Muhls – Berks Sports Report

Brian Kopetsky-Muhlenberg

Paul Roberts — Sat, 18 May 2024 15:23:00 +0000

Muhlenberg and Manheim Central are very familiar with each other. They’ve met in the District 3 playoffs three times in the past four years. They also squared off in the 2024 season opener with the Barons winning 4-3. Brian Kopetsky, who’s in his 25th year as the Muhls’ head coach, expected a tight game and that’s exactly what he got. Eli Keller sprinted home with the winning run on a wild pitch in the 9th for a 6-5 victory. “Keller is one of our best baserunners, he’s aggressive. There was no hesitation, there was no flinch. He was gone as soon as he saw the ball hit the dirt,” noted Kopetsky. Muhlenberg advanced to the District 3-5A quarterfinals at second-seeded Mechanicsburg on Monday at 4:30pm. Manheim Central finished (13-9). The seventh-seeded Muhls scored three runs on three hits and an error in the second frame. Sophomore Gavin Moody hit a sacrifice fly to right field. Lincoln High and Cam Burr followed with RBI singles. Burr, a two-time All-County selection, got the start on the mound. The Kutztown University commit allowed a three-run homer to left by Mount St. Mary’s commit Nolan Book in the 3rd. Muhlenberg responded with a pair of runs in the bottom half of the inning. Aaden Lopez crushed a RBI double to center. He stole third base and scored on a bunt by Josh Smeltzer with two outs. The tenth-seeded Barons got one run back on a two-out error by High at third base. A sacrifice fly by sophomore catcher Carter Kyle tied it at 5-5 in the 6th. Smeltzer tossed three scoreless innings of relief. The senior southpaw gave up just one hit with two strikeouts. “His fastball has a lot of tail on it…You get a lot of fly balls out of Smeltzer,” said Kopetsky. Book walked Keller and Shane Rosenberry to begin the bottom of the 9th. Those were the only free passes issued by Manheim Central’s four pitchers. Kevin Rodriguez hit a bloop single to load the bases with nobody out. Keller then raced home to end the tense first round matchup. Rodriguez, who missed about two weeks with a broken hand, had four of the Muhls’ twelve hits. Smeltzer and High contributed two hits apiece. Barons’ starter Chase Travitz was charged with five runs, three earned, on six hits over three innings. Kyle Mylin fired 2.1 innings of shutout relief and Trevor Lowe got two key outs in the 6th. Book took over on the hill in the seventh frame. Muhlenberg got the leadoff hitter on base in the 7th and 8th innings, but couldn’t score. Book struck out three. Burr allowed five runs, four earned, on six hits over six innings. The Muhls’ seniors may have arrived at prom a little late on Friday, but they kept their season alive. “It does show a lot about their character that they’re willing to fight and battle all the way to the end,” stated Kopetsky.

