The wait is almost over.

In a little over two weeks, the high school football season will be underway.

Anticipation is high, with the long-awaited Schuylkill League and Colonial League schedule crossover finally coming to fruition this season.

The Schuylkill County Football Coaches Association held its annual Media Day Wednesday at Mountain Valley Golf Course, where players and coaches discussed the upcoming season.

Coaches from the area’s three Colonial League schools, as well as Pleasant Valley, also offered an outlook on what lies ahead for their programs.

JIM THORPE

BACK HOME

... A year after hosting home games at Panther Valley Stadium until Week 7 due to stadium construction, Jim Thorpe is eager to spend a full season at its remodeled home facility, which now includes a turf field and several other amenities. “I’m going to miss the grass muddy field,” joked Olympians’ head coach Mark Rosenberger. “That was always a home team advantage. The complex that our school put together is incredible. The field surface, the track around it now is complete. A lot of credit to TJ Garritano, he was the head of the athletic committee really pushing hard for it, and the rest of the school board members who went along with it and approved it. It’s a beautiful complex. You get excited every day walking down to the field and practicing on it ... it’s going to be a beautiful setting.”

QUALITY OPPONENTS

... The much anticipated first year of the Schuylkill League-Colonial League football crossover will offer a new look for teams around the area. While some former staples are no longer present, teams have welcomed the opportunity the competition will bring. “We had opened up with Schuylkill Haven all the time, which is a great program. Marian had a couple of tough years, but they’ve been a dominant program,” said Rosenberger. “So we’ve played against some really good teams that may have struggled in the last year or two, but overall we definitely know there’s going to be a little bit of an uptick in the schedule, and that’s really what you train in the offseason for. So we’re looking forward to the opportunity, and the challenge.”

Jim Thorpe’s schedule will feature Palmerton, Salisbury, Notre Dame Green Pond, Pen Argyl, Northern Lehigh and Palisades from the Colonial League. The Olympians, who went 6-3 a year ago, keep Schuylkill League opponents Blue Mountain, North Schuylkill, Tamaqua and Lehighton.

FRESH START

... The 2020 season brought unprecedented challenges as programs navigated playing through the coronavirus pandemic. Though there are still hurdles ahead, Rosenberger is looking forward to another season, one that will come with renewed purpose and perspective. “With anything like that you have to learn and take something from it,” Rosenberger said. “How precious things are in life, and opportunities don’t always come. So when opportunities arise, you have to take advantage of them. Hopefully, the players will take that and the passion it takes and excitement it takes to play a season in high school football.”

THE NEXT GENERATION

... While the varsity squad has another solid turnout with around 45 players, Rosenberger was especially pleased with the junior high program rostering nearly 40 players, the most it has ever had. The combination has the veteran head coach excited for 2021 and beyond. “It’s definitely exciting. I know our players are excited, our coaches are really excited and I know the community is as well,” said Rosenberger. “Being back at it in somewhat of a normal setting when it comes to football is exciting for everybody.”

LEHIGHTON

READY TO ROLL

... A new season means new opportunities. With a roster numbering around 45 players, Lehighton and head coach Tom McCarroll have an optimistic outlook heading into the 2021 campaign. “We have a ton of experience coming back,” McCarroll said. “We still have some areas where we don’t have the experience, but we’re getting there, and I think the kids that we have working for those spots are really good kids, and they’ll find some success whenever we sort that out. But we have good numbers, we have a great attitude, we were able to have an entire offseason, we have the new schedule coming up. For me, there’s really no negatives. Even the question marks at different positions aren’t negative; it’s really nothing but positive because of the kids that are fighting for those positions. We have a really good feeling about just our program in general.”

CROSSING OVER

... The Tribe’s new schedule won’t feature the likes of Marian or Panther Valley this season as the Schuylkill League merges with the Colonial League. But Lehighton will add Palmerton in Week 1, and Northwestern in the fourth week of the season. Other new Colonial League opponents are Wilson, Bangor, Saucon Valley and Southern Lehigh.

