogs (25-2) will travel to face the top-seeded Red Lion Lions (23-2) in the District 3 Class 6A semifinals Monday at 7:00 p.m.
The Berks champion Bulldogs defeated No. 13 Penn Manor 65-30 in the first round and No. 5 Mechanicsburg 50-33 in the quarterfinals to reach the semis. Wilson is the last Berks team alive with a chance to win a district title.
The winner between Wilson and Red Lion will face either No. 2 Central Dauphin or No. 3 Dallastown in the championship game.
District 3 Class 6A semifinal preview
No. 1 Red Lion Lions (23-2)
Head coach: Don Dimoff (625 career wins)
Points per game: 42.4
Points allowed per game: 28.4
District appearances: 42
District championship appearances: 8 (2025, 2006, 2003, 1997, 1988)
District titles: 3 (2012, 2011, 1992)
Red Lion returned nearly its entire core from last season’s team that went 26-4 and reached the District 3 championship game before falling to Dallastown, which also defeated it in the York-Adams League (YAIAA) final. The Lions also qualified for the state tournament, where they lost to Downingtown East in the first round.
After falling to Delone Catholic in the YAIAA semifinals this season, Red Lion has advanced to the district semifinals with wins over No. 16 New Oxford (47-25) and No. 8 Cedar Cliff (32-30). Before the loss to Delone, the Lions had won 17 consecutive games.
Bekah Sedora, a 5-10 sophomore guard/forward, averages a team-high 14.6 ppg and has hit 47 3-pointers. Her older sister, Julia Sedora, is a 5-8 senior guard committed to Army West Point and averages 11.9 ppg with 26 3s. Freshman 6-1 forward Kendall Williams is the Lions' third-leading scorer at 5.5 ppg. Senior 5-4 point guard Olivia Miller (3.7 ppg), senior 5-10 forward Madison Sechrist (2.7 ppg), junior guard Maddie Young (3.0 ppg), and senior Caitlin Doyle (2.2 ppg) each play in supporting roles and are sound defensively.
No. 4 Wilson Bulldogs (25-2)
Head coach: Matt Raquet (45-12, second season)
Points per game: 58.0
Points allowed per game: 33.9
District appearances: 36
District championship appearances: 9 (2011, 2009, 1985)
District titles: 6 (2014, 2013, 2008, 2000, 1998, 1997)
Wilson enters the semifinals riding a 17-game winning streak, its last loss coming against Dallastown, 49-38, on Dec. 22.
Wilson last reached the District 3 semifinals two seasons ago, falling to Central Dauphin, 42-41.
Last season, the Bulldogs fell to Dallastown 40-29 in the quarterfinals before defeating Manheim Township and Mechanicsburg to finish in fifth place. The Bulldogs then defeated Upper Dublin in the PIAA playoffs — their first state playoff win since 2014 — before falling to Archbishop Carroll in the second round.
Senior 5-6 point guard Laila Jones (Penn State Harrisburg commit) leads the Bulldogs at 11.9 ppg and has made 55 3-pointers. Junior 5-10 guard Kailani Hardy adds 11.6 ppg and 28 3-pointers and recently received a Division I offer from La Salle. Senior 5-8 wing Laura Crocona, a Kutztown commit, averages 8.6 ppg and has hit 36 3-pointers. Junior 5-8 guard Ryan Leaman contributes 7.0 ppg and 27 3-pointers and is committed to play lacrosse at North Carolina. Sophomore 5-10 forward Jade Lee provides scoring off the bench at 7.2 ppg, while senior 5-11 center Violet Houck (6.9 ppg), a Jacksonville track and field commit, anchors the interior. Freshman forward Mariam Osumanu and freshman guard Lila Houck have also contributed key depth this season.
District 3 playoff history between Wilson and Red Lion
Wilson and Red Lion have met seven times in District 3 playoff history. Wilson holds a 5-2 advantage in the series. The teams have faced off in the district championship twice, with Red Lion winning in 2011 and Wilson winning in 1997. Here are all seven of the matchups:
2012 Class 4A semifinals — Red Lion won, 41-32
2011 Class 4A championship — Red Lion won, 39-20
2009 Class 4A semifinals — Wilson won, 43-27
2002 Class 4A first round — Wilson won, 48-47
2000 Class 4A first round — Wilson won, 64-57
1997 Class 4A championship — Wilson won, 52-46
1983 Class 3A first round — Wilson won, 56-47
Common opponents
Wilson and Red Lion faced four common opponents this season: Central York, Dallastown, Mechanicsburg and Parkland. Here's a look at how each team fared against those teams.
Central York: Wilson defeated the Panthers 67-37 on Dec. 5. Red Lion split two meetings, losing 38-35 on Dec. 16 before winning the rematch 44-39 on Jan. 20.
Dallastown: Wilson lost to the Wildcats 49-38 on Dec. 22. Red Lion defeated Dallastown twice, winning 34-31 on Dec. 9 and 31-28 on Jan. 14.
Mechanicsburg: Wilson defeated the Wildcats 50-33 in the District 3 quarterfinals on Feb. 19. Red Lion defeated Mechanicsburg 36-19 on Dec. 29.
Parkland: Wilson defeated Parkland 53-25 on Dec. 30. Red Lion defeated Parkland 41-32 on Dec. 23.
Other Berks teams in District 3 playoffs
Gov. Mifflin, the No. 11 seed in 6A, fell to No. 3 Dallastown 63-35 in the quarterfinals Thursday. The Mustangs upset No. 6 Ephrata in the first round. They have qualified for the PIAA tournament and will travel to No. 7 Central York Tuesday in the playback bracket to determine state seeding.
Exeter, the No. 12 seed in 5A, fell 47-30 to No. 5 Lampeter-Strasburg on Tuesday, ending the Eagles' season after a spirited run to the Berks Girls League championship game. It was just the fifth time in the last 20 years and ninth in the last 40 years that Exeter has appeared in the district playoffs.
Fourth-seeded Oley Valley fell to No. 1 Trinity 65-31 in the 3A semifinals Thursday. The Lynx ended No. 5 Kutztown's season with a 46-32 victory in the quarterfinals. Oley will play at No. 3 Columbia in the third-place game on Tuesday at 7:00 p.m. for a spot in the PIAA playoffs.
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