Mustangs – Berks Sports Report

Bryce Detwiler-Gov. Mifflin

Paul Roberts — Thu, 03 Apr 2025 14:13:05 +0000

Bryce Detwiler and Ben Kulp squared off in a classic pitcher’s duel on Wednesday afternoon in Shillington. “We got to know each other a little bit in the offseason. Going out and pitching against your friend, it’s a good experience. He’s definitely got a lot better. I think he has like five pitches so it’s tough when you’re a hitter,” said Detwiler. Gov. Mifflin beat Wilson 1-0 in the first meeting this season between the rivals. The Bulldogs won all three matchups with the Mustangs last year. “It feels like a playoff game every single time that we play. Both teams bring their best,” emphasized Detwiler. The UConn commit fired a complete game shutout with seven strikeouts and one walk. He went the distance on 84 pitches. The 6’2, 215-pound senior was a first team All-State selection a season ago. Detwiler limited Wilson to four hits. The (3-2) Bulldogs left two runners on base in the first and second innings. Sophomore outfielder Tim Lengle and senior Nick Herron had back-to-back singles to open the second frame. However, Detwiler got a pop-up, a strikeout, and a groundout to end the threat. He allowed just one hit, a single to Kulp, the rest of the way. Detwiler’s fastball is in the high-80s. He’s working on a changeup to go along with his curveball and slider. Detwiler is more well known for the damage that he does at the plate. The 2024 Berks County Player of the Year hit a double to right field in the bottom of the first, but was stranded on third base. The (8-0) Mustangs managed just two more hits against Kulp. The 6’2, 215-pound junior is throwing in the low-90s. He was an All-Division pick as a sophomore when he struck out 50 over 44 innings with a 3.02 ERA. Branson Adams lofted a bloop single down the left field line in the bottom of the 6th. He advanced to second with one out on an errant pickoff throw. Kulp struck out Ethan Grim, Gov. Mifflin’s cleanup hitter, with Adams on third to end the inning. Grim, a Virginia Tech commit, is one of the top pitchers in the state. The rain picked up significantly in the 7th. Matt Koehler ripped a double to right-center to begin the bottom half of the frame. “He had an amazing at-bat. He was fouling off pitches. I knew Kulp was gonna keep coming with the fastball. Matt put a good swing on a fastball and that started everything,” explained Detwiler. Bill Underwood, the BCIAA Coach of the Year last spring, brought in senior righty Christo Hunsicker. Kulp finished with six strikeouts and two walks. He also hit one batter over 98 pitches. Despite tossing six scoreless innings, Kulp got a no decision. Dylan Barrett was intentionally walked to put runners on first and second with nobody out. Reese Hohl’s bunt was fielded by Hunsicker who got a force out at third base. Nate Radwanski then struck out. Aden Reiter, the No. 9 hitter, drew a walk which brought Detwiler to the plate. “With bases loaded and the winning run on third, I knew they had to come to me so I was sitting dead red,” noted Detwiler. He worked a full count before Hunsicker missed outside with a fastball. The walk brought in Barrett with the lone run of the game. There were only seven combined hits, four by the Bulldogs. They left six runners on base. The Mustangs are back in Class 6A this year after winning the PIAA-5A championship last season. They remain unbeaten through eight contests. “I’m definitely happy with how we’re playing. I’m just hoping that we can keep it going,” said Detwiler.

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.

