Palisades’ Lilly was an injured spectator; now he’s among the Week 7 stats heroes

Steven Lilly is listed as a 5-foot5, 180-pound center and middle linebacker.

The junior is now Palisades’ starting running back because of a multitude of injuries and other situations on a small-school roster.

Lilly was a big part of a 35-7 win last Friday over Tamaqua. He rushed for a career-high 125 yards and made a team-high eight tackles.

Coach Ramie Moussa’s depth chart was decimated by injuries leading up to Week 1. Only now are the Pirates getting as close to full strength as they are going to be this season.

Wide receiver/defensive back Nick Petrillo will miss the entire year with an ankle injury. Two-way Sheadon Carr is the only remaining injured player hopeful to return.

Senior lineman Liam Riexinger and junior skill player Kai Stiansen are among those who recently returned.

Lilly, who also missed three games, will remain at running back with senior Scott Segreaves not returning to the team. Lilly leads the team rushing yards and tackles.

Palisades dressed only 22 players for its Week 2 game against Wilson. It lost five of its first six before beating Tamaqua. The defending District 11 Class 2A champion has remaining games against Notre Dame-Green Pond, Jim Thorpe and Saucon Valley.

The Pirates are sixth in the district’s 2A standings. The top four make the playoffs, so they will need to win two of their final three to give themselves a chance at qualifying.

Injuries have been a factor for many teams this season.

Catasauqua lost running back/ linebacker Hunter Reitz for the year with a torn ACL in Week 3.

Salisbury lost two-way skill player Josh Brooks for the year to an injury suffered during the last part of a scrimmage against Dieruff.

Saucon Valley has not had running back Josh Torres at all this year because of a knee problem.

Notre Dame-GP is awaiting tests on quarterback Collin Quintano, who leads all area Colonial League-Schuylkill players in passing yards and touchdowns. The senior was hurt on the first play of the fourth quarter of last Friday’s home loss to North Schuylkill.

Lehighton and Marian Catholic have been ravaged by injuries, too. Coach Tom McCarroll has seen 19 players miss at least one game, 13 of whom are starters — including six two-way starters.

Palmerton (6-1) is thriving, however, despite not having its top returning player (Cole Serfass). It has dressed as few as 17 for practice and regularly has around 25 for games.

Colonial LeagueSchuylkill League Week 7 stat heroes

(listed alphabetically by school) Kael Godshalk, Bangor:

Rushed for 177 yards and three touchdowns in a 50-14 win at Lehighton. Also made a teamhigh seven tackles.

Eric Striba, Bangor: Ran for

226 yards and three TDs against Lehighton.

Anthonie Hunsicker, Catasauqua: Rushed for 53 yards and two TDs, caught four passes for 52 yards and made four tackles, including two for loss, in a loss at Minersville.

Brady O’Donnell, Lehighton:

Had scoring runs of 57 and 58 yards in a loss to visiting Bangor. Matt Martin, Marian Catholic: Ran for 122 yards and made five tackles, including one for loss, in a loss to Williams Valley.

John Adams, Minersville: Completed for 22 of 28 passes for 384 yards and five touchdowns in a win over visiting Catasauqua. Also made three tackles and intercepted two passes.

Trevor Amorim, Northern Lehigh: Ran for 87 yards and a TD and caught five passes for 31 yards in a 27-17 win over Jim Thorpe.

Matt Frame, Northern Lehigh: Rushed for 118 yards and one touchdown against Jim Thorpe. Dalton Clymer, Northwestern: Made a career-high 19 tackles, including a program-equaling 15 solos, in a shutout win over visiting Blue Mountain. He also forced a fumble and caught two passes. Justin Holmes, Northwestern: Ran for 50 yards, threw for 129 yards and two TDs and made 11 tackles against Blue Mountain. Josh Chowansky, North Schuylkill: Ran for 163 yards and two touchdowns in a 42-21 win over Notre Dame-GP.

Joey Flail, North Schuylkill: Caught six passes for 143 yards and two touchdowns against Notre Dame-GP.

Jake Hall, North Schuylkill: Ran for 106 yards and a TD and threw for 180 and two other scores at Notre Dame-GP.

Antonio Caiazzo, Notre DameGP: Made 12 tackles in a loss to North Schuylkill.

Steven Lilly, Palisades: Ran for a career-high 125 yards and three touchdowns in a 35-7 win over Tamaqua. Also made a team-high eight tackles.

Stephen Jones, Palmerton: Rushed for 110 yards, one touchdown and a pair of twopoint conversions in a 51-7 win at Pine Grove.

Matt Machalik, Palmerton:

Ran for four touchdowns, threw for another and returned an interception 100 yards for a score at Pine Grove.

Mike Pascoe, Panther Valley: Rushed for 66 yards and a touchdown and threw for a score in a last-minute loss to Shenandoah Valley.

Cole Dorshimer, Pen Argyl: Threw for a career-high 228 yards and three touchdowns in a 28-26 loss to Salisbury. Also had eight tackles, including one for loss. Gian Greggo, Pen Argyl: Colonial League-Schuylkill League’s leading tackler added 13 more against Salisbury, including a sack. Also caught a touchdown pass. Colton Keat, Pen Argyl: Made 13 tackles against Salisbury.

Damian Tyminski, Pen Argyl: Made eight catches for 175 yards and two TDs against Salisbury. Added six tackles and forced a fumble.

Travontai Davis, Pottsville: Ran for 145 yards and a touchdown in a 43-8 win over visiting Wilson. Amari Dunn, Pottsville: Returned the opening kickoff 74 yards for a touchdown, ran for 83 yards and two scores and caught a 16-yard TD pass against Wilson. Nick Beck, Salisbury: Rushed for 140 yards and a touchdown, threw for another 25 and made five tackles in a win over Pen Argyl. Toby Linn, Salisbury: Made eight tackles, including three for losses, at Pen Argyl.

George Spann, Salisbury: Ran for 70 yards and a score, made six tackles and a fumble recovery against Pen Argyl.

Dante Mahaffey, Saucon Valley: Completed 10 of 18 passes for 196 yards and added 34 yards rushing in a loss to visiting Southern Lehigh.

Joey Vevasis, Shenandoah Valley: Caught 15 passes for 210 yards in a win over Panther Valley. Blaze Curry, Southern Lehigh: Rushed for 140 yards and a touchdown, plus had two of the team’s five sacks in a 31-17 win at Saucon Valley.

Warren Stewart, Tamaqua: Rushed for 122 yards and one touchdown in a loss at Palisades. Zack Gillen, Wilson: Caught nine passes for 102 yards and made four tackles in a loss at Pottsville. Jackson Millen, Wilson: Made a team-high 11 tackles against Pottsville.