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Around District 11: The Travels of Guy & Pam Week Five: Another First, A JV Double

Tagged under: District 11, News

| September 28, 2022

Around District 11: The Travels of Guy & Pam

Week Five: Another First, A JV Double

 

2022.7.  Isn’t it nice to go on the “PA Football News” site and not have to worry about which games were postponed or even cancelled outright due to COVID?  Three football games this week, and we knocked another pair off the ever-shrinking District 11 list of places still to visit.  Current: 53 down, 6 to go.

Our sports week began with a Golden Wednesday as we were at Kutztown U. to see the Golden Bears Women’s Soccer team take on the D2 national number 5 ranked West Chester Golden Rams.  On Friday we headed to Valley View to see the Tri-Valley Bulldogs.  This was the last home varsity field of the 47 teams in D11 that we had never seen for any reason.  For the remaining four, we had either been there before (2021 – Pocono Mountain East), only been there for a neutral site playoff game (Pottsville), only been there for an all star game (Schuylkill Haven), or only ever saw a JV game there, never varsity (Jim Thorpe).

Another of Guy’s quirky goals is to see an auto race every month of the year.  That streak is now in its 36th year.  The last month Guy missed was in December of 1986, which was Guy’s last semester as a Bloomsburg U. undergrad.  He had to finish up final projects and exams for all classes, go on several job interviews for the teaching job he would have for the following 30 years, and find someone to take over his yearlong lease for the spring semester.  Guy realized that last weekend was the last Saturday of September, and he had yet to see a race, going 0-4 with rainouts or cancellations of scheduled racing.  So we changed our PSAC plans and did a racing double, ending up at the sprint car “National Open” at Selinsgrove Speedway.

Monday was another first for us, although it happened by accident.  The plan was to head to Nativity BVM high school for their JV game at the school against Marian Catholic.  Without a junior high game preceding it, the game started right on time at 5:00.  JV games go quickly, and we were out before 6:30.  Unbeknownst to us at the time, the Panther Valley Panthers had their JV game against Minersville scheduled for 6:15.  But there was a junior high game scheduled first, so it likely started a bit late.  Our GPS, set to “Go Home,” took us right by Panther Valley.  They were still in the second quarter.  Of course we stopped and watched the rest of the game, resulting in our first-ever JV double.

GAME 21.  FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 23, 2022.  EXECUTIVE EDUCATION ACADEMY RAPTORS @ TRI-VALLEY BULLDOGS.  Arriving at the stadium, we felt a touch of sadness as this was the last of the D11 varsity fields we had yet to ever see.  But upon entering, it was pure joy.  Parked on the visitor side was the Williams French Fries truck.  We first tasted Williams fries last year at Pine Grove, and later at Williams Valley, and we both think they have the best fresh cuts in D11.  It’s great to see them at a third stadium.  One thing about Williams fries is that they just do fries.  No pierogies.  No chicken strips.  They do one thing.  Fries.  And they do it better than anyone else.  Of course they jump to the top of the prestigious “King of the Spud” Power Rankings.

The next thing we noticed is that there is no fence around the field to separate the spectators from the players.  The only similar varsity field in D11 is the Saint Clair Veterans Memorial Stadium where the Nativity BVM Green Wave varsity plays.  We can’t even imagine anything like that in Bethlehem.  There they don’t even let the fans from one side cross over to the other side lest there be trouble.  One of a number of reasons we have fallen in love with Schuylkill League football is that the games are still fiercely competitive without the students, or sadly many adults, acting like savages.  Plus the far superior refreshment stands.

This was an interesting matchup.  The visiting Raptors came in with a record of 3-1 and sitting atop the D11 2A Power Rankings.  However, they were of unknown pedigree because as a team playing an independent schedule, there are few if any common opponents to make comparisons.  Exec’s three wins were over Athens, Berks Catholic, and Archbishop Carroll.  On the other hand, Tri-Valley came in with a perfect 4-0 record, ranked seventh in the state in 1A, and was also atop the D11 Power Rankings in their classification.  Seemed a captivating matchup.

A great crowd was on hand, filling the small home side bleachers, with many people sitting on the uniquely located end zone bleachers, and with quite a few others standing.  It looks like they have poured the foundation to add another small set of bleachers on the home side.  They could definitely use them as the small school has a lot of local support, which is great to see.

