Indexed locally for search — headlines, people, teams, and short excerpts from reporting originally published in The Morning Call (1998–2010). Full article text on mcall.com; DRE'S TAKE links out and does not republish Morning Call copy.
In the 1970s, Artie Owens often gained inspiration to run hills and practice sprints from watching the Philadelphia Pioneers track team and U.S. Olympic speedster Bob Hayes on Wide World of Sports. The means of motivation worked as Owens went from a three-sport star athlete at…
· Andre D. Williams
Read on mcall.com →During many of his long touchdown runs during the football season, Parkland senior Andre Williams got a good rest before going back out onto the field and trying to go the distance again. Not so in track and field when you run the 110-meter high hurdles and 100 dash, but…
· Andre D. Williams
Read on mcall.com →A standout Liberty swimmer is headed to Duke and two star women’s basketball players have decided to extend their athletic and academic careers at Lehigh and Bloomsburg, respectively. The college decisions were announced at a press conference at Liberty’s art gallery Tuesday…
· Andre D. Williams
Read on mcall.com →A standout Liberty swimmer is headed to Duke and two star women’s basketball players have decided to extend their athletic and academic careers at Lehigh and Bloomsburg, respectively. The college decisions were announced at a press conference at Liberty’s art gallery Tuesday…
· Andre D. Williams
Read on mcall.com →Dave Brown has four daughters under the age of 10 and his wife, Sarah, is not open to the idea of having more kids. So, Liberty’s new football coach won’t get the opportunity to coach his own son one day. “I think we’re good. I think we’re going to wrap it up right where we are…
· Andre D. Williams
Read on mcall.com →Quakertown High School athletic director Sylvia Kalazs considers new head football coach George Banas to be the perfect fit for the Panthers. Twenty candidates applied for the job, vacated in January by John Donnelly, who left to take over the same position at Central Bucks…
· Andre D. Williams
Read on mcall.com →Liberty senior Stephen Lewis had an unusual Thursday by most early-season track and field standards. But Lewis has his own expectations and they are high and will rise even higher as the PIAA Track and Field Championship weekend nears. On Thursday, during a dual meet against…
· Andre D. Williams
Read on mcall.com →Liberty’s girls track team is just plain loaded, Saucon Valley has a defending state sprint champion who’s even faster this year, Lehighton boasts a multi-event standout, and Whitehall features a vaulting sensation. And because of the all-around strength of defending Lehigh…
· Andre D. Williams
Read on mcall.com →Liberty’s Stephen Lewis is lean and fast. Parkland’s Andre Williams is lean, fast and powerful. Both are outstanding senior hurdlers coming off top five finishes in the Class 3A 110-meter hurdles in the PIAA Track and Field Championships last year. Lewis was fourth in the 110 in…
· Andre D. Williams
Read on mcall.com →Kutztown’s Stephen Dennis went two-for-two in major awards on Wednesday, earning the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference East and Daktronics NCAA Division II Atlantic Region player of the year awards. Now, the 6-foot-6 senior guard with the deceptively quick first-step…
· Andre D. Williams
Read on mcall.com →The decision of where they wanted to play college football had long been made by Parkland’s Andre Williams, The Morning Call’s player of the year, and star quarterbacks Anthony Gonzalez of Liberty and Tyler Smith of Wilson. But there’s still nothing like the day of unrestrained…
· Andre D. Williams
Read on mcall.com →The decision of where they wanted to play college football had long been made by Parkland’s Andre Williams, The Morning Call’s player of the year, and star quarterbacks Anthony Gonzalez of Liberty and Tyler Smith of Wilson. But there’s still nothing like the day of unrestrained…
· Andre D. Williams
Read on mcall.com →Freedom senior Darrius Webb was one of the most exciting and effective running backs in the Lehigh Valley over the last two seasons. On Wednesday, Webb joined a cast of star players from around the state with his selection to the Pennsylvania sports writers’ Class 4A all-state…
· Andre D. Williams
Read on mcall.com →You’ve probably heard the phrase “Like father …” Well, how about “Like father and cousin?” That’s the situation Liberty senior three-sport star Jarrod West is now in after being selected to play in the 53rd annual Big 33 Football Classic June 19 at HersheyPark Stadium. West’s…
· Andre D. Williams
Read on mcall.com →College football has a new darling — and it’s the Temple Owls. It’s a pretty easy choice. Temple, after all, has not played in a bowl game in 30 years. That drought ends at 4:30 today when the Owls (9-3) play UCLA (6-5) in the EagleBank Bowl at RFK Stadium in Washington, D.C.…
· Andre D. Williams
Read on mcall.com →The football bowl season is in full swing and several area products will be participating in the college version of the postseason. Robbie Frey, a former all-state running back from Lehighton, is a redshirt freshman running back at Connecticut, who played in a bowl game last…
· Andre D. Williams
Read on mcall.com →Disgruntled over his perception that the Bethlehem Area School District is not supportive enough of his powerhouse program, Liberty football coach Tim Moncman has applied for the head coaching vacancy at Palisades. But he has not resigned at Liberty, one year after he coached…
· Andre D. Williams
Read on mcall.com →Central Catholic was taken out of offensive rhythm with five turnovers and picked apart on defense behind the precise passing of Selinsgrove quarterback Cory Briggs Friday night at Kemp Memorial Field. It made for a night of disappointment and the end to a great season as the…
· Andre D. Williams
Read on mcall.com →Easton was the first District 11 team to play a Philadelphia team in a PIAA playoff game — in 2004 — and the result was a 15-10 victory over Public League champion George Washington. Five years later, Easton will become the first area team to play a Philadelphia Catholic League…
· Andre D. Williams
Read on mcall.com →Parkland again knocks on destiny’s door, hoping another star running back can crash through and carry the Trojans to the District 11 Class 4A title. A mean, stubborn Easton defense awaits, fresh off a punishing effort against rival Phillipsburg on Thanksgiving Day. But punishing…
· Andre D. Williams
Read on mcall.com →O utside of playing in a traditional rivalry game today, the next best thing is practicing for a Thanksgiving weekend playoff game. That’s what Central Catholic, the District 11 Class 3A champion, and Parkland, which is in the District 11 Class 4A title game, are doing this…
· Andre D. Williams
Read on mcall.com →O utside of playing in a traditional rivalry game today, the next best thing is practicing for a Thanksgiving weekend playoff game. That’s what Central Catholic, the District 11 Class 3A champion, and Parkland, which is in the District 11 Class 4A title game, are doing this…
· Andre D. Williams
Read on mcall.com →Outside of playing in a traditional rivalry game today, the next best thing is practicing for a Thanksgiving weekend playoff game. That’s what Central Catholic, the District 11 Class 3A champion, and Parkland, which is in the District 11 Class 4A title game, are doing this…
· Andre D. Williams
Read on mcall.com →ARMY 5-6 (Independent) Beat North Texas 17-13 Mike McDermott (Bethlehem Catholic) So. OT, 6-6, 255. Game: Played. BOSTON COLLEGE 7-3, 4-2 (ACC) Lost to North Carolina 31-13 Steve Aponavicius (Easton) Sr. PK, 5-10,. 193. Game: 1-for-1 on PATs; 2-for-2 on FGs, 28 and 20 yards.…
· Andre D. Williams
Read on mcall.com →ARMY 5-6(Independent) Beat North Texas 17-13 Mike McDermott (Bethlehem Catholic) So. OT, 6-6, 255. Game: Played. BOSTON COLLEGE 7-3, 4-2 (ACC) Lost to North Carolina 31-13 Steve Aponavicius (Easton) Sr. PK, 5-10,. 193. Game: 1-for-1 on PATs; 2-for-2 on FGs, 28 and 20 yards.…
· Andre D. Williams
Read on mcall.com →Top-seeded Easton battered and wore down No. 4 Hazleton en route to a 28-6 victory in the District 11-2-4 Class 4A subregional semifinals Friday night at Cottingham Stadium. Easton (11-1) is now faced with its annual improbable task: trying to win three games in eight days. The…
· Andre D. Williams
Read on mcall.com →Only two running backs since 2002 have run rampant on the Easton defense. One was Parkland’s Austin Scott in 2002, who carried the Trojans to the PIAA Class 4A title. Two years ago, a less flashy, but more bulldozing back from Hazleton named Nate Eachus ran for 263 yards and…
· Andre D. Williams
Read on mcall.com →Bob Mitchell will retire as Northwestern’s football coach Friday and will take with him the blueprint for success both on and off the field. It’s a blueprint any athletic director in the Lehigh Valley looking to hire a football coach might want Mitchell to share with them. It’s…
· Andre D. Williams
Read on mcall.com →Bob Mitchell will retire as Northwestern’s football coach Friday and will take with him the blueprint for success both on and off the field. It’s a blueprint any athletic director in the Lehigh Valley looking to hire a football coach might want Mitchell to share with them. It’s…
· Andre D. Williams
Read on mcall.com →Moravian College men’s basketball coach Jim Walker is four wins away from his 400th career victory, but the veteran coach hasn’t been able to focus on the approaching milestone. That’s because Walker, who’s in his 30th season at Moravian and 31st overall, doesn’t have an…
· Andre D. Williams
Read on mcall.com →ARMY 4-6 (Independent) Beat VMI 2-17 Mike McDermott (Bethlehem Catholic) So. OT, 6-6, 255. Game: Played. BOSTON COLLEGE 7-3, 4-2 (ACC) Beat Virginia 14-10 Steve Aponavicius (Easton) Sr. PK, 5-10, 193. Game: 2-for-2 on PATs. Season: 34-for-34 on PATs; 7-for-7 on FGs. BROWN 6-3,…
· Andre D. Williams
Read on mcall.com →Easton bulldozed on offense, bone-crushed on defense and coasted to a 28-0 victory over Nazareth in a District 11-2-4 Class 4A quarterfinal matchup Friday night at Cottingham Stadium. The top-seeded Red Rovers (10-1) have won their last four games by a 132-21 margin, their only…
· Andre D. Williams
Read on mcall.com →Back in the 1960s Nazareth High’s football team filled up the school’s trophy case. “Back them we won championships pretty regularly,” said Easton coach Steve Shiffert, a 1969 Nazareth grad. “Nazareth was the big school. We played Wilson, Bangor, East Stroudsburg. “I think…
· Andre D. Williams
Read on mcall.com →ARMY 3-6(Independent) Lost to Air Force 35-7 Mike McDermott (Bethlehem Catholic) So. OT, 6-6, 255. Game: Played. BROWN 5-3, 3-2 (Ivy League) Beat Yale 35-21 Brendan Gallagher (Parkland) Sr. LB, 6-1, 225. Game: 1 assisted tackle. Season: 8 solo tackles,10 assisted, 2 INTs, 43…
· Andre D. Williams
Read on mcall.com →Liberty quarterback Anthony Gonzalez displayed elusiveness and speed on his first carry, which he ran 70 yards for a touchdown against rival Freedom Saturday afternoon at Bethlehem Area School District Stadium. More impressive dashes followed for Gonzalez in a must-win game for…
· Andre D. Williams
Read on mcall.com →Easton no longer has a chip on its shoulder. Instead, the Red Rovers have a bulls-eye on their chest. That’s because a year after having a 10-year district playoff run ended, Easton bullied to a 9-1 regular season record and finished as Lehigh Valley Conference co-champs with…
· Andre D. Williams
Read on mcall.com →All six Lehigh Valley Conference games this weekend have importance, including the Doughnut Bowl Saturday at J. Birney Crum Stadium between Allen and Dieruff. Both those teams are 0-9. All the other games have playoff implications. Central Catholic (8-1, 7-1) and Easton (8-1,…
· Andre D. Williams
Read on mcall.com →Creating a “Wild, Wild East” slogan for Lehigh Valley Conference football may not be a bad idea, especially for this season. It’s been a wild and entertaining season in the LVC and it could end with Easton (8-1 overall, 7-1 LVC), Central Catholic (8-1, 7-1) and Parkland (7-2,…
· Andre D. Williams
Read on mcall.com →BOSTON COLLEGE 6-3(ACC) Beat Central Michigan 31-10 Steve Aponavicius (Easton) Sr. PK, 5-10,. 193. Game: 3-for-3 on PATs, 18-yard FG. Season: 32-for-32 on PATs; 7-for-7 on FGs. BROWN 4-3, 2-2 (Ivy League) Lost to Penn 14-7 Brendan Gallagher (Parkland) Sr. LB, 6-1, 225. Game: 1…
· Andre D. Williams
Read on mcall.com →Easton boiled with emotion and played with unstoppable force on both sides of the ball to thwart Lehigh Valley Conference rival Liberty 28-7 on Senior Night Friday at Cottingham Stadium. Statistically, Liberty outgained Easton, 293-135. But Easton worked on a short field most of…
· Andre D. Williams
Read on mcall.com →I t’s Easton vs. Liberty tonight at Cottingham Stadium in what could be the first of two meetings between the Lehigh Valley Conference powerhouses this season. They could meet again in come in the District 11-2-4 Class 4A subregional playoffs as they did in 2005 and 2006. Easton…
· Andre D. Williams
Read on mcall.com →Liberty played with punch on both sides of the ball to knock Nazareth out of a much-hyped Lehigh Valley Conference game early in the first quarter Friday night. Ahead 21-0 after the first, Liberty added 14 more points in the second quarter and breezed through the rain and chill…
· Andre D. Williams
Read on mcall.com →Trap games do exist in high school football. Emmaus, Easton and Liberty will try to avoid them tonight in Lehigh Valley Conference matchups that have District 11-2-4 Class 4A subregional playoff implications. Next week is the traditional rivalry showdowns, featuring Emmaus…
· Andre D. Williams
Read on mcall.com →Following six straight seasons of three wins or less, Nazareth’s football team is displaying a new mental and physical toughness this season. Already a winner of four games in 2009, Nazareth is playing tougher football because second-year coach Rob Melosky has refused to listen…
· Andre D. Williams
Read on mcall.com →Easton deflated Freedom’s defense with a 19-play, 66-yard scoring drive that took up most of the fourth quarter Friday night at Bethlehem Area School District Stadium. Then the Red Rovers clinched a 14-10 Lehigh Valley Conference victory because of their own rugged defense.…
· Andre D. Williams
Read on mcall.com →The intensity level in the Easton vs. Freedom Lehigh Valley Conference matchup tonight at Bethlehem Area school District Stadium will be so high that a lot of players may be very sore when they wake up Saturday morning. “When Bethlehem [schools] and Easton get together the kids…
· Andre D. Williams
Read on mcall.com →ARMY 3-3 (Independent) Beat Vanderbilt 16-13 (OT) Mike McDermott (Bethlehem Catholic) So. OT, 6-6, 255. Game: Played. BOSTON COLLEGE 4-2, 2-2 (ACC) Lost to Virginia Tech 48-14 Steve Aponavicius (Easton) Sr. PK, 5-10,. 193. Game: 2-for-2 on PATs. Season: 20-for-20 on PATs;…
· Andre D. Williams
Read on mcall.com →The top two playmakers, Liberty seniors Anthony Gonzalez and Jarrod West, had already made their share of standout plays in their final homecoming game Friday night at Bethlehem Area School District Stadium. Senior kicker Jordan Roman then joined in the fun when he booted a…
· Andre D. Williams
Read on mcall.com →Central Catholic’s bid for the perfect season continues Saturday night at J. Birney Crum Stadium. The Vikings (5-0, 4-0) are the lone undefeated Lehigh Valley Conference team and will rely on sophomore quarterback Brendan Nosovitch, a threat running and passing, to try to topple…
· Andre D. Williams
Read on mcall.com →Your football program is in serious trouble when its internal problems are just as heavy as its external ones, caused by bickering, losing, and parents trying to market their sons as if they’re free agents. That was the shambles Bethlehem Catholic was in while posting a 4-7…
· Andre D. Williams
Read on mcall.com →ARMY 2-3 (Independent) Lost to Tulane 17-16 Mike McDermott (Bethlehem Catholic) So. OT, 6-6, 255. Game: Started. BOSTON COL. 4-1, 2-1 (ACC) Beat Florida State 28-21 Steve Aponavicius (Easton) Sr. PK, 5-10,. 193. Game: 4-for-4 on PATs. Season: 18-for-18 on PATs; 5-for-5 on FGs.…
· Andre D. Williams
Read on mcall.com →Freedom senior tailback Darrius Webb is always only one missed tackle at the line of scrimmage from going the distance. That’s because trying to tackle the speedy, elusive Webb is tough once he gets into the open field. He displayed his talents over the previous two seasons at…
· Andre D. Williams
Read on mcall.com →Central Catholic football players and coaches did not dwell on what happened at the end of last season. The Vikings’ parents, on the other hand, probably stewed for a while over the school administration’s decision to reject an Eastern Conference Class 3A playoff invitation.…
· Andre D. Williams
Read on mcall.com →ARMY 2-2 (Independent) Lost to Iowa State 31-10 Mike McDermott (Bethlehem Catholic) So. OT, 6-6, 255. Game: Played. BOSTON COLLEGE 3-1, 1-1 (ACC) Beat Wake Forest 27-24 (2 OT) Steve Aponavicius (Easton) Sr. PK, 5-10, 193. Game: 3-for-3 on PAT, 2-for-2 on FGs of 32, 23 yards.…
· Andre D. Williams
Read on mcall.com →It was 48 minutes of grueling, smashmouth, hard-hitting football for Emmaus. And it was at Cottingham Stadium, where the ghosts of storied years past are not supposed to turn against Easton. Not when the Red Rovers are first-and-goal inside the 5-yard line. Actually, Easton…
· Andre D. Williams
Read on mcall.com →It’s Allentown vs. Bethlehem weekend and contender or pretender night in Orefield. There are also Lehigh Valley Conference matchups in Easton and Northampton that figure to be highly competitive. Easton (3-0 overall, 2-0 LVC), Central Catholic (3-0, 2-0), Nazareth (3-0, 2-0) and…
· Andre D. Williams
Read on mcall.com →No Lehigh Valley Conference team is going to pick on Easton this season. Sounds weird saying “pick on” and “Easton” in the same sentence, but last season the Red Rovers lost five games to LVC opponents by a 112-0 margin. Luckily for the Easton players, coach Steve Shiffert…
· Andre D. Williams
Read on mcall.com →BOSTON COLLEGE 2-1, 0-1 (ACC) Lost to Clemson 25-7 Steve Aponavicius (Easton) Sr. PK, 5-10, 193. Game: 1-for-1 on PATs. Season: 11-for-11 on PATs; 3-for-3 on FGs. BUCKNELL 1-2 (Patriot League) Lost to Cornell 33-9 Anthony Carter (Freedom) So. OL, 6-0, 275. Game: Started. BUFFALO…
· Andre D. Williams
Read on mcall.com →Easton has a chip on its shoulder. Blame it on Parkland, Emmaus and Liberty. All three Lehigh Valley Conference opponents beat the then-inexperienced, mistake-prone Red Rovers by a combined 89-0 margin last season. The chip is still there, despite Easton holding Parkland to 98…
· Andre D. Williams
Read on mcall.com →In the previous two seasons, Easton was not a serious contender for the Lehigh Valley Conference title. Last season, without four-year starter and four-year Morning Call all-area defensive back Jarred Holley — now a redshirt freshman at Pittsburgh — Easton didn’t even post a…
· Andre D. Williams
Read on mcall.com →Liberty senior quarterback Anthony Gonzalez got to see a classic Miami and Florida State college football game in person in on Sept. 7. Florida State lost, 38-34, but that’s not the reason Gonzalez won’t be packing his bags and relocating to Tallahassee next fall to play for the…
· Andre D. Williams
Read on mcall.com →It’s premature to write Liberty off, despite an 0-2 start and a tough road game to play at Central Catholic Saturday night at J. Birney Crum Stadium. After all, the defending PIAA Class 4A-champion Hurricanes opened up the season losing to state-title contender and established…
· Andre D. Williams
Read on mcall.com →Parkland backup defensive back Dan Castillo has been called nicknames that no football player wants to be called. “I get it all,” he said. “Tiny, midget, munchkin.” Well, he is only 5 feet, 5 inches tall. But he probably felt taller than the PPL building in Allentown after…
· Andre D. Williams
Read on mcall.com →Everything quickly fell in place on Jarrod West’s visit to Stanford University last weekend. Before he left the scenic Pac-10 school in California with his mother and father, West had verbally committed to coach Jim Harbaugh’s Cardinal football program. “When you go to these…
· Andre D. Williams
Read on mcall.com →For one game, their last as high school football players, Liberty’s Brandon Brader and Freedom’s Eddie Mateo will compete as teammates. And the two star running backs hope to put on a show. No better showcase than an all-star game. Mateo, who’s headed to Stony Brook University…
· Andre D. Williams
Read on mcall.com →The drama was high. Less than 10 seconds remained in Saturday night’s Big 33 Football Classic at Hersheypark Stadium, and Pennsylvania was inside the 40-yard line, trailing by a touchdown. It seemed like Liberty against Bethel Park all over again, and Hurricanes wideout Devin…
· Andre D. Williams
Read on mcall.com →Liberty’s Devin Street has done a lot of eating, socializing and building confidence this week. Tonight, the 6-foot-4 wideout hopes to help Pennsylvania extend its winning streak against Ohio in the Big 33 Football Classic to four games. Kickoff of the 52nd annual game is at 7…
· Andre D. Williams
Read on mcall.com →This has been a month of all-star football for Liberty linebacker Daryl Klotz. On June 7, he played in the New Jersey-Northeast All-Star Classic at Rutgers University. Tonight, the Hurricane star who often had more blood stains than dirt spots on his uniform after games, will…
· Andre D. Williams
Read on mcall.com →Two-a-day practices have not bothered Freedom’s Jermel Lee this week. He used to hate them during the early days of summer practice back in Bethlehem. But Lee, a Morning Call all-area defensive back last season, has practiced with all-state players from Pennsylvania this week…
· Andre D. Williams
Read on mcall.com →You do not need to be an all-state player or get a scholarship to a big-name college to get selected to play in the Big 33 Football Classic. Liberty linebacker Horvin Latimer is proof of that. But he was an easy sell to the Pennsylvania coaches, who believe Latimer is capable of…
· Andre D. Williams
Read on mcall.com →Freedom’s Jermel Lee rolled over, smacked the floor and said to Liberty’s Devin Street, “I’m going home.” Street had just remarked how Liberty beat Freedom twice last season, including 28-14 in the District 11 Class 4A final en route to winning the PIAA Class 4A Championship. “I…
· Andre D. Williams
Read on mcall.com →— Bethlehem Catholic sprinter Hansol Song had one thing on his mind before the start of the Class 2A 400-meter relay final in the PIAA Track and Field Championships on Saturday at Seth Grove Stadium. It might have seemed crazy to some. “I was thinking I will break my legs just…
· Andre D. Williams
Read on mcall.com →Wilson senior Anthony Davidson is on the verge of pulling off a rare feat in the PIAA Track and Field Championships. A year after winning the Class 2A 400-meter dash, Davidson made huge strides toward validating himself as the best in Class 3A at Shippensburg University. Focused…
· Andre D. Williams
Read on mcall.com →It was cloudy, unseasonably cool and occasionally rainy. The weather, however, didn’t prevent Wilson senior Anthony Davidson and other top District 11 sprinters from blazing to impressive victories in the boys Class 2A and 3A track and field championships on Thursday at…
· Andre D. Williams
Read on mcall.com →It’s time to run fast, throw far, jump and vault high. It’s time to be better than just good. It’s time to win a District 11 track and field medal, preferably gold. Sprinters Anthony Davidson of Wilson and Bethlehem Catholic’s Tevrin Brandon are confident they’ll achieve their…
· Andre D. Williams
Read on mcall.com →Combine the number of athletes on the Bethlehem Catholic, Liberty and Freedom track and field teams and it still wouldn’t equal the size of Parkland’s team. The Trojans have 368 male and female participants, a program record. It sometimes makes the Parkland squad look like a…
· Andre D. Williams
Read on mcall.com →Motivated to carry her 3,200-meter relay team into her school’s record book, Emmaus senior Lindsey Graybill took the baton and raced the Green Hornets to a convincing victory in the Lehigh Valley Conference track and field championships at J. Birney Crum Stadium on Wednesday.…
· Andre D. Williams
Read on mcall.com →Whitehall’s Doug Henninger won with strength and Easton’s David Hightower won with speed and crisp hurdling. Then, there was Parkland’s Matt Gillette, who used long strides and a solid finishing kick to anchor the Trojans to victory in the 3,200-meter relay before closing out…
· Andre D. Williams
Read on mcall.com →Freedom senior Dan McLaughlin prepared for the Liberty-Freedom track and field meet Monday by isolating himself before heading to Bethlehem Area School District Stadium. “I went home, listened to my music, tried to get myself psyched for it,” he said. “I was trying to get myself…
· Andre D. Williams
Read on mcall.com →Anthony Gonzalez was in Liberty High’s weight room Tuesday afternoon when he was told to take a break by his coach. It ended up being the best break of his life. Three U.S. Army recruiters were waiting for him, very important paperwork in hand. Gonzalez’s teammates crowed…
· Andre D. Williams
Read on mcall.com →Take your pick, dual meets, tri-meets or relay carnivals. Dual meets involve athletes of all abilities, while relay carnivals, generally, are for the more talented athletes, athletes who have usually received an invitation to compete. Dual meets can be more draining, especially…
