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.
E ast S troudsburg University coach Jeff Wilson didn’t have expectations four years ago that Andy Heimbach would provide highlight-reel dunks. Heimbach, a graduate of Central Catholic, is not that type of player. But he is a shooter, the best in East Stroudsburg’s history from…
· 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 →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 →Three games, three carries, 14 yards. That was the extent of Austin Scott’s brief and disappointing experience with the Cleveland Browns in the 2008 preseason, a far cry from what happened nearly every time he touched the ball six years earlier. And for Scott, his ex-coaches Rob…
· Andre D. Williams
Read on mcall.com →Three games, three carries, 14 yards. That was the extent of Austin Scott’s brief and disappointing experience with the Cleveland Browns in the 2008 preseason, a far cry from what happened nearly every time he touched the ball six years earlier. And for Scott, his ex-coaches Rob…
· Andre D. Williams
Read on mcall.com →Steve Shiffert is a retired teacher, who has no plans of retiring soon as Easton’s football coach. He still enjoys teaching and building, and of course, winning. Easton went 13-2 this season, twice beating Nazareth and Parkland. A share of the Lehigh Valley Conference title and…
· 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 →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 →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 →Shawn Martell, the son of an established local college football coach, began his inevitable climb up the coaching ranks when he was hired as the wide receivers coach at Nazareth last year. The 24-year-old Martell, a 2002 Morning Call all-area wide receiver from Bethlehem…
· 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 →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 →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 ran left, then reversed field, cut inside, sidestepped a defender, dashed right and kept on running. That was one dazzling run. Many more followed in a memorable 19-carry, 367-yard performance in the Patriots’ 34-14 homecoming win over…
· 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 →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 →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 →It was 1 yard and no more. But it was “no mas.” A stop by Northampton’s Aaron Chamberlain on a fourth-and-3 with the help of other gang-tacklers, was the game-saving play of the 39th annual McDonald’s Lehigh Valley Football Classic Thursday night. Only 10 points had been scored…
· Andre D. Williams
Read on mcall.com →Kyle Pochek and Matt Stengel became stepbrothers when they were 6 years old. Helped by a mutual interest in football, bonding became easy. They competed on the same teams through high school at Southern Lehigh, and tonight they’ll compete as all-stars on the Lehigh, Carbon and…
· 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 →Top-seeded Emmaus unleashed shots on goal fast, building a 6-0 lead before the concession stand had even opened up Wednesday at J. Birney Crum Stadium. The Green Hornets stayed on strong attack, led by Dan Kinek and Will Scott, to bombard Easton 15-4 in a District 11 boys…
· 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 →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 →The Muhlenberg College women achieved Centennial Conference perfection. It wasn’t easy. Deadlocked 65-65 with Ursinus in the final seconds last Saturday, freshman guard Alexandra Chili drilled a 3-pointer that lifted the Mules to a 68-65 road win and became the first team to go…
· Andre D. Williams
Read on mcall.com →Women’s college basketball is at its all-time best in the Lehigh Valley this winter and Bethlehem Mayor John Callahan hopes his city will bank on Lehigh’s success. The Patriot League women’s basketball tournament, hosted by Lehigh, is March 7-8 at Stabler Arena, and will be…
· Andre D. Williams
Read on mcall.com →DeSales and Muhlenberg took breaks away from conference play to compete against each other in a non-league game Monday night in Center Valley. But it was no breather for either team. It was a physical, heart-stopping game that wasn’t decided until the final 10 seconds. DeSales’…
· Andre D. Williams
Read on mcall.com →February essentially is the nitty-gritty time of the college basketball season. Every game carries significantly more magnitude than the previous one. Every win enhances NCAA Tournament aspirations and top seeding possibilities for teams who are nationally ranked, including the…
· 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 →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 →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 →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 →Juliene Simpson has returned as the East Stroudsburg women’s coach after taking a year off for personal reasons and the veteran coach has two local players also back who could help make for a good season. Jackie Yandrisevits, a 5-foot-9 senior forward from Nazareth and DeAnna…
· 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 →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 →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 →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 →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 →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 →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 →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 →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 →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 →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 →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 →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 →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 →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 →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 →Unperturbed by the wind that whipped across the field, Wilson senior Adam Eckhart raced the runway with confidence and posted the top mark in the Class 2A triple jump at the PIAA Track and Field Championships on Friday at Shippensburg University. With the gold medal already…
· Andre D. Williams