Wilson and Mifflin shut down in PIAA Playoffs

Paul Roberts — Fri, 14 Mar 2025 14:58:10 +0000

The second round of the PIAA-6A boys basketball tournament was the end of the road for Wilson and Gov. Mifflin. The Bulldogs fell to District 10 champion McDowell 50-46 on Wednesday night at Pitt-Johnstown University. Wilson managed just four points in the first quarter and eleven in the first half. The Bulldogs trailed 23-11 at the break. Stephon Porter drilled a 3-pointer at the buzzer to put the Trojans on top 33-21 after the third quarter. Porter, a running back during the fall, scored eight points. Wilson came alive in the fourth quarter with 25 points. Correll Akings and Cam Zullinger each connected twice from beyond the arc. Tommy McFadden, who’s committed to Albany for soccer, went 9-for-9 from the foul line in the final period. McDowell’s cushion was cut to 35-29 with 3:54 remaining. The (24-7) Bulldogs were down 43-38 with 36 seconds to go when Kam Kramer made a pair of free throws. The senior guard finished with a team-high eleven points. Blayze Myers, the Trojans’ star quarterback, chipped in with eight points. The 6’3 senior set school records with 5,091 career passing yards, 413 completions, and 55 touchdown passes. McDowell was 17-of-22 from the foul line including 9-of-11 in the fourth quarter. The (23-4) Trojans hit three triples. McFadden set a career-high with 15 points. The 6’1 senior was a perfect 11-for-11 from the stripe. Akings and Zullinger provided ten and nine points respectively. Madyx Gruber, who was in foul trouble, was limited to six points. The two-time All-County guard averaged 17 ppg. this season. McDowell will take on WPIAL champ Upper St. Clair on Saturday in the state quarterfinals. Wilson says goodbye to eight seniors who won back-to-back Berks County titles. The Bulldogs have claimed four BCIAA championships in the past six years.

Gov. Mifflin also saw an outstanding campaign come to a halt on Wednesday night. The Mustangs lost to Upper St. Clair 50-38 at Altoona. The (25-2) Panthers reached the PIAA-6A quarterfinals for the third time in five seasons. The (20-10) Mustangs made their first appearance in the state playoffs this year. They fell behind 18-11 after the opening quarter. Each team only scored six points in the second period. Gov. Mifflin pulled within 29-26 with four and a-half minutes left in the third quarter, but Upper St. Clair closed out the period with a 8-to-2 run. It was 37-31 with five and a-half minutes to play when the Panthers sealed the deal with a decisive 12-to-3 run. Although 6’10 senior Tyler Robbins gets a lot of attention, it was Jake Foster who stole the show on Wednesday. The junior guard poured in a career-high 22 points. Foster was averaging 8 ppg. He splashed three of his four 3-pointers in the first quarter. Upper St. Clair was 16-of-20 from the foul line with six treys. Robbins stuffed the stat sheet with twelve points, nine rebounds, and four blocks. His younger brother, Ryan, added eight points. He’s a 6’7 sophomore. The Mustangs struggled from long range, going 2-for-12 from beyond the arc. They were 6-of-10 from the free throw line. Jahmair Johnson ended up with a team-high eight points. Matt Koehler and Stephen Mayo had seven points apiece. There were ten seniors on the roster for first-year head coach Garrett Etzel. The 2003 Gov. Mifflin grad and former All-County guard turned things around quickly in Shillington. The Mustangs finished (8-14, 3-8) a season ago. They advanced to the District 3 semifinals for the first time this year.

Bulldogs and Mustangs Advance in State’s

Paul Roberts — Sun, 09 Mar 2025 18:20:45 +0000

Wilson and Gov. Mifflin are moving on in the PIAA-6A boys basketball playoffs. The (24-6) Bulldogs outlasted Plymouth Whitemarsh 56-51 in overtime on Saturday. The (20-9) Colonials were the District 1 runner-up. Wilson finished fifth in the District 3 tournament. The Bulldogs led 31-27 at halftime, but were outscored 12-to-5 in the third quarter. Luke Levan tied it at 49-49 with two seconds left in regulation. Plymouth Whitemarsh anticipated a skip pass to All-County guard Madyx Gruber. Two defenders went to Gruber on the wing, while Levan slipped the screen and got a layup. The 6’6 senior provided a dozen points and eight rebounds. Levan scored four points in overtime. Wilson allowed just two points in the extra session. Gruber had a team-high 16 points and seven boards. The 5’11 senior made all four of his 3-pointers in the first half. Correll Akings added 13 points including seven in the fourth quarter. The Bulldogs connected eight times from beyond the arc. The Colonials only hit three triples. Mani Sajid jammed ten of his 19 points into the fourth period. The highly-touted 6’5 junior guard averaged nearly 23 points this season. Michael Pereira, a 6’9 junior, chipped in with twelve points. Both teams were 8-for-12 from the free throw line. Wilson will face District 10 champion McDowell in the second round on Wednesday. That’s a 5:30pm tip at Pitt-Johnstown University. McDowell blew out Pittsburgh Central Catholic 72-40 on Saturday.

