Richard Fronheiser’s Friday evening drives to the Lehighton football stadium are a little longer and a little less direct the last few weeks.

That’s because Fronheiser makes a stop along the way to continue doing something that has been part of his sports routine since kindergarten.

Fronheiser had a special relationship with his father Lamar - one strengthened through their mutual love of sports.

A standout two-sport athlete at Lehighton High School, Fronheiser especially enjoyed talking to his dad before and after his football games and wrestling matches.

That relationship and those talks ended suddenly and unexpectedly on Sept. 22 when Lamar passed away from complications following a medical procedure.

“My dad coached me in booster club wrestling and football from the time I first started playing sports,” said Fronheiser, the Indians’ starting quarterback. “He’s always been there for me. I definitely attribute the success I’ve had in sports to him.”

Fronheiser said there are plenty of things he misses about his dad, but one of the biggest is their conversations about sports.

“Before and after football games and wrestling matches, we would talk about what I needed to do or about what I had just done,” he said. “I loved talking sports with him. It was definitely a bond that we shared.”

Fronheiser’s last two games have been a roller-coaster ride of highs and lows that almost every athlete experiences at one time or another during their career. Two weeks ago in a 60-42 victory over Schuylkill Haven, Fronheiser had a career game, going 20-for-22 for 398 yards and four touchdowns. Last week against Jim Thorpe, he suffered through a 7-for-20 performance and was intercepted four times.

“The Schuylkill Haven game was exciting because of how we played offensively, and I know my dad would have been proud of how I played,” said Fronheiser. “But I definitely missed him more after last week’s loss to Jim Thorpe.

“Anytime I struggled in wrestling or football or didn’t have a good performance, we would go over the mistakes I made and talk about what I needed to do to try and make sure those mistakes didn’t happen the next time. He was tough on me and pushed me to be the best I could be, but at the same time he knew when to give me a pat on the back and make sure I was OK. I could have used that last week.”

One thing Fronheiser hasn’t done since his father passed away is take time away from football. Not only has he played in all three games since then, but he hasn’t missed a practice.

“Part of the reason I haven’t missed a practice or game is because I love being around my teammates and coaches and staying busy,” said Fronheiser. “But the other reason is because I know that’s what my father would have wanted me to do. He wouldn’t want me sitting around feeling sorry for myself.”

Lehighton coach Tom McCarroll said Fronheiser has handled an extremely difficult situation with a maturity beyond his years.

“Richard came to school and talked to me the day his father passed away,” recalled McCarroll. “He asked if he could practice that day. I told him it was his decision, but whatever he wanted to do we would be there for him.

“He showed up that afternoon, and hasn’t missed a team activity since. I think for Richard, football has been a good distraction.”

McCarroll said he let Fronheiser know that if that changes, it’s fine.

“My assistants and I have talked to Richard numerous times the last few weeks to make sure he’s doing all right, and letting him know that if he has a day where he doesn’t want to practice or even if at some point during a practice he needs to step away, that’s understandable and perfectly fine,” McCarroll said. “It can be incredibly difficult for anyone to lose a parent, but when you’re young, I think that magnifies the loss.

“As coaches, we are trying to give Richard as much support as we can, and I know his teammates have been doing the exact same thing.”

Fronheiser said there have been some difficult moments since his father died, but all the support he has received has helped him get though the toughest times.

“The game against Pottsville was the week my father died, and it was the first game that they were allowing fans to attend,” said Fronheiser. “It was hard to look up in the bleachers before the game and realize my dad wasn’t there watching. I miss that.”

Fronheiser has found a way to deal with something else that he misses.

“Since my dad’s service, I’ve stopped at Dinkey Memorial Cemetery, where he is buried, before every game,” Fronheiser said. “It’s a way to remember him and feel close to him.”

It has also undoubtedly served as a way for Richard to continue doing something that has been a pregame ritual of his throughout his playing days - talking to his father.

**********

NW’S LONG TD PASSES ... Northwestern completed two long touchdown passes during last Friday’s game against Palmerton. Quarterback Justin Holmes connected with Justin Rodda for a 75-yard scoring toss before hooking up with Cade Christopher on a 76-yard TD strike.

Over the past 25 years, there have been only two other times when an area team had two touchdown passes of 70 yards or more in the same game.

On Sept. 30, 2016, Pleasant Valley’s Brandon Keyes threw a 73-yard touchdown pass to Mike Mitchell and a 90-yarder to Justin Richardson. Also, on Oct. 15, 2011 Panther Valley’s Mike Weaver hit Devon Dillard with an 80-yard scoring pass and an 85-yarder.

**********

FOUR STRAIGHT FOR CC ... Speaking of Christopher, the Northwestern sophomore has caught six passes this season - all for touchdowns. The receiver has hauled in a TD pass in all four of the Tigers’ games in 2020.

Over the past 30 years, the longest streak of consecutive games with at least one touchdown catch is seven. That was accomplished by Northwestern’s Cam Richardson during the 2014 season. Panther Valley’s Brad Miller had a streak of six straight games in 1992, as did Palmerton’s Austin Cseh in 2008, while Jim Thorpe’s Don Evans (2000) and Josh Hontz (2007), Panther Valley’s Jake Dunn (2008), Lehighton’s Nick Chambers (2015), Northwestern’s Trevor Cunningham (2016) and Richardson again (2013), and Tamaqua’s Zeke Wassell (2016) all had five consecutive games with a TD catch.

**********

NL REBOUNDS FROM SLOW START ... Northern Lehigh failed to score in the first quarter of Saturday’s game against Wilson, but the Bulldogs got their offense in gear after that and put up 37 points in a win over the Warriors.

Over the last 30 years, Nolehi has failed to put up points in the first quarter a total of 146 times. In those games, there have been only two other times the team rebounded to post 37 or more points.

On Sept. 28, 2001, the Bulldogs were blanked over the game’s first 12 minutes but rallied for a 38-13 victory against Saucon Valley. And on Sept. 24, 2016, Northern Lehigh didn’t score in the first frame at Wilson but ended up posting a 42-21 win.

**********

JT’s THREE AND D ... In last Friday’s 37-6 victory over Lehighton, Jim Thorpe’s Chris Condly booted a 24-yard field goal while teammate Derryl Fisher returned an interception for a touchdown.

The last time the Olympians kicked a field goal and had a defensive TD on the same night was Oct, 20, 2006 - 148 games ago - during a 31-6 win against Schuylkill Haven.

In that contest, Alex Landon drilled a 31-yard field goal and Craig Zurn came up with a 32-yard pick six.