Mustangs – Berks Sports Report

Ethan Grim-Gov. Mifflin

Paul Roberts — Wed, 28 May 2025 16:29:45 +0000

Ethan Grim mentioned after the District 3-6A championship that he wasn’t at his best on Monday night at Penn Medicine Park. “I was kind of feeling weak because of the sun hitting me weird. I was trying to drink a lot of water. I wasn’t feeling myself,” he noted. That’s a scary thought because the Virginia Tech commit was still able to throw a five-hitter with 13 strikeouts. Gov. Mifflin beat Cedar Cliff 6-1 for its first District 3 title. The top-seeded Mustangs improved to (25-1). Grim held the third-seeded Colts to five hits and one walk. Their lone run came in the 7th on a bloop RBI single by Will Kocher. “I didn’t have my best fastball so I was kind of relying on my off-speed [pitches],” explained Grim. The 6’1, 195-pound senior fired a 93 mph fastball in the final inning. He reached 300 career strikeouts and went 2-for-3 at the plate. Grim (8-0) punched out five batters in the first two frames. Meanwhile, Cedar Cliff turned to senior catcher Bennett Secrest due to an injury to ace Peyton Price. The sophomore has 72 strikeouts and only five walks over 52.1 innings. Price (8-1, 0.80) has given up just 34 hits all season. Secrest did his best to keep the (17-6) Colts in the game. Dylan Barrett got Gov. Mifflin on the board with a RBI single to right field in the bottom of the 2nd. Grim ripped a two-out double down the third base line in the next inning. One run scored on the play, but Bryce Detwiler was thrown out at the plate. Secrest was charged with a pair of runs on five hits and a walk in three innings. Kaiden Alday took over on the mound in the 4th, however, he only recorded one out. Designated hitter Charlie Ainge made it 3-0 with a RBI single to right. Detwiler, who’s headed to UConn, knocked in another run with a groundout to shortstop. Alday allowed two runs on two hits and two walks. Matt Koehler delivered a RBI single to left in the 5th for a 5-0 cushion. The Juniata commit was 3-for-3 and scored twice. “He’s under recognized this year. We have dudes throughout the lineup,” stated Grim. Koehler is also an All-County basketball player. Sophomore Max Utsick gave up one run on three hits and a walk in one inning of relief. He was replaced by junior Michael Boblick. In the bottom of the 6th, Brandon Adams crushed a solo homer to right field for a 6-0 advantage. “That definitely went out of the stadium. Off the bat, I knew it was gone,” replied Grim. The Mustangs finished with eleven hits. Eight different batters had at least one hit. There were no errors in the game which lasted less than two hours. Gov. Mifflin has earned BCIAA and District 3 championships this spring. The Mustangs captured the PIAA-5A crown last season. The state tournament begins on Monday. “We were coming into this season wanting all three [titles]. It feels pretty good,” said Grim.

Dylan Barrett-Gov. Mifflin

Paul Roberts — Sat, 24 May 2025 13:31:25 +0000

When you heard the crack of the bat, you knew it was gone. Ethan Grim hammered a solo homer to center field in the 2nd inning of Friday’s District 3-6A semifinal against Ephrata. “That was the farthest ball I’ve ever seen,” stated Mustangs’ outfielder Dylan Barrett. Top-seeded Gov. Mifflin cruised past the fifth-seeded Mounts 11-1 in five innings. After a slow start, Grim’s home run tied the game at 1-1 and fired up the (24-1) Mustangs. “Ethan came up, hit that bomb and that definitely started everything. Everybody got really excited,” replied Barrett. Grim is known for his work on the mound, however, the Virginia Tech commit can also do plenty of damage at the plate. Barrett provided three of Gov. Mifflin’s twelve hits. He knocked in three runs and scored two more. Charlie Ainge went 2-for-3 in his first start of the season. “We’re looking for a DH. He definitely fills that role. He came out today really hot,” said Barrett. Bryce Detwiler and Matt Koehler added two hits apiece. Detwiler struggled with his command in the 1st inning. The UConn commit walked three batters and then hit Caleb Grant to force in a run. Detwiler had issued just seven walks in 46 innings entering the day. He came into the contest with a staggering 0.60 ERA. The two-time Berks County Player of the Year settled down and limited Ephrata to two hits over five frames with seven strikeouts. Detwiler improved to (9-0) this year. “I wasn’t worried at all. They say he’s our No. 2 [pitcher]. They’re both No. 1 in my eyes. They’re both great pitchers. I have the same confidence in both of them,” noted Barrett. Grim has a (7-0) mark and features a fastball that’s 92-94 mph. After his homer, Barrett hit a bloop RBI single to right that brought home Koehler for a 2-1 lead. Ainge doubled down the right field line to make it 3-1. An error on Aden Reiter’s grounder to shortstop put the Mustangs in front 4-1 against the Lancaster-Lebanon League runner-up. Gov. Mifflin tacked on five more runs in the 3rd. A safety squeeze bunt by Billy Angstadt with the bases loaded gave them a 5-1 cushion. Barrett, the No. 7 hitter in the lineup, followed with a two-run double to left-center. Detwiler then hit a ground ball to third base with two outs that took a bad hop. It was ruled a single and brought in a pair of runs. Camryn Simes was charged with nine runs, eight earned, on nine hits in three innings. The junior came into Friday with a (10-0) record and a 1.58 ERA. The Millersville commit had piled up 93 strikeouts over 62 innings, while only giving up 37 hits. The Mustangs ended it in the 5th. Sophomore Ethan Gockley hit Branson Adams with the bases juiced. He then walked Travis Jenkins to make it 11-1. The (18-8) Mounts lost to Gov. Mifflin 6-4 back on April 5th. They’ll travel to Hempfield on Tuesday for the third-place game. Meanwhile, the Mustangs will battle third-seeded Cedar Cliff for the District 3-6A title on Monday. First pitch is scheduled for 6:45pm at Penn Medicine Park in Lancaster. Cedar Cliff beat Hempfield 8-5 in the semifinals. Gov. Mifflin is seeking its first District 3 championship.

