Fritz, Red Knights rebound with win over rival Muhls
2024 Berks football coverage
presented by UECU
(This story will be updated later tonight with additional details and postgame reaction.)
By Sean McBryan — MikeDragoSports.com correspondent
The “Battle of the Border” trophy is staying at Reading High for the third straight year.
The Red Knights clipped rival Muhlenberg 34-20 Friday night at Albright College’s Shirk Stadium, defeating the Muhls for the third season in a row.
Reading High quarterback Kayson Fritz passed for 128 yards and a touchdown and rushed for 116 yards and a touchdown to lead the Red Knights (1-1), who rebounded after a 25-point loss to Phoenixville in Week 1.
The Muhls (1-1) were riding high after an upset victory over Schuylkill Valley in Week 1, but could not stop the Red Knights rushing offense, which piled up 275 yards on the ground behind an offensive line led by college prospect Keyshawn Efese.
Julio Castro recovered a fumble on Muhlenberg’s first offensive possession and the Red Knights drove 55 yards in six plays before Gabe Laws’ 12-yard TD run with 8:57 left in the first quarter.
Cam Small, a Reading High transfer, scored a 1-yard TD for the Muhls to finish a 15-play, 86-yard drive with 9:12 to go in the second quarter.
Fritz answered with a 7-yard touchdown run on Reading’s next drive and Small scored another 1-yard TD on the Muhls’ to tie the game at 14-14 with 3:49 before halftime.
Alexis Alvarado atoned for his fumble on Reading’s next possession by intercepting Muhlenberg quarterback Christian Coley five plays later.
The Red Knights capitalized with Fritz’s 24-yard touchdown pass to Jared Santos with 23 seconds left before the break.
Reading rushed for 64 yards in five plays to start the third quarter and Alvarado pounded it in the end zone from the 1 to give the Red Knights a 27-14 advantage just 1:34 into the quarter.
Small’s third touchdown of the game — this one from 16 yards out — cut Reading’s lead to 27-20 with 7:38 left in the third.
The Muhls had two opportunities to draw even closer after they recovered Reading fumbles in the third and fourth quarters, but the Red Knights made the winning plays in the end.
Laws scored touchdown No. 2 with a 2-yarder just 38 seconds into the fourth quarter to give the Red Knights a two-score lead and Jeremiah Camara intercepted a pass with 5:49 left in the game to seal it.
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Final | |
| Muhlenberg | 0 | 14 | 6 | 0 | 20 |
| Reading High | 7 | 14 | 6 | 7 | 34 |
Scoring summary
| 1 | Reading High | Laws, 12 run (Guzman kick) | 8:57 |
| 2 | Muhlenberg | Small, 1 run (Coley run failed) | 9:12 |
| 2 | Reading High | Fritz, 7 run (Guzman kick) | 7:17 |
| 2 | Muhlenberg | Small, 1 run (Small run) | 3:49 |
| 2 | Reading High | Santos, 24 pass from Fritz (Guzman kick) | 0:23 |
| 3 | Reading High | Alvarado, 1 run (Guzman kick missed) | 10:26 |
| 3 | Muhlenberg | Small, 16 run (Ortiz run failed) | 7:38 |
| 4 | Reading High | Laws, 2 run (Guzman kick) | 11:22 |
Team statistics
| MUHLENBERG | READING HIGH | |
| First downs | 18 | 15 |
| Rushes-yards | 46-218 | 45-275 |
| Passing yards | 85 | 128 |
| Total yards | 303 | 403 |
| Passes | 11-23-2 | 10-11-0 |
| Fumbles-lost | 1-1 | 5-3 |
| Punts-average | 2-26.5 | 1-30 |
| Penalties-yards | 11-92 | 12-120 |
Individual statistics
RUSHING
Muhlenberg: Small 28-165, Baez 8-43, Miller 5-10, Grullon 2-8, Ortiz 1-(-1), Lacey 1-(-1), Coley 1-(-6).
Reading High: Fritz 16-116, Alvarado 12-69, 10-68, Boston 3-19, Beatty 1-6, Team 3-(-3).
PASSING
Muhlenberg: Coley 8-15-1—62, Baez 3-8-1—23.
Reading High: Fritz 10-11-0—128.
RECEIVING
Muhlenberg: Miller 9-80, Buzydlowski 1-3, Burr 1-2.
Reading High: Beatty 7-60, Santos 2-57, Samuel 1-11.
INTERCEPTIONS
Reading High: Alvarado, Camara.
