Football notebook: A Bulldog scores with Mustangs; more honors for Jven Williams

A former Bulldog dropped by Shillington recently to share some life lessons with the Mustangs.

Alex Auston, a Hall of Fame running back at Wilson from 1994-97, shared his story about a difficult transition from football player to student and soldier; the Mifflin players loved it, their coaches said.

“He did a beautiful job,” said former Mustangs head coach Mick Vecchio, who read about Auston’s life story and invited him to speak to the team. “(We look for) any opportunity to have a kid who turned himself around like that to speak to the kids.”

“He had a great message,” said Mifflin head coach Jeff Lang. “The kids were really into him.”

Auston was a record-setting running back at Wilson who earned a scholarship to play at Michigan State; he admits he didn’t appreciate his early opportunities and later realized he wasn’t as focused as a student as he should have been.

A career in the Army that included two combat tours in Iraq transformed every aspect of his life and provided perspectives he didn’t have while playing football or attending school.

“He told the kids he regretted not focusing on academics,” Lang said. “His message to the kids is that you’ve gotta find something in life you’re passionate about and go after it with full force.”

Sgt. First Class Auston did that in the military, where life lessons and discipline emphasized by Gerry Slemmer and other Wilson coaches eventually hit home.

He took advantage of his opportunities in the Army and completed a college degree last fall in human resources management. He calls that his proudest life accomplish. Now he’s working toward a master’s in project management.

Auston was inducted into the Berks County Football Coaches Association Hall of Fame earlier this year.

“Any time we have an opportunity to get a former player who I know is going to give (this kind of) message, the kids can’t hear that enough,” Vecchio said. “They hear (these messages) from their parents, they hear them from (teachers and coaches), but when it comes from somebody else it means a little more.”

“He talked about how it was so important to be accountable (in life),” Lang said, “that if you didn’t do something correctly (in combat) it was matter of life and death. Playing football gives you that kind of discipline.

“The kids need to hear that stuff about life. Football is more than winning and losing, it’s about creating men of character. That’s what we’re after.”

All-American status

Two months ago few people knew about the ability of Jven Williams. Now the Wyomissing offensive lineman has been invited to play in a national all-star game.

The 6-4, 310-pound junior has been picked to participate in the 2023All American Bowl, a prospect laden showcase which includes the 100 best high school players in the nation.

Gov. Mifflin senior Nick Singleton will participate in the 2022 game, scheduled for Jan. 8. He is one of three Pennsylvania players invited.

Williams was selected as Berks Football League Section 2 Offensive Lineman of the Year earlier in the week. He continues to pick up major college offers. He has received at least 17 offers, the most recent coming from Michigan State and South Carolina.

Penn State offered in late September.

White lightning

It may have seemed like pre-game posturing when Wilson coach Doug Dahms said last week that he thought York High’s Jahiem White was every bit as good a running back as Gov. Mifflin’s Nick Singleton, regarded by some as the top back in the nation.

Dahms was standing by those words this week, in light of White’s performance in a 50-32 loss to Wilson in the opening round of the District 3 Tournament. The junior went for 227 yards and three TDs on 26 carries.

“Everybody thought I was nuts when I said he might be better than Singleton,” Dahms said earlier this week. “I still believe that. This kid makes three or four cuts and he still runs you over; he’s the real deal.”

The 5-9, 180-pound White has offers from Bowling Green and Old Dominion. Singleton committed to Penn State this summer; his final five included Alabama, Notre Dame and Wisconsin.

Singleton ran for 137 yards and three TDs on 14 carries in a 42-14 win over Wilson early in the season.

“Size may be holding him back,” Dahms said of White. “He’s gonna have a slew of offers before this is said and done.”

High-test runners

Four Berks running backs are averaging better than 10 yards per carry (with 50 or more rushing attempts) and they’re all in action this weekend.

Gov. Mifflin’s Nick Singleton leads the way at 12.4 yards per carry. He averaged 12.5 a pop last season, a Mifflin modern-day record.

Hamburg’s Diohnny Ruiz is averaging 11.5 yards per carry. Only one other Hawks ballcarrier has averaged higher in a season: Patrick Murphy (12.2) in 2010.

Wyomissing’s Amory Thompson and Hamburg’s Pierce Mason are averaging 10.8 yards per carry.

The Mustangs, Hawks and Spartans all advanced in the District 3 Tournament last weekend.