Governor – Berks Sports Report

Gov. Mifflin falls to C.V. in OT

Paul Roberts — Mon, 09 Dec 2024 17:26:14 +0000

It looked like Cumberland Valley was going to cruise to a win over Gov. Mifflin in the CoBL Winter Classic on Saturday afternoon. The defending District 3-6A champions led the Mustangs 35-20 in the third quarter at Exeter. Gov. Mifflin, however, opened the fourth quarter on fire. The Mustangs used a 11-0 run to go up 42-41 on Jahmair Johnson’s layup with 5:45 remaining. Matt Koehler knocked down three of his four 3-pointers in the final period. The 6’3 senior forward finished with a game-high 20 points. Despite a valiant effort, Gov. Mifflin came up short 58-51 in overtime. With the game tied 48-48, the Mustangs held the ball for the last minute of regulation. A 3-pointer from NBA range by point guard Andrew Galantuomo was off the mark at the buzzer. Aiden Diehl made a pair of free throws to put the Eagles in front 52-49 with 1:03 left. Koehler missed on two attempts from beyond the arc that could’ve tied it up. The final 35 seconds was a parade to the free throw line by Diehl. The 6’6 sophomore went 6-for-8 down the stretch. He ended up with eleven points. Gov. Mifflin was held to three points in overtime. Ian Fleming made a couple of treys and scored eleven points. Johnson and Galantuomo added seven points apiece. The (2-1) Mustangs were 6-of-8 from the charity stripe, while Cumberland Valley went 15-of-23. Nolan Buzalka had a team-high 16 points for the (1-1) Eagles. The 6’3 senior fouled out with 2:10 to go in the fourth quarter. Senior shooting guard JJ Lebo fouled out with three minutes to play in overtime. Creston Austin, a 6’4 senior, stepped up with 15 points. Cumberland Valley returned four starters from last season’s (25-4) team that earned the school’s first District 3 title. Gov. Mifflin also has four starters back for first-year head coach Garrett Etzel. The former All-County guard for the Mustangs was the head coach at Wyomissing a season ago. Gov. Mifflin trailed the Eagles 25-18 at halftime after scoring just eight points in the second quarter. The Mustangs can certainly build off of their resilience in the fourth quarter. Gov. Mifflin has another tough test on Tuesday. The Mustangs will take on Muhlenberg in Shillington.

Matt Koehler-Gov. Mifflin

Paul Roberts — Thu, 25 Apr 2024 12:03:00 +0000

Gov. Mifflin is one of the top teams in Berks County, as well as Class 5A in District 3. The Mustangs could be even better next year and that’s a scary thing to think about for their opponents. They had seven juniors in the starting lineup for the Berks High School Baseball Showcase at Owls Field. Gov. Mifflin cruised past Muhlenberg 10-0 in five innings on Wednesday night. Matt Koehler is part of that talented junior class. The 6’3 third baseman went 2-for-3 with 2RBI out of the No. 6 spot in the order. He crushed a double to left field in the 3rd to knock in a run and put the Mustangs up 6-0. “We were really motivated because they beat us on our field and they acted really excited,” said Koehler. The Muhls took the first matchup 4-3 in Shillington two weeks ago. This was a much different story. Bryce Detwiler went the distance and allowed just a pair of hits. The UConn commit struck out eight and walked two. “It’s not only what he shows on the field. He’s always hitting after practice. He never lets up,” remarked Koehler. Detwiler and Ethan Grim had two hits apiece. Travis Jenkins singled and was on base three times. Detwiler, Grim, and Jenkins are all juniors. Gov. Mifflin scored twice in the second inning on a RBI single by Koehler and a sacrifice fly from Bryce Wunderlich. The (11-2, 6-2) Mustangs blew it open with eight runs on eight hits in the third frame. Grim knocked in two runs with a couple of singles during the hit parade. Dylan Barrett, Joey Berg, and Detwiler provided RBI singles as well. Dante Casantini added a line drive RBI double down the right field line. Gov. Mifflin piled up a dozen hits from nine different players. Aaden Lopez was charged with four runs on one hit and four walks. The junior righty hit two batters over two innings. Lopez has issued 24 walks in 17 innings this season. Koehler noted that their game plan was to be patient at the plate. Cole Moody replaced Lopez with no outs and two runners on base in the top of the third. The sophomore gave up six runs on six hits while getting just one out. Muhlenberg is still in the race for the Division 1 title. The (9-4, 5-3) Muhls trail the Mustangs and Wilson by one game. Koehler, who led Gov. Mifflin’s basketball team with 11.5 ppg., knows that nothing has been settled. “It’s gonna be a tight race going to the end,” he stated.

