It’s the last week of the regular season, which for many teams means Rivalry Week.

Jim Thorpe and Lehighton meet in their annual clash, while Tamaqua and Panther Valley will battle it out for bragging rights. Pleasant Valley and Stroudsburg will also tussle in a Monroe County encounter.

In another contest involving top-level teams, Northwestern travels to face Southern Lehigh.

Jim Thorpe at Lehighton

When: Friday, Oct. 28, 7 p.m.

Storyline of the Week

: Can Lehighton break Jim Thorpe’s five-year hold on the Rt. 209 trophy?

Throw the records out the window. It’s the Battle for the Route 209 trophy between the Olympians and the Indians. Thorpe has held the gold for the past four years, but this game also has huge postseason implications. According to Olympian coach Mark Rosenberger and Tribe mentor Tom McCarroll, it’s win and you’re in the district playoffs. “It’s a big game and it’s always a quality, local town rivalry game,” said Rosenberger. This year’s matchup will feature several outstanding athletes. Thorpe’s senior quarterback - Brett Balliet - will feed his two-headed monster in Sal Capria and David Fiorito. The dynamic duo has rushed for over 1,000 yards, caught 52 passes for nearly 600 yards and have combined for 19 touchdowns. Balliet has thrown for nearly 1,400 yards, which presents a big challenge for Lehighton’s defense. “Thorpe has a great program every year,” said McCarroll. “They’re very well coached, and you can see that this year with the development of their quarterback and the progress of their two main running backs. They have had a tradition of being a run-heavy team, but not so much this year. Balliet has been very accurate with his throws, and he can scramble out when pressured.” Last week, the Olympians suffered a late one-point loss while the Tribe won rather handily and will be carrying that momentum into Friday’s contest. “We finally played a complete game,” said McCarroll. “Our offensive line helped Ethan Buchert and Dylan Moyer each gain 100 yards. We also played well on defense and special teams.” Another big weapon for the Tribe will be receiver Ian Rarick, who has caught 37 balls for six TDs from 1,000-yard passer Brady O’Donnell. “They’re young, but they have a lot of athletes,” said Rosenberger. “They like to spread the ball around with their backs, and they have a very good go-to receiver. Once they get into space, they’re tough to tackle.”

Players to Watch:

Jim Thorpe’s 11 seniors

Rosenberger paid tribute to these players: Dawson Meckes, Brett Balliet, David Fiorito, Jave Buler, William Newton, Dom Berger, Tiernan McCartney, Paul Rutledge, Nathaniel Lopez, Jaxson Newhall, and Bryson Heydt.

Lehighton’s offensive line

McCarroll tributes his warriors in the trenches: Joey Houser, Doug Endy, Cooper Hartsell, Yadi Rodriguez and Wyatt Scherer.

Panther Vy. at Tamaqua

When: Friday, Oct. 28, 7 p.m.

Storyline of the Week

: Can Tamaqua make the playoffs, or will the Panthers finish on a high note?

This a matchup that brings motivation for both teams. Tamaqua’s Sam Bonner says it’s win and his Raiders are in the postseason, while Panthers’ coach Mark Lavine would like to see his squad finish the regular season on a positive note. “It’s been the same frustration with us much of the season,” said Lavine. “We’re right there in most games, but last week, I don’t think we had the fire to compete. We drove on offense, but we didn’t score. On defense, we didn’t tackle well.” Bonner explained his seasons’ struggles have been with the overall youth on his team. “The early losses against a difficult schedule were tough on our team, but we’ve stepped up lately. We start six or seven sophomores who are learning how to play a whole game, and their maturity has been definitely improving.” Lavine, who comes from the same Northern Lehigh coaching tree as does Bonner, expects a tough, physical game against the Blue Raiders. “It’s a rivalry game, and most likely our last game,” he said. “We have 33 out of 35 players still in the program and for our seniors, it would be nice to finish the season with a win.” Bonner knows what every opponent’s coach has known about the Panthers - quarterback Michael Pascoe is their go-to guy. The PV senior has rushed and passed for a combined 15 touchdowns. “When he gets a head of steam, he’s tough to bring down,” said Bonner. “We will have to stay disciplined on defense.” The Panthers will have to control an improving Raiders’ offense. Quarterback Luke Kane has thrown for 926 yards. His main target has been Conner Dillon, who has caught 27 passes - eight of them for TDs.

Players to Watch:

Panther Valley’s 11 seniors

Lavine pays tribute to his team’s seniors who “bought into his new program” since Day One: Austin Hadley, Michael Pascoe, Logan Haines, Riley Hoben, Fred Collevechio, Ethan Gardiner, and David McAndrew.

