MECHANICSBURG - Four seasons ago - just like an up-and-coming heavyweight prize fighter - the Northwestern football program started to climb the ranks.

The Tigers began winning some big bouts that included getting to district championship games in 2020 and 2021. The Tigers then broke through, collecting back-to-back belts the last two seasons by winning District 11 3A gold against North Schuylkill in 2022 and Palmerton in 2023.

Each season, every loss fueled Northwestern to train even harder, and coming into this season the Tigers entered their fighting prime.

Just a few weeks ago, Tigers head coach Josh Snyder explained the amount of work that this year’s team put in during the offseason in order for them to be able to deliver championship-level performances on a weekly basis.

“The credit has to go to our players for getting after it in the offseason, and getting in the weight room and putting in the time. It’s become something that they really love doing, and they compete in there and they have fun,” said Snyder. “That mentality has then transitioned over to the field. You have to have good players to be a good team obviously, but when you pair talented players with a strong work ethic, I think you’re going to continue to see success.”

Throughout this season, Northwestern was in a lot of prime time pay-per-view matchups - and each match, leading up to this past Saturday’s state championship game - would see the Tigers leave the field with their hands raised and their opponents lying on the turf.

A knockout 42-14 victory over an undefeated 9-0 Southern Lehigh team started Northwestern’s title run and reign. The win over the Spartans gave the Tigers the Colonial-Schuylkill Gold Division championship.

Then came the District 11 playoffs, where Northwestern would land haymaker after haymaker, defeating a good Notre Dame Green Pond team 43-21. In the district championship game against an undefeated 12-0 Palmerton squad, the Tigers would end the title fight early with an offensive onslaught, coming away with a dominating 58-8 victory.

Just like any prize fighter that starts to collect championship belts, the competition continues to get tougher and tougher, and that was certainly the case as Northwestern entered the PIAA 3A state bracket a few weeks ago. The Tigers defense shut down Scranton Prep in the quarterfinals for a 26-7 win.

In the state semis, Northwestern took a few punches early and might have lost the early rounds, as it trailed Wyomissing 17-7 at the half. But the Tigers finished strong, outscoring the Spartans 26-7 in the second half to defeat perennial contender Wyomissing 33-24. The TKO of the Spartans in the later rounds would set up Northwestern’s fight of its lifetime - “The Rally in Cumberland Valley” - for the 3A state title against last year’s 3A state champion and District 7 champ Belle Vernon.

“It really was an amazing season. To be able to get to the top of the mountain; the state championship game. That in itself is a great accomplishment, and I want to thank our seniors for helping to lead us. They took us to new heights,” said Northwestern head coach Josh Snyder. “This is certainly a season that we will all remember for the rest of our lives. And after getting to this game, it also gives you the confidence, the hope and the optimism that you can get to a game like this. We’re going to build off this experience as a program and continue to work.”

After a long season and numerous battles and slugfests, the Tigers’ run came to an end on Saturday afternoon. But Northwestern still went down swinging, and didn’t go down without a fight.

Trailing 21-0, the Tigers were able to make it a two-score game going into the half (21-7), with them receiving the ball at the start of the third quarter. And although Northwestern wasn’t able to land enough blows to come away with the win, its fight and resiliency was once again on display throughout the contest.

“There were a lot of plays in the game, and also some of their explosive plays that resulted in scores that would’ve broken the spirit of a lot of teams, but not these guys. They continued to fight the whole way,” said Snyder. “And we’re going to cherish and remember this run and experience. I’m a Northwestern guy. I went here, I lived through 40-some years of Northwestern football and we have had a storied program here, and we just were never able to make it here, so it was so special to be able to do it this season.

“And we really appreciate the outpouring of support that we have gotten from the community. The guys on this team brought the community together with the run that they went on this season. Again, it’s something we will remember forever.”