Berks Sports Report Paul Roberts
Exeter and Muhlenberg square off this Friday night. Only one team will leave Laureldale with an undefeated record. It’s undoubtedly the marquee matchup in Berks County for Week 7 of the high school football season. History is on the side of the Eagles. They’ve won eleven straight against the Muhls and none of those games have been close. The average score has been 47-10 in favor of Exeter during that stretch. Muhlenberg hasn’t come out on top in this series since a 20-0 victory over the Eagles in 2013. This year, both teams are unblemished at (6-0, 3-0).
Exeter has outscored its first six opponents 265-38. The Eagles lost senior quarterback Riley Martinez to a shoulder injury in Week 2 at Boyertown. Jake Hafer has taken over under center like he did in 2024 when Martinez suffered a broken right leg. Hafer is committed to East Stroudsburg for baseball. The 6’3 lefty is 22-of-36 for 526 yards. He’s thrown six touchdown passes and two interceptions. Exeter has only attempted 51 passes all season. The Eagles have a physical offensive line that includes Joel Ummarino, Kevin Oswalt, Wyatt Richard, Andre Osborne, and Matt Lis. Exeter is averaging 262 rushing yards per game. “Exeter is a team that makes it a point to do what they do on the offensive side of the ball,” said Muhlenberg coach Rob Flowers. Leo Brown has piled up 892 yards on the ground and 13 TD. Brown, a sprinter on the track team, is averaging 9.3 yards per carry. Jayden Ware is their top target at wide receiver with 15 catches for 369 yards and four touchdowns. The 6’2 senior also has a pair of interceptions at cornerback. Linebackers Donovyn Alvarez (35) and Aidan Dauble (34) lead the Eagles in tackles. Ummarino is a force on defense as well with seven tackles for loss.
Muhlenberg is putting up 44.8 points per game. The Muhls have plenty of talent at the skill positions including Cam Small, Mike Miller, and Freddy Lacey. “They are much improved from last year. They have done a great job of getting their athletes in space, allowing them to make plays. They have a lot of weapons,” said Exeter coach Matt Bauer. Small, an All-State pick in 2024, has rushed for 957 yards and 15 TD this season. The 5’11, 185-pound senior ran for a school-record 346 yards against the Eagles last year. Miller and Lacey, both senior receivers, have combined for 35 receptions for 713 yards and 7 TD. Miller has added four scores and 222 yards on the ground. Adriel Baez has shown a lot of potential at quarterback. The 5’10, 170-pound sophomore is completing 62% of his passes for 943 yards. Baez has tossed ten touchdowns and four interceptions. He’s quick enough to use his feet to move the chains as well.
Exeter is #1 in the District 3-5A power rankings. Muhlenberg isn’t far behind at #4. This will be the Muhls’ toughest test of the season. Limiting turnovers and penalties will be critical for both squads. I’ll be in Laureldale with live updates and postgame reaction.