As Labor Day weekend approaches, the last hoorah of summer, the Lancaster-Lebanon League will have action on Thursday and Friday heading into the long weekend.
On Thursday, the budding, down-the-road rivalry between Muhlenberg (0-1) and Reading High (0-1) highlights Week 2, the only Berks-Berks matchup on the league schedule.
Since taking over as head coach in 2022, Troy Godinet has guided the Red Knights to three wins over the Muhls, falling for the first time in his tenure last season in a 48-0 loss.
“It’s a big rivalry for the community, for our kids, both school districts,” Godinet said. “I have a lot of respect for Coach (Rob) Flowers and the coaches over there, but our kids are just locked in and dialed in, doing what they have to do, staying away from the chit-chat and focusing on us.”
Both squads are coming off Week 1 losses, with Muhlenberg falling to Cocalico, 40-21, and Reading High losing 27-14 to Phoenixville.
On a shortened week of preparation, both teams are looking to put their losses behind them as they ramp up toward Thursday.
For Rob Flowers’ squad, which lost a ton of talent from the skill positions from last year, including 2,000-yard rusher Cameron Small, his absence was certainly felt in its first action of the season.
The Muhls rushed for just 46 yards on 17 carries, an average of 2.71 yards per carry, an unusual sight in Laureldale in recent times. On the other side of the ball, the Eagles ran for a whopping 373 yards, dominating the trenches down after down.
“We did not perform at a level that is in alignment with what our program stands for,” Flowers said of Friday’s loss. “Not execution-wise, not presentation-wise, not representation-wise … It was a combination of the inexperience and some jitters along the way. But I was hoping that our program and operations could overweigh some of those things. And they will, it’s just we have to make some changes to certain things.”
Flowers stated the Muhls had not seen an offense like Cocalico’s, with the Eagles becoming a new opponent in 2026, making it difficult to replicate how to defend the run-heavy attack during practice.
The bright spot last Friday in Denver was junior Adriel Baez, who played sound football all around. Baez threw for 244 yards and three touchdowns, while also leading the team with 37 yards on the ground.
As for the Red Knights, Godinet thought his team came out and played to their keys: physical, fast and with energy and effort.
However, a few costly mistakes and penalties killed drives, but overall, the Red Knights showed some promise in Week 1.
Sophomore Eli Fleming made his second start at quarterback and displayed that he can be the long-term solution at the helm.
“We saw some growth and we saw him take control of the offense,” Godinet said of Fleming. “He’s going to continue to get better. He’s going to continue to feel more comfortable. He’s going to continue to grow in that position. We’re excited for his future.”
Heading into the rivalry with Muhlenberg, Godinet kept it simple when asked about the keys to coming out with a win: “Be the best us that we can be.”
There is no lack of emotion when the two schools meet. In any sport, for that matter, you can feel the intensity and rivalry in the air, setting the stage for what should be a hard-hitting matchup from start to finish.
On Friday, Exeter (1-0) hosts Spring-Ford in a non-league game.
The two squads have not met since 2019, when the Rams walked away with a 24-7 victory.
The Eagles are coming off a 28-6 victory over Norristown, jumping out to a 28-0 lead in the first half.
It’s no surprise Exeter will be a top Section 2 team all season long, and it looks as if the Eagles have found their next great running back in Josh Jackson.
The senior, who received carries last season behind 2,000-yard rusher Leo Brown, now at Kutztown University, made his debut as the Eagles’ next workhorse.
Jackson rushed for 147 yards and a score, looking to become the third consecutive 2,000-yard rusher for the Eagles. Jayden Zandier accomplished the feat in 2024.
The debut of junior quarterback Aiden Gerhart, who won the camp battle over fellow juniors Xavier Mercado and Stephon Fuller, came with a few bumps in the road but overall showcased what he is capable of.
Gerhart completed 9 of 19 passes for 97 yards and a touchdown, while adding another score with his legs, but threw two interceptions.
The Rams will be a good test in Week 2 for Exeter, as they’re coming off a 31-14 win over Souderton.
Spring-Ford, a member of District 1 Class 6A, won the Liberty Division in the Pioneer Athletic Conference a season ago.
In Week 1, the Rams trailed 14-6 but scored 25 unanswered points behind Jackson Wickersham’s three touchdowns, two through the air and a pick-six on defense.
Other key matchups in Week 2 include Twin Valley hosting Susquehanna Township in a rematch of last year’s District 3 Class 4A championship
The Raiders captured their first district championship with a 41-21 win, behind a 279-yard, three-touchdown performance from senior Drew Engle, and went on to make a PIAA Class 4A championship appearance.
The Indians led 21-20 at halftime, but it was all Raiders in the second half.
Heading into the rematch, Twin Valley is coming off a dominant 42-0 victory over Middletown, with Lucas Myers and Ailen Bazille both rushing for more than 100 yards and combining for three touchdowns.
Conversely, the Indians fell to West York, 19-9, in a defensive battle.
This week’s scheduleThursday
Wyomissing at Frankford, 3:30 p.m.
Executive Education at Berks Catholic, 6 p.m.
Muhlenberg at Reading High, 7 p.m.
Fleetwood at Upper Perkiomen, 7 p.m.
Milton Hershey at Conrad Weiser, 7 p.m.
Pottstown at Daniel Boone, 7 p.m.
York County Tech at Kutztown, 7 p.m.
Friday
Spring-Ford at Exeter, 7 p.m.
Wilson at Central Bucks West, 7 p.m.
Gov. Mifflin at Boyertown, 7 p.m.
Susquehanna Township at Twin Valley, 7 p.m.
Octorara at Schuylkill Valley, 7 p.m.
Hamburg at Northern Lebanon, 7 p.m.