Gov. Mifflin qualified for the PIAA playoffs for the first time in program history. The Mustangs made the most of the opportunity on Saturday. They knocked off Mt. Lebanon 66-54 in Shillington. The Blue Devils were the #4 seed from District 7. Gov. Mifflin finished third in the District 3 tournament. The (20-9) Mustangs, who were (8-14) last season, held a 31-27 advantage at halftime. They outscored Mt. Lebanon 21-to-11 in a decisive third quarter. Gov. Mifflin spent a lot of time at the foul line. The Mustangs ended up 28-for-35 from the stripe, while the Blue Devils were 6-of-11. Andrew Galantuomo poured in a game-high 22 points. The 5’7 senior point guard made nine of his ten free throws. Jahmair Johnson, a 6’3 senior forward, scored 15 of his 17 points in the second half. Matt Koehler added 15 points. He was a perfect 6-for-6 from the foul line. Mt. Lebanon did most of its work from long range. The (17-10) Blue Devils splashed a dozen 3-pointers. Liam Sheely hit four treys and provided 17 points. Carter Gould (14) and Jacob Zuber (13) combined for 27 points. Gov. Mifflin will meet District 7 champ Upper St. Clair in the second round on Wednesday. They’ll get underway at 6:30pm at Altoona. Upper St. Clair hammered York High 67-30 in the opening round.

Antietam’s season came to a close on Saturday evening in Philadelphia. The Mounts fell at West Catholic 79-35 in the first round of the PIAA-3A playoffs. Antietam finished with a record of (15-11). The Mounts took third place in the District 3 tournament.

Ian Fleming-Gov. Mifflin

Paul Roberts — Tue, 11 Feb 2025 13:17:01 +0000

When Exeter and Gov. Mifflin met in the regular season, the Eagles cruised to a 69-52 victory on January 14. Ian Fleming, a 6’ junior, was injured and didn’t play. “That gave me a little more momentum, a little more energy since I didn’t get to compete the first time,” said Fleming. The Mustangs’ guard erupted for a career-high 20 points in a 68-52 win over Exeter in the BCIAA quarterfinals on Monday. “It feels amazing. The coaches, teammates put trust in me to score,” replied Fleming. Gov. Mifflin trailed 10-8 after the opening quarter. Fleming, who was averaging 7 ppg., provided eight points in a pivotal second period. The third-seeded Mustangs ended the half on a 9-0 run which gave them a 33-24 advantage. A layup by Fleming was followed by a steal and bucket by Stephen Mayo in the final seconds. “That gave us a lot of confidence. We felt like that was a big momentum shifter,” noted Fleming. The sixth-seeded Eagles never recovered. They made just one shot in the third quarter and fell behind 46-32 entering the last period. Exeter connected only one time from beyond the arc through the first 24 minutes. Brady Murray (64), Aidan Dauble (36), and Carter Redding (22) combined for 122 triples during the regular season. “We definitely had to close out on every shot, especially their main shooters. Coaches preach closing out, closing out, closing out,” explained Fleming. Gov. Mifflin also valued the basketball with only five turnovers, while the Eagles turned it over 15 times. Matt Koehler finished with 18 points including a dozen in the fourth quarter. The 6’3 senior made two of his team’s three 3-pointers. Andrew Galantuomo and Jahmair Johnson added 11 and 10 points respectively. The (16-7) Mustangs were 17-for-21 from the foul line. Murray led Exeter with 15 points. The 6’2 senior was limited to five points until the final period. Murray knocked down three of their four shots from long range. Braylon Reinert, a physical 6’4 sophomore, scored 11 of his 13 points in the first half. Dauble, who entered the night averaging nearly 17 ppg., was held to eight. Redding picked up two fouls in the first four and a-half minutes. The senior point guard chipped in with nine points. The (12-11) Eagles went 16-of-19 from the free throw stripe. They will now wait for the District 3-5A tournament to begin on Tuesday, February 18. Gov. Mifflin advanced to the Berks County semifinals against defending champion Wilson. The rivals will square off on Wednesday at 5:30pm. Fleming is looking forward to playing at Santander Arena in Reading. “It’s very cool…it’s gonna be a good experience,” he said.

