The Saucon Valley Panthers will be ready to travel to Southern Lehigh and take the field for the first time this season.
Here we go Saucon Valley, the wait is almost over. Your Friday night, high school football-fix is near! Coach Sams and his ‘ballers are about to travel crosstown to Southern Lehigh for their 2018 Colonial League season opener. Kickoff is scheduled for 7 p.m.
The Spartans were 10-2 last season losing 35-17 to undefeated Colonial League champion Palisades and 34-17 to the Whitehall Zephyrs in the District XI 5A Final. Saucon Valley last fell to Bethlehem Catholic in the District XI 4A championship game. In 2017, the Spartans survived a 31-28 see-saw-shootout against our Panthers who ended last season with a 7-5 record. Southern Lehigh did take a hit to graduation, but they do return all-star quarterback Logan Edmund who accounted for over 2,100 yards of offense and 28 touchdowns last year. He is as good as they get.
What a fantastic opponent with whom to kickoff the 2018 season!
Things Worth Watching:
Saucon Valley Panthers
When the Panthers have the ball…..
Expect to see a base 4-3 defense from Southern Lehigh. They will likely mix-up their coverages, but don’t be surprised to see them leaning on “Cover-0” where the Spartans play man-to-man on all of the Panther receivers and crowd the line of scrimmage with seven or eight defensive bodies. Southern Lehigh will likely sell-out and and try to overwhelm the Panthers with suffocating pressure. The Spartans look like they like to “fire” their middle linebacker up the middle on blitzes. They also like to attack by bring outside linebackers off the edge. Pressure defense comes with risk and hopefully the Panther running backs can “pop” the pressure and squirt through to the end zone.
The Panthers, of course, no matter what scheme the Spartans utilize, will try and establish their running game. Senior Ian Csicsek (#28) leads a capable stable of Saucon Valley running-backs. Joining Csicsek are seniors Curtis Clifford (#38), Justin Kyra (#22) and Christian “Mongo” Alling (#33). Csicsek averaged almost eight yards per carry last season, but all of these ball carriers can get the job done.
Getting the job done is a little bit easier when your team has a returning offensive line with experience. Three seniors including Tim “Boss Hog” Weaver, Aidan Redding and Jared Harka are all back for the Panthers. Junior Evan Deily was in the rotation last season and is more than familiar with the Friday night lights. Sophomore David Osman is a returning starter and is certainly solid as a sophomore.
The 2018 Hogs: Week 1
- Left Tackle: #77 Sr. Tim Weaver 6’5″, 285
- Left Guard: #61 Sr. Jared Harka 5’9″, 210
- Center: #60 So. David Osman 6’0″, 225
- Right Guard: #65 Jr. Evan Deily 5’11”, 225
- Right Tackle: #73 Sr. Aidan Redding 6’3″, 290
When the Panthers put the ball in the air, it is going to be freshman Dante Mahaffey. Mahaffey and senior C.J.Stump have been competing for the job since the offseason. The Panther staff likes the poise and athleticism that Mahaffey brings to the field. If the Panthers find themselves in a hole, then don’t be surprised to see the more experienced senior take the field.
Whether Stump gets the nod, or the staff sticks with Mahaffey, the favorite target for the Panther quarterback very well may be Patrick Morrissey (#80). At 6’2″, 215 Morrissey, a senior, is a sizable receiver with good hands. Morrissey averaged 19-yards per catch last season. In addition to Morrissey; Ryan Holub (#13), Reily Hudak (#21) and Dane Csencsits (#32) have been making plays for the Panthers.
2018 Panther Play-Makers
- QB: #12 Fr. Dante Mahaffey or #16 Sr. C.J. Stump
- RB: #22 Sr. Justin Kyra
- RB: #27 Sr. Kelvin Gallard
- RB: #28 Sr. Ian Csicsek
- RB: #32 Jr. Dane Csencsits
- RB: #33 Sr. Christian “Mongo” Alling
- RB: #38 Sr. Curtis Clifford
- WR: #6 Sr. Justin Clements
- WR: #11 Fr. Ty Csencsits
- WR: #13 Sr. Ryan Holub
- WR: #18 Fr. Eternal (E.T.) Aris
- WR: #21 Sr. Reily Hudak
- TE: #80 Sr. Patrick Morrissey
When the Spartans have the ball…..
Southern Lehigh Spartans
Southern Lehigh will likely run a spread “pistol” offense that operates from the shotgun. They run this scheme as well as anybody and have a very good quarterback at the controls.
Southern Lehigh will be led by senior quarterback Logan Edmond (#15). Edmond stands 6’0″, 185 and has contributed over 4,000 yards of total offense to the Spartans. Edmond, so far, has a hand in 48 Spartan touchdowns throughout his career. He is seriously dual-threat and perhaps does his best work when he is in scramble-mode. Coach Sams commented, “We need to get a pass rush and stay in our lanes against Edmond. He is very shifty and smart behind center.” With the system that Southern Lehigh runs it appears as their game-plan is to put the the ball and the decision-making in Edmond’s hands.
The Spartans have some personnel questions of their own to address to start this season. Athletic tough-guy and team leader Mike Sisselberger, who averaged 10-yards per carry as a fullback, graduated to attend Lehigh University as a face-off expert for the Mountain Hawk lacrosse team. Speedster, Luke Strauss who rushed for over 1,200 yards last season and scored 21 touchdowns has also graduated. Strauss has moved on to play football at Franklin & Marshall. Wide-receiver Elijah Price is another Spartan playmaker who has graduated. Price now suits up for the Moravian Greyhounds but was good for 37 receptions and 12 TD’s a season ago. Price averaged 18-yard per catch.
Filling some of the void for the Spartans could be Alex Knecht (#22). He stands at 5’10”, 180 and will likely be, aside from Edmond, the featured ball carrier for the Spartans. Jake Fauzio (#25) has also received a little preseason attention and could carry the rock for the Spartans as well. Fauzio, a sophomore, is listed at 5’11”, 180.
Seniors Dalton Musselman (#21) and Quinn Schmidt (#11) appear as though they will be at the receiving end on most of Edmond’s throws. Musselman is a speedster who stands 5’9″, 160 while Schmidt is listed at 6’2″, 200. Both look to help pick up the offensive play-making slack.
As if the season opener isn’t enough to create an electrifying high school football atmosphere, the rivalry of two quality teams invested in the pursuit of a Colonial League championship will ramp the emotions of this game into a frenzy. It will be an energized, playoff setting on a splendid August night. Two rival schools will be center-stage and battling with a whole lot at stake.The Panthers certainly have their work cut out for them, but the high school football environment doesn’t get better than this!
- Friday’s Fabulous Football Forecast!:
- Clear and 77 at kickoff. Clear skies with light winds. Overnight low of 59.
Good luck Panthers, the Source is with you!
