Pflomm beat the (10-8, 8-4) Spartans for the second time this spring. The sidearm righty allowed just one earned run on four hits over 6.2 innings in their first meeting. The Saints prevailed 10-2 on April 8th. Pflomm wasn’t as sharp this time around. He gave up six runs, four earned, on eight hits in a complete game effort. The senior hit four batters, but didn’t issue any walks. Pflomm has a 2.46 ERA this year. He’s also batting .419 and is tied for the team lead with 17 RBI.

Noah Rauenzahn was charged with six runs on five hits and four walks. The Alvernia commit hit a pair of batters over three innings. Ryan Graham took over on the mound and allowed five runs, two earned, in 1.2 innings. The senior southpaw gave up three hits and four walks. He’s headed to Alvernia as well. Curran Cirulli was the third pitcher used by Wyomissing. The sophomore permitted five runs, three earned, on four hits over 1.1 innings. Cirulli handed out three walks. Berks Catholic first baseman Cole Harter reached base five times without a hit. He drew four walks and was hit by a pitch.

The Spartans got on the board first with two runs on three hits and an error in the first frame. Rauenzahn helped himself with a line drive single to center for a 1-0 lead. Cirulli then hit a high chopper over third base to bring in another run. The Saints responded with three runs in the second, including a two-run double down the left field line by sophomore Henry Lago. A sacrifice fly by Teddy White in the bottom half of the inning tied it at 3-3. Mejia put Berks Catholic back on top with a RBI single to left in the third. Mace followed with a two-run single down the third base line for a 6-3 advantage. Zander Westwood hammered a two-run triple to right in the bottom of the third. He scored on a groundout by Caleb Goodhead. It was knotted at 6-6 going to the fourth.

A two-run single to center by Mace quickly put the Saints in front 8-6. They tacked on three runs in the fifth, including a two-run double to left-center by Owen Schalk. He walked three times and scored three runs. Berks Catholic added five more runs in the top of the sixth. Pflomm delivered a three-run double to right-center. Mace made it 16-6 with a RBI single.

The Saints reached the BCIAA Championship Game a season ago before falling to Gov. Mifflin 11-1. The Berks County playoffs begin next Thursday. “It’s a very wide open county. I think we’re gonna have a good shot. I think we can make a really good run,” remarked Mace.

The (4-3) Saints put up two runs on three hits and a pair of walks in the bottom of the first inning. Dom Valent got things started with a single up the middle off senior Chase Bailey. Valent scored on a groundout to second by first team All-State pick Owen Schalk. Victor Mejia made it 2-0 with a RBI double down the left field line. Wyomissing got one run back in the top of the second thanks to two errors. Berks Catholic didn’t commit another error the rest of the game. The Saints tacked on two runs in the fourth for a 4-1 cushion. Gio DiSabatino and Valent provided RBI singles.

Senior southpaw Ryan Graham took over for Bailey in the fifth. Bailey allowed four runs on five hits with four strikeouts and four walks. Aidan Curley walked with one out in the fifth. After stealing second, he came home on a two-out single up the middle by Pflomm. Berks Catholic ended up with eight hits from six different players. Curley and Valent each had two hits and a walk.

The Saints blew it open with five runs in the sixth inning. After an error, freshman Austin Acevedo was hit by a pitch and Valent walked to load the bases with no outs. A bloop single to center by Jack Wentzel made it 6-1. Schalk walked to force in another run and a wild pitch gave Berks Catholic a 8-1 advantage. Curley then ripped a two-run single to left field. Graham was charged with six runs, five earned, on three hits in two innings. He walked three batters and struck out two. The Alvernia commit had two of the Spartans’ four hits. Graham was a second team All-State selection in Class 3A a season ago. He’s 13-for-23 with a team-high 11 RBI this year.

Sophomore Bennett Ernst came off the bench and knocked in a run with a groundout to third in the seventh. Pflomm reached the limit on pitches so Schalk got the final out. Pflomm has an interesting perspective on the rivalry with Wyomissing. “It’s probably one of the biggest in the county. I went to Wyomissing as a child so it’s different being on the other side, but I love it over here. I wouldn’t want it any other way,” he remarked. The Saints and Spartans tied for first place in Division 3 last spring with (9-3) league records.

