Since the Colonial-Schuylkill merger, Northwestern and Southern Lehigh have been meeting in the season finale for the past two seasons.

And in both instances, the Colonial Schuylkill Red Division title has been on the line.

The 9-0 Tigers, and the 9-0 Spartans, will match up in Week 10, and yet again the Red Division championship is up for grabs in one of the Week 10 Times News Games of the Week.

Southern Lehigh boasts one of the best quarterback and running back duos in all of District 11 in Colton Sams and Sean Steckert.

Steckert set the Spartans’ all-time rushing yards mark earlier in the season, while Sams set the program’s all-time passing touchdowns record last week. Sams now has 63 career passing touchdowns, and is only 101 passing yards away from the all-time mark.

On the season, Sams has thrown for 1,569 yards with 20 touchdowns, to just two interceptions. Steckert has rushed for 1,705 yards and 24 touchdowns at an impressive 9.2 yards per carry clip.

“It’s certainly going to be a tall task for our defense. They like to use a lot of different personnel groups, and they like to set the tone early with the run game,” said Northwestern head coach Josh Snyder. “They have a big line, and a record-setting quarterback, and a record-setting running back.

“For us, we need to be able to switch personnel when they do, and really it just comes down to making tackles and making plays. We need to find a way to come up with a couple of stops in the game to give our offense as many opportunities as we can.”

Northwestern has been dominant again this season, winning its 25th consecutive game in a rout of Tamaqua last week. The Tigers have not lost a regular season game since Sept. 1, 2022.

Northwestern’s defense, which has built up a reputation of being fast, physical and hard-hitting, is giving up just 12.2 points per game, and just over 100 yards rushing per game at 3.49 yards per carry. The Tigers’ run defense will be key on Friday night. Against the pass, Northwestern has been even better, allowing only 65 yards through the air per game.

On offense, Northwestern has not missed a beat this season, mixing in explosive run plays and timely passing with veteran quarterback Shane Leh.

Leh has been as efficient as it gets from behind center, throwing for 1,459 yards with 17 touchdowns and just one interception to a foursome of pass catchers in Brady Zimmerman (495 yards, 6 TDs), Mason Bollinger (376 yards, 4 TDs), Michael Lagowy (330 yards, 3 TDs) and Shane Hulmes (255 yards, 3 TDs).

It’s no secret that the Tigers are a run-first team, and they have two running backs in senior Braxton Lakatosh and sophomore Chase Sukanick who have consistently made plays all season.

Lakatosh leads the Tigers with 896 yards and 10 touchdowns at 12.8 yards per carry, and Sukanick has tallied 652 yards and 11 scores at 10.19 yards per carry. Northwestern averages 259.1 rushing yards per contest.

“I think there are a couple of key reasons for our offensive success. First off, we have some key returners who are great leaders. That’s always big when you have guys coming back that are really good leaders,” said Snyder. “And then a lot of guys that have filled into starting roles this season are seniors. So, they’re older kids that just lacked a little bit of experience. With it being Week 10 now, those guys are no longer inexperienced and they’re playing very well. We’ve also been consistent. We’re able to keep teams off balance because we’re pretty even run and pass, and we have multiple guys who can make plays with the football.”

This will be the second time in the last three seasons that both the Tigers and the Spartans have met at the end of the season both at 9-0. The last matchup was in 2023, with Northwestern winning that game 42-14. The Tigers have won five in a row against the Spartans.

“We don’t think about the past, we focus game by game and year by year. We just have to find a way to make a few more plays than they do,” said Snyder. “What I will say is that we’ve built a culture that we believe we can win every football game regardless of the opponent. And that comes from winning tight games, and from never shying away from the moment.

“There is some luck in there, too, but I believe a lot of the time, you make your own luck by being aggressive and by playing to win. I just have great belief in our players, and we’re going to let it rip come Friday night.”