#19 Easton vs. #2 Nazareth

107: #8 Noah Fenner (Fr.) vs. Derek Fulmer (So.)/Michael Good (Fr.)
114: #8 Nick Salamone (So.) vs. #16 Remy Trach (Jr.)
121: Ethan Krazer (Fr.) vs. #16 Cooper Wenrich (Fr.)
127: Ben Riehl (Sr.)/Evan Carss (Fr.)/Brendan Bowman (Jr.) vs. #24 Dom Rizzotto (Sr.)
133: #7 Chris Kelly (Jr.) vs. Dominic Tunison (So.)
139: #4 Ben Fanelli (Sr.) vs. #1 Tahir Parkins (Jr.)
145: Jaron Trimmer (Sr.) vs. #8 Jack Campbell (So.)
152: #17 Quentin Hammerstone (Jr.) vs. #13 Cade Campbell (So.)
160: ??? vs. Elijah Simak (So.)
172: Justin Cosover (Fr.) vs. #12 Brayden Zuercher (So.)
189: #20 Shae Linegar (Jr.) vs. Vincent Giacobbe (Jr.)
215: Kurtis Crossman (So.) vs. Carter Ferrara (So.)
285: Isaih Cabin (Jr.) vs. #1 Sean Kinney (Sr.)

Massive dual in Nazareth tonight as the Blue Eagles host Easton in a matchup of top 20 teams in the state. In his preview for Lehigh Valley Live, Brad Wilson noted that a successful season for Easton means ending two of the major losing streaks that they have against top competition in the Valley – Nazareth, Northampton, Bethlehem catholic, and Phillipsburg. This is their first chance to show the program is really back and a crack and ending a bitter 10 match losing streak to the Blue Eagles.

This is one of the best rivalries in all of his school sports, with the two elite, national caliber wrestling programs sharing a border. They met for the 2007 PIAA Team State championship, won by Nazareth one week after Easton knocked them off for a D11 title. Easton also won one of the wildest state championships ever in 1997 (pre State Duals) by beating Nazareth by 1.5 points, crowning 3 state champs to Nazareth’s 2 in the final session, punctuated by a Jamarr Billman pin (2 extra team points) that put them over the top to win the title. These schools have produced great individual rivalries, including Moss Grays-Mike Miller, Andy Cote-Jamarr Billman/Bryan Snyder, Chris Vitale-Chris Kelly, Tim Darling-Josh Oliver, Jimmy Saylor-Travis Stefanik, and most recently, Matt Cruise-Sean Kinney.

We’ll see if this one gets wrestled straight up, as Easton needs to account for missing state qualifier James Geiger at 160, who won’t be back until January, but would likely bet #12 in the state rankings if healthy based on head-to-head wins. They don’t have a true back-up there, so I wouldn’t be surprised to see a lineup shuffle that gets maybe Riehl and Carss at 127 and 133 and Kelly, Fanelli, Trimmer, and Hammerstone all go up to cover the hole. This is also an assumption that Cosover will be able to get to 172 as Jody Karam guaranteed they’d field a full lineup for tonight. Cosover is coming off of football season and entered the first tournament of the year up at 189.

For Easton to win, they need to dominate spots where they have advantages. Fenner needs a fall in his first dual in a Red Rover singlet. Salamone-Trach is close in the state rankings, but Salamone majored Trach twice last year and needs at least that here. If Kelly stays at 133, he needs a fall against the sophomore Tunison, I also wouldn’t mind seeing Carss there to win a battle of 9th graders. Linegar looked awesome at Top Hat, he needs to continue that here, and Crossman nearly pinned his way through the backside of that tournament on his way to a bronze medal, a fall at 215 is paramount.

The high end match-ups seem to favor Nazareth, but could be a lot of fun. Fanelli-Parkins has the ability to be a D11, NE regional, and state final. Parkins is more talented, but can turn in head scratchers sometimes, while Fanelli is about as steady as they come. Hammerstone had a breakout performance last weekend, he’s a favorite against the dangerous Simak if he’s at 160 and probably has the bout of the night with Campbell if he stays at 152. Cosover has a lot of hype around him in local circles, how does he hang with last year’s upperweight freshman everybody was excited about in Zuercher, who largely lived up to the hype and made the state tournament as a 9th grader. That could be a beautiful little rivalry for the next three years.

On the Nazareth side, they have to take the coin tosses. Campbell-Hammerstone or Campbell-Finelli is going to happen, and whichever one does needs to go Nazareth’s way. Rizzotto isn’t a star, but needs to come through against whichever Easton kid they throw out. Wenrich and Krazer are both 9th graders, with Wenrich better on paper, but young kids react way differently in sold out duals like this one will be. Simak is a pinner, can he make a real statement in his first big varsity dual after an “eh” CV Kickoff, particularly without having to match up with Geiger. Jack Campbell either needs to hammer Trimmer, or use his weight advantage in a big time match up with Fanelli. Kinney for 6 is pretty much automatic.

I don’t think this will be the only time these teams meet. This is the deepest Easton team since the Steve Powell years, and while I think they’re a year away from some guys competing for state championships (save for Fenner in a wide open 107), they have a lot of kids who are state caliber. Nazareth is less deep than they’ve been the past five years, but have a few monsters in Kinney and Parkins. I think Nazareth probably takes round 1, but it’s fun that it’s a conversation again.

2023 D3 teams (results) in the playoffs and STATE FINALS
Here is a preview of the State Finals and a review of last week’s games involving District-3 teams. All Finals are at Cumberland Valley High School (Chapman Field) in Mechanicsburg. Real quick hits here showing information on stats (as available), scheduling, roster information, historic and game info in as brief a package as possible. The records reflect most recent game results. Please mention any errors and as always, feel free to jump in or on! Enjoy the games that start tomorrow Dec 7th at 1pm.

