Before we give you insights on an historic, record-setting winter sports season for our network, a reminder that we encourage you to check out the auction items available here:  biddingowl.com/dreamcometrue  (until 8:45 pm Monday night) to help support the annual Dream Come True Telethon, which benefits critically, seriously and terminally ill children in the Lehigh Valley.

Your bids and donations would be most welcome to benefit families within our community.  Please consider bidding on your favorite items (they made great Christmas presents) and tune in to tonight’s telethon, starting at 6pm on ATVN and streaming live.

Now, it’s time to unveil Astound TV’s 2023 – 24 winter high school sports season scheduling plans!

Among our highlights for the winter season we will have:

• more teams and more boys basketball games, AND…
• more girls basketball games than we’ve ever had before, AND…
• more boys wrestling matches than ever before in our network’s history, AND…
• we will have TWO girls/boys wrestling doubleheaders for the first time ever on any Lehigh Valley broadcasting outlet!

Sign up to subscribe and get notified of our free, live high school sports broadcasts by going to: youtube.com/@AstoundTVNetwork

Obviously there will be changes as the season unfolds with snow, winter weather and negative forecasts altering schedules.  Also, as we saw in 2022, the officiating shortage and transportation issues forced schools to make last minute changes to the dates and even normal start times of sports events.

That being said, here’s a look at just SOME of our broadcast plans and planned matchups heading into this winter’s scholastic season.  More games and matches will be added later in the season!  (Make sure you bookmark our website and check back often as changes and additions occur.)

Liberty at Becahi Boys BB (“Live” this Wednesday at 7pm!)

Easton at Nazareth Wrestling (“Live” this Thursday at 7pm!)

Central at Becahi Boys BB (“Live” Friday, 12/8, at 7pm!)

Emmaus at Northampton Boys BB

Nazareth at Emmaus Girls BB

Pen Argyl at Wilson Boys BB

Whitehall at Parkland Boys BB

Allen at Emmaus Boys BB

Emmaus at Northampton Wrestling

Notre Dame at Saucon Valley Boys BB

Dieruff at Liberty Boys BB

Freedom at Easton Boys BB

Saucon Valley at Bangor Boys BB

Catty at Northwestern Boys BB

Northampton at Easton Wrestling

Nazareth at Allen Boys BB

Central at Easton Girls BB

Liberty at Parkland Girls/Boys Wrestling

Parkland at Northampton Boys BB

Allen at Whitehall Boys BB

Northampton at Parkland Girls BB

Nazareth at Northampton Wrestling

Freedom at Becahi Boys BB

Easton at Liberty Boys BB 

Liberty at Easton Girls BB

Pen Argyl at Northwestern Boys BB

Bangor at Nolehi Boys BB

Notre Dame at Becahi Wrestling

Emmaus at Parkland Boys BB

Freedom vs. Liberty Boys BB

Whitehall vs. Northampton Boys BB

Northwestern at Bangor Boys BB

Southern Lehigh at Saucon Valley Boys BB

Freedom at Parkland Girls/Boys Wrestling

Nazareth at Liberty Girls BB

Parkland vs. Central Boys BB

Notre Dame at Saucon Valley Wrestling

Whitehall at Emmaus Wrestling

Central at Parkland Girls BB

…and a lot more!

Don’t forget all regular season and Colonial League playoff events will be streamed for free at youtube.com/@AstoundTVNetwork.

Make sure you subscribe and get notified for our live stream sports broadcasts on YouTube.

And…Astound video customers can watch all sports productions at any time for free through ATVN On-Demand.

The views expressed in this blog are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of Astound Broadband or any other agency, organization, employer or company.

This Friday marks our final high school football broadcast – the PIAA 3A semifinal – between Wyomissing and Northwestern Lehigh HS, live this Friday at 7pm on ATVN.
Should the Tigers move on, Astound video customers can see the championship game on ATVN channel 97, as the Pennsylvania Cable Network will be broadcasting the state final.

The end of the current high school season means it’s time to start our annual trip back through the best plays of this fall’s high school football season as seen on the Astound TV Network this past year.

