#6 Easton at #3 Parkland (State Rankings by PennLive)
Easton travels to Orefield to take on Parkland in the biggest early season game in the EPC South. Since Rich Snisack turned Parkland into a powerhouse in the mid-1990s, this has been the premier rivalry in the Lehigh Valley. Since 1996, either Easton or Parkland has been in every District 11 final except for 2008 (Liberty vs. Freedom). Easton and Parkland have met for the title in 2003, 2009, 2013, and 2014 and met in the playoffs in 1999, 2000, 2001, 2003, 2006, 2009, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015 and 2016 with Easton winning the first 6 and Parkland taking the last 5. Recently, the Trojans have dominated the Red Rovers, winning five straight and six of the last seven. Since 1999, Easton and Parkland are 13-13 against each other.
This year’s match up pits a pair of great defenses against each other. Parkland and Easton have given up a combined 23 offensive points. Easton has yielded 142 rushing yards in three games (1.8 yards per carry), while Parkland has given up just 73 yards in the air (1.3 yards per attempt!). Both are fast and physical and we can expect a low scoring affair.
Parkland Offense: The Parkland offense has depended heavily on the ground game and the running of tailback Jahan Worth. Worth is a monster (6’1 235) and one of the toughest players in the state to bring down in the open field. They’ll line up two tight ends and a fullback and try to bully teams at the point of attack. Quarterback Michael Ruisch is an efficient player with size (6’5 195) to survey the field and a good arm to push the ball downfield. The offensive line, though smaller than in years past, has probably the best individual lineman in the conference in left tackle Kobe Thomas (6’4 280). A lot of their rushing success has been going right behind the star tackle.
Easton Offense: The Red Rovers have been pass happy by their standards early in the year. Quarterback Scott Poulson missed last week with a minor injury but should be good to go this evening. He’s a really good athlete with a strong arm and some pocket mobility. He also has an array of huge receivers to throw to in Jake Herres (6’5), Mikey Dunlap (6’3), Eddie Olsen (6’2) and Luke Nimeh (6’2). Herres has FBS offers and is one of the most dangerous receivers in a conference loaded with them. The offensive line is very good in pass protection, particularly the two tackles, Trevor Storm (6’7 235) and Elek Ferency (6’4 265). Both are light on their feet and athletic enough to handle speed rushers and have the size and power to take on the bulrush. And their interior line really can run block, particularly sophomore center Patrick Shupp (6’4 295) who looks every bit like an FBS recruit on the inside. The run game was much improved last week against Freedom, thanks in part to a commitment to running between the tackles rather than to the outside.
Parkland Defense: They’re awesome. Not a ton of fancy packages or blitzes. They get pressure from the line, particularly end Xavier Huff and tackle Jeremy Sell, and that frees up the back-7 to really take control of the game. Worth is one of the best linebackers in Pennsylvania, he was All State as a junior and has improved in just about every fact of the game. Outside backer Mason Malozzi is also an All State type talent and those two just wreak havoc. The rebuilt secondary (3 new starters) has been very good so far. It also helps a secondary look good when quarterbacks have no time to throw, which has been the case thanks to such excellent defensive line play.
Easton Defense: Similarly, the Red Rovers has suffocated opposing offenses so far. The strength of the Rover defense is in the secondary, which has four returning starters, all of whom are rangy (corners are 5’11 and 6’2 and safeties are 6’2 and 6’3) and can run. Katrell Thompson is the best cover guy in the Valley. Because of this, they are free to blitz and put a ton of pressure on the quarterback and in the run game. They also have a deep and talented defensive line, led by defensive end Trevor Storm. Storm has been a headache this year, with three sacks, a blocked punt, and a ton of tipped passes at the line disrupting opposing offenses. Partner in crime EJ Simmons is likely out this evening with an injury, which is a huge blow (he leads the team in tackles) but junior Darien Lee (6’2 220) has played a ton of snaps and can really rush the passer.
Match Up to Watch: Trevor Storm versus Kobe Thomas will go a long way to deciding this football game. If Thomas can keep Storm at bay, the Parkland offense can get a lot of things going, both running and throwing the football. Storm has a great first step and good bend to get around really good tackles in his pass rush, if he can beat Thomas off of the corner, that will make Parkland one dimensional. But if Thomas gets up under his pads and can drive him off the ball in the run game, Worth will be going over his star left tackle all evening. How Storm and company do up front in general will be huge, because Parkland’s recent dominance has been thanks to their offensive line dominating the Easton front.
Easton Wins If: If the Red Rovers can throw the football like they did against Stroudsburg and Liberty that will open the run game up and give them big play capability. If they can get guys in the box and stop Worth from getting a head of steam, they can control the Parkland run game.
Parkland Wins If: Parkland has dominated the Easton run game recently, and if Easton can’t move the football on the ground they’re toast. If Parkland’s offensive line bullies the Easton front and Worth has another monster night, the Trojans will roll.
