The Lehigh Valley high school football season kicks off Friday. Here are The Morning Call area’s Top 20 players to watch in 2023 (listed by conference).
EASTERN PENNSYLVANIA CONFERENCE
BRAHEEM BATTLES
Allentown CCHS, Jr., DT
The Vikings are coming off a run to the PIAA 4A semifinals, but will miss several quality linebackers who anchored the 2022 defense. That means the 6-foot-3, 325-pound Battles, who has gotten significant playing time since his freshman year, will need to become even more of a force. He was an all-area and all-state selection last year after collecting 85 tackles with four sacks and six tackles for loss. He also had two interceptions and a pass breakup.
JAREEL CALHOUN
Allentown CCHS, Jr., WR
Another of the Vikings’ all-state selections last year as a sophomore, the speedy and sure-handed Calhoun led the EPC in receptions with 88 catches, 26 more than the second-most in the EPC South. However, he averaged just 8.8 yards per catch and had four touchdowns and he’d like to have more big plays this season. ACCHS figures to have a more settled quarterback situation and Calhoun has already developed a good rapport with the team’s likely QB starter, Kyle Fleshman.
TREY DOGMANITS
Whitehall, Sr. QB
A significant injury to Quinn Wentling in 2021 forced the 5-foot-10, 160-pound Dogmanits into the job as a sophomore and he has shown remarkable growth since then. He is coming off a District 11 5A championship season in which he threw for 1,997 yards and 22 touchdowns and he has several quality receivers returning in Jack Kocher and Braden Bashore. He has had to adjust to a new coaching staff led by Andy Marino, but the Zephyrs might throw the ball more in a new-look attack.
JORDEY GUZMAN
Dieruff, Sr., QB
At least one rival EPC North coach said he expects good things for the Huskies this year and a big reason for his belief is the development of Guzman at quarterback. He is coming off a big junior year when he threw for 1,305 yards and 10 touchdowns. He figures to be stronger and better equipped to handle defenses this season and he has more weapons around him. If he gets time to throw and Dieruff can avoid the mistakes that has plagued the program for years, Guzman could lead Dieruff to its first winning season since 2002.
CADEN HENRITZY
Northampton, Sr., RB
Because the Konkrete Kids have won a lot of lopsided games in the EPC North the past few years, Henritzy doesn’t always finish games and yet his numbers rank among the best in Northampton football history. He enters his senior season with 2,401 career rushing yards and is expected to pass 2019 graduate Tyrese Brandon (2,767 yards) for the school’s all-time mark in the first half of the season. The 6-foot-1, 210-pound Henritzy, who is the son of former Northern Lehigh football standout Chad Henritzy and Northampton softball star and current coach Kristy Henritzy, is already receiving considerable college interest.
SEAN KINNEY
Nazareth, Sr., OT-DT
The 6-foot-3, 290-pound Kinney is best known in Lehigh Valley sports as a two-time state champion wrestler, but he wants to play college football and he has a chance to play at a high level after earning first-team all-state honors last year as a junior. Blue Eagles coach Tom Falzone has praised Kinney’s commitment to the football program even while earning his wrestling success. He is also a versatile lineman who can play any spot up front. He will be key this year for an offensive line that will have to protect sophomore quarterback Peyton Falzone.
MASON KUEHNER
Nazareth, Sr., WR
Kuehner is another of the Blue Eagles’ two-sport athletes and spends his winters playing basketball. His future is in football, however, where he has already received more than a dozen Division I offers. He said he is no hurry to make his college decision. He is coming off a 62-catch junior season that included 976 receiving yards and eight touchdowns. He also had three interceptions on defense.
MARIO LANDINO
Emmaus, Sr., DT
The 6-foot-4, 255-pound Landino has been a force on the defensive line for the Green Hornets for several seasons. He attracted considerable Division I college interest before committing to JMU during the summer. He had seven sacks last season in earning first-team all-league honors on both offense and defense and will have to be even more disruptive this season after Emmaus graduated several of its top linemen on both sides of the ball.
LUKE SPANG
Parkland, Sr. QB
Spang, listed at 6-foot-1 and 185 pounds, seemed to grow an inch or two since the end of the Trojans basketball season in March and seems primed for a big senior year in his second season as the full-time starter. Spang shook off an injury last season to throw for 2.080 yards and 18 touchdowns. He threw six touchdown passes in the playoffs. He will need new targets such as Jendel Sanchez and Connor Johns to emerge for Parkland to register the same kind of numbers it had in 2022 when it averaged 32.9 points per game.
