The Jungle is a welcome sight for the Panthers
Saucon Valley is going to come out firing against the Northern Lehigh Bulldogs Friday night. Not firing in the sense that they’ll be throwing the ball all over the place, but firing as in fired up, intense and playing hard. VERY hard. For as wise as it may be for people like Dr. Phil to advise the Panthers to “let it go” and “move on” from last week’s bitter loss against Northwestern Lehigh, Dr. Pigskin believes that true Panther healing will never take place without acknowledging the defeat in a physical sense. It is unhealthy to simply “dismiss” and “get over” the abrupt, unexpected halt of a 20-game winning streak without stamping that loss with an associated physical action. The suggestion is the Panthers have done well by internalizing all of their frustration for the past week. Friday night at 7 p.m. the Panthers should let it all loose for about two hours and engage in physical activity that will make them feel good. REAL good.
Northern Lehigh, consider this your fair warning. The Panthers are infuriated and sore. It is nothing personal, they just need to get a little something off their chest.
Things Worth Watching:
Saucon Valley Panthers
When the Panthers have the ball…..
Northern Lehigh will probably try and stuff the Panther run by bringing eight players into the “box.” The Bulldogs run a base 4-3 defense but I wouldn’t be surprised to see them run a 6-2 similar to what Northwestern Lehigh used to stuff the Panthers. Of course, the Tigers had the benefit of a sloppy field to help slow down and clog the running lanes. The Bulldogs won’t have much help at all from Mother Nature. It is going to be an absolutely beautiful night for football.
Even with eight Tigers in the box, Zach “Lightning” Petiet (#23) still managed to rush for 158 yards. However, the yardage was spread out over 29 carries. Many of Petiet’s carries were for minimal gain. Look for Petiet to strike for a few long-distance runs. Petiet has rushed 89 times for 611 yards and 12 TDs so far this year. He will likely add impressively to those totals.
Brandon Holub (#12) will no doubt start the game as the angriest of all Panthers. He suffered from a little “Aikman-itis” last week trying to throw a wet football. Uncharacteristically, he completed only 5 of 17 passes and threw two interceptions. Holub may start angry like the rest of the Panthers, but by the end of the night he will be back on track and again smiling. For the season Holub has completed 26 of his 46 pass attempts for 488 yards. He has thrown 7 TDs and three interceptions. Holub has also rushed 39 times for 235 yards. He averages six yards per carry and has four rushing touchdowns. Holub will prove that his last game was trapped in the Twilight Zone.
Hoepfully, we will see junior running back Steven Rose (#34) finally take the field for the Panthers. He had been battling a couple injuries and can surely help the Panthers with his slashing running style. In addition, it will help keep Petiet’s legs a little fresher with an occasional rest.
Don’t think the Hogs aren’t a little enraged either. They are a proud bunch and will also look to physically redeem themselves and get a little satisfaction. Look for a wall of rather large black shirts getting movement and forcing Northern Lehigh backward. It will be a wonderful sight to see the Panthers getting an offensive push against Bulldog defensive front.
When the Bulldogs have the ball…..
Northern Lehigh Bulldogs
Northern Lehigh likes to run toss to the perimeter and also a short toss off tackle. They also like to run dive-option where the QB will fake dive (or give) and then threaten the perimeter to possibly pitch to the tailback. They will also line up in a trips-gun look where it looks like the Bulldogs will throw, but more often than not it ends up being a QB run.
The Bulldogs prefer to keep the ball on the ground, however they seem to be throwing a bit more than usual. Their quarterback Tekoah Guedes (#11) is very capable as a 5’10”, 190 junior. Like Holub, he is of the dual variety. Gueedes has 9 TDs on 532 yards passing and 399 yards rushing. His favorite target is Austin Hemingway (#24). Hemingway measures 5’11”, 180 and is a threat with the ball in his hands. He has 18 receptions for 257 yards and three touchdowns. Hemingway also has an 87 yard kickoff return for a score. He is a playmaker.
The Bulldog running backs are senior Brandon Belfonti (#6) and junior Mason Seiler (#21). They both average about seven yards per carry. Belfonti has found the end zone seven times while Seiler got some action out of the backfield as a receiver. Seiler averages about 20 yards per reception.
Nolehi is not very big up front. Their line is led by senior Jason Schaefer (#68). He is 5’10”, 230 and plays guard and defensive tackle. He, like most of the Bulldogs, plays with great effort.
Northern Lehigh is a good football team. No doubt they are much better than their 2-4 record leads you to believe. They are a hardworking pack who pride themselves on toughness. They will not go down without a fight, but this night they will be in over their heads. The reborn and revived Saucon Valley Panthers will come out to make a statement. They will bounce back in a big way. Saucon will be anxious to play and so ready to reclaim their pride. The Panthers want to get back on track. And they will.
Good luck, Panthers. The Source is with you!
