Muhlenberg can’t keep pace with Academy Park, drops fifth straight
2024 Berks football coverage presented by
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Academy Park 53, Muhlenberg 38
SHARON HILL – Javiehn Ortiz’s 86-yard kickoff return in the third quarter pulled Muhlenberg within six points of the lead but Academy Park answered with a quick touchdown and pulled away for a 53-38 non-league win Saturday.
The loss was the fifth straight for the Muhls after a promising 3-1 start.
Michael Miller scored a pair of touchdowns for Muhlenberg (3-6), his 74-yard run in the opening minute of the game giving his team its only lead. Cameron Small followed with a two-point conversion run to make it 8-0.
Kareem Moore passed for a two of his four touchdowns in the first quarter and threw a pair of conversion passes to put the Knights (5-4) on top 16-8. Moore finished 13-of-19 for 188 yards.
The Muhls tied it early in the second quarter when Miller scored on a 14-yard pass from Adriel Baez and Baez followed with a conversion run to make it 16-16.
Ortiz’s kickoff return, with 4:56 left in the third quarter, cut Academy Park’s lead to 36-30. The Knights answered in less than two minutes, with Moore throwing his fourth TD pass and Daniel Gbeaday tacking on a two-point run for a 44-30 lead.
Academy Park’s Randy Baker put the game away with a Pick-Six with 6:02 remaining, his 49-yard return making it 53-30.
Small scored on a 2-yard run and on a pair of conversion runs. He rushed for 123 yards on 26 carries
Baez scored on a 6-yard run with 1:21 remaining to close the scoring.
Small has rushed for 1,552 yards this season, fourth-most in program history. He is 331 away from the record of 1,883, set by Jason Reinhart in 1998.
Muhlenberg ends its season Friday at Conestoga Valley (9-0), which needs a win to clinch the Lancaster-Lebanon League Section 2 title. The Buckskins held off Exeter 28-27 Friday in a battle of unbeatens to claim sole possession of first place.
Academy Park, which plays in the Delaware Valley League, closes its regular season next Saturday vs. Interboro.
This was the first meeting between the programs.
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Final | |
| Muhlenberg | 8 | 8 | 14 | 8 | 38 |
| Academy Park | 16 | 13 | 15 | 9 | 53 |
Scoring summary
| 1 | Muhlenberg | Miller, 74 run (C. Small run) | 11:39 |
| 1 | Academy Park | Gbeaday, 24 pass from Moore (Gaymore, pass from Gbeaday) | 7:49 |
| 1 | Academy Park | Thomas, 33 pass from Moore (Baker, pass from Moore) | :31 |
| 2 | Muhlenberg | Miller, 14 pass from Baez (Baez run) | 8:27 |
| 2 | Academy Park | Barton, 77 run (run failed) | 8:03 |
| 2 | Academy Park | Acquoi, 5 pass from Moore (Gaymore kick) | :35 |
| 3 | Muhlenberg | C. Small, 2 run (run failed) | 7:12 |
| 3 | Academy Park | Gbeaday, 5 run (Gaymore kick) | 5:11 |
| 3 | Muhlenberg | Ortiz, 86 kickoff return (C. Small) | 4:56 |
| 3 | Academy Park | Baker, 52 pass from Moore (Gbeaday run) | 3:09 |
| 4 | Academy Park | Gaymore, 28 FG | 6:35 |
| 4 | Academy Park | Baker, 49 interception return | 6:02 |
| 4 | Muhlenberg | Baez, 6 run (Oforgaram-Edochie run) | 1:21 |
Team statistics
| Muhlenberg | Academy Park | |
| Rushes-yards | 46-246 | 29-237 |
| Passing yards | 19 | 188 |
| Total yards | 265 | 425 |
| Passes | 2-14-2 | 13-19-0 |
Individual statistics
RUSHING
Muhlenberg: C. Small 26-123, Miller 5-79, Baez 7-17, Lacey 4-11, Oforgaram-Edochie 3-11, Ortiz 1-5.
Academy Park: Barton 11-139, Acquoi 9-65, Wimberly 2-27, Gbeaday 2-9, Jarlee 1-2, Spross 2-1, Moore 2-(-6).
PASSING
Muhlenberg: Baez 2-14-2–19.
Academy Park: Moore 13-19-0–188.
RECEIVING
Muhlenberg: Miller 2-19.
Academy Park: Baker 4-114, Thomas 2-32, Gbeaday 2-21, Taylor 2-7, Acquoi 2-6, Spross 1-8.