6A Playoffs: Harrisburg 12-2 vs North Allegheny 13-1 D7….vs St.Joe’s
North Allegheny made the most of their first appearance in the State Final since 2012 with a 24-12 win against Harrisburg. Offensively, quarterback Logan Kushner was the key ingredient with 165 rush yards on 26 attempts while completing only one of six passes. Liam Flaherty also rushed for 56 yards on 15 carries. With a ground game piling up 267 yards, they didn’t need to pass, especially with a defense holding Harrisburg to 132 yards on the ground. For Harrisburg, quarterback Shawn Lee was as always, unstoppable, rushing for 104 yards and throwing for 212 and two touchdowns. But for a few exceptions, the Tiger defense ruled the day, holding Harrisburg to 12 points. The loss moves Harrisburg to the sidelines looking forward to next season (loaded!) while North Allegheny advances to the 6A Final against St. Joseph’s Prep (12-1). Like Imhotep and Southern Columbia, the Prep is one of the most experienced playoff teams in the tournament, winning Gold Medals in 2013, 14, 16, 18, 19, 20 and 22, with Silver Medals in 2017 and 21. No one has slowed the Hawks down this year except Lakeland-FL (9-3) for three quarters (SJP behind 23-17), a quality Archbishop Spalding-Md (10-2) team 24-6, and IMG who defeated them 17-14 in the opener. Incidentally, Lakeland is in the Florida (FHSSA)-4S Final Friday against Venice (12-2), and Spalding beat McDonogh (7-3) 40-7 in the MIAA-A Class-A Final. All totaled, St. Joe’s won their games by an average score of 41-8. What stands out about this year’s team is their defense. Looking over their recent history, they always score points, averaging 36.8 since 2016 and over 40ppg five of the last six years. Big offenses are a given with the Hawks. But this year’s defense is exceptional, allowing 8ppg on average. They haven’t ended the year on that number since 2007. This comes against a challenging schedule of winning teams including IMG (10-0), Lakeland (11-3). LaSalle x2 (6-5), AB Spalding (10-2), Roman (9-3), Nazareth (12-2) and last week against Central Bucks South (13-2). They played other quality programs including St. Peters Prep-NJ and Don Bosco Prep who are experiencing down years at 1-9 and 5-6 respectively. “Down” at SPP is good enough to push the excellent program at Delbarton School to overtime before losing while DBP beat Erasmus Hall (10-3) of Brooklyn. To allow only 107points against their entire schedule (includes Wood, Judge, Lincoln) is record breaking stuff. They crushed Central Bucks South in the semifinal last week 49-0. And with most of the team being in the class of 2024-2025, it is a veteran mature group. The offense is fueled by a senior laden skill group including quarterback Samaj Jones (65%-1564, 82/320ry), running backs Isaiah West (78/553), Erik Sanchez (48/485) and Kahseim Phillips (57/439). The receivers are David Washington 925/515), Elijah Jones (24/285) and Brandon Rehmann (21/358). The defense is a blend of five seniors and six juniors led by a real quick DL of Sean McNulty (6-2, 235, sr), Maxwell Roy (6-3, 280, jr), Alex Haskell (6-4, 245, soph) and Ivan Bailey-Green (5-10, 245, sr). Two line backers lead the team in tackles in Anthony Sacca (6-2, 225, jr, 54 tackles) and Cameron Smith (5-1, 210, jr, 63 tackles). The starting DBs are active with 115 tackles. North Allegheny counters with an equally experienced veteran team led by a senior dual threat quarterback in Logan Kushner (57%-1019, 872ry). His receivers are excellent in Khiryn Boyd (818py) and Evan Liam (285py). Tyree Alualu (health?) rushed for 811 yards and is a key cog at linebacker. They have a physical OL led by tackles Jack Yatchenko (6-3, 280), Cameron Chmura (6-3, 295) and TE Daniel Sellers (6-3, 225). The D is veteran, with four vets on the DL and seven total starters from last year. It is a huge offense at 44ppg with a defense allowing 17ppg. The schedule was respectable, beating McDowell (8-5), Pine Richland (9-4), splitting with Central Catholic 22-50 and 44-41 and defeating Harrisburg 24-12 last week in the semifinal. This is their most productive offense ever, averaging 44ppgTHe defense is at 17ppg; their highest since 2017. The eye test says NA can bang with the Hawks in terms of physicality but not speed, especially overall team speed on defense. Depth and two-way players could also be an issue. For St. Joe’s, this is their eighth consecutive appearance in the final and 10th overall, winning Gold seven times and Silver twice. They beat Harrisburg last year 42-7. North Allegheny’s last appearance was 2012 where they beat Coatesville and 2010 defeating LaSalle. The game is Dec 9th at 7pm.

5A Playoffs: Cocalico 12-2 vs Peters Township 15-0, D7….vs Imhotep
Truth be told, Cocalico gave Peters Township a little more than expected in their tight semifinal loss last weekend. But hats off to PT’s D. They were the only team to shut them down this season, holding the Eagles to 178 yards of offense and nine points in a 14-9 semifinal loss. Sophomore quarterback Nolan DiLucia had a solid game for Peters, completing 16 of 26 passes for 169 yards with scoring tosses of 24 and 14 yards. As always, the Cocalico defense was brutal, holding the Indians to 81 yards rushing. Surprisingly, Cocalico showed a passing attack, completing 3 of 10 passes (hot stuff for them!) for 72 yards. But the team rushed for a paltry 106 yards with their ace running back Aaryn Longenecker held to negative 2 yards rushing. This was quite a game with Dane Bollinger of Cocalico tackled on the PT’s 3-yard line as time expired. So that’s a wrap for Cocalico with consecutive semifinal appearances to be proud of and the most wins ever in school history at 12-2. Peters Township advances to the State Final to play undefeated Imhotep Charter School of Philadelphia. Imhotep is one of the most experienced playoff teams in the field, winning Gold in 2015 with Silver trophies in 13, 16, 17, 18, 21 and 22. They are 12-0 with wins against Archbishop Spalding-Md (10-2), Malvern Prep (9-1), Roman (9-3), Delaware Valley (10-4) and Strath Haven (13-2) last week, 42-14. They held Haven to eight first downs and 206 total yards. They’re led by Army bound quarterback Mikal Davis (57%-2239, 17/6), throwing to a horde of receivers including Kareem Haqq (23/425), Nile Brown (21/411), Johann Hennigan (29/368) and Isaiah Prater (16/235). Jabree Wallace-Coleman is their outstanding running back with 1373 yards rushing and 208 receiving along with Syeer Coleman (46/466) and Ronell Word (40/257). They are a huge offense at 44ppg with a defense just as powerful at 8ppg, making this their most impressive teams statistically since the 2015 team went 15-0 defeating Cathedral Prep (14-2) 40-3 in the final. The game is Dec 8th at 7pm.

4A Playoffs: Bishop McDevitt 13-1 vs Dallas 15-0 D2….vs Aliquippa
Bishop McDevitt’s planned short bus ride to the West Shore for the State Finals game appearance and rematch with Aliquippa at Cumberland Valley was derailed by a ‘game’ Dallas team who shocked the Crusaders with a double overtime 26-23 in Slatington (Northern Lehigh High). They really did a number on McDevitt’s quarterback Stone Saunders, holding him to 52% completion rate for 175 yards and negative 16 yards rushing. The team rushed for 122 yards. McDevitt’s defense was actually better, holding Dallas to 81 rush yards and 119 passing. Quarterback Brady Zapoticky was held to an 8 of 22 outing. But they had the edge in special teams, kicking three field goals and the all-important game decisive blocked punt, run in from 14 yards out in the second quarter. McDevitt’s field goal attempt in the second ot ended with a bad exchange and a block by DT Dan Sabulski. Rowan Laubach’s 26-yard field goal sent the Crusaders packing, ending their 26 game winning streak. They go home thinking about the “what ifs” while Dallas (Gold in 1993, Silver in 2019) advances to the State Final to play Aliquippa (13-0), last week’s winners vs Selinsgrove (13-0-1) 52-32. The Quips have nine Finals appearances, winning Gold in 1991, 03, 18 and 21 with Silver Medals in 1988, 00, 12, 15, and 2022. Back to the game with Selinsgrove; the Seals had some success rushing for 231 yards and passing for 157. But they lost two fumbles and threw two picks. You can’t do that against the Quips (or anyone) in the playoffs, especially a team averaging 42ppg. And talk about battle tested. Aliquippa has played Montour 10-2, West Allegheny 6-5, Central Valley 8-4, Latrobe 8-4, Mars 10-3, McKeesport 11-2 and the Seals last week at 13-1-1. They essentially returned last year’s team, making this their third straight trip to the 4A final. Their talent is enormous starting with quarterback Quentin Goode (60%-1822, 25/5), running back Tiqwai Hayes (223/1923, 23 Tds, PSU) and the underrated John Tracy (83/647). Brandon Banks is the lead receiver at 451 yards on 19 receptions. The defense has some holes, allowing 29, 24, 24 and 32 points their last four games and 17 on average for the year. At issue is whether you can keep up with their offense. The game is Dec 7th at 7pm.