· Andre D. Williams
Read on mcall.com →Emmaus High football coach Joe Bottiglieri doesn’t think organizers of the Pennsylvania Scholastic Football Coaches Association All-Star game are trying to piggyback off the Big 33 Football Classic. It just looks like it since the ninth annual PSFCA game in Altoona will be…
· Andre D. Williams
Read on mcall.com →Nothing’s popping in track and field just yet. Many coaches prefer to keep it that way this early by not having any of their league- and district-title hopefuls pull muscles that could linger the entire season. The more serious meets are the Penn Relays April 23-25 and Allentown…
· Andre D. Williams
Read on mcall.com →Wilson senior Anthony Davidson, the 2008 PIAA Class 2A track and field champion in the 400-meter dash, and Palmerton senior Austin Cseh, the state runner-up to Davidson, headline the top boys returners this spring. Newcomer Andre Williams, a junior at Parkland who transferred…
· Andre D. Williams
Read on mcall.com →The Kutztown men are back in the NCAA Division II basketball tournament for the first time since 1988, and hope to stick around for a while. In Division III, the DeSales men and Muhlenberg women have reached the “Sweet 16” and hope to continue playing on. The Golden Bears,…
· Andre D. Williams
Read on mcall.com →It’s imaginable to go undefeated in conference play. It just doesn’t happen too often on any level in college basketball. Which is why the Muhlenberg women, 16-0 in Centennial Conference play, are determined to win at Dickinson tonight and at Ursinus on Saturday to close out the…
· Andre D. Williams
Read on mcall.com →Freedom High senior Eddie Mateo was down to the final days and his mind was about made up to sign a National Letter of Intent to attend NCAA Division II Bloomsburg University. All it took was just his signature on dotted lines during Wednesday’s Signing Day. Mateo, an Associated…
· Andre D. Williams
Read on mcall.com →Parkland senior field hockey player Kyle DeSandes-Moyer signed her National Letter of Intent inside the school’s auditorium on Wednesday. Kisses from her mother and father followed, in addition to extended pound-pounds of the hand with her father, which drew laughter.…
· Andre D. Williams
Read on mcall.com →Levi Brown, an all-state defensive lineman at Liberty, pointed jubilantly to the Temple Owls’ hat on his head, then smiled as he looked out into the standing room-only crowd inside the school’s Arts Gallery on Wednesday. Liberty football coach Tim Moncman then came up and rubbed…
· Andre D. Williams
Read on mcall.com →Liberty football coach Tim Moncman called his team the “Land of the Misfit Toys” because of the diverse lifestyles his players have. Here’s another name: state champions . It wasn’t easy to accomplish. After all, Liberty lost in the PIAA Class 4A final in 2005 and 2006. But the…
· Andre D. Williams
Read on mcall.com →John Bedics wants one more graduation gift. Bedics, a starting offensive lineman for the North Carolina State Wolfpack and former Bethlehem Catholic standout, plays his final college game Monday night. North Carolina (6-6) meets Rutgers (7-5) in the PapaJohns.com Bowl in…
· Andre D. Williams
Read on mcall.com →The road to Hershey was still the same — long and winding. But the road back was different than the one in 2005 and 2006. That’s because Liberty, fueled by big plays from two-way star Anthony Gonzalez, relentless blocking from Levi Brown and other linemen, and punishing tackles…
· Andre D. Williams
Read on mcall.com →A week after Liberty High coach Tim Moncman and his star player Anthony Gonzalez shared tears, hugs and the glory of winning the school’s first state football title, the dynamic duo made a sweep of the Associated Press’ All-State Class 4A top honors. Moncman, who has managed the…
· Andre D. Williams
Read on mcall.com →For Liberty High fans, it was Anthony Gonzalez, the Hurricanes’ two-way star, who took over the PIAA Class 4A championship game against Bethel Park in overtime last Saturday in Hershey. For his mother, Nancy Mojica, it was just her baby boy finding a way to lead his team to a…
· Andre D. Williams
Read on mcall.com →Hours after Liberty’s dramatic 28-21 overtime win over Bethel Park in the PIAA Class 4A title game in Hershey on Saturday night, Hurricanes coach Tim Moncman had a gift from his neighbor waiting for him when he came home. “I got home at 2:30 and the next-door neighbor had taped…
· Andre D. Williams
Read on mcall.com →Overtime belonged to Liberty. Junior two-way star Anthony Gonzalez made sure of it against Bethel Park in the PIAA Class 4A championship game Saturday night at Hersheypark Stadium. “Everybody wanted to win the first state title in school history,” Gonzalez said. “We were not…
· Andre D. Williams
Read on mcall.com →Bethel Park High has advanced to its first PIAA Class 4A football final, helped by fundamentally sound play and luck, according to its coach, Jeff Metheny. The Black Hawks, after all, are 15-0 and have won each of their last three playoff games by four points or less. “There are…
· Andre D. Williams
Read on mcall.com →Daniel Curatola suffered a broken collarbone while playing pick-up football during his sophomore year at Bethlehem High and his parents refused to let him play on the school’s varsity team — in 1935. He had hoped to play because he wanted to be part of a program that he said…
· Andre D. Williams
Read on mcall.com →The hug that warms Liberty senior Devin Street’s heart and motivates him to play his best comes before each kickoff and often throughout games. His father, Ted, an assistant coach at Liberty, has been one of his coaches since he was 5 years old. And Ted Street figures he’ll shed…
· Andre D. Williams
Read on mcall.com →Some players listen to iPods or Walkmans before games. Liberty senior defensive tackle Al Pujols gets his peace of mind by reading a book. “I read as much as I can and sometimes I read on the bus,” Pujols said. “Sometimes I do it at home, but once I get home I’m usually tired.”…
· Andre D. Williams
Read on mcall.com →Nazareth coach Rob Melosky hopes that he’ll be joined by Liberty coach Tim Moncman in a glorious company of coaches who have led a Lehigh Valley team to the PIAA Class 4A football title. Since 2002 when Melosky coached Parkland — powered by the record-breaking feats of running…
· Andre D. Williams
Read on mcall.com →Sunday was the day after Liberty senior Daryl Klotz carried the ball a season-high 19 times, absorbing one hard hit after another by North Penn defenders in the PIAA Class 4A Eastern final on in Coatesville. Sunday is considered a day of rest, and Klotz took advantage of it.…
· Andre D. Williams
Read on mcall.com →Freedom fans may find it interesting that an alumnus of the school is leading rival Liberty in its greatest football era. Tim Moncman, a 1987 Freedom graduate, is 80-29 in nine seasons as Liberty’s coach and led the Hurricanes to PIAA Class 4A runner-up finishes in 2005 and…
· Andre D. Williams
Read on mcall.com →Liberty appears headed for another grueling PIAA Class 4A Eastern final against North Penn, one that figures to be dominated by defense. That was the case in the 2005 state semifinal when Liberty edged North Penn, 14-12. This season, Liberty’s defense has been overshadowed again…
· Andre D. Williams
Read on mcall.com →Brandon McManus is the only four-year starting kicker in North Penn history, and he’s been one of the most effective Knights under pressure. “I’m a big fan of pressure,” McManus said. “I’ve liked it my whole life.” North Penn (14-0) averages 36.7 points per game mostly because…
· Andre D. Williams
Read on mcall.com →Christian Rodriguez was the backup quarterback to Dan Persa on Liberty’s 2006 PIAA Class 4A runner-up team as a sophomore, and it appeared that he was destined to be the starter the next two seasons. Athletic, 6-foot and almost 200 pounds, Rodriguez appeared to have all the…
· Andre D. Williams
Read on mcall.com →Having to pick a poison is never a good thing. It’s usually devastating either way you look at it. George Washington High, the Philadelphia city champion, swarmed to the line of scrimmage and contained the rushing attack that has made Liberty so potent all season. No problem for…
· Andre D. Williams
Read on mcall.com →Liberty today tries to extend its winning streak to 13 games and prevent a Philadelphia Public League team from achieving history. Liberty (12-1), coming off a 28-14 win over Freedom for the District 11 title last Saturday, plays District 12 champion George Washington (10-1) in…
· Andre D. Williams
Read on mcall.com →Liberty has dominated 50 out of 52 quarters it has played this season. The only two quarters it has not owned was in the first half against North Penn. Blocking assignments were missed and it caused the high-powered Hurricanes to stay out of sync and trail 20-0 at halftime. Levi…
· Andre D. Williams
Read on mcall.com →BOSTON COLLEGE 8-3, 4-3 (Atlantic Coast Conference) Beat Wake Forest 24-21 Steve Aponavicius (Easton) Sr. PK, 5-10, 198. Game: 1-for-1 on PATs; 3-for-3 on FGs. Season: 34-for-34 on PATs; 13-for-20 on FGs. BROWN 7-3 6-1 (Ivy League) Beat Columbia 41-10 Brendan Gallagher…
· Andre D. Williams
Read on mcall.com →Liberty’s offensive linemen pounded and pounded away, plowing Freedom linemen out of the way to open wide holes for junior quarterback Anthony Gonzalez to run through Saturday afternoon. And, boy, did Gonzalez run. Left, right and up the middle with dazzling speed. An elusive…
· Andre D. Williams
Read on mcall.com →Senior running backs Brandon Brader of Liberty and Eddie Mateo of Freedom have been rivals since middle school. They’ve also been good friends and admired each other’s feats. But it wasn’t until last week when one of them decided to nickname the other. “He’s Superman,” Mateo…
· Andre D. Williams
Read on mcall.com →ALBANY 8-3, 7-0 (Northeast Conference) Beat Wagner 30-11 Justin Peterson (Palmerton) Fr. RB 6-0, 225. Game: 1 carry, 0 yards. Season: 8 catches, 58 yards, 1 TD; 1 carry, 0 yards; 1 solo tackle, 3 assisted tackles, 1 forced fumble. BOSTON COLLEGE 7-3, 3-3 (Atlantic Coast…
· Andre D. Williams
Read on mcall.com →Liberty senior tailback Brandon Brader might have been perceived as selfish if he asked his teammates to carry him off the field Friday night at Bethlehem Area School District Stadium. After all, Hurricanes junior quarterback Anthony Gonzalez outrushed him by 61 yards in…
· Andre D. Williams
Read on mcall.com →Somebody has to score when Liberty and Emmaus meet in the District 11-2 Class 4A subregional semifinals tonight at Bethlehem Area School District Stadium. Even if it’s just by a safety, which is not all that farfetched considering the way No. 2 seed Liberty (10-1) and No. 3…
· Andre D. Williams
Read on mcall.com →Parkland senior Jaleel Clark made one Liberty coverage player miss, then he eluded another and continued to race up field en route to a 38-yard punt return Friday night. It was his only memorable play in the Trojans’ 19-0 loss in the District 11-2 Class 4A subregional…
· Andre D. Williams
Read on mcall.com →ALBANY 7-3, 6-0 (Northeast Conference) Beat Robert Morris 41-7 Justin Peterson (Palmerton) Fr. RB 2-0, 225. Game: 3 catches, 33 yards. Season: 8 catches, 58 yards, 1 TD; 1 solo tackle, 3 assisted tackles, 1 forced fumble. BOSTON COLLEGE 6-3 (Atlantic Coast Conference) Beat Notre…
· Andre D. Williams
Read on mcall.com →Liberty controlled the line of scrimmage and the clock, which put Parkland in an essentially no-win situation in the rematch between Lehigh Valley Conference foes Friday night at Bethlehem Area School District Stadium. Liberty has now made a habit of dominating opponents. Last…
· Andre D. Williams
Read on mcall.com →Liberty enters its first-ever district playoff game against Parkland tonight with two senior linebackers who are determined to have fun. Never mind that fun for Daryl Klotz and Horvin Latimer is administering punishment. “We like to tackle and hit people,” Latimer said. “Yeah,…
· Andre D. Williams
Read on mcall.com →Easton is a proud football program with a winning tradition that’s much longer than any other Lehigh Valley Conference team, but the Red Rovers’ administration and coaches did not let their pride get in the way of making a smart decision that will benefit their players. Which is…
· Andre D. Williams
Read on mcall.com →ALBANY 6-3, 5-0 (Northeast Conference) Beat Monmouth 35-17 Justin Peterson (Palmerton) Fr. RB 6-0, 225. Game: 1 solo tackle, 1 assisted, 1 forced fumble. Season: 5 catches, 25 yards, 1 TD; 1 solo tackle, 3 assisted tackles, 1 forced fumble. BOSTON COLLEGE 5-3, 2-3 (Atlantic…
· Andre D. Williams
Read on mcall.com →It was about control. Liberty had it in the trenches, led by big Levi Brown, whose emphatic blocking helped clear the way for quarterback Anthony Gonzalez and tailback Brandon Brader to run effectively against rival Freedom in a 20-14 Lehigh Valley Conference victory Saturday…
· Andre D. Williams
Read on mcall.com →The Lehigh Valley Conference’s version of boxing’s “Main Event” takes place Saturday afternoon at Bethlehem Area School District Stadium. That’s when Liberty (8-1, 8-0) and Freedom (8-1, 7-1) clash on the Frank Banko Field turf. “As everybody knows, there’s a lot at stake,…
· Andre D. Williams
Read on mcall.com →The Lehigh Valley Conference’s version of boxing’s “Main Event” takes place Saturday afternoon at Bethlehem Area School District Stadium. That’s when Liberty (8-1, 8-0) and Freedom (8-1, 7-1) clash on the Frank Banko Field turf. “As everybody knows, there’s a lot at stake,…
· Andre D. Williams
Read on mcall.com →ALBANY 5-3, 4-0 (Northeast Conference) Beat St. Francis (N.Y.) 27-3 Justin Peterson (Palmerton) Fr. RB 2-0, 225. Game: One catch, 5 yards. Season: Five catches, 25 yards, one TD; two assisted tackles. BOSTON COLLEGE 5-2, 2-2 (Atlantic Coast Conference) Lost to North Carolina…
· Andre D. Williams
Read on mcall.com →Northampton had its shot at Emmaus, Freedom and Liberty, but lost. The defeats were in successive weeks, knocking the Konkrete Kids out of contention for the Lehigh Valley Conference title and jeopardizing their chances at qualifying for the District 11-2 Class 4A subregional…
· Andre D. Williams
Read on mcall.com →A slug-it-out affair between two Lehigh Valley Conference teams, an affair that was scoreless after three quarters, turned lopsided in the fourth quarter Saturday night. That’s because Northampton, backed by a defense that continued to attack and a run-oriented Wing-T offense…
· Andre D. Williams
Read on mcall.com →Crunch, crunch. That’s what the Parkland defense, fueled by the return of star lineman Clint Miller from a knee injury, did to Emmaus in a grueling Lehigh Valley Conference matchup Friday night. Miller, a 2007 Associated Press all-state first-team selection, missed the previous…
· Andre D. Williams
Read on mcall.com →Two regular season games remain and Easton and Parkland are both trying to avoid something that has not happened since 1994. And that’s the District 11 playoffs being held without either of them being involved. But the traditionally strong Lehigh Valley Conference teams still…
· Andre D. Williams
Read on mcall.com →ALBANY 4-3, 3-0 (Northeast) Beat Sacred Heart 26-21 Justin Peterson (Palmerton) Fr. RB 2-0, 225. Game: One catch, 2 yards. Season: Four catches, 20 yards, one TD; two assisted tackles. BOSTON COLLEGE 5-1, 2-1 (ACC) Beat Virginia Tech 28-23 Steve Aponavicius (Easton) Sr. PK,…
· Andre D. Williams
Read on mcall.com →Freedom kicker Gregory Taylor settled his nerves with the help of his teammates, then zoned in on the goal post 22 yards away Friday night. Less than five seconds remained in the Lehigh Valley Conference classic between Bethlehem city rivals and the game was tied. Taylor, a…
· Andre D. Williams
Read on mcall.com →The scoreboard operator at Bethlehem Area School District Stadium figures to be busy tonight. That’s because high-scoring city rivals Freedom (31.4 ppg) and Bethlehem Catholic (29 ppg) meet in a Lehigh Valley Conference matchup that has playoff implications with just three…
· Andre D. Williams
Read on mcall.com →ALBANY 3-3, 2-0 (Northeast Conference) Beat Central Conn. St. 24-22 Justin Peterson (Palmerton) Fr. RB 2-0, 225. Game: Two catches, 16 yards; one assisted tackle. Season: Three catches, 18 yards, one TD; two assisted tackles. BROWN 2-2 (Ivy League) Lost to Holy Cross 41-34…
· Andre D. Williams
Read on mcall.com →Bethlehem Catholic running back Darrius Webb fumbled once, but made amends before the Nazareth defense could react Saturday afternoon. It was on a fourth-and-goal at the 1-yard line late in the second quarter. Webb, who is the Lehigh Valley Conference’s leading rusher, retrieved…
· Andre D. Williams
Read on mcall.com →Easton and Freedom engaged in a shootout Friday night at Cottingham Stadium. It played to Freedom’s advantage — especially in the first and third quarters — when the Patriots unleashed their speed. But Freedom’s 36-28 Lehigh Valley Conference victory was not manufactured solely…
· Andre D. Williams
Read on mcall.com →Freedom senior tailback Eddie Mateo ran for season highs of 198 yards and four touchdowns last week. He ran rampant on synthetic turf against a Northampton defense that’s one of the Lehigh Valley Conference’s best. Now Mateo, who transferred from Bethlehem Catholic during the…
· Andre D. Williams
Read on mcall.com →Dieruff coach Keith Brader has a question for all other Lehigh Valley Conference coaches, excluding Chris Kinane at Allen, who is 0-6 in his first season and facing a tough battle trying to make the Canaries competitive. Do you want to trade places? “We probably would not have…
· Andre D. Williams
Read on mcall.com →The Lehigh Valley Conference is a tough conference and will be even tougher once Nazareth starts posting winning seasons on a consistent basis. Winning the LVC title probably won’t happen anytime soon because the Blue Eagles do not draw from a talent pool that’s similar to the…
· Andre D. Williams
Read on mcall.com →BOSTON COLLEGE 4-1, 1-1 (Atlantic Coast Conference) Beat N.C. State 38-31 Steve Aponavicius (Easton) Sr. PK, 5-10, 198. Game: 5-for-5 on PATs; 1-for-1 on FGs, 17-yarder. Season: 18-for-18 on PATs; 6-for-8 on FGs. BROWN 2-1 (Ivy League) Lost to Rhode Island 37-13 Brendan…
· Andre D. Williams
Read on mcall.com →Back and forth Bethlehem Catholic and Liberty went, staggering each other with big plays Saturday night. But the blow-for-blow exchange lasted only for a half before a spirited crowd at Bethlehem Area School District Stadium. In the second half, Liberty, upset in the city series…
· Andre D. Williams
Read on mcall.com →Freedom snapped a 12-game losing streak against Parkland last week, which raised the Patriots’ confidence level entering tonight’s Lehigh Valley Conference showdown against Northampton at Bethlehem Area School District Stadium. Both teams are 4-1, 3-1 in conference play, but…
· Andre D. Williams
Read on mcall.com →There are two sides to Liberty junior quarterback Anthony Gonzalez, and both have made him popular with teammates and coaches. “He is low key,” Liberty senior Devin Street said about Gonzalez off the field. But on the field, it’s his aggressiveness and intensity that sets him…
· Andre D. Williams
Read on mcall.com →What happens in a game between longtime rivals is not easily explained. Liberty knows that all too well from its stunning defeats by Bethlehem Catholic the last two seasons. Liberty was considered a PIAA Class 4A title contender both years and seemed to hold major advantages on…
· Andre D. Williams
Read on mcall.com →BOSTON COLLEGE 3-1 (Atlantic Coast Conference) Beat Rhode Island 42-0 Steve Aponavicius (Easton) Sr. PK, 5-10,. 198. Game: 5-for-5 on PATs. Season: 13-for-13 on PATs; 5-for-7 on FGs. BROWN 2-0, 1-0 (Ivy League) Beat Harvard 24-22 Brendan Gallagher (Parkland) Jr. LB, 6-1, 225.…
· Andre D. Williams
Read on mcall.com →No longer overlooked, Northampton is excited to welcome Emmaus to Al Erdosy Field tonight for a showdown between undefeated teams battling for first place in the Lehigh Valley Conference. Both teams are 4-0 overall, 3-0 in league play. “This is certainly a big game for us,”…
· Andre D. Williams
Read on mcall.com →No longer overlooked, Northampton is excited to welcome Emmaus to Al Erdosy Field tonight for a showdown between undefeated teams battling for first place in the Lehigh Valley Conference. Both teams are 4-0 overall, 3-0 in league play. “This is certainly a big game for us,”…
· Andre D. Williams
Read on mcall.com →In terms of taking steps forward, Freedom football coach Jason Roeder has no complaints. His teams did just that in each of his first three years, going from 2-8 to 5-5 to 9-3 and winning the Eastern Conference Class 4A title last season. Last season marked a school record for…
· Andre D. Williams
Read on mcall.com →BOSTON COLLEGE 2-1 (Atlantic Coast Conference) Beat Central Florida 34-7 Steve Aponavicius (Easton) Sr. PK, 5-10, 198. Game: 4-for-4 on PATs; 2-for-3 on FGs of 22 and 25 yards. Season: 8-for-8 on PATs; 5-for-7 on FGs. BROWN 1-0 (Ivy League) Beat Stony Brook 17-7 Brendan…
· Andre D. Williams
Read on mcall.com →Surprise, surprise, that’s what Northampton (4-0, 3-0 LVC) has been in posting a perfect record out of the gate to remain tied with Emmaus (4-0, 3-0) for first-place in the Lehigh Valley Conference entering their showdown Friday at Al Erdosy Field. Elsewhere in the conference,…
· Andre D. Williams
Read on mcall.com →Something disturbingly different happened to Easton last week against Parkland. It wasn’t the lopsided score of Parkland 26, Easton 0. Every team gets crushed once in a while, but Easton coach Steve Shiffert wasn’t as concerned about the final score as he was about the way his…
· Andre D. Williams
Read on mcall.com →Bethlehem Catholic High’s two-way senior lineman Brandon Lally was fired up at practice Tuesday as he prepared for Saturday night showdown against Central Catholic. “It’s the biggest game of the year, the two Catholic schools, rivals,” Lally said. But it’s a rivalry that has…
· Andre D. Williams
Read on mcall.com →Every strong defense is keyed by an impact player, one who’ll go to any limit to try and punish the opponent each down he’s on the field. Parkland has that player in defensive end Clint Miller, a 6-3, 235-pound Division I recruit, who came into his own last season en route to…
· Andre D. Williams
Read on mcall.com →CONNECTICUT 3-0 (Big East) Beat Virginia 45-10 Robbie Frey (Lehighton) R-Fr. RB, 6-0, 191. Game: Eight carries, 31 yards. Season: 18 carries, 66 yards, one TD; one kickoff return, 10 yards; one solo tackle, two assisted, one fumble recovery. Mike Ryan (Marian) R-Fr. OT, 6-5,…
· Andre D. Williams
Read on mcall.com →And now Parkland can take a breather. Its toughest three-game stretch to open a season is over and the Trojans capped it off with a dominating second-half performance in a 26-0 victory over rival Easton Friday night at Cottingham Stadium. Entering with an 0-2 record, following…
· Andre D. Williams
Read on mcall.com →Something new in Week 3 of the Lehigh Valley Conference: Neither Liberty, Parkland nor Easton is involved in the top game. Easton (2-0, 1-0) opens its home schedule against Parkland (0-2, 0-1) at 7 tonight at Cottingham Stadium, and it promises to be a festive atmosphere as the…
· Andre D. Williams
Read on mcall.com →Easton has played two teams it was supposed to crush. The Red Rovers did just that, beating Stroudsburg by 27 points and Dieruff by 35. Now Easton (2-0, 1-0) hosts two-time defending Lehigh Valley Conference champion Parkland on Friday night at Cottingham Stadium. It’s Easton’s…
· Andre D. Williams
Read on mcall.com →BOSTON COLLEGE 1-1, 0-1 (ACC) Lost to Georgia Tech 19-16 Steve Aponavicius (Easton) Sr. PK, 5-10,. 198. Game: 1-for-1 on PATs; 3-for-3 on FGs of 36, 34 and 26 yards. Season: 4-for-4 on PATs; 3-for-3 on FGs. CONNECTICUT 2-0, 0-0 (Big East) Beat Temple 12-9 Robbie Frey (Lehighton)…
· Andre D. Williams
Read on mcall.com →On every snap of the ball Friday night against Parkland, Liberty offensive lineman Levi Brown looked like a raging boxer leaving his corner at the sound of the bell. Instead of throwing a punch, Brown’s mission was to blow Trojans off the ball and clear the way for Liberty…
· Andre D. Williams
Read on mcall.com →It’s a Week 2 matchup that would have even more hype had it been scheduled for later in the season with the Lehigh Valley Conference title and possibly the No. 1 seed in the district playoffs on the line. But after not playing the last two seasons, Liberty and Parkland are…
· Andre D. Williams
Read on mcall.com →Fair or not, Nazareth football coach Rob Melosky knows that he can’t prevent people from judging his every move because that’s expected when you are a high-profile coach. Melosky’s public perception soared, perhaps more so in the negative than positive last month, when he was on…
· Andre D. Williams
Read on mcall.com →Execution. Liberty will probably have nightmares about its failure in that regard in the first half against North Penn Friday night. Execution. It was too late once Liberty found openings in the Knights’ defense. That’s because North Penn, a perennial District One powerhouse,…
· Andre D. Williams
Read on mcall.com →Execution. Liberty will probably have nightmares about its failure in that regard in the first half against North Penn Friday night. Execution. It was too late once Liberty found openings in the Knights’ defense. That’s because North Penn, a perennial District One powerhouse,…
· Andre D. Williams