This was a winnable game for Executive, but they made too many mistakes and we can’t recall seeing so many dropped passes by one team in a game.  Executive was more “big play” and did put up three TDs in the game, also adding a couple of impressive goal line stands.  However, they missed all three of their PATs.  Tri-Valley was much more methodical and controlled the ball.  However, they only scored two offensive TDs.  But they added a Pick-6 to match Exec in touchdowns.  In a game where five of six conversions were no good, the Bulldogs made one to eek out the 19-18 win.

With Northern Lehigh losing this week, there are now four remaining unbeaten teams in D11 after five weeks.  Emmaus, Northampton, Pleasant Valley, and Tri-Valley are 5-0.  The other 43 schools have at least one loss.  And the number of winless schools dropped from six to four, as both Easton and Shenandoah Valley got into the win column

With Guy having a cousin coaching at Dieruff when he was a kid, followed by three years as a student at Allen, then thirty years as a teacher at Freedom and for a short stint early on at Liberty, he finds these small more rural 1A and 2A games very entertaining and enjoyable.  And Pam is a 2A girl from Catasauqua so she liked the small school atmosphere better from the get-go.

GAME 22.  MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 26, 2022.  MARIAN CATHOLIC COLTS JV @ NATIVITY BVM GREEN WAVE JV (JV ONLY HIGH SCHOOL FIELD).  Last season, in our attempt to see as many different D11 schools play as possible, Pam and Guy went to a JV game each of the ten-week regular season.  This year, we are attempting to see all the locations where JV home games are held at different locations than the varsity games.  As best as we can tell, there are five teams that play their home JV games at different locations than the school’s varsity games.  Three are schools that rent stadiums for their varsity games.  Nativity BVM falls into that category.  They play their varsity games in Saint Clair, but the JV games are played on the field right at the school.  After successfully seeing JV-only site games at Freedom and Bethlehem Catholic, we set off for our third, at Nativity.

The fact that these two schools can field JV teams is a testament to their programs, as they are the two smallest schools of the 47 in District 11.  The enrollment number used to calculate the PIAA classification for football at Nativity is 81 students, and at Marian it’s 95 students.  For comparison, the three largest schools in D11 are William Allen with 1,285, Easton with 1,283, and Parkland with 1,277.  When we saw Palmerton play earlier in the year, I asked one of the parents if they had a JV team.  He said no, and added that we would be surprised at how many schools no longer have JV.  We think he would be surprised at how many do.

Last year, one of the Nativity assistant coaches that was following our travels advised us that when we come to their school for JV to arrive early as there are very few parking spots on the hillside above the field.  We didn’t really understand the setup, but remembered his advice.  So we left early, planning to arrive early.  Pottsville had other ideas.  When our GPS indicated that we were only six minutes from arriving at the school, we got snared in the roadwork related traffic backup to end all roadwork related backups.  Thirty minutes later, the GPS said we were five minutes from arrival.  We traveled one minute in thirty.  Needless to say, our early arrival turned into a late one and we missed about half of the first quarter.  Of course, after sitting through numerous JV games that started late because of the preceding junior high game, this game had no earlier game and started on time.

Luckily, even though we didn’t get a parking spot near the fence, we did get a parking spot along the sidewalk and found a good place to set up our lawn chairs for the game.  There are no bleacher seats, and the only way to watch is through a fence from the parking lot high above the field.  Nativity is unique as their sports teams have three different team names: Green Wave, Hilltoppers, and Golden Girls.  Although the football team is the Green Wave, while sitting in the parking lot high (and we do mean high) above the town of Pottsville, we joked that maybe JV football should be the Green Wave for away games and Hilltoppers at home.

When we went to the JV fields at Freedom and Bethlehem Catholic, they had fully operational scoreboards.  Nativity does not have a scoreboard.  At least we could follow the clock, as one of the referees would loudly call out the time fairly often for the coaches on the sidelines below.  These two schools have quite the rivalry going, and this win went to the Colts from Marian.