Read on mcall.com →The two-day PIAA Track and Field Championships begins at Shippensburg University this morning with one major question for District 11. Can it get any better for the district than in 2003, when Bethlehem Catholic won the Class 2A team title, becoming the first school in the…
· 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 →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 →One of the most gratifying 11-day spans in Rob Melosky’s life was capped off Tuesday when he was introduced as Nazareth’s new head football coach. Austin Scott, the greatest football player Melosky has ever coached, had rape charges against him dropped on April 18, and the…
· 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 →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 →Channon Easley may have been overlooked by Division I college basketball recruiters. But four years into his career at D-II East Stroudsburg, Easley is not complaining. His coach, Jeff Wilson, is thrilled to have worked with the agile, 6-8 forward, who has proved himself to be…
· 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 →Darrell Roth quit the Muhlenberg College football team following his freshman year, determined to earn a spot on the Mules’ varsity basketball team. It didn’t immediately happen. Instead, the former Nazareth High two-sport athlete played on the Mules’ junior varsity team as a…
· Andre D. Williams
Read on mcall.com →East Stroudsburg junior guard Jackie Yandrisevits displayed everything expected of an all-around player Wednesday night. Her jumpers and free throws were good, her rebounding and defense relentless, and her passing sensational. But Moravian coach Mary Beth Spirk still had a…
· Andre D. Williams
Read on mcall.com →There’s nothing better than a point guard who thrives on setting up his teammates for baskets instead of trying to fill up the scorebook with his own points. DeSales senior guard Eddie Ohlson is just 5-8 but he’s the Bulldogs’ most valuable player because of his passing skills…
· 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 →Hike the football quickly, Parkland wideout Jaleel Clark is matched up one-on-one with a defensive back. Throw it deep, and Clark promises to make something good happen. “I’m mostly going to win because I have moves to make on them,” Clark said. At 6-4, he also has the height to…
· 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 →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 →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 →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 →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 →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 →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 →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 →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 →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 →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 →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 →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 →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 →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 →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 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 →What happened last December at Hersheypark Stadium is still fresh in the mind of Wilson’s Adam Thomas and Sean Monahan. Chris LaBatch, their teammate, also still has great memories of the Warriors’ 29-28 win over Jeannette that earned the school its first PIAA Class 2A title.…
· 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 →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 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 →Seniors Joe Kovacs of Bethlehem Catholic and Andy Fahringer of Whitehall have had as much attention paid to them in the throwing events as sprinters, the usual glamor grabbers, have had heeped on them this spring. It’s been hard not to pay attention to good pals Kovacs and…
· 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 →Moravian College men’s coach Jim Walker has long been a part of the 300 club. “You mean 300 wins or 300 losses,” Walker said with a laugh. “I think I might be in both,” he added. Walker is 366-326 in 28 seasons, all but one of which has been at Moravian. He went 15-10 in his…
· Andre D. Williams
Read on mcall.com →Ron Rohn is winning at a faster rate than any past Muhlenberg coaches, and sometime next season, he’ll be the school’s all-time winningest coach. It took Tammy Smith, now coaching at Lafayette, seven seasons to win 113 games at Muhlenberg. Smith also lost 68 games during her…
· 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 →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 →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 →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 →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 →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 →Easton’s Chris Casciole and Gary Fish are two tough players. That’s something typically said of Red Rover players over the years, but these two have exemplified it beyond the norm. Nothing has been easy. Entering preseason, neither had a starting position locked up on the Red…
· 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 →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 →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 →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 →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 →Nobody from Nazareth wants to dwell on the last game of the season, a 13-3 loss to Nor-Gwyn on Friday night. There are too many good memories from the 28-game season. There’s the Northampton County title it won for the second straight summer, an accomplishment that followed a…
· Andre D. Williams
Read on mcall.com →Don’t put too much stock in the theory that walking on a scorching summer day is good for you. Nazaerth’s first two pitchers walked nine Southern Area batters through the first four innings Thursday at Owls Field at Ted Palka Park. But Southern Area scored only three runs and…
· Andre D. Williams