Read on mcall.com →The wait is over for Freedom. Tonight, the defending Eastern Conference Class 4A champion will try to extend its winning streak in season openers under coach Jason Roeder to four games. “There is not a whole lot of room for error,” said Roeder, whose Patriots open at Central…
· Andre D. Williams
Read on mcall.com →Winning streaks and more will be on the line in season-opening games for Liberty and Parkland tonight. Both play state-ranked teams that will provide the ultimate early-season test. Liberty, 8-0 under coach Tim Moncman in openers, puts that record on the line when it hosts…
· Andre D. Williams
Read on mcall.com →ALLEN Coach: Chris Kinane (first year) Last year: 0-10 (0-9, LVC) Impact players: QB Justin Quaye, sr.; QB Nick Rhodes, jr.; WR Matt Wingler, sr.; WR Nik Davis, sr.; WR/RB David Gibbs, sr.; WR Siddiq Shabazz, sr.; OL Lance Troxell, sr.; OL Eddy Torres, sr.; RB/LB Luciano…
· Andre D. Williams
Read on mcall.com →It’s been a decade of memorable games and streaks, of championship glory and the agony of defeat in state title games for District 11 football teams. History was made in 2002 when Parkland, behind Austin Scott’s state-record 53 touchdowns and 3,846 yards rushing, became the…
· Andre D. Williams
Read on mcall.com →ALLEN Coach: Chris Kinane (first year) Last year: 0-10 (0-9, LVC) Impact players: QB Justin Quaye, sr.; QB Nick Rhodes, jr.; WR Matt Wingler, sr.; WR Nik Davis, sr.; WR/RB David Gibbs, sr.; WR Siddiq Shabazz, sr.; OL Lance Troxell, sr.; OL Eddy Torres, sr.; RB/LB Luciano…
· Andre D. Williams
Read on mcall.com →Brendan Beal was tackled from behind in an awkward way and it caused more pain and eventually more disappointment than the 2007-08 Parade All-American linebacker from Liberty High had ever experienced. That’s because Beal, a freshman at the University of Florida, suffered an…
· Andre D. Williams
Read on mcall.com →Parkland senior Jaleel Clark stood at the podium, his two diamond-stud earrings sparkling, and spoke enthusiastically about the upcoming football season and the Trojans’ attempt to go undefeated a third straight season in the Lehigh Valley Conference. Clark, the 2007 Morning…
· Andre D. Williams
Read on mcall.com →Devin Street is no sleeper pickup for the University of Pittsburgh. Never mind that Street, entering his senior year at Liberty, only had five catches last season, turning three into touchdowns. This summer, the 6-4 Street has attended the Nike Camp at Penn State, the U.S. Army…
· Andre D. Williams
Read on mcall.com →Before thunder and lightning came and forced the PSFCA East-West All-Star game to be halted, Joey Orlando unleashed his own sparks Saturday night. Motivated by the trash talking and a desire to prove his skills, Orlando, a former Liberty star wideout, toasted West defensive…
· Andre D. Williams
Read on mcall.com →Joey Orlando always just found a way. He was a two-way starter on a Liberty football team last season that had an All-American linebacker in Brendan Beal, who’s now at the University of Florida on a scholarship. There also was Ahkeem Smith, now at Temple on a scholarship. But…
· Andre D. Williams
Read on mcall.com →Wilson teammates Anthony Davidson and Adam Eckhart were the only District 11 male athletes to win gold medals in the PIAA Track and Field Championships last weekend at Shippensburg University. Davidson won the Class 2A 400-meter dash and Eckhart won the triple jump. Catasauqua’s…
· Andre D. Williams
Read on mcall.com →Anthony Davidson appeared to be facing a daunting challenge when he showed up later than expected for the finals of the Class 2A 400-meter dash. Lucky for the Wilson junior, he had rival sprinter Austin Cseh of Palmerton to help settle his mind and help him prepare for a…
· Andre D. Williams
Read on mcall.com →Jesse Sell would prefer to smash a volleyball over crashing the books any day of the week. But the Emmaus senior never lost sight of the fact that he needed to be successful in both. On Wednesday, Sell was rewarded for his hard work in both at the Lehigh Valley Conference…
· Andre D. Williams
Read on mcall.com →Wilson sprinter Anthony Davidson spent more time watching youtube.com than anything else over the last week. He didn’t like what he saw, but he kept clicking back onto the popular Web site to watch how he lost to Palmerton’s Austin Cseh in the 400-meter dash in the Colonial…
· Andre D. Williams
Read on mcall.com →It was an arena football game that ended like a wild, wild west brawl. There were still 3 minutes, 22 seconds left on the clock in the fourth quarter when the officials called the CIFL game between the Lehigh Valley Outlawz and Rochester Raiders Saturday night at Stabler Arena.…
· Andre D. Williams
Read on mcall.com →It was an arena football game that ended like a wild, wild west brawl. There were still 3 minutes, 22 seconds left on the clock in the fourth quarter when the officials called the CIFL game between the Lehigh Valley Outlawz and Rochester Raiders Saturday night at Stabler arena.…
· Andre D. Williams
Read on mcall.com →He’s not all hulked up, but Palmerton sprinter Austin Cseh had all the speed and endurance necessary to prevail over Wilson’s Anthony Davidson in a thrilling race to the finish line in the finals of the 400-meter dash at the Colonial League Track and Field Championships on…
· Andre D. Williams
Read on mcall.com →Bethlehem Catholic junior sprinter Tevrin Brandon is an underdog no more. Fast and confident since his freshman year, Brandon still entered this spring unfulfilled because he had yet to win the 100-meter dash at the Lehigh Valley Conference Track and Field Championships. But…
· Andre D. Williams
Read on mcall.com →For two laps, Liberty junior Tom Hoffman maintained a lead that was established from the outset of the 3,200-meter relay Tuesday at J. Birney Crum Stadium. Then, after crossing the finish line, Hoffman wobbled off the track and flopped to the turf. He was fatigued, but…
· Andre D. Williams
Read on mcall.com →It’s finally time to get down to serious business in track and field. Next week’s Lehigh Valley Conference, Colonial League and Mountain Valley Conference championship meets will weed out the pretenders and establish the boys’ athletes who are most likely to contend for district…
· Andre D. Williams
Read on mcall.com →Nazareth High senior Kevin Kroboth has had an easier time sprinting to 100- and 200-meter dash victories than he did breaking away for touchdowns during the football season. A first-year track and field athlete, Kroboth has used the dual-meet season to prove himself as a league,…
· Andre D. Williams
Read on mcall.com →Liberty’s Joey Orlando and Whitehall’s Matt Hamscher are both getting one last opportunity to make standout plays on both sides of the ball. And Emmaus’ Joe Davis, who enjoyed trying to rip the helmet off offensive players, gets one last chance to try and make an impact on…
· Andre D. Williams
Read on mcall.com →In track and field there’s fast and there’s really blazing, which Nazareth senior Kevin Kroboth was in the 100-meter dash Thursday afternoon at Bethlehem Area School District Stadium. A first-year participant in the sport, Kroboth has been under 11.0 seconds in most of his races…
· Andre D. Williams
Read on mcall.com →Devin Street appears to be a natural in track and field. A first-year participant for Liberty, Street established himself as the top long jumper in the Lehigh Valley Conference before the weather even turned warm. He entered the week with an area-high mark of 22 feet, 51/2…
· Andre D. Williams
Read on mcall.com →Distance runner Trevor VanAckeren of Liberty and sprinter Aneurys Santos of Salisbury figure to dominate the headlines in boys track and field this spring. Never mind that both began the season injured — the long-legged Princeton-bound VanAckeren with a tweaked left knee and the…
· Andre D. Williams
Read on mcall.com →Every high school athlete should have winning a championship — whether league, district or state — as one of their main goals because they cannot legitimately compete without drive. Making good grades should be an even higher goal. It would only be an excuse for an athlete to…
· Andre D. Williams
Read on mcall.com →Easton celebrated its biggest Signing Day since 1968 with football star Jarred Holley and U.S. Olympic track and field hopeful Chanelle Price heading the list of five Red Rover athletes who signed national letters of intent to Division I-A schools on Wednesday. Holley, a…
· Andre D. Williams
Read on mcall.com →Liberty senior football star Ahkeem Smith has found a college football home in the City of Brotherly Love. Sorry James Madison. Smith, a two-time Morning Call all-area first-team pick, confirmed Wednesday night that he has verbally committed to Temple University. James Madison,…
· Andre D. Williams
Read on mcall.com →Brendan Beal’s postseason parade of high school football honors has continued even though Beal has already begun taking classes and participating in strength and conditioning drills at the University of Florida. Beal, a standout linebacker at Liberty High School last season, has…
· Andre D. Williams
Read on mcall.com →The reward for Parkland football coach Jim Morgans leading his team to a 15-1 season and finishing as PIAA Class 4A runner-up is a fourth trip to Hersheypark Stadium to coach in a big game. Morgans, 60, has been named Pennsylvania’s head coach against Ohio all-stars in the Big…
· Andre D. Williams
Read on mcall.com →Rutgers redshirt freshman Andres Morales has entered 2008 doing what he most loves to do. “It’s kind of cool because all we do is play football now, like a pro team,” Morales said. “School is over. You just relax and play ball.” A punishing all-state linebacker at Liberty High…
· Andre D. Williams
Read on mcall.com →Back in August when shoulder pads and helmets were first strapped on, Parkland had a team that on paper looked like it would be good. Good enough to contend for a league and district title. But not good enough to end up in Hershey playing for the state title. After all, Liberty…
· Andre D. Williams
Read on mcall.com →Parkland junior wide receiver Jaleel Clark was unstoppable, gracefully and effortlessly racing downfield to make tough catches and score touchdowns. Easton senior Jarred Holley once again played the role of lockdown defensive back, Liberty senior Brendan Beal was a hard-hitting…
· Andre D. Williams
Read on mcall.com →Some Parkland players stood frozen in place, some cried and many embraced as the state championship they dreamed of winning ended on a bittersweet note Saturday night. Unable to manufacture the offensive plays or make the defensive stops that had been the cornerstones to its…
· Andre D. Williams
Read on mcall.com →Pro Bowl quarterbacks Dan Marino and Marc Bulger are part of the rich history of football at Pittsburgh Central Catholic, Parkland’s opponent today in the PIAA Class 4A title game. But so too is the 16-0 Viking team of 2004 that captured the school’s second state 4A title. Terry…
· Andre D. Williams
Read on mcall.com →Parkland is one win away from a perfect 16-0 season and its first PIAA Class 4A championship since 2002. Win or lose against powerful Pittsburgh Central Catholic Saturday night at Hersheypark Stadium, Parkland has already surpassed the accomplishments of any other team in the…
· Andre D. Williams
Read on mcall.com →Parkland offensive lineman Ian Tomcho hopes to continue what his dad and his uncles did in the 1960s and 1970s and 1980s at J. Birney Crum Stadium. And that’s win big games. None, however, have been as big as the one that Tomcho will play at noon today when Parkland (14-0) and…
· Andre D. Williams
Read on mcall.com →Parkland head coach Jim Morgans and his top assistant coaches, Tom Filipovits and John Quinn, have been coaching together longer than any of the Trojan players have been alive. They’ve had so much success together that parting ways would be difficult. “I never think about it…
· Andre D. Williams
Read on mcall.com →Brendan Beal paused, gathered himself and then rejoiced at the news that made his Friday. The Liberty High senior linebacker, who posted 113 tackles in his one season with the Hurricanes, was named Gatorade’s 2007-08 Pennsylvania football player of the year. “I’m definitely…
· Andre D. Williams
Read on mcall.com →BOSTON COLLEGE 10-2, 6-2 (Atlantic Coast Conference) Beat Miami 28-14 Steve Aponavicius (Easton) Jr. PK, 5-10, 183. Game: 4-for-4 on PATs, 0-for-1 on FGs. Season; 42-for-45 on PATs; 9-for-14 on FGs, long 45 yards. BRIGHAM YOUNG 9-2, 7-0 (Mountain West) Beat Utah 17-10 Joe…
· Andre D. Williams
Read on mcall.com →It was like the final seconds of the 15th round of a heavyweight title fight and it was close. For Parkland, it was also all too similar to the last time it went came down to the final seconds of a playoff game, and it lost on a field goal. But 371 days after suffering…
· Andre D. Williams
Read on mcall.com →His name is Nate Eachus and Parkland’s defense will see a lot of him in the District 11-2 Class 4A subregional final tonight in Orefield. The Hazleton senior running back figures to be the challenge of all challenges for the Trojans, who have posted shutouts in seven of their…
· Andre D. Williams
Read on mcall.com →ARMY 3-8 (Independent) Lost to Tulsa 49-39 Marcus Millen (Easton) Sr. DE 6-0, 228. Game: Played. Season: Four solo tackles, two assisted. BOSTON COLLEGE 9-2, 5-2 (Atlantic Coast Conference) Beat Clemson 30-17 Steve Aponavicius (Easton) Jr. PK, 5-10, 183. Game: 2-for-2 on PATs,…
· Andre D. Williams
Read on mcall.com →The District 11 Class 4A trophy is owned once again by Parkland, but the Trojans want more hardware for their awards case before this season ends. They sure played like it Friday night. Behind a balanced offensive attack, led by seniors John Laub and Kale Sweeney, Parkland…
· Andre D. Williams
Read on mcall.com →Any team that’s still playing football past the first week of November has something to treasure, which is why Freedom and Whitehall plan to go all out tonight when they meet for the Eastern Conference Class 4A title. Kickoff is at 7 at Whitehall. Both teams are 8-4. They did…
· Andre D. Williams
Read on mcall.com →A showdown between two Lehigh Valley Conference powerhouse teams could be only one week away. Liberty and Parkland need to win tonight in District 11-2 Class 4A subregional semifinal games to set up a battle between the two stalwarts. Neither team will admit that they’re looking…
· Andre D. Williams
Read on mcall.com →ARMY 3-7 (Independent) Lost to Rutgers 41-6 Marcus Millen (Easton) Sr. DE 6-0, 228. Game: Played. Season: Four solo tackles, two assisted. BOSTON COLLEGE 8-2, 4-2 (Atlantic Coast Conference) Lost to Maryland 42-35 Steve Aponavicius (Easton) Jr. 5-10, 183. Game: 5-for-5 on PATs,…
· Andre D. Williams
Read on mcall.com →How many Lehigh Valley Conference teams already have a wish list for next season? Five teams are still playing — Liberty and Parkland in the District 11-2 Class 4A playoffs; Freedom and Whitehall in the Eastern Conference 4A title game Friday night. Easton lost to Hazleton,…
· Andre D. Williams
Read on mcall.com →It was a failed defensive stop that frustrated young defensive lineman Joe Davis more than the average flag football player. His mother, Lisa, still remembers the play that America’s Funniest Videos would have loved. “Joey was running downfield trying to get the kid’s flag, but…
· Andre D. Williams
Read on mcall.com →Parkland has put together back-to-back undefeated regular seasons and the PIAA Class 4A title in 2002, which will forever warm Trojan hearts. Easton has nine straight district playoff appearances, the second most wins in state history, and, of course, that 100th game…
· Andre D. Williams
Read on mcall.com →ARMY 3-6 (Independent) Lost to Air Force 30-10 Marcus Millen (Easton) Sr. DE 6-0, 228. Game: One solo tackle, one assist. Season: Four solo tackles, two assisted. BOSTON COLLEGE 8-1, 4-1 (Atlantic Coast Conference) Lost to Florida State 27 -17 Steve Aponavicius (Easton) Jr. K…
· Andre D. Williams
Read on mcall.com →Liberty quarterback Anthony Gonzalez accounted for more than 200 yards of offense, wideout Joey Orlando made circus catches and tailback Ahkeem Smith gained the tough yards. All three owe gratitude to big Levi Brown and the other Hurricane offensive linemen for the way they…
· Andre D. Williams
Read on mcall.com →A player from Freedom High apparently said something that offended players from Liberty. “This is the first time that we’re the underdogs in a game, which is pretty surprising, but let the best team win,” said Liberty senior linebacker Brendan Beal, who verbally committed to the…
· Andre D. Williams
Read on mcall.com →The Lehigh Valley Conference all-star team won’t be announced until the regular season ends, but I don’t have to wait that long to make my selections. The final regular season games won’t prove who’s the best because anybody can have a really good game. But the best do it week…
· Andre D. Williams
Read on mcall.com →All 12 Lehigh Valley Conference teams have something important to play for in the final regular season games Friday and Saturday. In alphabetical order: Allen (0-9, 0-8): The Canaries, who’ve scored just 18 points all season, will try to get out of the last place by beating…
· Andre D. Williams
Read on mcall.com →ARMY 3-5 (Independent) Lost to Georgia Tech 34-10 Marcus Millen (Easton) Sr. DE 6-0, 228. Game: One solo tackle. Season: Three solo tackles, one assist. Jake Walsh (Liberty) Jr. DT 6-3, 269. Game: Played. Season: No stats. BOSTON COLLEGE 8-0, 4-0 (Atlantic Coast Conference) Beat…
· Andre D. Williams
Read on mcall.com →Parkland finally played a team it could not run over and run away from Friday night. Horrendous weather conditions played a factor, but so too did the hard-sticking defensive effort of Emmaus in a Lehigh Valley Conference game that was decided by three plays. Parkland made all…
· Andre D. Williams
Read on mcall.com →Liberty senior linebacker Brendan Beal figured he was in a no-lose situation. He had scholarship offers from defending national champion Florida, perennial powerhouses USC, LSU and Boston College, which is currently ranked No. 2 in the Bowl Championship Series and No. 2 by the…
· Andre D. Williams
Read on mcall.com →The intensity level among certain teams figures to exceed that of any other Friday night of the season. The increased shift in adrenaline is because of showdowns between rival Lehigh Valley Conference teams. Pick a game: Parkland (8-0, 7-0 LVC) at Emmaus (6-2, 5-2) or Liberty…
· Andre D. Williams
Read on mcall.com →The Emmaus boys soccer, field hockey and swim teams may have reasons to be jealous of football stars C.J. Billera, Joe Davis and their teammates. That’s because Emmaus football is starting to steal the spotlight those winning programs have long enjoyed, and it may stay that way,…
· Andre D. Williams
Read on mcall.com →Next week’s final regular-season games in the Lehigh Valley Conference will have even more suspense, if certain things happen this Friday. And the No. 1 if? If Parkland (8-0, 7-0) beats Emmaus in the battle between Cedar Crest Boulevard teams Friday, then the Trojans can clinch…
· Andre D. Williams
Read on mcall.com →ARMY 3-5 (Independent) Lost to Georgia Tech 34-10 Marcus Millen (Easton) Sr. DE 6-0, 228. Game: One solo tackle. Season: Three solo tackles, one assist. Jake Walsh (Liberty) Jr. DT 6-3, 269. Game: Played. Season: No stats. BRIGHAM YOUNG 5-2 (Mountain West) Beat Eastern…
· Andre D. Williams
Read on mcall.com →It was grueling game with a dramatic finish Saturday night at Bethlehem Area School District Stadium. Freedom senior quarterback Joe Weaver faked a handoff, dashed left and ran for the end zone. Bethlehem Catholic defenders reacted slowly, but then several tried to form a wall…
· Andre D. Williams
Read on mcall.com →Emmaus junior tailback C.J. Billera hurt Whitehall with hard up-the-gut runs Friday night. More punishment was administered by the Green Hornets defense, which intercepted two passes, forced a fumble and cut off all penetration to the outside in holding Whitehall to 39 yards…
· Andre D. Williams
Read on mcall.com →Every coach is judged by wins and losses, but Allen first-year coach Andy Polony should be judged on his character, which is stronger than you might expect for a coach who is 0-for-his career. Allen (0-7) has scored just 12 points, a Lehigh Valley Conference low, and the…
· Andre D. Williams
Read on mcall.com →Whitehall senior Matt Hamscher was offended by not being mentioned as a player to watch in the Morning Call’s high school football preview issue in August. It was a mistake, a big one, and it just goes to show that really good players get overlooked. Hamscher doesn’t have to…
· Andre D. Williams
Read on mcall.com →ARMY 3-4 (Independent) Lost to Central Michigan 47-23 Marcus Millen (Easton) Sr. DE 6-0, 228. Game: Played. Season: Two solo tackles, one assist. Jake Walsh (Liberty) Jr. DT 6-3, 269. Game: Played. Season: No stats. BOSTON COLLEGE 7-0 (Atlantic Coast Conference) Beat Notre Dame…
· Andre D. Williams
Read on mcall.com →Parkland coach Jim Morgans doesn’t want to hear any talk about his team being unbeatable. Some people thought that of Liberty, which unraveled on both sides of the ball in losing 28-14 to Bethlehem Catholic last Friday night. “We don’t concern ourselves with other teams, except…
· Andre D. Williams
Read on mcall.com →ARMY 3-3 (independent) Beat Tulane 20-17 Marcus Millen (Easton) Sr. DE 6-0, 228. Game: One solo tackle. Season: Two solo tackles, one assist. BOSTON COLLEGE 6-0(Atlantic Coast Conference) Beat Bowling Green 55-24 Steve Aponavicius (Easton) Jr. 5-10, 183. Game: 7-for-7 on PATs;…
· Andre D. Williams
Read on mcall.com →Freedom has pummeled all the teams it was supposed to beat by 28, 48, 49 and 21 points this season, but obliterating weak teams does not bring the same pleasure as posting a signature win against one of the Lehigh Valley Conference’s top teams. So far, Freedom is 0-2 against the…
· Andre D. Williams
Read on mcall.com →It was an upset only on paper. On the field, Bethlehem Catholic stymied rival Liberty with an attacking defense, and then raced through the Hurricanes behind tailback Eddie Mateo, who ran for 112 yards and two touchdowns Friday night. Ahead by 21 points at halftime, Bethlehem…
· Andre D. Williams
Read on mcall.com →Liberty seniors Ahkeem Smith and Justin Rivera have been haunted for the last 364 days over what happened the last time they played city rival Bethlehem Catholic. Terrell Dobbins ran for 162 yards and Kyle John blocked an extra point attempt in helping Bethlehem Catholic…
· Andre D. Williams
Read on mcall.com →Statistics hardly show the impact Easton senior Jarred Holley has had in the first five games. But he is the best player in the Lehigh Valley Conference, probably the whole area and already a strong candidate to be named to the Associated Press Class 4A first team as a defensive…
· Andre D. Williams
Read on mcall.com →ARMY 2-3 (independent) Beat Temple 37-21 Marcus Millen (Easton) Sr. DE 6-0, 228. Game: Played. Season: One solo tackle, one assist. BOSTON COLLEGE 5-0 (Atlantic Coast Conference) Beat UMass 24-14 Steve Aponavicius (Easton) Jr. 5-10, 183. Game: 3-for-3 on PATs; 1-for-1 on FGs, 37…
· Andre D. Williams
Read on mcall.com →The punishment for skipping a class at Liberty for the average student is nothing more than a detention for a first-time offender. But Liberty coach Tim Moncman enforced a much harsher punishment on seniors Brendan Beal, Ahkeem Smith, Michael Fritz, Justin Rivera and junior…
· Andre D. Williams
Read on mcall.com →Easton senior Jarred Holley started at quarterback for the first time in his career and experienced success both passing and running against the Central Catholic defense Saturday night. He completed his first five passes, a couple on spirals across the middle, and he stayed in…
· Andre D. Williams
Read on mcall.com →One week after losing its first game, Easton seeks redemption. But the Red Rovers have to beat Central Catholic to achieve it. It won’t be easy. Central Catholic has been one of the top early-season success stories in the Lehigh Valley Conference, helped by a strong…
· Andre D. Williams
Read on mcall.com →Bethlehem Catholic is not about to wave the white flag just because it has three losses and cannot afford to lose another game. Not if it wants to keep alive hopes of making the District 11 Class 3A playoffs. There are many reasons why the Golden Hawks (1-3, 1-2) are in this…
· Andre D. Williams
Read on mcall.com →ARMY 1-3 (Independent) Lost to Boston College 37-17 Marcus Millen (Easton) Sr. DE 6-0, 228. Game: Played. Season: One solo tackle, one assist. BOSTON COLLEGE 4-0 (Atlantic Coast Conference) Beat Army 37-17 Steve Aponavicius (Easton) Jr. 5-10, 183. Game: 2-for-3 on PATs; 1-for-2…
· Andre D. Williams
Read on mcall.com →The high school football season reaches its midway point this weekend and the Lehigh Valley Conference has its share of teams with questions yet to be answered. The No. 1 question, of course, is who’s going to win the conference title? Liberty (4-0, 3-0) and Parkland (4-0, 3-0)…
· Andre D. Williams
Read on mcall.com →Central Catholic quarterback Thad Kosciolek was mesmerized the first time he walked into the Central Catholic athletic halls. “My first tine ever at Central I was walking through the coaches room, and they have all the state championship pictures of all the state championship…
· Andre D. Williams
Read on mcall.com →Liberty made a whole lot of big plays Friday night. But only a few were on offense, which suited Hurricanes two-way senior standout Joey Orlando just fine. That’s because Orlando made as many big plays on defense as he did on offense in helping Liberty prevail 21-7 over Emmaus…
