Southern Lehigh Escapes Cardinal O’Hara 28-24, Advances To 4A State Title (VIDEO RECAP)

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Davin Ridall | November 29, 2025

WHITEHALL – In a game filled with plenty of adversity, Southern Lehigh (14-1) managed to survive a 21 point comeback by Cardinal O’Hara (10-5) by a final score of 28-24, en route to their first state title appearance in school history.

Early on in this game, Southern Lehigh was in full control. Following a perfectly read interception by Dariuz Lightner that set up a 15 yard touchdown run by Sean Steckart, the Spartans had jumped out to a 21-0 lead just four minutes into the second quarter. That touchdown was Steckart’s second of the night to that point, his first was a 47 yard run that came on Southern Lehigh’s second drive of the game.

At the time, Cardinal O’Hara had absolutely no momentum. Their first three possessions of the game ended in a three and out, a missed field goal, and an interception. This was the first time since facing La Salle College and St. Joseph’s Prep in back-to-back weeks that Cardinal O’Hara had faced a deficit this large.

It seemed like momentum started to shift in their favor towards the end of the first half, thanks to a 3 yard touchdown run by Amahj Gowans and a 22 yard field goal on the last play of the half, which cut the Spartans’ lead down to 11.

Two fumbles in the second half by Southern Lehigh gave Cardinal O’Hara even more momentum, the first of which coming on a muffed punt return by Oto Young that set up a 59 yard strike to Simon Horta that brought the Lions back within one score.

The second fumble came on the very first play of the fourth quarter, a strip sack by Jalen Patterson that was returned 75 yards to the end zone that gave Cardinal O’Hara a 24-21 lead, their first of the game.

Southern Lehigh also fumbled the ball away on their next drive, giving the Lions their third fumble recovery of the half. However, Cardinal O’Hara should have very clearly had their fourth fumble recovery of the half later in the game. With just over four minutes left in the fourth quarter, Southern Lehigh’s Oto Young had the ball knocked out of his hands by Lions’ defensive back Aaron Madeh at their own 40 yard line, however just before Cardinal O’Hara jumped on top of the loose football, the runner was ruled down by contact. The play can be seen here in this photo.

“We definitely got away with one there,” Southern Lehigh’s head coach Phil Sams after the game. That drive eventually led to a go-ahead touchdown run by Sean Steckart, his third of the game, which game Southern Lehigh a 28-24 lead with just 30 seconds left in the game that was ultimately the final blow in this game.

“As far as the state semifinals are concerned, something’s got to go right,” coach Sams said when asked about how his team bounced back after it seemed like everything was going wrong in the second half. “Something had to go our way and those kids proved it, the resiliency of those kids is phenomenal, they just don’t quit. They didn’t quit last week against Shamokin, and they want to play football one more week, and I’m glad because I want to coach football one more week.”

Sean Steckart with his three touchdown performance moved to 41 rushing touchdowns this season, the most ever in a single season by any Southern Lehigh player. “Having that big line up front helps so much, being able to take a second just to read the defense, that’s everything in a running play,” Steckart said after the game about his performance.

“[Patterson] made a really nice play, he got that strip sack, but we just had to say so what and come back out there and do our thing. We can’t do anything about the past circumstances, all we can do is capitalize on the moment that we have,” Colton Sams said after the game when asked about the strip sack that led to O’Hara’s go-ahead touchdown. “We just focused on picking up five yards a play, going downfield, and putting one in the end zone.

Southern Lehigh with the win advances to the 4A state title for the first time in school history, where they will face Twin Valley on Thursday. Cardinal O’Hara’s season will come to an end following the loss, they will finish the year with a final record of 10-4.

CREDIT TO RYAN SCIPIO FOR GAME PHOTOS – FOLLOW @ScipScip FOR MORE PHOTOS

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