3A Playoffs: Wyomissing 12-2 vs Northwestern Lehigh 15-0 D1..vs Belle Vernon.
Once again Wyomissing’s post season run came to an end in the semifinal losing to Northwestern Lehigh 33-24. They lost to Neumann Goretti 30-17 in the semifinal a year ago. Last week’s game was a game of two different halves. Wyomissing’s famed Wing-T was rolling, taking what looked to be a secure 17-7 lead into the half. Everything was working. But it was a different story in the second half where the Tigers shutdown Wyo’s running game while getting theirs going, outscoring the Spartans 26-7! The game turned around in the third quarter on Wyo’s opening drive when Northwestern’s Eli Zimmerman picked off a Logan Hyde pass at the Tigers 25-yard line; his 10th pick of the season! Thereon the Tigers rolled. Running back Dalton Clymer led the way with 92 yards on 17 carries scoring twice. He and quarterback Shane Leh did most of the damage with Leh rushing for 62 yards and completing 7 of 14 passes for 113 yards, scoring on a 25-yard toss to Clymer and a 26-yard run. How ironic seeing the game turn on one of the state’s top Wing-T teams throwing an interception? Northwestern now finds themselves in the rarified air of a State Final against last year’s state champion Belle Vernon Area (12-1, D7). The Leopards beat Neumann last year 9-8 and are here again after thrashing overmatched Hickory (11-3, D10) 42-16. BVA’s only loss was to 4A Thomas Jefferson (9-3, D7) 24-19. They show ‘statement wins’ against McKeesport (11-2) 21-14, Elizabeth-Forward (10-2) 49-28 and Avonworth (12-1) 26-0. Odd it sounds, they look like one of the best teams in the tournament up to and including 5A with a veteran team that knows the ropes. They are a large and balanced offense averaging 41ppg; 35% pass, 65 run. They have senior standouts at quarterback in Braden Laux (6-4, 215, sr, EMich) who threw for 1585 yards at 64% and rushed for 248 yards, running back Quinton Martin (6-3, 205, sr, PSU) who has rushed for 1027 yards, Kole Doppelhever (5-9, 155, jr) who is fast and flashy with 782 yards and Jake Gedekoh (6-1, 200, sr) at 552 yards. Three other backs total 76 carries for 715 yards. Quinton Martin is also their leading receiver with 48 receptions for 733 yards. Anthony Crews (5-10, 165, jr) has 25 catches for 323 yards and 334 rushing. Defensively, they’re led by the D-Front of Luke Byer (6-1, 225, sr, 37 tackles), Dominic Ghilani (34 tackles, jr), big Luke Levi (6-3, 280, sr, 29 tackles) and DE Aiden Johnson (6-2, 235, sr, 41 tackles). Whatever gets past that is scooped up by LBs Tanner Moody (79 stops), Colton Lee (52 tackles), Alonzo Wade (50 tackles), Jake Gedekoh (35 stops) and safeties Adam LaCarte (61 stops), Deaubre Lightfoot (39 tackles), and (QB) Laux with 30 stops. This looks like a heck of a game as Northwestern Lehigh is on a legit roll, winning 63 of their last 75 games. The game is Dec 9th at 1pm.

2A Playoffs: District-3 had no 2A teams in the semifinals.
Westinghouse (13-0) from District-8 (Pitt City League) beat Beaver Falls (9-6) from District-7, 28-8 on one side of the bracket while Southern Columbia Area (14-1) from District-4 had no trouble defeating Dunmore (12-3) from District-2, 39-7. The State Final between Westinghouse and Southern is a rematch of last year’s game where the previously undefeated Bulldogs (14-1) lost to SCA (13-3) 37-22. That game was of special interest as Westinghouse looked unbeatable after trouncing high end comp from Berlin Brothersvalley, Central Clarion, Farrell and Steel Valley. Southern Columbia got your attention early on losing three of their first five games before Coach Roth made wholesale personnel and system changes enabling them to win out over their last eight games. This year’s team stumbled once against (who else), Mount Carmel (9-3) 42-30. Then evened the score in the postseason 43-0. They are almost a carbon copy of past Tiger teams scoring 40ppg. The difference is on defense where they’ve been super stingy allowing 140 total points, or, 9ppg, making this one of their best defenses; especially the front per Coach Roth. End of the day, this is still one of the best Wing-T or variation of in the state, led by another Garcia brother Garrett with 1693 yards rushing, Louden Murphy with 1436 and Carter Madden at 812 yards. Their opponent Westinghouse doesn’t seem as talented on paper as last year’s team but here they are, getting past the best of the West with playoff wins against Clairton (10-2) 28-0, Berlin Brothersvalley (10-2) 37-20, Central Clarion (11-1) 46-20, Farrell (11-2) 36-20 in a comeback, before disposing of Beaver Falls 28-8 last week. They have a number of underclassmen. None better than DB Keyshawn Robinson (5-10, 165, so, PSU, Fla, Pitt). While last year’s team was senior laden, the cupboard isn’t bare, with the lines returning senior center/DT Raymon Poindexter, DT Sincere Shannon and End Mike Richardson. All three were All-City last year. While there are many quality opponents on Westinghouse’s schedule, none mimic Southern’s Wing-T. No one on their schedule presented as many weapons as Southern does with their backfield, and, a quarterback in Blake Wise at 55% for 1187 yards who is good enough to keep them on their heels and WAY off balance. Southern is on an incredible run of nine straight Finals appearances. The medals count (sit down!) is as follows: Gold Medals in 1994, 02, 03, 04, 05, 06, 15, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21 and last year; Silver Medals in 1995, 96, 98, 99, 00, 01, 11 and 2016. The game is Dec 8th at 1pm.