· Andre D. Williams
Read on mcall.com →Emmaus can forget about being overlooked by high-powered Liberty in their Lehigh Valley Conference matchup tonight at Bethlehem Area School District Stadium. That’s because one loss could be detrimental to the Hurricanes’ chances of earning the No. 1 seed and homefield advantage…
· Andre D. Williams
Read on mcall.com →Liberty senior linebacker Brendan Beal has to wait until Oct. 26 to meet Easton and star defensive back Jarred Holley at Cottingham Stadium. Both players will probably make plays all over the field on that night. It will be the first game that Beal, a transfer from Roxbury High…
· Andre D. Williams
Read on mcall.com →Brothers Kevin and Daryl Herod arrived at Parkland High with enormous talent and unselfish attitudes to go with it. But, much like all Trojan players not named Austin Scott or Tim Massaquoi, the Herod brothers have had to wait their turn in line. And the line at Parkland is…
· Andre D. Williams
Read on mcall.com →ARMY 1-2 (Independent) Lost to Wake Forest 21-10 Marcus Millen (Easton) Sr. DE 6-0, 228. Game: One solo tackle, one assist. Season: Same. BOSTON COLLEGE 3-0, 3-0 (Atlantic Coast Conference) Beat Georgia Tech 24-10 Steve Aponavicius (Easton) Jr. 5-10, 183. Game: 3-for-3 on PATs;…
· Andre D. Williams
Read on mcall.com →Northampton senior tailback Kevin Kowalishen usually turns gaping holes opened by his linemen into big gains or touchdowns. Last season, Kowalishen averaged 9.4 yards per carry, which led the Lehigh Valley Conference. He’s gained 386 yards on 43 carries for an average of 9 yards…
· Andre D. Williams
Read on mcall.com →Over the last four years Freedom’s football team has produced three Division I players. Ryan Ehrie is a redshirt sophomore offensive lineman at Syracuse, Colin Neely a redshirt freshman at Michigan State, and Jeremy Kametz is in his final season at Delaware. The three of them…
· Andre D. Williams
Read on mcall.com →Freedom no longer has to give up the home side of Bethlehem Area School District Stadium to visiting teams. It never should have been that way in the first place, and the BASD administration saw to it that it never will be that way again by announcing Monday that home side of…
· Andre D. Williams
Read on mcall.com →ALBANY 1-1 (Northeast Conference) Beat Fordham 23-20 Terrell Dobbins (Bethlehem Catholic) Fr. RB, 5-10, 205. Game: Played. Season: One carry, 2 yards. ARMY 1-1 (independent) Beat Rhode Island 14-7 Marcus Millen (Easton) Sr. DE 6-0, 228. Game: Played: Season: No stats. Jake Walsh…
· Andre D. Williams
Read on mcall.com →It’s Validation Week in the Lehigh Valley Conference. Thrill-a-second Whitehall (2-0) and high-scoring Freedom (2-0) both play their toughest opponents. The circumstances couldn’t be any better for both. Whitehall, coming off a 31-28 double-overtime win over Northampton, plays…
· Andre D. Williams
Read on mcall.com →Central Catholic’s Michael Milano went up the middle with power on most runs, dashed and sprinted away on others. On defense, he also smothered Bethlehem Catholic’s wideouts. He was making plays everywhere on a Saturday night in which he cramped up five times and had to briefly…
· Andre D. Williams
Read on mcall.com →What happened in Emmaus last Friday night is not being be dwelled on. That’s because of the request Green Hornets coach Joe Bottiglieri made to his players. Bottiglieri, who’s in his sixth season at Emmaus, tells his players to only concentrate on the current challenge and not…
· Andre D. Williams
Read on mcall.com →Normally, you wouldn’t think that a team could set a positive tone for its season by losing, but Central Catholic did it Saturday afternoon. The Vikings did it by fighting back from a 20-3 second-half deficit to pull within seven points of powerhouse Liberty late in the fourth…
· Andre D. Williams
Read on mcall.com →There’s no such thing as meaningless games for District 11 Class 4A teams anymore, considering the complicated points system used to determine qualifiers for the PIAA subregional playoffs. But some Lehigh Valley Conference teams aren’t worried about matters they can not control…
· Andre D. Williams
Read on mcall.com →Liberty senior Ahkeem Smith is ready to carry the offensive load, and his teammates, on his shoulders. It’s a big task, especially considering one of his teammates is 6-3, 315-pound two-way tackle Levi Brown. But Smith has waited four years to be in the spotlight and to be a…
· Andre D. Williams
Read on mcall.com →Michael Vick may be in prison by the end of the year, may never play in the NFL nor receive a million-dollar endorsement deal again, and it’s all because of what he termed, “immature acts.” “I need to grow up,” Vick said during a press conference in Richmond, Va. on Monday, not…
· Andre D. Williams
Read on mcall.com →Liberty is bent on trying to make it back to Hershey and finally win the PIAA Class 4A title, but first must earn its stripes against Easton and other tough Lehigh Valley Conference opponents. That’s because the LVC season figures to be another series of weekly dogfights.…
· Andre D. Williams
Read on mcall.com →Jarred Holley is now buying shaving cream and razors regularly. He’s also looking at life a whole lot differently as he enters his final high school season at Easton. “I’m growing up a little bit. That’s always good,” said Holley, 17, who will start at defensive back for a…
· Andre D. Williams
Read on mcall.com →Liberty High senior linebacker Brendan Beale requested the No. 1 for his jersey and was granted his wish without debate or jealousy. “I’m not cocky, but I’m confident that I’m No. 1, and that’s how I want to represent,” said Beale, a transfer from Roxbury High in New Jersey,…
· Andre D. Williams
Read on mcall.com →Liberty High senior linebacker Brendan Beale requested the No. 1 for his jersey and was granted his wish without debate or jealousy. “I’m not cocky, but I’m confident that I’m No. 1, and that’s how I want to represent,” said Beale, a transfer from Roxbury High in New Jersey,…
· Andre D. Williams
Read on mcall.com →Lehighton’s Robbie Frey has the speed, Bethlehem Catholic’s Terrell Dobbins the power. Together, they hope to be double-trouble tailbacks in the the seventh annual PSFCA East-West All-Star Game tonight in Altoona. Kickoff is at 7 p.m. at Mansion Park Stadium. Frey and Dobbins,…
· Andre D. Williams
Read on mcall.com →Wilson quarterback D.J. Lenehan isn’t ready to be reminded of what it’s like to lose a football game. He hasn’t lost a game since Dec. 10, 2005, and that was in the PIAA Class 2A title game. Since that defeat, Lenehan has gone 16-0 as a starter, winning each game during a…
· Andre D. Williams
Read on mcall.com →For the second straight week, a record-breaking quarterback from the Lehigh Valley will showcase his talents in an all-star game. Wilson’s D.J. Lenehan, who’s headed to Toledo on a scholarship, will play his final high school game in the seventh annual Pennsylvania Football…
· Andre D. Williams
Read on mcall.com →Liberty quarterback Dan Persa once again found himself running for his life at Hersheypark Stadium. But this time he used elusive moves and breakaway speed to twice escape and rumble to the end zone. This time, Persa also kept making big plays, running and passing en route being…
· Andre D. Williams
Read on mcall.com →Liberty quarterback Dan Persa plays his final game at Hersheypark Stadium tonight, hoping to help Pennsylvania win its second straight game against Ohio in the Big 33 Football Classic. Kickoff is at 7 p.m. It’s the 50th anniversary of the all-star game that has often been…
· Andre D. Williams
Read on mcall.com →Liberty coach Tim Moncman is a happy student this week. That’s because he’s learning from other coaches who’ve won state championships. Moncman, 37, is still chasing that dream. He led Liberty to the PIAA Class 4A title game the last two years, but fell miserably short both…
· Andre D. Williams
Read on mcall.com →Liberty quarterback Dan Persa won everything in high school, except a game at Hersheypark Stadium. Now bigger, stronger and faster, Persa hopes to finally experience victory in Chocolatetown USA when he teams with other Pennsylvania all-stars for the 50th Big 33 Football Classic…
· Andre D. Williams
Read on mcall.com →Every time he makes his spin move and lifts the shot put, Bethlehem Catholic’s Joe Kovacs is pointing toward heaven, where his father, Joe, has been watching and enjoying his every throw. His mother, Joanna, has been only a hug away, offering warmth, support, and also the…
· Andre D. Williams
Read on mcall.com →Bethlehem Catholic senior Joe Kovcs relaxed himself, then blew past the Class 2A discus field to win his second gold medal of the PIAA Track and Field Championships Saturday at Shippensburg University. His winning throw traveled 179 feet, 11 inches, which was five inches shorter…
· Andre D. Williams
Read on mcall.com →Bethlehem Catholic’s Joe Kovacs delivered his best-ever shot put to win the Class 2A gold medal and establish a record in the PIAA Track and Field Championships Friday at Shippensburg University. Whitehall’s Andy Fahringer, in the discus, and Catasauqua pole vaulter Kyle Miller…
· Andre D. Williams
Read on mcall.com →Liberty junior Trevor VanAckeren is participating in his fifth varsity sport this school year and he appears to be just as charged up running distance races as he was booting soccer balls and kicking footballs through the uprights in the fall. That’s because he’s still in the…
· Andre D. Williams
Read on mcall.com →Bethlehem Catholic senior Joe Kovacs is seeded No. 1 in the Class 2A shot put and discus by wide margins, which gives him a strong chance of winning two gold medals in the PIAA Track and Field Championships. Several other Lehigh Valley male athletes also appear to have strong…
· Andre D. Williams
Read on mcall.com →Mike Hartenstine was an All-American defensive lineman at Penn State and a starter on the Chicago Bears’ 1985 Super Bowl team. He said both experiences were unbelievable. For years, Hartenstine, who lives in Chicago, also savored the area shot put record of 62 feet, 11 3/4…
· Andre D. Williams
Read on mcall.com →The pressure is now off Bethlehem Catholic senior Joe Kovacs. He took it off with the throw of his life, breaking the 36-year-old area record in the shot put on his final attempt Thursday in the District 11 Track and Field Championships at J. Birney Crum Stadium in Allentown.…
· Andre D. Williams
Read on mcall.com →The chase is on again for Bethlehem Catholic standout thrower Joe Kovacs. Kovacs, a senior, will attempt to break the area shot put record of 62-113/4 in the District 11 Track and Field Championships. The two-day event begins at 3 p.m. today at J. Birney Crum Stadium in…
· Andre D. Williams
Read on mcall.com →The finish line was 100 meters away and Liberty junior Trevor VanAckeren was determined to make it there first Wednesday at J. Birney Crum Stadium. His legs were heavy, he was fatigued, and he was being pushed to the limit in the finals of the 800 run at the Lehigh Valley…
· Andre D. Williams
Read on mcall.com →Standout throwers Joe Kovacs of Bethlehem Catholic and Andy Fahringer of Whitehall both faced immense pressure Tuesday afternoon. It was in different events, and the chase was also different for both in Day 1 of the Lehigh Valley Conference Track and Field Championships at J.…
· Andre D. Williams
Read on mcall.com →Dieruff has not had a top-notch boys track and field athlete since Andrew Battle nine years ago and not a standout sprinter since Stacy McCarthy won the District 11 Class 3A title in the 100- and 200-meter dashes in 1996. There have been a lot of downs since then, but first-year…
· Andre D. Williams
Read on mcall.com →The high school track and field preseason is now over. It’s time to get serious. The athletes who are likely to contend for district and state titles will be competing in either the 113th Penn Relay’s in Philadelphia this weekend or in today’s Allentown School District…
· Andre D. Williams
Read on mcall.com →There are hurdlers who have been affected by the cold, windy and rainy weather, which seems to dampen the start of the track and field season each spring. Northampton senior Ryan Wagner, however, has not been slowed. That’s because inclement weather doesn’t bother him, and it…
· Andre D. Williams
Read on mcall.com →Seniors Andy Fahringer of Whitehall and Joe Kovacs of Bethlehem Catholic headline the top returning boys track and field performers in District 11 this spring. Both are standout throwers. Fahringer is the defending PIAA Track and Field Class 3A discus champion. Fahringer, who’s…
· Andre D. Williams
Read on mcall.com →It’s all over. There are no more college recruiting trips to take, no more worrying about whether this school or that school is the right fit. Childhood dreams of playing college football were brought one step closer to reality by several Lehigh Valley Conference standout…
· Andre D. Williams
Read on mcall.com →Muhlenberg senior Chris Pothering and Moravian junior Megan Kocon aren’t too concerned about their statistics. Just playing their role and contributing as much as possible is good enough for them. “I look at basketball right now and I just love having the outlet, having the…
· Andre D. Williams
Read on mcall.com →Dan Persa’s postseason awards parade continued Thursday night. The Liberty High senior, who led the Hurricanes to a second straight PIAA Class 4A runner-up finish last month, was named winner of the Maxwell Football Club’s 22nd annual Jim Henry Award as the best high school…
· Andre D. Williams
Read on mcall.com →No high school football game was hyped more, garnered as many headlines or had a better atmosphere than the 100th Thanksgiving Day meeting between Easton and Phillipsburg, which is why this game ranks as The Morning Call’s No. 3 local sports story of the year. It also was the…
· Andre D. Williams
Read on mcall.com →Liberty senior quarterback Dan Persa got an early Christmas gift on Saturday. And it wasn’t gift-wrapped. But Persa, who recently capped off the best statistical season by a quarterback in school history, got the gift he’s coveted his entire career. He was named the Associated…
· Andre D. Williams
Read on mcall.com →Liberty seemed like it was moving in slow motion at times against Upper St. Clair on Saturday night. And the scoreboard reflected it. Upper St. Clair, led by five rushing touchdowns from Indiana University-bound tailback Dane Conwell, trounced the Hurricanes 47-13 in the PIAA…
· Andre D. Williams
Read on mcall.com →Upper St. Clair coach Jim Render is still coaching the same way he did 28 years ago. Nobody at USC is complaining because Render has a 315-99-6 record that includes winning the 1989 PIAA Class 4A title. “I’m kind of a traditionalist,” Render said. “I still believe heavily in…
· Andre D. Williams
Read on mcall.com →Even though Bethlehem Catholic and Liberty are bitter rivals, Golden Hawks coach Tarik Haddad is not about to cheer for Upper St. Clair Saturday night. Haddad is also not willing to share information with the Panthers’ coaching staff about how to beat Liberty. Haddad and his…
· Andre D. Williams
Read on mcall.com →Players are always asked to exhibit sportsmanship and the same should be demanded of coaches. A handshake before, and especially after a game, is a good place to start. A few good words to each other isn’t a bad idea, although there are Lehigh Valley coaches who probably want to…
· Andre D. Williams
Read on mcall.com →Liberty High coach Tim Moncman and Wilson coach Bret Comp have identical 27-3 records over the last two seasons. For the second straight season, both men have also led their teams into a PIAA championship game in Hershey. It is the first time in Lehigh Valley football history…
· Andre D. Williams
Read on mcall.com →A few Liberty players showed up at practice on Monday still sore, some really sore. “That will go away as the week goes on,” Liberty offensive coordinator Bill DeNofa said. “It’s OK to be a little dinged up after 17 weeks.” But it’s not OK to be on crutches, which is the way…
· Andre D. Williams
Read on mcall.com →Enough. Everybody was spent, cold, and as several Liberty players admitted later, very sore. No matter what it took, Liberty defensive end Braxton Isaac was determined to finally put an end to the PIAA Class 4A Eastern final Saturday afternoon before a standing-room-only crowd…
· Andre D. Williams
Read on mcall.com →Liberty senior quarterback Dan Persa has a lot on his mind, but having his career ended by Pennsbury today is not one of them. He’s ready to play, ready to lead the Hurricanes to their second straight appearance in the PIAA Class 4A Championship game. The ‘Canes (13-1) meet…
· Andre D. Williams
Read on mcall.com →Three seconds. That’s all Liberty junior tailback Ahkeem Smith said he needs to follow his lead blocker Ray Mamuzich and find a hole in the defense. “It’s a big deal,” Smith said. “Three seconds, that’s all you need.” With honor, Mamuzich helps clear the way, often against…
· Andre D. Williams
Read on mcall.com →With a little under 11 minutes remaining in the fourth quarter Saturday afternoon, Liberty finally called off its defensive assault. The 35-point mercy rule was in effect. Frankford then scored 15 unanswered points, but it was against Liberty’s second-team defense. And that…
· Andre D. Williams
Read on mcall.com →He’s 6-4, 305 pounds, and he enjoys sacking quarterbacks. He has scholarship offers from West Virginia, Temple, and James Madison. It’s hard not to notice Frankford senior defensive lineman Tyree Dudley. Last season, however, Dudley didn’t stand out all that much when Frankford…
· Andre D. Williams
Read on mcall.com →With 22 seniors gone from last season’s PIAA Class 4A runner-up team, Liberty entered this season with only a few standout playmakers and vocal leaders. So it seemed. Senior quarterback Dan Persa figured to provide the playmaking, while seniors Oscar Rivera and Al Petros figured…
· Andre D. Williams
Read on mcall.com →Liberty senior quarterback Dan Persa made his game against Easton a memorable one Saturday night. He did it with speed, swiftness, and in a testament to his overall toughness, Persa at times also went airborne and dove to pick up yards. Whatever it took, Persa willingly did it,…
· Andre D. Williams
Read on mcall.com →Liberty doesn’t want to hear any excuses about Easton being fatigued or too emotionally drained to play its best football. And Easton doesn’t plan to make any. “This is the icing on the cake for us,” Easton coach Steve Shiffert said. “Our kids will be just as determined…
· Andre D. Williams
Read on mcall.com →Easton came from the right and left with blitzes and bulldozed through the middle, and each time the result was punishment for Phillipsburg on Thursday morning at Lafayette College’s Fisher Stadium. Often, it was Phillipsburg quarterback Justin Viscomi being swarmed, and on one…
· Andre D. Williams
Read on mcall.com →With the exception of playing quarterback in midget football in Palmer Township, the only other experience Easton senior Jon Baltz had throwing the ball before this season was when he used to goof off with friends in backyard games. But despite his lack of experience, he’s…
· Andre D. Williams
Read on mcall.com →Last week, all Liberty heard about was talk about the Easton-Parkland District 11 showdown. This week, the majority of attention throughout the Lehigh Valley is on the 100th Thanksgiving Day meeting between Easton and Phillipsburg at Lafayette College’s Fisher Field. There’s…
· Andre D. Williams
Read on mcall.com →The Steve Shiffert that Easton High fans see intensely pacing the sidelines with his trademark white towel either hanging on his shoulders or gripped tightly in his hands, has a different demeanor on Sundays. Sundays are not only his day of peace. They are his days to get out of…
· Andre D. Williams
Read on mcall.com →‘COLLEGES ARMY 3-8 (Independent) Lost to Notre Dame 41-9 Marcus Millen (Easton) Jr. DE, 6-1, 230. Game: Played. No stats. Season: Same. Julius Meyers (Pennridge) Sr. LB, 6-2, 232. Game: Played. No stats. Season: Same. BOSTON COLLEGE 9-2, 5-2 (Atlantic Coast Conference) Beat…
· Andre D. Williams
Read on mcall.com →Easton-Liberty II is now set. Liberty tuned up for the rematch with a 42-7 annihilation of Abington Heights in the District 11-2-4 Class 4A subregional semifinals Saturday afternoon before a standing-room only crowd at scenic Comets Stadium. Liberty’s main offensive star was…
· Andre D. Williams
Read on mcall.com →Fans of legendary old boxing matches would likely call Easton and Parkland’s District 11-2-4 Class 4A subregional semifinal a 15-round cliff-hanger with a telling blow at the end Friday night before a capacity crowd of 9,000 in Orefield. Ian Heck’s 36-yard field goal with 2.7…
· Andre D. Williams
Read on mcall.com →Two streaks will be on the line when Easton and Parkland meet in the District 11-2-4 Class 4A subregional semifinals tonight in Orefield. Parkland (11-0) will try to extend its winning streak to 16 games, dating back to Oct. 21, 2005. The other streak belongs to Easton (10-1),…
· Andre D. Williams
Read on mcall.com →Don’t pay too much attention to Phillipsburg senior quarterback Justin Viscomi’s skinny body. It doesn’t matter that he’s only 5-11, 170, or that he played defensive back his first two years at Phillipsburg, seeing no action behind center. Bob Stem returned to Phillipsburg last…
· Andre D. Williams
Read on mcall.com →Several Bethlehem Catholic players bent over, some crying, while others simply appeared dumbfounded Saturday night. The Golden Hawks had just lost 35-33 to heavy underdog Northwestern in a District 11 Class 3A semifinal at Bethlehem Area School District Stadium. It may be one of…
· Andre D. Williams
Read on mcall.com →COLLEGES BOSTON COLLEGE 8-2, 4-2 (Atlantic Coast Conference) Beat Duke 28-7 Steve Aponavicius (Easton) So. K, 5-11, 175. Game: 4-for-4 on PATs. Season: 15-for-15 on PATs; 5-for-6 on FGs; longest 36 yards. BROWN 3-6, 2-4 (Ivy League) Lost to Dartmouth 19-13 Justin Gallagher…
· Andre D. Williams
Read on mcall.com →Four years after winning the PIAA Class 4A championship, Parkland returns to the district playoffs with a balanced team that appears capable of making another run to Hershey. The Trojans don’t have a running back breaking school and state records as Austin Scott did in 2002 with…
· Andre D. Williams
Read on mcall.com →Parkland, Easton, Liberty and Bethlehem Catholic, start your engines. It’s time to begin the more serious chase on the road to Hershey. Each Lehigh Valley Conference team is heavily favored to win its first-round playoff game this weekend. Parkland (10-0), Easton (9-1) and…
· Andre D. Williams
Read on mcall.com →COLLEGES ARMY 3-7 (Independent) Lost to Air Force 43-7 Marcus Millen (Easton) Jr. DE, 6-1, 230. Game: Played. No stats. Season: Same. Julius Meyers (Pennridge) Sr. LB, 6-2, 232. Game: Played. No stats. Season: Same. BOSTON COLLEGE 7-2, 3-2 (Atlantic Coast Conference) Lost to…
· Andre D. Williams
Read on mcall.com →Liberty senior Oscar Rivera rushed to the locker room at halftime on Saturday afternoon, fumes seemingly blowing out of his ears. Rivera was frustrated that Liberty, the team with the high-powered offense and inflated confidence following an emotional victory over Easton last…
· Andre D. Williams
Read on mcall.com →With their demolition of Bethlehem Catholic finally over, Easton’s seniors lapped the field, and then, following a postgame speech from coach Steve Shiffert, they retreated outside into the cold to dig up pieces of the Cottingham Stadium grass field Friday night. It was a night…
· Andre D. Williams
Read on mcall.com →Parkland can complete it’s first 10-0 regular season since 1996 by beating rival Whitehall tonight. Even better, Parkland (9-0, 8-0 LVC) will clinch its first outright Lehigh Valley Conference title since 2002, the year the Trojans also won the PIAA Class 4A championship.…
· Andre D. Williams
Read on mcall.com →Emmaus football coach Joe Bottiglieri grew up two blocks from Easton’s Cottingham Stadium and had early ambitions to play for the Red Rovers. He eventually did suit up for Easton and then went on to play at the collegiate level. After graduating from Easton in 1966, he played a…
· Andre D. Williams
Read on mcall.com →The Lehigh Valley Conference finally had a high school football game live up to the hype Friday night. It wasn’t because it was a shootout. It wasn’t because it went down the final seconds before being decided. It was because Easton and Liberty went toe-to-toe, each taking and…
· Andre D. Williams
Read on mcall.com →COLLEGES ARMY 3-6 (Independent) Lost to Tulane 42-28 Marcus Millen (Easton) Jr. DE, 6-1, 230. Game: Played. No stats. Season: Same. BOSTON COLLEGE 7-1, 3-1 (ACC) Beat Buffalo 41-0 Steve Aponavicius (Easton) So. K, 5-11, 175. Game: 4-for-4 on PATs; 2-for-2 on FGs of 25 and 30…
· Andre D. Williams
Read on mcall.com →Bethlehem Catholic has been in good hands this season with Ben Eichman as its starting quarterback. Eichman had not rolled up big numbers passing-wise, not until Saturday afternoon, that is, when he threw for a career-high 261 yards in leading the Golden Hawks to a 31-14…
· Andre D. Williams
Read on mcall.com →Dan Persa was bent backwards, his helmet driven hard into the NeXturf Friday night. Easton’s Connor Moore had just leveled Persa with the hit of the game, forcing Liberty into a fourth-and-four late in the fourth quarter. On the next play, Persa ran right back into the heart of…
· Andre D. Williams