Check back to “The SportsTalk Shop” for more highlights from the past year over the next several weeks!

And don’t forget … as we get ready for the upcoming winter sports season that all live regular season games will be streamed for free at youtube.com/@AstoundTVNetwork and Astound video customers can watch all sports productions at any time through ATVN On-Demand for up to two months from the initial air date. DVD copies are also available for our sports productions by contacting the ATVN studio.

Enjoy…

Astound Sports: Parkland vs. Nazareth District XI Championship (11/23)

Astound Sports: Emmaus vs. Freedom (11/23)

Astound Sports: Emmaus vs. Parkland (11/23)

Astound Sports: Central Catholic vs. Bangor (11/23)

Astound Sports: Liberty vs. Freedom (10/23)

Astound Sports: Nazareth vs. Northampton (11/23)

The views expressed in this blog are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of Astound Broadband or any other agency, organization, employer or company.

Before we look at the final results of this fall’s EPC and Colonial Leagues high school football polls, a quick reminder that starting next week at “The SportsTalk Shop,” we will start showcasing some of the best football plays of teams inside the ATVN footprint from this past season.

Make sure you bookmark this page and check back over the next several weeks as we post highlights!

Now, here’s a look at our “final” poll results for 2023.

EPC TOP 5

1. Nazareth
2. Parkland
3. Emmaus
4. Bethlehem Catholic
5. Whitehall 

Eligible Teams (in no particular order):

Northampton, Bethlehem Catholic, Easton, Freedom, Liberty, Dieruff, Allen, Allentown Central Catholic, Parkland, Whitehall, Emmaus, and Nazareth.

COMMENTS:  Both Parkland and Nazareth participated in a battle for the ages for last weekend’s District XI 6A championship–a game that truly was disappointing that one team’s season had to come to an end.  Both the Blue Eagles and the Trojans featured two of the best senior classes that I have ever seen in my 20-plus years of calling games.

That being said, both Nazareth and Parkland have an abundance of talent coming back ready to fill some big shoes.  Parkland’s TJ Lawrence may have turned in the most complete performance of any freshman in eastern Pennsylvania. The Blue Eagles, meanwhile, might have the best trio at quarterback, running back and wide receiver going into next year (Peyton Falzone, Marquez Wimberly, Caleb Newsome.)

Emmaus also impressed me how they battled back from a tough 1-3 start to reach the playoffs.  They have a number of good returning players for next season and should be right among those final four teams again next year in the district playoffs.

Bethlehem Catholic pulled off one of the biggest wins of the year by upsetting defending champion Central Catholic in the 4A title game. With the Vassa brothers returning, along with several strong lineman and key defensive players, I would expect them also to be playing deep in November a year from now.

Whitehall also battled back following a bad loss to Becahi week two and played well the rest of the season.  In all probability, the Zephyrs will probably move up and play in the 6A classification next fall, but have the returning talent to be a major player in 2024.

COLONIAL TOP 4

1. Northwestern
2. Southern Lehigh
3. Notre Dame
4. Bangor

Eligible Teams (in no particular order):

Bangor, Pen Argyl, Notre Dame – Green Pond, Wilson, Catasauqua, Salisbury, Saucon Valley, Northwestern, Northern Lehigh and Southern Lehigh.

COMMENTS:  As we mentioned a few weeks ago, when we had Northwestern as our number one team while others had Southern Lehigh, Palmerton or other schools atop their polls, Northwestern has a very special team this year and they’ve proven it with big victory after big victory over very good teams.

They will be just one of two teams from our region to move on into the quarterfinal round of the PIAA playoffs this upcoming weekend.

Bangor once again reached the district semi-finals this fall. Even with the departure of Head Coach Paul Reduzzi, the Slaters looked to be back and remain one of the most competitive teams in the colonial league for 2024.

(We never announce nor release the names of our non-media voters as we randomly select representatives from different school districts each year to get their honest opinions on the local football landscape while avoiding any thoughts of retribution or potential “bulletin board” material.  Our “media voters” usually reveal themselves when we have the pleasure of having them on our weekly SportsTalk program, seen on Thursday nights on the Astound TV Network, is streamed line on YouTube Live and is available to watch at any time for free through ATVN on Demand.)