Andrew Galantuomo-Gov. Mifflin

Paul Roberts — Mon, 04 Dec 2023 17:03:00 +0000

It wasn’t the prettiest shot of Andrew Galantuomo’s career, but it will go down in the history books. One minute and forty seconds into Saturday’s matchup with Lebanon, Galantuomo banked in a three-pointer from the right corner. It was the first made field goal by a member of Gov. Mifflin’s boys basketball team at the GMACC. “I thought it looked good, but then it banked in. I’ll take it,” joked Galantuomo. The 5’8 junior point guard scored a game-high 13 points in the Mustangs’ 66-41 victory over the Cedars. A ribbon-cutting ceremony took place Saturday morning at the new Governor Mifflin Athletic Community Center. “This is what you dream for in a facility. The gym is amazing, the atmosphere is great. I love the fans. Good to know the school got our back so we’re gonna put all of it out there for them,” said Galantuomo. The Mustangs used a full court press to create turnovers which led to easy baskets in the first quarter. They were on top 20-9 after eight minutes. “I think that we’re gonna really try to press teams and get them uncomfortable. We like to trap teams,” noted Galantuomo. Gov. Mifflin was in front 44-24 at halftime and 53-31 after the third quarter. Bryce Detwiler came off the bench and provided nine points. The 6’2 junior is committed to UConn for baseball. “He’s very energetic. I love his energy. He always is gonna put 100% out there,” emphasized Galantuomo. Jahmair Johnson, a 6’3 junior forward, added eight points for the Mustangs. Ben Discuillo had a team-high eleven points for Lebanon. Senior forward Juan Torres chipped in with ten. The Cedars went just 7-for-18 from the free throw line, while Gov. Mifflin ended up 13-of-22. The Mustangs struggled a season ago. They were (7-15) overall and (3-8) in league play. Galantuomo knows the competition in Berks County could be tough, but he’s not focused on that right now. “We’re not gonna worry about them. We’re gonna worry about ourselves and control the things that we can control,” he replied.

Jeff Lang-Gov. Mifflin

Paul Roberts — Mon, 13 Nov 2023 19:42:00 +0000

Stepping down as the head football coach at Gov. Mifflin was a difficult decision for Jeff Lang, but one that he had to make. “I’ve been doing this since I’m ten years old. All I’ve ever known for the last 44 years is football,” he said. Lang is putting his family ahead of the sport. He plans on retiring as a science teacher and Dean of Students after the school year and moving to Lehighton. His wife’s family business is there. Lang will help to maintain and manage an 80-unit campground on a very large piece of land. The Shaler High School graduate has been part of the Mustangs’ coaching staff for 32 years. He started 41 consecutive games at guard for Slippery Rock. As a senior, Lang was named a second team All-American. After spending one season as an assistant at Shaler, he made the trip across the state to Shillington. Lang formed a tight bond with Mick Vecchio who won a school record 181 games over 26 years. Vecchio and Lang are both members of the Berks County Football Coaches Association Hall of Fame. Lang guided Gov. Mifflin to its first District 3 championship in 2020. The Mustangs set a county record that season by averaging 54.5 points per game. They got tripped up by Pine-Richland 48-44 in the state semifinals. In 2021, Gov. Mifflin went (10-1) and finished as the runner-up to Exeter in the District 3-5A playoffs. Mustangs’ star running back Nick Singleton was selected as the Gatorade National Offensive Player of the Year. Lang knew that Singleton was a special talent at an early age. “Kids would be out playing games or screwing around, he was working out and running hills. He trained for where he’s at right now,” emphasized Lang. Before heading to Penn State, Singleton established Berks County career records with 6,326 rushing yards and 116 touchdowns. Lang saw another special talent and future Nittany Lions’ standout in 2017. Gov. Mifflin upset Micah Parsons and the Harrisburg Cougars 26-14 in the District 3-5A semifinals. Harrisburg was (11-0) with nine victories by mercy rule entering that memorable matchup. The Cougars were averaging 50 points and ranked #1 in the state at the time. Lang was the offensive line coach for Vecchio that season. In seven years as the Mustangs’ head coach, Lang was (51-26). They went (5-6) this fall and lost to Pleasant Valley 28-19 in the Eastern Conference 5A/6A championship. Lang hopes the next head coach will continue to pound the rock on offense. “Our mentality is to grind it out, move the sticks, control the line of scrimmage, and control the game clock. I still think that’s what high school football is about,” he said.