Andrew Galantuomo-Gov. Mifflin

Paul Roberts — Wed, 29 Jan 2025 16:32:30 +0000

This is what high school basketball is all about. Two arch rivals going toe-to-toe in a double overtime classic. “It was unbelievable. The gym was rocking. I was shooting free throws and I couldn’t even hear myself dribble,” said Andrew Galantuomo. The 5’7 senior came up large as Gov. Mifflin outlasted Wilson 65-59 in West Lawn. Galantuomo led a balanced attack with 17 points. He made three of the Mustangs’ five 3-pointers and went 6-for-8 from the foul line. Jahmair Johnson, a 6’3 senior forward, added 15 points. “He’s a big dude so getting him down low, that’s where he’s gonna be effective,” noted Galantuomo. Matt Koehler, who averages a team-high 15 ppg., provided 13 points. The 6’3 senior showed his versatility by scoring inside and on the perimeter. Koehler hit a step-back triple to end the opening quarter and put Gov. Mifflin on top 14-10. The Bulldogs outscored the Mustangs 11-to-5 in the second quarter. Wilson was in front 21-19 at halftime and went on a 11-to-4 run to begin the third quarter. Gov. Mifflin, however, responded immediately and rattled off the final nine points of the period. It was even at 32-32 with eight minutes left. Johnson stepped out and splashed a trey from the left wing to pull the Mustangs within 41-40 with 3:05 remaining. Koehler’s three-point play gave them a 45-44 edge with 1:29 to go. Correll Akings split two free throws with 1:10 to play to tie the game. The 5’10 junior had ten points. Gov. Mifflin tried to hold the ball for the last shot, but threw it away with four seconds left. Madyx Gruber raced up the center of the court and let a 3-pointer fly while on the run from the top of the key. His shot bounced off the front of the rim which meant overtime was coming. Gruber led everyone with 23 points. He played with Galantuomo on the West Reading Summer All-Star team. “He’s a great player. We went to California together so he’s my good friend. I love playing against him. It’s always gonna be a tough matchup,” replied Galantuomo. The crafty point guard made a pair of foul shots with 1:55 remaining in the first overtime period to give the Mustangs a 51-45 cushion. A 3-pointer by Tommy McFadden from the right corner made it 55-53 with 30 seconds on the clock. Five of McFadden’s nine points came in overtime. After Ian Fleming missed two free throws, Stephen Mayo fouled Gruber in the backcourt with eight seconds to play. The All-County guard sank both foul shots to even the score at 55-55. Galantuomo nearly ended the marathon, but his triple from the right wing rolled around the rim and fell out as time expired. With 2:27 to go in the second overtime, Fleming made his first free throw and missed the second attempt. Gov. Mifflin grabbed the offensive rebound which led to a layup by Fleming. The 6’ junior guard then converted a steal into a breakaway layup. Fleming gave the Mustangs a 61-55 advantage with 1:35 to play. Six of his seven points came in the second overtime session. “He’s kind of the missing piece to our team. He plays a big role, good on defense and came up big tonight,” explained Galantuomo. Fleming recently returned from an ankle injury. Gov. Mifflin limited the (16-4, 7-3) Bulldogs to just four points in the second overtime. Galantuomo split two foul shots with 25 seconds left to put the Mustangs on top 63-59. Wilson misfired on a couple of shots from beyond the arc before Mayo went 2-for-2 from the charity stripe to ice it. Mayo, a 5’11 senior, chipped in with nine points. Gov. Mifflin went 20-of-32 from the foul line, while the Bulldogs were 19-of-31. Wilson missed a dozen free throws in regulation, including seven during the fourth quarter. The Mustangs ended a six-game losing streak to their rival. “It’s huge. I don’t think we like each other…Hopefully we can see them again,” stated Galantuomo. Gov. Mifflin improved to (13-6, 6-4) in Garrett Etzel’s first year as head coach. “He’s definitely bringing a lot of energy, changing the culture. We definitely have a lot more confidence this year,” said Galantuomo. The Mustangs have bounced back from a (8-14, 3-8) campaign a season ago. Regardless of how this year ends, the ten seniors on the roster have a memory that will last a lifetime.

