Mustangs’ upset bid falls short, but future bright as can be
2024 Berks basketball coverage presented by
Utilities Employees Credit Union
By Sean McBryan — MikeDragoSports.com correspondent
NEFFSVILLE — Young Gov. Mifflin had senior-laden Manheim Township on the ropes in the first half of Monday’s District 3 Class 6A girls basketball first-round game in Neffsville.
The sixth-seeded Blue Streaks’ experience took over in the second half as they pulled away for a 70-51 victory over the No. 11 Mustangs.
Township advances to a quarterfinal against third-seeded Central Dauphin Thursday. Mifflin’s season is over.
“I told the kids just getting here was big,” Gov. Mifflin coach Mike Clark said. “People didn’t think we’d get here with all the freshmen we have and only three seniors.”
The Mustangs (15-10), who start three freshmen and give another key minutes off the bench, led 26-23 at halftime before Blue Streak seniors Sarah Kraus, Ava Byrne, and Kaitlyn Musser bombarded them with a 25-9 third quarter.
Byrne scored eight of her game-high 27 points, Kraus hit three 3’s for nine of her 24 points, and Musser hit two 3’s for six of her 10 points as the Blue Streaks (19-5), who start four seniors and a junior, completed the second-half comeback.
Gov. Mifflin senior Taylor Koenig led the Mustangs with 15 points in her final high school game. Koenig has experienced the ups and downs of a high school basketball career and has been an imperative leader for the talented group of freshmen to learn from.
“I was super-proud for Taylor and this team for helping her get back to the Santander,” Clark said. “That was the big thing because we should’ve gotten there last year and we didn’t. It was nice to get her to at least one district game.”
Koenig was limited to 11 games her freshman season after she had a lengthy quarantine when a family member contracted COVID-19. She played in all 26 games her sophomore season, leading the Mustangs in scoring and to the county title. Last season she was limited to 10 games as she dealt with a knee injury; Mifflin lost in the BCIAA quarterfinals.
“It’s really changed me as a person, not just as a basketball player,” said Koenig, who finishes her career with 868 points. “I’m more excited to go to the next level now. I feel like I’m not as sad that it’s over rather than realizing I had a good experience. I look at all the positives and look forward to the future.”
Koenig again bounced back this season with a league-high 66 3’s, a team-high scoring average, an All-Berks selection, and a group of freshmen looking up to her. That squad pushed county champion Wyomissing in the BCIAA semifinals and got Koenig one last taste of district playoff basketball.
“It felt really awesome because I knew if I played all season last year I would’ve had a better opportunity to get (All-Berks),” Koenig said. “Getting it this year was a great way to end my high school career.”
Koenig has narrowed her college decision to Alvernia, Arcadia, and Wilkes. She wants to be an elementary school teacher and plans to minor in special education.
“She was a rock for me the last four years,” Clark said of Koenig.
Freshmen Bella Super, Brooklyn George, Bridget Martin, and Hanna West will try to learn from the losses to end this season as the Mustangs’ core nucleus moving forward.
Super, an all-division pick, had 12 points, nine rebounds, four assists, and two steals after averaging 12 points per game. George had eight points, nine rebounds, and three assists and was an honorable mention choice on the all-league team, which was announced Monday.
West hit two 3’s and scored 10 points as her role increased as the season progressed.
“The future is so bright,” Koenig said. “All of them love basketball. They work so hard. They are going to be so good the more they play and the more experience they get. I’m so excited to watch them because all of my schools are in PA, so I can come back and watch them grow.”
Correctable mistakes were made that ultimately led to the loss Monday as the Mustangs shot 1-for-8 from the foul line and committed twice as many turnovers as the Blue Streaks, many of them leading to easy buckets in the second half. The Blue Streaks mounted their comeback with a full-court press.
The Mustangs had success with their 2-3 zone initially before losing shooters a few times, opening the floodgates and letting the game get out of hand.
“We went to the Santander Arena and the national anthem was different,” Clark said. “We came here and the national anthem was completely different. It’s way more pressure. Playing in another county is different. They have to experience all of that and I think it’s going to go a long, long way.”
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Final | |
| Manheim Township | 16 | 7 | 25 | 22 | 70 |
| Gov. Mifflin | 12 | 14 | 9 | 16 | 51 |
| Blue Streaks (19-5) | FG | FT | 3’s | A | R | Points |
| Byrne | 12-23 | 3-7 | 0-3 | 4 | 6 | 27 |
| Kraus | 8-16 | 2-2 | 6-10 | 2 | 5 | 24 |
| Weaver | 2-8 | 2-2 | 1-3 | 5 | 3 | 7 |
| Musser | 3-9 | 1-2 | 3-7 | 5 | 5 | 10 |
| Carpenter | 0-2 | 0-0 | 0-2 | 1 | 3 | 0 |
| Byler | 1-3 | 0-0 | 0-0 | 0 | 4 | 2 |
| Young | 0-1 | 0-0 | 0-0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| Totals | 26-62 | 8-13 | 10-25 | 17 | 27/33 | 70 |
| Mustangs (15-10) | FG | FT | 3’s | A | R | Points |
| Koenig | 7-10 | 0-2 | 1-3 | 4 | 5 | 15 |
| Super | 5-14 | 0-0 | 2-3 | 4 | 9 | 12 |
| George | 3-9 | 1-2 | 1-5 | 3 | 9 | 8 |
| Martin | 0-2 | 0-0 | 0-0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| Estrada | 0-0 | 0-2 | 0-0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| West | 4-7 | 0-0 | 2-5 | 2 | 2 | 10 |
| Gonzalez | 0-0 | 0-0 | 0-0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Vazquez | 3-4 | 0-2 | 0-0 | 0 | 1 | 6 |
| Case | 0-0 | 0-0 | 0-0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Basaki | 0-0 | 0-0 | 0-0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Thomas | 0-0 | 0-0 | 0-0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Ortiz | 0-0 | 0-0 | 0-0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Tobin | 0-0 | 0-0 | 0-0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Totals | 22-46 | 1-8 | 6-16 | 13 | 27/30 | 51 |
Turnovers: Gov. Mifflin 20, Manheim Township 9. Team rebounds: Gov. Mifflin 3, Manheim Township 6.
