Cameron Small puts up a big number as Muhls top Blazers
2024 Berks football coverage
presented by UECU
By Pete Beck — MikeDragoSports.com correspondent
You would excuse Muhlenberg head coach Rob Flowers if he entered Friday’s non-league game against Daniel Boone with a little trepidation.
His team lost an emotional game to archrival Reading High last week, his new home turf was literally pulled out from under him, and his team was unexpectedly playing at Kutztown University’s Andre Reed Stadium.
It’s all part of a growing process for Flowers and his team, which outlasted the Blazers 40-29 in a non-league game Friday night.
“One of the things we struggled with in Week 1 was transitioning from timeouts, from quarters, from the half, so we had to make sure that was a point of emphasis,” said Flowers, “and we have to continue to work at that.”
Taking care of the little things is certainly important for growth, but having a running back such as Cameron Small makes taking care of those things just a little easier.
Small led the way for the Muhls (2-1) with 295 rushing yards and four scores. Small scored on runs of 52, 1 and 10 yards, finishing with a back-breaking 17-yard TD run late in the fourth quarter.
The Blazers (0-3) were led by quarterback Hadyn Moyer, who accounted for 359 yards on 17-for-28 passing to go along with three scores and three interceptions. Flanker Max Heffner finished with 223 receiving yards and two touchdowns.
Following the game, Small was not ready to rest on Muhlenberg’s winning record, or his own accomplishments.
“It feels great (to be 2-1), but we’ve just got to keep moving forward,” said Small. “We’ve put in the work and now it’s time to show everyone and win games.”
Muhlenberg’s growth can also be seen on the defensive side. Daniel Boone’s high-powered passing attack had Muhlenberg on the ropes in the fourth quarter, clawing back to a five-point deficit with seven minutes to play. Momentum, at that point, was definitely with the Blazers.
“We’re not happy about the way we were covering on the back end,” said Flowers. “We’ve got to continue to improve at that and get better, and we will.”
Even though they were tossed and turned, the Muhls did not lose their composure, which allowed them to regain their footing when it mattered most.
Daniel Boone had the ball and a short field for the go-ahead, fourth-quarter score, but a holding penalty stalled the drive, forcing a punt. The Muhls took possession and trusted junior tailback Mike Miller Jr. to carry the load before Small’s backbreaker.
Small snuffed out any chance for a Daniel Boone miracle with a 70-yard interception return in the game’s dying moments, a winning moment for a team that’s still growing.
“I’m super proud of this,” said Flowers of the 2-1 start. “Being an alumnus and having the program where it is the reason we came here. We feel we can get this program to an elite level, which it once was. We can get there again.”
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Final | |
| Daniel Boone | 0 | 7 | 15 | 7 | 29 |
| Muhlenberg | 6 | 8 | 20 | 6 | 40 |
Scoring summary
| 1 | Muhlenberg | Miller Jr., 4 run (kick blocked) | 5:11 |
| 2 | Muhlenberg | Baez, 17 run (Baez run) | 10:29 |
| 2 | Daniel Boone | Elliott, 6 pass from Moyer (Heffner kick) | 2:04 |
| 3 | Daniel Boone | Delissaint, 36 pass from Moyer (Heffner kick) | 9:32 |
| 3 | Muhlenberg | Small, 52 run (run failed) | 9:18 |
| 3 | Muhlenberg | Small, 1 run (Small run) | 5:16 |
| 3 | Muhlenberg | Small, 10 run (kick failed) | 2:33 |
| 3 | Daniel Boone | Safety, Miller Jr. tackled in end zone | 1:19 |
| 3 | Daniel Boone | Heffner, 24 pass from Moyer (pass failed) | 0:07 |
| 4 | Daniel Boone | Heffner, 23 pass from Moyer (Heffner kick) | 10:24 |
| 4 | Muhlenberg | Small, 17 run (pass failed) | 2:37 |
Team statistics
| DANIEL BOONE | MUHLENBERG | |
| First downs | 13 | 16 |
| Rushes-yards | 17-23 | 48-401 |
| Passing yards | 359 | 11 |
| Total yards | 382 | 412 |
| Passes | 17-28-3 | 1-6-0 |
| Fumbles-lost | 2-1 | 1-1 |
| Punts-average | 5-36.6 | 2-25 |
| Penalties-yards | 12-135 | 11-81 |
Individual statistics
RUSHING
Daniel Boone: Moyer 10-34, Cruz 4-9, Delissaint 1-0, Heffner 1-(-2), Team 1-(-18).
Muhlenberg: Small 23-295, Baez 11-66, Miller, Jr. 8-60, Team 2-(-2), Lacey 4-(-18).
PASSING
Daniel Boone: Moyer 17-28-3—359.
Muhlenberg: Baez 1-6-0—11.
RECEIVING
Daniel Boone: Heffner 8-223, Cruz 4-60, Delissaint 2-47, Elliott 2-16, Salata 1-13.
Muhlenberg: Miller Jr. 1-11.
INTERCEPTIONS
Muhlenberg: Urbaez, Zona, Small.
