District 3 playoff preview: Gov. Mifflin vs. Cumberland Valley
2024 Berks football coverage presented by
Utilities Employees Credit Union
District 3 Class 6A
First round
No. 9 Gov. Mifflin (5-5) vs. No. 8 Cumberland Valley (5-5)
Kick: Friday, 7, at Chapman Field, Mechanicsburg.
Series: Tied 1-1. Mustangs won 2014 district quarterfinal 49-7; Eagles won 2008 district semifinal 44-0.
Mustang update: Finished fourth in Section 2 of the Lancaster-Lebanon League, behind Conestoga Valley, Exeter, and Ephrata. . . Five losses have all come to district playoff qualifiers. . . Beat just one district playoff qualifier, Hempfield, 28-23 in Week 3. . . Senior FB Grady Garner is seventh in the league in rushing with 1,296 yards. . . Has rushed for 100 or more yards seven times, with a season-high of 207 against Hempfield . . . He needs 104 yards to become just the sixth in program history to top 1,400. . . Has scored 20 of team’s 43 TDs. . . Lebon Leaf is averaging 12.5 yards per carry and has five TDs. . . QB Javien Pletz has run for 8 TDs, three more than he’s thrown for. . . He threw for season-high 187 yards last week. . . Ranked No. 4 in the league in rushing (274 yards per game) and No. 7 in total yards (359). . . . Surrendered more passing yards than anyone in the 37-team league; ranked No. 32 in total defense. . . Making 17th district appearance, and first in three years. . . Only championship came in 2020. . . This is first district playoff game since a 31-28 loss to Exeter in 2021 championship game.
Did you know? Cumberland Valley won the longest game in District 3 history, beating Central Dauphin 62-61 in six overtimes in the 2015 championship game.
Eagles update: Finished fifth in Commonwealth Division of Mid-Penn Conference, behind Harrisburg, State College, Bishop McDevitt and C.D. East. . . Highlight of season was a 24-21 win at Harrisburg in Week 8. . . Freshman Colton Stamy made his first start at QB last week in a 38-14 win over Cedar Cliff and excelled, completing 22-of-34 passes for 269 yards and four TDs. . . Offense has been spotty this season, scoring two or fewer touchdowns in six games. . . Averaging just 2.4 yards per carry. . . Cumberland Valley has won 13 District 3 championships, fourth-most, behind only Manheim Central (18), Bishop McDevitt (17) and Steel-High (16). . . Eleven of the 13 titles came in Class 4A, when that was the largest classification. The Eagles have not won a championship in the eight seasons since the expansion to six classes. . . Eliminated in quarterfinals last year 37-27 by Manheim Township. . . Last district championship came in 2015.
Fast fact: Cumberland Valley is 8-1 in district openers, including a 20-14 win over Wilson 20-14 last season at Chapman Field. . . Gov. Mifflin is 10-2 in district openers and has won six straight.
Winner gets: No. 1 Manheim Township, at Kruis Stadium, Nov 8.