Cam Burr-Muhlenberg

Paul Roberts — Tue, 30 Apr 2024 13:23:00 +0000

It doesn’t matter how many games you’ve seen, you never know exactly what will happen when you head to the ballpark. Wilson and Muhlenberg squared off in a key Division 1 battle on Monday night in Laureldale. The outcome wasn’t determined until Tuesday morning after the PIAA made an interpretation. Cam Burr was sent to the mound with a man on first base and nobody out in the top of the 7th inning. The Muhls were up 3-2. However, the All-County selection had thrown 90 pitches on Friday which requires three days of rest. Longtime Muhlenberg coach Brian Kopetsky said he simply got caught up in the emotion of the game. He had Burr intentionally walk Nick Fiorini and then brought in sophomore righty Cole Moody. Muhlenberg contacted the BCIAA after the game to explain what happened. The BCIAA notified the PIAA and a rules interpreter deemed that since Burr didn’t actually throw a pitch, there was no violation. An intentional walk doesn’t require a pitch to be thrown. Moody made a terrific sliding catch of Cooper Kennedy’s bunt. The 6’2, 200-pound sophomore then fired to second base for a pivotal double play. “Oh my God, talk about being an athlete there. I don’t know how much better you could draw that one up,” emphasized Burr. Moody ended the tense affair by striking out designated hitter Ben Kulp who had homered in the 2nd inning. The (11-5, 7-3) Muhls and the (11-6, 7-3) Bulldogs are tied for second place in the division. They’re one game behind Gov. Mifflin. Burr scored on a safety squeeze bunt by Gavin Moody in the bottom of the 1st inning. Matt VanOstenbridge put Wilson in front 2-1 in the 5th with a RBI single to right field. VanOstenbridge, who was coming off a no-hitter against Exeter, didn’t allow a hit through five frames on Monday. Sophomore Cooper Burr, Cam’s younger brother, got Muhlenberg’s first hit in the 6th inning. No. 9 hitter Anthony Cipolla followed with another single. Cam Burr, a Kutztown University commit, singled to right to even the score at 2-2. “He was throwing me a lot of off-speed, a lot of junk. It was definitely an approach to sit back and drive it the other way,” explained Burr. Gavin Moody knocked in Cipolla with a sacrifice fly to center to give Muhlenberg a 3-2 edge. The inning came to a close with Kaleb Mendoza getting thrown out at the plate on an attempted double steal. Christo Hunsicker started the 7th with a bloop single to center field. That’s when Burr replaced Ethan Weiler on the hill. Weiler (3-1) allowed ten hits, but just a pair of runs. The 6’2 junior struck out three and walked one. VanOstenbridge gave up three runs, two earned, on three hits and a walk. The Penn State commit had seven strikeouts. The southpaw entered the night with a (3-0) record and a 0.52 ERA. Fiorini and C.J. Fernandez had two hits apiece for Wilson. The Muhls rallied late after dropping three of their previous four contests. “It just shows our character and that we can get through anything as a team. We’re the comeback kids,” stated Burr.

Gavin Moody-Muhlenberg

Paul Roberts — Tue, 09 Apr 2024 09:48:00 +0000

The beauty of baseball is that there isn’t a time limit. Until the final out is recorded, anything can happen. Muhlenberg proved that on Monday night in Shillington with a dramatic 4-3 victory over Gov. Mifflin. Gavin Moody hit a two-run double to left-center with two outs in the top of the 7th. “I was sitting fastball the entire time, thinking I could drive it,” explained the sophomore outfielder. Kevin Rodriguez dove head-first into home plate with the go-ahead run. Ethan Weiler threw a complete game in his first varsity start. The 6’2 junior struck out Dante Casantini with runners on first and second to end it. “That was great, he shoved. They couldn’t touch him,” said Moody. Weiler gave up ten hits and four walks. He struck out five while keeping the Mustangs off-balance with changeups and curveballs. Weiler was effective without an overpowering fastball. Moody mentioned that Weiler reminds him of Dalton Follweiler, an All-County selection for the Muhls last year. Muhlenberg took a 2-1 lead in the 4th inning. Eli Keller ripped a RBI double down the third base line. The relay throw got away which allowed Keller to move up to third base. He scored on a sacrifice fly to left by Rodriguez. Gov. Mifflin responded with a pair of runs in the 6th inning. Nate Radwanski brought in courtesy runner Joe Kowalski with a sacrifice fly to center field. After an infield single by Joey Berg, Bryce Wunderlich came through with a two-out RBI double. Ethan Grim walked Keller to open the 7th frame. Rodriguez then hit a grounder to shortstop that looked like a routine double play ball, but the toss was dropped by Radwanski at second base. Grim struck out Aaden Lopez before reaching 100 pitches and being replaced by sophomore RJ Weaver. Assistant coaches from North Carolina and Pittsburgh were in attendance to see Grim. The hard-throwing junior held the Muhls to two hits with nine strikeouts and two walks. He was charged with four runs, but only one was earned. The (4-1) Mustangs committed three errors. Weaver struck out Josh Smeltzer before Moody delivered the clutch double. “The energy here was immaculate,” remarked Moody. Gov. Mifflin left nine men on base. Bryce Detwiler, Travis Jenkins, Grim, Berg, and Wunderlich each finished with two hits. Detwiler, a junior shortstop, is committed to UConn. Muhlenberg second baseman Cam Burr is headed to Kutztown University. He went 1-for-2 with a run. The (3-2) Muhls have another test on Tuesday when they visit Wilson.

