Rob Flowers came into his first game as the Muhlenberg head football coach looking for a win, and he did not disappoint the packed crowd at Laureldale.
The Muhls, 1-9 last year, defeated Schuylkill Valley 29-20 in front of an energized fan base excited for promising changes. The Panthers were 9-3 last season.
And promising changes are exactly what they saw Friday night.
The Panthers opened up with the hit hand and took a 7-0 lead following an opening 8-yard touchdown pass by Logan Nawrocki to Logan Cammauf.
The Panthers completed a 15-play 80-yard drive that lasts close to eight minutes on the opening scoring drive.
However, that lead was short lived as Fred Lacey began his standout performance and returned the ensuing kickoff 95 yards for a touchdown.
Not backing away, Flowers decided to go for two and converted on a run by Cameron Small.
In the second quarter, Muhlenberg played solid defense and allowed just two Schuylkill Valley first downs in the second half.
Mike Miller led the offense in the first half, with six Carrie’s for 61 yards and a touchdown.
Miller extended the lead after starting a run up the middle, found a hole outside and took it 29 yards to the house for a touchdown. Flowers decided to go for 2 once again and converted with a run by Adriel Baez.
The Muhls led 16-7 at halftime.
The Panthers came out of the halftime locker room with the hotter hand, however, as Logan Nawrocki went 3-for-3 passing and completed a 3-play 67-yard drive with a 50-yard touchdown pass to Lucas Spotts.
Spotts caught the ball over the middle, shook off a tackler and was off to the races for the score with 10:22 remaining in the third.
Late in the third quarter, Muhlenberg had the ball at Schuylkill Valley’s 7-yard line after a 52-yard pass from Christian Coley to Cameron Small helped get the Muhls deep in Panthers’ territory.
At the start of the fourth, Muhlenberg failed to score on fourth and goal from the 10.
Holding a 16-14 lead, the Muhls added momentum when Lacey intercepted Nawrocki and returned the interception ten yards for the touchdown.
Muhlenberg failed to convert the two point conversion and, as was a common theme in this game, Schuylkill Valley responded in quick succession.
With 10:37 left in the game, Logan Nawrocki shook off the interception with a 45-yard touchdown pass to Kowen Gerner. After both teams exchanged penalties on the first two attempts, Schuylkill Valley failed to convert the 2-point conversion.
Holding a slim 22-20 lead, Mike Miller took over on the ground for the Muhls. After starting at their own 29, the Muhls picked up three first downs and Miller rushed twice for 59 yards to put Muhlenberg at the Panthers’ 1.
Cameron Small punched it in from the 1 and Derek Shupp kicked the extra point to give the Muhls a 29-20 lead.
On Schuylkill Valley’s ensuing possession, the Panthers advanced to the Muhls 23 before and offensive pass interference penalty followed by a 16-yard sack from Dequan Small put Schuylkill Valley at third and long.
Facing fourth and 27 with 3:42 to go, the Panthers could not convert as Fred Lacey picked up his second interception of the night and returned it for 50 yards.
Muhlenberg ran out the clock to secure the win.
Source: Berkshire mont
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