Berks Sports Report Paul Roberts
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).
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 (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.