1. Nazareth Blue Eagles (3-0)
The Blue Eagles' spot is a little more tenuous this week after a 27-17 win over Northampton. The Konkrete Kids are certainly better - Joe Kerbercher is a three year starter at QB and they have playoff experience after winning the north last year - but there is a clear divide in football and they aren't quite there yet competing with the EPC South teams. Still, Nazareth was down 10-7 at half before scoring 13 points in fifty seconds to take control. Matt Bugbee threw for 343 yards for the Blue Eagles, who are really starting to click in Tom Falzone's spread passing attack. They travel to Freedom this weekend in the marquee game in the Lehigh Valley.
2. Freedom Patriots (2-0)
Freedom beat Easton in the game of the week last week and jumps Parkland for the #2 spot for the time being. After a pair of turnovers led to a 10-0 first quarter hole, Freedom scored 21 unanswered points in the win, thanks to three touchdown passes from first year starter Brian Taylor. Tayor only started 1-8, but completed six of his last nine including the scores. He has arm strength to spare, and as he starts to click with his receivers he adds a dimension to the big offensive line blocking for Matty Russin, which we knew was a strength coming into the season. The Patriots also did a great job on Nahjee Adams, who got his yards (124 and a TD), but didn't have a break away run that changed momentum or got Easton a quick score. The tackling was also exceptional, Easton tried to get the ball to their athletes on the perimeter, but their 11 completions went for only 41 yards. Despite major graduation losses, Jason Roeder's squad looks like they are going to be in contention again for a D11 6A championship.
3. Parkland Trojans
Parkland was the last team in the Lehigh Valley to get their season started after a late COVID outbreak cancelled their first week, but they came back in style, throttling longtime rival Whitehall 41-24. Isiah Rico ran for 152 yards on 17 carries and the Trojan rushing attack pounded out 304 yards in the win. They're got size again with Jakob Koren (6'3 270), Brock Boyer (6'2 230), Garrett Fitzgerald (6'2 225), Marko Galetovic (6'2 255), and Lucas Feher (6'6 300) clearing the path for Rico (5'10 210) and will be the most physical team in the Valley. If the defense can shore up after giving up an uncharacteristic point total to Whitehall, they could be in business.
4. East Stroudsburg South Cavaliers (1-0)
The Cavs had a bye week last week and take on Pocono Mountain West tomorrow. We'll see if they can crack the 70 point barrier after just missing it in their opener. As we stated last week, East Stroudsburg South has a legitimate claim as one of the top 5A teams in eastern PA, but does not have the schedule to push them
5. Notre Dame (GP) (4-0)
Another week, another 50 points for Phil Stambaugh's Crusaders. Collin Quintano threw for 203 yard and two touchdowns, Matt Frauen scored another two rushing touchdowns to up his season total to 18 in four games, and their contest with Catasauqua was never in doubt with a 51-10 win. Like East Stroudsburg South, they are one of the better teams in their classification, but do not have a schedule that is going to help us measure them.
6. Allentown Central Catholic Vikings (2-1)
Finding water level here for the Vikings. ACC throttled a helpless William Allen team 41-0 last week to up their season record to 2-1.(with the lone loss coming to top ranked Nazareth). I really believe in the talent here, particularly if they can get quarterback Matt Rauschler going. They've got Emmaus this week, which is a chance to get a quality win on the board.
7. Emmaus Green Hornets (2-0)
Emmaus has completed the Allentown public schools challenge by a combined final score of 121-0. Not a lot to glean from those games - Brandon Camire is still fast, Jared Groller still makes every tackle, but they've got a challenge game this week with ACC which will tell us a lot more about both programs. It also is a nice coaching match of of Harold Fairclough and Tim McGorry. Fairclough was the head coach of the 2010 ACC team that won a state championship, with McGorry as his offensive coordinator. McGorry left after that season to move into the college ranks, first as the Moravian offensive coordinator and then the wide receivers coach at Lehigh. Fairclough has been excellent since coming to Emmaus (also after a stop in college at Moravian and time as Whitehall's DC) and led the Green Hornets to their first ever D11 final. He's replacing the entire offensive line this season, but they've got pieces at the skill spots to do some damage.
8. Easton Red Rovers (1-1)
The Rovers drop fro #3 to #8 after dropping a 21-10 game with Freedom. Nahjee Adams cracked the 100 yard barrier for the second straight week, but Easton got very little production out of the passing game, committed over 100 yards in penalties (including a huge pass interference right before halftime that set up a Freedom score with 7 seconds left to cut Easton's lead to 10-7 at the break). One thing to watch going forward is Easton has a lot of speed in the secondary - but are very short, with all three corners listed at 5'9. Easton defends the run well, but Freedom took advantage in some jump ball situations (like the aforementioned TD right before the half) and was able to push the ball down the field in the passing game. Easton certainly has talent, but has a lot to clean up to challenge the teams at the top here like they've been expected to as the preseason favorite. They match up with Bethlehem Catholic on Saturday, who is just on the outside of these rankings and could easily vault in with a win over the Red Rovers.
