Muhlenberg starts a new streak with season-ending win over Reading High
By Matt Hagy — MikeDragoSports.com correspondent
Muhlenberg ended its season with a memory that will last a lifetime.
The Muhls snapped a 26-game losing streak Friday with a 38-6 win over Reading High in a Berks Football League Section 1 finale at rainy Shirk Stadium.
“This win means the world to us,” said Muhlenberg running back Aaron Shuker, part of a senior class that had never won a game. “We have been working so hard all season and even though the rest of the season is not what we wanted, we got that trophy back. I will remember this night forever with this group of guys.”
Muhlenberg football coach John Lorchak told his players all week not to focus on the longest losing streak in program history but rather on starting a new winning streak.
“These kids came out in inclement weather and were able to implement and execute the game plan we worked on all week,” Lorchak said. “They believed in the plan and they believed in themselves despite all of the adversity they faced all year long. The resilience they showed tonight, especially the seniors who had to face the brunt of the losing streak.”
Muhlenberg (1-3, 1-9) hadn’t won since the 2018 season finale, when they defeated Reading High 23-13 at Shirk Stadium.
It had been a long ride for a senior class that had been through a lot. Despite the adversity, they concluded their high school careers by taking “The Battle of the Border Trophy” back to Laureldale. They evened the series at 9-9.
Shuker helped them get off to a fast start with a 60-yard run down the right sideline to the Reading 2. The play was wiped out by a holding penalty but it seemed to set the tone for the night.
“We knew all week long he had the potential for a big night,” Lorchak said of Shuker, who finished with 117 rushing yards and also returned a pair of interceptions for scores. “He was going to be our workhorse tonight and I think that first run gave the team confidence and comfort that we can move the ball with success on these guys.”
Muhlenberg went right back to Shuker on their next play and he once again sliced through the defense, this time for 38 yards. The Muhls drove down to the 12 and faced a third-and-6. Quarterback Adam Zaorski completed his only pass of the night to fullback Brodie Faessen for a touchdown and 6-0 lead.
“It was a pass play that we always have been working on,” Lorchak said. “Our success on the ground set up for Adam to be comfortable in the conditions on his first pass, and I had confidence that Brodie was going to get open in the flat to at least get the first down, let alone a touchdown.”
The Muhls were able to turn away the Red Knights (0-4, 1-7) on downs after a high snap on a punt set up Reading High at the Muhlenberg 21.
Muhlenberg recovered a fumbled snap from Red Knights quarterback Daryonel Fontanez on their next drive and extended the lead to 14-0 after Faessen moved the pile on a 6-yard touchdown run; Shuker followed with a conversion run.
“I am so thankful for my teammates tonight,” Faessen said. “Our offensive line was strong all night long and I felt like there was not a single moment where we let that control go away.”
Shuker kicked off a standout third quarter by intercepting a screen pass from Red Knights backup quarterback Blake Foreman and took it back 39 yards for a touchdown to extend the lead to 20-0.
He followed on the ensuing drive with a 65-yard rushing touchdown to make it 26-0, and the Muhls sideline began to sense that a new winning streak was about to begin.
One minute later Shuker picked off Foreman again and ran it back 53 yards for his second Pick-Six.
“You never know what to expect when a new quarterback comes into the game,” Shuker said. “They did not pass the ball a lot, but when they did I was in the right place at the right time on both occasions and made the most of them.”
Zaorski capped the night for the Muhls with a 42-yard rushing touchdown around the left side in the final two minutes of the third quarter.
Muhlenberg churned out 226 yards on the ground.
Deshawn Wilson broke up the shutout with a 12-yard touchdown run in the fourth quarter for Reading.
Muhlenberg out-gained the Red Knights 238-102 in total offense.
With the losing streak now over Muhlenberg sets its sights on continuing their new streak in 2022.
“Now that we have that win, we have to come back stronger because this will not get any easier entering a new league,” Lorchak said of the Muhls heading to the Lancaster-Lebanon League in 2022. “We are going to have to turn up the intensity in the offseason, but this is a good building block and it shows that hard work truly pays off.”
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Final | |
| Muhlenberg | 6 | 8 | 24 | 0 | 38 |
| Reading High | 0 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 6 |
Scoring summary
| 1 | Muhlenberg | Faessen, 12 pass from Zaorski ( kick failed) | 7:58 |
| 2 | Muhlenberg | Faessen, 6 run (Shuker rush) | 11:52 |
| 3 | Muhlenberg | Shuker, 39 interception return (kick blocked) | 11:25 |
| 3 | Muhlenberg | Shuker, 65 run (run failed) | 7:36 |
| 3 | Muhlenberg | Shuker, 53 interception return (kick blocked) | 6:18 |
| 3 | Muhlenberg | Zaorski, 42 run (kick blocked) | 1:39 |
| 4 | Reading High | D. Wilson, 12 run (kick failed) | 7:05 |
Team statistics
| Muhlenberg | Reading High | |
| First downs | 8 | 8 |
| Rushes-yards | 36-226 | 38-75 |
| Passing yards | 12 | 27 |
| Total yards | 238 | 102 |
| Passes | 1-4-0 | 1-10-2 |
| Fumbles-lost | 7-2 | 6-3 |
| Punts-average | 1-41.0 | 4-22.0 |
| Penalties-yards | 5-40 | 6-40 |
Individual statistics
RUSHING
Muhlenberg: Shuker 9-117, Rivera 15-80, Zaorski 8-26, Cavanna 1-16, Faessen 2-6, Hnautick 1-(-19).
Reading High: Nunez-Morla 14-76, D. Wilson 10-50, Laws 3-3, Valle 3 -(-6), Foreman 1-(-13), Fontanez 6-(-16), Lacey 1-(-19).
PASSING
Muhlenberg: Zaorski 1-4-0 –12.
Reading High: Foreman 1-7-2 — 27, Fontanez 0-3-0 — 0.
RECEIVING
Muhlenberg: Faessen 1-12.
Reading High: D. Wilson 1-27.
INTERCEPTIONS
Muhlenberg: Shuker 2.