Aden Reiter-Gov. Mifflin

Paul Roberts — Thu, 15 May 2025 14:01:07 +0000

If you follow the Gov. Mifflin baseball team, you know all about Bryce Detwiler, Ethan Grim, Travis Jenkins, and Matt Koehler. You may not be familiar with Aden Reiter. The 5’5 junior plays shortstop and hits in the No. 9 hole when Detwiler is on the mound. He can be overlooked in a star-studded lineup that includes three Division I players. Reiter’s two-out, RBI single to right field helped the Mustangs break the BCIAA Championship Game open in the 4th inning. “I was looking for a fastball my first at-bat. I missed the fastball and I really wanted to hunt the fastball my second at-bat,” explained Reiter. Berks Catholic ace Trey Stricker was trying to get out of a jam and keep the score 2-1. After a walk and a single, Stricker struck out the next two batters. Reiter, however, didn’t let him off the hook. His single brought home Koehler for a 3-1 advantage. Gov. Mifflin ended up with four runs in the 4th and cruised to a 11-1 victory in six innings. The (22-1) Mustangs claimed their 16th Berks League title. Last year, they lost to Wilson 10-3 in the BCIAA Final. “It really motivated us. It lit a fire,” emphasized Reiter. After his single, Detwiler was walked intentionally which loaded the bases. Branson Adams was hit by a pitch to make it 4-1. Jenkins and Grim drew consecutive walks and the lead quickly became 6-1. Stricker, who held Wilson to one run over 6.2 innings in Saturday’s quarterfinal, gave up six runs in 3.2 innings on Wednesday night at Owls Field. The West Chester commit allowed four hits, four walks, and hit two batters. He entered the game with a (5-0) record and an eye-popping 0.44 ERA over 48 innings this season. Sophomore lefty Cole Harter tossed 1.1 innings of scoreless relief, but Gov. Mifflin erupted for five runs off Brock Shrawder in the 6th. Jenkins delivered a sacrifice fly to left for a 7-1 edge. The senior catcher, who’s headed to Canisius, was 1-for-1 with 2 RBI. Billy Angstadt then walked with the bases juiced. Sean Kelly was brought in from the bullpen and walked pinch-hitter Jaden Smith. Joe Murray, another pinch-hitter, followed with a two-run double to right field to end it. Detwiler went the distance for the Mustangs. The UConn commit limited the (15-7) Saints to three hits. Detwiler struck out seven and walked none. “He always goes out there and does great. He’s a dog,” said Reiter. Grim put top-seeded Gov. Mifflin in front 2-0 with a single to center in the bottom of the 1st. “It felt great because we could go out on defense and relax and make plays,” noted Reiter. Grim, a Virginia Tech commit, went 2-for-3 with a run and 3 RBI. Adams and Angstadt each added a hit and scored two runs apiece. The Mustangs finished with eight hits. Berks Catholic handed out ten walks. The seventh-seeded Saints were searching for their first Berks County championship. Junior outfielder Owen Schalk was 2-for-2. He scored their lone run on Victor Mejia’s sacrifice fly to center in the 2nd inning. Both teams are headed to the District 3 playoffs. Gov. Mifflin has moved up to Class 6A this year. After winning their third BCIAA crown in five seasons, the Mustangs will get a bye in the opening round of the District 3-6A tournament. They will host either #8 Northeastern or #9 Mechanicsburg in the quarterfinals on Monday at 4:30pm. Berks Catholic is home against Littlestown in the District 3-3A quarterfinals on Monday. First pitch is at 4:30pm.

