High school football: Colonial-Schuylkill League top 10 rankings after Week 4
There was no change among the first seven teams in the weekly Colonial-Schuylkill League’s top 10 rankings, but that won’t be the case after Week 5 games this weekend.
No. 1 Southern Lehigh travels to No. 4 Blue Mountain and No. 3 Palmerton hosts No. 6 Notre Dame-Green Pond in two of Friday night’s highlight games.
No. 7 Catasauqua hosts Pen Argyl and No. 5 North Schuylkill hosts Northern Lehigh in two other intriguing matchups involving those in the rankings.
With Minersville’s overtime loss to Williams Valley, there are only three unbeaten teams remaining entering Week 5: Southern Lehigh, Northwestern and Palmerton.
Some early-season trends:
— Northwestern has outscored its first four opponents 63-0 in the second quarter.
— Colonial League has won 10 of the first 13 matchups with the Schuylkill League after a 3-1 Week 4 showing.
— Palmerton’s Matt Machalik is averaging 16.3 yards per carry with 16 touchdowns.
— Northern Lehigh’s Grady Newhard had 185 rushing yards in his first three games this season. He ran for 243 Saturday night against Pine Grove.
— Notre Dame-GP has nine underclassmen with at least 10 tackles.
— Pen Argyl’s Damian Tyminski has twice as many touchdown runs (4) as receptions (2) despite having 11 more catches than carries.
— Tamaqua’s Luke Kane, Pen Argyl’s Brad Rissmiller and Bangor’s Greg Campbell are the only area CL-SL quarterbacks to lead their teams in tackles.
Colonial-Schuylkill League top 10
No. 1 Southern Lehigh
Record: 4-0
Last week’s ranking: 1
Comment: Cade Sawyer ran for three TDs and Chris Fritts threw for three scores in a win over Palisades.
Next up: Friday at Blue Mountain
No. 2 Northwestern
Record: 4-0
Last week’s ranking: 2
Comment: Ben Walters and Co. dominated the defensive front and helped limit Pen Argyl to two first downs in a 41-6 victory.
Next up: Friday vs. Lehighton
No. 3 Palmerton
Record: 4-0
Last week’s ranking: 3
Comment: A 4-0 start for the first time since 2006.
Next up: Friday vs. Notre Dame-GP
No. 4 Blue Mountain
Record: 3-1
Last week’s ranking: 4
Comment: Held off rival Pottsville for the second year in a row.
Next up: Friday vs. Southern Lehigh.
No. 5 North Schuylkill
Record: 3-1
Last week’s ranking: 5
Comment: Jumped up early and pounded Tamaqua.
Next up: Friday vs. Northern Lehigh
No. 6 Notre Dame-GP
Record: 3-1
Last week’s ranking: 6
Comment: Handled Salisbury in an unusual Saturday afternoon home game.
Next up: Friday at Palmerton
No. 7 Catasauqua
Record: 3-1
Last week’s ranking: 7
Comment: Pulled away late in the second half from host Mahanoy Area.
Next up: Friday vs. Pen Argyl
No. 8 Bangor
Record: 3-1
Last week’s ranking: 9
Comment: Defense returned to form by stopping Saucon Valley several times in Slaters territory in the second half of a 15-7 win.
Next up: Saturday at Wilson
No. 9 Schuylkill Haven
Record: 3-1
Last week’s ranking: Honorable mention
Comment: Won its third game in a row by beating defending District 11 Class A runner-up Tri-Valley.
Next up: Friday at Palisades
No. 10 Williams Valley
Record: 3-1
Last week’s ranking: Honorable mention
Comment: Bounced back from late loss to Schuylkill Haven to beat Minersville on a field goal in overtime.
Next up: Friday at Loyalsock
Dropped out: No. 8 Saucon Valley (2-2); No. 10 Minersville (3-1)
Honorable mention (listed alphabetically): Lehighton (2-2, HM), Northern Lehigh (2-2, HM), Pen Argyl (2-2, HM), Pottsville (1-3, HM)
Week 4 stat heroes
— Panther Valley’s Brennan Kunkel set a school record with 328 rushing yards in Friday’s win over Shenandoah. The junior scored six touchdowns and intercepted a pass to help the Panthers improve to 2-2.
— Palmerton’s Matt Machalik ran for 319 yards and five touchdowns on just 19 carries in a 41-31 win at Jim Thorpe. He also threw for 113 yards and a score, threw a pair of two-point conversions and made five tackles.
— Southern Lehigh’s Cade Sawyer ran for 111 yards and three touchdowns on eight carries and caught a 42-yard TD pass in a win over Palisades.
— Mahanoy Area’s Colm McGroarty ran for 131 yards and a touchdown, caught two passes for 24 yards and made 10 tackles in a loss to Catasauqua.
— Catasauqua’s Hunter Reitz rushed for a career-high 154 yards and a touchdown against Mahanoy Area.
— Saucon Valley’s Constantine Donahue had a 63-yard touchdown run, caught four passes and intercepted a pass against Bangor.
— Bangor’s Tim Mclain made eight tackles, including two for loss, and intercepted a pass in win over Saucon Valley.
— Marian Catholic’s Dylan Zullo made a game-high 13 tackles in a shutout of Sayre.
— Northwestern’s Dalton Clymer ran for 120 yards and two touchdowns and made nine tackles, including two for loss, in a win over Pen Argyl.
— Northern Lehigh’s Grady Newhard ran for a career-high 243 yards and two touchdowns in a victory at Pine Grove.
— Northern Lehigh’s Chris Frame ran for 71 yards and two TDs on just three carries, made a team-high 11 tackles and intercepted a pass against Pine Grove.
— Notre Dame-GP’s Danny Darno completed nine of 13 passes for 192 yards and three scores and ran for a TD in a win over Salisbury.
— Palmerton’s Jameson Trainer made nine tackles, including two for loss, and intercepted a pass against Jim Thorpe.
— Pen Argyl’s Brad Rissmiller made a game-high 11 tackles and forced a fumble against Northwestern.
— Salisbury’s Jason St. Leger rushed for 115 yards and made six tackles, including two for loss, against Notre Dame-GP.
— Tamaqua’s Luke Kane ran for a touchdown and made 16 tackles in a loss to North Schuylkill.
— Wilson’s Ian Feckete made a team-high 10 tackles in a loss at Lehighton.
— Lehighton’s Dylan Moyer rushed for 214 yards and three touchdowns, caught a TD pass and ran for a two-point conversion in a win over Wilson.
Morning Call reporter Tom Housenick can be reached at 610-820-6651 or at thousenick@mcall.com
