Taylor Koenig’s return gives defending champ Mifflin late-season spark

By Sean McBryan — MikeDragoSports.com correspondent

The defending Berks League champions have gained a significant reinforcement at a critical time in the season.

Taylor Koenig, who led Gov. Mifflin in scoring last season at 12.9 points per game, returned from a knee injury Tuesday for the Mustangs. Koenig scored 26 points in her first game back as the Mustangs defeated Cedar Crest 64-56. The Falcons are 12-5.

The Mustangs (5-2 Berks I, 7-8) beat upstart Exeter (4-3 Berks II, 7-8) 71-30 Thursday in a crossover game. Nine players scored for Mifflin, with seven players scoring five or more points. Anyah Ortiz led the way with 13 points; Koenig had 12 off the bench.

Koenig’s 3-point prowess helps open up the Mustangs’ offense, especially for Ortiz and Shakyla Mayo, who are skilled at driving to the rim. Koenig hit 48 3’s last season — second-most in Berks — and has hit seven already this season.

The Mustangs have won four in a row (over Wilson and Conrad Weiser without Koenig) after a 3-8 start and have positioned themselves to defend their Berks crown.

Gov. Mifflin, Wilson, and Reading High each have a 5-2 record in Berks I, trailing Berks Catholic, which is 6-0. The Saints play Daniel Boone Friday.

All four division winners make the BCIAA playoffs. The winner of the crossover game between the Berks I and II runners-up gets a bid. The same occurs with the winner of the crossover game between the Berks III and IV runners-up. The final two teams are selected off highest remaining power ranking; only four teams from the same division can make the eight-team field.

A district berth still isn’t out of the question if the Mustangs can finish strong. They are currently No. 18 in the District 3 Class 6A rankings; the top 12 make it. Gov. Mifflin has remaining games against Central Bucks West, Muhlenberg, Reading High (No. 10 in 6A), Lower Dauphin (No. 5 in 5A), Twin Valley, Berks Catholic (No. 3 in 4A), and Wilson (No. 16 in 6A).