Read on mcall.com →It’s no secret that Easton and Liberty want to hit each other hard. It’s still great hearing them say it. It will be even better seeing them do it when Easton (8-0, 7-0 LVC) and Liberty (7-1, 6-1) meet in the much-anticipated Lehigh Valley Conference showdown at 7 tonight at…
· Andre D. Williams
Read on mcall.com →COLLEGES ARMY 3-5 (Independent) Lost to TCU 31-17 Julius Meyers (Pennridge) Sr. LB, 6-2, 232. Played. No stats. BOSTON COLLEGE 6-1, 3-1 (Atlantic Coast Conference) Beat Florida State 24-19 Steve Aponavicius (Easton) So. K, 5-11, 175. Game: 3-for-3 on PATs; 1-for-1 on FG of 26…
· Andre D. Williams
Read on mcall.com →Liberty senior quarterback Dan Persa will face the daunting prospect of trying to beat Easton standout defensive back Jarred Holley on deep throws Friday night at Bethlehem Area School District Stadium. He’ll also be summoned to score points against Easton’s first-team defense,…
· Andre D. Williams
Read on mcall.com →Two weeks ago, Bethlehem Catholic senior Kyle John bulldozed through Liberty offensive linemen with the most fierce pass rush of his life. It was overtime, his Golden Hawks were ahead by a point, and it was loud inside Bethlehem Area School District Stadium. It became even…
· Andre D. Williams
Read on mcall.com →It’s time for the 20-some remaining players on Dieruff’s football team to walk the hallways, the cafeteria line, and maybe even the streets of East Allentown to ask the former players who abandoned them if they’re happy about the Huskies’ 18-game losing streak, which dates back…
· Andre D. Williams
Read on mcall.com →COLLEGES ARMY 3-4 (Independent) Lost to Connecticut 21-7 Julius Meyers (Pennridge) Sr. LB, 6-2, 232. Played. No stats. BOSTON COLLEGE 5-1, 2-1 (Atlantic Coast Conference) Beat Virginia Tech 22-3 Steve Aponavicius (Easton) So. K, 5-11, 175. Game: 2-for-2 on PATs; 2-for-2 on FGs…
· Andre D. Williams
Read on mcall.com →Brothers Oscar and Justin Rivera used to play roughhouse football in their parents’ living room growing up and, as a result, they’d often shake up the furniture. The brothers are now two-way starters at Liberty, and their coach, Tim Moncman, has demanded all season that they…
· Andre D. Williams
Read on mcall.com →Andres Morales, Andrew Lee, Rich Jarnagin and Mike McClarin, all big playmakers with voices that carry on the sidelines and in the locker room, are not around to fire up their teammates at Liberty High, anymore. They graduated in June, but somebody else better try and find a way…
· Andre D. Williams
Read on mcall.com →COLLEGES ARMY 3-3 (Independent) Beat VMI 62-7 Marcus Millen (Easton) Jr. DE, 6-1, 230. Played. Julius Meyers (Pennridge) Sr. LB, 6-2, 232. Played. Jake Walsh (Liberty) So. DT, 6-4, 259. Did not play. BRIGHAM YOUNG 4-2, 2-0 (Mountain West) Beat San Diego State 42-17 Joe Semanoff…
· Andre D. Williams
Read on mcall.com →Liberty coach Tim Moncman, a former linebacker at Lafayette College, a married man with two young children, and at times a father-figure to many of his players, deserves some praise. Even if his Hurricanes don’t make it back to Hershey to compete in the PIAA Class 4A…
· Andre D. Williams
Read on mcall.com →Liberty no longer owns bragging rights in Bethlehem. Bethlehem Catholic’s two-way workhorse Terrell Dobbins made sure of it Saturday night. After punishing Liberty with his running, Dobbins deflated the Hurricanes and sent his coach, Tarik Haddad, into tears in overtime by…
· Andre D. Williams
Read on mcall.com →Northampton coach Teko Johnson wasn’t too quick to delete one particular e-mail from his inbox this week. He enjoyed knowing whom it was from and everything it suggested. “I got an e-mail this week from the coach at Colorado, and it was, “Are you willing to take a risk, are you…
· Andre D. Williams
Read on mcall.com →No longer does Matt Rice have to worry about playing time. Like all good players, he wants to be on the field all the time. He didn’t get his wish at Bethlehem Catholic, but he transferred to Liberty after last fall and is now a two-way starter for the Hurricanes. “I was over…
· Andre D. Williams
Read on mcall.com →COLLEGES ARMY 2-3 (Independent) Lost to Rice 48-14 Marcus Millen (Easton) Jr. DE, 6-1, 230. Did not play. Julius Meyers (Pennridge) Sr. LB, 6-2, 232. Played. Jake Walsh (Liberty) So. DT, 6-4, 259. Did not play. BYU 3-2, 1-0 (Mtn West) Beat TCU 31-17-0) Joe Semanoff (Lehighton)…
· Andre D. Williams
Read on mcall.com →Jarred Holley intercepted two passes, rushed for a touchdown, caught passes, returned punts, and was one of the first Easton High players to give Brittany Ryan a high five as she came to the sidelines after becoming the first girl in school history to kick a field goal last…
· Andre D. Williams
Read on mcall.com →Northampton coach Teko Johnson hasn’t flashed back to the last time he was in the heat of battle with Parkland. That was last Sept. 16 at Parkland Stadium in Orefield, when Johnson suddenly felt faint and short of breath. His left side became numb, and he felt pain in his upper…
· Andre D. Williams
Read on mcall.com →The Easton offense would have reason to be jealous of its defense, if it were not for the fact that most of the standout players go both ways. It’s on defense that they’ve excelled the most. “Their defense is outstanding,” said Whitehall coach Bob Panny, whose Zephyrs managed…
· Andre D. Williams
Read on mcall.com →Bethlehem Catholic two-way lineman Joey Kushner lives to hear his name called over the stadium loudspeaker every time he makes a tackle. That’s true even in tough times, like Saturday night when the Golden Hawks were thoroughly dominated in a 35-0 loss to Parkland. Not a finger…
· Andre D. Williams
Read on mcall.com →COLLEGES ARMY 2-2 (Independent) Beat Baylor 27-20 Marcus Millen (Easton) Jr. DE, 6-1, 230. Did not play. Julius Meyers (Pennridge) Sr. LB, 6-2, 232. Played. Jake Walsh (Liberty) So. DT, 6-4, 259. Did not play. BRIGHAM YOUNG 2-2, 0-0 (Mountain West) Beat Utah State 38-0) Joe…
· Andre D. Williams
Read on mcall.com →Want bulletin board material, Parkland? Forget about it. The Bethlehem Catholic coaches and players have too much respect for the Trojans. So the Golden Hawks are saying all the right things. Maybe it’s because Bethlehem Catholic coach Tarik Haddad and his offensive coordinator,…
· Andre D. Williams
Read on mcall.com →The only reason there would be a lengthy debate on who’s the best quarterback in the area is because none of the bigger schools in the Lehigh Valley Conference or Mountain Valley Conference will put Pius X on its schedule. Can’t blame the Colonial League since its 10-game…
· Andre D. Williams
Read on mcall.com →COLLEGES ARMY 1-2 (Independent) Lost to Texas A&M; 28-24 Marcus Millen (Easton) Jr. DE, 6-1, 230. Did not play. Julius Meyers (Pennridge) Sr. LB, 6-2, 232. Played. Jake Walsh (Liberty) So. DT, 6-4, 259. Did not play. BRIGHAM YOUNG 1-2, 0-0 (Mountain West) Lost to Boston College…
· Andre D. Williams
Read on mcall.com →Central Catholic coach Harold Fairclough’s shirt was drenched once again, his palms were sweaty and his heart was pumping fast. Finally, he was in a ballgame at the end, his first victory as a head coach within grasp if his players could make clutch plays late. It was Saturday…
· Andre D. Williams
Read on mcall.com →Easton, Liberty and Parkland are coming off 41-, 42- and 48-point victories. Just as telling is the fact that their opponents did not score. So, after three weeks, the “Big Three” have established themselves as the teams to beat in the Lehigh Valley Conference. Bethlehem…
· Andre D. Williams
Read on mcall.com →For years, Jeremy McCullough got away with being a really good football player and just an average student. The latter changed after he graduated from Liberty High in 2002. Forced to improve his grades before he could attend Division I-AA Duquesne, McCullough attended Wyoming…
· Andre D. Williams
Read on mcall.com →COLLEGES ARMY 1-1 (Independent) Beat Kent State 17-14 Marcus Millen (Easton) Jr. DE, 6-1, 230 Did not play. Julius Meyers (Pennridge) Sr. LB, 6-2, 232. Did not play. Jake Walsh (Liberty) So. DT, 6-4, 259. Did not play. BYU 1-1 (Mountain West) Beat Tulsa 49-14 Joe Semanoff…
· Andre D. Williams
Read on mcall.com →There might be a traffic jam around Emmaus High tonight. Perennial Lehigh Valley Conference powerhouse Easton, led by star defensive back Jarred Holley and hard-hitting linebacker Ryan Hartzell, will be playing in Emmaus for the first time since Sept. 26, 1997. “It’s a big game…
· Andre D. Williams
Read on mcall.com →Every down of every game, one thought will be running through the minds of Nazareth players. “Nobody will give up on the guy next to him,” said senior Shawn Sylvainus. “We’ll never give up.” It was not that way last season, which opened with the Blue Eagles losing 9-0 to Blue…
· Andre D. Williams
Read on mcall.com →COLLEGES ARMY (Independent) Sept. 7 at Arkansas State Marcus Millen (Easton) Jr. DE, 6-1, 230. Last season: Did not play. Jake Walsh (Liberty) So. DT, 6-4, 259. Last season: Did not play. BRIGHAM YOUNG (Mountain West) Sept. 7 at Arizona Joe Semanoff (Lehighton) Jr. RB, 5-11,…
· Andre D. Williams
Read on mcall.com →Way too much attention has been given to the players who transferred from Bethlehem Catholic, and not enough praise has been given to the star wideout who stayed put after last season. But stay tuned. Golden Hawks senior Mark Scattene may soon play his way into some headlines.…
· Andre D. Williams
Read on mcall.com →The questions were so annoying. “The whole offseason people were asking me, how are we going to replace Charles [Irvin]?” said Liberty quarterback Dan Persa. “How are we going to replace Hoagie [linebacker Andres Morales] ? How are we going to replace all those seniors that we…
· Andre D. Williams
Read on mcall.com →The stadium lights will be on tonight from Allentown to Easton as Lehigh Valley Conference teams begin play. What should be expected? “I’ll let you know around 9:30,” Easton coach Steve Shiffert said a few days ago. “It’s a lot different when you have 3,000 fans out there,” said…
· Andre D. Williams
Read on mcall.com →COLLEGES ARMY (Independent) Sept. 7 at Arkansas State Marcus Millen (Easton) Jr. DE, 6-1, 230. Last season: Did not play. Jake Walsh (Liberty) So. DT, 6-4, 259. Last season: Did not play. BRIGHAM YOUNG (Mountain West) Sept. 7 at Arizona Joe Semanoff (Lehighton) Jr. RB, 5-11,…
· Andre D. Williams
Read on mcall.com →Nobody is going to overlook Whitehall this season. The Zephyrs have too much size to be ignored as a contender for the Lehigh Valley Conference title, along with Liberty, Easton and Parkland. “We think we have kids who can be competitive and that are powerful,” said Whitehall…
· Andre D. Williams
Read on mcall.com →Liberty quarterback Dan Persa has made his college choice and is now focused on trying to lead Liberty to a state championship next season. “We got there last year,” he said. “We just need to finish the job this year.” Finish it, that is, before Persa, who established a…
· Andre D. Williams
Read on mcall.com →New beginnings for Allen’s Keith Massey and Central Catholic’s Pete Geist start as soon as the McDonald’s Lehigh Valley All-Star Football Classic finishes tonight in Nazareth. Massey is headed to Kutztown University to play football while Geist is going to Penn State University…
· Andre D. Williams
Read on mcall.com →Bethlehem Catholic’s Mike Bishop won’t have to search hard to find his biggest fan Thursday night. His brother Matt, 19, who also played at Bethlehem Catholic, plans to be boisterous in the stands at Nazareth’s Andy Leh Stadium. Mike Bishop will be playing linebacker for the…
· Andre D. Williams
Read on mcall.com →Andres Morales bulled forward and rammed into one Ohio player after another. He was Pennsylvania’s starting fullback, and to a large degree, he handled his job well Saturday night. He even mouthed off a few times, but Morales has never been the quiet type. He was the vocal,…
· Andre D. Williams
Read on mcall.com →Stroudsburg High’s version of the “Big House” has dominated on the field since he was 12 years old, when he was 5-5, 190 pounds. Chris Neild, an Associated Press Class 4A second-team all-state linebacker, is now 6-3, 305 pounds. Tonight, he’ll start at offensive guard for…
· Andre D. Williams
Read on mcall.com →Andres Morales is finally a day away from playing in HersheyPark Stadium for the first time. No need to ask if he’s ready. The Big 33 Football Classic is a game that Morales, Liberty’s all-state and Morning Call all-area linebacker, has always dreamed about. That’s why his heart…
· Andre D. Williams
Read on mcall.com →Andrew Lee has been confronted with one big test after another since practice for the Big 33 Football Classic began on Saturday. He’s had to learn new defensive schemes and adjust to covering wideouts who are faster than he is. He’s also had to prove that he belongs on the same…
· Andre D. Williams
Read on mcall.com →Warren West is no longer nicknamed “Smurf,” though he’s still close friends with Ricky Watters and others whom he shared a memorable Big 33 Football Classic experience with 19 years ago. At 5-6, 190 pounds, West was the smallest Pennsylvania all-star player, however he had…
· Andre D. Williams
Read on mcall.com →Rushane Scott’s tears of joy lasted for several minutes. Memories of what he accomplished at the PIAA Track and Field Championships Saturday will last forever. The Allen senior closed out his career by winning the Class 3A 100-meter dash in a time of 10.60. Scott surged into the…
· Andre D. Williams
Read on mcall.com →Bethlehem Catholic did in 2003 what no Lehigh Valley team had ever done — win a PIAA Track and Field team title. Three years later, the Golden Hawks are boasted by a standout distance runner in Eric Yeager, a rising sprinter in Chris Carter and a top-seeded discus thrower in Joe…
· Andre D. Williams
Read on mcall.com →Allen sprinter Rushane Scott had other sprinters looking at the back of his jersey each time he ran Wednesday afternoon at J. Birney Crum Stadium. But he said his victories weren’t as easy as they seemed. Scott gained early leads in the 100- and 200-meter dashes and pulled out…
· Andre D. Williams
Read on mcall.com →Parkland senior John Carelli made the high jump and triple jump seem like routine business Tuesday at the Lehigh Valley Conference Track & Field Championships. It seemed that way because Carelli won both jumping events for the third straight year. He tied his personal best in…
· Andre D. Williams
Read on mcall.com →Easton seniors Colin Brett, Derrick Lambert, Alex Nourse and Gerald Lebar have formed an awesome foursome. They have the area’s best time in the 3,200-meter relay (8:28.5) and they are the catalysts on a Red Rovers team that’s 3-0-1 in the LVC. The Red Rovers still have to…
· Andre D. Williams
Read on mcall.com →The greatest athletic accomplishment of his life was over, and Parkland’s Tyrone Faverey and his mother, Karen, were driving back to the Lehigh Valley from Shippensburg. There was no music blasting, no horns honking. “I fell asleep,” said Faverey, who won the PIAA Class 3A high…
· Andre D. Williams
Read on mcall.com →The deans of area track and field coaches are back. Freedom’s Ray Herman returns for his 41st season and Southern Lehigh’s Brian Souerwine is back for his 34th. While not a lot has changed since last spring, a whole lot has changed in general over the years. “It’s amazing,” said…
· Andre D. Williams
Read on mcall.com →Baseball Hall of Famer Fergie Jenkins, a former Philadelphia Phillies pitcher, and former Philadelphia 76ers center Darryl Dawkins both went straight from high school to their respective professional leagues. Neither got to experience college, something both men said Thursday…
· Andre D. Williams
Read on mcall.com →Kutztown senior Bruce Hall was a breakaway running back before he switched over to basketball in the eighth grade and started beating everybody down court to score fastbreak layups. “I’ve always been fast,” Hall said. “That’s always been one of my advantages.” Moravian junior…
· Andre D. Williams
Read on mcall.com →Rich Jarnagin entered Liberty High School four years ago as a skinny freshman, but one with a lot of potential. He became stronger and faster and this year made several game-breaking plays on both sides of the ball to help Liberty go 13-2 and finish as the PIAA Class 4A…
· Andre D. Williams
Read on mcall.com →Liberty High defensive stars Andres Morales and Andrew Lee will have a second chance for a last impression of before closing the book on their high school careers. Morales and Lee were selected on Sunday to the Pennsylvania squad for the 49th annual Big 33 Football Classic in…
· Andre D. Williams
Read on mcall.com →Andres Morales gave his mother, father, brothers, and sister Rutgers paraphernalia for Christmas gifts on Sunday. Then, the all-state and Morning Call all-area linebacker from Liberty asked them if they could figure out which college he had orally committed to attend next fall.…
· Andre D. Williams
Read on mcall.com →Andrew Lee took a few minutes away from watching King Kong at a movie theater Saturday night to reflect on some of the beast-like things he and co-defensive star, linebacker Andres Morales, did this season for Liberty. For Lee, there was the PIAA Class 4A Eastern final against…
· Andre D. Williams
Read on mcall.com →The biggest game of his coaching career, the biggest in school history, ended with Liberty getting drubbed 49-10 in the PIAA Class 4A championship game last week in Hershey, but coach Tim Moncman did not shed a tear. Not in front of his players, not away from them. After the…
· Andre D. Williams
Read on mcall.com →Dan Persa was knocked down, intercepted, disheartened and even defeated in big games this season, but the Liberty junior kept coming back with pinpoint passing and breakaway speed to enjoy the most prolific season for a quarterback in school history. He finished with school…
· Andre D. Williams
Read on mcall.com →A little more than 12 hours after losing in the PIAA Class 4A title game, a few Liberty players engaged in a snowball fight inside Bethlehem Area School District Stadium. They were still disconsolate after losing 49-10 to McKeesport on Saturday night in Hershey. But the tears…
· Andre D. Williams
Read on mcall.com →The PIAA board of directors did not bend Saturday morning. The board voted by a 22-5 margin not to accept Bethlehem Area School District superintendent Joseph A. Lewis’ proposal to amend Section B of Article XIII of the PIAA bylaws. As a result, the high school career of…
· Andre D. Williams
Read on mcall.com →Liberty ran into a machine in the PIAA Class 4A championship Saturday night at Hersheypark Stadium. McKeesport was the machine, especially on defense. The Tigers were superbly fast, from the quarterback to the tailbacks, and even to the kicker, who kept trotting onto the field…
· Andre D. Williams
Read on mcall.com →Liberty quarterback Dan Persa showed up at Carl’s Corner steak and sub shop a few blocks from school earlier this week and saw an NBC-10 television reporter interviewing the owner about the football team Persa has helped lead to the PIAA Class 4A championship game. He was awed.…
· Andre D. Williams
Read on mcall.com →It’s going to come down to the final hour for Liberty senior Andres Morales, who still hopes he’ll be able to close out his high school career playing for the PIAA Class 4A title Saturday night in Hershey. Morales was ejected from last weekend’s game by official Ted Deptula for…
· Andre D. Williams
Read on mcall.com →They made jokes, lots of them. They will do so again tonight, and maybe even on Saturday before making the first-ever trip to Hershey for a Bethlehem Area School District team to play for a PIAA football championship. Pressure, you see, is easier to deal with when you share…
· Andre D. Williams
Read on mcall.com →Liberty quarterback Dan Persa tends to have as much fun as the kids he meets at the playground near his house. “Me and my friends will go there and just try to hit random objects [with a football],” Persa said. “I’ll hit the top bar of the swing set, then I’ll try to throw it at…
· Andre D. Williams
Read on mcall.com →An error in judgment was made by a PIAA official, and it will probably prevent Liberty senior Andres Morales from playing in the PIAA Class 4A championship Saturday in Hershey. It’s a game he’s dreamed about playing in his whole life, and he will spend tonight doing what he has…
· Andre D. Williams
Read on mcall.com →His fist was closed and he was steamed, but Liberty senior Andres Morales says he did not do anything that warranted his being ejected from Saturday’s PIAA Class 4A Eastern final at J. Birney Crum Stadium. But Ted Deptula, the back judge, thought Morales threw a punch, and…
· Andre D. Williams
Read on mcall.com →Liberty’s Andrew Lee pounded his fist off his chest a few times, once after blocking an extra-point kick, and another time after scoring on an acrobatic reception in the end zone. But his most memorable pounding came after the most emphatic hit of the game, a shot by Lee so hard…
· Andre D. Williams
Read on mcall.com →Uniform turn-in is not scheduled for next week at Liberty, and senior lineman Mike McClarin would like to keep it that way. “We never think like that,” McClarin said Friday before practice. “We have to think that we are going get a state championship, like we did all year.…
· Andre D. Williams
Read on mcall.com →North Penn coach Dick Beck reclined in his office chair on Thursday and reeled off the names of Lehigh Valley players and teams he has admired. He humbly talked about his team, which is coming off a 55-20 win over Downingtown East in the District One championship game, which…
· Andre D. Williams
Read on mcall.com →Andrew Lee is like a magnet when it comes to the spotlight. He loves being in it. Whether he’s playing football, doing the pole vault, or in a classroom at Liberty High, Lee is often the center of attention “You never see him without a smile on his face,” said Liberty football…
· Andre D. Williams
Read on mcall.com →Nobody can look into the mind of Liberty junior quarterback Dan Persa, holder of the school’s single-season passing touchdown record, and see what’s brewing. Liberty fans probably hope that it’s full of excitement and drive, and that he doesn’t have any space available for fear.…
· Andre D. Williams
Read on mcall.com →COLLEGES DELAWARE 6-5, 3-5 (Atlantic 10) Season completed Jeremy Kametz (Freedom) So. DL, 6-4, 243. Season: Five solo tackles, two for losses, four assists, two pass break ups, two sacks. DUQUESNE 7-3, 4-0 (MAAC) Season completed Travis Decker (Parkland) So. DL, 6-2, 225.…
· Andre D. Williams
Read on mcall.com →Now it’s time for Liberty to play a team that won’t buckle every time tailback Charles Irvin makes a dance move at the line of scrimmage, then breaks loose up field. Now it’s time for Liberty’s defense to match up against a team that won’t crumble every time linebacker Andres…
· Andre D. Williams
Read on mcall.com →Now it’s time for Liberty to play a team that won’t buckle every time tailback Charles Irvin makes a dance move at the line of scrimmage, then breaks loose up field. Now it’s time for Liberty’s defense to match up against a team that won’t crumble every time linebacker Andres…
· Andre D. Williams
Read on mcall.com →Frankford did not tune up for its first-ever PIAA Class 4A quarterfinal appearance the way coach Mike Capriotti had hoped it would on Thanksgiving Day, losing to previously winless North Catholic, 12-0. But the Pioneers woke up Friday morning a renewed team, Capriotti said. They…
· Andre D. Williams
Read on mcall.com →Andres Morales is the Homecoming king at Liberty, but he’s no pretty boy. The Hurricanes senior linebacker considers himself the opposite, because what he does on the field is not pretty. He hits hard, and doesn’t care if he gets bruised in the process. There are days following…
· Andre D. Williams
Read on mcall.com →Often you hear quarterbacks and running backs wisely give credit for their standout performances to their offensive linemen. Austin Scott, the ex-Parkland High great and owner of the state’s single-season rushing record, did it every week in 2002 en route to leading the Trojans…
· Andre D. Williams
Read on mcall.com →COLLEGES DELAWARE 6-5, 3-5 (Atlantic 10) Beat Villanova 38-13 Jeremy Kametz (Freedom) So. DL, 6-4, 243. Game: One assisted tackle. Season: Five solo tackles, two for losses, four assists, two pass break ups, two sacks. DUQUESNE 7-3, 4-0 (MAAC) Beat Saint Francis 44-17 Travis…
· Andre D. Williams
Read on mcall.com →Liberty missed no beats on offense, allowed only 20 first-half yards, and made its jubilant fans forget that it was below 30 degrees Friday night. Dominating play does that, and Liberty’s 42-7 bombarding of Hazleton in the PIAA District 2-11 Class 4A subregional final at…
· Andre D. Williams
Read on mcall.com →Liberty’s 48-10 victory over Easton last Friday earned the Hurricanes their third District 11 Class 4A Championship, and gave them a 10-win season for the third time in school history. It also finally got the monkey off the ‘Canes’ backs. They had lost nine straight to Easton,…
· Andre D. Williams
Read on mcall.com →COLLEGES DELAWARE 5-5, 2-5 (Atlantic 10) Beat William & Mary 22-21 Jeremy Kametz (Freedom) So. DL, 6-4, 243. Season: Five solo tackles, two for losses, three assists, two pass break ups, two sacks. DUQUESNE 6-3, 4-0 (MAAC) Bye Travis Decker (Parkland) So. DL, 6-2, 225. Season:…
· Andre D. Williams
Read on mcall.com →The black and red bull-rushed, seeking once again to tackle, deflate and possibly sideline Liberty quarterback Dan Persa. Three times Persa was tackled for negative yards. Each time he rose quickly, apparently more determined to prove that he could survive every one of Easton’s…
