Madyx Gruber-Wilson

Wilson’s first game of 2025 didn’t get off to a great start. Manheim Township jumped out to an 8-0 lead which prompted longtime head coach Matt Coldren to call a timeout. “He was livid,” said Madyx Gruber. The Bulldogs got Coldren’s message loud and clear. They responded with a 14-to-1 run and went on to win 55-48 in West Lawn. Gruber knocked down three 3-pointers in the first quarter and finished with 19 points. The 5’11 senior guard also grabbed seven rebounds. Ty Gray led the (7-4) Blue Streaks with 22 points. The 6’ senior guard came into Friday averaging nearly 18 points per game. Manheim Township trailed 14-11 after eight minutes and 30-22 at halftime. Wilson expanded its cushion to double digits, but the Blue Streaks didn’t go down easily. They began the fourth quarter with a 7-to-2 run and pulled within 46-43. Gray provided all seven of those points. He ended up with nine in the quarter. Gruber answered with his fourth trey of the night from the top of the key. Manheim Township had a chance to get within one point late, but Ellis Vorhis Witmer missed a pair of free throws. Correll Akings sank a pair of foul shots to make it 53-48 with 1:10 remaining. The junior guard chipped in with a dozen points. Gruber split two free throws with 31 seconds left to give the Bulldogs a 54-48 edge. He was pleased with how they executed in a tight spot. “At practice, we prepare for those moments. We were prepared well,” noted Gruber. Wilson only committed nine turnovers. The (9-2) Bulldogs held the Blue Streaks well below their season average of 62 ppg. Senior guards Jordan Pettigrew (12) and Rocky Mack (8) combined for 20 points. Manheim Township went 7-of-12 from the foul line, while Wilson was just 9-for-18. Luke Levan, a 6’6 senior, had ten points. “We need to feed him the ball. He has a mismatch. We need to give him the ball and let him do his thing,” emphasized Gruber. Tommy McFadden added eight points and seven rebounds. The 6’1 senior committed to Albany for soccer this week. Gruber was recently named to the PA Football Writers’ All-State team. He guided Wilson past Manheim Township 34-16 for the Section 1 championship in the Lancaster-Lebanon League. Gruber threw three touchdown passes and ran for another score. He was looking forward to facing the Blue Streaks on the court. “I knew it was gonna be a good game just because it was Manheim. I was really excited. I know my teammates were excited. It was fun,” said Gruber.