Donovyn Alvarez-Exeter

At 6’ and 178 pounds, Donovyn Alvarez certainly isn’t the biggest inside linebacker that you’ve ever seen. Don’t let his size fool you. Alvarez has been a mainstay of Exeter’s defense. He played outside linebacker as a junior and finished second on the team in tackles with 86. The Eagles won ten games and reached the District 3-5A semifinals. He’s moved inside this season and is Exeter’s leading tackler. “It was quite a transformation because he was pretty much an All-State outside linebacker. To come inside, he’s a little undersized but he’s really figuring it out. He’s hard to block and he’s very physical,” explained head coach Matt Bauer. The (4-1, 2-0) Eagles had a shutout going until the final minute of a 28-6 win over Gov. Mifflin on Friday at Don Thomas Stadium. “I know what our defense is capable of. We show out every week. I knew that once we stopped the run, there was nothing they were gonna be able to do,” said Alvarez. Exeter has only allowed 45 points all year. “Coach [Rob] Ford does a great job of getting these kids ready and making them students of the game,” noted Bauer.

The Eagles went 56 yards in five minutes on the opening possession of the game. Aidan Gerhart found senior tight end Braylon Reinert for a 20-yard completion that put the Eagles in the red zone. Reinert, who’s also a standout inside linebacker, is a big target at 6’4 and 230 pounds. Offensive coordinator J.P. Gibbons called upon backup quarterback Xavier Mercado when they reached the 3-yard line. Mercado, a 225-pound junior, is 70 pounds heavier than Gerhart. He barreled in to put Exeter on top 7-0 with 6:54 left in the first quarter.

After forcing the (0-5, 0-2) Mustangs to punt, the Eagles marched 75 yards in three and a-half minutes. A pair of runs by Josh Jackson took Exeter from Gov. Mifflin’s 33-yard line down to the 1-yard line. Jackson then went up the middle to make it 14-0 with 1:11 remaining in the opening quarter. It looked like the Mustangs were going to get on the scoreboard with ten minutes to go in the first half. Sophomore quarterback Jack Miller hit Lucas Kreider for a big play over the middle, however, Kreider fumbled at the 1-yard line. Nick Pashley, a senior captain, recovered the loose ball which came out just before Kreider’s knee touched the turf. “That was very important. They were literally at the end zone and he stopped it. That’s like something that you pray for. I’m thankful for that,” emphasized Alvarez. Pashley was named a second team defensive back in the Lancaster-Lebanon League in 2025.

The Eagles began their fourth series at the 13-yard line with 2:18 to play before halftime. Gerhart immediately went deep to Reinert for a 37-yard gain. Jackson followed with a 16-yard run. Bauer initially sent out the field goal unit on fourth-and-3 from the 11-yard line. Gov. Mifflin took a timeout which gave Bauer time to change his mind. “I challenged the line, can we get four yards. They wanted to do it so I put the ball in their hands,” replied Bauer. He’s in his 18th year at the helm in Reiffton and holds the school record with 139 victories. Gerhart connected with Pashley for an 8-yard pickup on fourth down. Mercado then entered the game again at quarterback. His 3-yard touchdown run extended Exeter’s cushion to 21-0 with 22 seconds left before halftime.

A bizarre special teams play gave the Eagles a 28-0 advantage with 5:10 remaining in the third quarter. A high snap went over the head of Mustangs’ sophomore punter Kevin Aparicio. Instead of falling on the football, he tried to kick it backwards through the end zone. The ball didn’t go far enough and Faym Pruit recovered it in the end zone for a touchdown. “I really don’t have the words for it. I never saw a punter kick the ball from the 35-yard line into the end zone, but we’ll take it,” said Bauer with a smile.

Gov. Mifflin continued to run the ball inside with workhorse Pat Steuer. The 5’7, 150-pound senior is a standout wrestler and lacrosse player. The Mustangs reached Exeter’s 22-yard line with ten minutes on the clock. An incomplete pass on fourth-and-11 ended the seven minute drive. Gov. Mifflin put together another long series and this time put points on the board. A 5-yard touchdown pass from Miller to 6’2 senior receiver Caeson Skipper capped a 79-yard possession that lasted more than seven minutes. The Mustangs made it 28-6 with 47 seconds to go.

Exeter has won six in a row against its rival from Shillington. “We’re still growing, we’re still improving week to week. This week we took a big step forward offensively,” mentioned Bauer. The Eagles were coming off a 7-0 win versus Ephrata. Exeter travels to (4-1) Elizabethtown next Friday. The Eagles have made three appearances in the District 3 Championship over the past five years. “I think we’re gonna go far. We’re gonna have a long run,” remarked Alvarez.