At the halfway mark, there are two undefeated teams remaining in the East Penn Conference, and they're both Bethlehem public schools. Freedom had some preseason momentum as a favorite, while Liberty is enjoying a resurgent year that virtually nobody saw coming. Returning D11 champ Nazareth is in the midst of a two-game losing streak, after falling to fellow perennial contenders Freedom and Parkland. Those three schools have combined for every D11 title since 2010. But it is the '10 champ, the Easton Red Rovers, who are emerging as a fourth contender. After back-to-back 3-7 campaigns, the Rovers are 4-1 despite a gauntlet of an early season schedule, and are clearly the most improved team in the Valley.
Big School Top 5
1. Freedom Patriots (5-0)
Freedom has looked like a legitimate top five team in Pennsylvania, with a pair of blowout wins over the two preseason favorites in D11, 38-10 over Nazareth and 30-13 over Parkland. They don’t have a major FBS star, but are a well rounded and deep team with a handful of kids with FCS opportunities and loads of experience on both sides of the ball. Offensively, they’ve been excellent, with running back Aaron Beete leading the EPC in rushing with 608 yards in five games, Chase Walker throwing for 1,034 yards and 11 touchdowns, and Shacre Colwell and Amare DuBoise combining for 30 catches, 639 yards, and nine touchdowns as one of the premier receiving duos in the conference. They’re getting it done behind a huge and athletic offensive line – left to right it’s Dylan Hill (Sr. 6’3 245), Ryan Ellis (Sr. 6’0 245), Daniel Schiffert (Jr. 6’4 290), Aaron James (Jr. 6’3 280), Tanner Wheeler (Sr. 6’5 285) – with Hill, Schiffert, and Wheeler all getting next level looks. Defensively, Ellis and Wheeler have anchored the defensive line which has freed up a really good back seven to run around and make plays. However, linebacker Justin Peluso, a Lafayette commit and my vote for EPC Defensive Player of the Year through the first half of the season, announced that he is out for the season after suffering a knee injury last week. That will be a HUGE piece to replace (he also plays tight end on offense) and something to watch over the next few weeks.
2. Parkland Trojans (4-1)
Parkland looked like they’re rounding into form with a 31-6 mauling of Nazareth on Friday, and have outscored their opposition 106-20 since losing to Freedom in week 2. Most impressively, Parkland’s defense held Nazareth to 55 yards on 21 carries, and harassed Peyton Falzone into a 10-21 night and picked off two passes. Parkland is not particularly dynamic in the passing game, Osmany Guzman has 722 yards on 48-78 and four touchdowns on the year, and no receiver has more than 170 yards. But TJ Lawrence has been the workhorse we anticipated, with 464 yards and 5 touchdowns on 76 carries through the first half of the year. The sophomore only carried 6 times in a 52-0 blowout over Pleasant Valley, but has 185, 120, 136, and 136 yards from scrimmage in their other four games. Lawrence, plus Evan Saylor, James Tyler, and that big offensve line are going to be the calling cards in the second half of the year.
3. Liberty Hurricanes (5-0)
Liberty is 5-0 for the first time since 2007 and with a likely win over East Strodusburg North, will be 6-0 for the first time since the 2005 state finalists. They have not hit the elite in the conference yet (they play Nazareth, Easton, and Freedom in three of their last four games) but are solidly putting themselves in position to make the playoffs, thanks to a well balanced offense with a three headed moster of juniors Antonio FOntanez, Gabe Green, and Jake Pukszyn. Green is second in the conference with seven touchdowns, while Pukszyn leads the league with 24 catches for 373 yards and Fontanez has been the glue keeping everything together as a first year starter for the Hurricanes at quarterback. Defensively, the front four has been awesome, Ben Bartholomew, Dante Morrison, and Javian Pujals putting together all league type years.
