Season preview: Governor Mifflin Mustangs
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Top Players To Watch in Section 2 of the Lancaster-Lebanon League
What to expect in Section 2 of the Lancaster-Lebanon League
(Chris Knight/LNP photo)
Classification: Class 6A.
League: Lancaster-Lebanon Section 2.
Schedule: Click here.
Last season: 3-3 league, 5-6 overall.
Last District 3 playoff appearance: 2024.
Head coach: Nick Morrissey, second season, 4-5.
Key losses: QB Javien Pletz, all-league FB Grady Garner, RB Travis Jenkins, all-league C/DE Gavin Kelly, G Presley Rinker, second-team all-league OT Jack Seifert, OT Cooper Seifert, all-league CB Reese Hohl, second-team all-league DT Ismael Ayala.
Top offensive players: QB Lebron Leaf, RB/KR Chris Susana, FB Thomas Millisock, FB Nick Kalis, WR Joe Murray, TE Derek Dinatale, C Gunnar Gebhart, all-league G Dylon Worley, G Jordan Leinbach, T Noah Viruet, T Wade Gordon, PK Lance Koenig.
Top defensive players: E Gunnar Gebhart, E David Lacey, T Noah Viruet, T Ahmed Abdar, second-team all-league ILB Dylan Worley, ILB Jayden Jimenez, second-team all-league OLB Lebron Leaf, OLB Pat Stuer, S Cam Overley, CB Chris Susana, CB Isaiah Massillon.
Did you know? The Mustangs finished 5-5 in each of the past two seasons, then lost a postseason game to finish with a losing record. They have recorded three straight losing seasons for the first time since 2003.
For the record: Reese Hohl’s 94-yard touchdown catch vs. Lebanon last season is the longest scoring reception in program history.
Fast fact: The program rushing record by a quarterback is 1,197 yards, set by Jan Johnson in 2014. Only one other quarterback, Brad Rhoads in 2006, has topped 1,000 yards.
On schedule: The Mustangs meet rival Wilson for the 68th time in Week 6, at Gurski Stadium. The Bulldogs have won three straight in the series and lead 40-27. Since the introduction of the Gurki/Linn Trophy Wilson has won 10-of-13 games.
Quotable: “I’m not worried about the record, I want people to come out and say: ‘Here comes Governor Mifflin, they run the ball, they play hard, they’re physical, they never give up, and they play people to the end.’ That’s always been our way.” – Mustangs coach Nick Morrissey
Outlook: After three straight losing seasons the mood is different around Governor Mifflin these days. Gone are the days when the Mustangs entered the season knowing they would dominate their competition, win the league, and make a postseason run.
“(We’re) playing the underdog role (now), which we usually never get to play,” said second-year head coach Nick Morrissey. “There’s a lot of good locker room material that has the kids pumped up to prove some things. The excitement’s there more than even last year.”
The Mustangs will look a lot different, that’s for sure. They powered their way through the Berks League for decades on the strength of a powerful running game led by a strong offensive line and with a dominant fullback.
Not so much this season. The O-line, where just one starter returns, is a concern. And there is no Grady Garner, Isaac Ruoss, Zach Schmidt – or dare we say Nick Singleton? – to carry the load from fullback.
Instead the plan is for the quarterback, Lebron Leaf, to be the featured weapon in the offense, more with his feet than his arm. Mifflin will continue to line up in the Triple Option, an offense that generally has seen the quarterback as more of a game manager who reads the defense and hands the ball to one of three backs. This year the quarterback will be calling his own number.
“We’re gonna set things up to have LeBron have the ball as much as we can,” Morrissey said. “As you’ve seen before, with (someone like) Jan Johnson, (the idea is) just get the best athlete the ball in their hands as much as you can, and that’s where we’re at.”
There’s a new Offensive Coordinator, T.J. Miller, a former Mifflin assistant and head coach at Boyertown. He’ll have Leaf lining up in Shotgun more often, throwing on the move, and utilizing the short passing game.
Junior Chris Susana could have a major impact on the offense. He dominated in the spring at the Berks Football Combine, showing off his speed and agility. If he’s able to stay on the field he could become a weapon.
“He could be one of the more dangerous players in our section,” Morrissey said. “He can compete with the Exeter and Conestoga Valley kids. He is that caliber of athlete.”
Of course, like any back he’ll need some help from the guys up front to get going. The only return starter on the line is Dylan Worley, an all-league guard.
“We usually don’t have to replace four of the five,” Morrissey said. “We’re young, but I’m excited about the work that we’ve put in. Do I believe they’ll be able to get the job done? Absolutely. That will tell itself on a Friday night under the lights.”
No doubt the Mustangs will have to get better on defense to have a winning season. They gave up more passing yards than any of the other 36 teams in the Lancaster-Lebanon League last season and ranked No. 32 in total defense. New Defensive Coordinator Pat Sisk, a former long-time Mifflin assistant coach and Muhlenberg head coach, hs his work cut out for him.
Just three starters return, chief among them Worley, who was a second-team all-league pick at inside linebacker. Other experienced players on that side of the ball include tackle Noah Viruet, cornerback Pat Stuer, linebacker Derek Dinatale, and Leaf at outside linebacker.
The schedule again will be a bear. Section 2 rivals Exeter and Conestoga Valley went a combined 19-1 in the regular season last year. Wilson won the Section 1 title and is favored to do so again. Perkiomen Valley won the Pioneer Athletic Conference.
“We’ve got to find a way to stay competitive in games and knock one of those big dogs off,” Morrissey said.
Mifflin hasn’t been dominant the past two seasons but it did qualify for the postseason each time. It can do that again if things fall into place.
“Lebron has to stay healthy,” Morrissey said. “Simple as that. Lebron is that special. Against the five or six teams we think we should really be competitive against and (beat), he could be – will be – the best player on the field. There won’t be kids that will be able to play with him.”
At the wire: Middle of the pack in Section 2.