Berks Catholic won 20 games in 2025 under Brandon Shurr. The Saints beat top-seeded Bermudian Springs 8-0 in the District 3-3A Championship. They advanced to the state semifinals for the first time in program history. Berks Catholic is searching for consistency this season. “I think this has to be the turning point. We were talking before the game how something has to change here. We haven’t played our best baseball. I’m pretty confident we can turn it around,” replied Pflomm. He added, “I know that we can make a deep run. I know what we have. They’re a great bunch of guys. We have a lot of talent.”

Gov. Mifflin went (50-7) over the previous two years with a state championship in 2024 and a District 3 title a season ago. However, the Mustangs lost eight starters to graduation including five All-State selections. Two of Wilson’s first three batters reached via errors. After Evan Glucksnis hit Kulp, Tim Lengle ripped a single down the first base line. RJ Weaver, a Juniata commit, made a diving attempt, but the ball bounced off his glove and two runs came home. Lengle went 2-for-4 with 4 RBI. “He’s been swinging it great all year. He’s just been hitting it right at people which happens. He’s got it in him and we know he’s gonna get hot,” noted Gabel.

Gov. Mifflin’s first hit didn’t come until the top of the fourth. It was a single to center by shortstop Aden Reiter. The (3-3) Bulldogs threatened in the bottom of the frame. Gabe Spohn and Matt Mallis drew back-to-back walks. Wilson had runners on second and third with nobody out, but Glucksnis got out of the jam. Ryan Marmolejos lined out sharply to left field with the bases loaded to end the threat. Glucksnis, who’s headed to Gettysburg College, kept the (3-4) Mustangs in the game. The 6’2, 200-pound righty gave up three runs, one earned, on two hits in 5.1 innings. He struck out six and walked six. Cam Zurawski got them on the scoreboard in the fifth. The Lebanon Valley commit provided an opposite field RBI single to left with two outs.

Spohn, who’s hitting .444 this year, worked another walk to begin the bottom of the sixth. Glucksnis had to come out after throwing 104 pitches. Charlie Ainge, who’s going to Penn State Altoona, took over on the mound with one out and a runner on second base. Following Gov. Mifflin’s third error, sophomore Logan Pettit delivered a pinch-hit RBI single to center. A bloop single to right by Gabel brought in two more runs to make it 5-1. The shortstop went 2-for-3 with a walk to increase his batting average to .381. Ainge wasn’t able to record an out. Owen Miller came out of the bullpen and walked Kulp with the bases loaded. Kulp has a team-high .500 average and 11 RBI through six games. Lengle gave the Bulldogs a 8-1 cushion with a two-run single to center. Wilson is hitting .337 as a team and averaging nine runs per game. “Going into the season, we thought pitching was gonna be our strong suit and hitting was gonna have to come around. Coming out of the gate, we’ve been putting up like 10-15 hits a game and putting runs up,” said Gabel.

Ainge was charged with five runs, four earned, on three hits and a walk. The Bulldogs ended up with six hits and eight walks. They didn’t make any errors. Kulp retired the final batter with a strikeout. The Mustangs earned their 16th BCIAA championship last year. There seems to be a lot more parity in Berks County this season. “Everybody can compete with everybody this year, but I think we’re the team to beat,” stated Gabel.

The Bulldogs jumped out to an 8-2 advantage and led 10-6 after the opening quarter. Akings hit a triple from the right wing to extend the margin to 31-18 with a minute left before halftime. Nehemiah McClean provided Wilson with a boost in the second quarter. The 6’2 senior forward drilled a pair of treys and scored eight points. “He’s very athletic, super athletic to be honest with you. He can make shots for us. I just don’t know all the time if his confidence is there,” noted Coldren. The (13-6, 7-3) Bulldogs were on top 31-21 at the break. They connected five times from beyond the arc in the first half.

The (8-10, 2-8) Mustangs didn’t go away quietly. They started the third quarter with an 11-to-2 run. Akings responded with a 3-pointer from the top of the key with two minutes remaining in the period. He was fouled on the shot and missed the free throw, but 6’4 sophomore Gabe Nyembo put home the offensive rebound for a 38-32 edge. Gov. Mifflin trailed 38-34 going into the fourth quarter. The Mustangs have struggled offensively all season, averaging 47 points per night.

