Lifelong memories, bragging rights at stake as Wilson plays rival Gov. Mifflin
Ayden Martin remembers the first time he played a football game against Wilson.
He was in fifth grade, playing for the Broncos against Lincoln Park. It was pouring rain. A scoreless first half. Early in the second half he returned a kickoff for a touchdown.
“We won on that play,” the Gov. Mifflin senior recalls.
In the years since Martin been part of Gov. Mifflin’s only district championship team, played a key role on the top-ranked team in the state and earned a scholarship to play at Monmouth University.
Yet he still remembers a game seven years ago, playing for the Mites and against Wilson for the first time. He’ll carry those thoughts with him as he runs onto the field Saturday at 1 for his final game against the Bulldogs in a non-league game at Mifflin Stadium.
Despite the unusual timing — midseason, rather than a season-opener or a season finale as many games in this tradition-rich series have been played — it’s still a big game. Maybe the biggest on the schedule for each.
“We’re always a little bit more excited for this game, especially with it being our Homecoming,” said Mifflin senior lineman Clayton Reynolds. “We want to come out and put on a show for our school and get everyone in the spirit of Homecoming. I’m definitely more excited for this one than some of the others.”
It won’t count in the league standings — the Bulldogs (4-1) play in Section 1 of the Lancaster-Lebanon League, the Mustangs (2-3) in Section 2 — but it will be pivotal for each team’s district playoff hopes. Wilson needs to win out if it wants to compete for the top seed or earn a couple home games in the District 3 Class 6A tournament.
The Mustangs have little margin for error just to make the Class 5A tournament; a 4-1 finish should get them in but they’ve still got a game looming against state-ranked and unbeaten Manheim Central. A .500 regular season might leave them on the wrong side of the bubble.
Cliche as it may sound this is always a huge game regardless of the records.
The records didn’t seem to matter in 40 years ago when the Mustangs entered the season finale with 2-8 mark and handed legendary Bulldogs coach John Gurski an 8-7 loss in his final game. A decade earlier the Bulldogs sent revered Mifflin coach Ray Linn out the door with a 21-0 loss in the final game of his championship-packed 18-year run at the school (he later returned to coach the team for three seasons).
For the last decade the teams have played for a traveling trophy that is named in honor of Gurski and Linn. Like the game itself the trophy is huge; it takes several players to hoist.
Not that they’ll mind.
| 2021 | Gov. Mifflin | 42-14 |
| 2020 | Gov. Mifflin | 48-7 |
| 2019 | Wilson | 61-14 |
| 2018 | Wilson | 42-28 |
| 2017 | Gov. Mifflin | 21-14 |
| 2016 | Wilson | 38-7 |
| 2015 | Wilson | 14-3 |
| 2014 | Wilson | 35-34 OT |
| 2013 | Wilson | 38-7 |
| 2012* | Wilson | 21-14* |
| 2012 | Wilson | 21-0 |
“It’s Mifflin-Wilson,” said Bulldogs coach Doug Dahms, knowing nothing more needs to be said of a rivalry that dates to the 1950’s (earlier if you count Shillington High’s games against Wilson).
“(Winning) this game means you’ll have bragging rights for the rest of your life,” Dahms said. “You can ask any of the coaches on our staff who played in that game the score their senior year and they’ll tell you. And that’s 20, 30, 40 years ago. It’s just that kind of game.”
The Wilson seniors will be determined to go out on top. They have absorbed back-to-back one-sided losses, 48-7 and 42-14, in large part because the Mustangs featured touchdown-machine Nick Singleton. The 41-point win at Mifflin Stadium in 2020 was the biggest ever for the Mustangs in the 64-game series.
The Bulldogs won’t mind not game-planning for Singleton, who’s now miles away and in a Penn State uniform. Dahms, strangely, says he’ll miss the challenge.
“As funny as it sounds, I like trying to prepare for somebody like that,” he said. “From a coaching standpoint, it’s something you look forward to. You can get your kids sky-high.”
The Mustangs won’t be nearly as difficult to stop this time around. The offense is no longer stuck in overdrive as it has been the last several years. It’s ranked fifth in total offense among seven teams in Section 2 and 28th overall in the 37-team mega conference. Mifflin is averaging 17.8 points per game, 30 less than a year ago.
“Keep in mind (running back/receiver) Ayden Martin’s been (playing) hurt,” Dahms said. “He’s a good football player.
“My big concern is (their) offensive and defensive lines, because they’re big. Are we going to be able to withstand that? That’s where this game’s going to be won. It’s going to be trench warfare.”
The Bulldogs have won four straight and have made strides each week since a one-sided season-opening loss to Roman Catholic. Tommy Hunsicker, a first-year starter at quarterback, has made marked improvements over the last month. He’s thrown just one interception during the current winning streak. Last week he completed 8-of-12 passes with three TDs in a 36-13 win over Cedar Crest; he also ran for 88 yards.
“He was putting the ball on a dime down the field,” Mifflin coach Jeff Lang said. “Every throw he made was pretty much on the money. He’s throwing the ball well and running well. And up front their linemen are athletic and aggressive and can move.”
And then there’s Cam Jones, who has taken over duties at tailback. He ran for 113 yards last week and scored three touchowns. He’s accounted for 14 of Wilson’s 21 TDs — three on punt returns.
“Cam Jones is making plays all over the place,” Lang said.