Mustangs hold off Eagles in Semifinals

Paul Roberts — Tue, 13 May 2025 03:55:37 +0000

Gov. Mifflin outscored Exeter 16-2 in their two regular season meetings. The fifth-seeded Eagles put up a much tougher fight on Monday night at FirstEnergy Stadium. The top-seeded Mustangs took advantage of four errors to beat Exeter 2-1 in the BCIAA semifinals. Ethan Grim allowed one run on just four hits over six innings. The Virginia Tech commit struck out nine and walked three. “Just a gutsy performance for him. He probably would be the first to tell you that he didn’t have his best stuff. He went out real hard in the first inning and I think that affected his stamina…Can’t say enough about Ethan,” said head coach Chris Hole. Grim hit 95 mph in the opening frame. The 6’1, 195-pound righty struck out three of the first six batters that he faced. Exeter’s Kamren Martin, a 6’3 junior, was equally impressive on the mound. Both of the runs that he gave up were unearned. Martin limited Gov. Mifflin to five hits. He finished with seven strikeouts and two walks in 5.2 innings. Bryce Detwiler reached on an error in the bottom of the 1st. The UConn commit scored on a single up the middle by Branson Adams. Detwiler ripped a ball that hit Martin in the leg in the 2nd. Martin’s throw to first base was off target which allowed Detwiler to reach second. Travis Jenkins then singled through the left side and kept running towards second base. The throw to second base got away and Detwiler raced home for an early 2-0 edge. However, the (21-1) Mustangs wouldn’t score again. Detwiler went 1-for-3 and Billy Angstadt added a pair of singles. Jenkins was 1-for-1 with a couple of walks. The (15-7) Eagles were hitless until the top of the 5th. Chase Youse and Aiden Rhoades provided back-to-back singles. Jake Hafer singled to left field to pull Exeter within 2-1. Grim got a groundout to second to minimize the damage. The Eagles threatened in the top of the 6th. They had a runner on second base with one out. Grim struck out the next two batters to keep Gov. Mifflin in front. Detwiler picked up the save with two strikeouts in the 7th. Gavin Barker, the designated hitter, started the 7th with a bloop single to right field. He was stranded on second base as Rhoades flew out to right and Hafer struck out to end a tense matchup. “We knew that they were gonna be on their game tonight and give us their absolute best. Credit to them, that’s exactly what they did,” noted Hole. Each team left six runners on base. The Mustangs committed one error. They will meet Berks Catholic for the Berks League championship. That game is scheduled for 7pm on Tuesday at Owls Field.

