Four Mifflin players named All-State
Gov. Mifflin was recognized for its historic season Wednesday, placing a school-record four players on the Pennsylvania Football Writers All-State Class 5A team.
Running back Nick Singleton was named to the team for the second straight year and was joined by defensive lineman Cam’Ron Stewart, linebacker Brandon Strausser and offensive lineman Dominic Sheidy.
They helped the Mustangs post an 8-1 season, win their first District 3 championship and make their first appearance in the PIAA semifinals.
“It means a lot,” Mifflin coach Jeff Lang said. “It shows that through hard work, effort and perseverance, you can arrive. That’s what these kids did. It’s a great thing for Gov. Mifflin.”
Three other Berks County players also were selected to All-State teams on Wednesday: Wilson defensive back Troy Corson in Class 6A, Exeter linebacker J.R. Strauss in 5A and Conrad Weiser offensive lineman Max Pacheco in 4A.
They joined seven Wyomissing players who were voted to the 3A All-State team on Tuesday, giving Berks County a total of 14 AllState selections.
Singleton, a 6-0, 205-pound junior, rushed for 1,303 yards and scored 24 touchdowns for Mifflin and was named the Berks Player of the Year. He averaged 12.5 yards a carry and topped 100 yards in every game.
He’s had three straight 1,000yard seasons and has rushed for 4,267 yards in his career. He’s received scholarship offers from more than 30 schools, including Penn State, Ohio State, Wisconsin and Florida.
A 6-5, 240-pound senior, Stewart was selected the Berks Defensive Lineman of the Year for the second year in a row. He had 39 tackles, including eight in the backfield and four sacks.
He made the All-Berks team on defense and offense, catching four touchdown passes as a tight end. He has signed a letter of intent to play at Rutgers.
Strausser, a 6-0, 210-pound senior, was chosen as the Berks Linebacker of the Year for the second time after he had 43 tackles, nine for losses, four sacks and one forced fumble. He also scored 15 touchdowns and averaged 9.0 yards a carry as a fullback and was an All-Berks pick on offense and defense.
A 6-2, 290-pound senior, Sheidy was named the Berks Offensive Lineman of the Year after he helped pave the way for the Mustangs to rush for 331 yards a game and score 54.4 points a game. He earned a 91% blocking grade and averaged 6.3 knockdown blocks a game.
“This shows our younger kids, too,” Lang said. “They’ve seen these guys working out in the weight room. They’ve seen them on the field and their demeanor during practice. They know what it’s going to take for them to get there if they want.”
Corson, a 5-10, 180-pound senior, helped Wilson (6-1) win its first outright Lancaster-Lebanon League Section 1 title since 2016. A four-year starter in the secondary, he was selected the Defensive Back of the Year in Section 1. He also was the top wide receiver and kick returner for the Bulldogs.
Strauss, a 6-3, 215-pound junior, led the Eagles (6-2) with 75 tackles. An All-Berks selection, he had 12 tackles for loss, four sacks and two forced fumbles.
A 6-0, 270-pound senior, Pacheco helped power Conrad Weiser to an unbeaten regular season. He graded out at 90% or better in every game and helped the Scouts (6-1) average 39.3 points and 375 total yards a game. He was selected as the Offensive Lineman of the Year in Section 2 of the Berks League. He also was named to the All-Berks team for the second year in a row, this time at tackle after being selected at guard last year.
Kyle McCord of St. Joseph’s Prep (6A), Cole Spencer of PineRichland (5A) and Owen Anderson of Jersey Shore (4A) were named players of the year in their respective classes.
The coaches of the year were Gerry Yonchiuk of Central York (6A), Eric Kasperowicz of PineRichland (5A) and Tom Gravish of Jersey Shore (4A).