rivalry – Berks Sports Report

Amaya Stewart-Wyomissing

Paul Roberts — Tue, 24 Dec 2024 15:14:01 +0000

The Wyomissing and Berks Catholic girls basketball teams gave the fans in attendance an early Christmas gift on Monday night. The rivals squared off in a hard-fought game that went down to the wire. Amaya Stewart blocked Madison Langdon’s shot from just past half-court as the buzzer sounded to preserve a 37-34 win. “It was special to be here and having all these fans here,” said Stewart. The 6’1 senior had 21 points and 12 rebounds as the Spartans improved to (7-1). Stewart, who’s committed to Albany, jammed ten points into the third quarter. Wyomissing trailed 8-7 after the opening quarter. It was 16-16 at halftime. The Saints fell behind 31-25 entering the fourth quarter. They responded well with a 9-2 run. Gianna Mirenda’s fast break layup gave Berks Catholic a 34-33 advantage with 2:50 left. “It’s okay to get punched in the mouth. That means we just gotta punch back harder,” replied Stewart. The two-time All-State pick hit a short jumper in the lane to put the Spartans back on top with 1:15 remaining. After a Berks Catholic turnover, Kacey Maggs went 1-of-2 from the free throw line for a 36-34 lead with 29 seconds to go. Molly McFadden couldn’t convert on the other end and the Saints were forced to foul. Alexis Hardy missed both foul shots with eight seconds to play, but Berks Catholic committed another costly turnover. Maggs split a pair of free throws with three seconds left for the final margin. Wyomissing extended its winning streak to six despite going 4-of-11 from the foul line. Maggs and sophomore Karly Hyde contributed six points apiece. Stewart, who’s dominant in the post, has spent a lot of time working on her all-around game. “There’s a lot of things in the archive that people don’t see. I’m excited to see what’s next,” she said. The Saints packed in a zone against Stewart to limit her touches down low. The Spartans made just three 3-pointers. The difference was in the turnover department. Wyomissing forced twenty turnovers while only committing nine. Sydney Corrado had a team-high 13 points for Berks Catholic. The 6’ senior splashed a triple from the left wing to pull the (4-4) Saints within 33-31 early in the fourth quarter. Liv Welker, a junior transfer from Daniel Boone, scored seven of her eight points in the third quarter to keep Berks Catholic in striking distance. All-County point guard Madison Langdon ended up with seven points. The 5’4 senior needs five points to reach 1,000 for her career. The Saints finished 6-of-9 from the charity stripe and connected just twice from beyond the arc. Stewart has enjoyed being part of this backyard rivalry. “It goes on and on and on. I hope it continues to carry on. It’s always gonna be fun. It’s always gonna bring joy to the community,” she emphasized.

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.

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.

Javien Pletz-Gov. Mifflin

Paul Roberts — Thu, 26 Sep 2024 14:28:08 +0000

If Javien Pletz was grading his football team, the Mustangs would receive a B- at the midway point of the season. “There’s some room for improvement. The line has been doing their job. It’s just little mistakes like fumbles,” explained Pletz. Gov. Mifflin is (3-2) and coming off a 41-6 rout of Muhlenberg. Pletz had two touchdown passes and a pair of touchdown runs on Sunday afternoon. The 5’10, 155-pound senior doesn’t get to put the ball up in the air much. That’s just part of playing quarterback in Shillington. The Mustangs prefer to grind it out on the ground. Pletz has only attempted 47 passes this year. He’s completed 25 of them for 424 yards and three scores. Grady Garner has been a workhorse at fullback. The 5’10, 200-pound senior has racked up 712 yards and 13 TD on 119 carries. “He runs hard, runs fast. It’s hard to tackle him,” said Pletz. Garner is a sprinter on the track and field team. Pletz can also use his legs. He can be tough to find behind an offensive line that averages nearly 250 pounds and includes Presley Rinker. The senior guard is 6’1 and 305 pounds. Pletz has 128 rushing yards on 28 carries. Reese Hohl, Travis Jenkins, and Lebron Leaf are slotbacks that can be effective on the edge. Gov. Mifflin also has a solid tight end in 190-pound junior Derek Dinatale. Nick Morrissey is in his first season as head coach, but a familiar face is calling the plays. Mick Vecchio is back on the sidelines. He won 181 games over 26 years with the Mustangs. Vecchio was inducted into the PSFCA Hall of Fame in 2022. Gov. Mifflin’s losses have come against quality opponents in Exeter and Perkiomen Valley. The Eagles remain undefeated. The Mustangs have another tough matchup this Friday when Wilson visits Shillington. The (4-1) Bulldogs have taken ten of the last thirteen contests in this heated rivalry. Gov. Mifflin and Wilson are squaring off for the 67th time. The Bulldogs hold a (39-27) edge in the series. “We just gotta run the offense, make sure they don’t get the ball as much. We just chew that clock and don’t make any mistakes,” said Pletz.