COMING BACK

... Fresh off a stellar career at Geneva College, former Lehighton standout Tyler Cann has returned to his alma mater to serve as defensive backs coach for the 2021 season. And Cann isn’t the only one lending a helping hand for the Tribe. “I couldn’t ask for a better kid who I coached to come back and represent our program and coach this new generation of kids,” McCarroll said of Cann. “And two weeks ago, Cody Scherer, before he reported to camp at Kutztown, came to talk to us. And he’s not that far removed, but far enough that these kids didn’t play with him, so here’s a guy who is having success at the Division 2 level, and here’s a kid it’s paid off for. He did things the right way, so we can talk about those kind of kids and how they’ve had success when they’ve done it the right way, and hopefully try to get ourselves back on track in that regard.”

TEAM BUILDING

... Lehighton, which went 3-6 a year ago, is hoping a more structured offseason, with a few new wrinkles, will pay dividends this fall. “We’ve done a lot of what we used to do, pre-COVID,” said McCarroll. “But we also added a few twists that we’ve never done before. We took our kids to East Stroudsburg University’s football camp, a team camp. We did some 7-on-7 competitions ... it’s a teaching tool, a coaching tool, which is good. I like that. But we’ve never had our kids involved in a competitive environment. So we just wanted to try to bring a little extra to the table this year, and I think we were able to do that, and I’m hoping it translates.”

MARIAN

YEAR 2

... Veteran head coach Stan Dakosty returned to the sidelines at Marian last season after stepping down in 2016 following a decorated career that initially began in 1977. Despite a 1-7 mark a year ago, Dakosty knows the best is yet to come for a program that has received unwavering dedication from its coaches and players. “I’m excited. I’m enjoying it,” Dakosty said. “We’ve got a great bunch of kids, got a great group of coaches. And that can be a cliché this time of the year, but we really do. Our commitment to our offseason program was absolutely tremendous, it really was. It was something that showed up in many, many ways, and hopefully it translates itself onto the field.”

BUILDING BLOCKS

... Dakosty’s Colts have a roster that features over 40 players with only five seniors. With the majority of the squad made up of underclassmen, the foundation is there for Marian to continue to take another step forward this season, and into the future. “You cannot ever replace game experience,” said Dakosty, who estimated the sophomores and freshmen make up about 70% of the team. “We were so green last year. And that’s not an excuse, that’s just the reality. Now at least our kids have a feel for what it’s like to be on the field during game situations, formations. I would say our football IQ is much improved this year.”

DOING WORK

... In addition to over 10 passing scrimmages, the individual work put in by players during the offseason is something that Dakosty hopes will pay dividends this year. “We have one player who made over 100 workouts in a row,” Dakosty said, referencing sophomore Jayden Fermin. “And we have other guys who were in the 70s. We have a shirt, Iron Colts, if you make 15 workouts in a row. Out of the 40 kids, 25 got those shirts. So it’s showing me that they’re really putting the time in to get better. Now what we have to do is translate that interest and intensity over to the playing field. That’s what we have to do.”

NEW LOOK

... While Marian opens with back-to-back Schuylkill League opponents in Schuylkill Haven and Minersville, the Colts will travel to Catasauqua before hosting Palmerton the next two weeks as part of the new crossover with the Colonial League. “It’s intriguing, playing Catasauqua and Palmerton,” said Dakosty. “We have a history of scrimmaging Catasauqua; back when I first started we played Palmerton. We certainly like that schedule, but we certainly would like to keep our local rivals. This year we don’t have Mahanoy Area. Next year, if the schedule stays true, Panther Valley is not on our schedule, and that’s one of the great rivalries in Coal Region sports, so hopefully that’s going to change. But overall, the ability to play against other teams, it’s almost like an intersectional game in college, going to a different area.”

NORTHERN LEHIGH

STRONG TURNOUT

… The Bulldogs have a strong turnout this season, with 42 kids from grades 9-12, and 28 kids in grades 7-8.

BACK IN THE SWING

… Northern Lehigh was able to compete in 7-on-7s, and also was able to get back in its regular full offseason routine. “We were able to compete in the Lehighton 7-on-7 day, which featured around 16 teams and we hosted a smaller one, so it was good for the kids to be able to do that. We were pretty much back to normal all offseason and we had good numbers, about 30 guys who were at all of our offseason stuff, which is also a good turnout for us,” said Northern Lehigh head coach Joe Tout.

PASS CATCHERS

… Coach Tout is excited about his wide receivers coming into this season. The Bulldogs are two deep at every wide out spot, and Tout is comfortable starting all of those players in that two deep rotation.