1A playoffs: South Williamsport 11-3 D4 vs Steelton Highspire 15-0..vs Fort Cherry
Steelton Highspire took care of business last week with one of their typical explosions, this one in the second quarter where they erupted for 21 points to grab a 35-7 halftime lead. Theron they coasted to their 27th straight win, knocking South Williamsport out of the postseason with a 48-21 win. Quarterback Alex Erby continues his assault (addition actually) on the PA State passing record and pursuit of the state touchdown record completing 13 of 18 passes for 239 yards and three touchdown passes. The Roller have a ground game too, rushing for 248 yards. South rushed for 234 yards while passing for 123. You can run on the Rollers but good luck keeping up on the scoreboard. They move on to their third finals appearance (Gold in 07, 08, 20, 22) in the last four years against a team that just might be able to keep up; Fort Cherry (14-0) of District-7. The Rangers look like the best team Steel High has played this year, averaging 45ppg, allowing 13, with one of the very best dual threat quarterbacks in the state. Matt Sieg (6-0, 170) is only a sophomore. But he’s set things on fire in the Wpial throwing for 1338 yards with a 18/3 ratio for 57% while rushing for 1285 yards on 158 carries for 33 more touchdowns. Ethan Faletto is a quality back rushing for 1015 yards with Nate Heirendt adding 447 on 62 attempts. Shane Cornali is their leading receiver with 24 receptions for 488 yards. They played a representative schedule with wins against Bishop Canevin x2 (10-2) 48-41 and 33-21 (postseason), South Side (13-1) 42-28, and last week against Redbank Valley (12-1) 33-23. There’s a lot of youth on this team verses a senior laden Roller team with considerable postseason experience. But they have a sizeable roster and play a lot of people, especially on defense. The Rollers give up a lot of yards rushing and should be in for a severe contest against a team that will likely be able to trade points with them, eating clock along the way. Toss this one up! The game is Dec 7th at 1pm.

I know the competitive formula works and I'm a fan of it. We see more competitive games, especially playoff games, but it only works for 1A-5A. With that being said it has no affect on 6A and I know teams like sjp meet the criteria to be moved up. What changes can the piaa make with the competitive formula to affect these 6A schools?

PIAA have different rules for SJP and it’s hurting the true PA kids. They’re bigger, faster, and stronger than everyone. They have kids from PA to Maryland. They travel to play games on a bus. They travel when school is closed for the year. They recruit by going door to door speaking with kids. They should not be able to play against kids from one district because high school kids from jersey /de/ md/fl aren’t normal hs kids.

2023-24 is shaping up to be the most competitive season in D11 at the top end of 3A in a while. Coaching changes at Bethlehem Catholic have their roster in a little bit of flux, Nazareth graduated a massive senior class, and Easton and Northampton have been loading up at the youth and junior high levels over the last few years and those crops are starting to matriculate into high school. There are also a set of studs coming to Emmaus of all places, Parkland has insane participation numbers, and there are always some individuals at the rest of the D11 schools who can make a run come postseason time. Here are the returning D11 medalists and the incoming freshman most likely to be a big part of the varsity landscape here. Team capsules also coming.

Returning D11 Medalists (ordered by D11 finish, projected weight for 2024 in parenthesis)

106
Keanu Dillard, Bethlehem Catholic (So. 121) - State Champ
Nick Salamone, Easton (So. 121) - State 7th
Remy Trach, Nazareth (Jr. 114)
Wilmont Kai, Whitehall (So. ???)
Hunter Brown, Stroudsburg (Jr. ???)
Jasiah Pagan, Liberty (So. ???)

114
Chris Kelly, Easton (Jr. 133)
Blake Dergham, Parkland (Sr. 127)
Zach Berwick, Stroudsburg (So.)
Dom Rizzotto, Nazareth (Sr. 121)

121
Trey Wagner, Northampton (So. 133)
Ryder Campbell, Bethlehem Catholic (Jr. 127)
Damond Pascoe, Whitehall (Jr.)

127
Tahir Parkins, Nazareth (Jr. 139/145) - State 4th
Shane McFillin, Bethlehem Catholic (Jr. 145)
Ben Fanelli, Easton (Sr. 139) - State 8th
Jack Evans, Liberty (Sr.)

133
Kam Abboud, Liberty (Sr.)
Austin Noe, Northampton (Sr. 145)
Keegan Demarest, PME (Sr. 139)

139
Kollin Rath, Bethlehem Catholic (Jr. 152) - State Champ
Jack Campbell, Nazareth (So. 139/145)
Adriaan DeLeon, Liberty (So. 152)

145
Charlie Scanlan, Bethlehem Catholic (Jr. 160)
Quentin Hammerstone, Easton (Jr. 152)

152
Parrish McFarland, Pottsville (Sr. 160)
Cade Campbell, Nazareth (So. 160)
James Geiger, Easton (Sr. 160)
Jesse Scott, Emmaus (Jr. 172)

160
Brayden Zuercher, Nazareth (So. 172/189)
Robert Bibeau, ESN (Sr.)

172
Terrell McFarland, Pottsville (So. 189)
Jared Karabinus, Freedom (Sr. 189)

189
James DeLuise, Bethlehem Catholic (Jr. 189)

215
Brandon Stiehler, PMW (Sr. 285)
Jame Hopkins, Whitehall (So. 285)

285
Sean Kinney, Nazareth (Sr. 285) - State Champ
Mike Gavrilesku, Parkland (Jr. 285)
Gavin Grell, Northampton (Jr. 285)

Impact Freshmen (D11 Junior High Placement, Projected Weight)
# - PA Power Incoming Freshman Rank (3A only)

87: Logan Maher, Emmaus (Champ, 107/114)
94: #8 Emilio Albanese, Emmaus (Champ 107/114) - PJW 2nd
115: #15 Tegan Caciolo, Emmaus (Champ, 121/127) - PJW 5th, Keystone 4th

94: #18 Noah Fenner, Easton* (Club Only, 107)
101: Ethan Krazer, Easton (3rd, 114)
130: Evan Carss, Easton (Injured, top seed, 127/133)
155: #35 Justin Cosover, Easton (Champ, 172)

108: #5 Gabe Ballard, Northampton (Champ, 114) - PJW 3rd
170: Chance Roland, Northampton (3rd, 189)

108: #22 Reef Dillard, Bethlehem Catholic (2nd, 114)

115: #51 Cooper Wenrich, Nazareth (2nd, 121)
170: Elijah Simak, Nazareth (Champ, 172/189) - PJW 2nd
94: #50 Matt Velez, Parkland (3rd, 114)
121: Nick Lyden, Freedom (Champ, 127)
155: Jaxson Kreider, Bangor (2nd, 160)
190: Josiah Rodriguez, East Stroudsburg South (Champ, 215)
250: Justin Heckert, Whitehall (Champ, 285) - Keystone 2nd
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If you're picking individuals to shine - Kollin Rath and Sean Kinney are heavy favorites to repeat as state champions, unless Rath and Pierson Manville end up in the same weight class again, in which we'd get two of the best middleweights in America locking horns again for a state title, though I suspect we'll see one at 145 and one at 152. Keanu Dillard is a solid favorite to repeat as state champ, but up at 121 is always a challenge for 107's moving up.