· Andre D. Williams
Read on mcall.com →Liberty opened fiercely, especially on defense, and continued to emphatically erase memories of past failures against Easton in the PIAA District 2-4-11 subregional semifinals Friday night. It seemed easy, especially every time Hurricanes linebacker Evan Bauer charged into the…
· Andre D. Williams
Read on mcall.com →Defending 4A district champion Easton appeared unbothered by the fiercely whipping wind Thursday afternoon, and focused on playing with the same fury in its rematch with Liberty tonight. Despite the heavy wind, passes sailed crisply through the air, most landing into eagerly…
· Andre D. Williams
Read on mcall.com →The biggest day in Freedom senior Colin Neely’s life came in August when he announced that he had committed to Michigan State, the Big Ten program where he hopes to mature and become a winner once again. His signature on scholarship papers to Michigan State won’t officially come…
· Andre D. Williams
Read on mcall.com →COLLEGES DELAWARE 4-5, 1-5 (Atlantic 10) Lost to Massachusetts 35-7 Jeremy Kametz (Freedom) So. DL, 6-4, 243. Game: One assisted tackle. Season: Five solo tackles, two for losses, three assists, two pass break ups, two sacks. DUQUESNE 6-3, 4-0 (MAAC) Beat La Salle 56-14 Travis…
· Andre D. Williams
Read on mcall.com →A coach who has established a legacy in the state, and who might be able to run for mayor in Slatington and win, is about to make one final run at a PIAA Class 2A title. But Northern Lehigh coach Jim Tkach would first like to win a PIAA District 11 Class 2A subregional semifinal…
· Andre D. Williams
Read on mcall.com →Liberty quarterback Dan Persa did not see black and red jerseys, or Jarred Holley blanketing his wideouts, or anything else on Freedom’s defense that served as a haunting reminder of his last game against Easton. Instead, Persa saw only open field, open receivers, and for the…
· Andre D. Williams
Read on mcall.com →Oh brother, here came Whitehall, right back in striking distance for quarterback Mike Gnall, with less than two minutes on the clock Friday night at Parkland Stadium. Down seven, ball near midfield, first-and-10, Gnall back in the pocket, bouncing around, trying to see if he can…
· Andre D. Williams
Read on mcall.com →Richie Villani did not have a meltdown before attempting his first-ever punt for Freedom, on Oct. 7 at Northampton, although his father, Jim, a former NFL reserve punter, was studying his every move from the sidelines. Oh, Villani was nervous, but not because dad was wide-eyed.…
· Andre D. Williams
Read on mcall.com →Whitehall has won eight straight games, but may need to extend that streak to nine to secure a District 11/Sub-Regional Class 3A playoff spot. “It’s something the way things fell,” said Zephyrs coach Bob Panny. “After eight conference games we have a chance.” A chance to return…
· Andre D. Williams
Read on mcall.com →COLLEGES BRIGHAM YOUNG 4-4, 3-2 (Mountain West) Beat Air Force 62-41 Joe Semanoff (Lehighton) So. RB, 5-10, 215. Season: One carry, 6 yards; two catches, 25 yards, one TD. DELAWARE 4-4, 1-4 (Atlantic 10) Lost to Maine 25-15 Jeremy Kametz (Freedom) So. DL, 6-4, 243. Game: One…
· Andre D. Williams
Read on mcall.com →His teammates had walked somberly off the Cottingham Stadium field Friday night. Liberty junior Ray Olivo stayed back, reflecting on the Hurricanes’ fourth-quarter collapse and how his once pee-wee football rival and good friend, Eaton sophomore Jarred Holley, had managed to…
· Andre D. Williams
Read on mcall.com →Go ahead, if you will, and think of Easton as just some undersized, offensively-challenged team that wasn’t supposed to be within tail-light distance of Liberty Friday night at Cottingham Stadium. But don’t forget about Easton’s storied past: About the 718 all-time victories,…
· Andre D. Williams
Read on mcall.com →First-year Dieruff coach Jake Williams didn’t think he’d contend for the Lehigh Valley Conference title this season. He didn’t figure on finishing last, either, but that will be the harsh reality if Dieruff (0-8 overall, 0-6 LVC) doesn’t pull off an upset over the next two…
· Andre D. Williams
Read on mcall.com →Getting mentally up for Dieruff on Sept. 16 at J. Birney Crum Stadium was no problem at all for Liberty, even though the Hurricanes knew they had major advantages on both sides of the ball. Liberty played Dieruff with the same tenacity it expects to have against Easton (5-2,…
· Andre D. Williams
Read on mcall.com →An athletic defeat is nowhere near as tough to deal with as a life casualty because the latter can hurt forever. Through eight games, Liberty coach Tim Moncman’s team has been perfect and he’d like to keep it that way with a victory over Easton Friday night at Cottingham…
· Andre D. Williams
Read on mcall.com →COLLEGES BRIGHAM YOUNG 3-4, 2-2 (Mountain West) Lost to Notre Dame 49-23 Joe Semanoff (Lehighton) So. RB, 5-10, 215. Season: One carry, 6 yards; two catches, 25 yards, one touchdown. DELAWARE 4-3, 1-3 (Atlantic 10) Beat James Madison 34-28 Jeremy Kametz (Freedom) So. DL, 6-4,…
· Andre D. Williams
Read on mcall.com →Breakaway tailback Charles Irvin and his Liberty teammates can now focus solely on next Friday night’s showdown against Easton at Cottingham Stadium. It’s serious business, serious because Liberty lost only two games last season, and both were to Easton. It’s serious because…
· Andre D. Williams
Read on mcall.com →Emmaus stopped making mistakes and excuses, and stopped losing after its embarrassing Week 4 loss to Nazareth. Maybe it was hard to walk the school hallways after losing 28-7 to Nazareth, a team that had not won a game entering that Lehigh Valley Conference matchup on Sept. 23.…
· Andre D. Williams
Read on mcall.com →COLLEGES BRIGHAM YOUNG 3-3, 2-2 (Mountain West) Beat Colorado State 24-14 Joe Semanoff (Lehighton) So. RB, 5-10, 215. Season: One carry, 6 yards; two catches, 25 yards, one touchdown. DELAWARE 3-3, 0-3 (Atlantic 10) Lost to Richmond 20-10 Jeremy Kametz (Freedom) So. DL, 6-4,…
· Andre D. Williams
Read on mcall.com →Liberty coach Tim Moncman has a quick response to parents who complain about play-calling and about playing time for their sons, even if that player has Division I talent. “I’d say go some place else,” Moncman said. Another high school, another program, another coach might…
· Andre D. Williams
Read on mcall.com →Somebody needed to redirect focus and refuel the hunger in Liberty’s attack Friday night. Enter linebacker Andres Morales, who had already laid a few mean licks on Northampton players in a Lehigh Valley Conference game played in rainy and muddy conditions at Al Erdosy Stadium.…
· Andre D. Williams
Read on mcall.com →Liberty, Easton and Whitheall control their PIAA sub-regional playoff destinies with four regular-season games remaining. All each has to do is win, though somebody will lose when Liberty (6-0, 4-0) and Easton (5-1, 3-1) meet Oct. 28 at Cottingham Stadium. Whitehall (5-1, 4-0)…
· Andre D. Williams
Read on mcall.com →COLLEGES DELAWARE 2-3, 0-2 (Atlantic 10) Lost to Hofstra 10-6 Jeremy Kametz (Freedom) So. DL, 6-4, 243. Season: Four solo tackles, two for losses, one assisted, two pass break ups. DUQUESNE 2-3, 0-0 (MAAC) Lost to Georgetown 10-7 Travis Decker (Parkland) So. DL, 6-2, 225.…
· Andre D. Williams
Read on mcall.com →Whitehall does not care what people say about it, whether good or bad. It does not care if people say its lucky not having to play Liberty or Easton this season. Actually, Whitehall does not care about anything, except what happens on that football field each week. “I live to…
· Andre D. Williams
Read on mcall.com →Alex Watty and Mike McClarin, two of Liberty’s grunts in the trenches, had fun plowing Bethlehem Catholic linemen Friday night. But they had even more fun watching tailback Charles Irvin turn their yeoman work into touchdowns in a Lehigh Valley Conference mismatch at Bethlehem…
· Andre D. Williams
Read on mcall.com →Nobody is going to silence Rich Jarnagin, Liberty’s bullish tight end and linebacker. And he is particularly loud and animated when expressing his feelings about Bethlehem Catholic. The 6-1, 213-pound Jarnagin has had plenty to say this week because Liberty (5-0, 3-0) and…
· Andre D. Williams
Read on mcall.com →Central Catholic and Liberty established the identity of their teams in one quarter Saturday night. It takes some teams a whole season to do that. For Liberty, a 32-25 victor in overtime, moxie, determination, and clutch playmaking ability was discovered as it overcame an…
· Andre D. Williams
Read on mcall.com →Jonathan Mill, the Liberty kicker whose 37-yard field-goal with 4.9 seconds left in regulation glanced off the goal post and through the crossbar to force overtime, stood motionless on the sidelines. “I’m still shaking,” he said. But at least he was standing to see the finish.…
· Andre D. Williams
Read on mcall.com →Jonathan Mill, the Liberty kicker whose 37-yard field-goal with 4.9 seconds left in regulation glanced off the goal post and through the crossbar to force overtime, stood motionless on the sidelines. “I’m still shaking,” he said. But at least he was standing to see the finish.…
· Andre D. Williams
Read on mcall.com →Steve Shiffert may be known to his players as a perfectionist, intense, and at times, intimidating. But last November, Shifffert’s soft side came out after a loss to Neshaminy in the PIAA Class 4A Eastern final. Shiffert, 53, cried for extended minutes, along with his players,…
· Andre D. Williams
Read on mcall.com →The game that will likely decide the Bethlehem city championship is a week away. But Bethlehem Catholic and Liberty must first contend with tough Lehigh Valley Conference opponents before worrying about their showdown at BethlehemArea School District Stadium next Friday night.…
· Andre D. Williams
Read on mcall.com →The Lehigh Valley Conference has become more interesting thanks to Allen’s resurgence with consecutive victories over Freedom and Bethlehem Catholic. However, the Canaries (2-2) are in an uphill battle to advance to the PIAA Class 4A sub-regional playoffs because it’s difficult…
· Andre D. Williams
Read on mcall.com →When Charles Irvin intercepted a pass at the 10-yard line with a little over five minutes remaining, he wanted to run for a touchdown, run out of the end zone, and if possible, run up into the Bethlehem Area School District stadium stands Friday night. In his dreams, his…
· Andre D. Williams
Read on mcall.com →Liberty hopes to blow out Parkland in the same fashion it has its first three opponents. But it might not satisfy at least one Liberty High teacher. “One of my teachers said, “Can you make the games more interesting,’ but I said interesting games are usually the bad ones. The…
· Andre D. Williams
Read on mcall.com →COLLEGES BRIGHAM YOUNG 1-1, 0-0 (Mountain West) Bye Joe Semanoff (Lehighton) So. RB, 5-10, 215. DELAWARE 2-0, 0-0 (Atlantic 10) Beat West Chester 42-21 Jeremy Kametz (Freedom) So. DL, 6-4, 243. Game: Did not play. Season: Three solo tackles, two for losses, two pass breakups.…
· Andre D. Williams
Read on mcall.com →Central Catholic seeks validation. Beating defending Lehigh Valley Conference champion Easton at 7 p.m. Saturday at J. Birney Crum Stadium would help validate the Vikings as a conference contender. “I don’t have to get them pumped up,” said Central Catholic coach Donnie Roberts.…
· Andre D. Williams
Read on mcall.com →Jason Roeder’s hiring was heavily opposed by most Freedom players in February when he was chosen to succeed Jim Morgans as football coach. Roeder, 30, had never been a head coach and most of the players had developed a closeness to Michael Heimbach, who had been an assistant on…
· Andre D. Williams
Read on mcall.com →Hold off on considering Liberty as the team to beat in Bethlehem. That’s because Bethlehem Catholic is again powerful and eager to continue proving that it may be the Christmas City’s best team. The Golden Hawks, sparked by punishing tackles by Joe Dancho and Cory McFadden,…
· Andre D. Williams
Read on mcall.com →The memory of his own watery eyes and the disconsolate looks on his teammates’ faces as tears trickled down their faces has not faded from Liberty quarterback Dan Persa’s memory. He cannot walk into the weight room or the locker room without being reminded of that 14-7 loss to…
· Andre D. Williams
Read on mcall.com →Brothers Oscar and Justin Rivera were so excited the first day they put on pads as 95-pound players for the Bethlehem Steelers’ football team that they went home and continued tackling. But not outside. Oscar and Justin, who now play for Liberty High School, plowed each other…
· Andre D. Williams
Read on mcall.com →Bob Stem returns to coaching tonight against a man who admires him, but who’s also yet to beat him. That doesn’t mean that Northampton coach Teko Johnson has already conceded. It’s quite the opposite because Johnson’s Konkrete Kids, led by the multi-talented and dangerous Josh…
· Andre D. Williams
Read on mcall.com →Central Catholic will never be just an average football program, because the coaching staffs and players dressed in Vikings gear will always think they’re as good, if not better, than everybody else. Even if the victories don’t equal the always-high expectations. The fact is…
· Andre D. Williams
Read on mcall.com →Central Catholic made a goal-line theft to help clinch a non-league victory and ease the heartbeat of coach Donnie Roberts Saturday night at J. Birney Crum Stadium. The Vikings, ahead by 11 points entering the fourth quarter, were in danger of falling behind when Downingtown…
· Andre D. Williams
Read on mcall.com →He did not sleep with his helmet Thursday night and will not walk around school today with a football. But chances are Bethlehem Catholic quarterback Alex Atiyeh won’t take too long to get dressed in his brown and gold uniform for a Lehigh Valley Conference season-opener against…
· Andre D. Williams
Read on mcall.com →Liberty has “Hoagie,” which is what they call star senior linebacker Andres Morales, who’s being recruited by N.C. State, Duke and other Division I schools. It also has junior quarterback Dan Persa, an accurate passer and slick runner who’s healthy again and can pick apart…
· Andre D. Williams
Read on mcall.com →Freedom High defensive star Colin Neely reeled off a long list of people whom he wanted to thank for helping him earn a scholarship to Michigan State. Then, the rising senior thanked the person who was most responsible for the strenuous work he has done on and off the field over…
· Andre D. Williams
Read on mcall.com →Ryan Greiser rushed forward, planted and appeared ready to tackle Michigan State-bound tailback Javon Ringer. But Greiser, The Morning Call’s Player of the Year from Pennridge High, missed Ringer, which Ohio’s All-Stars made Pennsylvania defenders do often in the Big 33 Football…
· Andre D. Williams
Read on mcall.com →In his senior season at Pennridge, Ryan Greiser rushed for 2,030 yards, scored 33 touchdowns and was selected as The Morning Call’s player of the year. He was also named to the Associated Press Class 4A All-State first team and invited to the Big 33 Football Classic. But Greiser…
· Andre D. Williams
Read on mcall.com →The Harlem Diamonds lost their first game of the summer and in their first appearance at Pates Park on Sunday night. But the all-African-American women’s softball team pleased fans with their humor, tricks and overall skill level. They also received an invitation from Allentown…
· Andre D. Williams
Read on mcall.com →Todd Kresge will have one more chance to make his mark on a Lehigh Valley football field Thursday night at Nazareth’s Andrew S. Leh Stadium. But he won’t get a chance to do it on defense, which was where he made one of the most memorable plays in Easton football history last…
· Andre D. Williams
Read on mcall.com →Bob Goffredo was on the sidelines waiting to be transported to the hospital in his last high school football game, an all-star classic at Catasauqua in 1982. But he was cognizant enough to know the outcome. “Yeah, we won,” said Goffredo, now the Pius X football coach. “The boys…
· Andre D. Williams
Read on mcall.com →Tyrone Faverey reached down and touched the surface, rose up and leaped high into the air. He landed, stretched his back, glared forward and, after a few seconds of deep concentration, the Parkland junior sprinted toward the high jump pit and the destiny that awaited him…
· Andre D. Williams
Read on mcall.com →John Carelli doesn’t worry about the stares he often gets from more-imposing athletes, the ones he has to compete against in the high jump. He just does his thing. Often, that’s win. He’s just 6-feet tall, and many of the athletes the Parkland High junior has beaten in the long,…
· Andre D. Williams
Read on mcall.com →Allen junior Rushane Scott was slightly behind out of the blocks, but he was way ahead at the tape. He’s closed many 100-meter dashes in the same fashion this spring. The stakes were higher in the Class 3A final in the District 11 track and field championships, but Scott easily…
· Andre D. Williams
Read on mcall.com →Bethlehem Catholic still has speed in the 100- and 200-meter dashes, just not the best around. That’s because former Becahi standouts Brandon Carter and Eddie Scipio have graduated and the area’s fastest boys runner is Allen’s Rushane Scott, who’s been timed at 10.6 in the 100…
· Andre D. Williams
Read on mcall.com →Southern Lehigh stamped its name all over Bangor Memorial Park in the Colonial League track and field championships Thursday. But winning their second straight league championship — with 163 points — was not good enough for the Spartans. They can’t wait for next Wednesday and…
· Andre D. Williams
Read on mcall.com →Allen’s Rushane Scott pulled away to win one race, rallied for an impressive finish in another, then blazed to a third gold medal in his final event, the 200-meter dash, Wednesday at J. Birney Crum Stadium. Then, he took off his cleats, walked slowly to his water bottle, and…
· Andre D. Williams
Read on mcall.com →John Carelli probably won’t show up at J. Birney Crum Stadium with a broom this afternoon. Maybe his Parkland teammate Tyrone Faverey will bring one for him. Carelli is on the verge of sweeping the jumping events in the Lehigh Valley Conference Championships for the second…
· Andre D. Williams
Read on mcall.com →The numbers may startle you because you are talking about a track and field team — not a football team. But Parkland’s track team is much larger than any other team in this area, perhaps as large as any team in the state, maybe even the country. The Trojans have 297 athletes —…
· Andre D. Williams
Read on mcall.com →Frank Banko has not visited Bethlehem Area School District Stadium much since graduating from Liberty High in 1937. But he was there Thursday morning, recalling pleasant memories of when he rumbled on the grass field as a JV football player. “That was in the first few years that…
· Andre D. Williams
Read on mcall.com →Justin Gaymon refused to settle for a repeat performance of his 2004 showing in the 400-meter hurdles at the Penn Relays. Never mind the 9 a.m. starting time for the high school boys championship race, the wet track and the driving rain. All Gaymon, a Phillipsburg High senior,…
· Andre D. Williams
Read on mcall.com →Allen High junior Rushane Scott stunned his coach, Erika Smith, when he finished the 100-meter dash in 10.9 seconds on March 31. But Smith was stunned even more on April 14 when Scott clocked a 10.7 in a dual meet against Parkland. She won’t be surprised by anything else Scott…
· Andre D. Williams
Read on mcall.com →Southern Lehigh seniors Justin Babich and Mike Snowden will try to lead the Spartans to another memorable Penn Relays finish at Franklin Field. Meanwhile, two first-time participants, distance runners Sam Luff of Emmaus and Tyler McCandless of Northampton, will try to achieve…
· Andre D. Williams
Read on mcall.com →The United States Basketball League has paid its rent at Dieruff High through seven games, guaranteeing that the Pennsylvania ValleyDawgs will have a home gymnasium until at least late May. That may be good news for more than just the defending ValleyDawgs, who are being funded…
· Andre D. Williams
Read on mcall.com →The Pennsylvania ValleyDawgs’ potential new owner from Kentucky has backed out, and the navy blue and golden yellow uniforms the team wore the previous six seasons have disappeared. And are you ready for this? The 12 players who suited up in the ‘Dawgs’ United States Basketball…
· Andre D. Williams
Read on mcall.com →Northampton senior distance runner Tyler McCandless still wants to run a personal-best in the 3,200 and to beat area rival Sam Luff of Emmaus in at least one big race this spring. Recently, McCandless signed a national letter of intent to the University of Maryland where he…
· Andre D. Williams
Read on mcall.com →Chris Pates was running with the wrong crowd and headed toward a dead end until he joined the Liberty High track and field team in the spring of his freshman year. Finally, he had goals to chase, first in the classroom, because without making the grade he wouldn’t have been…
· Andre D. Williams
Read on mcall.com →The first week of April is far from when you’d expect track and field athletes to be peaking. But Parkland junior Tyrone Faverey may have done just that in the high jump. The hope is that he’ll continue to improve, but it may be tough to surpass the 6 feet, 10 inches he posted…
· Andre D. Williams
Read on mcall.com →Freedom’s two-month wait for a new football coach may soon be over. According to two sources close to the Freedom football program, Jason Roeder has been offered the job. Roeder has to be approved at a Bethlehem Area School District school board Monday night before he can be…
· Andre D. Williams
Read on mcall.com →Teams that make postseason runs in March usually start to play harder and smarter and win more convincingly at this time of the season. Lafayette has done that in its last two Patriot League games. Teams that have short runs in March usually do what Lehigh has done over its last…
· Andre D. Williams
Read on mcall.com →Saint Joseph’s is making another run at the NCAA Tournament. And the Hawks don’t even control Philadelphia. But that’s the beauty of college basketball because rankings and computers do not determine a team’s fate. Saint Joe’s (12-9) can advance to the “Big Dance” for the third…
· Andre D. Williams
Read on mcall.com →With pens in hand and wearing broad smiles, four Liberty High football players signed letters of intent with Division I-AA and Division II schools Thursday afternoon in a conference room adjacent to Liberty’s main office. Brendan Van Ackeren, who made big plays on both sides of…
· Andre D. Williams
Read on mcall.com →Bucknell coach Pat Flannery did not allow his spirits to be dampened after losing to Lehigh 57-54 on a Joe Knight 3-pointer at the buzzer Sunday at Stabler Arena. Flannery had missed three games because of an undisclosed medical condition. He hated being out, hated not having to…
· Andre D. Williams
Read on mcall.com →Bethlehem Catholic senior two-way tackle Matt Kushner appeared to be an unlikely Division I product before last season. He’d made just 12 tackles in two previous seasons. He had played mostly as an offensive lineman and pancake blocks are not listed on any stats sheets. But…
· Andre D. Williams
Read on mcall.com →Drexel University senior Danny Hinds is not about to let a fractured left wrist keep him out of the Dragons’ starting lineup. He’s worked too hard to get into it, so he’s not about to let discomfort in his non-shooting hand spoil his last season. Besides, Drexel coach Bruiser…
· Andre D. Williams
Read on mcall.com →Villanova’s non-league schedule had been nothing to boast about, except for games against Big 5 rivals Temple and Pennsylvania. But Saturday, the Wildcats took a break from from the Big East to play second-ranked Kansas at the Wachovia Center. There wasn’t supposed to be…
· Andre D. Williams
Read on mcall.com →Lehigh’s Patriot League opponents are not having many good nights trying to contain Mountain Hawks junior guard Joe Knight. The 6-1 transfer from High Point University has turned into a clutch late-game performer, hitting the game-winning shot with 25.4 seconds left in a 56-53…
· Andre D. Williams
Read on mcall.com →The excitement is slowly returning to Navy basketball. Though the Midshipmen’s 4-9 start has included a 75-69 loss to Division III Gettysburg on Dec. 18 in Annapolis, first-year coach Billy Lange is not discouraged. A stale offense was the main reason the Midshipmen compiled a…
· Andre D. Williams
Read on mcall.com →Pennridge High senior tailback Ryan Greiser, The Morning Call’s player of the year, received an expected honor but at an unexpected position Saturday. And Parkland’s 6-4, 310-pound, two-way standout lineman Morgan Thomas, finally got his due. Greiser and Thomas were selected to…
· Andre D. Williams
Read on mcall.com →The opponents hit hard. Easton just hit harder. The opponents were often bigger. Easton never buckled. For 13 straight games, Easton just won, mostly with smashmouth offense and punishing defense, and by taking advantage of some turnover opportunities in the playoffs during…
· Andre D. Williams
Read on mcall.com →Recharged and refocused to start the third quarter, Emmaus went to “The Carpenter” to build a double-digit lead over Liberty Thursday night at Memorial Gymnasium. Andrew Carpenter, a 6-3 brickhouse senior center, muscled his way for three inside baskets and the Green Hornets…
· Andre D. Williams
