Garrett Etzel-Gov. Mifflin

Paul Roberts — Tue, 18 Mar 2025 00:53:44 +0000

It didn’t take Garrett Etzel long to know that he had a team capable of doing big things in his first year as the head coach at his alma mater. In Gov. Mifflin’s third game of the season, the Mustangs took defending District 3-6A champion Cumberland Valley to overtime. Although they came up short 58-51 at the CoBL Winter Classic on December 6th, the Mustangs gained confidence. “The Cumberland Valley game gave us the thought that we can compete with anyone in the District. The kids I think really started believing that,” noted Etzel. Gov. Mifflin went on to win twenty games after finishing (8-14, 3-8) the previous season. “These kids were so dedicated and committed to the game of basketball. It was such a good group of kids on the basketball court and off the court. They did great things for the community and the youth program,” said Etzel. The (20-10, 7-5) Mustangs snapped a six-game losing streak to rival Wilson. They outlasted the Bulldogs 65-59 in double overtime at West Lawn on January 28th. Etzel called that victory their biggest of the year. The tenth-seeded Mustangs upset second-seeded Mechanicsburg 42-38 in the District 3-6A quarterfinals. Gov. Mifflin reached the District 3 semifinals for the first time in program history. The Mustangs fell to Central Dauphin 54-41, but they had already secured their first trip to the state playoffs. Gov. Mifflin ended up in third place in the District 3 tournament. That meant a home game in the opening round of the PIAA-6A playoffs. The Mustangs took down Mt. Lebanon 66-54 for their first win in the state tournament. Gov. Mifflin lost to WPIAL champ Upper St. Clair 50-38 in the second round, ending a historic season. “I’m truly honored and blessed to be back here, especially having this group of kids as my first year. The support from the community is huge. They really gathered around us…People that I haven’t spoken to in twenty-plus years were reaching out,” emphasized Etzel. The 2003 Gov. Mifflin graduate was an All-County pick as a senior when he averaged 19 points per game. He went on to become a 1,000-point scorer at Alvernia. Etzel was named the PAC Player of the Year in 2007. His team this year featured a balanced scoring attack. Matt Koehler, an All-County selection, led the Mustangs at 14 ppg. The 6’3 senior forward hit a team-high 42 triples. Seniors Andrew Galantuomo and Jahmair Johnson made the All-Division squad. They each provided 11 points per contest. Galantuomo, a 5’7 point guard, knocked down 40 shots from beyond the arc while dealing with multiple injuries. “He lives and dies basketball, kid loves playing the game. He’s a very tough kid. In the training room non-stop, but it never got to him. He has a lot of passion for the game,” replied Etzel. Stephen Mayo, a 5’11 senior, was an elite defender. Gov. Mifflin allowed just 49.5 ppg. “Our on the ball defense and our help defense was tremendous,” said Etzel. The Mustangs will have a much different look next season. They had eight seniors on the roster this year. “I’ll miss every single one of them. They’ll go on to do great things. I had a special connection with each one of them,” stated Etzel.

Garrett Etzel-Gov. Mifflin

Paul Roberts — Thu, 18 Apr 2024 16:57:34 +0000

Garrett Etzel was an All-County guard at Gov. Mifflin who averaged 19 points per game as a senior. The 2003 graduate has returned to Shillington as the Mustangs’ new varsity boys basketball head coach. “I got a lot of responses from people within the community that are excited for myself and also the basketball program. I’m really looking forward to it,” said Etzel. He’ll be coaching in the Governor Mifflin Athletic Community Center which opened in early December. “This facility is great. You’ve got everything you need here to become a winning program,” replied Etzel. The Mustangs haven’t had a winning season since 2019-20. They went (15-29) over the past two years under Brian Wrobel. He became the head coach after Kyle Conrad passed away from cancer. Gov. Mifflin is part of a highly competitive Division 1 in the Berks Conference. The Mustangs finished (3-8) in league play a season ago. “It’s very tough, and you can tell by the past several years how far some of these teams go in State’s. This is some of the best basketball in the state,” emphasized Etzel. He spent last year as the head coach at Wyomissing. The Spartans ended up (11-11). Etzel was an assistant at Wyomissing for five seasons. He also served as an assistant at Alvernia, his alma mater, for one year. Etzel was named the PAC Player of the Year in 2007. He led Alvernia to conference championships in 2006 and 2007. The 2008 graduate scored more than 1,000 points in his college career. Etzel mentioned that his coaching staff will be finalized soon. They’ll have an experienced group to work with in the upcoming season. Gov. Mifflin’s top five scorers were all juniors including Matt Koehler. The 6’3 wing averaged 11.5 ppg. and connected 43 times from beyond the arc. Point guard Andrew Galantuomo reminds Etzel of himself. He provided nine points a night during the 2023-24 campaign. UConn baseball commit Bryce Detwiler added nearly eight points a contest. Jahmair Johnson, a 6’3 forward, is also part of an athletic junior class. The Mustangs allowed 56 ppg. last year. Etzel will be focused on that end of the floor. “The identity that I need for this team is gonna have to be on the defensive end,” he stated.

Etzel – Berks Sports Report

Garrett Etzel-Gov. Mifflin

Garrett Etzel-Gov. Mifflin