Reading Rolls into BCIAA Final-Boys Basketball

Paul Roberts — Thu, 15 Feb 2024 01:18:00 +0000

Reading and Muhlenberg squared off for the third time this season in the BCIAA semifinals at Santander Arena. The second-seeded Red Knights and sixth-seeded Muhls split their regular season battles. Muhlenberg was trying to reach the Berks County championship game for the first time since 1974. Reading, however, pulled away in the second half for a convincing 69-47 victory. The (17-7) Red Knights had a 16-9 advantage after the opening quarter. They went scoreless for three and a-half minutes in the second period and the Muhls grabbed an 18-16 lead. Reading used a 19-to-5 run to go up 35-23 at halftime. Muhlenberg was down 49-34 entering the fourth quarter. Jeremiah Camara squeezed nine points into the final frame. The 5’9 freshman finished with a season-high 20 points. Camara went 9-for-11 from the foul line. Malik Osumanu also had a career night with 18 points. The lanky 6’5 senior was a force in the lane with six blocks. Yadiel Cruz piled up seven rejections as the Red Knights held the Muhls 16 points under their season average. Cruz, a 6’2 senior, chipped in with 15 points. Reading ended up 20-of-26 from the charity stripe, while Muhlenberg was 12-of-19. Junior guard Shermar Killen scored a team-high 15 points for the (14-9) Muhls. Jayden Kantner and Kyle Archie had nine points apiece. Alex Collado fouled out with just two points. The 6’2 senior guard was putting up 15 points a night. The Red Knights are riding a seven-game winning streak. They’re searching for their third straight Berks County title and 26th overall. Reading meets rival Wilson in the championship on Friday at 8pm.

Nick Chapman-Reading

Paul Roberts — Wed, 07 Feb 2024 01:24:00 +0000

Nick Chapman suffered a broken orbital bone a couple of days after Christmas which caused him to miss eight games including Reading’s first matchup with Muhlenberg. The Red Knights fell 87-74 in double overtime on January 9th in Laureldale. Chapman waited nearly a month to get a shot at the Muhls and this time the Division 1 championship was up for grabs. The 5’10 senior had 18 points in a resounding 83-46 victory at the Geigle Complex. The gym was rocking on senior night. “Their energy feeds into us. That’s what makes us stay together,” said Chapman. He was emotional before the game and admitted to coming close to shedding a few tears. Chapman knows that his remaining home games are numbered. The Red Knights put on a show on Tuesday night. Yadiel Cruz finished with 26 points and eight rebounds. The 6’2 senior jammed nine points into the first eight minutes. “He works every day on and off the court. He’s a great role model,” remarked Chapman. Nico Sosa, a senior guard, drilled a 3-pointer at the buzzer to give Reading a 27-18 advantage after the opening quarter. The (15-7, 8-3) Red Knights hit four triples in the first period. They ended up 7-of-15 from beyond the arc and shot a blistering 65% from the field. Chapman only missed two of his eight field goal attempts. He was 6-for-9 from the free throw line. Reading’s defense was also superb. They held Muhlenberg 18 points below its season average. “Without defense there’s no offense,” stated Chapman. The (13-8, 7-4) Muhls were outscored 39-to-16 in the middle quarters. Kyle Archie had all eight of Muhlenberg’s points in the second period. They trailed 43-26 at the break. Weshly Rosario sank a trey from the top of the key with 1:10 remaining before halftime. The sophomore guard converted a putback before the horn. Rosario piled up ten points, seven rebounds, and seven assists. Sosa chipped in with nine points off the bench. The Red Knights are peaking at the right time. They’ve won eight of their last nine contests. Alex Collado led the Muhls with 15 points, but only six came after the first quarter. Archie and Jayden Kantner provided eleven points apiece. Muhlenberg went 12-of-17 from the foul line while Reading was 16-of-23. Ruben Rodriguez was back in the building to cheer on his former teammates. Rodriguez was named the Class 6A Player of the Year in Pennsylvania after helping the Red Knights capture their third state title a season ago. He’s now a freshman guard at Rider. Reading is searching for its 26th Berks County championship. The quarterfinals are set for next Monday. Chapman had a message for the rest of the teams in the BCIAA playoffs. “We’re coming for everybody,” he said.

