Recently we discussed four East Penn Conference squads with interesting storylines to follow this fall. Today we look at some of the Colonial League teams to follow this football season.<\/p>\n
NORTHWESTERN<\/strong><\/span> Most of those same players who pulled off that monumental win against the Rough Riders have returned, and very few people who have seen them so far this year have been anywhere close to disappointed by their performance in this young season.<\/p>\n Individually, they have some amazingly talented players littering the roster. Among them are Cam Richardson (2 TDs against Bangor), Frank D\u2019Angello (3-6 passing for 52 yards and a touchdown), Dylan Snyder (interception returned for a touchdown) and Harry Hall (also scored two touchdowns vs. Slaters).<\/p>\n The biggest general comment about the entire squad is the overall team speed. It\u2019s going to be hard for any team to play a \u2018shoot-out\u2019 game with them, but former sports writer Bruce Buratti made a great observation on last week\u2019s \u201cRCN SportsTalk\u201d show. Bruce pointed out that the weather conditions on a grass surface might be the only thing to stand in their way of winning a 2A District Championship. If the Tigers have to play a quality opponent in a rain-soaked game on a muddy surface, it might be their greatest weakness. But even then you\u2019re talking about a number of \u201cwhat ifs\u201d that would have to happen, and it seems pretty clear after two impressive showings so far this year, that the Tigers are in great shape to win one\u2014if not two\u2014titles this fall.<\/p>\n SOUTHERN LEHIGH<\/strong><\/span> (\u201cWhat was that?\u201d shouts the Becahi contingent. \u201cWhat about the Golden Hawks?\u201d)<\/p>\n Yes, I am aware the Spartans are in the same classification as Bethlehem Catholic\u2014a team I recently predicted would go undefeated during their EPC schedule. And I am fully aware that, because of the new league alignments, the Hawks will probably hold the number-one seed and have home field advantage through districts. I also realized that the Spartans are without their star defensive player, and one of the area\u2019s top middle linebackers from a year ago. But I was very impressed by quarterback Travis Edmond\u2019s ability to run the offense and to pass the ball last season. They also return key players on the D-line and in the secondary, and I think the new players will be able to improve and gain experience as the year goes on (a huge test will be October 10th when they face Northwestern). I was also impressed by the way Solehi hung with the Hawks last year, after falling behind 14-0 (nearly 21-0) early in the title game and persevered to push the game into overtime. They\u2019ve been scrimmaging against larger schools and their kids have an idea of what it takes to be successful on bigger stages and with higher stakes. On paper Becahi is still the best team in the division, but I see no reason why Spartans\u2019 faithful should expect anything less than a district championship in the near future.<\/p>\n SAUCON VALLEY<\/strong><\/span> As for the fourth team to watch\u2026?<\/p>\n Wow. This is a tough one. Coming into this past weekend, I was expecting both Pen Argyl and Notre Dame to bounce back with a \u201cW\u201d and keep themselves right in the middle of the huge conglomerate of solid teams. However, not only did both the Knights and the Crusaders lose a second game last Friday (the season is still young), but a few teams really pushed themselves into the spotlight and have caught people\u2019s attention. Everyone was counting out Catasauqua after they graduated nearly every starting player from a season ago, but the Rough Riders posted an impressive win Friday. Palmerton was a team no one was talking about in August, and now they\u2019re undefeated through two weeks. Both Bangor and Palisades scored an impressive win each, and don\u2019t forget about Northern Lehigh looking very strong in their week one victory. Even some of the teams that are 0-2 have had some good moments. So who is the next best team in the Colonial League this fall? I may have to leave that to you, the reader, and of course, the teams themselves, to figure that out.<\/p>\n
\nA\u00a0friend of mine who covers the Tigers told me in the summer of 2013 that the Northwestern football team had some really good talent, but that they were probably a year away from \u201cmaking some noise\u201d (aka. being considered one of the league\u2019s top teams). He called me back last October and said he underestimated those kids and proclaimed them ready for prime time. Two weeks later they became the only Colonial League team in two years to beat Catasauqua in a regular season match-up.<\/p>\n
\nExcuse me for 10 seconds while I play a few notes on my own horn. A few years ago and despite naysayers, I predicted Southern Lehigh would bounce back from an 0-3 start to win at least seven more games and reach the playoffs\u2014they responded by winning eight games and a playoff contest. Last year on \u201cSportsTalk\u2019s\u201d high school football preview show, I said the Spartans would win at least one championship. I was unanimously told by the experts on that show\u2019s panel that I was wrong\u2014only to see Southern Lehigh get within a half-a-yard of winning TWO titles. This year, I think they have the ability to go one step further. I think Southern Lehigh fans should believe they have a reasonable chance of winning the 3A District Championship.<\/p>\n
\nSome football fans may forget, but Saucon Valley is also coming off a championship season, in which they captured the Eastern Conference Division-3 title. They won their final four games in a 9-3 season last fall, but have to fill the shoes of last year\u2019s Express-Times player of the year — Nick Savant, who rushed for a school record 2-thousand plus yards and 28 touchdowns. There was also some pre-season concern how the teachers\u2019 contract-situation might affect the athletes, which the players have appeared to put behind them. While the Panthers have a number of juniors and seniors on the varsity roster, they didn\u2019t come into the season with a wealth of playing experience\u2014especially on offense. However, first year starting quarterback Zach Thatcher is coming off an ultra-impressive game over Northern Lehigh (8-9 passing for 132 yards and 4 touchdowns, plus 63 yards rushing) and the Panther flat-out dominated the Bulldogs in every aspect last Friday. While the rivalry is not as publicized as an Easton\/P\u2019burg or Liberty\/Freedom battle, there is no love-loss between Saucon and Southern Lehigh. Only one of these two 2-0 teams will remain in first place as they square off against each other Friday (10pm, RCN-TV).<\/p>\n