Memorable performances in wicked weather
Friday night’s weather was wicked, but there were some memorable and record-breaking performances to appreciate on the final weekend of the high school football regular season.
Here is a rundown:
Around the Colonial League-Schuylkill League
Kael Godshalk ran for 195 yards in Bangor’s 53-0 win over Slate Belt rival Pen Argyl to give him 1,062 yards this season. He and Eric Striba (1,200 yards) are the first pair of Slaters to run for 1,000 yards in the same season.
Godshalk (126 points) also broke Scott LaValva’s school record (116 in 2008) for points in a season and tied the program mark for TDs in a season with 19. LaValva (2008 and ’09) and Mike Smith (1997) also had 19 touchdowns in a season. The senior also was named team MVP of annual Slate Belt rivalry game for a second time.
Marian Catholic blanked Pine Grove 20-0 despite not scoring an offensive touchdown. It was Marian’s first shutout since a 44-0 win over Shenandoah Valley on Oct. 13, 2017. The Colts have won three games in a row.
Palmerton’s Matt Machalik has the school records for touchdowns (26) and points (169) in a season. He is climbing the program’s rushing yardage list. His 1,263 yards passes Jason Hernandez (1,261 in 1996) for third most in a season by a Palmerton player. Only Walt Konek (1,480 in 1967) and Chris Siracuse (1,689 in 1998) are ahead of him.
Machalik also joined Tekoah Guedes (2017) and Matt Falcone (2007) as 1,000yard rushers and passers in a season. His performance helped coach Chris Walkowiak’sBlueBomberstotheirfirstoutright division title since 1951’s 9-0 team won the Lehigh Valley League. Palmerton tied for the Colonial League’s top spot with Palisades in 1997.
Pen Argyl’s Gian Greggo had 12 tackles at Bangor to finish with a school-record 130 this season. He had at least 12 in eight of 10 games in 2021. Fellow Green Knight Damian Tyminski finished his sophomore season with school records for receptions (43) and receiving yards (780).
Wilson’s Zack Gillen had eight catches for 146 yards and a touchdown against Notre Dame-GP. He now has 151 for his career, which puts him in the top 10 all timeinDistrict11.His2,270careerreceiving yards moves him into the district’s top 15.
North Schuylkill’s Jake Hall tied Bobby Grigas for the school’s career TD passing record with his 54th scoring toss against Pottsville. Hall’s 28 TD passes this year are a single-season program record.
Minersville’s John Adams set a school passing record for a second week in a row. His 166 yards against Nativity BVM gives him a new program mark of 2,389 this season. His 25 TD passes this year also are a school record.
Chasing more history
Northern Lehigh’s Trevor Amorim and Dylan Smoyer are in hot pursuit of program marks. Amorim (807 yards) is 50 yards shy of breaking Duke Lilly’s single-seasonreceivingyardagemarksetin 1968. He also is six TD catches shy of Steve Hluschak’scareerreceptionsmark(89)and three career TD catches away from Lilly’s mark(21).Thesenioralreadyhasthecareer receiving yardage record (1,635).
Smoyer needs 17 completions to set season and career completion marks. Gary Van Norman (1968) had 102 completions in 1968. Don Rubright finished his career in 1970 with 164 completions. Smoyer has 86 this year, 148 in his career.
The senior also needs three TDs to set the school’s single-season TD passes mark. Van Norman had 23 in 1968. Smoyer needs six yards to break Rubright’s career passing yardage record (2,561) and 176 to set the single-season passing yardage record (Van Norman 1,755 in 1968).
Smoyer’s 32 career TD passes are a new school record.
Colonial LeagueSchuylkill League Week 10 stat heroes
Kael Godshalk, Bangor: Ran for 195 yards and four touchdowns in a Slate Belt Rivalry game win over Pen Argyl. He also made three tackles, two for loss.
Luke Chidsey, Bangor: Made six tackles, including two for loss, and blocked a punt against Pen Argyl.
Jacob Weaver, Bangor: Had seven tackles, including three for loss (two for sacks), and recovered a fumble against Pen Argyl. He has 11 sacks this season.
Chad Beller, Catasauqua: Made a teamhigh 10 tackles, including one for loss, in a loss at Northwestern.
Cameron Tinajero, Jim Thorpe: Rushed for 176 yards and a touchdown in a Route 209 rivalry win over Lehighton.
Michael Sillman, Marian Catholic: Returned a kickoff 55 yards for a touchdown and an interception 23 yards for a score in a win over Pine Grove, the Colts’ third consecutive victory.
Jesse Rodino, Marian Catholic: Made six tackles and recovered two fumbles against Pine Grove.
Matt Frame, Northern Lehigh: Ran for 88 yards and three touchdowns and caught a 48-yard TD pass in a win over Palmerton. Dylan Smoyer, Northern Lehigh: Threw two TD passes against Palmerton to set the school’s career TD passing mark (32). Justin Holmes, Northwestern: Ran for 108 yards, two touchdowns and a pair of two-point conversions, plus threw a TD pass in a win over Catasauqua that completed the Tigers’ first 10-0 regular season. He has 1,062 rushing yards this season to go with 1,140 passing yards. Dalton Clymer, Northwestern: Rushed for 126 yards and a touchdown against Catasauqua.
Galen Limantour, Palisades: Made eight tackles, including two for loss (one sack) in a loss to Saucon Valley.
Dominic Dengler, Palmerton: Made a career-high 19 tackles, including four for loss, against Northern Lehigh.
Lucas Heydt, Palmerton: Ran for a
61-yard touchdown and recovered a fumble against Northern Lehigh.
Damian Tyminski, Pen Argyl: Made a team-high 14 tackles and intercepted a pass in a loss to Bangor.
Gian Greggo, Pen Argyl: Had 12 tackles to finish the season with a school-record 130. Jazce Carabello-Snowell, Pottsville: Threw two touchdown passes and ran for a two-point conversion in a double-overtime win over previously unbeaten North Schuylkill.
Damian Garcia, Saucon Valley: Ran for 108 yards and a touchdown in a win over Palisades. He has 2,025 yards for his career. Blaze Curry, Southern Lehigh: Rushed for 209 yards, a touchdown and a pair of twopoint conversions in a win over Salisbury. James Wisecarver, Southern Lehigh: Ran for three touchdowns against Salisbury.
Warren Stewart, Tamaqua: Rushed for 289 yards, four touchdowns and a pair of two-point conversions in a victory over Panther Valley.
Zander Coleman, Tamaqua: Ran for 117 yards and a score against Panther Valley. Zack Gillen, Wilson: Made eight catches for 146 yards and a touchdown, a 69-yarder in the second half of a comeback victory over Notre Dame-GP. He also batted down the Crusaders’ last pass attempt.
Zakai Hendricks, Wilson: Had 10 tackles and an interception against Notre DameGP.
Nathan King, Wilson: Made 10 tackles against Notre Dame-GP.
Jackson Millen, Wilson: Made a teamhigh 12 tackles against Notre Dame-GP. Damian Simpson, Wilson: Scored four touchdowns, one on an 89-yard kickoff return, two on runs of 2 and 67 yards plus a 9-yard catch. The 67-yarder sealed the win and a berth in the District 11 4A playoffs. Cayden Stem, Wilson: Threw for 330 yards and three second-half touchdowns to rally past Notre Dame-GP.