The Pick: We will know a lot more about the Easton football team at about 9:00 this evening. In 2009, Easton announced it was back by winning a week 3 slugfest with the Andre Williams Parkland team, and rode that momentum all the way to a District 11 title. On the flip side, if Parkland comes out and dominates again, it looks like another good, but not great, year for the Red Rovers. Parkland 21-10
Easton travels to Orefield to take on Parkland in the biggest early season game in the EPC South. Since Rich Snisack turned Parkland into a powerhouse in the mid-1990s, this has been the premier rivalry in the Lehigh Valley. Since 1996, either Easton or Parkland has been in every District 11 final except for 2008 (Liberty vs. Freedom). Easton and Parkland have met for the title in 2003, 2009, 2013, and 2014 and met in the playoffs in 1999, 2000, 2001, 2003, 2006, 2009, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015 and 2016 with Easton winning the first 6 and Parkland taking the last 5. Recently, the Trojans have dominated the Red Rovers, winning five straight and six of the last seven. Since 1999, Easton and Parkland are 13-13 against each other.
This year’s match up pits a pair of great defenses against each other. Parkland and Easton have given up a combined 23 offensive points. Easton has yielded 142 rushing yards in three games (1.8 yards per carry), while Parkland has given up just 73 yards in the air (1.3 yards per attempt!). Both are fast and physical and we can expect a low scoring affair.
Parkland Offense: The Parkland offense has depended heavily on the ground game and the running of tailback Jahan Worth. Worth is a monster (6’1 235) and one of the toughest players in the state to bring down in the open field. They’ll line up two tight ends and a fullback and try to bully teams at the point of attack. Quarterback Michael Ruisch is an efficient player with size (6’5 195) to survey the field and a good arm to push the ball downfield. The offensive line, though smaller than in years past, has probably the best individual lineman in the conference in left tackle Kobe Thomas (6’4 280). A lot of their rushing success has been going right behind the star tackle.
Easton Offense: The Red Rovers have been pass happy by their standards early in the year. Quarterback Scott Poulson missed last week with a minor injury but should be good to go this evening. He’s a really good athlete with a strong arm and some pocket mobility. He also has an array of huge receivers to throw to in Jake Herres (6’5), Mikey Dunlap (6’3), Eddie Olsen (6’2) and Luke Nimeh (6’2). Herres has FBS offers and is one of the most dangerous receivers in a conference loaded with them. The offensive line is very good in pass protection, particularly the two tackles, Trevor Storm (6’7 235) and Elek Ferency (6’4 265). Both are light on their feet and athletic enough to handle speed rushers and have the size and power to take on the bulrush. And their interior line really can run block, particularly sophomore center Patrick Shupp (6’4 295) who looks every bit like an FBS recruit on the inside. The run game was much improved last week against Freedom, thanks in part to a commitment to running between the tackles rather than to the outside.
Parkland Defense: They’re awesome. Not a ton of fancy packages or blitzes. They get pressure from the line, particularly end Xavier Huff and tackle Jeremy Sell, and that frees up the back-7 to really take control of the game. Worth is one of the best linebackers in Pennsylvania, he was All State as a junior and has improved in just about every fact of the game. Outside backer Mason Malozzi is also an All State type talent and those two just wreak havoc. The rebuilt secondary (3 new starters) has been very good so far. It also helps a secondary look good when quarterbacks have no time to throw, which has been the case thanks to such excellent defensive line play.
Easton Defense: Similarly, the Red Rovers has suffocated opposing offenses so far. The strength of the Rover defense is in the secondary, which has four returning starters, all of whom are rangy (corners are 5’11 and 6’2 and safeties are 6’2 and 6’3) and can run. Katrell Thompson is the best cover guy in the Valley. Because of this, they are free to blitz and put a ton of pressure on the quarterback and in the run game. They also have a deep and talented defensive line, led by defensive end Trevor Storm. Storm has been a headache this year, with three sacks, a blocked punt, and a ton of tipped passes at the line disrupting opposing offenses. Partner in crime EJ Simmons is likely out this evening with an injury, which is a huge blow (he leads the team in tackles) but junior Darien Lee (6’2 220) has played a ton of snaps and can really rush the passer.
Match Up to Watch: Trevor Storm versus Kobe Thomas will go a long way to deciding this football game. If Thomas can keep Storm at bay, the Parkland offense can get a lot of things going, both running and throwing the football. Storm has a great first step and good bend to get around really good tackles in his pass rush, if he can beat Thomas off of the corner, that will make Parkland one dimensional. But if Thomas gets up under his pads and can drive him off the ball in the run game, Worth will be going over his star left tackle all evening. How Storm and company do up front in general will be huge, because Parkland’s recent dominance has been thanks to their offensive line dominating the Easton front.
Easton Wins If: If the Red Rovers can throw the football like they did against Stroudsburg and Liberty that will open the run game up and give them big play capability. If they can get guys in the box and stop Worth from getting a head of steam, they can control the Parkland run game.
Parkland Wins If: Parkland has dominated the Easton run game recently, and if Easton can’t move the football on the ground they’re toast. If Parkland’s offensive line bullies the Easton front and Worth has another monster night, the Trojans will roll.
The Pick: We will know a lot more about the Easton football team at about 9:00 this evening. In 2009, Easton announced it was back by winning a week 3 slugfest with the Andre Williams Parkland team, and rode that momentum all the way to a District 11 title. On the flip side, if Parkland comes out and dominates again, it looks like another good, but not great, year for the Red Rovers. Parkland 21-10