Cam Zullinger-Wilson

Paul Roberts — Sat, 30 Sep 2023 01:22:00 +0000

At 6’ and 185 pounds, Cam Zullinger certainly isn’t the biggest defensive end. The junior knows how to overcome his lack of size. “Stay low and be quick,” he replied. Zullinger was in on ten tackles, including two tackles for loss, as Wilson knocked off Gov. Mifflin 21-14 for the Gurski-Linn trophy. The (4-2) Bulldogs held the Mustangs to 3.8 yards per carry. Gov. Mifflin had just 80 yards in the second half and didn’t score. Zullinger, who also plays basketball, has successfully made the transition from linebacker. Wilson now has a (39-27) advantage in the rivalry with the (3-3) Mustangs. “It’s the biggest game of the year. Everybody looks forward to that game,” said Zullinger. The Bulldogs have won ten of the last thirteen meetings. Gov. Mifflin opened the contest with a 12-play, 68-yard touchdown drive that lasted nearly six and a-half minutes. The Mustangs converted a fake punt when Travis Jenkins completed a 33-yard pass to Lebron Leaf. Brandon Jones finished it off with a 2-yard run. Wilson answered on its second play. Tommy Hunsicker found a wide open Jackson Wagner over the middle for a 46-yard score. Gov. Mifflin put together a 15-play drive that covered 79 yards and took nine minutes and 44 seconds off the clock. Javien Pletz connected with Reese Hohl for 29 yards down the left sideline on fourth-and-13. Hohl, who had two interceptions on the night, stepped out of bounds at the 3-yard line. Pletz hit sophomore tight end Derek Dinatale for a 4-yard touchdown and a 14-7 edge with three minutes remaining in the second quarter. Hunsicker tied it up 90 seconds later with a 35-yard scramble down the left sideline. The Mustangs held the ball for nearly twenty minutes in the first half and 30:37 overall. Gov. Mifflin forced three turnovers, but was outgained 295-246. On fourth-and-14, Hunsicker tossed a 35-yard touchdown pass to Madyx Gruber on the opening possession of the third period. Once again, the middle of the field was wide open and Gruber ran untouched into the end zone. The Bulldogs’ defense took it from there. The Mustangs turned it over on downs three times and punted once in the second half. On fourth-and-4 with 1:44 to play, Pletz was pressured by Derek Reiniger and threw the ball out of bounds. Wilson took over at its 49-yard line and ran out the clock. Ryan McMillan had twelve total tackles. Hunsicker finished 6-of-11 for 133 yards and two interceptions. The 185-pound senior ran for a team-high 90 yards on 13 carries. “He’s a really tough kid. He bounced back. He did what he needed to do to help us get that win,” stated Zullinger. Pletz, a 165-pound junior, led Gov. Mifflin’s option attack with 54 yards on eight carries. He was 4-of-9 passing for 48 yards. Hohl and Jones combined for 60 rushing yards on 21 touches. Junior fullback Grady Garner was limited to 32 yards on six carries. After an (0-2) start, the Bulldogs have won four in a row. Zullinger asked, “Why doubt us, why?”

Wilson-Gov. Mifflin Rivalry

Paul Roberts — Wed, 27 Sep 2023 17:20:00 +0000

West Lawn and Shillington are separated by just 3.2 miles. The Wilson vs. Gov. Mifflin rivalry is one of the best that Berks County has to offer. The Bulldogs and Mustangs will square off on the football field for the 66th time this Friday night at John Gurski Stadium. Both teams are (3-2) this season. Wilson has won three straight.