Read on mcall.com →Nazareth pitcher Ronald Manning walked dejectedly off the mound, his hat pulled down and his jersey drenched. “I’m tired,” Manning later said. For four innings, he had been brilliant, using his fastball and off-speed pitches to stymie Boyertown batters in a Pennsylvania American…
· Andre D. Williams
Read on mcall.com →Nazareth pitcher Ronald Manning walked dejectedly off the mound, his hat pulled down and his jersey drenched. “I’m tired,” Manning later said. For four innings, he had been brilliant, using his fastball and off-speed pitches to stymie Boyertown batters in a Pennsylvania American…
· Andre D. Williams
Read on mcall.com →Where’s the eraser? North Parkland needs it before taking to Owls Field at Ted Palka Park this morning. Two Buffaloes pitchers were battered for seven runs in the top of the ninth inning Tuesday morning, enabling perennial powerhouse Boyertown to hammer out a 13-3 victory in the…
· Andre D. Williams
Read on mcall.com →Where’s the eraser? North Parkland needs it before taking to Owls Field at Ted Palka Park this morning. Two Buffaloes pitchers were battered for seven runs in the top of the ninth inning Tuesday morning, enabling perennial powerhouse Boyertown to hammer out a 13-3 victory in the…
· Andre D. Williams
Read on mcall.com →Amy Heffner ignited the Parkland girls rally from an eight-point deficit with steals, deft passes and the type of all-around hustle that could help her get on the radar screen of Division I scouts. Her Trojans teammate, Erin Anthony, has already received D-I offers, and the 6-0…
· Andre D. Williams
Read on mcall.com →Finally, after a mostly frustrating game of overthrown passes, Whitehall quarterback Mike Gnall settled down. Less than a minute remained. Game tied, first-and-10 with 43 yards to go for a touchdown Thursday night at Nazareth’s Andy S. Leh Stadium. Pressure? Not for Gnall, who…
· Andre D. Williams
Read on mcall.com →Finally, after a mostly frustrating game of overthrown passes, Whitehall quarterback Mike Gnall settled down. Less than a minute remained. Game tied, first-and-10 with 43 yards to go for a touchdown Thursday night at Nazareth’s Andy S. Leh Stadium. Pressure? Not for Gnall, who…
· 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 →Joe Kovacs will never win 12 district gold medals, which is what his mother, Joanna Rampulla, a standout thrower for Nazareth High in the late 1970s, did. But two weeks from now, the Bethlehem Catholic junior has a solid chance to accomplish something his mother never did. And…
· 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 →In a weekend dominated by high-scoring performances, not to be overshadowed is the accomplishment of a man who didn’t take one shot. And it probably suited Fred Richter, the DeSales University women’s coach, just fine watching freshman LeighAnn Burke tie a school record with 37…
· 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 →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 →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 →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 →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 →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 →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 →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 →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 →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 →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 →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 →Screen passes, draws, inside handoffs and trap plays were in the playbooks of both all-star teams in the 35th annual McDonald’s Lehigh Valley Football Classic Thursday night. They were just not called much in a wide-open game that featured 742 yards of offense and 75 points at…
· Andre D. Williams
Read on mcall.com →Big Keith Weaver has never been asked to return kickoffs during a game. But the Palisades two-way lineman got his chance to try it during a light practice Tuesday at Nazareth’s Andrew S. Leh Stadium. “Hey, Keith stay back there and receive the kickoff,” Northampton Gold team…
· 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 →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 →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 →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 →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 →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 →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 →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 →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 →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 →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 →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 →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 →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 →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 →In the review of the second week of high school football games, much was observed. The main observation is that all seems well at Parkland, Phillipsburg, Pennridge and Northern Lehigh. Those teams are considered the area’s top heavyweights along with Easton, which was idle. Each…
· 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 →Bethlehem Catholic, Easton and Parkland have had their runs of dominance in the previous two years of the Lehigh Valley Conference. Now, Central Catholic hopes to make its own run. The Vikings, who have gone 10-12 under coach Donnie Roberts the last two seasons, begin their…
· 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 →It was the type of game meant for playmakers to show off, either on offense or defense Thursday night in Nazareth. Then, maybe enjoy a Big Mac and french fries for a postgame meal with a milkshake or apple pie for dessert. It was, after all, the McDonald’s Lehigh Valley All-Star…
· Andre D. Williams
Read on mcall.com →Don’t expect Easton coach Steve Shiffert to be all fired up for the McDonald’s Lehigh Valley All-Star Football Classic tonight at Nazareth High. The fund-raising game for the Ronald McDonald’s charities just won’t seem the seem as Easton playing against Parkland or Bethlehem…
· Andre D. Williams
Read on mcall.com →Central Catholic coach Donnie Roberts may be one of the luckiest coaches in the history of the McDonald’s Lehigh Valley All-Star Football Classic. He has a quarterback for every situation. If you like pass-happy offenses, which Roberts does, he has quarterbacks who can…