Read on mcall.com →It was impossible to look into the dejected faces of the coaches and players from Easton High Saturday and feel their actual emotional pain. It was difficult to understand their devastation after losing 21-14 to Neshaminy in the PIAA Class 4A Eastern final at Bensalem High. It…
· Andre D. Williams
Read on mcall.com →Easton senior tailback Ovid Goulbourne broke quickly to the outside and raced 34 yards down the sideline. Along the way, last Saturday, he stiff-armed a couple George Washington defenders. It was a vintage run, his longest of that PIAA Class 4A quarterfinal game in Philadelphia.…
· Andre D. Williams
Read on mcall.com →Easton played its third game in eight days, second in just three days, but the Red Rovers sure did not play like a fatigued team Saturday night. The Red Rovers were just as tenacious, hard-hitting, and efficient on offense when they absolutely had to be in persevering 15-10 over…
· Andre D. Williams
Read on mcall.com →COLLEGE BUCKNELL 7-4, 4-2 (Patriot) Beat Duquesne 30-20 Mike Cangelosi (Nazareth) Sr. 6-0, 197. Season: 14 carries, 93 yards, 1 TD; 6 catches, 62 yards, TD. DELAWARE 6-3, 6-1 (Atl. 10) Beat Richmond 23-14 Sean Bleiler (Parkland) Sr. 6-0, 220. Season: 66 carries, 333 yards, 2…
· Andre D. Williams
Read on mcall.com →Easton’s defense bailed out its offense with a takeaway, life-sucking performance over the final 14 minutes, leaving Liberty devastated at the final whistle in the PIAA Class 4A sub-regional championship Friday night at Cottingham Stadium. In that time frame, Red Rovers…
· Andre D. Williams
Read on mcall.com →Liberty has yet to hit the panic button in a game this season. There’s that one loss — 21-7 to Easton — but the Hurricanes have demonstrated mettle and perseverance in many tough games, including last week’s dramatic 28-23 win over Wyoming Valley West that set up a rematch with…
· Andre D. Williams
Read on mcall.com →Easton coach Steve Shiffert would rather forget about the 2001 District 11 Championship Game, and hope that his players don’t dwell on the memory too much, either. It’s not easy because Easton carried a 10-0 record into the 4A title game against Bethlehem Catholic and got routed…
· Andre D. Williams
Read on mcall.com →COLLEGE BUCKNELL 6-4, 4-2 (Patriot) Beat Colgate 42-7 Mike Cangelosi (Nazareth) Sr. 6-0, 197. Game: One catch, four yards. Season: 14 carries, 93 yards, TD; six catches, 62 yards, TD. DELAWARE 6-3, 6-1 (Atl. 10) Beat Richmond 23-14 Sean Bleiler (Parkland) Sr. 6-0, 220. Season:…
· Andre D. Williams
Read on mcall.com →An area high school football coach, who showed little mercy when it came to an opponent, was just a fan Saturday afternoon watching the District 11 Class 4A subregional playoff game between Easton and Emmaus at Cottingham Stadium. But former Bethlehem Catholic High coach Bob…
· Andre D. Williams
Read on mcall.com →Finally, after the last of grueling tackle on a Saturday afternoon full of punishing plays, Easton coach Steve Shiffert loosened the grip on his white towel. The fight was over. Easton senior lineman Jarrid Myers made sure of it by powering past Emmaus linemen to sack…
· Andre D. Williams
Read on mcall.com →Liberty’s heart had appeared snatched out after a 7-yard punt had resulted in Wyoming Valley West getting field position at the 22, and scoring with relative ease to take command of a see-saw PIAA Class 4A sub-regional semifinal Saturday night. Then, Liberty’s “Kid Cool”…
· Andre D. Williams
Read on mcall.com →With Easton sporting a 9-0 record and Liberty, Emmaus and District 2’s Wyoming Valley West each 9-1, the PIAA Class 4A sub-regional playoffs would appear to be up for grabs. “Anything can happen,” said Easton coach Steve Shiffert. But Easton losing at Cottingham Stadium may not…
· Andre D. Williams
Read on mcall.com →COLLEGE BUCKNELL 5-4, 3-2 (Patriot) Beat Fordham 21-20 Mike Cangelosi (Nazareth) Sr. 6-0, 197. Game: Two catches, 25 yards, TD. Season: 13 carries, 89 yards, TD; six catches, 62 yards, TD. DELAWARE 6-3, 5-1 (Atl. 10) Lost 20-13 to James Madison Sean Bleiler (Parkland) Sr. 6-0,…
· Andre D. Williams
Read on mcall.com →Liberty junior Andrew Lee did not need an alarm clock to wake him up Saturday morning. Neither did many of his teammates. That’s because the Hurricanes were anxious to play Saturday’s game with Freedom, in which a win would mean the Christmas City championship and berth in the…
· Andre D. Williams
Read on mcall.com →Easton would prefer to have its first-round playoff opponent — either Liberty, Emmaus or District 2’s Delaware Valley — to think that it still has room for improvement. As if 9-0 doesn’t speak volumes. As if winning by an average score of 31-9 the last three weeks doesn’t say…
· Andre D. Williams
Read on mcall.com →Easton is 8-0 and has already clinched the No. 1 spot in the PIAA Class 4A sub-regional playoffs, but the Red Rovers still have as much pressure on them as Emmaus and Liberty have entering the Lehigh Valley Conference’s final weekend. Liberty (8-1, 6-1) and Emmaus (8-1, 6-1)…
· Andre D. Williams
Read on mcall.com →Though he’s just 6-0, 165 pounds, Liberty junior Brendan Van Ackeren is fearless on the football field. In fact, he seemed to go beyond the norm to prove it against the bruising Easton defense last Friday night. He loved it. So did his teammates, who have come to expect nothing…
· Andre D. Williams
Read on mcall.com →COLLEGE BUCKNELL 4-4, 2-2 (Patriot) Beat Holy Cross 42-27 Mike Cangelosi (Nazareth) Sr. 6-0, 197. Season: 13 carries, 89 yards, TD; 4 catches, 37 yards. DELAWARE 6-2, 5-0 (Atl. 10) Lost 34-20 to Navy Sean Bleiler (Parkland) Sr. 6-0, 220. Season: 66 carries, 333 yards, 2 TD; 5…
· Andre D. Williams
Read on mcall.com →After the big showdown against Easton that turned into the big letdown, none of the Liberty players seemed in a rush to leave the chewed-up field at Bethlehem Area School District Stadium Friday night. Not even to attend any Halloween parties or catch a late movie. Eventually,…
· Andre D. Williams
Read on mcall.com →Easton freshman Jarred Holley was a tone-setter, a game-breaker and, for Liberty, a heartbreaker Friday night. In fact, he was all those things and more in just the first four minutes of play at Bethlehem Area School District Stadium. After his big game, which included a 69-yard…
· Andre D. Williams
Read on mcall.com →Liberty and Easton tuned up for the “Battle of the Unbeatens” by smashing their opponents last Friday night. Liberty beat Nazareth 22-0 and Easton rolled over Northampton 45-14. Liberty (8-0, 6-0) did not play its best game, but still proved merciless, holding Nazareth to just…
· Andre D. Williams
Read on mcall.com →COLLEGE BUCKNELL 3-4, 1-2 (Patriot) Lost 40-17 to Lehigh Mike Cangelosi (Nazareth) Sr. 6-0, 197. Game: Three carries, 11 yards. Season: 13 carries, 89 yards, TD; four catches, 37 yards. DELAWARE 6-1, 5-0 (Atl. 10) Beat William & Mary 31-28 Sean Bleiler (Parkland) Sr. 6-0, 220.…
· Andre D. Williams
Read on mcall.com →Easton is the top Class 4A team in the Lehigh Valley Conference and in District 11 until proven otherwise. Seven teams have tried. Seven have failed. Now Liberty (8-0) will try to topple Easton (7-0) when the teams meet at 7 p.m. Friday at Bethlehem Area School District Stadium.…
· Andre D. Williams
Read on mcall.com →Easton only had one smashmouth drive. Most other scoring drives were easy. In fact, just about everything was easy as the Red Rovers turned Northampton’s Homecoming Friday into a disaster. “I don’t have anything to do with that,” Northampton coach Teko Johnson said when asked…
· Andre D. Williams
Read on mcall.com →Emmaus could finish the season 9-1 and not make the PIAA Class 4A sub-regional playoffs. It’s not a joke. It’s just the harsh reality of the new playoff system, which has combined Districts 11, 2 and 4. Just four teams will qualify for the playoffs. Currently, Easton (6-0),…
· Andre D. Williams
Read on mcall.com →COLLEGE BUCKNELL 3-3, 1-1 (Patriot) Lost 14-13 to Lafayette Mike Cangelosi (Nazareth) Sr. 6-0, 197. Game: Three carries, 19 yards; one catch, 24 yards. Season: 10 carries, 69 yards, TD; four catches, 37 yards. DELAWARE 5-1, 4-0 (Atl. 10) Beat Hofstra 20-19 Sean Bleiler…
· Andre D. Williams
Read on mcall.com →Games that resembled Mud Bowls were played throughout the Lehigh Valley Friday night. Dieruff may have enjoyed slopping around more than any other team its 21-7 victory over Whitehall. The Huskies snapped a 15-game losing streak that dated back to Sept. 6 of last year. But the…
· Andre D. Williams
Read on mcall.com →For a team that bashes opponents with nasty defense, nasty weather was to Liberty’s advantage Friday night. The conditions and the Hurricanes’ fierce rush were a nightmare for Northampton in a fumble-plagued Lehigh Valley Conference matchup at Bethlehem Area School District…
· Andre D. Williams
Read on mcall.com →Easton and Liberty are still undefeated in the Lehigh Valley Conference, but will probably have to battle hard tonight to stay that way. And again next week. Then, on Oct. 29, Easton (5-0) and Liberty (6-0) will meet each other at Bethlehem Area School District Stadium, but will…
· Andre D. Williams
Read on mcall.com →Liberty had been outplayed and trailed rival Bethlehem Catholic 10-0 at halftime of their Lehigh Valley Conference matchup Saturday night. But the Hurricanes were not chewed out in the locker room by coach Tim Moncman. That’s the natural assumption. “We didn’t do any yelling or…
· Andre D. Williams
Read on mcall.com →COLLEGE BUCKNELL 3-2, 1-0 (Patriot) Lost 32-25 to Penn (2OT) Mike Cangelosi (Nazareth) Sr. 6-0, 197. Game: seven carries, 50 yards, one touchdown. Season: seven carries, 50 yards, one TD; three catches, 13 yards. DELAWARE 4-1, 3-1 (Atlantic 10) Bye Sean Bleiler (Parkland) Sr.…
· Andre D. Williams
Read on mcall.com →There was nothing flat about the way Liberty played rival Bethlehem Catholic in the second half of a Lehigh Valley Conference game Saturday night. It was more like a dogfight. Runs were hard. Hits were harder. But that was to be expected. After all, the schools are separated by…
· Andre D. Williams
Read on mcall.com →There was nothing flat about the way Liberty played rival Bethlehem Catholic in the second half of a Lehigh Valley Conference game Saturday night. It was more like a dogfight. Runs were hard. Hits were harder. But that was to be expected. After all, the schools are separated by…
· Andre D. Williams
Read on mcall.com →Northampton didn’t use any trick plays. The Konkrete Kids just ran over Freedom. Northampton’s defense didn’t need to stunt or disguise its fronts or coverages. The K-Kids just mercilessly blitzed and bulled forward. It was a theme that has recently become familiar for Freedom,…
· Andre D. Williams
Read on mcall.com →Liberty is now the talk of Bethlehem. That’s what happens when you’re 5-0 and ranked No. 9 in the state in Class 4A by the Harrisburg Patriot-News. The Hurricanes also still have bragging rights because they swept city rivals Freedom and Bethlehem Catholic last season. Until…
· Andre D. Williams
Read on mcall.com →Although Allen started the season 0-4 before beating Nazareth 10-7 Friday night at J. Birney Crum Stadium, the Canaries never lost confidence. “We weren’t stressing,” said Allen coach Kevin Ronalds. “We knew that were were going to get some wins.” Three of the Canaries’ games…
· Andre D. Williams
Read on mcall.com →No more proof is needed. Liberty is for real. The Hurricanes were solid, even merciless at times in a 42-14 pummeling of Central Catholic Friday night at Bethlehem Area School District Stadium. The ‘Canes turned two first-half fumble recoveries into touchdowns and built a 28-0…
· Andre D. Williams
Read on mcall.com →Emmaus and Whitehall are no longer being overlooked by other Lehigh Valley Conference teams. “That’s too bad,” said Emmaus coach Bottiglieri. “We need them to overlook us a little bit.” Neither Emmaus (3-1, 1-1 LVC) nor Whitehall (3-1, 2-0) will get breaks tonight, next week or…
· Andre D. Williams
Read on mcall.com →Lehigh Valley Conference teams have to be on their own Hurricane watch, but it has nothing to do with high winds and heavy rains. “Watch out for Liberty,” Easton coach Steve Shiffert said before Liberty went to Parkland Stadium Friday night and throttled the Trojans defensively…
· Andre D. Williams
Read on mcall.com →Dieruff High senior linebacker Nick Davis has racked up 275 tackles the last three seasons and is on pace for another 100-plus-tackle season. “The kid gets crazy, crazy out there,” said Dieruff coach Keith Brader. “They just can’t stop him. “He is so hard-nosed. He is the best…
· Andre D. Williams
Read on mcall.com →Easton’s highly-touted band figures to rock in the stands as the Red Rovers football team goes after the 700th win in school history against Dieruff at 7 tonight at J. Birney Crum Stadium. It’s big. Maybe, the biggest storyline in the LVC in Week 3, but in an unusual twist, it…
· Andre D. Williams
Read on mcall.com →East Stroudsburg-South may or may not be as good as some LVC teams such as Easton (2-0), Parkland (2-2), Liberty (3-0) or Freedom (3-0). However, the Cavaliers may never know. It would be nice to find out on the field, but that can only happen in the PIAA Class 4A sub-regional…
· Andre D. Williams
Read on mcall.com →Potential thrillers lie in wait as Lehigh Valley Conference play opens tonight. Who will be surprise winners? Well, the LVC is so balanced that most games tonight and Saturday could be decided late. Who’s feeling the pressure? It’s heaviest for Bethlehem Catholic (0-2), Allen…
· Andre D. Williams
Read on mcall.com →His teammates did not carry him off the field. The fans did not chant his name. But it was clearly evident what Liberty junior Andrew Lee’s play on both sides of the ball meant to the Hurricanes against Allen Friday night at Bethlehem Area School District Stadium. And the…
· Andre D. Williams
Read on mcall.com →North Penn, the defending PIAA Class 4A champion, and Mount Carmel, a Class 2A powerhouse with five PIAA titles since 1994, will both be playing in the Lehigh Valley Saturday night. Whether that’s good news or bad for the Lehigh Valley Conference teams they are playing remains…
· Andre D. Williams
Read on mcall.com →Must-win games will begin the second week of the season for Lehigh Valley Conference teams after they lose their season-openers. That’s because of the PIAA’s new sub-regional playoff format that has combined District 11 with District 2 and District 4 teams in a chase to secure…
· Andre D. Williams
Read on mcall.com →Nobody threw up or fainted at Easton High. Nobody took lunch break and decided not to return for the afternoon practice. Most of the 108 players on the practice field were in good shape and brought good attitudes as far as coach Steve Shiffert was concerned as the high school…
· Andre D. Williams
Read on mcall.com →Pennsylvania ValleyDawgs vice president Sam Unera held the USBL Championship trophy high in the air and let the summer breeze smack up against it as he rode down the busiest streets from South Whitehall Township to Easton in a Chrysler PT Cruiser convertible Tuesday evening. A…
· Andre D. Williams
Read on mcall.com →The Pennsylvania ValleyDawgs have the United States Basketball League title again. Now they are in search of bandwagon jumpers in the Lehigh Valley. But they don’t plan on waiting until next season to find them. On Monday, less than 24 hours after beating the Brooklyn Kings for…
· Andre D. Williams
Read on mcall.com →Joe Crispin perked up and had the type of second-half shooting performance that brought a huge smile across the face of Pennsylvania ValleyDawgs general manager and vice president Sam Unera. Crispin had a season-high 35 points, including 28 in the second half of the ‘Dawgs’…
· Andre D. Williams
Read on mcall.com →The “missing link” has finally joined the Pennsylvania ValleyDawgs. That’s what ‘Dawgs coach Darryl Dawkins calls Darrin Hancock, a 6-7 forward who played one season at Kansas and has 133 NBA games on his resume. Also on his bio is the USBL title he won last year with Dodge…
· Andre D. Williams
Read on mcall.com →Pennsylvania ValleyDawgs guard Quincy Wadley’s life away from the hardwood has been far from the perfect story over the last year. Death and other heavy adversities have rocked his world, but Wadley keep finding ways to persevere. On the court, he has enjoyed his share of happy…
· Andre D. Williams
Read on mcall.com →Pennsylvania ValleyDawgs coach Darryl Dawkins did not want to hear any complaints from his players about feeling wobbly legged Saturday night. It would have been understandable since the team did not return to the Lehigh Valley from a five-game road trip in the Midwest until 1…
· Andre D. Williams
Read on mcall.com →The Pennsylvania ValleyDawgs have been known for shuffling the roster like a deck of cards in the United States Basketball League. They’ve done that this spring, but appear to be finally done. “I think we have enough talent,” team owner John Walson said. The ‘Dawgs actually may…
· Andre D. Williams
Read on mcall.com →Something about that attempt, his third and final at 6 feet, 6 inches, fueled Parkland sophomore Jon Carelli to accomplish a personal-best Tuesday at J. Birney Crum Stadium. Carelli cleared 6-6 to win the high jump event in the Lehigh Valley Conference track & field…
· Andre D. Williams
Read on mcall.com →Easton High track and field coach Frank Messa looked down at a piece of paper crammed with times, distances, and lots of names Thursday night and uttered the words a college student would say this time of year. “I feel like I’m studying for a math exam,” Messa said. He wasn’t…
· Andre D. Williams
Read on mcall.com →The Pennsylvania ValleyDawgs’ attendance figures have not improved with their move from Stabler Arena to Liberty High’s Memorial Gymnasium this spring. But the Dawgs’ operating budget has decreased (from last year’s $300,000 to $250,000) largely because of the move, team owner…
· Andre D. Williams
Read on mcall.com →Darryl Dawkins played 14 years in the NBA and never recalled an official puffing out his chest and barking during a heated dispute, “I ain’t scared of you.” No NBA player ever approached Dawkins in that manner. “No, not like that,” said Dawkins, who has been coach of the…
· Andre D. Williams
Read on mcall.com →Blowing out the field and breaking school records would not have been as special to Northern Lehigh senior Bob Sutjak had his team not won the meets. The success of the team means more to Sutjak than his personal triumphs. Lately, he’s been able to enjoy both. Last Thursday in a…
· Andre D. Williams
Read on mcall.com →Everything about the way Pennsylvania ValleyDawgs guard Tim Winn played the game Thursday night was considered too erratic to his coach in France, who had asked Winn to walk the ball up the court rather than run and try to create something. “I don’t think he could do it if you…
· Andre D. Williams
Read on mcall.com →Antonio Meeking looked like an NFL defensive lineman visiting the Pennsylvania ValleyDawgs’ practice Tuesday at Lehigh Carbon Community College. But team vice president and general manager Sam Unera painted a more intimidating picture of the 6-8, 265-pound Meeking, who has…
· Andre D. Williams
Read on mcall.com →Darryl Dawkins now has 101 coaching victories with the Pennsylvania ValleyDawgs. His wardrobe is still very stylish as he proved Sunday night by wearing a yellow suit. And not a dirt spot was seen on it following the Dawgs’ 115-108 victory over the Brooklyn Kings at Liberty…
· Andre D. Williams
Read on mcall.com →A 1,600-meter relay race that appeared dim after one lap turned into a success story for the Southern Lehigh boys Saturday at the Penn Relays at Franklin Field. That’s because junior Mike Snowden rallied the Spartans from near last place into third with a solid second leg.…
· Andre D. Williams
Read on mcall.com →The great Wilt Chamberlain and the famous Harlem Globetrotters once dazzled crowds at Liberty High’s Memorial Gymnasium. Former Philadelphia 76ers center Darryl Dawkins hopes to do the same today, but he’ll have to rely on his Pennsylvania ValleyDawgs players. The ‘Dawgs will…
· Andre D. Williams
Read on mcall.com →Artie Owens made sure he did his offseason conditioning work when he was with the San Diego Chargers in the late 1970s and 80s, but he also made sure he scheduled his vacation time around the Penn Relays in Philadelphia. Owens had been a football and track and field star at…
· Andre D. Williams
Read on mcall.com →Heaven received a prayer from the Pennsylvania ValleyDawgs Tuesday night that may forever go unanswered. The prayer is that Saint Joseph’s guard Jameer Nelson goes from his postseason sweep of all the major national player of the year awards to wearing a ValleyDawgs uniform in…
· Andre D. Williams
Read on mcall.com →Saint Joseph’s had just been staggered by Texas Tech, falling behind 21-12 and forcing Hawks coach Phil Martelli to call a timeout. The Hawks were in dangerous territory Saturday night in their second-round NCAA Tournament game at the HSBC Arena. They had gone stale from the…
· Andre D. Williams
Read on mcall.com →No more questions. Not from Billy Packer or any other CBS analyst about whether Saint Joseph’s deserved to be a No. 1 seed in the NCAA Tournament. The Hawks validated their selection with a disruptive defense and an offense led by guards Jameer Nelson, Delonte West and Pat…
· Andre D. Williams
Read on mcall.com →Pat Carroll has dreamed about being open from 3-point range and hitting the game-winning shot for Saint Joseph’s in the NCAA Tournament. “That’s the ultimate dream in everyone’s head, if you’ve played in the tournament,” Carroll said Friday. Opportunity could knock for him when…
· Andre D. Williams
Read on mcall.com →Saint Joseph’s guard Jameer Nelson was like a winter storm that quickly cripples a city. He opened with a flurry, outscoring Liberty 9-1 by himself over the first three minutes. And he continued to overwhelm the Flames, leaving little doubt as to who the best point guard in the…
· Andre D. Williams
Read on mcall.com →When Jameer Nelson was starring at Chester High, his mailbox didn’t fill up with scholarship offers until after his junior year. By that time, Saint Joseph’s coach Phil Martelli had offered Nelson a full ride to the tiny Jesuit school on Hawk Hill. Later, Kentucky, USC,…
· Andre D. Williams
Read on mcall.com →At Liberty University, they talk a lot about religion, love, good sportsmanship, and all things good. That’s to be expected since Rev. Jerry Falwell is the founder and chancellor of school in Lynchburg, Va. In addition, Liberty coach Randy Dunton graduated from Baptist Bible…
· Andre D. Williams
Read on mcall.com →Kentucky, Duke and Stanford were put on the NCAA Tournament board as No. 1 seeds first. Before the fourth went up, cheers erupted at Saint Joseph’s Alumni Memorial Fieldhouse Sunday. The fans, the players, and coach Phil Martelli just believed that the last No. 1 seed named…
· Andre D. Williams
Read on mcall.com →Pennsylvania ValleyDawgs management is busy doing what it does each March — watching the NCAA Tournament and getting serious about a new United States Basketball League season. The season, which begins in April, will bring a change of homes for the Dawgs. They will play each of…
· Andre D. Williams
Read on mcall.com →American University advanced to its third straight Patriot League Tournament championship game with a victory 65-55 over Colgate on Sunday. But the Eagles would have felt cheated had Lehigh not also won. That’s because the Eagles’ two regular-season losses to Lehigh remain sore…
· Andre D. Williams
Read on mcall.com →Danny Hinds was one of the many Drexel players disappointed with Saturday’s 76-64 loss at Delaware, which prevented the Dragons from clinching first place in the Colonial Athletic Conference. But Hinds, a 6-6 junior forward from Central Catholic, also knows how to look past the…
· Andre D. Williams
Read on mcall.com →Temple assistant coach Mark Macon and college basketball analyst Digger Phelps, a former coach at Notre Dame, both need to get up to speed with what Saint Joseph’s has done this season. That would help keep both from putting their feet in their mouths as the No. 2-ranked Hawks…
· Andre D. Williams
Read on mcall.com →Mercy rules do not exist in college basketball. That suited DeSales University women’s coach Fred Richter just fine against Delaware Valley Tuesday at Billera Hall in Center Valley. Richter, who is bidding for his sixth NCAA appearance with the Bulldogs, paced the sidelines and…
· Andre D. Williams
Read on mcall.com →Lafayette College coach Fran O’Hanlon couldn’t have been more correct Saturday when he said, “We haven’t won anything yet.” O’Hanlon was responding to Holy Cross coach Ralph Willard’s statement that he had picked Lafayette to win the Patriot League title. Lafayette (18-5) beat…
· Andre D. Williams
Read on mcall.com →Lafayette College’s bid for a 14-0 regular-season record in the Patriot League ended with the Leopards’ 85-77 loss to Colgate on Friday in Hamilton, N.Y. But the the Leopards’ hope to win the league’s regular-season and tournament titles remains alive. Even if Lafayette coach…
· Andre D. Williams
Read on mcall.com →Andrew Koefer was no star at Allentown Central Catholic and may never experience more than a few minutes playing time in college. But he will not complain. In fact, he believes that he is living out a dream as a freshman walk-on at No. 3-ranked Saint Joseph’s. His dream world,…
· Andre D. Williams
Read on mcall.com →There are arenas that are great because of their style, seating capacity, or crowd noise. Lafayette College’s Kirby Sports Center is not exactly a state-of-the-art facility. It lacks the pizzazz of other venues because of its lack of theater-type seating and has a seating…
