The Panthers are back on track and will take their show on the road to Northern Lehigh.
The Saucon Valley Panthers will pack their 4-2 record, load it on the bus and head up to Slatington for a Friday night football fight against the 0-6 Northern Lehigh Bulldogs. With temperatures forecast to be in the mid-sixties and the winds calm, it should be another fantastic night to attend a high school football game. So, Panther Nation, why not take the roadtrip and come out to support your Panthers!
Things Worth Watching:
Saucon Valley Panthers
When the Panthers have the ball…..
The Bulldogs mostly run a base 5-2 defense. Sometimes it looks like a 5-3 depending on the offensive formation, but Northern Lehigh will play to stop the run first. The Bulldogs will show a 4-3 to mix it up a little as they try to keep the Panthers a little off balance. “They are not as dynamic as they have been in years past,” noted Coach Sams. “But they are a hard-nosed, hard-playing team who always give us trouble.”
Northern Lehigh looks to have a little size on their side. The biggest Bulldog who jumps out on film is defensive tackle/nose-guard Brandon Dye (#74). Dye is a senior listed at 6’2″, 260 who has light feet for a big guy and plays with a little attitude. Sophomore, Bryce Dye (#67), presumably the little brother, also catches the eye and measures 5’11”, 220.
With or without Panther running back Zach Petiet, Saucon should be able to put a healthy amount of points on the scoreboard. The Panthers are averaging 42 points per game while the Bulldogs give up an average of 40.
Petiet, with his 2,444 career rushing yards and break-away speed, will be a welcome addition to the Panther offense after missing the last game and a half with an injury. If there is “Lightning” in the forecast he will be bringing over seven yards per carry and 10 TD’s to the table. If Petiet is kept out of the lineup, look for junior Ian Csicsek (#28) to get touches. Csicsek had a career night last week in the mercy-rule win over the Northwestern Lehigh Tigers rushing for 151 yards and two scores on only 12 carries. For the season, Csicsek has carried 34 times for 253 yards and 5 touchdowns.
Also leading the push for Panther points will, of course, be dual-threat quarterback Alstan Wolfe (#5). Wolfe, a super-freaky senior, has rushed 69 times for 710 yards and 12 TD’s. He has also thrown for 494 yards and 7 TD’s. Wolfe, like Petiet, is a scoring threat any time he touches the football. And, of course, as a quarterback he will have the ball in his hands just about every play.
When the Bulldogs have the ball…..
Northern Lehigh Bulldogs
Northern Lehigh runs a little old school double tight end, “T” or “Power-I” formation package to see if they can physically pound you. They will also try and spread the defense out with a “trips” or “empty” look. Regardless of what scheme they run, expect to see “Toss”, a shorter off-tackle “power toss” and “zone-read”. They will also run a variety of counter plays where they will fake a run one way, and have the running back or quarterback file in behind the pulling Dye brothers the other way.
In addition, the Bulldogs like to run what looks to be a “triple-option”. The QB will keep (or give) to the fullback and then threaten the perimeter to possibly pitch to the tailback. The quarterback has the progressive option to either handoff to his fullback, pitch to his running back or keep it for himself.
The Bulldog signal-caller is senior Zach Long (#12). He is not very big, but he does make good decisions and runs the option well. His stats are not all that impressive, but if Saucon gets sloppy with their defensive assignments, Long is savvy enough to make the Panthers pay.
The other Bulldog weapons include senior Mason Seiler (#21) and junior Justin Paul (#47). Seiler lines up all over the place and is often the man in motion for the Bulldogs. He is listed at a compact 5’7″, 175 and has carried 51 times for 260 yards and 3 TD’s. Paul is a little bigger at 5’11”, 175 and has rushed 34 times for 259 yards and four touchdowns.
The Bulldogs don’t really pass that much as Long is a meager 6 of 21 for 51 yards. it appears as if they only pass an average of three times per game. When the Bulldogs do pass they have shown they will take a shot down field with a deep vertical route, or they will throw toward the sideline with a little bubble/swing pass. Northern Lehigh averages a lean 16 points per game.
“Northern Lehigh is still Northern Lehigh as far as toss, counter, and option, but they will also spread you out and show a little more variety. Their quarterback loves to keep the ball and is a solid runner,” shared Coach Sams. “They have a lot of toughness up front and will always play hard for all 48 minutes.”
The Bulldogs are well-coached and play with great effort. They may be in a down-cycle as far as depth and talent is concerned, but they will start the game intent on competing. They are a tenacious group who pride themselves on toughness. They will not go down without a fight but are likely in over their heads against Saucon. However, if misfortune chooses to dance with the Panthers for any prolonged period of time and Northern Lehigh can get their fair share of momentum, the Bulldogs will be a much tougher out than expected.
Good luck Panthers, the Source is with you!