Possible state finalist outside the big three include the trio of freshman that I'd expect to end up at 107 - Emilio Albanese from Emmaus, Noah Fenner from Easton, and Gabe Ballard from Northampton, which very much could end up an All District 11 affair. Tahir Parkins is as talented as the three returning champs and should start the season ranked #1 at 139 on his climb for his first state title. Terrell McFarland was a state qualifier as a freshman at 172 last year after a stellar junior high career, and I'd bank on a big leap to put him right in the title conversation at 189. The darkhorse finalist contender is Trey Wagner, the uber talented Northampton sophomore who got his feet wet in Hershey as a freshman.

How about this? 33 kids!!! 6A Basketball and 3A football?? Thoughts??

SJP returned opening kickoff for TD and missed PAT. CBS punted after first possession and SJP scored on theirs. CBS goes nowhere on next series and punts - score by SJP follows to open 20-0 lead. CBS series falters with punt. SJP scores on 74 run on next series. Next set of exchanges followed suit and SJP went for two after their 5th TD to make it 35-0 with two minutes remaining in second quarter. Ooooops - another exchange so now it's 42-0.

NA up 17-6 over Harrisburg late in 2nd.

How did/is everything going football wise as of late?
“My football season went very well this year; due to the fact that I believe I improved my skills a lot more than last year. I got injured in week eight, but my team fought hard to make it to the first round of playoffs. We lost that game, but myself and my teammates are back hitting the weights in the offseason.”

What do you feel your team can continue to improve on going forward?
“My team and myself definitely need to work on our speed and confidence on the field for next year.”

Have you been pleased with your performances?
“I didn't regret my performance this year, but there's always room to get better.”

How do you feel about the play of your team?
“I feel that this year we played more as a team than we did in the past years.”

What are your sporting goals going forward as of now?
“My goals as of now are to get stronger in the weight room while improving my speed as well.”

Do you want to play sports in college? If so, which one?
“I would definitely love to play football in college at my dream school, Navy.”

What colleges have been recruiting you?
“None at the moment.”

What school is recruiting you the hardest?
“None at the moment.”

Have you made any college trips yet?
“This year I went to a few college camps with my coach and teammates at Bucknell and Lehigh.”

Do you have plans for game day trips?
“No I do not.”

Did you have a favorite college growing up?
“Growing up I have always wanted to attend the Naval Academy.”

How has everything with the football season been going so far?
“Football season was great, there’s no one else I’d rather be finishing out my high school career with than these guys so I’m grateful to be where I am.”

Have you been pleased with how you have played this season?
“Yes, there were some games where we struggled as a unit, but there are also games where most starters were on the bench by the fourth quarter. I know I gave it my all and that’s all I can do.”

How do you feel your team has played?
“As a unit we were not as cohesive as we have been in previous years, but graduating so many starting seniors was something we hadn’t faced and I think we are all better now because of that. That being said we all bought in and began playing for each other later in the year.”

What do you feel your team can improve on?
“I think the team will be stronger because of the adversity we faced this year with injuries and guys battling each other for starting spots.”

What are the keys for your team being successful going forward?
“We have to play for each other and buy into the ‘we not me’ mentality.”

Do you want to play sports in college? If so, which one?
“Yes, football.”

What colleges have been recruiting you?
“I have had conversations with Hobart, King’s, Assumption, and Clarke.”

What school is recruiting you the hardest?
“Hard to say.”

Have you made any college trips yet?
“Yes, to Amherst and Hobart.”

Do you have plans for game day trips?
“Yes, I will be at King’s College soon.”

Did you have a favorite college growing up?
“Not really, I liked Oregon but really just focused on whoever was playing in the big games.”

How did/is everything going football wise as of late?
“Everything’s going good, just been working on getting 1% better every day.”

What do you feel your team can continue to improve on going forward?
“I feel like we can improve on closing out games quicker.”

Have you been pleased with your performances?
“I never am pleased with my performance because I never want myself to get complacent.”

How do you feel about the play of your team?
“I feel like we’ve had a pretty good season but there’s always things we can improve on.”

What are your sporting goals going forward as of now?
“To win a State Championship.”

Do you want to play sports in college? If so, which one?
“I do, and I want to play football in college.”

What colleges have been recruiting you?
“Schools like JMU, UConn, Akron, Northwestern, and Buffalo.”

What school is recruiting you the hardest?
“JMU, Akron, and UConn.”

Have you made any college trips yet?
“Only school I’ve gone to so far was JMU.”

Do you have plans for game day trips?
“I will be at JMU on Nov 11th.”

Did you have a favorite college growing up?
“I’ve never had one.”

How has everything with the football season been going so far?
“This season had its ups and downs but there was a lot of improvement.”

Have you been pleased with how you have played this season?
“I have been pleased with how I played this year but there are still things I can improve on.”

How do you feel your team has played?
“The team played solid all year but there were let downs. But the let downs will only make us stronger and better for next season.”

What do you feel your team can improve on?
“We can improve on being consistent and win on key downs.”

What are the keys for your team being successful going forward?
“The keys are being able to have the grit to improve every day and just being a family.”

Do you want to play sports in college? If so, which one?
“Yes, I would like to play football at the next level.”

What colleges have been recruiting you?
“A few Division 3 schools have reached out.”

What school is recruiting you the hardest?
“The recruiting process just started to heat up for me.”

Have you made any college trips yet?
“Yes, I have made a couple of college trips.”

Do you have plans for game day trips?
“Yes, I had a couple this year and I have one more planned.”

Did you have a favorite college growing up?
“My favorite college was University of Maryland.”

How has everything with the football season been going so far?
“I think the season has gone really well. We finished the regular season 9-1. We’ve had success on both sides of the ball and that’s super important as we move forward into playoffs.”

Have you been pleased with how you have played this season?
“I’m happy with my growth over the year but I know there are a lot things I can still work on and learn as we move forward into the postseason.”

How do you feel your team has played?
“I think the team has done a great job. The line up front has taken care of business and that’s a huge part of the game. The receivers have also done a great job, finding open space and making great plays. I’m lucky to be playing with such a talented group of teammates.”

What do you feel your team can improve on?
“I think the team needs to work on playing a complete game (start-finish) and limiting penalties. I feel like we have limited ourselves with the penalties we have committed this year. We are still looking for that perfect game.”

What are the keys for your team being successful going forward?
“Moving forward we need to continue getting the ball into our playmakers hands and maintain an even balance of pass to run. I think keeping the opposing defense honest allows our offense to make more explosive plays.”

Do you want to play sports in college? If so, which one?
“I love the sport of football and would 100% love to pursue football at the next level.”

What colleges have been recruiting you?
“Since this is my first year having varsity film I have not been recruited by colleges yet. I’m hoping moving forward this season will help open colleges' eyes.”

What school is recruiting you the hardest?
“See above.”

Have you made any college trips yet?
“I have not made any college trips this season.”

Do you have plans for game day trips?
“I am planning on attending a Villanova game before the end of the year.”

Did you have a favorite college growing up?
“Growing up I always cheered for North Carolina and Penn State. I love going to the games and cheering them on.”