Matt Coldren-Wilson

Paul Roberts — Wed, 18 Dec 2024 15:09:50 +0000

It’s not how you start, but how you finish that matters. Coaches in all sports have often used that old adage. Wilson head coach Matt Coldren had a different opinion after a tense 44-41 win at rival Gov. Mifflin. “I think getting off to the great start won us the game,” said Coldren. A 3-pointer by Madyx Gruber gave the Bulldogs a 9-0 advantage with 4:39 left in the opening quarter. The Mustangs went nearly four minutes without scoring. Gruber finished with a game-high 19 points and went 5-of-6 from the free throw line. “What stood out to me was he didn’t press. They were denying him a lot. He didn’t have as many touches as he normally does. He’s a gamer. He makes shots that most guys can’t make,” noted Coldren. Wilson was in front 17-6 after eight minutes and 24-13 at halftime. The Mustangs trailed 36-26 entering the fourth quarter which is when things heated up. Gov. Mifflin went on a 12-to-3 run and pulled within 39-38 on a triple by Matt Koehler with 1:50 left. Koehler had a team-high 17 points, including a dozen in the second half. “His game has really evolved. Last year I thought he was strictly a 3-point shooter, much easier to guard. He’s taking advantage of his size now. He’s kind of a tough matchup for us,” explained Coldren. Koehler, a 6’3 senior, missed a 3-pointer that would have given the Mustangs their first lead with 50 seconds remaining. Correll Akings sank two clutch foul shots with 31 seconds to play to extend the Bulldogs’ cushion to 41-38. After Stephen Mayo missed a layup, Gruber made two more free throws for the (5-1) Bulldogs. Gov. Mifflin senior point guard Andrew Galantuomo banked in a 40-foot shot to make it 43-41 with two seconds to go. Gruber then went 1-of-2 from the charity stripe. The Mustangs’ inbounds pass was deflected by Cam Zullinger at half-court and fittingly ended up in the arms of Gruber. Akings chipped in with nine points and Tommy McFadden added six. Wilson starts four seniors and brings three more off the bench. “We’ve been there. We’ve got a lot of guards who have been in this situation before,” emphasized Coldren. The Bulldogs are the defending BCIAA champions. After going (15-29) over the past two seasons, the Mustangs are back on track under first-year head coach Garrett Etzel. They beat Muhlenberg and Berks Catholic last week. “I’m a Garrett Etzel fan. I think he was a great player…and I have a lot of respect for him. I’m happy for him,” said Coldren. There are ten seniors on Gov. Mifflin’s roster. Ian Fleming, the lone junior in their starting lineup, contributed twelve points. The (4-2) Mustangs were 5-of-9 from the free throw line, while Wilson went 12-for-16. The Bulldogs connected four times from beyond the arc. Gov. Mifflin splashed just two 3-pointers and one was the long range bomb by Galantuomo before the buzzer. The attendance in Shillington was 1,150 for this Division 1 battle in the Berks Conference. “Our division is gonna be a dog fight every night,” stated Coldren.

Gov. Mifflin holds off Wilson

Paul Roberts — Tue, 17 Dec 2024 15:12:53 +0000

How did the Gov. Mifflin girls basketball team get out of West Lawn with a win? “That’s a good question,” replied Mustangs’ head coach Mike Clark with a laugh. Gov. Mifflin beat rival Wilson 47-45 in a nailbiter on Monday night. “The kids gutted it out…I don’t know how we actually pulled it out,” said Clark. He’s in his 13th season with the Mustangs and recently surpassed 300 career victories. Clark went (93-18) over four years at Oley Valley which included a District 3 championship in 2011. His Mustangs got all they could handle from a short-handed Bulldogs squad. All-County point guard Laila Jones is out with a torn ACL and All-Division forward Violet Houck didn’t play due to a hamstring injury. The 5’11 junior is expected back soon. Wilson trailed 14-7 in the first quarter before scoring the last five points of the period. Ryan Leaman hit a jumper from the left wing at the buzzer that was ruled a 3-pointer, although video showed that her feet were inside the line. Bella Super had a dozen points in the first half as Gov. Mifflin took a 27-24 lead into the break. Laura Crocona, a 5’7 junior, scored eight of her eleven points in the third quarter. The Bulldogs were down 39-38 entering the final period. Leaman drilled a trey from the right wing to put Wilson on top 45-42 with five and a-half minutes remaining. The 5’7 sophomore started in place of Houck and provided nine points. Kailani Hardy, an electric 5’9 sophomore, finished with a team-high 13 points. Both teams went scoreless for nearly three minutes until Super connected from beyond the arc to even it up at 45-45. Her 3-pointer from the right wing rattled around, popped up in the air, and fell through the net with 2:40 left. The 5’8 sophomore had a game-high 20 points. “Sometimes she played out of control, but she also made some good shots,” noted Clark. Bridget Martin fired a nice bounce pass to Mia Vasquez on the left block with 59 seconds to play. Vasquez was fouled and sank both free throws for a 47-45 advantage. “That was great,” said Clark about his 5’10 senior center. Vasquez was in foul trouble in the first half when the Mustangs struggled to rebound. They start three sophomores and a freshman. Hardy missed a driving attempt to tie the game, but Gov. Mifflin committed a turnover on the ensuing possession. Janai Tisdale was tied up while trying to drive down the right side of the lane with six seconds remaining. The arrow was in the Bulldogs’ favor, however, Brooklyn George stole the inbounds pass under the basket. George, a 5’6 sophomore, contributed ten points including two of the Mustangs’ five 3-pointers. Martin and Vasquez added seven points apiece. The (5-1) Mustangs went 8-of-14 from the free throw line, while the (2-4) Bulldogs were 8-of-12. The two schools are separated by just a few miles. “You can throw the records out when they play,” stated Clark.