CROSSOVER

… The Schuylkill and Colonial League Co-op starts this season, which will see Northern Lehigh face four teams from the Schuylkill League. “We’re excited to see some different venues for sure. Playing teams like Tamaqua, Panther Valley, Jim Thorpe … etc. That is something we’re definitely looking forward to because you don’t usually get those matchups. We’ve played some of those teams in the playoffs over the years, but mostly we’ve been matched up with Colonial League teams in the playoffs as well,” said Tout.

NORTHWESTERN

HIGH NUMBERS

… The Tigers have consistently been churning out good numbers, and this season is no different. Northwestern has 55 players out from grades 9-12, and 30 from grades 7-8.

X’S & O’S

… Northwestern competed in 7-on-7s this offseason, and was also able to work through an entire offseason program. “This offseason was great for us, and being able to get back to what we do was critical. From an install standpoint, we’re miles ahead of where we were last year, and from a weight training point as well. All that stuff had to be virtual last year, so I think you can really see the difference there. For development purposes and even intensity leading into the season, you have to have a full offseason, so it was great to have that once again,” said Northwestern head coach Josh Snyder.

GO UP AND GET IT

… The Tigers boast a dangerous wide receiver unit for the 2021 season. Northwestern is deep, with five or six pass catchers who can make a difference, and have two or three wideouts in the 6-2, 6-3 range. Pair that unit with a quarterback coming off an All-State season in Justin Holmes, and the Tigers certainly have the potential to put a lot of points on the board.

BIG SCHOOL

… Northwestern will play in the Gold Division in the Schuylkill Colonial Co-op, which serves as the big school division for the conference. The Tigers will face Schuylkill League teams Blue Mountain, Pottsville and Lehighton, and will also have a nonleague matchup with Tamaqua.

PALMERTON

LOW BUT MIGHTY

… The Bombers boast just 28 players from grades 9-12 and 22 in grades 7-8. But as they prove season after season, the majority of the players are both talented and competitive, helping them put a very solid product on the field.

PUTTING IN THE TIME

… The Bombers had a strong offseason where they competed in four 7-on-7 scrimmages, and were able to implement a full offseason regiment. “Compared to last year, this was a total 180 of what we were able to do and get accomplished. I saw a lot of good things from our group, and I think we competed well. Plus it’s good to have the film from 7-on-7 work; that can help you really break down some things you need to work on, which puts way ahead from where we were last year from that standpoint,” said Palmerton head coach Chris Walkowiak.

SKILLED

… Walkowiak is looking forward to seeing what his skill guys can do this year. The Bombers are strong at quarterback, wide receiver and running back, and team speed and athleticism figures to be a big part of any success they’re able to have this season.

NEW SCHEDULE

… With the Schuylkill and Colonial co-op beginning this season, Palmerton will be looking at a totally revamped schedule. The Bombers have just two Colonial League teams on their schedule, and start off with three fellow Carbon County schools in Lehighton, Jim Thorpe and Panther Valley. “The excitement is high. Playing teams right in your backyard, that’s what high school football is about. I know not only our kids, but players throughout the area, are pumped about developing new rivalries and playing new opponents,” said Walkowiak.

PANTHER VALLEY

RIGHT DIRECTION

... Panther Valley saw more progress last season, one that ended with a berth in the District 11 playoffs and wins over Marian and Shenandoah Valley. But head coach Rick Jones knows that in order to sustain the success the Panthers have had, they can’t get complacent. “We had a really good offseason,” said Jones. “Our numbers are down ... but our core group of kids had by far the best offseason we’ve ever had. I don’t know how that translates into wins or anything else like that. But the kids are bigger. We’re going to be young again, we only have about five seniors, and there are going to be a number of freshmen that are going to be playing some skill positions for us. But we’re excited. We’re going to be better, and there’s no question about that.”

NUMBERS

... The Panthers’ roster currently sits around 30 players. One player that has graduated from last year’s team is Lou Clouser, who was second in the area with 996 yards rushing (11.45 yards per carry).

STAYING BUSY

... In addition to a handful of passing scrimmages, Jones noted that the team’s primary focus in the offseason was on strength and conditioning to get ready for this year. The majority of his players also spent the winter playing for Panther Valley’s basketball team, and the spring playing baseball.

