With 151 yards on 23 carries, Panther senior Ian Csicsek (#28) led the Panthers to victory.
According to the football community outside of Saucon Valley it wasn’t supposed to happen like this. The distant perceptions were that the Southern Lehigh Spartans led by all-star quarterback Logan Edmond would go about their business and generically defeat their crosstown rival. The Panthers had their recent run of success the past few years, but those successes have slipped to the past along with the graduation of former players like Alstan Wolfe, Zach Petiet and Steven Rose.
Coach Sams and his Saucon Valley football team were supposed to be on the slide back to mediocrity somewhere in the middle of the Colonial League pack. Certainly, with the Panthers breaking in a freshman quarterback, outsiders and non-believers largely viewed Saucon as an average group who were, perhaps, focused on rebuilding for the future. But, with the Panthers pigheaded 27-13 victory over the Spartans, those outside expectations collapsed and rearranged themselves to scream out that the Panthers are still worthy of being considered championship contenders.
Panther senior running back Ian Csicsek earns the Panthers first score of the 2018 season. against
Saucon Valley’s good fortune began immediately. After winning the coin toss and deferring their option to receive the ball to the 2nd Half, the Panthers kicked to the Spartans. On the second play from scrimmage Spartan quarterback Logan Edmond threw a short “bubble” pass to Dalton Musselman as he made his way toward the Panther sideline. Saucon Valley’s Patrick Morrissey, from his defensive end position, pursued Musselman and stripped him of the football. The Panthers Curtis Clifford alertly pounced on the loose ball to obtain possession for the Panthers at the Spartan 48-yardline.
The Panther offense went to work and methodically marched down the field for the game’s first touchdown. Ian Csicsek was a workhorse carrying six times on the drive. On 3rd & 8 and assisted by great blocks by Patrick Morrissey and Ryan Holub, Csicsek finished with a 14-yard touchdown run on a toss-sweep around the right end. Sean Cyphers PAT was good and after about four minutes of play the Panthers led 7-0.
Csicsek looking for the Spartan endzone as Ty Csencsits (#11) battles to block downfield
Southern Lehigh came right back on their next offensive play. Edmond again hit Musselman with a short pass, but this time it paid off big. Musselman was able to skirt the outside edge of the Panther defense and sprint 65-yards for a Spartan touchdown. However, on a designed extra-point block, Saucon Valley’s Curtis Clifford broke through the Spartan line and smothered the PAT. With 7:54 remaining in the 1st Quarter it was 7-6 in favor of the Panthers.
Saucon’s Clifford took the ensuing Spartan kickoff from his own 8-yardline and bounced it wide left all the way up to the 40-yardline. On the very next play, Csicsek followed Jared Harka and Tim Weaver on a misdirection play for a 40-yard gain down to the Spartan 20-yardline. Five Panther plays later, freshman quarterback Dante Mahaffey was able to elude the Spartan pass rush just long enough to thread a laser to receiver Dane Csencsits at the 10-yardline. Csencsits was able to secure Mahaffey’s bullet and power his way into the endzone for a score. The following PAT missed its mark wide left and with 4:39 remaining in the opening quarter Saucon pulled away with a 13-6 lead.
Saucon Valley junior Dane Csencsits finds paydirt with this TD reception from freshman quarterback Dante Mahaffey.
After five plays, Southern Lehigh turned the ball back over to the Panthers on downs and the Saucon offense went right back to work. On 3rd & 4 from the Spartan 44-yardline Christian “Mongo” Alling benefitted from a “trap block” by Jared Harka and popped the Spartan defensive pressure straight up the middle. Mongo rumbled 32-yards down to the Spartan 12-yardline. Three plays later Mahaffey rolled to his left looking to connect with receivers Reily Hudak or Ryan Holub who found themselves blanketed in pass coverage. Mahaffey quickly reversed field and scrambled back to his right. The freshman finished for a score by powering his way into the endzone. Saucon opted for a 2-point conversion and were rewarded as Csicsek took a toss-sweep around the right edge to end the 1st Half scoring at 21-6.
Panther freshman Dante Mahaffey played a clean game in his first start and accounted for two touchdowns.
Saucon Valley received the 2nd Half kickoff and chewed a little bit of the game clock but was eventually forced to punt. The tough Panther defense returned the favor creating a 4th & 9 from the Spartan 35-yardline. However, the long-snap from the Spartan center sailed high above the punter’s head and the Panthers were able to take possession at the Spartan 1-yardline. Senior Justin Kyra followed Mongo and the Hogs along with Kelvin Gallard into the endzone for another Panther touchdown. The PAT was blocked, but with 3:50 remaining the the 3rd Quarter Saucon extended their lead to 27-6.
Southern Lehigh was able to gather a 1-yard touchdown run by Logan Edmond in the 4th Quarter, but the Panther defense was able to limit any other scoring damage. When the buzzer sounded, the 2018 opening night final scoreboard read 27-13 in favor of the Saucon Valley Panthers.
Christian “Mongo” Alling (#33) and the Panther defense held Logan Edmond and the Spartan offense to only 13 points.
Up Next: Saucon now looks to climb “The Hill” at Pen Argyl next Saturday where they aim to build on their opening night success. The Green Knights came up big with seconds remaining against the Salisbury Falcons on Saturday. Pen Argyl came from behind to win 17-16 with only five seconds remaining in the game. It was Pen Argyl’s 500th career victory for their football program.
The SV Student Body, aka “The Jungle” declared a “White Out” in hostile territory.
Good luck Panthers, the Source is with you!
