Saucon Source (https://sauconsource.com/tag/saucon-valley-high-school-football/)
In the first round of the PIAA District XI playoffs, the homegrown Saucon Valley Panthers needed a lot to go their way in order to hang with Allentown Central Catholic Vikings. After their big win over Bethlehem Catholic last week, Central Catholic, out of the powerful EPC South, seems to be peaking at the right time for post-season play. The Panthers battled hard, but ultimately fell to the Vikings.
For the sixth straight season Saucon Valley played their way into the PIAA District XI playoffs. This year the Panthers found themselves in a rematch from the 2017 encounter they had with the Allentown Central Catholic Vikings. Saucon entered the contest as the #5 seed, Central earned homefield advantage at J. Birney Crum Stadium as #4. The winner would earn the right to advance in to the District XI semifinals and keep their hopes of a PIAA state championship alive.
The post-season begins on Friday night for the #5 seeded Saucon Valley Panthers (6-4) as they travel to J. Birney Crum Stadium to mix it up with the #4 Allentown Central Catholic Vikings (6-4) in the PIAA District XI AAAA playoffs. The Panthers limp into the postseason being down a handful of two-way starters and face a Viking team that seemed to have gotten better and better as the season rolled along. Central defeated Bethlehem Catholic last week 31-24 and fell just short with their comeback effort against powerhouse Freedom 34-31. A win will keep the season alive for Saucon Valley while a loss brings about the end to their 2019 season.
In their annual rivalry game against the Palisades Pirates, the Saucon Valley Panthers certainly had their work cut out for them. The Pirates who were much better than their 2-7 record indicated played with a whole lot of inspiration and spirit. The Panthers and Pirates battled fiercely forcing the game into an overtime period.
Since 1975, the Palisades Pirates and the Saucon Valley Panthers have faced off as rivals and have played for the Bicentennial Trophy. The 2019 edition of this rivalry included a Pirate program with a 2-7 record playing in their season finale competing against the Panthers (6-3) who have already qualified for the District XI post-season playoffs.
With last week’s big victory over visiting Notre Dame, Saucon Valley (6-3) is back on the winning track. The Panthers snapped a two-game skid and now set their eyes on the District XI 4A playoffs. With a win on Friday night against the Palisades Pirates (2-7), the Panthers will not only secure a Colonial League East title, but they also have a chance to secure home-field advantage in the opening round of the District XI playoffs. Things won’t be easy on Friday night for the Panthers.
The Saucon Valley Panthers couldn’t have asked for a better opponent with whom to end their two-game losing streak. After falling to both Wilson and Northwestern Lehigh the previous two weeks, Saucon returned home on their Senior Night to play Colonial League East leader, the Notre Dame Crusaders. The Panthers needed to bring their “A-game” in this contest and that they did. It wasn’t a perfect night, but Saucon Valley, perhaps, played their best game of the season.
The Saucon Valley Panthers snapped a two-game slide on Friday night with a big win over the Notre Dame Crusaders. The Panthers jumped out in front of Notre Dame early, and were able to hold off a late surge by the Crusaders. It was a game of momentum swings that, once again, came down to the last minutes.
Saucon Valley (5-3) has lost their last two football games. After winning four in a row, the Panthers hit the skids two weeks ago at Wilson where the Warriors (4-4) hit a game-winning field goal in the last few seconds of play. Then last week, Saucon was again on the road at Northwestern Lehigh where they were thumped by the Tigers (7-1). Things will not get any easier for the Panthers on Friday night when they welcome the Notre Dame Crusaders (6-2) to town.
After a few weeks straight of fighting through games that came down to the wire, Saucon Valley was taken out behind the wood shed and beaten badly on Friday night. The Panthers did battle and the score was close for about half of the game. But, the wheels wobbled and they did eventually fall off. There weren’t a whole lot of Panther highlights, but we did find this “sprint draw” that did Saucon some good. Check it out!
