Big things ahead for Muhls’ Cameron Small
2024 Berks football coverage presented by
Utilities Employees Credit Union
Muhlenberg’s berth in the Eastern Conference playoffs will give Cameron Small a chance to make history Friday night.
The junior tailback needs 158 yards to become just the fourth in Berks history and 10th in Lancaster-Lebanon League history to rush for 2,000 yards in a season.
He needs 41 yards to match Jason Reinhart’s program record of 1,883 yards, set in 1998.
Small leads the league with 1,842 yards in 10 games; he is averaging 8.0 yards per carry.
Muhlenberg (3-7) plays Williams Allen (3-7) at J. Birney Crum Stadium Friday at 7 in the Eastern Conference Class 5A/6A championship game.
Small can join Central Catholic’s David Gilmore, Gov. Mifflin’s Nick Singleton, and Fleetwood’s Tyler Emge as the only Berks backs to top 2,000 yards in a season.
Gilmore set the record in 1983, rushing for 2,403 yards in 12 games.
The Lancaster-Lebanon League record belongs to Lancaster Catholic’s Roman Clay, who went for 2,497 yards in 2013.
(PhilMarPhoto)
Elco’s Jake Williams challenged that mark last season, finishing with 2,401 yards. Cocalico’s Randy Hall was the first, in 1994.
Small has already done something no other Berks back has done: He has rushed for 290 yards or more three times in the same season.
He went for 295 yards in Week 3 against Daniel Boone, 346 yards in Week 7 against Exeter, and 290 yards last week against Conestoga Valley.
Only two Berks backs have rushed for 300 or more yards twice in the same season: Daniel Boone’s Todd Schaeffer in 1998 and Central Catholic’s Joey Rys in 2010.
Singleton came close to having three games of 290 or more yards as a senior in 2021: He rushed for 330, 289, and 287 yards.
Small’s 346 yards against Exeter ranks No. 8 on the all-time Berks list. Daniel Boone’s Tanner Vanderslice set the Berks record with 403 yards in 2019. Coincidentally, Small and Vanderslice share the same head coach: Rob Flowers.
Flowers was the Muhls’ quarterback in 1998 when Reinhart set the program rushing record. At the time, Reinhart’s Muhlenberg record ranked No. 2 all-time in the county.
Singleton’s career record of 6,326 yards appears to be unreachable for Small, but with a big senior season he can become just the sixth Berks back to top 4,000 career yards.
Small, who got limited touches his first two seasons at Reading High, has 2,244 career yards.
Three other Lancaster-Lebanon League backs are within sight of 2,000 yards but each would need several playoff games to get there: Lancaster Catholic’s Brandon Way (1,665), Manheim Township’s Declan Clancy (1,611), and Exeter’s Jayden Zandier (1,473).
Berks single-season rushing leaders
| 1 | David Gilmore | Central Catholic | 2,403 | 1983 |
| 2 | Nick Singleton | Gov. Mifflin | 2,059 | 2021 |
| 3 | Tyler Emge | Fleetwood | 2,000 | 2014 |
| 4 | Angel Cruz | Conrad Weiser | 1,885 | 2012 |
| 5 | Jason Reinhart | Muhlenberg | 1,883 | 1998 |
| 6 | Cameron Small | Muhlenberg | 1,842 | 2024 |
| 7 | Joey Rys | Central Catholic | 1,835 | 2010 |
| 8 | Rodney Gillin | Wilson | 1,829 | 2010 |
| 9 | Brian Roth | Boyertown | 1,825 | 1977 |
| 10 | Eric Nangle | Exeter | 1,814 | 2021 |
| 11 | Julio Pellegrini | Central Catholic | 1,814 | 1974 |
| 12 | Pete Gilmore | Wilson | 1,810 | 1999 |
| 13 | Nate Romig | Daniel Boone | 1,805 | 2005 |
| 14 | Isaac Ruoss | Gov. Mifflin | 1,789 | 2017 |
| 15 | Jeff Niedrowski | Wilson | 1,788 | 1991 |
| 16 | Dave Dykie | Boyertown | 1,781 | 1990 |
| 17 | Ben Ortiz | Muhlenberg | 1,748 | 2013 |
| 18 | Marc Panepinto | Boyertown | 1,705 | 2002 |
| 19 | Rodney Gillin | Wilson | 1,704 | 2011 |
| 20 | Zacc Groff | Wilson | 1,702 | 2008 |
| 21 | Mel Fegely | Muhlenberg | 1,691 | 1993 |
| 22 | Nick Singleton | Gov. Mifflin | 1,690 | 2019 |
| 23 | Dan Ciabattoni | Holy Name | 1,688 | 2008 |
| 24 | Nate Reinhart | Central Catholic | 1,679 | 2006 |
| 25 | Iggy Reynoso | Wilson | 1,668 | 2016 |