Governor Mifflin Survives 31-28 Over Exeter Township

Written by: EasternPAFootball.com Staff on Saturday, October 25th, 2014. Follow EasternPAFootball.com Staff on Twitter.

The Governor Mifflin Mustangs had 29 straight Berks Section 1 wins and three straight outright section titles on the line going into Friday’s action. Standing in the Mustangs way, an 8-1 Exeter Twp. program undefeated in section play and looking to move up in the District Three rankings .

The Mustangs raced out to a big first half lead, withstood a furious fourth quarter onslaught, and defeated the Eagles 31-28. The victory puts Governor Mifflin in the Berks 1 driver’s seat for a fourth consecutive section outright title.

Mustang QB Jan Johnson was outstanding once again. Jan accounted for all of Governor Mifflin’s points Friday night. Johnson had rushing TD’s of two, two and 71 yards, a 49-yard TD pass, a 40-yard FG and three extra points.

Governor Mifflin dominated most of the first half. The Mustangs D did not allow an Exeter first down in the first quarter. The Mifflin offense scored TD’s on its first three drives. A Jan Johnson to Reid Hoff 49-yard bomb got the score to 28-0 Mifflin with 2:45 left in the first half.

Exeter Twp. did not quit. The Eagles drove the ball down on their next possession and on the final play of the first half scored on a Chase Yocum 15 yard TD pass to Collin Pfahl. It was 28-6 Mifflin at halftime.

The second half started much like the first. Mifflin took the kick and moved the ball. The drive stalled and ended with a personal best 40-yard Jan Johnson field goal making the score, 31-6 Mifflin with 9:52 in the third.

The game then took a complete 180. The Exeter offense and QB Chase Yocum awoke. Exeter’s next drive showed that they could move the ball against the Mifflin D. Exeter consumed most of Qtr. Three on a 16-play methodical offence drive. The problem was that they did not score. The Mifflin D bent, but did not break and forced a turnover on downs.

The fourth qtr would be a totally different story. The first play of qtr four was an Exeter interception of a Mifflin pass. Then began the furious come back. Three plays later, Exeter scores on a Yocum TD pass. The two-pointer made it 31-14. The Exeter D forced the first Mifflin punt of the night. Exeter then drove the ball and another Chase Yocum TD pass got the score to 31-21. Mifflin fumbled the ball deep in their own territory on the next possession. Yocum ran the ball into the end zone this time. Exeter was now thinking victory, down only 31-28 with 8:08. Exeter had scored 22 points in less than four minutes.

Jan Johnson and Gov. Mifflin were now the ones not giving up. Mifflin got the ball on their own 20 and with Johnson leading the way ground away the final 8:08. Mifflin had preserved a hard fought 31-28 win.

“We want to go to bigger things,” said Mifflin QB Jan Johnson following the win. Mifflin coach Mick Vecchio had nothing but praise for Exeter. “They never let up. We let up,” Vecchio said. The let up almost cost Mifflin the win.

Conrad Weiser is all that stands in Governor Mifflin’s way from an outright fourth straight Berks 1 title and a District playoff home game. Exeter is still on track to make the post season. Quite an accomplishment for a program that had consecutive 0-10 seasons four short years ago.

Picture credit Terry Schlegal

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