Alex Collado-Muhlenberg

Paul Roberts — Tue, 30 Jan 2024 00:35:00 +0000

Muhlenberg had a lot of time to think about its disappointing loss at home to Gov. Mifflin last Tuesday. Senior guard Alex Collado made sure the Muhls got out to a fast start against Wilson on Monday night. The 6’2 lefty crammed 14 points into the first quarter of a 61-56 victory over the Bulldogs in Laureldale. “It was senior night. It was emotional. I knew I had to come out with a bang,” said Collado. He finished with a game-high 20 points including six in the fourth quarter. Collado’s three-point play put Muhlenberg up 13-0 with 4:36 left in the opening period. He gave credit to the fans. “They always help a lot. They’re always hype. They’re always lit. It gets us going. It gives us energy,” he replied. The Muhls led 26-12 early in the second quarter, but Wilson came roaring back. Sophomore guard Correll Akings scored seven points in that period to pull the Bulldogs within 30-27 at halftime. Wilson, however, couldn’t keep the momentum. The (13-6, 6-3) Bulldogs were limited to four points in the third quarter. Junior guard Jayden Kantner came alive after the break with eight points in the period. The Brandywine Heights transfer added 11 points overall. “He takes care of the ball. He finishes his layups. He plays defense. He’s a great addition,” noted Collado. Kantner averaged nearly 13 points for the Bullets a season ago. A three-point play by 5’6 freshman Justin Armstrong gave Muhlenberg a 47-31 advantage with 6:17 remaining. Wilson battled back once again behind Akings and Madyx Gruber. They combined for 16 of the Bulldogs’ 25 points in the final quarter. Akings ended up with 19 points and Gruber provided 14. Kyle Archie, who was also recognized in the pregame senior night ceremony, converted a three-point play with 3:15 to go. That boosted the Muhls’ cushion to 50-41. Archie chipped in with 11 points. 6’2 junior guard Shermar Killen had nine. Collado iced the game with a pair of free throws with 16 seconds left. Muhlenberg was 7-of-9 from the foul line in the fourth quarter and 9-of-12 overall. The Bulldogs went 7-for-9 from the stripe. They hit five 3-pointers compared to just two for the (12-7, 6-3) Muhls. Muhlenberg, Wilson, and Reading are tied for first place in Division 1. The Muhls visit Daniel Boone on Thursday, while the Bulldogs host the Red Knights. Collado explained what they worked on since falling to Gov. Mifflin. “We were switching some things defensively. We knew that we had to share the ball a lot. We knew that we had to play as a team more,” he said. Muhlenberg bounced back with a key win thanks to a memorable senior night performance by Collado.

