3 days Ago
Week 4 of the 2024 high school football season and the first weekend of Eastern Pennsylvania Conference league games provided its share of notable results. Dieruff beat East Stroudsburg North to improve to 4-0 for the first time since 1992. Liberty beat Northampton on a game decided on the final play and is 4-0 for the first time since 2007.
Easton and Emmaus kept winning and have now won three straight since Week 1 losses to District 1 opponents. Whitehall dominated Pocono Mountain West for its first win of the season. East Stroudsburg South got to 3-1 and remains the only winning team in District 11 5A.
And, perhaps most notably, Freedom outscored Nazareth 28-0 in the second half and rolled to a 38-10 victory to establish itself as the team to beat in the EPC and District 11 6A. The Blue Eagles lost to another District 11 team for the first time since falling to Parkland in Week 4 of last season. How did it all affect the EPC team rankings? Take a look: Record : 0-4, 0-1 Last week’s ranking: 17th Last week: Lost to Parkland 52-0 What’s next: Host East Stroudsburg South, 7 p.
m. Friday Comment: The Bears have been shut out three times so far this season and were held to 189 total yards by Parkland, 28 passing. They were also hurt by two lost fumbles and gave up 301 yards.
They beat East Stroudsburg South 14-12 last year when they went 6-5. Record: 0-4, 0-1 Last week’s ranking: 18th Last week: Lost to Allentown Central Catholic 35-16 What’s next: At Stroudsburg, 7 p.m.
Friday Comment: Even though the Cardinals lost, they were much more competitive than expected at Allentown Central Catholic and kept the game competitive until the end. They got a touchdown pass and a TD run from quarterback Rocco DelGuidice. DelGuidice ran for 125 yards and passed for 69.
Stephon Bethea added 79 yards on the ground. Record: 2-2, 0-1 Last week’s ranking: 16th Last week: Lost to East Stroudsburg South 54-20 What’s next: At Freedom, 7 p.m.
Friday Comment: The Canaries struggled to stop the Cavaliers, giving up 199 yards rushing and 321 yards passing. The Canaries did get an interception return and fumble return for scores and David Thor ran for an 8-yard score, but all of this came in the second half after the mercy-rule was in effect. Record: 1-3, 0-1 Last week’s ranking: 15th Last week: Lost to Dieruff 20-14 What’s next: At Pocono Mountain West, 7 p.
m. Thursday Comment: The Timberwolves had a 14-6 early in the fourth quarter but couldn’t hold on against the Huskies. Zachary Deresky-Martinez ran for 74 yards and Wayne King threw for 25 yards, four of his completions going to Kendrick Sympson for 21 yards.
Record: 1-3, 0-1 Last week’s ranking: 14th Last week: Lost to Whitehall 41-6 What’s next: Host East Stroudsburg North, 7 p.m. Thursday Comment: The Panthers were limited to 134 yards in the lopsided loss to Whitehall.
Demetrius Artis had an interception and Christian Stiehler had 11 tackles and the lone score was a 72-yard TD run by Tristin Hernandez. Record: 1-3, 1-0 Last week’s ranking: 13th Last week: Beat Pocono Mountain West 41-6 What’s next: Host Northampton 7 p.m.
Friday Comment: The Zephyrs got their first win of the season with a dominant performance at West. They’ll try to keep the momentum going in their annual Cement Bowl rivalry game against Northampton. Talon Dogmanits ran for three touchdowns and threw for 100 yards.
Four different players ran for between 46 and 51 yards and Justus Miles returned a fumble for a score at West. Record: 2-2, 0-1 Last week’s ranking: 12th Last week: Lost to Emmaus 42-7 What’s next: Host Pocono Mountain East, 7 p.m.
Friday Comment: The Mounties were outgained 331-206 against Emmaus and were hurt by three turnovers and eight penalties. Stroudsburg’s lone touchdown came on a 90-yard run by Kamari Coleman off a fake punt. Record: 4-0, 1-0 Last week’s ranking: 11th Last week: Beat East Stroudsburg North 20-14 What’s next: Host Liberty, 7 p.
m. Friday Comment: The Huskies overcame turnovers, injuries and mistakes in rallying to beat East Stroudsburg North. A fourth-down, 28-yard touchdown pass from Jack Herter to Derwyn “JuJu” Deris with 1:02 left qualifies as the top play of the season so far for Dieruff, which completed its sweep of four former EPC North opponents, but now will face a much more difficult schedule over the next five games before closing the regular season against Allen.
Record: 2-2, 0-1 Last week’s ranking: 8th Last week: Lost to Easton 28-7 What’s next: Host Allentown Central Catholic, 7 p.m. Saturday Comment: The Golden Hawks got 146 yards passing and 58 rushing from Cayden Vassa in the loss to the Red Rovers and got five catches for 40 yards by Carter Vassa, but the offense was hurt by two interceptions.
