5 THINGS TO KNOW ABOUT NORTHWESTERN

1. Scott Hippensteel has retired after 25 years with the Tigers program. Greg Mitchell has been promoted to defensive coordinator with former Parkland assistant Ryan Humes and former Northwestern player George Haddad joining the staff. Mitchell will work with Josh Zimmerman and Humes on the defensive staff.

2. On opening day Snyder said he had 50 kids out, including several freshmen who will likely play on the freshman team. “So it’s really between 42 and 45 that will play JV and varsity, which is about where we’ve been,” Snyder said.

3. Snyder said he has mixed feelings on the Colonial League-Schuylkill co-op in 2020. The Tigers will maintain rivalry games with Northern Lehigh and Catasauqua and pick up potential new rivals such as Pottsville, Lehighton and Blue Mountain.

“It’ll be better in terms of district points,” Snyder said. “We were 7-2 last year and second in 4A in points, and we mercy-ruled Catty in Week 10, lost points and dropped to third. So from a district standpoint, it will be better to be playing teams in the same classification.”

4. Snyder is enthusiastic about the new turf field and other improvements at the stadium. “It’s a long time coming for us to get a bit of an upgrade here,” Snyder said.

5. At the home opener against Salisbury on Aug. 29, a Thursday night, the 1995 team will be honored. The 1995 team was the first District 11 championship team in school history and featured Brett Snyder, the former Tigers star and Josh Snyder’s brother, who died on March 31 at the age of 41 after a long battle with ALS.