The Blue Eagles' spot is a little more tenuous this week after a 27-17 win over Northampton. The Konkrete Kids are certainly better - Joe Kerbercher is a three year starter at QB and they have playoff experience after winning the north last year - but there is a clear divide in football and they aren't quite there yet competing with the EPC South teams. Still, Nazareth was down 10-7 at half before scoring 13 points in fifty seconds to take control. Matt Bugbee threw for 343 yards for the Blue Eagles, who are really starting to click in Tom Falzone's spread passing attack. They travel to Freedom this weekend in the marquee game in the Lehigh Valley.
2. Freedom Patriots (2-0)
Freedom beat Easton in the game of the week last week and jumps Parkland for the #2 spot for the time being. After a pair of turnovers led to a 10-0 first quarter hole, Freedom scored 21 unanswered points in the win, thanks to three touchdown passes from first year starter Brian Taylor. Tayor only started 1-8, but completed six of his last nine including the scores. He has arm strength to spare, and as he starts to click with his receivers he adds a dimension to the big offensive line blocking for Matty Russin, which we knew was a strength coming into the season. The Patriots also did a great job on Nahjee Adams, who got his yards (124 and a TD), but didn't have a break away run that changed momentum or got Easton a quick score. The tackling was also exceptional, Easton tried to get the ball to their athletes on the perimeter, but their 11 completions went for only 41 yards. Despite major graduation losses, Jason Roeder's squad looks like they are going to be in contention again for a D11 6A championship.
3. Parkland Trojans
Parkland was the last team in the Lehigh Valley to get their season started after a late COVID outbreak cancelled their first week, but they came back in style, throttling longtime rival Whitehall 41-24. Isiah Rico ran for 152 yards on 17 carries and the Trojan rushing attack pounded out 304 yards in the win. They're got size again with Jakob Koren (6'3 270), Brock Boyer (6'2 230), Garrett Fitzgerald (6'2 225), Marko Galetovic (6'2 255), and Lucas Feher (6'6 300) clearing the path for Rico (5'10 210) and will be the most physical team in the Valley. If the defense can shore up after giving up an uncharacteristic point total to Whitehall, they could be in business.
4. East Stroudsburg South Cavaliers (1-0)
The Cavs had a bye week last week and take on Pocono Mountain West tomorrow. We'll see if they can crack the 70 point barrier after just missing it in their opener. As we stated last week, East Stroudsburg South has a legitimate claim as one of the top 5A teams in eastern PA, but does not have the schedule to push them
5. Notre Dame (GP) (4-0)
Another week, another 50 points for Phil Stambaugh's Crusaders. Collin Quintano threw for 203 yard and two touchdowns, Matt Frauen scored another two rushing touchdowns to up his season total to 18 in four games, and their contest with Catasauqua was never in doubt with a 51-10 win. Like East Stroudsburg South, they are one of the better teams in their classification, but do not have a schedule that is going to help us measure them.
6. Allentown Central Catholic Vikings (2-1)
Finding water level here for the Vikings. ACC throttled a helpless William Allen team 41-0 last week to up their season record to 2-1.(with the lone loss coming to top ranked Nazareth). I really believe in the talent here, particularly if they can get quarterback Matt Rauschler going. They've got Emmaus this week, which is a chance to get a quality win on the board.
7. Emmaus Green Hornets (2-0)
Emmaus has completed the Allentown public schools challenge by a combined final score of 121-0. Not a lot to glean from those games - Brandon Camire is still fast, Jared Groller still makes every tackle, but they've got a challenge game this week with ACC which will tell us a lot more about both programs. It also is a nice coaching match of of Harold Fairclough and Tim McGorry. Fairclough was the head coach of the 2010 ACC team that won a state championship, with McGorry as his offensive coordinator. McGorry left after that season to move into the college ranks, first as the Moravian offensive coordinator and then the wide receivers coach at Lehigh. Fairclough has been excellent since coming to Emmaus (also after a stop in college at Moravian and time as Whitehall's DC) and led the Green Hornets to their first ever D11 final. He's replacing the entire offensive line this season, but they've got pieces at the skill spots to do some damage.
8. Easton Red Rovers (1-1)
The Rovers drop fro #3 to #8 after dropping a 21-10 game with Freedom. Nahjee Adams cracked the 100 yard barrier for the second straight week, but Easton got very little production out of the passing game, committed over 100 yards in penalties (including a huge pass interference right before halftime that set up a Freedom score with 7 seconds left to cut Easton's lead to 10-7 at the break). One thing to watch going forward is Easton has a lot of speed in the secondary - but are very short, with all three corners listed at 5'9. Easton defends the run well, but Freedom took advantage in some jump ball situations (like the aforementioned TD right before the half) and was able to push the ball down the field in the passing game. Easton certainly has talent, but has a lot to clean up to challenge the teams at the top here like they've been expected to as the preseason favorite. They match up with Bethlehem Catholic on Saturday, who is just on the outside of these rankings and could easily vault in with a win over the Red Rovers.
