Berks Sports Report Paul Roberts
Mike Miller has been a starter on Muhlenberg’s football team for four years. He’s gone through some tough seasons. In 2022 and 2023, the Muhls won a total of three games. The winds of change, however, are blowing through Laureldale. Muhlenberg ended a 21-game losing streak to Gov. Mifflin and improved to (5-0, 2-0) with a 35-17 victory on Friday. “It’s a great feeling because we all worked for this in the offseason. The work is showing,” said Miller. The 6’, 185-pound wide receiver and safety scored three touchdowns against the (2-3, 0-2) Mustangs. He had a 49-yard pick-6 that put the Muhls on top 21-3 with 1:09 left in the first half. Miller took advantage of something he saw a play or two earlier. “It was the same route concept. I jumped the under route and took it to the house,” he explained. Gov. Mifflin committed three turnovers before halftime.
The Mustangs went up 3-0 on Lance Koenig’s 22-yard field goal with 6:37 remaining in the second quarter. Gov. Mifflin settled for three points after a holding penalty on third-and-goal from the 1-yard line. There were 24 combined penalties, including 13 for 115 yards against Muhlenberg. After falling behind, the Muhls answered with 28 straight points. Adriel Baez hit a wide open Freddy Lacey for a 48-yard touchdown pass midway through the second quarter. The sophomore quarterback was 8-of-12 for 115 yards and two scores. “He’s put in so much work and I’m so proud of the way he’s progressing. I love it,” replied Miller. Cam Small recovered a fumble at the Mustangs’ 19-yard line with 4:48 to play in the first half. Baez used his legs on the ensuing possession. His 6-yard touchdown run made it 14-3 with 1:40 to go before the break. Miller’s interception gave Muhlenberg all of the momentum going into the locker room.
The Muhls opened the second half with a 93-yard drive that took seven and a-half minutes. Baez flipped a pop pass to Miller who went eight yards for a 28-3 advantage. Gov. Mifflin freshman Lucas Kreider responded immediately with a 72-yard kickoff return touchdown. Senior cornerback Isaiah Massillon recovered a fumble for the Mustangs on the first play of the fourth quarter. Lebron Leaf capped a 56-yard series with a quarterback sneak from the 1-yard line, and Muhlenberg’s lead was trimmed to 28-17 with 8:32 left. Gov. Mifflin got the ball back at its 16-yard line with 2:44 remaining, but managed just six yards. Miller then bounced off tacklers for a 15-yard touchdown run with 37 seconds on the clock. He finished with nine carries for 45 yards and another 54 yards on five receptions. Small, an All-State running back, produced 126 yards on 26 carries.
The Mustangs could never get their triple-option attack going and were outgained 298-to-196. They only had two possessions in the second half, and were limited to 91 rushing yards on the night. Miller summed up the Muhls’ defensive scheme in two words, “assignment football.” Gov. Mifflin was missing four starters due to injury, including Dylan Worley and fullback Nick Kalis. Worley was a first team guard and second team linebacker in Section 2 a season ago. The banged up Mustangs visit rival Wilson next week.
Meanwhile, Muhlenberg has outscored its opponents 234-52 at the midway point of the regular season. “We just touched the surface. We can get more explosive than we are right now,” said Miller. The Muhls have already won more games than their 2024 campaign when they went (4-7, 1-5). Former Reading and Daniel Boone head coach Rob Flowers is in his second year at Muhlenberg. “He always brings positive vibes and love to every single one of the players on the team,” emphasized Miller.