Be on the lookout for some exciting news concerning our local coverage of upcoming winter sports on ATVN starting next week.

In the meantime, best of luck to our remaining local teams still playing and have a wonderful Thanksgiving holiday!

The views expressed in this blog are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of Astound Broadband or any other agency, organization, employer or company.

EDITOR’S NOTE:   Before we bring you the return of Cameron Nunez to our blog pages for this winter season – with an emphasis on local girls wrestling, a quick reminder that we will have a MAJOR ANNOUNCEMENT regarding the future of ATVN programming.

Tune into Thursday’s “SportsTalk” starting at 7pm on ATVN.  The show will also be streamed live on our YouTube Channel (@AstoundTVNetwork). 

One of the most difficult aspects of being a freshman in college is adjusting to the lifestyle of a college student. As a sophomore in college, I believe this is true, but what I believe is even more difficult is adjusting to this new lifestyle while also being a new student-athlete, particularly as a female wrestler. When I arrived at East Stroudsburg University (ESU), I needed to learn new workout regimens, time management techniques, and eating habits. The largest difference, however, was having to learn a completely new wrestling style. Not only did I go from Folkstyle to Freestyle, but I also had to master the Freestyle scoring system.

Folkstyle was the only style of wrestling I was aware of for the first seventeen years of my life. I didn’t learn about freestyle wrestling until the summer of 2020. Here are some important distinctions I’ve discovered during the last three years.

Women’s Folkstyle ranges from beginner to high school level. In this method, it is more important to try to control your opponent while on top, while your opponent on the bottom is attempting to escape. Locking your hands in specific positions is prohibited in Folkstyle and will result in a point being deducted from your score. It is generally not advisable to throw your opponent, but it is prohibited to suplex, or arch your opponent over your head. 

Another way to lose points in Folkstyle is by passive wrestling, sometimes known as stalling; you get a warning and then lose points after the second call. I believe the largest distinction exists between the various scoring systems/periods for each style. Folkstyle wrestling consists of three two-minute bouts. One point is awarded for an escape, two points for a takedown or reversal, and two to three points for a near fall. Three team points are awarded for a decision (1–7-point difference), four team points for a major decision (8–14-point difference), five team points for a tech fall (15-point difference), and six points for a pin (opponents’ shoulders are flat on the mat).

Meanwhile, women can be seen competing in Freestyle from college to the Olympic level. The main goal of this style is to expose your opponent’s back while remaining on the bottom and avoiding being turned/exposed. Unlike Folkstyle, it is permitted to lock your hands at any point throughout the bout when wrestling freestyle. One cool feature is that you may toss your opponent, whether it’s a simple move like a lateral drop or a complex move like a suplex.  Instead of stalling and giving up points right away, in freestyle, one wrestler is placed on a thirty-second shot clock, and if neither athlete scores any points during that time, the non-shot clock opponent is granted a point, and the other passive wrestler is cautioned.

The scoring system/periods for freestyle are more intricate; you wrestle for two three-minute periods separated by a thirty-second break. You get one point if you push your opponent out of the circle or reverse them. You get two points if you take them down to their elbows or knees. You also get two points for exposing the opponent;s back using techniques like a leg lace.  You get four points if you take down your opponent from their feet to their back. Lastly, you get five points if you throw your opponent using complex moves like a suplex. Even team score differs significantly—for a team score, you score three team points for a decision (1–9 -point difference). There are no major decisions in freestyle; instead, a tech fall is a ten-point differential worth four team points, and a pin is worth five team points. One important team score distinction is that if you score a point at any point during the match, you receive one team point even if you lose the match. I enjoy freestyle wrestling because there is no opportunity for passive wrestling, which makes it more entertaining to watch, and if you are not good on the bottom after fifteen seconds, you are placed back on your feet.