STEPPING UP

... One of those multisport athletes is quarterback Michael Pascoe, who stepped into the role of quarterback last season. The junior could be one of many primed for a big season this fall. “He’s made tremendous progress,” Jones said of Pascoe. “Throwing, understanding the game. The offensive line had a good offseason. We have four kids back there, and another that came out, and he’s going to really help us. That should be our strength at this point. We’re solid. We don’t have a Louie Clouser, but we have some other kids that have stepped up and gotten better. Our biggest things are that we have to be better defensively, and we have to throw the ball better. We ran the ball well last year.”

BIG TEST

... The Panthers will have stiff competition right from the start with Northern Lehigh in the season opener. The Bulldogs played in a district final a year ago. Panther Valley will also see Palmerton and Catasauqua. “We want to be able to put ourselves in position to be playing games, late in the game, with an opportunity to win. That’s the key. The good thing about our schedule is you’re playing the same teams you have to compete against to get in the playoffs. So you control your own destiny in that way. But our goal is to just get better.”

PLEASANT VALLEY

NUMBERS

… The Bears have 50 kids throughout grades 10-12, which is once again a solid turnout. “Our staff is very pleased with the turnout, especially with us being in sort of a rebuild mode. We just need to stay consistent, and keep building and gaining momentum,” said Pleasant Valley head coach Blaec Saeger.

OFFSEASON

… Pleasant Valley competed in 7-on-7 scrimmages, and held full offseason workouts. “Last offseason, everything we did we had to do six feet apart, and football just doesn’t work that way. It was great to be able to coach football again this summer, and you could see the kids were really enjoying themselves,” said Saeger.

VETERAN GROUP

… Saeger is excited about the Bears defensive backfield. Pleasant Valley brings back a trio of three-year starters in the secondary, who will be joined by a talented underclassman. This unit not only possesses some of the best speed and athleticism on the squad, but also the physicality to come up in the box and make plays.

KEEP GROWING

… After amassing just two wins over the previous two seasons, the Bears were able to collect two victories in a COVID-shortened season last year. The goal is to keep growing as a program, and build off last season’s momentum. “The kids are starting to buy into what we’re teaching, and what our vision in for the program. They’re starting to understand what it takes. We’re excited, and we expect to keep growing and getting better,” said Saeger.

TAMAQUA

BIGGER, FASTER, STRONGER

... The Blue Raiders had 49 kids at the first day of practice - a solid turnout for the program, which continued to see commitment in the weight room. “We always emphasize our strength program,” said Tamaqua head coach Sam Bonner. “We had a lot of the younger guys especially that are probably going to play a big role for us this year step it up, and get in a lot of strength work in the offseason. We probably had about six or seven passing scrimmages, which also gave a lot of our younger guys, and not only our younger guys, but guys that didn’t have a lot of experience that are going to be seniors for us this year that we plan on having be a big part of what we do. I’m looking forward to seeing what a lot of our younger guys do, as well as some guys that didn’t get much playing time the last couple of years.”

BOUNCING BACK

... Bonner pointed to junior Warren Stewart as one of those players to watch this season. “We expected a lot from him last year, but unfortunately he had an injury early in the season,” said Bonner. “We’re moving him back to our tailback position, and in our offense, that’s usually our go-to guy. We’re looking forward to seeing what he can do this year. He had a great offseason. He probably put on 100 pounds on the squat and probably 50, 60 pounds on his bench. So he had a great offseason, and keeping him healthy is going to be key, but we can’t wait to see what he can do.”

UP FRONT

... Tamaqua’s offensive line returns four of its five starters from a squad that was 5-4 a year ago, which should help Stewart find some room to run. The Blue Raiders also return three defensive linemen. Sophomore Spencer Dennis is someone Bonner is also hoping to get big contributions from on the line this season. Jacob Wasserleben, a three-year starter, will be one of the team’s leaders up front.

KICKING OFF

... The crossover with the Colonial League gets started in Week 1 as Tamaqua hosts Northwestern. The Blue Raiders will also face Northern Lehigh, Pen Argyl, Salisbury, Notre Dame Green Pond and Palisades. “It’s going to be a change, but you just have to roll with it,” said Bonner. “You have to take it one week at a time. Whether we have to drive to Palisades or Mahanoy Area, it’s still a game. We’re happy to be playing a full schedule.”