Keystone Playoff Preview – #2 Mechanicsburg vs #10 Governor Mifflin
Written by: David Bray on February 21, 2025
Mechanicsburg did their job against an LL team. Governor Mifflin did their job against an LL team. (Sorry for the shade guys) Now these two face off in a battle between the Mid-Penn and the Burks Leagues. It’s time to do a rundown of these two teams and see where they stand in tonight’s 6A matchup.
Starting with the lower seed, Governor Mifflin enters this tournament 15-7, rounding out to the tenth seed in the tournament. The Mustangs have a few key wins throughout their regular season, gaining wins against Lampeter-Strasburg, Cocalico, Conrad Weiser, and Wilson. Governor Mifflin has had a tough time with 6A teams, losing to Cumberland Valley, Dallastown, and Reading, and they’ve lost against Exeter Township, the current eighth seed in the 5A. The Mustangs feature a team with all seniors, similar to Mechanicsburg, with forward Matt Koehler leading the team in points with around 14 per game. Forward Jahmair Johnson and Koehler make up the big men of their larger lineup, with guard Andrew Galantuomo leading the point, standing at 5’7. Don’t let his size fool you, Galantuomo is shifty and as fellow sports writer Andy Herr has stated “is a lightning bolt with the ball in his hands”. Guard Stephen Mayo has gotten some praise from Andy Herr, as he is “by far the bounciest kid I’ve seen in years and it’s not close”. The Mustangs got their state tournament bid and a win against the #7 seed Warwick in the first round of the 6A playoffs. Governor Mifflin was led by Galantuomo and Koeler who both had 13 points on their way to a five-point win on the road. Governor Mifflin has the size advantage to the Wildcats, but it’s anyone’s game at this point.
Mechanicsburg comes into the game with 21 wins and a mere three losses, all to teams in the top three seeds of their respective tournaments. The duo that I have given credit to for the entire last two seasons lead the charge for their senior seasons Josh Smith and Chance Yanoski. Smith, a player with one of the most competitive passions and fire for the game I’ve seen, contributes everywhere on the floor for Mechanicsburg, contributing around 22 points, five assists, and five rebounds a game for the Wildcats. A true Swiss army knife of a player can do it all, turning mistakes from a team into dunks on the other end of the floor. Yanoski has been steady for Mechanicsburg all year, shooting the lights out when needed, and spacing the floor for drives by Smith. Liam Owens has been very good this year for the Wildcats, putting up one of his best seasons in the maroon and white, averaging around nine points and six rebounds a game and shooting very well, leading the team in three-point percentage. Even with such a strong offensive scheme, Elijah Beya and Justin Bardo are elite defenders for the program. Despite Beya and Bardo seemingly being undersized for their positions, you would think that they both are 6’5 with their defensive ability, with Beya picking pockets and Bardo guarding larger players in the paint well. Mechanicsburg handled Conestoga Valley, off a 25-point performance by Smith and a 23-point game by Yanoski. Owens contributed six points in the win despite falling into foul trouble. This Wildcats team is good, and with all of the talent that they have under Coach Gaffey, they have the chance to win the 6A just like how they won the 5A last year.
If you want live coverage of the game, GoMechanicsburg on YouTube is live streaming the game for free viewing and Christian Eby from PennLive will be at the game sending tweets from his X page at @eby_sports
Photo Credits: Bill Ulrich (Reading Eagle) and Vicki Vellios Briner (PennLive)
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