Jim Thorpe-Panther Valley

WHEN: Friday, September 21 at 7:00 p.m.RECORDS: Jim Thorpe (2-1); Panther Valley (1-2).LAST WEEK'S RESULTS: Jim Thorpe def. North Schuylkill 41-21; Panther Valley def. Kutztown 40-26.JIM THORPE'S IMPACT PLAYERS: Quarterback Ryan Saunders has been the Olympians' most dynamic player on offense so far this season. The senior captain has thrown for 228 yards and two touchdowns and rushed 50 times for 376 yards and three scores. Another threat out of the backfield is Deonte St. Hill, who as carried the ball 47 times for 242 yards and five scores. Saunders' favorite target has been Mike Mulderig, who leads Jim Thorpe with six receptions for 94 yards and a touchdown.PANTHER VALLEY'S IMPACT PLAYERS: Much like the Olympians, the Panthers also feature a highly producitive dual-threat quarterback in Kyle Ferryman. Ferryman has carried the ball 69 times for 322 yards and six scores while also completing 14-of-37 passes for 175 yards and three touchdowns. Running back Richard Nase has just been effective out of the backfield, carrying the ball 44 times for 304 yards and two scores to go along with six receptions for 81 yards and two touchdowns. Calergo Keo has also notched six receptions for 81 yards and one touchdown.FAST FACTS: Panther Valley won last year's shootout 49-48 and there's little reason to believe the 2013 edition will be much different. Both squads have shown the ability to score and rack up yards early in the season, as the Olympians lead all TIMES NEWS area teams with 356.7 yards of total offense per game while the Panthers rank fourth with 285.7 yards per contest. Both teams will also come in with confidence and momentum, as Jim Thorpe earned a decisive win over Anthracite League foe North Schuylkill last week while Panther Valley picked up its first win of the season against non-league foe Kutztown. Last week's win also helped the Olympians surpass their win total from 2012.QUOTABLE: "We're excited with where we're at right now, but the bottom line is last week's behind us and we're still looking to get better." Jim Thorpe head coach Mark Rosenberger."We were much more physical on defense last week and had an answer every time Kutztown closed the gap. We're going to have to play the same way this week if we expect to get another win." Panther Valley coach Lon Hazlet.Tamaqua-Mahanoy AreaWHEN: Friday, September 21 at 7:00 p.m.RECORDS: Tamaqua (2-1); Mahanoy Area (3-0).LAST WEEK'S RESULTS: Tamaqua def. Shenandoah Valley 38-15; Mahanoy Area def. Marian 40-6.TAMAQUA'S IMPACT PLAYERS: Dustin Vandermartin ran the ball four times for 164 yards, with three touchdowns in last week's win over Shenandoah Valley. He added a fourth TD on a pass reception from quarterback Nate Edmonds. Vandermartin normally plays wide receiver; in fact, several colleges are looking at him to play the position at the next level. But head coach Sam Bonner was clever enough to add the wide receiver's talents on an outside sweep play to counteract the Blue Devils' defensive approach, which was to stuff the inside run game. The Raiders' offense will continue to expand with healthy returns from stud running back Tyler Hope and all-purpose threat Vandermartin.MAHANOY AREA'S IMPACT PLAYERS: After rushing for more than 500 yards in the first two games, there is little question Mahanoy Area's football team may go as far as the legs of quarterback Dylan Mahmod take it. Mahmod carried the ball 34 times for 184 yards and three touchdowns in last week's win over Marian. He also scored a two-point conversion run and threw to Austin Forte for two more points. Through three games, the Golden Bears have averaged 47.7 points per game.FAST FACTS: Tamaqua won last year's meeting 53-0 and has won the last five by an average score of 45-6...Last week's win over Marian helped Mahanoy surpass its win total from 2012...After allowing 34 points in a week one loss to Jim Thorpe, the Tamaqua defense has allowed only 15 points in wins over William Allen and Shenandoah Valley.QUOTABLE: "We're not the same team that opened against Jim Thorpe two weeks ago. We're starting to get healthy and once Tyler (Hope) gets back to full strength, we feel we can be pretty decent." Tamaqua head coach