Chris Hole-Gov. Mifflin

Paul Roberts — Mon, 01 May 2023 22:56:00 +0000

Gov. Mifflin is hitting .346 as a team this season. The Mustangs flexed their muscles on Monday afternoon in Shillington. They got 13 hits from eight different players in a 12-0 rout of Twin Valley. Bryce Detwiler launched a 2-run homer to right field in the 1st inning. The sophomore infielder was 2-for-2 with a walk. He leads the club with five home runs and a .545 batting average. “Incredibly high ceiling, such a smart baseball player. [He] has all the tools…He’s a special young man. He’s gonna go very far not only in high school, but beyond,” said head coach Chris Hole. Detwiler has an eye-popping 1.653 OPS through 15 games. UConn commit Tyler Minick hits in the leadoff spot for Gov. Mifflin. Minick and Detwiler have been quite a 1-2 punch. Minick crushed a 2-run homer to left field in the 2nd for a 4-0 advantage. The 2022 Berks County Player of the Year went 2-for-3 with 3 RBI. In addition to batting .450, Minick has a team-high 23 runs and 17 stolen bases. “He’s just incredible…He’s the Player of the Year for a reason. He’s the best athlete in this county and beyond because he can do it all,” remarked Hole. Minick’s RBI single to center made it 7-0 in the 3rd. The (12-3, 8-1) Mustangs added five runs in the 4th. Sophomore Matt Koehler provided an RBI double and Jon Radwanski followed with a 2-run single to left that put Gov. Mifflin in front 11-0. Radwanski finished 2-for-3 with 3 RBI as the designated hitter. Xander Velez, who’s headed to Bloomsburg, was 3-for-3. Ethan Grim (4-2, 2.78) walked the bases loaded with one out in the 1st, but escaped the jam. The sophomore right-hander struck out Ben Vaughan and got Aiden Jackson to fly out to center field. Grim didn’t allow a hit over four frames. He struck out five and walked six. Senior Matt Novotny got the final three outs in the 5th inning. The Mustangs are alone atop Division 1 of the Berks League, while the (6-9, 4-5) Raiders dropped their third contest in a row. Junior Jon Oxendine gave up seven runs on nine hits and two walks over three innings. Five of Twin Valley’s losses have been by two runs or less. On Monday, however, they were simply overmatched. All-Division catcher Jaydon Goebel had the Raiders’ lone hit, a double in the 5th inning. Gov. Mifflin will take on Exeter and Wilson this week. Hole has won 167 games and three county championships in eleven years at the helm. He knows the competition within the league is difficult. “Berks is always tough. Division 1 is especially tough. There’s never an easy game,” he stated.

