COLONIAL LEAGUE FOOTBALL WEEK2MATCHUPS
SALISBURY AT NOTRE DAME-GP
When/where: 7 p.m. Friday, Bethlehem
Last meeting: Salisbury won 23-21 on Sept. 20, 2019 What to expect: A wide-open affair with two creative offensive minds in Falcons head coach Andy Cerco and Crusaders counterpart Phil Stambaugh. ... This will be Salisbury’s season opener. Notre Dame-GP is 2-0 after wins at Pine Grove and over visiting Muhlenberg. ... The Crusaders have scored 95 points in those two victories. The skinny: Quintin Stephens threw for 206 yards and three TDs in last season’s meeting, including a 64-yarder to Chad Parton for the game winner in the fourth quarter. Parton had nine catches for 144 yards and two scores. Those two will the top priorities for the Crusaders defense. ... The Falcons must prepare for a balanced Crusaders offense. It has 404 passing yards and 379 rushing yards in two games. Matt Frauen ran for 128 yards in last year’s meeting, and has 244 so far in 2020. Notre Dame-GP had a pair of 100-yard rushers in last season’s game. ... This again should be a game that goes down to the final moments, and a fun one to watch.
Prediction: Notre Dame-GP 31-27
CATASAUQUA AT PALMERTON
When/where: 7 p.m. Friday, Palmerton’s Bomber Stadium
Last meeting: Palmerton won 54-0 on Oct. 4, 2019
What to expect: This is the season opener for both teams. ... New offensive and defensive looks for the Rough Riders in coach Travis Brett’s head coaching debut. He has been part of the program for years. He expects consistent effort and will utilize a lot of underclassmen, including freshmen and sophomores who have experienced plenty of winning on the lower levels. ... The Blue Bombers will be versatile, unpredictable again under 10th-year coach Chris Walkowiak, who is second behind Northern Lehigh’s Joe Tout (15 years) in Colonial League head coaching tenure.
The skinny: Things could be rough to start for Catty with so much inexperience and the pandemic summer limiting the time together for the new staff and new varsity players. Palmerton lost two stellar athletes to graduation, but have a lot of experience and displayed a lot of mental strength finishing the 2019 season with 14 healthy bodies. The Rough Riders will be better this season, but it will be hard to beat a seasoned team right off the bat. Prediction: Palmerton 28-7
PALISADES AT NORTHERN LEHIGH
When/where: 7:10 p.m. Friday, Bulldog Stadium in Slatington
Last meeting: Northern Lehigh won 34-21 on Oct. 11, 2019
What to expect: This is the Bulldogs’ opener, but they have a mostly veteran group and an experienced head coach so there should be less confusion and fewer mistakes than younger teams have in season debuts. Both teams have young lines, though the Pirates (1-1) have two games under their belts, and talented, veteran skill players. Expect a lot of big plays on both sides.
The skinny: You can be sure Palisades will be aware of Mike Repsher, who ran for 205 yards and had 109 receiving yards and three total TDs in last season’s Northern Lehigh victory. Bulldogs coach Joe Tout will utilize Repsher all over the field, so the Palisades defense will need to be sharp. Tout’s defense will need to account for Palisades standout Mason Smeland, but as Wilson found out last week, coach Ramie Moussa has a few other weapons. This will be another fun game to watch. Prediction: Northern Lehigh 27-21
WILSON AT PEN ARGYL
When/where: 2:30 p.m. Saturday, On the Hill in Pen Argyl Last meeting: Wilson won 42-21 on Sept. 28, 2019
What to expect: This is the Green Knights’ season opener and the debut of former standout Brady Mutton as head coach. ... The Warriors are 0-1 after a 42-20 loss last Friday at Palisades. ... Media is not allowed at Pen Argyl home football games. ... The teams have met every year since 1924, twice in 2006. Wilson leads the series 50-44-3... This game is happening only because Southern Lehigh, which was scheduled to visit Wilson, and Saucon Valley, which was supposed to visit Pen Argyl, postponed because of positive COVID-19 tests within their programs.
The skinny: The Warriors offense struggled last week except for C.J. Fazio’s 80-yard TD run on their second series and a 75-yard scoring drive against Pirates’ second teamers in the game’s final four minutes. Other than those two highlights, it managed only 78 yards. Coach Chris Labatch’s defense also must adjust after allowing 379 rushing yards. Mutton promises an offensive attack more reflective of the Green Knights’ skill set, so likely less of the Single-wing and more balance in the play-calling. Like Wilson, it is fair to expect lapses in sharpness from Pen Argyl in its opener. Prediction: Wilson 21-20