4. Easton Red Rovers (4-1)
Easton had their first character win in years, coming back from down 14-0 to beat Emmaus 28-21 in overtime on Friday. They were helped tremendously by a bad snap and missed 22 yard field goal by All State candidate kicker Will Buck as time expired, but really put themselves in position to win with 312 rushing yards in a dominant offensive performance after the first quarter. The Easton offensive line has been the revalation – who knew that starting four sophomores last year would pay off so handsomely – and Will Day and Dorian Thomas are the best 1-2 punch in the Valley, with Day leading the league in touchdowns with 10, and Thomas third in the league in rushing. The two have combined for 909 yards and 15 touchdowns, with a cool 6.8 yards per carry between the two. Defensively, the Rovers have been fantastic since struggling to stop the run in the opening week against CB West, with particularly strong performances from a defensive line group that includes Kurtis Crossman, Elijah Grovesnor, Algee Macon, and Marquis Labossiere.
5. Nazareth Blue Eagles (3-2)
Nazareth is doing some soul searching for the first time in years after blowout losses to contenders Freedom and Parkland in the last two weeks. They have blowout wins over Hazleton and Whitehall, and a quality non-conference victory in a shootout over Wilson West Lawn, but they were likely eliminated from winning a conference championship in last week’s 31-6 loss. They have been snakebit with injuries, particularly on the offensive line and linebacking corps, and despite the best skill player trio in the area (Falzone-Marquez Wimberly-Caleb Newsome) they have not been able to consistently move the ball against quality EPC competition. They should roll against Pleasant Valley Friday to get back on track, and likely will beat Liberty-Becahi-Northampton before a season finale at Cottingham Stadium against Easton, who is trying to end a six season losing streak to Nazareth, something that was unheard of throughout most of the football history between the neighboring schools.
Teams to Watch: Emmaus (3-2), Northampton (3-2), East Stroudsburg South (4-1), Dieruff (4-1).
Small School Top 5
1. Northwestern Lehigh Tigers (5-0 - 3A)
Arguably the best team in the state in 3A, they've outscored their opposition 230-29, including a 30-8 bludgeoning of state ranked Blue Mountain, but have four games against state caliber opponents in their final five with North Schuylkill Friday, Pottsville, Tamaqua and a finale with 5A Southern Lehigh. Defensive end Bryer Reichard is making a name for himself as the 3A defensive player of the year in Pennsylvania. The top ranked team in 3A by PA Football News.
2. Tamaqua Blue Raiders (5-0 - 3A)
Storybook season so far, highlighted by wins over North Schuylkill and Pottsville. Picked ninth in their division at the beginnign of the year, they have blown away expectations already, and are currently ranked #9 in 3A by PA Football News. Dual threat QB Luke Kane has thrown for 620 yards, rushed for 353, and has accounted for 11 touchdowns on the year, while Bradley Whalen has 527 yards through five games, including 192 in the win over North Schuylkill, plus leads the team in sacks. Victor Schlosser has over 400 yards receiving, plus a Colonial League leading four interceptions.
3. Notre Dame (GP) (4-1 - 3A)
High flying offense, with Matt Bodnar throwing for 1,750 yards and 18 touchdowns in the first half of the year, and five different receivers have at least ten catches. Lone loss to North Schuylkill, whose physicality has been an Achilles heel for NDGP over the years.
4. Blue Mountain Eagles (4-1 - 4A)
Huge win over 5A contender Southern Lehigh in week two put the Eagles in the top ten in the state. Fell back after getting blown out by NWL, but that is going to happen to everybody this year. Running back Tyler Stahley is one pace to easily eclipse 1,000 yards on the year.
5. Southern Lehigh Spartans (4-1 - 4A)
Lost a shocker in week two to Blue Mountain after crushing 6A Quakertown in the opening weekend. Cruised past North Schuylkill and Pottsville in the last two weeks to re-establish dominance. Having moved down to 4A this year, can make some noise in the smaller division with Becahi and ACC both down this year. Junior running back Sean Steckert leads the Colonial League has three straight 100 yard games since taking over as the primary ballcarrier and leads the Colonial League with ten touchdowns, while wide receiver and Michigan commit Andrew Olesh is the best skill player the league has seen in years.
Teams to Watch: Northern Lehigh (4-1 - 2A), Saucon Valley (4-1 - 3A)
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