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.

Madyx Gruber-Wilson

Paul Roberts — Sat, 28 Sep 2024 13:05:05 +0000

Over the course of a 48-minute game, mistakes will happen. The question becomes how do athletes handle adversity. Madyx Gruber passed that test with flying colors. Wilson’s senior quarterback overcame an interception in the red zone on the opening drive and led the Bulldogs to a 43-20 victory at Gov. Mifflin. Gruber tied the school record with five touchdown passes. He finished 15-of-20 for 232 yards. The basketball standout also ran for a career-high 204 yards on 19 carries. “I’m super proud of the team. We came into this game so prepared, probably more prepared than ever. I’m just so excited,” said Gruber. The (5-1) Bulldogs outgained the (3-3) Mustangs 532-to-243 in their 67th meeting. Wilson holds a (40-27) advantage in the heated rivalry. The Bulldogs racked up 300 rushing yards while averaging 7.9 yards per carry. They had 26 first downs, 15 more than Gov. Mifflin. Two of Gruber’s TD passes went to junior Jaiden Carpenter on wide receiver screens. “We seen that on film. We know that their cornerbacks like to play off a little bit. We just took what they gave us,” explained Gruber. The Mustangs’ defensive tackles, Ismael Ayala Vargas and Noah Viruet, are 335 and 345 pounds respectively. Jeremy Palm, in his 24th year as Wilson’s offensive coordinator, opted to attack the edge. “We knew that they had bigger guys up front and that we could probably get to the outside. Our game plan was outside zone a lot,” revealed Gruber. On a rainy night, Bulldogs’ punter Christo Hunsicker lost a fumble at the 12-yard line early in the second quarter. Javien Pletz’s 10-yard run up the middle gave Gov. Mifflin a 14-7 lead. Wilson responded with a 86-yard drive that included an incredible 37-yard catch by sophomore Michael Glover. The 6’3, 220-pound tight end had three receptions for 85 yards. His grab over a defender set up Gruber’s 4-yard TD pass to sophomore running back Monty Greer. After a penalty on the Mustangs during the extra point, the Bulldogs went for a 2-point conversion. Gruber found Hunsicker wide open for a 15-14 lead with four minutes left in the first half. Wilson got the ball back and drove 70 yards in only 66 seconds. Gruber connected with junior running back Correll Akings in the right corner of the end zone for a 10-yard score. The Bulldogs were in front 22-14 at the break. Akings added 58 yards on 10 carries. Gov. Mifflin pulled within 29-20 when Pletz broke free for a 45-yard touchdown run midway through the third quarter. The 2-point conversion was stuffed. Wilson replied with a 79-yard drive that was capped by Gruber’s 17-yard strike over the middle to senior tight end Brady Kline. Just 47 seconds later, Akings returned an interception 46 yards for a touchdown. Pletz ended up 1-of-7 for 24 yards. The senior quarterback ran for 82 yards on six carries. Grady Garner, a 200-pound senior fullback, rumbled for 127 yards and a score on 23 touches. The Mustangs accumulated 219 yards on the ground, but the Bulldogs held the ball for nearly 29 minutes. There were twenty total penalties, including eleven for 120 yards against Wilson. Sophomore linebacker E.J. Brownback led the Bulldogs with ten tackles and a sack. Wilson has won eleven of the past fourteen contests with Gov. Mifflin. The series began in 1954. Gruber was the main character in this chapter of the rivalry.