Travis Jenkins-Gov. Mifflin

Paul Roberts — Thu, 27 Apr 2023 10:14:00 +0000

Gov. Mifflin and Muhlenberg were battling for first place in Division 1 on Wednesday at Owls Field in West Lawn. This prime time matchup in the Berks County Baseball Showcase lived up to expectations. Sophomore Travis Jenkins hammered a 2-run triple in the 6th inning that led the Mustangs to a 3-1 victory. “It was tense. This was a big game for us, big game for them,” said Jenkins. The left-handed hitting center fielder gave credit to relief pitcher Matt Novotny. The senior threw two scoreless innings with three strikeouts and no walks. “I don’t know what to say. He did a really good job. [He] did what he had to do and came up clutch for us,” remarked Jenkins. The (8-4, 6-2) Muhls got on the board in the top of the 3rd thanks to Shane Rosenberry’s sacrifice fly to center. However, Muhlenberg only got one run out of that bases loaded with no outs situation. UConn commit Tyler Minick allowed two hits and two walks over four frames. The Berks Player of the Year in 2022 struck out three and hit a batter. The (11-3, 7-1) Mustangs tied it in the 4th on a two-out RBI single by Darien Troche that deflected off the first baseman’s glove. Senior Dalton Follweiler held Gov. Mifflin hitless for the first three innings. He entered the game with a (3-0) record and 0.91 ERA. Follweiler gave up three runs on five hits and one walk in 5+ innings. The righty had four strikeouts. Bryce Detwiler and Bloomsburg commit Xander Velez opened the bottom of the 6th with singles. That set the stage for Jenkins. He’s part of a very talented sophomore class that includes Detwiler, Ethan Grim, and Matt Koehler. “I have no worries about the next couple years,” stated Jenkins. Grim punched out two batters in the 7th for the save. Velez went 2-for-2. Gov. Mifflin finished with six hits, while Muhlenberg managed just four. Senior third baseman Derek Wilson was 2-for-2 with a walk. The Mustangs swept the regular season series. They beat the Muhls 15-3 on April 3rd. When asked what he likes to do for fun, Jenkins replied “Practice more baseball.”

Dave Argentati-Gov. Mifflin

Paul Roberts — Tue, 06 Dec 2022 00:18:00 +0000

The Gov. Mifflin boys basketball team opened its season on Monday night in Shillington. Before the Mustangs took on Cedar Crest, Dave Argentati addressed those in attendance. Argentati is the Director of Pupil Services and former head basketball coach at Gov. Mifflin. He spoke about one of his players who will be remembered for many years to come. Kyle Conrad passed away in September from cancer. He was 39. Conrad was a multi-sport athlete in high school. He went on to score 1,157 points at Elizabethtown College. Conrad returned to his alma mater as an assistant under Dan Haughney before becoming the Mustangs’ head coach. He served in that role for the past four seasons. Conrad led the Mustangs to the Berks County championship game in 2020. He was beloved in the Gov. Mifflin community. “He respected and honored the name on the front of the jersey. He was the epitome of Mustang nation. Kyle loved his family. Kyle adored his boys, and he loved the game of basketball,” said Argentati. Conrad is survived by his wife Lauren and their two sons, Logan and Carson. This year’s team will be wearing #24 warmup shirts throughout the season, as well as “KC” stickers on their sneakers.

As for the game, Cedar Crest jumped out to a 9-0 lead in the first two minutes. J’Veon Reyes-Vega knocked down a pair of 3-pointers. The 5’11 guard is the only senior in the Falcons’ starting lineup. He finished with 13 points in the 71-51 victory over the Mustangs. Gov. Mifflin trailed 16-8 after committing seven turnovers in the first quarter. Leo Tirado hit a triple before the buzzer to give Cedar Crest a 32-19 advantage at halftime. The Falcons used an 8-0 run at the start of the third quarter to blow the game open. The Mustangs were outscored 24-21 in that period. They were down 56-40 entering the fourth quarter. Cedar Crest had five players in double digits. Fernando Marquez provided 13 points including eight in the final period. Tirado and Chernich added 11 points apiece. Aiden Schomp, a 6’6 junior, contributed 10 points. Gov. Mifflin ended up with 22 turnovers. The Mustangs connected on ten shots from beyond the arc, but only made eight shots from inside of it. Twin brothers Gerrell (14) and Delsin McNeil (11) combined for 25 points. Delsin splashed three treys. Tyler Minick had a dozen points. The senior forward is committed to UConn for baseball. The Falcons went 11-of-18 from the free throw line while the Mustangs were 5-of-6. Gov. Mifflin was (11-11, 5-7) a season ago.