Damon Sell, Tamaqua

The junior tailback has “really come into his own,” said Bonner.

Connor Dillon, Tamaqua

Dillon has played very well from his receiver and defensive back positions.

Vinnie Schlosser, Tamaqua

The senior defensive end led the Raiders in tackles last week.

Northwestern at So. Lehigh

When: Friday, Oct. 28, 7 p.m.

Storyline of the Week

: Whose ground game tears it up?

Both Northwestern and Southern Lehigh have similar stats. Except in passing, where the Tigers are at a bit of a disadvantage, but they do have a strong secondary and pass rush that may be able to contain the passing game. With that in mind, it will come down to which team can control the line of scrimmage and pick up the most yardage on the ground. The Tigers (7-2) come into the game currently seeded third in the 3A classification for district playoffs, and are hoping that a win over the Spartans might be enough to edge them up in the rankings. For Southern Lehigh (8-1), it will enter districts as the top seed in the 5A classification. The winner of the game will also be the Gold Division champion in the Colonial-Schuylkill League. On the ground, the Spartans rely on two players, junior running back Cade Sawyer (1,205 yards) and senior quarterback Avery Koser (623 yards). No other player has more than 53 yards rushing for Southern Lehigh, and as a team, the Spartans average 235 yards on the ground, compared to the 295 yards per game for the Tigers. For Northwestern, the ground game is a combination of senior quarterback Cade Christopher (1,160 yards) and junior running back Dalton Clymer (866 yards). “I think a lot of the game will come down to the line play and who gets an edge there,” said Northwestern coach Josh Snyder. “It could be a battle up front, and whichever team can do more there will have the advantage.”

Players to Watch:

Jack Inglis, Southern Lehigh

When Koser looks for the end zone, that usually means Inglis is the guy he is looking for. Of his 1,169 yards passing and 14 touchdown tosses, 334 of the yards are to Inglis, but more importantly, five of the TD strikes are to the junior receiver. The most popular receiver is senior Tyler Rizzuto, with 20 catches for 401 yards on the season. On defense, Inglis also has 34 tackles for the Spartans.

Cade Christopher, Northwestern

Christopher has 1,160 yards rushing this season with 17 touchdown runs. Through the air, the senior has just 514 yards passing, but has thrown eight touchdown passes and has great football instincts that help him avoid interceptions, limiting opponents to just one interception this season, which came in Week 1. Christopher will also be the guy to watch in the secondary, where he has two interceptions and has broken up three other pass plays. He will look to tack on a couple of pickoffs against Koser, who has thrown just three interceptions this season.

Dalton Clymer, Northwestern

Before the season opened, a goal of the offensive line was to be good enough for the team to have two 1,000-yard rushers. Christopher is there and Clymer is closing in with 866 yards rushing this season. He has also contributed to the offense with seven catches for 64 yards. Defensively, Clymer is second on the team with 29 tackles and has assisted on 32 others, including putting together two-and-a-half sacks on the year. Big games call for big players, and Clymer is just that - and a key to the offensive success for the Tigers.

Stroudsubrg at Pleasant Vy.

When: Friday, Oct. 28 7 p.m.

Storyline of the Week

: Pleasant Valley gets back in the win column, faces a tough Stroudsburg team next.

The final week of the 2021 regular season came down to a showdown between Pleasant Valley and Stroudsburg at Mountaineers Stadium. Pleasant Valley was able to put up a 14-10 win at Stroudsburg and lock into the district playoffs. PV got back in the win column with a 26-14 victory over Eastern Pennsylvania Conference rival Pocono Mountain West last week after the Bears had a tough time with the Panthers the last few seasons. Stroudsburg is on a three-game winning streak heading into Friday’s night game, with victories against East Stroudsburg North, Allen and longtime rival East Stroudsburg South. Both PV and Stroudsburg sit at 6-3, and Pleasant Valley head coach Blaec Saeger pinned Friday night’s contest against Stroudsburg the Monroe County championship game. “They have a weird schedule as us,” Saeger said about Stroudsburg. “They’ve beaten everybody up North, and then they lost to the Valley schools. It’s going to be a very tough one, much like the West game was. Stroudsburg’s got a long history of being good up there, so it’s going to be a heck of a game.” Stroudsburg and Pleasant Valely are both in the Eastern Pennsylvania Conference Northern division. Both teams have clinched a playoff spot, but the intensity of the game expects to be high. “This one’s huge for us,” Saeger said. “If Northampton wasn’t up in the North, this would be for everything. We don’t get a banner for winning this one, but for us to know we’ve beaten everyone in Monroe County, that would be incredible for us.” Memories from last year’s incredible Pleasant Valley-Stroudsburg contest still flood the Bears, but both teams have had respectable seasons in 2022. Like Pleasant Valley, Stroudsburg also played some Lehigh Valley powerhouses such as Northampton, Liberty and Emmaus. Pleasant Valley and Stroudsburg have had similar 2022 seasons, but the final game of the year comes down to Friday night’s matchup in Brodheadsville. “It’s been a culmination of a lot of things,” Saeger said about the team’s success. “Years of hard work, and kids that never gave up and decided they were going to put in the work. From January on, three years in a row, and it just feels good to experience this success.”