This rivalry dates back to 1954. Wilson’s defense was dominant in the first meeting. The Mustangs fell 27-0. However, they would quickly turn the tide. Gov. Mifflin prevailed in twelve consecutive games in the series from 1955-66.

Wilson responded with six victories in a row from 1976-81. The 1981 squad, which included Pete Schreck and Leroy Schannauer, finished (11-0). The Bulldogs turned the rivalry into a one-sided affair from 1987-2003. They won twelve of the thirteen meetings with the Mustangs by an average of 30 points.

The teams didn’t square off in 2004 and 2005. Gov. Mifflin went (3-0) against Wilson in 2006 and 2007. The fans in Shillington will never forget the District 3 semifinal in 2006. Dustin Manz ran for 176 yards and 5TD in a 47-13 rout of the Bulldogs.

Wilson leads the overall series (38-27). The Bulldogs have come out on top in nine of the last twelve encounters. Gov. Mifflin fell 32-14 a season ago. Cam Jones scored three touchdowns including an early 56-yard punt return. Jones ran for 139 yards on 17 carries. Eddie Case finished with five receptions for 99 yards and a score. The Bulldogs outgained the Mustangs 372-to-179.

Gov. Mifflin had won two in a row in resounding fashion. Nick Singleton rumbled for 160 yards and 4TD in 2020. Gov. Mifflin cruised to a 48-7 victory. Singleton also completed a 46-yard pass in that one. The Mustangs rolled over the Bulldogs 42-14 in 2021. Singleton piled up 137 yards on the ground and 3TD. He’s now in his sophomore season at Penn State. Singleton was named the Big Ten Freshman of the Year in 2022.

I’ll be in West Lawn on Friday to provide updates of the latest chapter in this heated rivalry.

Wilson-Gov. Mifflin Rivalry

Paul Roberts — Thu, 29 Sep 2022 19:24:00 +0000

West Lawn and Shillington are only separated by 3.2 miles. When you talk about rivalries in Berks County, it’s hard to top Wilson vs. Gov. Mifflin. The Bulldogs and Mustangs will square off on the football field for the 65th time this Saturday afternoon. Wilson has won four straight after dropping its opener to Roman Catholic 46-15. Gov. Mifflin comes in at (2-3).

Wilson leads the overall series (37-27). The Bulldogs have come out on top in eight of the last eleven encounters, but the Mustangs have won two in a row in resounding fashion. Nick Singleton rumbled for 160 yards and 4TD in 2020. Gov. Mifflin cruised to a 48-7 victory. Singleton also completed a 46-yard pass in that one. The Mustangs rolled over the Bulldogs 42-14 a season ago. Singleton piled up 137 yards on the ground and 3TD. He’s now averaging nine yards per carry at Penn State with four scores in four games.

I’ll have live updates and postgame reaction from Shillington on Saturday. Kickoff is set for 1pm.

Wilson-Mifflin Rivalry

Paul Roberts — Wed, 01 Sep 2021 21:27:00 +0000

When it comes to rivalries in Berks County, Wilson vs. Gov. Mifflin is at the top of the list. It’s the local version of Eagles-Cowboys, Yankees-Red Sox, Duke-UNC, and Army-Navy. This rivalry dates back to 1954. Wilson shutout Gov. Mifflin 27-0 in that first meeting.

The Mustangs rattled off 12 consecutive wins in the series from 1955-‘66. The Bulldogs put together a six-game winning streak from 1976-‘81. Doug Dahms joined the Wilson coaching staff in 1976 and never left. Dahms is now in his 16th season as the head coach.

The Bulldogs dominated the series from 1987-‘2003; winning 12 of the 13 matchups by an average of 30 points per game. The rivals did not face each other in 2004 and 2005. In 2006 and 2007, Gov. Mifflin took three in a row from Wilson. The Mustangs rolled to a 47-13 victory in the District 3 semifinals in 2006.

Wilson has prevailed in eight of the last ten games against Gov. Mifflin. However, the Mustangs blew out the Bulldogs 48-7 last year. Penn State commit Nick Singleton ran for 160 yards and 4TD. He also completed a 46-yard pass!

The 64th meeting between Wilson and Gov. Mifflin is set for Friday night in Shillington. The Bulldogs lead the overall series (37-26). I’ll be there to provide scoring updates. Can’t wait!