Some not-so-complicated changes for me were that in high school, we normally practiced once a day, with a lift occasionally added. Meanwhile, we train/work out many times every day at ESU. We have a lift in the morning or at night twice a week, followed by a later practice. On other days, we practice in the morning in the room or pool, then practice later in the day. Even if we only have one practice, I will try to get in two or three sessions, whether cardio or lifting. Because I work out several times a day, time management is essential in my life.  Because I just practiced once a day or had matches barely an hour away in high school, I had plenty of time to finish my homework or study. Meanwhile, in college, I'm juggling numerous classes, wrestling, preparing for matches that are at least two hours away, and now clinical hours for my degree. I spend many nights at the library, which is not fun, but you got to do what you need to do. The most significant lesson I learnt was the importance of eating a well-balanced diet. Because many of the matches I wrestled in high school were Madison style, making weight was not a problem. In college, my freshman year, I lost so much weight quickly by eating a balanced diet and working out that I always weighed at least one pound under my weight class. Despite everything, I grew into a better version of myself.

The views expressed in this blog are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of Astound Broadband or any other agency, organization, employer or company.

Before we talk about our next-to-last week of high school football polls on the Astound TV Network, a special programming note for Astound video customers. 

For this Thursday SportsTalk, ATVN lead football analyst Mike Joseph will be our special guest to recap all of last weekend’s high school football playoff games, and provide a preview of this weekend’s District 11 6A and 3A Championships.

Additionally, Mike will provide insights into this weekend’s Lafayette vs. Lehigh game. 

AND…

…we will have a MAJOR announcement concerning our local sports coverage and the future of live broadcasting sports and other specialty programming on ATVN.

Tune in this Thursday LIVE at 7:00 p.m. for all the details! We will also have more insight on this big news and details on how you can watch this Thursday’s show ONLINE… details coming your way right here on our website. 

Check back to “The Shop” next week for the final week of our polls (along with a check on how we did by comparison with our preseason polls) as the playoffs continue and we start to lose our local schools as the games roll on.

Our playoff coverage continues this weekend as we will be bringing you the second round of high school football playoff coverage

On Friday, we’ll have live coverage of the District XI 6A final and a rematch of one of our best regular season games of 2023 as Nazareth looks to avenge a 7-point loss to undefeated Parkland (these two teams have faced off in the district playoffs the last two years as well, with each team winning once).  Also, we will have the annual college battle between Lafayette and Lehigh on Saturday. 

(We were also hoping to bring you coverage of Whitehall, Northwestern and Bethlehem Catholic’s playoff games this Saturday, but because of our contractual obligations with Lafayette and the decision to move all the local games to Friday precludes us from being able to broadcast those schools’ games.)

Now here’s a look at our polls along with our criteria that we use.

This year, we are once again going to break down the two polls into EPC and Colonial League schools, within the Astound TV broadcast area.  With the Colonial teams cross-scheduling and playing teams from the Schuylkill League and the Eastern Pennsylvania Conference playing different “cross-over” teams, our poll will be an interesting barometer for teams in the Lehigh Valley since many local teams will not have the same opponents throughout their schedules.

Below we have high school polls for both leagues in the ATVN viewing area, along with the listing of all of the teams that are included in our respective categories.

EPC TOP 5

1. Parkland
2. Nazareth  
3. Emmaus
4. Bethlehem Catholic
5. Whitehall 

Eligible Teams (in no particular order):

Northampton, Bethlehem Catholic, Easton, Freedom, Liberty, Dieruff, Allen, Allentown Central Catholic, Parkland, Whitehall, Emmaus, and Nazareth.

COLONIAL TOP 4

1. Northwestern
2. Southern Lehigh
3. Notre Dame
4. Bangor

Other schools receiving votes: Catasauqua

Eligible Teams (in no particular order):

Bangor, Pen Argyl, Notre Dame – Green Pond, Wilson, Catasauqua, Salisbury, Saucon Valley, Northwestern, Northern Lehigh and Southern Lehigh.

Be sure to check back to the “upcoming events” section on our website and check it frequently for any changes and for our ongoing broadcast schedule information throughout the postseason.

