Saucon Valley’s Beckowski made most of opportunity
Landon Beckowski had 11 tackles, including one for loss, in the first seven games this season. Most of those came on special teams.
The Saucon Valley sophomore got an opportunity last Friday to play linebacker.
“He came in and his first play was a tackle for loss,” Panthers coach Brad Trembler said. “He came in early in the third quarter and finished with 10 tackles, two for loss.”
Beckowski’s opportunity came at the expense of an injured teammate. Freshman Jared Rohn, the team’s leading tackler with 87, suffered a season-ending injury in Saucon Valley’s comeback win at Lehighton.
Beckowski gets his first start Friday against visiting Northwestern.
“We have been high on Landon all year,” Trembler said, “but he was stuck at our deepest position defensively behind Jared, [Ty Pfizenmayer] and Ty [Csencsits]. He’s been phenomenal on special teams.
“He came in [against Lehighton] and didn’t miss a beat. He’s athletic, fast and fearless.”
Rohn’s freshman season was impressive, especially having to play a demanding position. But his personality and knowledge allowed him to hit the ground running.
“He’s a 1,000 percent effort kid on every play,” Trembler said. “He has a nose for the ball, great instincts. He’s all effort, all the time. With his speed and competitiveness, he gets in on a lot plays.”
Rohn made 12 tackles, including two for loss, in his first varsity game — the season opener against Notre DameGreen Pond. He also had 15 tackles in the Wilson and Bangor games.
Beckowski is not the first underclassman this year to step up after stepping into a starting role. Freshman safety Jack Robertson had two tackles in two games before Trembler inserted him in the lineup for the Week 4 game at Wilson.
He had eight tackles, one interception and one pass deflection against the Warriors.
Robertson made two interceptions Friday at Lehighton, one in the end zone at the end of the first half and the other that led to the game-winning touchdown. He also had three pass breakups, including one in the end zone on the game’s next-to-last play.
“The kid has been special since Day 1,” Trembler said. “It was a matter of getting him up to speed, getting comfortable. He’s instinctual.
“Since the first play against Wilson until now, he looks like a 4-year starting senior, a seasoned kid back there. He’s a phenomenal basketball player, a point
guard. He seeing things [in the secondary], has a feel for things. His basketball skills are helping him.”
Stat milestones
Two quarterbacks reached the 1,000yard mark in passing. Two more should get there early Friday night.
Two quarterbacks reached the 1,000yard mark in rushing. Another should get there early Friday night.
Two seniors joined a sophomore in the 100-point scoring category. A junior could join that group Friday night.
And there is the first defensive player with a 100-tackle season.
Such was Week 8 in the Colonial League-Schuylkill League cooperative.
Palmerton’s Matt Machalik ran for 240 yards in a win over Pine Grove to take over the lead with 1,026 yards. The sophomore also needs only 62 yards to reach 1,000 passing yards.
Bangor’s Eric Striba also reached 1,000 rushing yards after running for 177 and four touchdowns in last Saturday’s victory at Wilson.
Northwestern’s Justin Holmes (967 rushing yards, 905 passing yards) should reach 1,000 in both categories Friday.
Lehighton’s Brady O’Donnell (1,156) and Saucon Valley’s Dante Mahaffey (1,001) reached the passing yardage mark in last week’s game against one another.
Mahaffey left last Friday’s game against Lehighton in the first quarter with a leg injury and is day to day.
Holmes and Bangor’s Kael Godshalk reached the 100-point mark in Week 8 wins. They trail Machalik for the area lead.
Pen Argyl junior Gian Greggo made nine tackles last Friday at Northern Lehigh to give him 100 this season.
Bangor’s Jacob Weaver took over the sack lead after registering four last Saturday against Wilson. He has nine this year.
Northern Lehigh’s Brett Misera picked up his fifth interception of the season to take the solo lead in that category.
Jeremy Mooney has four fumble recoveries to lead that category for Palmerton, which leads the area CL-SL teams with a plus-15 turnover differential.