No team in the state enters this season coming off a three-year stretch of success quite like Northwestern Lehigh.

The Tigers have gone 46-2 in that time frame, and played in three straight state title games, with their only two losses during that span coming in state finals.

But past success can be a help or a burden as this year’s team tries to create its own championship legacy.

“The biggest challenge every year is getting it through to our kids that we’re not invincible,” said Northwestern head coach Josh Snyder. “What we did the last three years isn’t going to win us games.

“For us as coaches ... we know the formula for success. We don’t have to reinvent that. We know what works and what works for us, the style of football we want to play, how we want to integrate the different stages of install.”

The Tigers will install new leaders on each side of the ball this fall after graduating all-state linebacker Shane Hulmes, and three-year starting quarterback Shane Leh.

Hulmes was the heart and soul of the defense the past two seasons.

“Shane Hulmes did so much presnap, postsnap, getting us in the right alignments and keying everyone on the probable play that was going to be run. He physically imposed his will several times throughout the game.

“You’re not just going to plug someone in there. Everyone is going to have to lift their level of play. And we’ll probably fall off a little bit at linebacker, but maybe our defensive line picks it up a little bit more.”

Two-time all-state selection Brady Zimmerman will take over Hulmes’ role as the defensive signal caller.

Zimmerman was third on the team with 102 tackles last fall, while also making a pair of sacks and four tackles for loss, picking off a pass and forcing one fumble. He earned all-state honors at linebacker last season, and in 2024 as a receiver.

“Sophomore year he played in the middle,” said Snyder. “Last year he moved outside. This year he’ll be back in the middle, so he’ll be calling our defenses and running the show.”

Leh’s shoes will be just as hard to fill after he started every game the past three seasons.

“You can’t replace 48 starts,” said Snyder. “You just can’t replace that.”

Sophomore Trey Snyder will take over as the team’s quarterback. While his skill set might be different than Leh’s was four years ago, Snyder will have the same responsibilities that were asked of the former starter in his first season.

“Trey is not going to have pressure to win games for us,” said Josh Snyder. “He needs to run the offense. He needs to execute. We’re going to be a running football team. He just needs to take what the defense gives us.

“He’s going to get better every single week.”

Trey Snyder quarterbacked the Northwestern junior varsity team last year, but also saw some varsity time late in games.

He’ll have an experienced line in front of him as returning juniors Nolan Koehler (center), Maddox Hurdle (guard) and Devin Rex (guard) are all back.

Those three players will help make the Tigers’ lines a strength on both sides of the ball this season, along with defensive end Fritz Scheirer.

“Our line is our strength,” Josh Snyder said of the defense. “We’re pretty versatile there. There’s a lot of guys we can shuffle back and forth across the line and work in and out of the game.”

Another returning all-state player, Michael Lagowy, will lead the Tiger defensive backfield at safety while also returning at wide receiver, where he and Zimmerman will likely be Trey Snyder’s main targets.

While no team has done what the Tigers have over the past three seasons, that also means no team will have as big of a bullseye on its back. Northwestern will be the game every opponent circles on its schedule.

But none of those teams can draw on the experience that the Tigers bring into every game.

“Every kid on our team knows how to win,” said Josh Snyder. “We have the belief that we’re going to win every football game. Now to go out and practice that way and earn the stripes that it takes to be a Tiger football player, that’s earned in the weight room, on the practice field and all those other things.

“Our expectations are what they are. We don’t plan to drop off. We want to be a state power, and it takes a lot of consistency year in and year out to stay there.”

POSITION BREAKDOWN

QUARTERBACKS

Sophomore Trey Snyder takes over for Shane Leh, a two-time all-state selection who started 48 games. Snyder saw some reps, going 14-for-25 for 210 yards. He will lead a run-heavy offense, but won’t be asked to win games early in his first season. He will be asked to make good decisions and lead the offense to the right plays.

RUNNING BACKS

Junior Chase Sukanick was second on the depth chart behind graduate Braxton Lakatosh last fall. As a sophomore Sukanick ran for 924 yards on 117 carries and scored 12 times and is ready to be the Tigers’ primary ball carrier.

WIDE RECEIVERS

Senior Michael Lagowy returns after leading the Tigers with 48 receptions last year. Senior Brady Zimmerman, an all-state receiver, is back after leading the team in yards (956) and TD catches (11).

OFFENSIVE LINE

Three of last year’s starters are back in juniors Nolan Koehler (center), Devin Rex (guard) and Maddox Hurdle (tackle). NW will have to make up for the graduation of tight end Shane Hulmes, who caught 21 passes last year. Senior Harrison Wertman saw some time at tight end and will be joined by junior Nick Whitney.

DEFENSIVE LINE

The defensive line is expected to be a strength with Hurdle (nose guard), Rex (tackle) and Fritz Scheirer (end) returning. Scheirer ended with 88 tackles last year. He also had five sacks and 10 tackles for loss. Whitney will be at the other end position. Snyder said the line will be versatile with several players able to “shuffle back and forth acrosse the line and work in and out of the game.”

LINEBACKERS

The graduation of Hulmes, a two-time all-state selection, leaves a large hole, but Zimmerman returns to the middle of the field. He’s the team’s top returning tackler with 102 last year. Junior Landon Gauweiler will likely be a starter on the outside. Senior Mike Mish, sophomore Chase Kerschner and senior Bobby DiGiacomo are also in the mix.

SECONDARY

Lagowy returns after an all-state performance as a safety, when he picked off six passes and made 53 tackles. Sukanick and junior Kendall Wikert will line up at corner.