Around District 11 With Pam and Guy: Thursday Night Football Begins

Tagged under: District 11, Gameday Hub

Guy Smith | September 3, 2024

2024 Episode 17.

After three fall seasons of football being the top priority at almost every opportunity, this year we are “rebalancing our portfolio” and diversifying a bit more this season. For the Labor Day weekend, we scheduled a split with three football games and four races. We lost one of each due to non-weather-related cancelations.

The Thursday night games began in D11 and they will continue on most weeks of the regular season. In fact, due to the holiday weekend we assume, there were four D11 games on Thursday. We have made Thursdays our friend Don “Donnie’s Choice” day, and he picked Bangor @ Lehighton. Friday was a rare skip of football during high school season with a trip to the Greenwood Valley Action Track. Saturday afternoon we were back at football, as Catasauqua visited Wilson. Grandview Speedway races were the evening choice. Our Sunday race at Selinsgrove Speedway was canceled, so we went to the Allentown Fair. It was Guy’s 65th straight year of attending the fair in Allentown. On Monday we were at another fair for the Sprint Car races at the Juniata County Fair. On Labor Day weekend, most JV football games are moved to Saturday morning because of the holiday on the usual JV game day of Monday. Pleasant Valley versus Dieruff went the opposite direction and scheduled for Tuesday, but it was eventually canceled. Five for seven, we’ll take it.

2024 GAME 24. BANGOR SLATERS (4A) @ LEHIGHTON INDIANS (4A). Let the Thursday games begin! If you wonder if high school football is alive and well in Pennsylvania District 11, a good place to look would be at Lehighton High School. At Lehighton, they have both turf and grass stadiums, both still used as the old stadium has JV games several times each season.

Despite it being the Thursday night leading up to a holiday weekend, the game had a great crowd. The home side has a lot of seating, and the Lehighton faithful filled a good percentage of them. And the Bangor turnout on the visitor side was not too shabby either.

Those who travel the D11 schools to see football know that Lehighton is king of the hill when it comes to refreshment stands. A former Guy & Pam D11 All-Snack Bar overall Best of Show, they are without question annual finalists. This year is no different.

They have three separate stands, two on the home side, one on the visitor side. The selection, price, and taste are all tops. Perhaps this is one of the reasons they draw such a great crowd. Below are the menus:

Home Side Main: Pizza $3 or 2 for $5, Nachos $3, Pierogies in Butter & Onions $3, Filling & Gravy $4, Marching Tacos $4, Haluski $3, Mac and Cheese $3, Barbeque $3, Soup $3, Chili $3, Buffalo Chicken Dip $4, Hot Dog $2, Tribe Dog $3, Buff Dip Dog $4, Hot Bologna $2, Pickles $1. Drinks $1-$2.

Home Side Snacks: Candy, Popcorn, Pretzels, Baked Goods, Chips, Show Cones, Drinks $1-$2.

Visitor Side: Hotdog $2 (they make it one word), Touchdown Dog $3, Pierogies $3, Cheeseburger $5, Hamburger $4 Nachos $3, Haluski $3, Mac and Cheese $3, Buffalo Chicken Dip $4, Walking Taco $5, Pickle on a stick $2 (looks like an extra buck for the stick), Soft Pretzel $2, Pizza $3, Ziti $3, Sausage $4.

Although you may think Lehighton was assessed the mandatory full point deduction for not having fries, they invoked the rarely enacted codicil that states filling and gravy can be substituted for the lack of fries at face value. And they earned the fresh popped popcorn bonus point. If you can’t find enough good food to eat in the listings above, don’t plan on eating at any high school games.

Both teams are 4A, both play in the Schuylkill Colonial Red Division, and both entered the game with 0-1 records. Both teams were competitive in their losses. Lehighton lost to Northern Lehigh by a single point, 15-14, while Bangor lost by nine to Saucon Valley, 16-7.