Alex Collado-Muhlenberg

Paul Roberts — Wed, 10 Jan 2024 10:56:00 +0000

Alex Collado was a role player a season ago when Muhlenberg won 18 games. The 6’2 senior has now emerged as one of the top scorers in the Berks Conference. Collado poured in 24 points as the Muhls beat Reading 87-74 in a double overtime instant classic. “We stayed composed and we rebounded well,” explained Collado. Muhlenberg raced out to a 20-15 advantage after the opening quarter in front of a raucous sold out crowd. The Red Knights went on a 15-4 run in the second period. They were on top 37-33 at halftime and 52-49 entering the fourth quarter. Jayden Kantner’s layup with 4:17 remaining made it 57-56 and gave the Muhls their first lead since the second quarter. The Brandywine Heights transfer had 19 points off the bench. A lob pass to Shermar Killens off a baseline out-of-bounds play put Muhlenberg in front 61-57 with 1:23 left. However, the defending Class 6A state champions wouldn’t go away. A three-point play by Jeremiah Camara got Reading within one point. The 5’9 freshman scored all 15 of his points after halftime including seven in the fourth quarter. Daquan Burgess drilled a deep trey from the right wing to tie it at 63 apiece with 27 seconds to go. A layup by Collado was answered immediately by an inside basket by a cutting Camara with seven seconds on the clock. Kantner’s layup with two seconds remaining was waved off due to an offensive foul. Sophomore Weshly Rosario, who had 11 points, took the charge. The (8-4, 3-1) Muhls were tied at 65 with the (6-5, 2-2) Red Knights. Killens hit a triple from the right corner with two minutes left in overtime for a 70-67 advantage. The 6’2 junior scored and drew a foul with 33 seconds to go, but he missed the free throw. Muhlenberg went 0-for-5 from the free throw line in the first overtime session. A turnaround shot in the lane by Yadiel Cruz made it 72-72 with 18 seconds to play. The 6’2 senior ended up with 27 points. Kantner was stripped of the ball in the final seconds. The Muhls ran away with things in the second overtime period. They outscored Reading 15-2. Muhlenberg was 13-of-14 from the foul line in double overtime and 32-of-39 overall. Kantner had eight points over the final four minutes and went 6-for-6 from the charity stripe. Killens exploded for a career-high 29 points. He had ten points after regulation. “He did his thing. We let him get the ball and let him go to work,” said Collado. Kyle Archie, a 6’3 senior, added 13 points. He made all ten of his foul shots. The Red Knights finished 10-of-13 from the free throw line. Meanwhile, Collado has gone from averaging five points last year to 16ppg. this season. He gave credit to the student section for Tuesday’s thrilling victory in Laureldale. “They go crazy and it gets us hype on the court. We appreciate them a lot,” he replied.

Flowers Returns to Muhlenberg

Paul Roberts — Thu, 07 Dec 2023 23:14:00 +0000

Rob Flowers was once a star high school quarterback at Muhlenberg. The 41-year-old is returning to Laureldale, but this time as the Muhls’ new head football coach. He takes over for John Lorchak who was at the helm for four seasons. Muhlenberg finished (1-9) this year.

Flowers was the wide receivers coach at Albright this past season. Prior to joining the Lions’ staff, he served as Daniel Boone’s head coach for five years. Flowers guided the Blazers to the District 3 playoffs in 2021. They won an Eastern Conference championship in 2018. He had a record of (17-31) while in Birdsboro.

Flowers was (26-47) over seven seasons as Reading’s head coach. He took over the Red Knights in 2011, and by 2014 he had them in the District 3 tournament. Flowers was named the Section 1 Coach of the Year that season. Reading took part in the Eastern Conference playoffs in 2015.

Flowers was the quarterback of Muhlenberg’s high-scoring squad in 1998. The Muhls won eleven games and the I-C League title. After attending Kutztown University, Flowers worked as an assistant coach for four years under John Yocum at Muhlenberg.

Flowers played professionally for the Reading Express indoor football team. They captured the AIFA championship in 2009. Flowers was named the Offensive Player of the Year that season. Now he’ll try to get the Muhls’ offense kicking again. Muhlenberg scored just 55 total points in 2023.

