District 11 6A Finals: Nazareth 22 Parkland 21 (OT)

[RoverNation05]

#3 Parkland vs. #1 Nazareth

Location: Al Erdosy Stadium (Northampton)

Regular Season Meeting: Parkland took over at their own 27 with 1:48 left, trailing 17-14 and sophomore quarterback Ty Tremba making his second career start. Tremba scrambled and hit Nick Johnston for a 36 yard completion to get things moving, then found Johnston again three plays later for a 9 yard touchdown to hand Nazareth a 21-17 loss. Tremba finished with 168 yards passing and 50 yards rushing, while Isiah Rico ran for 160 yards and two toucdhowns for the Trojans. Anthony Harris threw for 154 yards 2 touchdowns, both to Jaiden Cabrera in the losing effort.

Playoff Meetings: Parkland leads their postseason series 2-1. In 1998, sophomore Tim Massaquoi caught 8 passes for 202 yards and four touchdowns in Parkland’s 47-33 win over Nazareth in the D11 4A semifinals. In 2011, Jordan Gray ran for 230 yards and 5 touchdowns and Dan Harding threw for 382 yards and a pair of TDs in Nazareth’s 63-27 romp of Parkland in the D11 4A semifinals, avenging their only regular season loss. Most recently, Parkland beat Nazareth 38-7 in the D11 6A first round in 2016. This will be the first time the two squads have met in a District final.

Parkland D11 Finals History (9-4)
1996 – beat Dieruff 47-14
1997 – lost to Whitehall 21-10
1998 – beat Whitehall 42-7
2002 – lost to Bethlehem Catholic 14-11
2003 – lost to Easton 23-15
2007 – beat Hazleton 15-14
2009 – lost to Easton 21-14
2012 – beat Delaware Valley 49-41
2013 – beat Easton 42-0
2014 – beat Easton 13-10 (OT)
2015 – beat Wyoming Valley West 63-21
2016 – beat Freedom 24-14
2017 – beat Freedom 30-6

Nazareth D11 Finals History (3-0)
1988 – beat Bangor 14-7
1989 – beat Pleasant Valley 34-0
2011 – beat Easton 28-21

 

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Parkland Starting Lineup (bold All EPC South)
Offense
QB: Ty Tremba (So. 5’11 175): 63-121, 1,090 yards, 9 TDs, 5 INTs/64 carries, 302 yards, 2 TDs
RB: Isiah Rico (Jr. 5’9 195): 226 carries, 1,384 yards, 18 TDs
FB: Angel Santos (Sr. 5’10 210): 45 carries, 332 yards, 9 TDs
WR: Nick Johnston (Sr. 5’10 165): 39 catches, 702 yards, 6 TDs
WR: John Siggins (Jr. 6’3 175): 11 catches, 155 yards, 2 TDs
WR: Jordan Lewis (Jr. 6’4 190): 5 catches, 73 yards, 1 TD
WR: Bryan Monge (Sr. 5’11 185): 14 catches, 160 yards
LT: Nick Dawkins (Sr. 6’5 300)
LG: Jakob Edwards (Sr. 5’11 260)
C: Jered Fenstermaker (Sr. 6’1 245)
RG: Bryce Boyer (Sr. 6’2 255)
RT: Zion Johnson (Sr. 6’0 270)
Defense
DE: Ja-Lon Perkins (Sr. 6’2 250): 27 tackles, 9 TFL, 3 sacks
DT: Zion Johnson (Sr. 6’0 270): 39 tackles, 5 TFL, 2 sacks
DT: Jered Fenstermaker (Sr. 6’1 245): 46 tackles, 8 TFL, 4 sacks
DE/LB: Angel Ramos (Sr. 5’10 230): 53 tackles, 7 TFL, 3 sacks
LB: Angel Santos (Sr. 5’10 210): 94 tackles, 8 TFL, 3 sacks
LB: Dante Medlar (Sr. 6’2 190): 56 tackles, 4 TFL, 2 sacks
LB: Asher Reede (Sr. 5’10 180): 24 tackles, 4 TFL, 2 sacks
DB: Nick Johnston (Sr. 5’10 165): 40 tackles, INT
DB: Richard Kerrick (Sr. 5’11 175): 61 tackles, 2 TFL, sack, INT
DB: Chris Lessel (Sr. 5’10 180): 49 tackles, 3 TFL, sack
DB: Trent Perkins (Sr. 5’8 150): 53 tackles, 1 TFL, 2 INT