Nick Kalis, a 5’11 senior, splashed a triple from the top of the key to tie it at 39-39 with seven minutes to go. Gov. Mifflin went scoreless for the next five minutes. Akings buried another shot from long range to make it 46-39 with 2:33 to play. John Lachina and his brother Mark answered with 3-pointers to pull the Mustangs within 48-45 with 1:26 left. A layup by Lebron Leaf got them even closer at 50-48 with 43 seconds to go. Wilson sealed the deal by scoring seven of the final nine points. Jayden Lockhart, Nechar Mercado, and Akings went 6-for-6 from the stripe down the stretch. Mike Glover split a pair of free throws with 28 seconds left to put the Bulldogs in front 55-50. He missed his second attempt, but Akings grabbed the offensive rebound to give Wilson an extra possession.

The Bulldogs were 20-of-28 from the foul line, while Gov. Mifflin went 12-of-20. Mercado, a sophomore point guard, chipped in with 13 points. “He’s coming along, he’s super tough for us. Defensively, he can be a nuisance with guys bringing the ball up. He’s got a real bright future for us,” remarked Coldren. Mercado jammed eight points into the final quarter and converted all six of his free throws. Peter Kelfala added nine points, all in the first half. Ian Fleming had a team-high 12 points for the Mustangs. He’s the only starter back from a squad that won 20 games last year and reached the state playoffs for the first time in program history. Leaf, the quarterback of the football team, contributed ten points. Mark Lachina came off the bench and hit three of Gov. Mifflin’s six treys. John Lachina and Kalis contributed eight points apiece. The Mustangs committed just six turnovers. They’ve dropped four of their last five games.

Meanwhile, Coldren earned his 445th victory over 25 years at the helm in West Lawn. He knows his team must be more focused with the challenges that lie ahead. “I’m a little disappointed and so are the kids. We have two big games with Reading and Muhlenberg coming up and the effort that we gave tonight is not gonna suffice when we play those two teams,” said Coldren. Wilson hosts the (14-5, 7-2) Red Knights on Friday.

The (1-5) Mustangs had pulled within 39-37 entering the final quarter. Neither team scored for two minutes. Glover knocked down a pair of free throws before Correll Akings found him underneath for a three-point play. Glover got another layup off an assist from Akings with 4:33 left which forced a timeout by second-year head coach Garrett Etzel. Nick Kalis sank a 3-pointer from the top of the key to make it 46-40. That was the lone field goal for Gov. Mifflin in the fourth period. “In the first three quarters, we kind of over helped and we left some shooters open. We talked about stunting a little bit more as opposed to leaving our guys. I still think we gotta get better defensively,” explained Coldren. He’s in his 25th season at the helm and holds the school record with 436 victories. Glover provided another three-point play with three minutes to go that gave Wilson a 50-40 advantage. The Mustangs were outscored 16-to-7 over the last six minutes.

The Bulldogs came out hot. They hit four triples in the opening quarter and were 6-of-12 from beyond the arc in the first half. Wilson was in front 14-11 after the first period and started the second quarter with a 8-to-2 run. A layup by sophomore guard Nechar Mercado put the Bulldogs on top 22-13 midway through the second period. Conner Moreland, another sophomore guard, came off the bench and drilled two treys in the first half. Wilson got 13 points overall from its reserves. Gov. Mifflin trailed 28-22 at the break. John Lachina made his third 3-pointer of the third quarter to bring the Mustangs within 37-35. The 5’9 senior had connected a total of five times from long range in their first five games. Lachina finished with a career-high 15 points. Ian Fleming and Lebron Leaf chipped in with seven points apiece. Kelfala had 17 points in the first three quarters for the Bulldogs, including a trio of 3-pointers. He’s averaging a team-high 12.5 ppg. this year.

After advancing to the second round of the PIAA-6A tournament a season ago, Wilson and Gov. Mifflin each lost four starters to graduation. The Mustangs have faced a very difficult schedule. Their five losses have come against opponents who were (20-4) going into Tuesday. The Bulldogs only setbacks have come against Central Dauphin and Berks Catholic. Wilson went 7-of-18 from long range against Gov. Mifflin and 12-for-15 from the charity stripe. The Mustangs hit four triples and were 14-of-18 from the foul line.