Sam Bonner.Conwell-Egan-MarianWHEN: Saturday, September 22 at 5:00 p.m.RECORDS: Conwell Egan (1-1); Marian (0-3).LAST WEEK'S RESULTS: Conwell Egan def. Valley Forge Military 55-8; Mahanoy Area def. Marian 40-6.CONWELL EGAN'S IMPACT PLAYERS: The Eagles relied heavily on their running game in their win over over VFMA, carrying the ball 29 times for 294 yards compared to just five passes. The strategy worked, as Conwell-Egan wrapped up the game with 48 unanswered points. Quarterback Mike Alley was pivotal in the win, completing all four of his pass attempts for 104 yards, a touchdown and no interceptions. He was also successful on the ground, rushing for 75 yards and a touchdown on just three carries. Sophomore Jarrett Patman chipped in two scores on nine carries for 58 yards. Defensively, the Eagles were dominant, collecting nine sacks and holding Valley Forge to 115 total yards.MARIAN'S IMPACT PLAYERS: Through three games, the Colts are averaging just 8.7 points per contest and 128.7 yards of total offense. In last week's loss to Mahanoy Area, Marian was only able to amass 85 total yards on 35 plays from scrimmage. Of their 24 plays from scrimmage in the first half, Marian had seven plays for negative yards, six penalties, four punts and two interceptions. At halftime, the Colts finished with 20 yards of offense on just 20 plays. Marian did have quarterback KJ Snerr (injured on the first play from scrimmage in the season opener against Lehighton) under center last week. Snerr raced 43 yards late in the game for Marian's lone touchdown. Defensively, Marian has given up an average of 32.3 points and 362.3 yards of offense to its opponents in the first three games.FAST FACTS: Conwell-Egan Catholic is a member of the Philadelphia Catholic League (PCL)...Jack Techtmann is in his second year as the Eagles' head coach, compiling a 7-6 record...Conwell-Egan had to replace nine starters on offense and eight on the defensive side of the ball this season...Last week's loss dropped the Colts to 0-3, marking the first time since 1995 that Marian has started a season with three straight losses...Marian's Frank Nietz was taken off the field last Friday night at Mahanoy on a back board after his neck got snapped back while tackling Golden Bears' QB Dylan Mahmod. Nietz was taken to Coaldale Miners Memorial via ambulance. Very fortunately, he only has a bad neck sprain and whiplash and is expected to make a full recovery.QUOTABLE: "We left points on the board last week against Mahanoy. We had chances to make plays and we missed our opportunities. That can't happen again this week." Marian head coach Stan Dakosty.Palisades-Northern LehighWHEN: Friday, September 21 at 7:00 p.m.RECORDS: Palisades (2-1); Northern Lehigh (0-3).LAST WEEK'S RESULTS: Catasauqua def. Palisades, 45-7; Saucon Valley def. Northern Lehigh, 26-21.PALISADES' IMPACT PLAYERS: J.D. Donnelly is the leader of the Pirates ground game. Two weeks ago against Pen Argyl he rushed for 140 yards and three TDs on just seven carries. Christian Gretzinger also added two scores against the Green Knights.NORTHERN LEHIGH'S IMPACT PLAYERS: Nate Farber has carried the ball 50 times for 264 yards and has been the workhorse for the Bulldogs when they run. He also leads the team in touchdowns with four. Quarterback Chance DeLong has completed 13-of-36 passes for 241 yards and Stephen Ingles has caught nine passes for 221 yards.FAST FACTS: Palisades jumped on Catasauqua for a 7-0 lead, but the Roughies never let the Pirates cross the goal line again handing them their first loss...Palisades hurt itself with three fumbles, two in the second half, including a muffed punt that Catty's Satchel Stauffer recovered at the Pirates 11 late in the third quarter leading to a touchdown...Palisades lone score was by Gretzinger, who punched it from the one. That finished a seven-play, 44-yard drive...Pirates two wins were over Northwestern, 27-15 and Pen Argyl, 46-21...Pirates like to play smash-mouth football so Bulldogs will have to be ready.QUOTABLE: "I thought it was the most physical we've played, the fastest we've played, but it still came down to a couple of bad penalties at crucial times that hurt. We had three drives turned away in the