Branson Adams-Gov. Mifflin

Paul Roberts — Tue, 29 Apr 2025 13:23:04 +0000

Gov. Mifflin and Wilson were tied 1-1 after three frames on Monday afternoon. Branson Adams helped to break the game open with a two-run homer to right field in the 4th. It was the first home run of his high school career. “I was just sitting dead red right there and I got that middle-in fastball. I swung as hard as I could,” explained the senior outfielder. The Mustangs put six runs on the board in the top of the 4th and cruised to a 14-3 victory. Gov. Mifflin clinched the Division 1 championship in the Berks League. The (17-1) Mustangs bounced back in a big way from Friday’s 3-2 loss to Hempfield in nine innings. “It kind of gave us a little wake-up call. Everything is not gonna be handed to us. You gotta work your butt off,” said Adams. The (11-6) Bulldogs entered the week trailing Gov. Mifflin by three games in the division with three to play. Wilson opted to send Austin Snyder, its #4 starter, to the mound. The senior righty pitched well for three innings. Each team was limited to an unearned run in the 1st. Snyder opened the 4th with walks to Billy Angstadt and Dylan Barrett. Nate Radwanski, the No. 9 hitter, laid a bunt down the third base line that Snyder threw away. That error made it 2-1 with nobody out. Bryce Detwiler followed with a two-run single to center before Adams launched his home run. After a double by catcher Travis Jenkins, Matt Koehler delivered a RBI single through a drawn-in infield. That was plenty of support for Detwiler. The UConn commit allowed three unearned runs on four hits over six innings. He struck out two and walked one. Detwiler tossed a complete game four-hitter when the Mustangs beat the Bulldogs 1-0 on April 2nd. A RBI infield single by Jenkins in the 5th gave Gov. Mifflin an 8-1 advantage. Wilson got a pair of runs in the 6th to pull within 8-3. Alex Ernesto knocked in one with a groundout to shortstop and Cole Lavin followed with a RBI single to center. The Mustangs responded with six runs off sophomore Ben Shaub in the 7th. Ethan Grim hammered a two-run double to left-center and Koehler drilled a two-run homer to left. Gov. Mifflin piled up 17 hits, while the Bulldogs were held to four singles. Snyder (1-2) allowed eight runs, six earned, on nine hits in 4.1 innings. He walked four and struck out one. Detwiler, Jenkins, and Koehler had three hits apiece. Adams, Grim, Barrett, and Joe Murray each added two hits. RJ Weaver pitched a clean 7th for the Mustangs with a pair of strikeouts. They’re #1 in the District 3-6A power rankings. Gov. Mifflin won the Class 5A state title last season. “I think it’s gonna be a pretty good challenge. [There are] a lot of good teams in 6A, a little different than 5A,” replied Adams. The Mustangs will wrap up the regular season against Daniel Boone and Reading. The BCIAA playoffs begin on Thursday, May 8th. Gov. Mifflin showed once again why it will be a very tough out.

Chris Hole-Gov. Mifflin

Paul Roberts — Sat, 26 Apr 2025 15:05:12 +0000

Gov. Mifflin and Hempfield squared off in a battle of defending state champions on Friday night. If that wasn’t enough, both teams were undefeated and it was Hall of Fame night in Shillington. “I don’t think we’ve ever been part of a bigger regular season game, definitely an intriguing matchup,” said Mustangs’ head coach Chris Hole. Camden Hulock drilled a 3-run homer to left in the 9th and the Black Knights held on for a thrilling 3-2 victory. Gov. Mifflin left 13 runners on base. “We just didn’t capitalize and that’s baseball,” noted Hole. Ethan Grim put on a show for the MLB scouts in attendance. The hard-throwing Virginia Tech commit struck out the first five batters he faced. Grim finished with 14 strikeouts and one walk over seven innings. The 6’1, 195-pound righty only allowed one hit. “He’s incredible, just incredible. He threw every pitch that Travis [Jenkins] called beautifully. He had his slider working, his change, his curve. He kept a fantastic hitting team off-balance,” emphasized Hole. Hempfield entered the contest with a .344 team batting average. Grim has piled up a staggering 56 strikeouts in 28 innings this season. Brody Gebhard (2-0, 0.61) was also outstanding on the mound. The senior limited the (16-1) Mustangs to three hits over six frames. He struck out five, walked two, and hit two batters. Gebhard is no stranger to big games. He went the distance in the PIAA-6A Championship last year. The Black Knights defeated La Salle College High School 3-2 for their first state title. Gov. Mifflin also earned its first state championship a season ago. The Mustangs beat Hollidaysburg 2-1 in the PIAA-5A Final. Gov. Mifflin had men on second and third with one out in the 3rd when Grim hit a grounder to third base. Dylan Jackson knocked the ball down and threw out Bryce Detwiler at the plate. Hempfield catcher Josh Toole, a Coastal Carolina commit, was shaken up, but stayed in the game. Matt Koehler grounded out to first base to end the threat. Southpaw Jonathan O’Maille (4-0, 0.88) took over for Gebhard after the 6th. Billy Angstadt and Dylan Barrett provided back-to-back singles with one out in the 7th. O’Maille got two pop outs to keep it scoreless. The Mustangs loaded the bases with two outs in the 8th. O’Maille struck out Angstadt to keep the (14-0) Black Knights in it. In the top of the 9th, Brayden Hostetter and Toole drew walks from Jenkins with two outs. Hulock then ripped a 3-run shot to left field. It was only the second hit all night for Hempfield. Jenkins had four strikeouts and two walks over the final two innings. Gov. Mifflin added to the drama in the bottom of the 9th. The Mustangs loaded the bases with one out. Jenkins hit a RBI groundout to second for their first run. After Grim was intentionally walked to load the bases, Koehler drew a walk to make it 3-2. Designated hitter Cam Zurawski struck out to end the marathon. “So proud of our boys, the way that they battled to the very end. Credit to Hempfield as well…two great teams going at it and couldn’t ask for more,” stated Hole. O’Maille gave up two runs on four hits and five walks in three innings. He struck out four and picked up the win in relief. Detwiler, a UConn commit, delivered three of Gov. Mifflin’s seven hits. “He stays very balanced up there. He doesn’t try to do too much. He’s a lot like Tyler Minick. He recognizes what pitchers are going to do to him,” explained Hole. Minick is having a big season at UConn. He leads the team with 14 HR, 47 RBI, and a .364 batting average. Koehler went 1-for-3 with a pair of walks. Barrett was 1-for-3 and reached base twice. The Mustangs travel to rival Wilson on Monday afternoon. “It’s Wilson, they’ll be focused,” replied Hole. Ed Williamson, Dan Batz, Steve Murray, and current assistant coach Kurt Henry were recognized on the field before Friday’s game. They make up the inaugural class of the Gov. Mifflin Baseball Hall of Fame.