Glover was recently named the Outstanding Lineman of the Year in Section 1 of the Lancaster-Lebanon League. He had 35 catches for 572 yards and 7 TD as the Bulldogs went (9-3). Glover made 44 tackles, seven tackles for loss, and three sacks at defensive end. “I love being able to compete with my guys. I think the physicality of football translates to basketball, working in the post and rebounding,” he said. Coldren added, “I’d actually like him to be a little bit more selfish. I don’t think as a coaching staff we’ve done a good job of getting him the ball. We need to work on that because we need him to get some more touches.” Glover got the ball in crunch time against Gov. Mifflin and made the most of his opportunities.

Wilson was in front 15-7 after eight minutes and 30-16 at halftime. Jones provided seven points in the third quarter when she went 5-of-6 from the foul line. Ryan Leaman, a North Carolina lacrosse commit, gave the Bulldogs a boost with 14 points off the bench. “She can bring up the ball, push on transition, and give us the 3,” noted Jones. Leaman hit three of their six triples.

Kailani Hardy was the Bulldogs’ leading scorer a season ago when they went (20-10) and reached the second round of the state tournament. The 5’10 guard averaged 14 ppg. as a sophomore and was voted to the All-County team. Hardy was given the assignment of guarding Bella Super on Monday. The 5’7 junior was averaging 21 ppg. Super was a third team All-State pick in Class 6A last year. After scoring seven points in the first quarter, she was limited to two free throws the rest of the game. Raquet was thrilled with Hardy’s defensive effort. “It was unbelievable. I think she’s one of, if not thee best defender in the county. She shut her down tonight. She loves those matchups against the other team’s best player,” stated Raquet. Hardy also contributed eleven points, including nine in the second half. Wilson was on top 43-24 entering the final quarter.

Super is up to 938 career points. Jones isn’t far behind at 888. She’s averaging 14.3 ppg. this season. Violet Houck was a factor on both ends of the floor. The 6’ senior forward had 8 points and 11 rebounds. Houck is a three-time All-Division selection on the court and a record-setting hurdler on the track team. Bridget Martin finished with a team-high eleven points for the (4-3) Mustangs. Saray Renninger, a 5’10 sophomore, chipped in with nine points and Brooklyn George had six. Super, Martin, and George are all three-year starters for head coach Mike Clark. He’s won 319 games over 18 seasons, including four years at Oley Valley.

Gov. Mifflin struggled from long range. The Mustangs connected just three times from beyond the arc. They went 10-of-18 from the foul line, while the Bulldogs were 6-of-10. Wilson lost to Gov. Mifflin 60-56 in the BCIAA semifinals last season. The Bulldogs haven’t won a Berks County championship since 2014. “It’s definitely in my mind. We do not talk about it. We just stick to playing to our standards and taking it game by game,” said Jones.

Junior point guard LJ Armstrong added 19 points. “He’s been my running mate since we were in fifth grade. We know how each other play. I love that kid to death,” replied Hemmings. Armstrong was 7-of-14 from the foul line. Reading transfer Nelson “Coco” Malave provided 15 points against his former team. “I tell him every day I’m so happy he came. I’m so happy he transferred. I tell him I love him and we need him,” emphasized Hemmings. Malave had a key layup with 46 seconds left that put Muhlenberg in front 70-65. A putback by Mikal Portalatin pulled the Red Knights within 70-68 with ten seconds remaining. Armstrong split a pair of free throws with seven seconds to go before Reading committed one of several turnovers down the stretch.

Jostin DeCastro jammed ten points into the opening quarter. The 6’3 junior guard ended up with 21. “He’s a really good player. I have so much respect for him,” stated Hemmings. DeCastro is averaging 23 ppg. this season. The (3-1) Red Knights led 19-17 after eight minutes. The fire alarm went off in the gym with 3:31 to play in the second quarter. When the contest resumed, Reading rattled off seven straight points for a 37-27 advantage. Weshly Rosario, the lone senior in the Red Knights’ starting lineup, scored 14 of his 20 points in the first half. Both Rosario and DeCastro had three fouls at halftime. A three-point play by Hemmings gave the Muhls a 41-40 edge with 5:23 left in the third period. They would never look back. Jadin Perez, the son of Reading head coach Rick Perez, hit a jumper for Muhlenberg to make it 45-40. The Red Knights were down 61-55 entering the fourth quarter. Perez spent the past two years as an assistant for the Muhls. He’s now back with the program that he guided to a school-record 281 victories and three state championships over twelve seasons.