first half that could have turned the momentum in our favor. This week, we have to finish those drives off." - Northern Lehigh head coach Joe ToutSaucon Valley-PalmertonWHEN: Friday, September 21 at 7:00 p.m.RECORDS: Saucon Valley (2-1); Palmerton (2-1).LAST WEEK'S RESULTS: Saucon Valley def. No. Lehigh 26-21; Palmerton def. Salisbury 16-8.SAUCON VALLEY'S IMPACT PLAYERS: Nick Savant had a big game for the Panthers last week against Northern Lehigh, rushing for 181 yards and came up with two total touchdowns. Panthers quarterback Keith Mosher also had a nice day through the air, passing for 174 yards and two touchdowns. Also expected to make an impact is fullback Justin Blobe and tight endPALMERTON'S IMPACT PLAYERS: Palmerton's main threat on offense this season has no doubt been running back Tre Nelson. Nelson has rushed for 264 yards this season at an impressive eight yards per carry. It's unknown whether Nelson will be able to play or not do an undisclosed injury, so if Nelson can't go expect freshman Mike Stesco to take over most of the rushing duties. Stesco ran for 100 yards last week against Salisbury.FAST FACTS: The Panthers were picked by many to be a top team in the Colonial League. Saucon Valley does a very good job of running the ball, especially with Savant and they mix in some good play action passing. Savant is a very physical punisher who the Bombers will need to gang tackle. Palmerton will also need to finish off their drives and not leave any points on the board like they did last week. Palmerton fumbled the ball on the one yard line and they had a touchdown called back due to a penalty. Offensively last week, the Bombers sustained some nice drives racking up 15 first downs. Defensively, Palmerton needs to continue to create turnovers as they created eight last week against Salisbury. That included three interceptions and four forced fumbles.QUOTABLE: "We're excited about being 2-1 and our match-up with Saucon Valley is a big game for us. This will be a measuring stick game for us to see where we stand in the Colonial League. This game will reveal a little more about our identity as we strive to continue to get better each week." Palmerton coach Chris Walkowiak.Northwestern-Southern LehighWHEN: Friday, September 21 at 7:00 p.m.RECORDS: Northwestern (2-1); Southern Lehigh (2-1).LAST WEEK'S RESULTS: Northwestern beat Wilson 26-0; Southern Lehigh 47, Bangor 6.NORTHWESTERN'S IMPACT PLAYERS: Against the Warriors, the Tigers used a no-huddle offense and ran it well. It was the first time this season that they went to the offense and Snyder has said that it's likely they'll keep the package in the playbook, but with a few wrinkles. Quarterback Frank Dangello took advantage of the new plays to complete 9-of-13 passes for 180 yards. Dangello threw three touchdown passes week to set a new school record with 17 in his career and he's only a junior. Dangello is averaging 116 yards passing per game.SOUTHERN LEHIGH'S IMPACT PLAYERS: Stopping the Southern Lehigh offense starts with trying to contain quarterback Travis Edmonds, who has completed 61% of his passes this season and is averaging just under 200 yards passing per game, with Jacob DelPriore and Cody Heffelfinger serving as hit top two targets. Southern Lehigh features two backs - Christian Ricci and Dylan Niedbalski - who average more than 12 yards per carry. They also have a lot of different weapons to use with five players having more than 10 carries on the season, but none of them having more than 16.FAST FACTS: The Tigers turned the ball over five times in their season-opening loss to Palisades, but haven't turned it over since ... The defense has played well, but coach Josh Snyder believes they can be even better. Allowing just 35 points through their first three games, the Tigers defense ranks first in the Colonial League for the fewest points allowed.QUOTABLE: "Edmonds is tough to stop. He's a smart kid and is one of the better quarterbacks around, so you have to try to get pressure on him and play smart defensively. The problem is that you can't just look to shut down the pass, because they can run the ball, so you have to be prepared for whatever they do." Northwestern head coach Josh Snyder