Find out what colleges are recruiting Peyton Falzone, Gavin Trish, William Felder Jr., Matt Brosko, and Jake Cummings now!


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Q&A with Nazareth Area quarterback Peyton Falzone​

Do you want to play sports in college? If so, which one?
“I love the sport of football and would 100% love to pursue football at the next level.”

What colleges have been recruiting you?
“Since this is my first year having varsity film I have not been recruited by colleges yet. I’m hoping moving forward this season will help open colleges' eyes.”

What school is recruiting you the hardest?
“See above.”

Have you made any college trips yet?
“I have not made any college trips this season.”

Do you have plans for game day trips?
“I am planning on attending a Villanova game before the end of the year.”

Did you have a favorite college growing up?
“Growing up I always cheered for North Carolina and Penn State. I love going to the games and cheering them on.”


......................................................................................................

Q&A with Hanover quarterback Gavin Trish​

Do you want to play sports in college? If so, which one?
“Yes, I would like to play football at the next level.”

What colleges have been recruiting you?
“A few Division 3 schools have reached out.”

What school is recruiting you the hardest?
“The recruiting process just started to heat up for me.”

Have you made any college trips yet?
“Yes, I have made a couple of college trips.”

Do you have plans for game day trips?
“Yes, I had a couple this year and I have one more planned.”

Did you have a favorite college growing up?
“My favorite college was University of Maryland.”


......................................................................................................

Q&A with Roman Catholic safety William Felder Jr.​

Do you want to play sports in college? If so, which one?
“I do, and I want to play football in college.”

What colleges have been recruiting you?
“Schools like JMU, UConn, Akron, Northwestern, and Buffalo.”

What school is recruiting you the hardest?
“JMU, Akron, and UConn.”

Have you made any college trips yet?
“Only school I’ve gone to so far was JMU.”

Do you have plans for game day trips?
“I will be at JMU on Nov 11th.”

Did you have a favorite college growing up?
“I’ve never had one.”


......................................................................................................

Q&A with The Haverford School running back Matt Brosko​

Do you want to play sports in college? If so, which one?
“Yes, football.”

What colleges have been recruiting you?
“I have had conversations with Hobart, King’s, Assumption, and Clarke.”

What school is recruiting you the hardest?
“Hard to say.”

Have you made any college trips yet?
“Yes, to Amherst and Hobart.”

Do you have plans for game day trips?
“Yes, I will be at King’s College soon.”

Did you have a favorite college growing up?
“Not really, I liked Oregon but really just focused on whoever was playing in the big games.”


......................................................................................................

Q&A with Leechburg tight end Jake Cummings​

Do you want to play sports in college? If so, which one?
“I would definitely love to play football in college at my dream school, Navy.”

What colleges have been recruiting you?
“None at the moment.”

What school is recruiting you the hardest?
“None at the moment.”

Have you made any college trips yet?
“This year I went to a few college camps with my coach and teammates at Bucknell and Lehigh.”

Do you have plans for game day trips?
“No I do not.”

Did you have a favorite college growing up?
“Growing up I have always wanted to attend the Naval Academy.”


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Find out what some of the top players in the state are saying about football now!


......................................................................................................


Q&A with Nazareth Area quarterback Peyton Falzone
How has everything with the football season been going so far?
“I think the season has gone really well. We finished the regular season 9-1. We’ve had success on both sides of the ball and that’s super important as we move forward into playoffs.”

Have you been pleased with how you have played this season?
“I’m happy with my growth over the year but I know there are a lot things I can still work on and learn as we move forward into the postseason.”

How do you feel your team has played?
“I think the team has done a great job. The line up front has taken care of business and that’s a huge part of the game. The receivers have also done a great job, finding open space and making great plays. I’m lucky to be playing with such a talented group of teammates.”

What do you feel your team can improve on?
“I think the team needs to work on playing a complete game (start-finish) and limiting penalties. I feel like we have limited ourselves with the penalties we have committed this year. We are still looking for that perfect game.”

What are the keys for your team being successful going forward?
“Moving forward we need to continue getting the ball into our playmakers hands and maintain an even balance of pass to run. I think keeping the opposing defense honest allows our offense to make more explosive plays.”

......................................................................................................
Q&A with Hanover quarterback Gavin Trish
How has everything with the football season been going so far?
“This season had its ups and downs but there was a lot of improvement.”

Have you been pleased with how you have played this season?
“I have been pleased with how I played this year but there are still things I can improve on.”

How do you feel your team has played?
“The team played solid all year but there were let downs. But the let downs will only make us stronger and better for next season.”

What do you feel your team can improve on?
“We can improve on being consistent and win on key downs.”

What are the keys for your team being successful going forward?
“The keys are being able to have the grit to improve every day and just being a family.”

......................................................................................................
Q&A with Roman Catholic safety William Felder Jr.
How did/is everything going football wise as of late?
“Everything’s going good, just been working on getting 1% better every day.”

What do you feel your team can continue to improve on going forward?
“I feel like we can improve on closing out games quicker.”

Have you been pleased with your performances?
“I never am pleased with my performance because I never want myself to get complacent.”

How do you feel about the play of your team?
“I feel like we’ve had a pretty good season but there’s always things we can improve on.”

What are your sporting goals going forward as of now?
“To win a State Championship.”

......................................................................................................
Q&A with The Haverford School running back Matt Brosko
How has everything with the football season been going so far?
“Football season was great, there’s no one else I’d rather be finishing out my high school career with than these guys so I’m grateful to be where I am.”

Have you been pleased with how you have played this season?
“Yes, there were some games where we struggled as a unit, but there are also games where most starters were on the bench by the fourth quarter. I know I gave it my all and that’s all I can do.”

How do you feel your team has played?
“As a unit we were not as cohesive as we have been in previous years, but graduating so many starting seniors was something we hadn’t faced and I think we are all better now because of that. That being said we all bought in and began playing for each other later in the year.”

What do you feel your team can improve on?
“I think the team will be stronger because of the adversity we faced this year with injuries and guys battling each other for starting spots.”

What are the keys for your team being successful going forward?
“We have to play for each other and buy into the ‘we not me’ mentality.”

......................................................................................................
Q&A with Leechburg tight end Jake Cummings
How did/is everything going football wise as of late?
“My football season went very well this year; due to the fact that I believe I improved my skills a lot more than last year. I got injured in week eight, but my team fought hard to make it to the first round of playoffs. We lost that game, but myself and my teammates are back hitting the weights in the offseason.”

What do you feel your team can continue to improve on going forward?
“My team and myself definitely need to work on our speed and confidence on the field for next year.”

Have you been pleased with your performances?
“I didn't regret my performance this year, but there's always room to get better.”

How do you feel about the play of your team?
“I feel that this year we played more as a team than we did in the past years.”

What are your sporting goals going forward as of now?
“My goals as of now are to get stronger in the weight room while improving my speed as well.”

......................................................................................................

