Northwestern Lehigh once again dominated the gridiron scene in the Times News area this season. The Tigers had six players selected to the PA Football Writer’s All-State Team, and they’re well represented on the Times News/Lehigh Valley Health Network Football All-Star team.

Northwestern made it back to the Class 3A state title game for the third consecutive season, winning its fourth straight District 11 3A title in the process.

Other teams that qualified for the district playoffs were Marian (1A), Northern Lehigh (2A), Tamaqua (3A), Panther Valley (3A), Palmerton (3A), Jim Thorpe (4A), Lehighton (4A) and Pleasant Valley (5A). Other than Northwestern, the only teams to advance past the opening round of districts were Northern Lehigh and Tamaqua, with both of those teams falling in the semifinals.

It’s New Year’s Eve, so the tradition continues. The Times News/Lehigh Valley Health Network Football All-Star squad unveiling annually serves as the unofficial final act to the gridiron season. Comparable to our format over the past few seasons, we have selected Offensive and Defensive Players of the Year, as well as the top players in eight different position groups.

As in the past, an individual may be selected as Player of the Year only once, but may be named an All-Star at any other position.

For example, with Shane Leh’s selection as this season’s Football Player of the Year for Northwestern, that eliminates him from any other Player of the Year category, but he can be named an all-star at a position. This is done to recognize as many deserving players as possible.

Defensive Player of the Year

Shane Hulmes,

Northwestern (Sr.)

Hulmes has been a staple for the Northwestern defense for the past three years. The senior three-time All-State selection recorded 165 tackles, 18 tackles for loss and eight sacks this season, breaking the career tackles record at Northwestern with 449, and career solo tackles record with 198. In his career, Hulmes also tallied 46.5 tackles for loss, and 20.5 sacks. Hulmes also made his mark on the offensive side of the ball, carrying 12 times for 108 yards and six touchdowns, while catching 21 passes for 411 yards and six scores.

Coach’s Quote: “Every year you graduate seniors and you need to do your best to get by it and reload. But Shane Hulmes is going to be a tough player to replace. He just did so much for us defensively. He was a true student of the game. He always did a ton of film study and he was ready for anything pre-snap. He did a great job of always getting us aligned, and then everyone knows what he’s able to do once the ball is snapped. He’s a punishing type of tackler, and a very special kid and player.” — Northwestern head coach Josh Snyder.

Offensive Player of the Year

Braxton Lakatosh,

Northwestern (Sr.)

Lakatosh bided his time, and once he got his opportunity to start for the Tigers at running back this season, he exploded onto the scene.

The senior All-State selection finished the year with 1,404 rushing yards at 10.03 yards per carry and 17 touchdowns. Lakatosh was also one of Northwestern’s best players on defense from his linebacker spot, collecting 130 tackles, eight tackles for loss and five sacks.

Coach’s Quote: “Braxton was behind some really good running backs throughout his career and he came in this season and really surprised us. He took that position and he did a lot with it. He earned everything and he wasn’t handed anything. He knew the offense like the back of his hand, and he was the type of back that got stronger as the game wore on. He had his best halves of the season in the second halves of some of our biggest games. And to average over 10 yards per carry in our offense with how much we spread the ball around was impressive. He had one of the top 10 best seasons in Northwestern history for a running back this season. Just a special year for him.” — Northwestern head coach Josh Snyder.

Running Back of the Year

Terrence McDowell, Tamaqua (Soph.)

“Scary Terry” was just that. Scary for opposing defenses to game plan for this season. The sophomore was as hard-charging as they come. The workhorse back finished the year with 1,740 rushing yards, averaging 145 rushing yards per game and scored an impressive 19 rushing touchdowns. He had a high of 273 yards on 42 carries against Jim Thorpe on Sept. 11, and followed that up the following week with 227 yards rushing in a win over Salisbury.

Coach’s Quote: “Terrence put together an incredible season for anybody, let alone a sophomore running back. He was a little undersized this year because he’s so young and we didn’t know if he could carry it 20-25 times a game, but he certainly proved that he could early on. And he had some of his best games against our toughest opponents. But he’s got a good combination of speed and strength. He knows how to get yards after contact, and he also has great vision. He has a bright future ahead of him, and he’s a kid that a lot of people are going to be talking about for the next couple years.” — Tamaqua head coach Sam Bonner.

All-Star Running Backs

Braxton Lakatosh, Northwestern (Sr.); Chase Sukanick, Northwestern (So.); Lukas Croizier, Lehighton (Jr.); Rory Dixon, Marian (Jr.); Grady Newhard, Northern Lehigh (Sr.)

Offensive Lineman of the Year

Colton Popp, Northwestern (Sr.)

The senior All-State selection was the lone returning starter along the offensive line from the Tigers 2024 state championship team. Popp was the anchor at left tackle that helped pave the way for an offense that averaged 410.5 yards per game, had a 2,660-yard passer, and averaged 229.4 rushing yards per game.

