Monday afternoon after classes, Phil Sams announced to his team that it was time for him to move on from being the head football coach for Saucon Valley high school.  "Samsy", a very popular coach with a great sense of humor, is well-respected throughout the entire Lehigh Valley and beyond. He is truly a players-coach and an all-around great guy.
After spending the holiday break with successful outings at Beast of the East and the Bethlehem Hurricane Holiday Classic, Saucon Valley Panther wrestling returned home to ring in the New Year with a little Colonial League action and a non-league, Friday night tri-meet.Â
The Saucon Valley Panther grapplers continue to plow their way through the Colonial League. Coach Shirk and his staff have strung together sixty-nine consecutive league victories as they pursue an unprecedented seventh straight Colonial League title. The 2018-19 Panthers have, so far, nailed Notre Dame, crushed Catasauqua and pulverized Pen Argyl. On Wednesday night, Saucon (4-0) displayed another hour of Panther wrestling power to flatten the Southern Lehigh Spartans (2-2) for a lopsided 69-6 victory.
Even though Colonial League wrestling is on holiday break, the Saucon Valley wrestling program continues to challenge themselves seeking out the best competition available. A short week after wrestling in the Beast of the East, the Panthers travelled cross-town to and participated in this past weekend's Bethlehem Holiday 'Hurricane' Classic. By design, the Hurricane is a grueling tournament consisting of 32 public schools. It is perhaps the toughest public school wrestling tourney in the nation.
Saucon Valley continued their quest for an unprecedented seventh consecutive Colonial League title last week with a couple of home, dual-meet victories over Catasauqua and Pen Argyl. On Tuesday, the Panthers roughed-up the Rough Riders 60-12 and then knocked-out the Green Knights 71-11 on Thursday. Saucon Valley has now won 68 straight Colonial League matches. It was the Pen Argyl Green Knights who last defeated the Panthers on Dec. 23, 2011.
The Saucon Valley Panthers continued their roll (68 consecutive wins) through the Colonial League. After Tuesday's destruction of the Catasauqua Rough Riders, Saucon provided similar hospitality to the Pen Argyl Green Knights. It was another hour of Panther wrestling power on display as Saucon Valley lit-up the Knights. This contest ended in a lopsided 71-11 victory for the Panthers.
The Saucon Valley Panthers followed-up last week's tense, opening night Colonial League match with Notre Dame by putting together a dominating performance over the visiting Catasauqua Rough Riders. Tuesday's competition with the Roughies started at 7 p.m and was over at 8 p.m. Coach Shirk and his Saucon Valley Panther wrestlers made super-quick work of Catty and cruised to a 60-12 Colonial League victory.
Saucon Valley kicked off their quest for an unprecedented SEVENTH consecutive Colonial League title last week with a big, season-opening win over Notre Dame. The Panthers, with their homegrown line-up, defeated the borderless Crusaders 40-26 Wednesday night. Saucon Valley has now won sixty-six Colonial League wrestling contests in a row. Amazingly, the Panthers have not lost a regular season Colonial League match since Dec. 23, 2011!
The Saucon Valley Girls basketball team had their 2018-19 home opener on Tuesday night against the Northwestern Lehigh Tigers. The Tigers jumped out to a 10-0 lead and cruised the rest of the way to a 65-27 victory. The Panthers played hard and were paced by sophomore Allie Frace and her 9 points. Kiele Riefenstahl, a senior, added 6 points for Saucon.
It was a packed house filled with energy and electricity as the Saucon Valley Panthers faced the Notre Dame Crusaders on their turf in a much-anticipated high school wrestling match on Wednesday night. The Panthers are pursuing an unprecedented 7th straight Colonial League title and riding a 65 consecutive match win streak. The Crusaders are sporting a new coach with many new faces in their lineup from all over the Lehigh Valley. It was a great night of competition that included one thunderous cheer after another as both fan bases showed their appreciation for spirited competition and a whole lot of good wrestling.Â