GAME 23.  MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 26, 2022.  MINERSVILLE BATTLIN’ MINERS JV @ PANTHER VALLEY PANTHERS JV.  Our first ever JV double came by accident.  We were on our way home from the Nativity game and Pam commented that we were coming up on Panther Valley, where we had gone last year for a varsity game.  Just a few seconds later Guy said, “Is that stadium lights I see?”  Indeed it was.  There was JV football happening.  “Let’s stop and watch,” Pam immediately responded.

Now Pam’s response deserves some extra credit for this level of enthusiasm.  Closing in on 60 years of age, Pam has a tough workday on Tuesday.  Up at 6:00, in the gym at 7:00, and on the road at 8:30 for the hour-long drive to Bloomsburg.  Then six straight hours on her feet teaching (two 90 minute classes and a three hour class), followed by the 60-mile drive home.  Yet here we were, still over an hour from home on Monday night, and she was the one that insisted we stop.

The game had a scheduled 6:15 start but there was a junior high game first, so we don’t know exactly when it kicked off.  But we do know they were still in the second quarter when we arrived.  It was already 24-0 Minersville.  Last season we sat on the away side with our Roughies, but this year we sat in the very cool home side stands with the covered roof.  The last time we had a roof over us for high school football was when we went to the Texas state championships at the Dallas Cowboys stadium.

Last year the best football burgers we had were right here, on the away side grill.  The stand was open and we had a hankering for some stadium grub, as there were no concessions at Nativity.  The burgers are still the best deal in D11, freshly grilled for $3.  This year we added $2 hot dogs to our Panther Pantry, and boy did they ever taste good too.

Just before the third quarter began, two Marian JV players, still in their football pants and pads came in to watch the second half.  We weren’t the only ones pulling the double!

Panther Valley picked up the tempo in the second half and scored a couple of touchdowns, preventing the Mercy Rule from being invoked.  How cool is it when an unexpected game opportunity appears from nowhere?  We will always have fond memories of our first JV double.

We have another busy week planned with no fewer than eight sporting events scheduled, three of which are D11 and PSAC football.  Comments, suggestions, feedback welcome at rtryfbar@aol.com.

District 11 Power Ranking Chart Toppers (5 Games)

1A) Tri-Valley Bulldogs.  2A) Executive Education Academy Raptors.  3) North Schuylkill Spartans.  4A) Bethlehem Catholic Golden Hawks.  5A) Southern Lehigh Spartans.  6A) Emmaus Hornets.

State Ranked (5 Games)

5) Emmaus Hornets (6A).  6) Northern Lehigh Bulldogs (1A).  7) Tri-Valley Bulldogs (1A).  8) Allentown Central Catholic Vikings (4A).  HM) Nazareth Blue Eagles (6A), North Schuylkill Spartans (3A), Northwestern Lehigh Tigers (3A).  IN): Nazareth & Northwestern Lehigh.  OUT) 4) Bethlehem Catholic Golden Hawks (4A).

It’s good to be a Spartan or a Bulldog.

GUY & PAM’S 2022 FOOTBALL SCOREBOARD

District 11—Every School Play Varsity or JV Home Game 2021 or 2022, a Varsity Game All-Time, and All Star Games with D11 Players (Bold = Still to See

Current: 53 of 59 (2021-2022)