As expected, Reading didn’t go down without a fight. Javon Merriweather drained a triple from the left wing with two and a-half minutes on the clock. The 6’2 sophomore guard had 15 points on Thursday. Rosario splashed a 3-pointer from the right wing on their next possession to cut the deficit to 68-65 with 2:13 remaining. He was responsible for three of Reading’s seven treys. Neither team scored again until Malave’s drive down the right side of the lane in the final minute. Muhlenberg went 20-of-30 from the free throw line, while the Red Knights were 15-of-21. Jamier Jacob fouled out with 6:45 to go. The 6’3, 215-pound junior forward chipped in with eight points for Reading.

Hemmings called this a statement game for Muhlenberg. He knows that the Red Knights are a tough opponent. “That’s a very good team with very skilled players,” acknowledged Hemmings. Reading has won a record 25 BCIAA titles. The Muhls lost three of their last four league games a season ago and missed the Berks County playoffs. “I love these guys and I don’t want the season to end early,” said Hemmings.

Gov. Mifflin muffed the opening kickoff and Wilson wasted no time taking advantage. Young fired a wide receiver screen to his left and Jaiden Carpenter picked up three blocks which resulted in a 31-yard touchdown. Young and the speedy Carpenter have a very good relationship. “We’ve been friends for a long time. I remember the first time I met him. He’s always been fast. He’s really great,” said Young. The Mustangs responded with a seven minute drive. After reaching the 2-yard line, they settled for a 24-yard field goal from Lance Koenig. Wilson went 86 yards in just three plays to go in front 14-3 early in the second quarter. Sophomore Damian Greer caught a pass down the right seam and raced all the way across the field for a 64-yard score. Mike Glover made it 21-3 midway through the second period with a 74-yard touchdown reception. The All-State tight end ran right by his defender. Young hit the 6’3, 223-pound junior in stride down the left seam. Glover had two catches for 101 yards. Young likes having a big target to throw to. “It makes it really safe for you. It’s either him or the sideline. He’s a big body and he’s gonna make a play,” replied Young.

Gov. Mifflin opted to roll the dice late in the first half. Instead of punting, the (2-4) Mustangs went for it on fourth-and-2 at their own 33-yard line. Lebron Leaf was held to one yard. It only took the (5-1) Bulldogs three plays to cash in on the short field. A 2-yard touchdown run by senior Correll Akings extended the margin to 28-3 with 1:21 remaining before halftime. Young noted the significance of establishing an early lead against Gov. Mifflin. “I think it was very important. They run the ball maybe 90% of the time. They’ll hold the ball for six minutes. It’s definitely huge to get a lead,” explained Young.

Leaf and Young threw back-to-back interceptions in the third quarter. The Mustangs took over at Wilson’s 42-yard line following a pick by Pat Steuer. Leaf found a wide open Joe Murray for a 23-yard touchdown pass with 3:38 left in the third period. Akings then had a 60-yard TD run called back due to a penalty. The Bulldogs were penalized a dozen times for 117 yards. All of the miscues didn’t slow them down much. Monty Greer ran off the right side for a 13-yard score with 2:17 to play in the third quarter. Wilson led 35-10 at that point. Young saved his best for last. He somehow managed to avoid a sack before rolling right and connecting with Eli Dean for a 7-yard TD pass. That nifty play made it 42-10 with 7:50 left on the clock. “He’s playing well. He’s still missing some reads, but he threw some nice balls. [He] did a great job getting free on that one where he should’ve been sacked. Making plays like that, that’s what he does,” said head coach Doug Dahms.

Akings had a game-high 73 rushing yards on eleven carries. Steuer led Gov. Mifflin with 64 yards on eleven runs. Leaf was limited to 21 yards on eight carries. The 6’2, 197-pound senior was 6-of-10 for 74 yards through the air. The Mustangs averaged just 3.6 yards per carry in their triple-option attack. E.J. Brownback, a 218-pound junior linebacker, racked up 14 tackles. Glover and sophomore Braydon Farrell added nine tackles apiece. The Bulldogs showed off their depth at the skill positions and hoisted the Gurski-Linn Trophy once again.

The rivalry kicked off in 1954 with Wilson shutting out Gov. Mifflin 27-0. The Bulldogs lead the overall series (40-27). Wilson has taken 11 of the past 14 contests. The Bulldogs won 43-20 in Shillington last year. Madyx Gruber had a performance for the ages. The All-State selection tied a school record with five touchdown passes. Gruber went 15-of-20 for 232 yards. He also ran for a career-high 204 yards on 19 carries.