However, it was clear early on that this game was going to go to Lehighton. They were pretty much in control throughout, pitching a shutout other than one big Slater play and winning 33-7.

Guy & Pam want to give a shoutout to both schools. We were sitting on the Bangor side because that side is where the entrance gate is located and Pam is battling arthritis in her knees. Of the three school’s fans that we have sat amongst so far, the Bangor fans easily demonstrated the best sportsmanship. Even when they were behind and were almost certain their team was not going to win, they continued to cheer good plays on their side, without complaining about the opposing team, and most of all not criticizing the referees throughout the game. Take a bow, everyone associated with the Bangor program, school and community.

And on the other side of the field, it’s hard to imagine any group of students enjoying themselves in a more positive way than the kids from Lehighton. To the members of their incredibly talented band, the student section in their fluorescent shirts, the cheer squad, and the mascot; they portrayed themselves as a nice bunch of kids out to have healthy fun while supporting their team and school.

If you are looking for a reason to love high school football, look no further than the impression we got from where we were sitting last Thursday night. Refreshing to see.

2024 GAME 25. CATASAUQUA ROUGH RIDERS (2A) @ WILSON AREA WARRIORS (4A). For the Saturday afternoon game, the Roughies rumbled to Wilson, one of two D11 teams that does not have lights at their stadium.

It was a hot one, hot enough for some Catty fans to suggest that the game be played at Catasauqua every year so it could be played at night. Oh, brother.

Despite Wilson being two classifications up from Catty, the Rough Riders were the favorites. In the first week of the season, Wilson gave up 47 to Northwestern Lehigh in a shutout loss, while Catasauqua scored 47 in a 47-34 win over the Golden Bears of Mahanoy Area.

Once again, we were impressed with the turnout on both sides of the grass field. Despite the win drought Wilson has been suffering through, despite the fact it was a holiday weekend, and despite the fact that it was a hot Saturday summer afternoon, a good number of fans came out to support Wilson. The same was true on the visitor side. The Catty faithful had that side pretty much filled.

The Wilson refreshment stands are no match for Lehighton, but they do have two, one on each side. The main stand on the home side does have a fairly limited offering, but the band refreshment stand on the visitor side adds variety, including Chick-Fil-A sandwiches, although at $6.50 they are the most expensive item encountered so far this season.

Main Stand: Pizza $3, Hot Dog $2, Soft Pretzel $2 (add .50 cheese), Nachos $3, Nacho Supreme $5, Snacks/Candy/Drinks $1-$2.

Band Stand: Chick-fil-A $6.50, Marching Taco $4, Mac and Cheese $3, Baked Goods $.50-$2, Water $1.

Last year when we were at Wilson, they had just added fresh cut fries. It must not have worked out for them, as they were not on the menu this year.

Fan quote of the game. After a Catty player was flagged for unsportsmanlike conduct well after the play had ended, a Catty fan with no evidence whatsoever said “I’m sure a Wilson player started it.” Oh, brother.

A shoutout goes to the Wilson announcer, who makes sure to recognize all students involved in the game, from students to band members to cheer squad. And that’s from BOTH teams. Another example of good sportsmanship.

Catasauqua won the game as expected, 34-14. For Wilson they scored their first points of the year and gave up fewer than the week before.

This coming weekend, we are again looking at football on Thursday, Friday, and Monday. Our current plan, which is always subject to change, is Marian Catholic on Thursday for only our second ever visit, follow Executive Education to Central Columbia on Friday for a game in our newest category to chase, and Allentown Central Catholic JV on Monday. Minor league baseball is on the Wednesday schedule, with racing on Saturday and Sunday. If racing rains out on Saturday but football does not (a real possibility), we would definitely do Stroudsburg at Liberty.

Feedback always welcome at RTRYFBAR@AOL.COM.