The views expressed in this blog are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of Astound Broadband or any other agency, organization, employer or company.

Before we look at this week’s high school football polls, a moment to brag just a little bit about the insights that the ATVN pollsters give us each week (again, no, I don’t voice so this isn’t a self-congratulatory mention).

Last week when Northwestern beat Southern Lehigh – quite soundly – many of the other local media had to admit a “shake-up” in their polls or talk about a “major upset” in their Lehigh Valley rankings.

However, the people who rank our poll each week have had Northwestern (not Notre Dame, Southern Lehigh or anybody else) as their number one team in our rankings each week since our pre-season poll way back in mid-August, before the season started.

Not only did our pollsters accurately predict the Tigers and Spartans correctly as our small school “one and two” but they still have the same number three and four teams.

And…for our big schools, four of the five teams they selected back in August are still listed. 

Those people who we are blessed to have participate in our polls (and we do thank them for their time and efforts) should get the recognition they deserve for correctly selecting the top teams in each poll all through the season.

Can they remain as close to perfect as they could possibly be with two weeks left to spare?

Check back next week for the final two weeks of predictions as the playoffs continue and we start to lose our local schools as the games roll on.

Our playoff coverage continues this weekend as we will be bringing you the second round of high school football playoff coverage

On Friday, we’ll have live coverage of the District XI 6A semi-final matchup between Emmaus and Parkland (a rematch of these two teams from two weeks aga in the regular season finale).  Also, we will have the 6A semifinal between Northampton and Nazareth.

Keep checking back to the “SportsTalk Shop” over the next few weeks for highlights of our recent games as seen on the Astound TV Network (video customers can see these games for free through Video-On-Demand for up to two months from the initial airdates!)

Now here’s a look at our polls along with our criteria that we use.

This year, we are once again going to break down the two polls into EPC and Colonial League schools, within the Astound TV broadcast area.  With the Colonial teams cross-scheduling and playing teams from the Schuylkill League and the Eastern Pennsylvania Conference playing different “cross-over” teams, our poll will be an interesting barometer for teams in the Lehigh Valley since many local teams will not have the same opponents throughout their schedules.

Below we have high school polls for both leagues in the ATVN viewing area, along with the listing of all of the teams that are included in our respective categories.

EPC TOP 5

1. Parkland
2. Nazareth
3. Northampton
4. Central Catholic
5. Emmaus

Eligible Teams (in no particular order):

Northampton, Bethlehem Catholic, Easton, Freedom, Liberty, Dieruff, Allen, Allentown Central Catholic, Parkland, Whitehall, Emmaus, and Nazareth.

COLONIAL TOP 4

1. Northwestern
2. Southern Lehigh
3. Notre Dame
4. Bangor

Eligible Teams (in no particular order):

Bangor, Pen Argyl, Notre Dame – Green Pond, Wilson, Catasauqua, Salisbury, Saucon Valley, Northwestern, Northern Lehigh and Southern Lehigh.

Be sure to check back to the “upcoming events” section on our website and check it frequently for any changes and for our ongoing broadcast schedule information throughout the postseason.

The views expressed in this blog are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of Astound Broadband or any other agency, organization, employer or company.

Before we look at this week’s high school football polls, a quick word about a VERY busy (and, historic) week of local sports coverage on the Astound TV Network this week!

As we embark on the high school football postseason, we also will be bringing you district championship coverage in volleyball and soccer.  For the first time on our network, we will be broadcasting the District XI boys AND girls soccer 4A championship games!

Also, we will broadcast for the first time, a District XI girls volleyball championship doubleheader, with back to back coverage of the 3A and 4A title games on Thursday evening (airtimes and the site location will be revealed after this Tuesday’s semifinal games).

Our playoff coverage continues this weekend as we will be bringing you the opening round of high school football playoff coverage, PLUS Lafayette’s first home game in six weeks, on ATVN.  On Friday, we’ll have live coverage of the 6A quarterfinal matchup between Emmaus and Freedom (it was a 6-point win by the Patriots when these two teams played during the regular season).  Also, we will have the 4A semifinal between Bangor and Allentown Central Catholic, which is a rematch from last year’s playoff semi-finals.

