1. Freedom Patriots (3-0)
Freedom stays hot by blowing out Allentown Central Catholic, taking a 35-0 lead at halftime and finishing with a 49-15 win. Chase Walker threw four first half touchdowns, and has emerged as one of the premier quarterbacks in eastern Pennsylvania through the first three weeks of the season. He's completing 60% of his passes and has throw for 605 yards and 3 touchdowns so far. Four different receivers have at least nine catches through three weeks, and Shacre Colwell has already caught four touchdowns. Aaron Beete is averaging nearly 10 yards per carry and has 408 yards through three games. Defensively, Justin Peluso leads the way with 21 tackles, two sacks, and an interception. They come into the week with a massive game agaisnt defending D11 champ Nazareth, who leads the Patriots in most of the state rankings, but I think is a decided underdog.
2. Nazareth Blue Eagles (3-0)
Nazareth posted one of the biggest out-of-area posted by D11 in years with a 35-31 victory over perennial D3 power Wilson West Lawn. It was not without incident, as WWL fumbled down near the goalline in the final minute of the game in what could have led to a game winning touchdown. Instead, Nazareth survived. Peyton Falzone continued a bonkers season, throwing for 255 yards and four touchdowns and running for 73 yards, including a 55 yard touchdown. On the year, Falzone has thrown for 625 yards and six touchdowns, while rushing for 244 yards and five touchdowns (and averaging 9.4 yards per carry). Caleb Newsome has been his favorite target, with 9 cathces for 223 yards and three touchdowns. They play in the game of the week this week against Freedom.
3. Parkland Trojans (2-1)
It was a get-right game for Parkland, who controlled unbeaten Northampton most of the way for a 23-14 win over the Konkrete Kids. Parkland led 17-0 for most of the way, then after Northampton cut the lead to 17-7 and was driving to make it a one score game, Marcel Burden picked off a on his own side of the field, and a Parkland touchdown drive put things out of reach. TJ Lawrence led the Trojans with 136 yards and a touchdown, plus led the Trojans in tackles on defense. It was his second 100 yard game of the year and he has 330 and four touchdowns, plus another 110 yards receiving and a TD, through the first three weeks of the season. Fellow sophomore Naquon Thomason has been their other ballcarrier, but it is clearly the TJ Lawrence show on offense, running behind their huge offensive line.
4. Liberty Hurricanes (3-0)
Liberty smoked perennial Monroe county champion Stroudsburg, 31-14, to win a third game for the first time since 2019. Antonio Fontanez threw for 177 yards and a score and ran for 50 yards and another touchdown, and Liberty racked up over 200 rushing yards in the win. Fontanez has thrown for 442 yards in three games, with 215 of those going to big play threat Jake Pukszyn (on a league leading 13 catches). They've also rushed for over 500 yards as a team, with Gabe Green and Adrian DeLeon both over the century mark. They have their next big test which will determine their spot in the pecking order this week, when head coach Shawn Daigault returns to Northampton, where he was the KKids defensive coordinator before taking the Liberty job.
5. Easton Red Rovers (2-1)
Easton throttled Northeast 51-7, putting up all 51 points in the first half of their win at Cottingham Stadium. Wideout Jasir Frutchey, who was suspended from the CB West game due to getting ejected from Easton-P'burg last year, caught four passes for 137 yards and four tochdowns, including a 63 yard bomb on the first series to set the tone of the night. Cole Ordway finished 10-13 for 149 yards and four touchdowns, Dorian Thomas ran for a TD in his third straight game, and Cael DiSora continued his monster year with a 90 yard kick return TD after Northeast's only score. Easton has outscored their opponents 100-14 at Cottingham so far this year. Ordway has thrown for 387 yards and five TDs, with Frutchey and JC Wilson combining for 302 yards. Will Day and Thomas in the backfield have combined for 457 yards and nine touchdowns in three games, with both seeing limited carries in the blowout last week. Defensively, they've forced seven turnovers in three games.
Small Schools
1. Northwestern Lehigh Tigers (3-0)
I think PaFootballNews has it right with Northwestern Lehigh as the #1 team in 3A. They buried Bangor, 54-0 and have outscored the opposition 158-14 in three games. They should see a challenge from fellow undefeated Blue Mountain next week in the Small School game of the week, then have a looming showdown with North Schuylkill on the 27th, then finish the seasn with Tamaqua and Southern Lehigh. They won't all be 55-0, but this team is really good. Eli Zimmerman leads the way with nine touchdowns (5 rushing, 1 receiving, 1 interception return, 2 punt returns).
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