Mustangs find bliss in rare win over Bulldogs

by Matt Malinowski, Reading Eagle

Posted on September 3, 2006

Their reactions were nothing short of euphoric.
After the postgame handshakes, each member of the Gov. Mifflin Mustangs turned, smiled, sprinted and joined a rowdy team huddle.

When the huddle broke players sought out ecstatic fans and followers, who lined up en masse along a fence as if they were seeking autographs from prominent professionals.

But a few minutes later, with the fans dripping off the raindrops in their cars and the players still soaked with joy in the locker room, Gov. Mifflin coach Mick Vecchio had one of his typical low-key responses on the evening's events.

After absorbing the exhilarating 14-12 season-opening victory Friday over rival Wilson, Vecchio stood at midfield of John Gurski Stadium and offered this simple summary:

“Yeah, really, it doesn't get any bigger than this.”

No voice inflection. No exaggerated body language. No fist pumps. No eyebrows raised.

Not much of a reaction whatsoever.

Perhaps a deep sigh of relief would have been acceptable.

Because the Mustangs almost saw their 14-point, fourth-quarter lead slip away.

Because this victory played the part of Advil for what has been a long-standing Wilson headache.

True, Friday's matchup was the first between the teams since 2003. But the Mustangs knew the history.

They knew the Bulldogs had won 12 of the last 13 meetings.

They knew they had recorded just four wins over the Bulldogs in the last 30 years.

They knew the horrific, one-sided losses in recent years: 60-13 in '03; 43-0 in '02; 41-6 in '01. Mifflin had lost five straight in the series by a combined score of 221-40. The Mustangs' last win came in 1996.

They knew not many thought they had a chance against the powerful Bulldogs Friday night.

Not many outside of Shillington, anyway.

“It's unbelievable, and I really can't explain it,” said Mifflin quarterback Brad Rhoads, who rushed for a team-high 60 yards on 12 carries. “I mean, we have been waiting for this moment since we were 10.

“Everyone just praises Wilson. Everything's just Wilson, Wilson, Wilson. No one thinks Mifflin football is anything.”

Without raining on Mifflin's parade, Wilson's accolades are deserved. Its tradition is unmatched, its personnel often stellar.

As the old, tiresome cliche goes, you have to beat the best . . . .

The Mustangs did that Friday night. They beat the preseason Lancaster-Lebanon League Section 1 favorites.

On Wilson's home turf. On an emotional night when the Bulldogs honored a fallen friend. On a night when Doug Dahms made his head coaching debut after 31 years on the Wilson sideline.

The Mustangs did it despite not being nearly as strong or experienced as the Bulldogs up front. They did it with an inspired defensive effort that kept Wilson's weapons in check.

On a night with a multitude of storylines, the Mustangs provided the most unlikely plot twist.

“Every game is important,” Vecchio said. “But, you know, there are years when we don't have the talent to compete with Wilson. No question about it. But when we do, we know it's going to be a good game.

“I think our kids believed we could win, and it just kept growing and growing. We believed we were going to win this game.”

Contact Matt Malinowski at 610-371-5064 or mmalinowski@readingeagle.com.

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