SHILLINGTON – Kyle Helm’s eyes were red, he was slightly out of breath, and he was sweating profusely in the cold November air, but Exeter’s center knew he and his teammates did exactly what they’d set out to do, shocking the undefeated and number one ranked Governor Mifflin Mustangs 31-28 to claim the District III 5A Championship, the school’s first.
After trailing 21-14 at the half, the Mustangs regrouped and re-established their physicality at the point of their triple option attack. In doing so, they scored two touchdowns in the first five minutes of the second half, taking a 28-21 lead, and seemingly taking control of what had been up to that point been a back and forth game.
However, Exeter was just getting started.
On their ensuing possession, the Eagles marched 73 yards in thirteen plays, chewing almost nine minutes of clock and getting a 29-yard field goal from Mike Moser.
“Our goal for the game was to keep the ball as much as possible, keep them off the field, get the long drives,” said Helm following the game, “It worked out.”
The kicking game for both teams had been an adventure for both teams, thanks to untimely 40mph wind gusts, and Exeter’s kickoff following the field goal was no exception.
After bouncing off a Mustang up back, Exeter recovered the ball at their own 40-yard line. Eric Nangle would put Exeter up to stay four plays later with a fourth-down, 31-yard touchdown run.
Nangle, who gashed Governor Mifflin’s defense for 225 yards and two scores (one rushing, one receiving) on 36 carries, found most of his running room up the middle, thanks to Helm’s work in the trenches.
“We’ve been working hard all week on dealing with their different fronts,” said Helm. “Whenever they adjusted, we knew our role and what we had to do.”
When Helm and his fellow offensive linemen weren’t opening holes for the backs, they were protecting quarterback Colin Payne, allowing him time to find his favorite target Joey Schlaffer, who accounted for two scores of his own.
Credit Exeter’s defense for holding Governor Mifflin’s star running back, Penn State bound Nick Singleton, to just 45 yards and two touchdowns on just 9 carries. Most of Singleton’s damage came on the Mustang’s second play from scrimmage, a 51-yard touchdown reception.
“We knew they were going to score, they’re a great team,” said Exeter’s senior captain Ty Yocum following the game. “But every time they scored, we knew we just had to punch back, punch back and punch back again.”
Thanks to the effort and tenacity they exhibited Friday night, the Exeter Eagles can call themselves District III Champions for the first time in their history.
Exeter will continue their season next week with a matchup against the District 7 Champion at a site and time to be determined.
Scoring Summary
1 8:18 Exeter Schlaffer, 3-yard pass from Payne (Moser kick) 7-0
1 7:24 GM Singleton, 51-yard pass from Johnson (Schools kick) 7-7
2 7:52 Exeter Schlaffer, 15-yard pass from Payne (Moser kick) 14-7
2 6:38 Exeter Nangle, 33-yard pass from Payne (Moser kick) 21-7
2 1:26 GM Johnson, 9-yard run (Schools kick) 21-14
3 8:32 GM Singleton, 2-yard run (Schools kick) 21-21
3 7:26 GM Johnson, 28-yard run (Schools kick) 28-21
4 10:53 Exeter Moser, 28-yard FG 28-24
4 9:15 Exeter Nangle, 31-yard run (Moser kick) 31-28
Score By Quarters
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Final | |
| Exeter | 7 | 14 | 0 | 10 | 31 |
| Governor Mifflin | 7 | 7 | 14 | 0 | 28 |