Keep checking back to the ATVN website for more information on possible additional sports broadcasts coming up.

Additionally, keep checking back to the “SportsTalk Shop” over the next few weeks for highlights of our recent games as seen on the Astound TV Network (video customers can see these games for free through Video-On-Demand for up to two months from the initial airdates!)

Now here’s a look at our polls along with our criteria that we use.

This year, we are once again going to break down the two polls into EPC and Colonial League schools, within the Astound TV broadcast area.  With the Colonial teams cross-scheduling and playing teams from the Schuylkill League and the Eastern Pennsylvania Conference playing different “cross-over” teams, our poll will be an interesting barometer for teams in the Lehigh Valley since many local teams will not have the same opponents throughout their schedules.

Below we have high school polls for both leagues in the ATVN viewing area, along with the listing of all of the teams that are included in our respective categories.

EPC TOP 5

1. Parkland
2. Nazareth  
3. Central Catholic
4. Northampton
5. Freedom

Eligible Teams (in no particular order):

Northampton, Bethlehem Catholic, Easton, Freedom, Liberty, Dieruff, Allen, Allentown Central Catholic, Parkland, Whitehall, Emmaus, and Nazareth.

COLONIAL TOP 4

1. Northwestern
2. Southern Lehigh
3. Notre Dame
4. Bangor

Eligible Teams (in no particular order):

Bangor, Pen Argyl, Notre Dame – Green Pond, Wilson, Catasauqua, Salisbury, Saucon Valley, Northwestern, Northern Lehigh and Southern Lehigh.

Be sure to check back to the “upcoming events” section here on our website and check it frequently for any changes and for our ongoing broadcast schedule information throughout the postseason.

The views expressed in this blog are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of Astound Broadband or any other agency, organization, employer or company.

Before we look at this week’s high school football polls, here’s a look at recent games seen on ATVN.

Astound Sports: Northwestern Lehigh vs. Northern Lehigh (9/23)

Astound Sports: Parkland vs. Freedom (9/23)

Astound Sports: Nazareth vs. Freedom (9/23)

https://youtu.be/4S5n05jkkP0

Keep checking back to the “SportsTalk Shop” in upcoming weeks for additional highlights of our recent games as seen on the Astound TV Network (video customers can see these games again for free through Video-On-Demand for up to two months from the initial airdates!)

Now here’s a look at our polls along with our criteria that we use.

This year, we are once again going to break down the two polls into EPC and Colonial League schools, within the Astound TV broadcast area.  With the Colonial teams cross-scheduling and playing teams from the Schuylkill League and the Eastern Pennsylvania Conference playing different “cross-over” teams, our poll will be an interesting barometer for teams in the Lehigh Valley since many local teams will not have the same opponents throughout their schedules.

Below we have high school polls for both leagues in the ATVN viewing area, along with the listing of all of the teams that are included in our respective categories.

EPC TOP 5

1. Parkland
2. Nazareth  
3. Northampton
4. Central Catholic
5. Freedom

Eligible Teams (in no particular order):

Northampton, Bethlehem Catholic, Easton, Freedom, Liberty, Dieruff, Allen, Allentown Central Catholic, Parkland, Whitehall, Emmaus, and Nazareth.

COLONIAL TOP 4

1. Northwestern
2. Southern Lehigh
3. Notre Dame
4. Bangor

Eligible Teams (in no particular order):

Bangor, Pen Argyl, Notre Dame – Green Pond, Wilson, Catasauqua, Salisbury, Saucon Valley, Northwestern, Northern Lehigh and Southern Lehigh.

Be sure to check back to the “upcoming events” section here on our website and check it frequently for any changes and for our ongoing broadcast schedule information throughout the upcoming postseason.

The views expressed in this blog are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of Astound Broadband or any other agency, organization, employer or company.

The last couple of years we have been blessed with the opportunity to add some significant talent to the Astound TV Network’s lineup of great on-air talent to both our sports coverage and regular programming staff.