Coach’s Quote: “Popp was the only returning starter on both sides of the ball for us up front. He had a good junior season, and then he built on that this season. I think he took it as a badge of honor to be the leader up front. He’s a steady kid; does all the little things the right way ... he did a great job with a lot of newcomers surrounding him along the line of scrimmage.” — Northwestern head coach Josh Snyder.

All-Star Offensive Linemen

Logan Anthony, Palmerton (Sr.); Ricky Merklin, Pleasant Valley (Sr.); Nolan Koehler, Northwestern (So.); Devin Rex, Northwestern (So.); Braidon Berk, Northwestern (Sr.); Maddox Hurdle, Northwestern (So.); Luke Frohnheiser, Tamaqua (Sr.); Landen Klimek, Northern Lehigh (Jr.); Dominick Rodino, Marian (Jr.); Damian Rodino, Marian (Sr.); Billy Ebert, Marian (So.); Marco Tessitore, Panther Valley (Sr.); Carlos Maldanado, Panther Valley (Jr.); James Nalesnik, Tamaqua (Sr.); Chase Gall, Northern Lehigh (So.); Gavin Strohl, Jim Thorpe (Jr.)

Wide Receiver of the Year

Brady Zimmerman, Northwestern (Jr.)

Zimmerman did a little bit of everything for the Northwestern offense this season, but was most impactful as the Tigers big play option in the passing game. The junior All-State selection finished the season with 46 catches for 956 yards and 13 touchdowns, averaging over 20 yards per catch. Zimmerman also rushed for 300 yards and seven rushing scores.

Coach’s Quote: “Coming into the season we knew we were going to use Brady everywhere. He didn’t have many touches prior to this season, but we knew the type of athlete he was and that he could be special and explosive, and that’s what he was. He was a Swiss Army Knife type guy for us. He averaged over 20 yards per catch, and his (956) receiving yards this season was second all-time in our history.” — Northwestern head coach Josh Snyder.

All-Star Wide Receivers

Mason Bollinger, Northwestern (Sr.); Michael Lagowy, Northwestern (Jr.); Caden Meek, Lehighton (Sr.); Gavin Yuricheck, Panther Valley (Sr.); Connor Zurawa, Jim Thorpe (TE, Sr.); Chase McArdle, Panther Valley (So.); Chris Frame, Northern Lehigh (Jr.); Colin Karetsky, Northern Lehigh (Jr.); Shane Hulmes, Northwestern (TE, Sr.); William Breuer, Pleasant Valley (Jr.); Spencer Gothard, Jim Thorpe (So.); Ryan Zambo, Northern Lehigh (Jr.); Blake Roberts, Lehighton (Sr.); Ben Negley, Palmerton (So.)

Quarterback of the Year

Cole Lazorick, Jim Thorpe (Sr.)

Lazorick has been dynamic and tough for the Olympians for the past three seasons at quarterback, and once again continued that trend for Thorpe in his senior campaign. Lazorick threw for 1,721 yards with 16 touchdowns, and was also impressive with his legs, rushing for 606 yards and six scores. He tossed for over 200 yards in four games this season, with a high of 277 against North Schuylkill on Sept. 19. Lazorick owns the all-time passing yards record at Jim Thorpe with 5,687, and had 50 career TD passes. In addition to his throwing numbers, Lazorick also finished his career with 1,819 rushing yards and 24 touchdowns.

Coach’s Quote: “Culmination of an outstanding career. All-time passing yards leader in Jim Thorpe history, and a three-year starter. Cole is an exceptional dual-threat talent. And what’s most impressive about him is the leader he was for us on and off the field. He was a great leader this season with a very young team on the field for us. He’s done everything we’ve asked of him, and I’m excited to see what the future holds for him both on and off the field.” - Jim Thorpe head coach Mark Rosenberger.

All-Star Quarterbacks

Shane Leh, Northwestern (Sr.); Jayse Lawrence, Lehighton (Sr.); Brody Breiner, Panther Valley (Sr.); Garrett Smoyer, No. Lehigh (Jr.)

Athlete of the Year

Brody Breiner, Panther Valley (Sr.)

Breiner put together the rare 1,000-yard passing and 1,000-yard rushing season for the Panthers from his quarterback position. As Breiner went, so did the Panthers, and his dual-threat ability was on display weekly. He finished the season with 1,406 yards passing, with a 60% completion percentage and 10 touchdowns, while rushing for 1,003 yards and 10 rushing scores.

Coach’s Quote: “Extremely happy for Brody. He got hurt in Game 4 of his junior year, so he came in this season and was really motivated and he worked hard in the offseason. His rushing numbers are really impressive, too, because we held him back from running the ball early because we didn’t want to beat him up. He also had a nice year throwing the ball at a 60 percent rate. We went as he went, and his abilities helped us become a more balanced team offensively this season. He deserves all the accolades that come his way.” — Panther Valley head coach Mark Lavine.