  1. Allentown Central Catholic Vikings (2021)
  2. ALLENTOWN CENTRAL CATHOLIC VIKINGS (JV—PERCY RHUE PARK)
  3. Bangor Slaters (2021)
  4. Bethlehem Catholic Golden Hawks (2021)
  5. Bethlehem Catholic Golden Hawks (JV High School) (2022)
  6. Blue Mountain Eagles (2021)
  7. Catasauqua Rough Riders (2021)
  8. Dieruff Huskies (2021)
  9. Easton Red Rovers—Cottingham Stadium (2022)
  10. Easton Red Rovers—Lafayette College Thanksgiving Day Game (2021)
  11. East Stroudsburg North Timberwolves (2021)
  12. East Stroudsburg South Cavaliers (2022)
  13. Emmaus Hornets (2021)
  14. Executive Education Raptors (2021)
  15. Freedom Patriots—BASD Stadium (2021)
  16. Freedom Patriots JV—FHS Turf Field (2022)
  17. JIM THORPE OLYMPIANS (2021 JV, NEVER VARSITY)
  18. Lehighton Indians (2021)
  19. LEHIGHTON INDIANS (JV—OLD STADIUM)
  20. Liberty Hurricanes (2021)
  21. Mahanoy Area Golden Bears (2021)
  22. Marian Catholic Colts (2021)
  23. Minersville Battlin’ Miners (2021)
  24. Nativity BVM Green Wave (2021)
  25. Nativity BVM Green Wave (JV—High School) (@022)
  26. Nazareth Blue Eagles (2021)
  27. Northern Lehigh Bulldogs (2021)
  28. Northampton Konkrete Kids (2021)
  29. Northwestern Lehigh Tigers (2021)
  30. North Schuylkill Spartans (2022)
  31. Notre Dame Green Pond Crusaders (2021)
  32. Palisades Pirates (2022)
  33. Palmerton Blue Bombers (2021)
  34. Panther Valley Panthers (2021)
  35. Parkland Trojans (2021)
  36. Pen Argyl Green Knights (2021)
  37. Pine Grove Cardinals (2021)
  38. Pleasant Valley Bears (2021)
  39. POCONO MOUNTAIN EAST CARDINALS (2022—AWAY TEAM/HOME PRE-2021)
  40. Pocono Mountain West Panthers (2021)
  41. POTTSVILLE CRIMSON TIDE (2021–AWAY TEAM/HOME NEUTRAL PLAYOFF SITE)
  42. Salisbury Township Falcons (2021)
  43. Saucon Valley Panthers (2021)
  44. SCHUYLKILL HAVEN HURRICANES (2021—AWAY TEAM/ HOME ALL STAR GAMES)
  45. Shenandoah Valley Blue Devils (2021)
  46. Southern Lehigh Spartans (2021)
  47. Stroudsburg Mounties (2021)
  48. Tamaqua Blue Raiders (2021)
  49. Tri-Valley Bulldogs (2022)
  50. Whitehall Zephers (2021)
  51. William Allen Canaries (2021)
  52. Williams Valley Vikings (2021)
  53. Wilson Area Warriors (2021)

ALL-STAR GAMES THAT INCLUDED D11 PLAYERS

  1. Colonial League vs. Schuylkill League All-Star Game (2022 @ Schuylkill Haven)

55 Lehigh Valley All-Star Football Classic (2022 @ Nazareth)

  1. PSFCA East vs. West Small School All Star Game (2022 @ Bishop McDevitt)
  2. PSFCA East vs. West Big School All Star Game (2022 @ Bishop McDevitt)
  3. PSFCA Pennsylvania vs. Maryland Big 33 Game (2022 @ Bishop McDevitt)
  4. Schuylkill League All-Star Game (2021 @ Schuylkill Haven)

TEAMS THAT PLAYED/PLAY IN D11 SUBREGIONALS OR OTHER RELATED TEAMS (2023)

  1. 2021 NEW HOPE-SOLEBURY LIONS (D1-3A)
  2. 2021 ABINGTON HEIGHTS COMETS (D2-5A)
  3. 2021 WYOMING VALLEY WEST SPARTANS (D2-5A)
  4. 2022 HAZLETON COUGARS (D2-6A)
  5. 2022 WILKES BARRE WOLFPACK (D2-6A)
  6. 2022 WILLIAMSPORT MILLIONAIRES (D4-6A)
  1. PHILLIPSBURG STATELINERS (FORMER EPC SCHOOL)

NCAA D2 PSAC & Related: Every School Play Home Game (2022 – 2023)

Current: 3 of 17

  1. BLOOMSBURG HUSKIES
  2. CALIFORNIA VULCANS
  3. CLARION GOLDEN EAGLES
  4. East Stroudsburg Warriors
  5. Edinboro Fighting Scots
  6. GANNON GOLDEN KNIGHTS
  7. INDIANA CRIMSON HAWKS
  8. KUTZTOWN GOLDEN BEARS
  9. LOCK HAVEN BALD EAGLES
  10. MERCYHURST LAKERS
  11. Millersville Marauders
  12. SETON HILL GRIFFINS
  13. SHEPHERD RAMS (WV)
  14. SHIPPENSBURG RAIDERS
  15. SLIPPERY ROCK ROCK
  16. WEST CHESTER GOLDEN RAMS
  1. MANSFIELD MOUNTAINEERS (FORMER PSAC—SPRINT FOOTBALL)

 

 

 

 

 

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