Hollywood’s Cutting Room Floor- District XI Eastern Pennsylvania Conference Playoff Edition Part 1

Tagged under: District 11, District 2, News, Playoffs

Billy Splain | November 3, 2022

Breakdowns and Predictions of PIAA District Playoffs Featuring Teams From Eastern Pennsylvania Conference Class 4-6A. For your breakdown of 1-3A check out my colleague Daniel Reed who will keep you updated.

Well the 2022 regular season of high school football has come to a close after 10 weeks. We now look ahead to what I am calling the “Rally to the Valley” as teams will now focus on getting to Cumberland Valley the first weekend in December to vie for that elusive state championships. But before we can get there in five weeks, we got district titles that need to be decided. So let’s get into it.

4A Semifinal Friday 7pm J. Birney Crum Stadium in Allentown 7pm 7-3 #3 BANGOR SLATERS AT 5-5 #2 ALLENTOWN CENTRAL CATHOLIC VIKINGS.

Bangor defeated Pen Argyl last week 35-6. Allentown Central Catholic lost the “Holy War to Bethlehem Catholic 14-13 in overtime. Inconsistency can best describe the Vikings this season after starting 3-1, they then went 2-4 to close out the season at .500. The quarterback position has been in question all seasonas Coach Tim McGorry has used both Tamlin Ferguson 13-24 151 yards 3 Td’s and Matt Keyes 4-58 354 yards 1 touchdown with one interception. The running game has been the bread-and-butter for ACC behind Caiden Shaffer and Nathan Shultz have combined for 903 yards and 15 touchdowns. Sophmore WR Jareel Calhoun has picked up 206 yards on 28 receptions and 3 touchdowns.

The Slaters have more stability at QB with Eric Striba calling signals and throwing for 796 yards on 72 of 122 with 8 touchdowns and just one pick. He also leads to them in rushing with 1,027 yards on 161 carries and 15 scores. Noah Hillis and Ashton Kluska have combined for 1,131 yards and 12 touchdowns. Bangor’s three losses have come against Southern Lehigh 29-12, Pottsville 34-21 and Blue Mountain 21-20 and has three solid wins over playoff teams Northwestern Lehigh 27-21, Palisades 27-7 and Jim Thorpe 29-7.

HOLLYWOOD SAYS: The Colomial/Schuylkill League teams have struggled in these games with EPC teams. The Slaters will certainly be prepared for this contest, but if the Vikings play like they did early in the season, giving top seed in 6A Emmaus all they wanted before dropping a 12-7 decision, but if the Vikings who dropped back-to-back losses to Nazareth 42-14 and 37-6 to Whitehall, Bangor could advance, but expect the Vikings to get to the championship game where a rematch with Bethlehem Catholic is possible. ACC by 10.

4A Semifinal Saterday 1pm at BASD STADIUM IN BETHLEHEM 6-4 #4 BLUE MOUNTAIN EAGLES at 5-5 #1 BETHLEHEM CATHOLIC GOLDEN HAWKS.

Blue Mountain defeated Schuylkill Haven 48-0 last week. Becahi won in overtime 14-13 over Allentown Central Catholic. The Eagles have a tremendous running game with junior Payton Fasnacht picking up 883 yards on 124 carries. Another Junior at QB Tyler Miller has gained 689 yards on 119 tallies each have ten touchdowns on the season. Miller has just thrown 59 passes completing 28 for 519 yards with 5 scores and 2 picks. The Eagles have a 27-26 win in OT against Jim Thorpe and a 21-20 win over Bangor on their resume. A tough 21-20 loss to Saucon Valley as well as dropping a 30-3 decision to Northwestern Lehigh and 22-18 hard-fought loss to Southern Lehigh.

Becahi, had a coaching change a couple of weeks ago as Kyle Haas resigned and Chuck Sonon took over on interim basis and is 1-2 since taking over with back-to-back losses to Parkland and Freedom but a huge win over rival Central Catholic allowed the Hawks to be the number one seed. Jacob Sutton has gained 538 yards on 118 carries with four scores Rahmel Terry has 482 yards on 114 tallies and 8 touchdowns for the Hawks. QB Luke Thomas has thrown for over 1,200 yards on 115-197 passing and nine scores.

HOLLYWOOD SAYS: Blue Mountain has lost both times they face Becahi in the playoffs in 2020 17-0 and in 2019 24-6. Again depending on what team for Beca shows up will go long way on deciding who advances. Hawks by 12.

CLASS 5A Semifinal Friday 7pm 5-5 #4 POCONO MOUNTAIN WEST PANTHERS at 8-2 #1 SOUTHERN LEHIGH SPARTANS.

PMW took down PME 20-6 last week. Southern Lehigh dominated Northwestern Lehigh 45-7. Panther RB Luke DeRiggi has 138 carries and 735 yards and 8 touchdowns. QB Ian McHugh has thrown for 927 yards 10 touchdowns with 5 interceptions on 92-164 passing with Tyrese Hester-Bey being his primary target catching 31 balls for 395 yards 5 touchdowns. Will Mecca and Ryder Bray have caught 41 passes between them and three scores.

The Spartans are led by QB Avery Kosar, a senior, 65-110 1,169 yards 14 touchdowns and just 3 interceptions. Junior Cade Sawyer leads the ground attack with 1,124 yards on 191 touches with 17 scores. Tyler Rizzuto leads the receiving corps with 451 yards and three touchdowns.

Hollywood sees this game as being a win for the Spartans by 30.

CLASS 5A SEMIFINAL FRIDAY 7PM 5-5 #3 WHITEHALL ZEPHYRS at 7-3 #2 PLEASANT VALLEY BEARS.

Whitehall dropped a disappointing 42-7 decision to rival Northampton. Pleasant Valley slid by Stroudsburg 14-13.

Pleasant Valley got off to a 5-0 start but have dropped 3 out of 5 to the top teams in the EPC South’s 38-7 to Parkland and 49-0 to Freedom and a 46-7 loss to Northampton in the North. Fela Olaniyan has rushed for 1,062 yards on 208 carries with 11 scores, Jerod moore has added 608 and 6.3 yards per carry average and 8 touchdowns. The Bears are a triple-option squad and very rarely if at all throw the ball.

The Zephs has the second leading rusher in the EPC South in Nigel Linton averaging nearly six yards per carry and has gained 1,068 yards and 12 touchdowns. Quarterback Trey Dogmantis has thrown for over 1,300 yards 14 touchdowns but 11 picks.

HOLLYWOOD Says: If Zephs can solve the option running of the Bears and don’t make any mistakes in turning the ball over, they should get to the championship game. Zephs by 22.

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