All-Star Athletes

Chris Ward, Pleasant Valley (Jr.); Vincent Taglieri, Palmerton (Sr.); Josh Louk, Jim Thorpe (Sr.); Jake Tom, Marian (Sr.); Bobby Levins, Jim Thorpe (Fr.); Tyler Price, Marian (So.); Malachi Stewart, Tamaqua (FB, Sr.); Brady McCabe, Tamaqua (TE, Sr.); Niko Payan, Pleasant Valley (Sr.); Ace Schickram, Tamaqua (So.)

Defensive Lineman of the Year

Bill Slattery, Northern Lehigh (Jr.)

Slattery was a menace for the Bulldogs’ defense this season from his defensive end position. There were many game-wrecking moments for the junior, and the statistics backed up his play. Slattery finished the season with 91 tackles, 18 tackles for loss and seven sacks.

Coach’s Quote: “I thought he was an All-State type player. He played defensive end and nose guard. He started as a sophomore, but really became a force this season. We moved him around and when he was at nose guard, he ate up a ton of double teams. He comes from a blue-collar family, and he works hard and he has that natural strength. He’s a strong kid, and was really a man amongst boys for us. Also improved his speed. He likes contact and he loves to hit people. You love having those guys on your team. And Friday nights, we would let him loose.” — No. Lehigh head coach Joe Tout.

All-Star Defensive Linemen

Colton Popp, Northwestern (Sr.); Fritz Scheirer, Northwestern (So.); MJ Boring, Northwestern (Sr.); Marco Tessitore, Panther Valley (Sr.); Zayden Martinez, Lehighton (So.); Gavin Baker, Jim Thorpe (Jr.); Ricky Merklin, Pleasant Valley (Sr.); Logan Anthony, Palmerton (Sr.); Landen Klimek, Northern Lehigh (Jr.); Teegen Phillips, Tamaqua (Jr.); Carter Trotman, Tamaqua (So.); Rocco Griguoli, Marian (Jr.); Jason Ashfield, Marian (Jr.); Carlos Maldanado, Panther Valley (Jr.)

Defensive Back of the Year

Michael Lagowy, Northwestern (Jr.)

Lagowy put together a big season on both sides of the ball for the Tigers. The All-State selection at defensive back finished with 72 tackles and a team-high six interceptions. Lagowy was also excellent on offense, catching 48 balls for 704 yards and seven receiving touchdowns.

Coach’s Quote: “Lagowy had some pretty big shoes to fill at safety for us this season. He had a great sophomore year at corner, but he moved over to the safety spot, which is a pivotal position in our defense. The safety spot he was playing makes a lot of calls and he had to make them quickly to get us in the right coverages. And he really excelled at that. And then post snap he came up with six interceptions and a bunch of tackles. He embraced being the guy back there and playing that center field position.” - Northwestern head coach Josh Snyder.

All-Star Defensive Back

Rory Dixon, Marian (Jr.); Shane Leh, Northwestern (Sr.); Kemurry Morgan, Northwestern (Sr.); Josh Louk, Jim Thorpe (Sr.); Lukas Croizier, Lehighton (Jr.); Chris Frame, Northern Lehigh (Jr.); Colin Karetsky, Northern Lehigh (Jr.); Alex Keiper, Palmerton (Sr.); Brady McCabe, Tamaqua (Sr.); Tyler Price, Marian (So.); Jake Tom, Marian (Sr.); Jacob Walkowiak, Palmerton (Jr.); Matt Spino, Marian (Sr.); Ben Baneravage, Panther Valley (Sr.); Chase McArdle, Panther Valley (So.); Gavin Yuricheck, Panther Valley (Sr.); Shawn Chen, Tamaqua (Sr.)

Linebacker of the Year

Luke Frohnheiser, Tamaqua (Sr.)

Fronheiser was a negative play machine for the Raiders this season and lived in the opponents’ backfield. The senior came through with a team-leading 82 tackles and an impressive 15 tackles for loss. Fronheiser had two sacks, and was also good in pass coverage with five pass deflections. On special teams, he added a blocked field goal. For his career, he finished with 187 tackles.

Coach’s Quote: “I can’t say enough about Luke. He’s a three-sport athlete. He’s been a three-year starter for us at linebacker and center. And he really took his play to the next level this season. He’s a smart and intelligent kid. He’s going to be our scholar-athlete. He was definitely our leader on defense. He’s only about 180 pounds, but he played much bigger than that. He was a pleasure to coach; he’s the type of kid that keeps you wanting to coach the game.” — Tamaqua head coach Sam Bonner.

All-Star Linebackers

Shane Hulmes, Northwestern (Sr.); Brady Zimmerman, Northwestern (Jr.); Blake Roberts, Lehighton (Sr.); Preston DiGrazia, Lehighton (Jr.); Mason Bollinger, Northwestern (Sr.); Tyler Hoherchak, Jim Thorpe (So.); Carl Lingham, Lehighton (So.); Kaiden Quinones, Northern Lehigh (Sr.); Chris Ward, Pleasant Valley (Jr.); Jah Bushati, Marian (Sr.); Damian Rodino, Marian (Sr.); Peter Kruslicky, Panther Valley (Sr.)