TREY TREMBA
Parkland, Sr, RB
The 5-foot-11. 195-pound Tremba recently committed to West Point. He’s looking forward to the opportunity of serving his country, but first he’d like to serve up another district title for the Trojans after rushing 1,238 yards and 21 touchdowns last year. Tremba also figures to be a top pass-catching target. He had 28 receptions for 428 yards and five touchdowns last season. He scored three touchdowns in a 35-10 rout of Freedom in last year’s District 11 title game before leaving with a concussion..
COLONIAL LEAGUE
(Players are listed alphabetically):
CHAD BELLER
Catasauqua, Sr., C/LB
Led all Colonial-Schuylkill League players last season with 180 tackles.
JAXSON CHOWANSKY
North Schuylkill, Sr., FB/LB
Can run over you on both sides of the ball at fullback and linebacker.
DANNY DARNO
Notre Dame-GP, Sr., QB
Threw for 2,669 yards and 33 touchdowns in his first full season as a starter. Also ran for 1,180 yards and 18 scores.
JOEY FLAIL
North Schuylkill, Sr., WR/DB
Game changer with his speed out of the backfield, as a receiver or on special teams.
JOSH LUDLOW
Notre Dame-GP, Sr., RB/WR/DB
Elusive and electric. Ran for 528 yards and 11 TDs last season and caught 65 passes for 925 yards and nine scores.
MATT MACHALIK
Palmerton, Sr., QB/S
The Lehigh commit is oneof the best players in Colonial League history who will leave with virtually every school passing and rushing record.
NOAH ROSAHAC
Jim Thorpe, Sr., OT/DT
The Syracuse commit is a dominant run blocker and tackler who changes opponents’ offensive game plans.
CADE SAWYER
Southern Lehigh, Sr., RB/DB
Rushed for 1,346 yards and 20 touchdowns in his breakthrough 2022 season. He also was third on the Spartans in tackles plus had one fumble recovery and one interception.
DAMIAN TYMINSKI
Pen Argyl, Sr., WR/DB
Caught 65 passes for 1,032 yards and six TDs last season. Also rushed for 207 yards and three scores, made 68 tackles, intercepted a pass, blocked a field goal and forced two fumbles.
DANIN VASSALLO
Notre Dame-GP, Sr., RB/LB
Made 165 tackles last season, including four sacks, intercepted a pass, caught a TD pass and rushed for four scores.
EPC honorable mention (alphabetical by school): Zyier Palmer, Jamier Thomas, Allen; Nasir McLean, Nathan Schultz, Allentown Central Catholic; Sammy Ayache, Jacob Sutton, Bethlehem Catholic; Mehki Ashby, Jonathan Serrano, Dieruff; Jordan Alston, Will Day, Easton; Xzavier Pusateri, Nekhi Spencer, East Stroudsburgh South; Romeo Carmen-King, Wayne King, East Stroudsburg North; Ben Mercado, Rafael Terrero, Emmaus; Xavier Dunbar, Noah Pierre, Freedom; Connor McLaughlin, Jake Pukszyn, Liberty; Jake Englehart, Logan Hilarczyk, Nazareth; Tristen Pinnock, AJ Slivka, Northampton; Kale Kumernitsky, Jendel Sanchez, Parkland; Val Byers-Robinson, Alex Ecker, Pleasant Valley; Dan Buddin, Rasu Wearing-Poindexter, Pocono Mountain East; Ryder Bray, Karter Nuss, Pocono Mountain West; Will Francis, Kevin Polonia, Stroudsburg; Braden Bashore, Jack Kocher, Whitehall.
Colonial/Schuylkill honorable mention (alphabetical by school): Greg Campbell, Bangor; Vern Kleckner, Blue Mountain; Hunter Reitz, Catasauqua; Sal Capria, Jim Thorpe; Colm McGroarty, Mahanoy Area; Jesse Rodino, Marian Catholic; Dante Carr, Minersville; Noah Dolbin, Nativity BVM; Bailey Smith, Northern Lehigh; Jackson VanNorman, Northern Lehigh; Neekoli Carabolla, North Schuylkill; Dalton Clymer Northwestern; Blaine Snyder, Northwestern; Ben Walters, Northwestern; A.J. Lozano, Notre Dame-GP; Brad Rissmiller, Pen Argyl; Danny Haubert, Palisades; Zack Anthony, Palmerton; Brad Jones, Panther Valley; Lane Lehman, Pine Grove; Parrish McFarland, Pottsville; George Spann, Salisbury; Jack Robertson, Saucon Valley; Aiden Myers, Schuylkill Haven; Jack Inglis, Southern Lehigh; Andrew Olesh, Southern Lehigh; Luke Kane, Tamaqua; Layne Yoder, Tri-Valley; Alex Achenbach, Williams Valley; Ian Feckete, Wilson.