PA FOOTBALL NEWS D11 STATE RANKED TOP 10 TEAMS

1. Northwestern Lehigh (3A–Same)
5. Minersville (2A—Up, was 7th)
8. Williams Valley (2A—Up, was HM)
9. Nazareth (6A—Same)
10. Notre Dame Green Pond (3A—Down, was 9th)
HM. Freedom (6A–New), Allentown Central Catholic (4A—Down, was 9th), Tamaqua (3A—New), Schuylkill Haven (2A–Same), Nativity BVM (1A—New)
Dropped Out. Bethlehem Catholic (4A—Was HM), North Schuylkill (3A—Was HM), Executive Education Academy (2A—Was HM),

GUY & PAM BLOG ERA SCORECARD
(No Additions This Week)

PIAA District 11 Schools (2021-). Varsity home games for all District 11 schools that have football. (47/47)

D11 Alternative JV Game Sites (2021-). Seven of eight that we know of for schools that played JV games at fields other than where their varsity plays. Missed a 2021 Nazareth game when they played a JV football game at the middle school due to a conflict with soccer playoffs. (7/7 Active)

D11 Related–Special Events, Sub-Regional, or Former EPC Teams (2021-). Six schools placed with D11 in sub-regionals for district playoffs. Thanksgiving Day game at Lafayette College. One former EPC team. Missing one sub-regional team. (8/9)

All Star Games with D11 Players (2021-). Colonial vs. Schuylkill League, Lehigh Valley Football Classic, PSFCA East vs. West Small School, PSFCA East vs. West Big School, PSFCA Pennsylvania vs. Maryland Big 33 Game, Schuylkill League (6/6).

Out of District State Playoff Game Sites with D11 Teams (2022-) (G) Dunmore High School (Northern Lehigh Bulldogs), Bald Eagle High School (Allentown Central Catholic Vikings), Steelton-Highspire High School (Northern Lehigh Bulldogs), (G) Governor Mifflin High School (Pleasant Valley Bears), (G) Delaware Valley High School (Whitehall Zephyrs), Northeast High School Supersite (Nazareth Blue Eagles), Kutztown University (Northwestern Lehigh Tigers), Cumberland Valley (Northwestern Lehigh Tigers). Made this one retroactive and missed five from 2021-222 before adding this category. They were: Cardinal O’Hara (North Schuylkill Playoff Game 2021), Berks Catholic (Pine Grove Playoff Game 2022), Trinity (Executive Education Playoff Game 2022), South Philly Supersite (Northwestern Lehigh Playoff Game 2022), Germantown Supersite (Whitehall Playoff Game 2022). (8/13)

NCAA D2 PSAC Colleges (2022-). Eleven teams so far including former PSAC school Mansfield Mountaineers who now compete in Sprint Football. Still have six PSAC and two former PSAC colleges on the Hit List. (11/18).

NCAA Bowl Games / National Playoffs / or NFL (2022-). (G) D3 Delaware Valley Aggies, D2 Kutztown University Golden Bears, D2 Slippery Rock The Rock, (G) D3 Susquehanna River Hawks, New York Jets, New York Giants. D1 Military Bowl. (7)

GEFA 8-Main Semi Pro (2023-). 2024 Eight of 11 teams at home. 2024 three neutral fields: Kickoff Classic, Keystone Bowl, All-Star Game. 2023 three additional home fields. Note: 2023 Wilkes Barre Warriors (The Bog), 2024 Wilkes Barre Warriors (Exeter Panther Junior Football Assoc. Field) (14)

NEW FOR 2024! D11 Teams Playing Regular Season Games Outside D11 (2024-). Whitehall @ Wilkes Barre Wolfpack, Shenandoah Valley @ Columbia Montour Vo-Tech Rams. (2)

Other. NCAA D1 Rutgers Scarlet Knights, NCAA D 1AA Lehigh Mountain Hawks, WFA Harrisburg Havoc (Harrisburg High School & Palmyra High School), Harrisburg Stampede (PA Farm Show Complex), Selinsgrove High School (PIAA Playoffs), Fleetwood High School Tigers, Scranton Lions City vs. County Dream Game (Valley View High School) (8)

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