· Andre D. Williams
Read on mcall.com →Lehigh University now has a fun-and-gun offense, led by guards Austen Rowland and Jose Olivero, that is entertaining and producing winning results. Maybe it’s a taste of what’s to come in future years under Billy Taylor, the second-year coach who now sports a 25-18 record after…
· Andre D. Williams
Read on mcall.com →The season-ending game for Bethlehem bragging rights had been circled on the schedules of Freedom and Liberty since August. But only Liberty seemed ready for the challenge when the two rivals met in a Lehigh Valley Conference Northampton Division matchup before a spirited crowd…
· Andre D. Williams
Read on mcall.com →For the fifth straight year, Easton and Bethlehem Catholic will meet in a meaningful game. But it’s more meaningful for Easton. The Red Rovers (7-1, 4-0) can clinch the Lehigh Valley Conference Northampton Division title outright and the No. 1 spot and homefield advantage in the…
· Andre D. Williams
Read on mcall.com →Bethlehem Catholic is still alive and making a strong run at qualifying for the District 11 Class 4A playoffs for the sixth straight year. Parkland is just hours away from proving it is the best team holding residence on Cedar Crest Boulevard, and the Trojans (6-2) visit Emmaus…
· Andre D. Williams
Read on mcall.com →The wake-up call Easton apparently needed came on Sept. 26 when the Red Rovers were smashed 40-20 by Altoona at Cottingham Stadium. It was the Red Rovers’ first loss and it was devastating. Gone, along with Easton’s aura of invincibility, was the No. 1 ranking in The Morning…
· Andre D. Williams
Read on mcall.com →With its offensive creativity and the execution to match it and a defense that placed a stranglehold on Liberty in the second half, Northampton proved Friday night that it really is a program on the rise. Maybe, even a team headed to the District 11 Class 4A playoffs for the…
· Andre D. Williams
Read on mcall.com →Compelling questions about Freedom (5-1) and Easton (4-1) will be answered when they meet in a Lehigh Valley Conference Northampton Division game at 7 tonight at Bethlehem Area School District Stadium. Who’s tougher? Who can run the ball better? And, of course, who’s No. 1? With…
· Andre D. Williams
Read on mcall.com →For Liberty, reversing a trend of always losing to city rival Bethlehem Catholic over the last 19 years came down to making one final defensive stand on fourth-and-four with 21 seconds remaining Friday night. A stop on fourth-and-four before hobbled Liberty defensive star Barry…
· Andre D. Williams
Read on mcall.com →Opportunity to beat an elite team knocks for Liberty when the Hurricanes play Bethlehem Catholic at 7 tonight at Bethlehem Area School District Stadium. “It knocks too many times,” said Liberty coach Tim Moncman, which isn’t exactly a joke considering that the Hurricanes (3-2)…
· Andre D. Williams
Read on mcall.com →Easton was expected to be a top contender for the Lehigh Valley Conference title and a top District 11 Class 4A playoff spot. Emmaus and Northampton did not have the same expectations, but all three teams enter the fifth week of the season with stronger possibilities for…
· Andre D. Williams
Read on mcall.com →A year ago, Bethlehem Catholic and Parkland played two games that were like the Super Bowls of Lehigh Valley football. Bethlehem Catholic won the first meeting, 29-28 in overtime. Parkland prevailed in the second game, 14-11 to win the District 11 Class 4A title en route to…
· Andre D. Williams
Read on mcall.com →One more chance. “This is my fourth year,” said Central Catholic High senior quarterback Josh Hinkle. “I’ve got to get one.” Just one victory over Bethlehem Catholic, the arch rival that has bombarded Central Catholic by a 126-31 margin in their last three meetings. Hinkle has…
· Andre D. Williams
Read on mcall.com →Parkland and Liberty linemen tangled at the line of scrimmage, both trying to plow over the other. Only Parkland succeeded. Liberty was missing key players, but the lopsided final margin still might not have mattered had the Hurricanes been at full strength. That’s because…
· Andre D. Williams
Read on mcall.com →Liberty High survived last week, beating Pleasant Valley 35-28 in double overtime. Now comes a bigger team, a bigger task. Parkland’s visit to Bethlehem Area School District Stadium to play Liberty at 7 p.m. Saturday will be the Hurricanes’ biggest home game in years. Parkland…
· Andre D. Williams
Read on mcall.com →The stadium lights will be turned on and the blocking, tackling, passing, punishing and juking between the lines will commence throughout the Lehigh Valley this weekend as the high school football season kicks off. Lehigh Valley Conference powers Parkland, Bethlehem Catholic and…
· Andre D. Williams
Read on mcall.com →So much for the Gold team all-stars’ speed and the hope of it being unleashed in a mighty way. The Red team all-stars, led by a defensive backs that blanketed wideouts and defensive linemen that created havoc, dampened the aspirations of fans looking for a shootout in the 33rd…
· Andre D. Williams
Read on mcall.com →In the next four weeks league, district and state champions will be crowned in track and field. May is designed for that. April is supposed to be about building speed, strength, distance and mental toughness. Unfortunately, April was also a misleading month for far too many area…
· Andre D. Williams
Read on mcall.com →The race developed faster than any other the Liberty 1,600 relay had competed in this spring. It got faster and faster. But most races in the Penn Relays are like that. The Liberty coaches had preached that to their runners, but sophomore Stacey Haas had to experience it for…
· Andre D. Williams
Read on mcall.com →Chilly and windy weather conditions hardly bothered Emmaus batters and pitchers Wednesday afternoon in Lower Macungie. Emmaus was efficient in both departments in beating Liberty 13-6 in a Lehigh Valley Conference game that bolstered the Green Hornets’ confidence. They had lost…
· Andre D. Williams
Read on mcall.com →Two defending PIAA Class 3A track and field champions, Beth Crocus of Freedom and Liberty’s Lauren Birckhead, will head the list of local athletes who will compete in the 109th Penn Relays today at Franklin Field in Philadelphia. An intriguing question is: Will both try to peak…
· Andre D. Williams
Read on mcall.com →Bethlehem Catholic sprinters stampeded the grass field, perhaps awakening the dead the faster they ran, and passed the baton from hand-to-hand at Wednesday’s practice. Odd as it seemed, practice was at Memorial Park Cemetery, located across the street from the high school. “This…
· Andre D. Williams
Read on mcall.com →Who’s back? Who’s fast? Who’s faster? Who’s stronger and hungrier? Every spring those are the No. 1 questions in track and field. Nothing has changed, except the weather has been absolutely horrible, making it difficult for sprinters and field performers to train like normal.…
· Andre D. Williams
Read on mcall.com →Bethlehem Catholic-Parkland II now appears to be only a week away. At least that’s what most people outside the Easton and Freedom programs believe. “It’s high school football,” said Easton coach Steve Shiffert. “Anything can happen. You never know how they will react.” So hold…
· Andre D. Williams
Read on mcall.com →He has been nicknamed Boomer Jr. since birth. “I was a real big baby,” said Bethlehem Catholic junior Fred Rice. “I was almost 13 pounds when I was born, so they just called me Boomer.” The nickname fits him perfectly on the field where Rice is a star fullback and linebacker,…
· Andre D. Williams
Read on mcall.com →Their mark in school history was cemented before they even stepped onto the field Saturday at Bethlehem Area School District Stadium. They had already earned the first-ever District 11 Class 4A playoff berth for Freedom. But there’s a more important mark still to be accomplished…
· Andre D. Williams
Read on mcall.com →Allen, Easton or Freedom will have their District 11 Class 4A football playoff hopes spoiled this weekend. Delivering the boot could be Dieruff, Parkland or Liberty. Could there be a more interesting climax to the final week of the first Lehigh Valley Conference regular season?…
· Andre D. Williams
Read on mcall.com →Great Scott. Parkland tailback Austin Scott didn’t allow the rain, muddy field, or the Freedom defense to slow him Friday night at Parkland Stadium. His cuts to the left were sharp. So were his dashes right and up the middle. Getting a hand on him seemed tough the way Trojans…
· Andre D. Williams
Read on mcall.com →No team in the first-year Lehigh Valley Conference has suffered as much heartbreak with no time left on the clock as Freedom. But the Patriots have become mentally tougher after losing 25-24 to Dieruff on a Brian School 20-yard field-goal on Sept. 20, and 22-21 to Easton on a…
· Andre D. Williams
Read on mcall.com →And Rob Hauke scored. And again. And again. And the Central Catholic tailback scored four more times, the last on a 60-yard punt return in the fourth quarter, for the final exclamation mark in the Vikings’ 49-0 nonleague victory over host Crestwood of District 2 Saturday…
· Andre D. Williams
Read on mcall.com →With its crunching tackles, the Parkland defense seemed to break the spirit of Liberty about as much as Trojans tailback Austin Scott’s elusive running did Friday night in Orefield. But it was only the same devastating double-dose that the Trojans have used to beat every…
· Andre D. Williams
Read on mcall.com →Dieruff and Liberty are playing “Survivor” this weekend, both going against powerhouse Lehigh Valley Conference teams that are among the best in the state. The chances both have of qualifying for the District 11 Class 4A playoffs may depend on the outcome of Liberty’s visit to…
· Andre D. Williams
Read on mcall.com →It might have seemed like Easton had brought a bulldozer to Bethlehem Area School District Stadium the way it was plowing up and down the field Sunday afternoon. But the Red Rovers were simply using an overpowering rushing attack to punish the Liberty defense, paving the way to…
· Andre D. Williams
Read on mcall.com →The Easton Red Rovers are going on a shopping spree at Bethlehem Area School District Stadium for the second week in a row when they play the Liberty Hurricanes in a Lehigh Valley Conference matchup at 7 tonight. And the thing the Red Rovers (3-2, 3-1) will be looking for most…
· Andre D. Williams
Read on mcall.com →All that counts to Parkland High senior Nick Pinchek is that he’s happy and the Trojans are winning. Never mind the fact that Pinchek won’t come anywhere close to the 1,321 yards he rushed for last season as the Trojans’ featured tailback. Never mind that he was moved to…
· Andre D. Williams
Read on mcall.com →And now the Lehigh Valley Conference race thickens. No more easy games, at least on paper. Though powerhouse Bethlehem Catholic and Austin Scott-led Parkland appear headed for Dream Match II in the District 11 Class 4A playoffs, Allen, Freedom and Liberty each have a 4-1 overall…
· Andre D. Williams
Read on mcall.com →The Liberty defense was being attacked by air and surrendered a first down to Dieruff on fourth-and-11 with less than two minutes to go at Bethlehem Area School District Stadium. Pop, pop, another first down for Dieruff. But junior defensive back Jeremy Kittek intercepted…
· Andre D. Williams
Read on mcall.com →Last week, the Allentown public schools had Bethlehem’s number on the football field. In one game, Dieruff rallied from a 14-point fourth-quarter deficit to edge Freedom, 25-24 on a Brian Scholl 20-yard field goal with time expiring at J. Birney Crum Stadium. In Bethlehem, Allen…
· Andre D. Williams
Read on mcall.com →Bethlehem Catholic quarterback Adam Bednarik notices the passing statistics of all the area’s other top quarterbacks. He was impressed by Friday night’s air shows of 258 yards yards by Allen’s Michael Bernhard against Liberty and the 269 yards Dieruff’s Richard Ocelus torched…
· Andre D. Williams
Read on mcall.com →Allen quarterback Michael Bernhard might have become eligible for a free flight at nearby Lehigh Valley International Airport, if such a thing existed, because of the passing yardage he piled up against Liberty in a 28-6 Canaries victory Friday night. He was that on-target in…
· Andre D. Williams
Read on mcall.com →The Liberty Hurricanes know they’re not facing a cupcake in the Allen Canaries, who visit Liberty for a Lehigh Valley Conference game tonight at 7. But the Hurricanes aren’t buckling at the knees. They want to prove their mettle against a good team. “As long as everybody plays…
· Andre D. Williams
Read on mcall.com →The swagger is still there, though the players who figure to be leading the Bethlehem Catholic charge are different. The speed is also there, maybe more so than in the past. Look out for a junior named Brandon Carter. There is a new team leader, senior quarterback Adam Bednarik,…
· Andre D. Williams
Read on mcall.com →They are all back together in competition, old rivals, longtime friends, fans who want to engage in rah-rah chants, and coaches who want to outfox other coaches by any means possible. Most of them have been separated for four calender school years, leaving Allen deprived of a…
· Andre D. Williams
Read on mcall.com →The post-Bethlehem Catholic High football careers of Eddie Scipio and Pat Bedics have become more challenging and enjoyable since they arrived here on July 1. They’re in town to practice with the Pennsylvania All-Stars in preparation for the Big 33 Football Classic at 7 p.m.…
· Andre D. Williams
Read on mcall.com →Bethlehem Catholic’s Maurice Simmons boasted about what he did Friday night at the school prom. “I danced all night,” the Golden Hawks junior sprinter said. So did his teammate, junior Frank Trovato. “I had a good time,” Trovato said. In some ways, they rewarded themselves early…
· Andre D. Williams
Read on mcall.com →Bethlehem Catholic pole vaulter Neil Schwab thought he was going to get an energy boost from a power bar he ate during competition in the Class 2A portion of the event in the PIAA Track and Field Championships Friday at Shippensburg University. Instead, the junior got sick to…
· Andre D. Williams
Read on mcall.com →Athletes in The Morning Call’s circulation area from District 11 and District 3 who have legitimate shots of winning medals in the PIAA Track and Field Championships at Shippensburg University today and Saturday probably spent most of Thursday reflecting on what they need to do…
· Andre D. Williams
Read on mcall.com →They made winning their races look as easy as blowing out candles on a cake. Congratulations, however, for these District 11 track and field champions, were awarded in other ways. First, with the cheers of parents, coaches, teammates, and of course, admiring fans. Then with…
· Andre D. Williams
Read on mcall.com →The gold medal seemed as if it might melt in Liberty senior Eric Eggleston’s hand, the way he kept looking at it, caressing it. For the last two years, he had left the District 11 Class 3A Track and Field Championships with a silver medal in the triple jump. All that changed…
· Andre D. Williams
Read on mcall.com →Now it’s time to run faster, throw further, and jump higher as the District 11 Class 3A and 2A track and field championships draw closer. “You don’t need much to motivate the kids now,” said Easton coach Frank Messa. Indeed, they now must “just do it.’ Even those who have been…
· Andre D. Williams
Read on mcall.com →The answer to the most intriguing question of the scholastic track and field season, “Who has been dedicated enough to win a state title,” will be revealed over the next two weeks. For now, most people in District 11 know that Freedom junior Beth Crocus has a serious shot at…
· Andre D. Williams
Read on mcall.com →A freak pre-race injury left one of the area’s top girl sprinters bruised in the face and woozy despite about a 10-minute period to recover. Danielle Lattimore of Easton was nowhere near her blazing self in the girls 400-meter finals in Wednesday’s Mountain Valley Conference…
· Andre D. Williams
Read on mcall.com →Parkland senior Erin Cadden could not wait to exchange her track cleats for dancing shoes Tuesday following the Mountain Valley Conference track and field championships at Bethlehem Area School District Stadium. The anxiety seemed reasonable, considering that Cadden had…
· Andre D. Williams
Read on mcall.com →He is the idol of so many kids in the South Side of Bethlehem. They want to go to Liberty High and become standout athletes just like him. He is a product of the Bethlehem Saints, the youth program where he gained his early football stripes as a small, but fast and elusive…
· Andre D. Williams
Read on mcall.com →Not enough people around District 11 probably know about the speed of Parkland sophomore Steve Stern and Lehighton senior Katie Grant. Start paying attention. Stern and Grant legitimized their claims as two of the area’s top sprinters with victories in the 100-, 200- and…
· Andre D. Williams
Read on mcall.com →Outside of the Franklin Field stadium where a record-crowd of 50,827 cheered, clapped and waved Jamaican and American flags on Saturday, Lehigh University’s Patrick Dugan and Lafayette College’s Ethan Blose captured a piece of Penn Relays glory in the javelin event. Dugan’s…
· Andre D. Williams
Read on mcall.com →Crossing the finish line first is something Easton junior Danielle Lattimore has gotten used to this spring. She has, after all, smoked just about every other top female sprinter in District 11. Nothing changed Tuesday at Parkland High, even though windy conditions prevented…
· Andre D. Williams
Read on mcall.com →While others are posting times in sprint and distance events that are impressive, none of them has what Easton High senior D.J. Williams has going for himself. Williams, unlike the rest, was a District 11 and PIAA track and field title contender in the long jump before the…
· Andre D. Williams
Read on mcall.com →Welcome back, Ray Herman. Freedom High, good choice. A legend is back at the head of a track and field program three years after being disloyally treated at Easton, the program he built into a PIAA power over his 31 years there. “I’m just as excited as when I was 25,” Herman…
· Andre D. Williams
Read on mcall.com →Around this time of the football season, some high school coaches warn their players not to say the wrong things, to be careful not to just speak their minds and fuel the rage in their opponents. Not so at Bethlehem Catholic, where shrewd coach Bob Stem has his Golden Hawks…
· Andre D. Williams
Read on mcall.com →The wait to gain over 200 yards rushing is now over for Kutztown senior tailback Yorel Prosser. Maybe, after spending time soaking in a jacuzzi or just simply resting, Prosser can look back gleefully on the 244 yards he gained on 29 carries in Kutztown’s 20-18 victory over…
· Andre D. Williams
Read on mcall.com →It’s the game of the week in the Mountain Valley Conference, Nazareth at Easton in a crossover matchup at Cottingham Stadium, a game featuring two teams that play defense exceptionally well and rely on their rushing attacks to lead their offenses. Nazareth has pummeled its first…
· Andre D. Williams
Read on mcall.com →New Parkland head football coach Rob Melosky turned to the immaculate building over the hills from the practice field 13 days ago, raised his arms and the enthusiasm in his voice rose. He has the job, the facilities, the program that the other Mountain Valley Conference teams…
· Andre D. Williams
Read on mcall.com →Central Catholic seniors Daniel Hinds and Andrew Guman handled the ending with poise — not celebrating too much — just walking off the court slowly following the Vikings’ 59-41 victory over Blue Mountain in a District 11 Class 3A quarterfinal Friday at Dieruff High. Whitehall…
· Andre D. Williams
Read on mcall.com →Playing with a sizeable lead is something Liberty has not adjusted to just yet. It did not cost Liberty Tuesday night, but the Hurricanes’ 52-44 victory was aided by an Easton team that went through too many cold stretches in a meeting of Mountain Valley Conference teams at…
· Andre D. Williams
Read on mcall.com →It’s a score that continues to be talked about because it was an upset last year that halted Parkland’s undefeated season and continued Easton’s postseason run. Easton 7, Parkland 6. “It was the toughest night I ever played in my life,” said Easton senior defensive lineman Larry…
· Andre D. Williams
Read on mcall.com →Tim Massaquoi made Michigan his college choice before the high school football season kicked off, ending speculation over which Big Ten program he’d choose and allowing him to concentrate on scoring touchdowns for Parkland this season. But in nonleague games against Emmaus and…
· Andre D. Williams
Read on mcall.com →One play remained in the first half, which is exactly the way Freedom coach Rob Melosky would later say he wanted it. It was about slamming the door on rival Liberty. And the way Freedom did it was with the quarterback dropping back, rolling to his left and throwing to an open…
· Andre D. Williams
Read on mcall.com →Matt Loebsack has been looking for The Look all week, and the Easton High quarterback said it’s almost the same look of desire and eagerness his teammates had the last time they played Parkland. ‘It’s not quite as much, but it’s starting to come around,’ Loebsack said Wednesday…
· Andre D. Williams
Read on mcall.com →Control the hype. That’s what Freedom coach Rob Melosky has tried to do all week, but too much is on the line to be cool. Too much can be gained, and possibly too much lost when Freedom (6-1) travels to Orefield to play Parkland (6-1) in a Mountain Valley Conference matchup for…
· Andre D. Williams
Read on mcall.com →His movement in the pocket is swifter, his throws crisper, his ability to read defensive coverages even better, but the thing that has East Stroudsburg quarterback Jim Terwilliger gloating most is in the Cavaliers’ 4-2 record. Six weeks into last season East Stroudsburg was 0-6…
· Andre D. Williams
Read on mcall.com →His team was nursing an eight-point lead over rival Whitehall with just 2:51 remaining last Oct. 9. Parkland kicker Greg Knauss was summoned by coach Rich Sniscak to attempt a 47-yard field goal. Make it and victory in the Mountain Valley Conference football game that had…
· Andre D. Williams
Read on mcall.com →He pulled on an off-tackle running play and kept raging through the hole, boiling with anticipation as he neared a seemingly helpless defender. Smack! Just like that, Parkland High senior John Gray “pancaked a linebacker,” Trojans coach Rich Sniscak said, remembering the…
· Andre D. Williams
Read on mcall.com →‘You can always dream,” said Nazreth coach Whitey Williams, answering whether he was ready to win a state title with the Blue Eagles. But why not? Nazareth is 4-0, having used its defense to beat the snot out of its last two opponents both shutouts. And now the Blue Eagles head…
· Andre D. Williams
Read on mcall.com →Whitey Williams, the first-year Nazareth football coach, believed junior Mike Cangelosi had the talent to play quarterback just by looking at him. ‘He has that sparkle in his eye,” Williams said. A look that says ‘He is a competitor,” Williams said, ‘And he has great character.…
· Andre D. Williams
Read on mcall.com →Have you heard the rumbling sound around Liberty High School? It’s the football team stampeding. Have you noticed the two wins and zero losses? That’s the result of playing up to potential. Do you believe Liberty is really that good? It will be time to find out when the…
· Andre D. Williams
Read on mcall.com →A season thought to be lost for Easton High running back YaYah McGurn may not be lost after all. It all depends on whether McGurn can stay drug- and alcohol-free, something the star running back, who gained 1,002 yards last season, has admitted he’s had trouble doing in the…
· Andre D. Williams
Read on mcall.com →Johnny Santiago has run the ball one way since he began playing competitive football for the Bethlehem Saints at age 6. ‘When I get the ball I look for the hole,” said Santiago, a senior tailback at Freedom. ‘I just want to run through (the defender ), right through his back.…
· Andre D. Williams
Read on mcall.com →Eugene Newsome discovered his love of football by playing tackle football at a young age on gravel in Stroudsburg. “I had a lot of scrapes on my knees,” Newsome said. But he continued playing and enjoyed every crunching play. “I just love to hit,” Newsome said. “A lot of people…
· Andre D. Williams
Read on mcall.com →Palmerton High’s Jeff Dobias is the area’s best long distance runner, and he probably could have won the both the 1,600- and 3,200-meter runs in Wednesday’s District 11 Class 2A Track and Field Championships in Pottsville. Dobias, a senior, decided to run just the 3,200,…
· Andre D. Williams
Read on mcall.com →Bangor Memorial Park, they love you. They love your spongy track surface and well-manicured grass field. They love your environment — a clean stadium, clean bathrooms, nice concession stands. And, most of all, Mountain Valley Conference track and field athletes and coaches have…
· Andre D. Williams
Read on mcall.com →Every year, Emmaus or Parkland — many times both teams — seem to have a swimmer that’s All-Water, that is someone able to swim many events extremely well. This high school swim season it’s Parkland junior Chris Johnson, a key member on the Trojans’ 200 and 400-yard relay’s that…
· Andre D. Williams
Read on mcall.com →