Hey, someone has to pull for the underdog. But I don't think it'll be as easy $ as Wash over Oregon. So much for out of touch prognosticators!
* Gotta pull for mother's home state Georgia
* Gotta pull for uncle's alma mater Green Wave at Tulane
* Tex I guess over Okla State for their outside chance at final 4
* FSU over Lville with 2nd or is it 3rd string Qb?

Other great games:
* Toledo over Miami. Saw Toledo once. Good stuff.
* App St over Troy. Should be a good one.

** And Go Cougars with McDevitt and Wyo falling by the wayside.
**** ROLLERS !!!!

Time to preview this game. NA is coming off a dominant victory over McDowell. Game was over after the first quarter. Meanwhile, Harrisburg had a thrill come from behind victory to win in OT against Manheim township. Both teams one loss came against conference opponents, who they went on to get revenge on in the playoffs.

Prediction- NA 35-21

xxxx

Tigers give District 11 their first state finalist since Parkland in 2015 (NWL is also essentially extended off of the Parkland school district into the farmland).

Great win for NWL, trailed by ten at the half, scored with 2:24 left to take a lead. I was in transit, so am catching up on what happened in the game. But a tremendous win and statement for Josh Snyder’s program. Always fun when one of the best players in school history comes backs and leads his alma mater to glory.

28-0 with four minutes left in the first quarter. Playing a different sport.

Where do these weird sports team names originate?

District 3 State Playoffs; games of Dec 1, 2
(records reflect most recent game results)

6A: Harrisburg 12-1 vs North Allegheny 12-1 D7
The Cougars beat top seeded Manheim Township on Township’s field in overtime 34-28, giving the Streaks their first loss of the season while claiming a third straight district title for themselves. What’s hard to fathom for a team that dominated all comers up to this point was Township’s inability to hold a 28-7 lead in the third quarter. Thereon, it was all Harrisburg with quarterback Shawn Lee scoring on a 1-yard keeper following his 89 yard run to open the second half. Nehemiah Ewell then scored on a 15 yard run after a 13-play, 98-yard drive in the fourth quarter. Following great field position at the Township 35, Harrisburg drove to the four where Lee found Elias Coke on a 4-yard toss then made the 2-point conversion to force overtime with :23 left in regulation. In overtime, Harrisburg won the toss and elected to go on offense where Ewell scored on a 2-yard run. But a high snap prevented the conversion giving Township a shot. In a fitting end to an unusual game, Township failed to score on three fourth down opportunities where a touchdown was overturned on an illegal touching penalty, an interference penalty on Harrisburg moving the ball to the 4, and a pass batted away by Quincy Brannon on the final try. Up next is North Allegheny’s best team since the 2012 edition that went 16-0, winning a state title beating Coatesville 63-28. That group set records averaging 42ppg and allowing 8. This year’s is even more on offense, resetting the record books at 45.7ppg. The defense allowed 17.1. This drops to 11 eliminating Central Catholic games where they allowed 50 and 41. Anomalies? The 2012 title team had no such ‘anomalies’. Regardless, they’re a load with a 3-year starting quarterback in Logan Kushner, excellent skill people and a veteran defense. Kushner is as much a threat with his legs as his arm, rushing for 707 yards on 55 carries with 12 touchdowns while throwing at 57% for 972 yards with a 14/3 ratio. Khiryn Bird (All-State) is an exceptional receiver with 28 receptions for 728 yards with good support from Evan Lyon (10/274) and Daniel Sellers (12/204). Tyree Alualu is the primary back with 85-783 yards rushing and 7 receptions for 90 yards. He’s another 3-year starter with great speed and a terror on defense where the front 4 returned with good numbers throughout the defense. The game with Harrisburg looks like a classic matchup featuring perhaps the two best dual threat quarterbacks in the state. Both teams are explosive with good defenses. And both are historic powers that won’t be intimidated by circumstance or each other. The game is Dec 2nd at 1pm at Altoona’s Mansion Park.

5A: Cocalico 12-1 vs Peters Township 14-0, D7.
Cocalico won their 12th consecutive game against Ephrata in a well fought 23-9 district final that secured their second straight 5A crown. Their veer offense that no one has stopped ground out 308 yards. Powerhouses like Manheim Central allowed them 475 (not a misprint), Cocalico’s season high, while Wyomissing allowed 265. Combine that with a defense allowing 12.6ppg to see what a tough out they are. It was no different against a solid Ephrata team that was held to 27 rush yards and 215 passing. Their quarterback, Sam McCracken who is often a handful, had two interceptions and was held to negative 17 yards rushing. This combined with seven sacks removed a big piece of their offense. For Cocalico, running back Aaron Longenecker was center stage, rushing for 113 yards and scoring all their touchdowns; two rushing and one a 24-yard strike from quarterback Josh Myer (3/5-46yds) getting his fourth touchdown toss of the year. He more than makes up for that as the team’s third leading rusher netting 739 yards on 130 carries for 11 touchdowns. They move on to the State Semifinal to see if Peters Township can stop them. At 14-0 (1st Wpial) they’ve stopped everyone with a defense allowing 8ppg. The offense is headed by a sophomore quarterback Nolan DiLucia. He’s a good one, completing 61% for 2838 yards with a TD/Pick ratio of 30/10. He also rushed for 497 yards making him a dual threat. Five receivers have at least 375 yards. Combined, they total 162 receptions for 2360 yards. Vinny Sarcone and Preston Blair are the running backs with 862 and 610 rush yards respectively. The line averages 6-1 and 235. Shutting down teams like Upper St. Clair 31-0, Pine Richland 43-17 and Cathedral Prep 33-14 says they have speed defensively as suggested by DLs Paris Fishell (6-0, 235, so), Jake Velgich (5-10, 215, sr) and NT Franco Muscatello (6-2, 230, jr), with a standout LB in Mickey Vaccarello (6-3, 215, jr) having offers from Syracuse, Maryland, BC and others. Preston Lehman (6-3, 225, so) looked good in highlights too. Where they look to have an advantage is their multiple offense supported by a stout defense. Peters looks like the real deal. The game is Dec 1st at 7pm at Altoona’s Mansion Park.