· Andre D. Williams
Read on mcall.com →Bethlehem Catholic tailback Fred Rice never cared about being chased down by faster defensive backs or linebackers, because they still had to take him down once they caught up to him. He also never worried much about who was in front of him, because he’s nicknamed “Boomer” for a…
· 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 →Marcus Millen’s right wrist wouldn’t stop throbbing after he made a second-quarter tackle against Nazareth Oct. 3. But the Easton standout and son of former NFL star Matt Millen stayed in the game and continued to make plays. After the game, he found out his wrist was broken. “I…
· 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 →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 →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 →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 →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 →Phillipsburg High tailback Leonard Brice waited too late to get serious in the classroom, and that cost him a chance of earning a Division I scholarship. Fortunately, Brice still has a chance to achieve his goal. He just has to go to Hutchinson Junior College in Kansas before…
· 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 →Following the third straight year that the McDonald’s Lehigh Valley Football Classic has been postponed because of inclement weather, Bethlehem Catholic coach Chuck Sonon recalled a fitting joke he heard on a New York City sports radio station. “What do you call the day after…
· Andre D. Williams
Read on mcall.com →Like all the players in the McDonald’s Football Classic, Bethlehem Catholic quarterback Adam Bednarik will wear his school’s helmet for the final time at 7 tonight at Nazareth High. It just won’t be the same Golden Hawks helmet he wore during the season, the one that was loaded…
· Andre D. Williams
Read on mcall.com →He was in the middle of a game with Emmaus High when his helmet clamped down awkwardly, resulting in a nasty gash on his face. “It was painful,” said Parkland High senior Nick Pinchek. But Pinchek finished the game and continued to play through the discomfort of the gash until…
· Andre D. Williams
Read on mcall.com →As he prepared to try to vault to a personal-best height, Catasauqua junior Allan Fatzinger paid no attention to the deceptively positive omens that appeared. There was a rainbow to his left and the sun had just broken through the clouds on his right. But Fatzinger focused only…
· 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 →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 →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 →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 →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 →Freedom High linemen delivered hard, gruesome pancakes to Nazareth in the season-opener Friday night at Bethlehem Area School District Stadium. Many of the pancakes, namely crushing blocks by Mike Zagorski, Josh Kelly & Co., led to gaping holes that Freedom’s backs kept finding…
· 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 →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 →A handful of the top athletes in District 11 have realistic shots at winning PIAA track and field gold medals. To actually accomplish the task, an athlete must first check any case of bad nerves at the front gate of Seth Grove Stadium at Shippensburg University over Memorial Day…
· Andre D. Williams
Read on mcall.com →Easton senior tailback Sean Burgio is entering another Thanksgiving Day with his dinner plans on hold. But he’s not all that concerned with keeping his grandparents on his mother’s side in limbo, because they live in Phillipsburg, which is Easton’s annual Turkey Day football…
· Andre D. Williams
Read on mcall.com →Dust blew off the ripped-up grass field and over the hills as the sun began to set near the close of a businesslike Easton High football practice Thursday evening. There was no smacking of the helmets, no banging up against each other as the Red Rover players jogged off the…
· 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 →Having been blanketed, had its rushing game stymied, and even been socked around a little bit, Easton regrouped at halftime and stomped Parkland on both sides of the ball in the second half Friday night. It was nothing new because Easton has made a habit of wrecking opponents in…
· Andre D. Williams
Read on mcall.com →Discussions of football and war have been persistent at the house of East Stroudsburg University coach Denny Douds. Especially this week. America is striking back for the terrorists attacks of Sept. 11 and Douds and his coaching staff are preparing the Warriors for a key…
· Andre D. Williams
Read on mcall.com →Dionne Jones wanted to score just as much as Freedom, only her one point put her into the Nazareth record books. As for Freedom, scoring one touchdown was far from enough in a Mountain Valley Conference crossover game that Nazareth dominated en route to a 28-7 victory Friday…
· 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 →“Beca, Beca, Beca.” The words have become so draining that it’s gotten to the point where all the Parkland players want to do is … well, let them speak for themselves. “I think we may try and strike fear into them right away, show them that we’re coming out to play and that we…
· 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 →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 →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 →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 →A Northampton-Nazareth high school football game Friday night that had featured a razzle-dazzle pass play and two long runs was postponed until 7 tonight because of lightning. ‘We don’t have this problem in basketball,” said Mike Schneider, athletic director of host Northampton.…
· Andre D. Williams
Read on mcall.com →It was the final drill of Parkland High’s exhausting varsity morning football practice, and many of the players were running half-speed. That had head coach Rich Sniscak disgruntled. ‘We’re 45 minutes over schedule, so I know you won’t make it because you’re mentally weak,”…
· 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 →