Travis Jenkins-Gov. Mifflin

Paul Roberts — Sun, 20 Apr 2025 12:33:07 +0000

Travis Jenkins is known for his work behind the plate. On Saturday, the All-State catcher was needed on the mound and he delivered. The Canisius commit fired four hitless innings of relief as Gov. Mifflin held off Twin Valley 9-5 in eight innings. “If I have to pitch, I’ll pitch but catching is more my thing,” said Jenkins. He also came through offensively with a two-out, two-run single to left field in the top of the 8th. “I was trying to stay back. I was getting pull happy so just try to stay back,” he explained. Jenkins is a right-handed pitcher, but a lefty hitter. He was 1-for-3 with two walks and picked up the 100th RBI of his career. The (15-0) Mustangs put two runs on the scoreboard in the 1st inning at Elverson. Branson Adams drove in Bryce Detwiler with a double to left-center. Adams then scored on a wild pitch by Nolan Cromwell. The senior was making his first appearance of the season. He allowed four runs, three earned, over four innings. Cromwell gave up three hits and walked four. The (6-5) Raiders got one run back in the bottom of the 1st. Grant Moser, who reached on an error, was thrown out at home on Brody Majeski’s double to left-center. Majeski, one of three sophomores in the lineup, scored on an infield single by Logan Crunkleton. The senior first baseman entered the day with a .355 batting average and a team-high five doubles. Matt Koehler made it 3-1 in the 4th with a solo homer to center field. “He was due. He’s been getting robbed a lot, not finding holes. I’m proud of him,” replied Jenkins. Koehler, who’s committed to Juniata, went 2-for-5 with a double. Twin Valley went in front 4-3 with three runs in the bottom of the 4th. “They’re a really good team. They really battled,” stated Jenkins. After an RBI groundout by Kooper Zdimal with the bases loaded, Moser provided a two-run single to left field. Gov. Mifflin coach Chris Hole, who reached 200 career wins early this season, decided to use junior Joe Murray as a pinch-hitter in the 5th. In just his second at-bat of the year, the left-handed hitting Murray ripped a solo home run to right field. That ended Cromwell’s afternoon and tied it at 4-4. Southpaw Nate Sedgwick walked Detwiler and Jenkins before Ethan Grim smashed a RBI single to left. Grim, one of the top pitchers in the state, is headed to Virginia Tech. He was 2-for-5 with 3 RBI. Jenkins took over on the mound for Evan Glucksnis with two men on and nobody out in the bottom of the 5th. Glucksnis, a junior righty, was charged with five runs on nine hits and two walks. He struck out three in four frames. Nate DiRocco evened the game at 5-5 with a RBI groundout to second in the 5th. DiRocco and Majeski, both sophomores, had two hits apiece. Junior designated hitter Cam Zurawski led off the 8th with a walk. Lefty Jayce Oliver, another sophomore, then hit Billy Angstadt. After Murray got down a sacrifice bunt, the Raiders intentionally walked Detwiler to load the bases. The UConn commit finished with a single, three walks, three runs, and four stolen bases. “Teams like to pitch around him. No matter what, he finds a way on. He keeps his head up,” noted Jenkins. Oliver struck out Adams for the second out of the inning. Jenkins broke the tie with a clutch opposite field single to left. Grim followed with a long two-run single that hit the left field fence. Oliver permitted four runs on three hits in 2.1 innings. Jenkins got a pair of strikeouts and a pop-up to shortstop in the bottom of the 8th. He threw 45 pitches in just his second appearance of the season. The unbeaten Mustangs finished with eight hits and the Raiders ended up with nine. Gov. Mifflin drew eight walks. “We know we’re (15-0), but we haven’t won anything yet. We just go to practice, work hard, and have fun,” said Jenkins.

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.