Trojan Offense: Parkland is going to try and bludgeon Nazareth with a big, physical offensive line and a pair of running backs who like contact as much as they like open space. Dawkins is the headliner, ranked as the #2 senior offensive lineman in the state by 247 Sports and is committed to Penn State. Since he’s been healthy, they’ve been very left handed running the football because he’s an absolute mauler. Fenstermaker and Boyer are also all league picks as interior lineman. Rico is a fire plug and can grind out yards and they’ll use Santos as a hybrid fullback/h-back. Tremba is also a threat in the run game and they’ll zone read with him or use him in play action/bootleg situations. Their receiving corps is big and they’ll use them in intermediate/play action stuff, though Johnston is a prototypical slot receiver and has some wiggle. They’re not flashy, but they execute really well.

Trojan Defense: While health and some personnel changes helped the offense, they completely changed the Parkland defense. Angel Ramos, Dante Medlar, and Ja-Lon Perkins missed time early in the year, and having them back has transformed this unit. Perkins is as talented a defensive end as there is in the Lehigh Valley, he would have been an all league and defensive player of the year candidate had he been healthy for the whole season. But he’s back full strength and is a game changer. Ramos is also really good off the other end, and they’ll stand him up and use him as a rush linebacker in some packages if his hand isn’t on the ground. The linebackers are the best unit in the league, I think Santos got snubbed in the all league voting. The secondary is the weakest position group, particularly with captain Luke Dauberman out for the year with a separated shoulder. But they compensate by getting tons of pressure on the quarterback and minimizing the time they have to cover.

 

[RoverNation05]

Nazareth Starting Lineup (bold - All EPC South)
Offense
QB: Anthony Harris (Sr. 6’4 185): 163-252, 2,163 yards, 23 TDs, 4 INTs/68 carries, 408 yards, 9 TDs
RB: Tyler Rohn (So. 5’11 185)
WR: Nathan Stefanik (Sr. 5’11 165)
WR: Jaiden Cabrera (Jr. 5’9 160)
WR: Trent Federico (Sr. 5’10 150)
LT: Corey Hartranft (Sr.6’0 210)
LG: Aidan Palochik (Sr. 6’2 285)
C: Levi LaRochelle (Jr. 6’1 250)
RG: Cody Breidenbach (Jr. 6’4 300)
RT: Jake Wilson (Sr. 6’3 235)
Defense
DE: Jake Wilson (Sr. 6’3 235) – EPC South Defensive Player of the Year
DT: Aidan Palochik (Sr. 6’2 285)
DE: Corey Hartranft (Sr.6’0 210)
LB: Ben Houchin (Sr. 5’11 220)
LB: Jacob Levey (Sr. 5’11 210)
LB: Braden Mehlig (Sr. 5’7 190)
LB: Joe Capobianco (Jr. 6’1 180)
LB: Jack McKenna (Sr. 5’11 215) – questionable
DB: Nathan Stefanik (Sr. 5’11 165): 10 INTs
DB: Andrew Wells (Jr. 5’9 140)
DB: Jaiden Cabrera (Jr. 5’9 160)
DB: Tyler Rohn (So. 5’11 185)

Blue Eagle Offense: Tom Falzone is a spread guru, he won a pair of District titles with high powered passing offenses as Catasaqua before taking the Nazareth job, where the points have continued to fly on the board. This year’s iteration is one of the best, mainly because of senior quarterback Anthony Harris. He’s a three year starter who has full command of the offense and playbook. He’s also the most physically talented quarterback Falzone has ever had (including all state picks Zack Bradley and Travis Stefanik). Harris is 6’4, a four year starter at small forward on their basketball team and an all state caliber high/long jumper in track and field. The lefty also has arm strength to spare and I’m hearing he’ll commit to Maine (FCS) following the high school season. He sprained his ankle last week in their semifinal win over Easton, so his health and mobility is something to watch. He’s particularly dangerous outside of the pocket, but if he can’t run that changes his game. He has the best offensive line of Falzone’s tenure as well, with Wilson and Breidenbach legitimate Division I guys and Palochik also a college prospect (probably PSAC). Nathan Stefanik is the go-to receiver, though Falzone likes to spread the ball around with quick passes. But Stefanik is tough with great hands. The running game is not a huge threat, though Rohn has performed above expecations as a sohpomore thrust into the lineup when three year starter Kyle Pacchio suffered a season ending injury. They supplement their run game with quick passes and bubbles that are effectively like running the football.