Tucker Bellanca-Muhlenberg

Paul Roberts — Thu, 10 Aug 2023 18:15:00 +0000

Tucker Bellanca is entering his fourth season as a starter on Muhlenberg’s football team. While there have been few victories on the field, Bellanca keeps everything in perspective. He noted, “It’s not so important to focus on the wins as much as it is how am I improving, how is the team improving.” The 5’11, 215-pound G/DT is wise beyond his years. Bellanca has an impressive 4.98 GPA. Highly rated universities like Johns Hopkins, Washington and Lee, and the University of Chicago are on his radar. The Muhls are (3-24) over the past three years. However, Bellanca has seen plenty of success on the wrestling mat. He was the Berks County runner-up at 215 pounds last season. Tucker’s father, Kriss, is the head coach of Alvernia’s wrestling program. Tucker believes that sport has been beneficial to him on the gridiron. “Wrestling works pretty much everything. I don’t think there is a muscle in the body that wrestling doesn’t help with,” said Bellanca. He plans on wrestling in college. In addition, Bellanca is practicing different forms of martial arts. He was named a second team center in Section 2 of the new Lancaster-Lebanon League a season ago. Muhlenberg has more depth on its roster this year so Bellanca will focus on the defensive side of the ball. He provided 21 tackles and three sacks in 2022. If needed, the veteran lineman can step in at guard. The (2-8) Muhls won just one league game last year. Section 2 includes Exeter and Manheim Central. The Eagles and Barons were (23-3) combined, while Warwick and Conestoga Valley both ended up (5-5). Gov. Mifflin is expected to be improved after an atypical (3-7) campaign. Bellanca is looking forward to the challenge. “The whole middle of our schedule is pretty rough, but you can’t get better without facing good competition. It’s the same mentality I have in wrestling…those are the best times to learn,” he acknowledged.

Dalton Follweiler-Muhlenberg

Paul Roberts — Thu, 13 Apr 2023 00:29:00 +0000

Dalton Follweiler is proving that there’s much more to pitching than velocity. The senior right-hander shut down Exeter and Wilson in the span of eight days. Follweiler limited the Bulldogs to three hits over six innings in Muhlenberg’s 9-2 victory on Wednesday night. He relies on hitting his spots and letting the defense do the rest. Follweiler allowed two runs, one earned, while striking out four. He didn’t issue a walk until the 7th inning. Sophomore Aaden Lopez got the final three outs. He struck out Christo Hunsicker with the bases loaded to end it. The (4-2, 2-1) Muhls got to Wilson ace Matt VanOstenbridge early. The junior lefty entered with a 1.62 ERA. VanOstenbridge had 26 strikeouts and no walks over 17.1 innings. However, he walked leadoff hitter Cam Burr and then gave up an RBI double double to left field by Shane Rosenberry. The Muhlenberg catcher later scored on a passed ball. Follweiler really enjoys working with Rosenberry. “He brings so much energy to the team. He’s such a great teammate to have. I love the kid,” said Follweiler. The Muhls tacked on three more runs in the 3rd inning. The (5-3, 1-2) Bulldogs brought the infield in with the bases juiced. Sophomore shortstop Eli Keller ripped a two-run single past shortstop Nick Ruiz for a 4-1 edge. Derek Wilson followed with an RBI single to center and Muhlenberg was in front 5-1. VanOstenbridge, who has a half-dozen Division I offers, was replaced by freshman Ben Kulp after three frames. The southpaw was charged with five runs, four earned, on four hits and three walks. VanOstenbridge struck out three and hit a batter. The Muhls put it away with three runs in the 6th inning. Burr and Gio Cavanna provided RBI singles. That duo combined for five of Muhlenberg’s seven stolen bases. Rosenberry lofted a sacrifice fly to right field for a 9-1 advantage. Follweiler mentioned that team speed is a big plus for the Muhls this season. “It will tear teams apart. It will destroy them. It really, really helps us,” he emphasized. Burr, an all-county pick last year as a sophomore, was 1-for-2 with two walks and two runs. Cavanna went 2-for-3 with a double and two runs. Rosenberry knocked in a pair of runs as Muhlenberg extended its winning streak to four games. Follweiler was thrilled to pitch under the lights at Gochnauer Field. He replied, “It’s beautiful. We all love it, such a great time…with all the fans. It’s amazing.” Follweiler also talked about his favorite teacher, song, and former MLB pitcher. He tossed a complete game two-hitter at Exeter last week. Wilson had won its previous three contests. Christo Hunsicker had a single and sacrifice fly. The Bulldogs were missing cleanup hitter Ryan Sekulski and shortstop Trevor Bilodeau. Sekulski is hurt and Bilodeau is in Hershey for an event with Berks Career & Technology Center.