Gov. Mifflin put together a 12-game winning streak against Wilson from 1955-66. The Bulldogs won six straight in the rivalry from 1976-81. The 1981 team finished a perfect (11-0). From 1987-2003, Wilson dominated the series with the Mustangs. The Bulldogs won 12 of the 13 matchups by an average margin of 30 points. After not playing in 2004 and 2005, Gov. Mifflin bounced back with three wins in a row. An incredible crowd showed up for the District 3 semifinal in 2006. They saw the Mustangs roll over the Bulldogs 47-13. Dustin Manz ran for 176 yards and five touchdowns.

Penn State running back Nick Singleton made an imprint on this rivalry. In 2020, Singleton piled up 160 yards and 4TD in a 48-7 rout. Singleton ran for 137 yards and 3TD the following season as Gov. Mifflin defeated Wilson 42-14. He was named the Gatorade Player of the Year after his senior campaign.

The Bulldogs are considered the favorite this season. They’ve won four of their first five games. Mason Young is completing 68% of his passes in his first year at quarterback. He’s thrown for 905 yards with 13 touchdowns and five interceptions. Mike Glover, an All-State tight end, leads Wilson with 20 catches for 256 yards and three scores. The 6’3, 223-pound junior has added three sacks at defensive end. Senior running back Correll Akings has reached the end zone nine times. The Bulldogs’ defense is led by E.J. Brownback. The 5’11, 218-pound junior linebacker has already returned three interceptions for touchdowns. Brownback has a team-high 42 tackles. He made ten stops and had a sack against Gov. Mifflin last year.

Meanwhile, the (2-3) Mustangs have lost their last two contests. They allowed 78 points combined at Exeter and Muhlenberg. Gov. Mifflin is averaging just 225 total yards per game. Lebron Leaf is the Mustangs’ most dangerous weapon. The 6’2, 197-pound senior made the switch to quarterback this season. Leaf has 204 rushing yards and 6TD in their triple-option offense. He’s 26-of-54 through the air for 270 yards and two touchdowns.

I’ll be in West Lawn on Friday with live updates and postgame reaction.

Adriel Baez hit Mike Miller down the right sideline for 33 yards on the first play from scrimmage. The 5’10, 170-pound sophomore quarterback ended up 4-of-10 for 167 yards. “He’s coming along. I gotta remind our staff this guy is a young kid. He’s gonna continue to get better,” noted Flowers. On Muhlenberg’s second play, Cam Small took an inside handoff and raced 38 yards for a touchdown. The Red Knights, who have changed to the Wing-T offense this season, fumbled on their second play. Small capped a 41-yard drive with a 2-yard run out of the Wildcat formation. The All-State running back added another 2-yard touchdown run on the following possession. It was 21-0 with 6:30 remaining in the first quarter. Small went 27 yards to make it 28-0 with nine minutes to go before halftime. The 5’11, 185-pound senior broke free down the right sideline for an 80-yard touchdown run less than three minutes later. Small scored five times in just 18 minutes of game action. “His physical presence is a lot and he goes hard. What’s special about Cam that nobody can see is he loves the guys that are around him,” emphasized Flowers. Small piled up 210 yards on a dozen carries. The Muhls rumbled for 270 rushing yards. The offensive line includes right tackle Tony Ferreira (6’8, 304) and left guard Zavier Otero (6’, 290).

Baez lofted a perfect 46-yard touchdown pass to Freddy Lacey down the right sideline to extend the lead to 41-0 with 3:24 remaining in the second quarter. Lacey provided three catches for 122 yards. “He’s so explosive and he’s playing better this year. He’s very valuable,” said Flowers. The 6’3, 184-pound senior also came up with an interception in the third quarter. Miller completed the first half onslaught with a 6-yard touchdown run 90 seconds before the break. He had 56 yards on three carries.

Reading committed a trio of turnovers. Senior quarterback Jason Plylaharn was 6-of-14 for 76 yards and an interception. The (0-2) Red Knights could never establish a running attack. They have a lot of first-year starters after losing 24 players to graduation.

Meanwhile, Muhlenberg returned eight starters on offense and seven on defense. Flowers, who spent seven years as the head coach at Reading, knows all about this rivalry. “It means a lot to our kids nowadays. The kids were super excited about the trophy. I think they’re more excited than being (2-0) right now,” he said with a smile.