Blue Eagle Defense: This is the difference in Nazareth this season. They are the best defense in the EPC South. It starts with Jake Wilson, an FCS recruit who has been healthy for the first time in his career this year. A healthy Wilson set the Nazareth single season record for sacks and tackles for loss on his way to Defensive Player of the Year honors in the EPC South. He’s a do-it all end who can play both the run and rush the passer. Palochik eats a ton of space in the middle and is a really good high school nose tackle. That opens things up for their back 7, where they’ll roll out as many as five different linebackers and defensive backs. Jack McKenna, their captain and all league middle linebacker, is questionable for tonight with a knee injury, but they’ve been next man up all year in their linebacking corps. Stefanik is a standout on defense as well, he had 10 interceptions through the first 7 weeks of the season to set Nazareth single season and career records. They’ve not that big in the back 7, but everybody can run, which they’ll need to do in swarming to the football.

 

[RoverNation05]

The Match Up: It’s power versus speed. Parkland is bigger and is going to try and wear Nazareth down, particularly given the injuries that the Blue Eagles have accumulated. There’s a real physical advantage for the Trojans. However, in the open field, Parkland doesn’t have a lot of gamebreakers. Nazareth does. If they can get some guys in space on offense and swarm the football on defense with three and four hats on the ball, they can win tonight. However, betting against a Tim Moncman team in November is a tough proposition, particularly one on an eight game winning streak, fully healthy, and playing their best football of the year.

The Pick: Parkland 28 Nazareth 24 – The Trojans close out as the D11 team of the decade with their seventh D11 big school title in the last 8 years.

 

[RoverNation05]

14-7 Parkland right now.

Trojans opened the game with a touchdown drive with Tremba scoring on an option play.

Nazareth fumbles the kickoff and Parkland drives inside the 5. A penalty and a Jake Wilson sack gets the ball back without any points. Nazareth goes 91 yards for a score, Harris hit Nate Stefanik for a 41 yard TD pass on a scramble drill play.

Isiah Rico just answered with a 58 yard TD run to put Parkland back on top. Rico is gashing Nazareth through the first half. Blue Eagles are going to have to get in to a shoot out.

 

[RoverNation05]

Nazareth misses a field goal. Parkland with a chance to run a two minute drill.

 

[Relayer]

Great stuff Rover! In 2002 the score should be reversed. Parkland beat Beca 14-11, and I was there. BASD was filled, a tremendous atmosphere on that evening.

 

[RoverNation05]

Stalemate of a third quarter. Parkland leaned on Nazareth but couldn’t get in scoring range. Nazareth had a TD called back for a holding penalty, threw the drive off track.

Blue Eagles starting a drive from the Parkland 40 as the fourth quarter starts. Trojans still lead 14-7

 

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Nazareth can’t convert. Picks up one first down, but turns it over on downs. 8:45 left and Parkland could put it away with a time sucking drive

 

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Or a Nazareth pick at the 22! Blue Eagles first offensive play gets them inside the 10. New ballgame here

 

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4th and goal - Nazareth lines up Cody Hartnraft tackle eligible and throws him a screen and he runs through two tackles on his way to the end zone. 14-14 with five minutes left.

 

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Parkland drives into Nazareth territory, then a sack and a fumble recovered by Nazareth has the Blue Eagles with one last regulation chance.

Under a minute to go

 

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OVERTIME!!!!

Third OT in D11 finals history, joining Pocono Mountain beating Easton 20-17 in 1988 and Parkland beating Easton 13-10 in 2014. Red Rovers threw interceptions to lose in both games. Both were just one OT period.

 

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Angel Santos scores a fourth down TD to Parkland, goes up 21-14 after Hey he first possession in OT. Nazareth with the chance to answer.

 

[RoverNation05]

Anthony Harris scampers in from 9 on second down. Nazareth calls timeout to talk options on the conversion.

 

[RoverNation05]

NAZARETH WINS!!!!!!

Blue Eagles go for two in the first overtime. Run an end around to Nate Stefanik, who stops and throws a TD pass to Jaiden Cabrera. Game over, Nazareth with their first state playoff berth since 2011.