Players to Watch:

Fela Olaniyan, Pleasant Valley

Oalniyan rushed for 186 yards and three touchdowns against Pocono Mountain West, earning him Times News Football Player of the Week honors. It will also be his last regular season game in his senior season against Stroudsburg. Olaniyan has taken over as the running back for the Bears this year, and Saeger said 2022 was going to be his show. Olaniyan was a key component in last year’s victory over Stroudsburg in a playoff-clinching game.

Valentino Byers-Robinson, Pleasant Valley

Robinson has a 6-3 record as the junior starting quarterback for the Bears. Pleasant Valley’s run game flourished against Pocono Mountain West, and Byers-Robinson has had to learn the triple-option offense for PV. It will be interesting to see how the junior handles playoff football once the regular season comes to a close.

Andre Reames Jr, Stroudsburg

The similarities between Pleasant Valley and Stroudsburg continue. Stroudsburg also has a senior running back in Reames, and the success the Mountaineers have had over the years is incredible. The Stroudsburg-Pleasant Valley contest is expected to be a tough game, and can come down to the running game for either team.

Marian at Pine Grove

When: Friday, Oct. 21, 7 p.m.

Storyline of the Week

: Marian playing with postseason hopes on the horizon.

It’s been a roller coaster ride for the Colts (4-5) over the course of the season, who have alternated wins and losses throughout the year. But now in the midst of a two-game losing streak entering Week 10, Colts’ mentor Stan Dakosty stated the program has one thing on its mind. “We’d like a win to end the season,” Dakosty said. “If we beat Pine Grove, we could have a playoff game or even have a home playoff game. If we don’t, there is a chance the season could to be over. So there is obviously a lot riding on this game.” Marian is preparing for a Pine Grove (2-7) team led by senior quarterback Mason Kroh and junior running back Lane Lehman. Kroh is 50-for-138 for 687 yards through the air, and has run for 394 yards on 10 carries with seven touchdowns. Meanwhile, Lehman leads the Cardinals with 848 yards rushing on 163 carries with four touchdowns. “Both are outstanding athletes, and big play people,” said Dakosty. “They had some nice runs against some quality opponents. They’re big up front. They are bigger than we are. And, they do throw the ball, but are primarily a run team. They’re a physical team on offense and defense.” The Colts will need to be disciplined on defense to keep Kroh, Lehman and the rest of the offense in check. “We got to be where we are supposed to be when we’re supposed to be there” Dakosty said. “And, if we are there, we have to execute to make the play. If they crack any seems or so forth, they’re talented enough at the quarterback or running back positions to make you pay for it.” Win or lose, Dakosty is proud of the way his team has played this season. “We have a chance for .500 or above, and coming from where we came from, that’s quite an achievement,” Dakosty said.

Players to Watch:

Novah McGuire, Marian

Dakosty lauded the effort McGuire has been giving throughout the season. “The one guy that’s starting to get recognition and deserves it is Novah McGuire,” Dakosty stressed. “As defensive back, he has been playing outstanding for us. He had an interception last week. So, people are starting to write about him and recognize him. He solely deserves it. He’s been playing very well there.”

Owen Hannevig, Pine Grove

When Kroh drops back to pass rather than hand the ball off or run it himself, his target is more than likely going to be 6-1 receiver Owen Hannevig. The 165-pound junior receiver leads the Cardinals with 12 receptions and 205 yards receiving on the season. A good chunk of those yards came on a 73-yard reception. Hannevig has two touchdown receptions on the year.

Nick Wolff, Pine Grove

On offense, the 5-6, 145-pound senior can either line up behind the quarterback, or line up on the outside as a receiver. On defense, Wolff is second on the team with 39 solo tackles, and is tied for second with total tackles (42).