I’m proud to say that our on-air family will continue to grow as we prepare for the upcoming “winter” campaign!

As we get ready for the new season, we wanted to reveal some of our new personalities and roles that you will be seeing on ATVN over the next several months.

First of all, we’d like to welcome in new talents to our annual Dream Come True telethon coming up in a few weeks (be on the lookout to check out this year’s on-line auction items for some great specials/gifts and ways you can help our a great local charity).

Artie Freeman, the host of ATVN’s hottest new show “Cultural Bridges” and also does a great job hosting the “Movie Vault” features and as guest host on “Community Spotlight” on our network, will be joining our telethon on-air team as a co-host.  Artie will be providing great interviews with DCT families to share their stories and let you know how much your donations mean to children who are seriously, chronically and terminally ill.

Lilly Moss Hercik will join our on-air staff officially for this December’s telethon.  She made her debut with the Astound TV Network last winter by performing a live song, but this year the singer/pianist will not only be providing several musical performances on the program but will also join Scott Barr at “Auction Central,” working with Scott to feature the many great auction items we have available.

Aziz Atiyeh joins the ATVN Sports Staff as an announcer for our local soccer and volleyball coverage.  Aziz excelled in three scholastic sports (football, soccer and volleyball) at Whitehall High School and went on to play the latter two sports successfully at Kings College in Wilkes-Barre. Atiyeh brings his experiences with all three sports to the Astound sports family as a commentator.

Dawn CIpolla is one of the most decorated women coaches in the Lehigh Valley over the last ten years, and now she will be commenting on high school sports for ATVN.   Cipolla, who won four District 11 championships and four East Penn Conference titles in her 7 years as head coach at Parkland High School. She also earned several coach of the year and team of the year awards during her tenure with the Trojans.

Also, we are pleased to announce that all of last year’s “newbies” will be returning for this winter sports season:  Cameron Nunez, Adrianna Dias, Jarrett Carnes, and Brittany Thomas will all be back.

Please welcome – and welcome back – our winter on-air team!

The views expressed in this blog are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of Astound Broadband or any other agency, organization, employer or company.

Over the course of the past eight weeks in high school football there have been lots of ups and downs. Some teams have not measured up to pre-season expectations. Other teams have exceeded them. Some teams have been unable to jump start a championship run.

To me it seems that the Eastern Pennsylvania Conference has more parity in the south division than in recent history. But I feel that there is an elephant in the room. It is noticeable that there is one team who continues to shine.

One team that displays an amazing amount of sportsmanship and grit.

In my assessment, modern day high school football players have begun to sensationalize themselves. The mannerisms I see displayed are young men acting as if they are professional or “the main attraction” and it is not the case. This is a team sport which is being galvanized on high school teams. I have noted that some of these young players are displaying behaviors that would not have been tolerated in years past including throwing helmets, cussing on the sideline, arguing with coaches, and even receiving taunting penalties. 

When agreeing to write this blog, I had not envisioned how the season would unfold. I find myself sitting at my desk pondering my observations about a specific team and how they have shown an enormous amount of sportsmanship and discipline since the start of this season. But once I saw it, it became glaring to me. 

The elephant in the room is the Parkland Trojans.

I have watched the integrity of this team during one sided games. They have respect for the opposing players and fans and do not necessarily let off the gas pedal but instead encourage their opponents to keep grinding. I have noticed their sideline to be absolutely organized with every player locked into what was happening on the field and not just spectating.

I don’t want any of my readers to mistake the point that I am making. I am a football guy and I believe that the game should be played with a degree of reckless abandon.

For the benefit of today’s blog, I just want to give the Parkland coaches and the players their flowers for playing the game on a high level. Thank you for having enough respect for the game to emulate sportsmanship and build character on and off the field. Your efforts are noted.

Folks … whenever you can, please take note of this team because they have been the elephant in the room this entire season.

Football is Life! This is the game where young men are taught through adversity to become better versions of themselves.

The views expressed in this blog are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of Astound Broadband or any other agency, organization, employer or company.