4A: Bishop McDevitt 13-0 vs Dallas 14-0 D2
For all intents and purposes, Manheim Central looked like the better team last week. Hands down, not even close, besting the Crusaders in every measurable while holding what seemed to be an insurmountable 17-8 lead entering the fourth quarter. McDevitt’s Kentucky bound quarterback Stone Saunders couldn’t find his mark in the first half, throwing passes above, over and behind his receivers, completing 6 of 19 passes (if I counted right) with the team held to three first downs. Three! Things were so bad in the fourth quarter, a more-less typical 27-yard completion for a first down seemed to ignite a spark that brought the sideline alive with renewed energy. It was palpable! The very next play saw Saunders connect with Gage Ruth in the end zone on a 43-yard bomb making it 17-15 with 8:44 to go. Manheim fumbled the ball right back to McDevitt the next series (Rico Scott recovering) on MC’s 25-yard line where Saunders hit Scott for a 26-yard score on the next play with Saunders running it in for two. All this in the space of 15 seconds starting at the 8:43 mark of the fourth quarter. The thing was, barring a misstep or two, McDevitt’s defense was in near total control, allowing 87 total yards by game’s end. The game had so many twists and turns with a fumble recovered in the end zone, a Pick-6, a safety, a blocked punt then the incredible finish. Too much to cover here. Bottom line, a valiant effort by the Barons came up short, while the Crusaders advance after winning their 26th consecutive game and 17th district title. They move on to play District-2 power Dallas. At 14-0, the Mountaineers are having one of their best seasons of record. The 2019 team (15-1) was probably their best that lost in the final to the 16-0 machine from Thomas Jefferson that would have beat many in higher classifications. This group is balanced with 1761 pass yards and 2780 rushing. Quarterback Brady Zapoticky throws at 56% for 1761 yards with a 23/2 ratio. Zach Paczewski is his top receiver with 931 yards on 50 receptions. Running backs Dillon Geskey and Mike Lewis have 1414 and 276 yards respectively. Both can catch. The team’s average score is 38-16 with Coach Rich Mannello calling this his fastest defense. They got here by winning the close ones including playoff wins against rival Valley View (10-3) 21-18 two weeks ago and Bonner Prendi (10-3, Philly PCL) 28-27 when Bonner missed the extra point in ot. McDevitt can’t afford a repeat of last week against this bunch. The game is Dec 1st at 7pm at Northern Lehigh High School.

3A: Wyomissing 12-1 vs Northwestern Lehigh 14-0 D11
Wyomissing advances deeper into the postseason with a 48-27 win in Reading over Danville. It was a competitive game for a half. But like the Camp Hill-Dunmore game below, the weight of the Spartan attack proved dividends in the second half where they outscored the Ironmen 21-8. Heck of a year for them finishing 12-2. Wyo had their Wing-T in high gear, rolling out 465 yards on the ground. Ryker Jones led the way with 153 yards and touchdowns of 79 and 4 yards. Sophomore Chase Eisenhower added 93 yards on 17 carries with scores of 2, 5, 1 and 15 yards. Four other backs had 20 carries for 128 yards. Since losing to Cocalico 34-14, they’ve won their last six by an average score of 39-11. Up next is District-11 powerhouse Northwestern Lehigh, fielding their ‘best ever team’ with a record setting offense and defense averaging 45ppg and allowing 9. Their six year won-loss is 62-12. They’ve played a strong schedule, beating a competitive Blue Mountain (8-3) team 28-21, Southern Lehigh (10-2) 42-14, Notre Dame (8-4) 43-21, Palmerton’s ‘best ever’ (12-1) squad 58-8, and District-2 powerhouse Scranton Prep (12-2) 27-6, who defeated Neumann Goretti (11-2) 23-16 the week before. The D has some big boys upfront in Ben Walters (6-1, 240, 65 tackles), Bryer Reichard (6-4, 260, 67 stops), solid line backing in Dalton Clymer (6-0. 190, 113 tackles), Blaine Snyder (100 tackles), sophomore Shane Hulmes (6-0, 195, 89 tackles) and a super active secondary looking at the number of tackles. They’re a well balanced offense throwing the ball 36% of the time at 61% for 1589 yards with sophomore Shane Leh. His ratio is 22/6. Dalton Clymer has 1705 rush yards with Eli Zimmerman at 479. The primary receivers are Devon Hildebrand (46/590) and Mason Bollinger (23/438). The Tigers will be the best team Wyomissing has played this year and a real threat with their balance. The game is Dec 1st at 7pm at Kutztown University.

(2A: Camp Hill 8-6 vs Dunmore 12-2, D2)
Camp Hill concluded their surprising run in the postseason with a 41-25 quarterfinal loss at Dunmore. Nothing like a quarterfinal playoff game on the home field of one of the most successful Double-A programs in the state! Typically, you see that in district play with an 8 seed traveling to a 1. The Bucks won the state title in 1989 with a 57-18 win over Keystone, then grabbed Silver in 2012 beating Clairton 20-0. They’ve gone 175-45 since 2007. Back to the present, it was an exciting game for the first half with Dunmore holding a 21-19 lead. After that, the weight of their attack, rushing for 336 yards, showed itself where the larger more physical Bucks wore down the Lions, outscoring them 20-6. Dunmore moves on to play Southern Columbia (13-1) out of District-4 where they’ll need to change gears real fast from a pass prevent defense, Camp Hill throwing 44 times, to a run dominant scheme. The closest team they’ve played to a team like Southern is Mount Carmel (9-3), in a 34-7 loss and Lackawanna Trail (13-1) where they also lost 46-21. This looks like a very long day for the Bucks. The game is in Hazelton Dec 1st at 7pm.
Camp Hill note: The Lions look forward to next season returning good numbers and an outstanding quarterback.

1A: Steelton Highspire 14-0 vs South Williamsport 11-2 D4
Lackawanna Trail proved a worthy opponent falling to Steel High in the 1A quarterfinal in Scranton. LT was a good team. But like so many at the 1A and 2A classifications, they’re one dimensional as a ground pounder. And when Steel High controlled that, limiting them to 231 rushing and only 18 through the air, it was all over. Conversely, the Rollers are an anomaly, as a pass heavy team completing 21 of 26 passes for 398 yards as Alex Erby added to his state passing record. Their wide outs are almost impossible to guard with Jaeion Perry catching 6 passes for 154 yards and touchdowns of 11 and 42 yards, and Durrell Ceasar snagging 8 for 121 yards with touchdowns of 22 and 37 yards. They have an excellent running back when needed in Ronald Burnette gaining 101 yards. 512 total yards later it was all over, winning their 25th consecutive game 43-25. The win moves them into the semifinal against South Williamsport (11-2) of District-4. They’re from the Northern Tier League, small school division playing high end comp like Canton (56-12 the last 6) and Muncy (53-17 last 6). Except for those two and Southern Columbia deeper into the postseason, you’d be hearing much more about them. But it’s still good stuff in Coach Chris Elswerth’s 13th season going 103-44. They’re a big, senior laden, physical, Wing-T team that likes to pound it. Ryan Casella is the lead back with 1385 yards supported by Kaiser Kistner with 866 yards. Tadd Lusk can heave it, completing 43 of 74 passes (58%) for 790 yards with a 16/4 ratio. They have quality wins against Muncy (10-3), Canton (8-3) and the District-6 rep Cambria Heights (10-4) last week 33-0. They haven’t faced a team like Steelton and could be in trouble against such an attack and speed. The game is a ‘district’ home game for them, played at Shamokin High Dec 1st at 7pm.

Patriotic College Football Helmets

Two changes that jump out…

PCC dropping to 5A. Will they choose to play up? Have they always been 5A and chose to play up in 6A?

Garnet Valley dropping to 5A

Have a look for yourself…

Haven’t seen much from Strath Haven this year. Will this be a good match up? I know imhotep was pretty banged up coming out of the d12 title game.