Becahi’s defense got nine tackles from Carlos Perez and an interception by Robert Cousar. Record: 2-2, 1-0 Last week’s ranking: 9th Last week: Beat Pocono Mountain East 35-16 What’s next: At Bethlehem Catholic, 7 p.m.
Saturday Comment: The Vikings got five touchdowns from different players in its win over Pocono Mountain East. Both of the team’s quarterbacks — sophomore Patrick Cahill and senior Kyle Fleshman — had their moments. Senior Aidan Sorrentino had seven catches for 77 yards and an interception.
Record: 3-1, 1-0 Last week’s ranking: 10th Last week: Beat Allen 54-20 What’s next: At Pleasant Valley, 7 p.m. Friday Comment: The Cavaliers got 98 yards rushing from Gianni Gonnella and 89 from Charles Capers in the win over Allen and each scored a touchdown.
Ivan Laubach threw for 278 yards and three TDs. Capers had four receptions for 114 yards. Record: 2-2, 0-1 Last week’s ranking: 4th Last week: Lost to Liberty 16-7 What’s next: At Whitehall, 7 p.
m. Friday Comment: The Konkrete Kids outgained Liberty 266-247, but were held scoreless until 5:04 was left in the game. Billy Stuhldreher ran for 131 yards but Northampton was held to 56 yards passing and the K-Kids botched the snap on a potential game-tying field goal attempt on the final play.
Record: 4-0, 1-0 Last week’s ranking: 7th Last week: Beat Northampton 16-7 What’s next: At Dieruff, 7 p.m. Friday Comment: The Hurricanes got two interceptions on defense and six receptions for 67 yards on offense in the win over Northampton.
Gabe Green ran 69 yards and Cole Daignault had three catches for 44 yards in the win over the Konkrete Kids. Record: 3-1, 1-0 Last week’s ranking: 6th Last week: Beat Stroudsburg 42-7 What’s next: Host Easton, 7 p.m.
Friday Comment: The Green Hornets got 146 yards rushing and three touchdowns from Reilly Bechtel in the win over Stroudsburg. Bechtel has 447 yards rushing on the season and 5 TDs and has helped to take the pressure off Jerek Cooper who has thrown for 405 yards and 4 TDs. Record: 3-1, 1-0 Last week’s ranking: 4th Last week: Beat Bethlehem Catholic 28-7 What’s next: At Emmaus, 7 p.
m. Friday. Comment: The Red Rovers have won three straight and are getting it done on both sides of the ball.
In ending a 7-game losing streak to Bethlehem Catholic, the Red Rovers featured great balance on offense with 120 yards passing and 123 rushing. Will Day scored a pair of TDs on the ground and Cole Ordway and Dorian Thomas tallied one apiece. One flashing red light that could sour the good vibes is the number of penalties.
They had 11 for 161 yards in the win over Becahi. Record: 3-1, 1-0 Last week’s ranking: 3rd Last week: Beat Pleasant Valley 52-0 What’s next: Host Nazareth, 7 p.m.
Friday Comment: The Trojans made quick work of Pleasant Valley last Thursday, taking a 38-0 lead at halftime. Osmany Guzman threw for 190 yards and 2 TDs. Preston Mertz caught both TD passes.
TJ Lawrence, Reid Andrush and Caleb Corsa all had rushing TDs for Parkland, which also got seven tackles on defense, including three for losses by Domenic Martrich. Record: 3-1, 0-1 Last week’s ranking: 1st Last week: Lost to Freedom 38-10 What’s next: At Parkland, 7 p.m.
Friday Comment: The Blue Eagles were able to hang with Freedom for a half, but simply couldn’t stop the Patriots after halftime. Nazareth will need several inexperienced players to get up to speed quickly to compensate for several key injuries, particularly on the defense. Junior QB Peyton Falzone will look to bounce back from one of his roughest career starts last week when he was limited to 128 yards passing and 14 rushing.
Record: 4-0, 1-0 Last week’s ranking: 2nd Last week: Beat Nazareth 38-10 What’s next: Host Allen, 7 p.m. Friday Comment: The Patriots have beaten arguably their nearest competitors in the EPC and District 11 6A — Freedom and Parkland — in addition to a California team and another perennial area power, Allentown Central Catholic.
They clearly have earned the No. 1 spot in this poll and just might stay here for awhile with the most complete team in the league, and possibly the area. Aaron Beete has emerged as a player of the year candidate with 566 yards rushing and 5 TDs on offense and 14 tackles on defense.
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