Kalet Wilson made the initial hit. Faustie Capobianco and Brett Bruckman were next. Others followed.
Notre Dame-Green Pond needed all of those defenders to stop North Schuylkill’s Cadyn McGraw just shy of the goal line on a two-point conversion attempt that would decide the latest game in a series that had has its share of late-game drama in recent years.
The Crusaders were there for each other when it mattered most Friday night. They were there for each other earlier in the week, too, after senior Berkley Weidner’s 33-year-old brother Tyler, an Easton firefighter and Citadel graduate, died.
Capobianco, who is close friends with Berkley Weidner, struggled to keep his emotions in check after Friday’s victory.
“When it mattered, we got it done,” Capobianco said. “This game actually means more because one of my best friends lost his brother yesterday. It meant a lot to me, for him.”
Capobianco made no comparisons to his best friend, but he has been through a lot in his career. He was the starting kicker as a freshman, making 54 of 57 extra points and making his only field goal attempt (33 yards).
Then one hip fracture after another wiped out most of the next two seasons. The 6-foot, 205-pounder contemplated quitting football.
But Weidner and fellow senior Matt Bodnar, the Crusaders’ starting quarterback, encouraged Capobianco to stick with it.
“I was close to just giving up on football,” he said. “It was a battle. I’m so glad I came back. I came back for this moment. [Bodnar, Weidner, Aaron Gordon], they all believed in me. All my friends just pushed me forward, made me come back, made me become a leader.”
Capobianco said he jumped offsides once and missed three tackles. But like he said of his teammates, he kept going, never quit. He finished with a team-high 13 tackles.
It made Friday night’s victory, Notre Dame-GP’s biggest in several years, that much more special and emotional.
Here are four more things we learned from Week 3 in the Colonial-Schuylkill League:
2. Lehigh proud: Notre Dame-GP coach Phil Stambaugh could not say enough about how great it was for his school to work with the Lafayette administration, which gave the Crusaders a home away from home for three games this season because of a high school facilities construction project.
But Stambaugh still felt that turning in his stomach when he walked into Lafayette’s Fisher Stadium late Friday afternoon. He couldn’t turn off the Lehigh in him.
Stambaugh threw for 10,575 yards and 78 touchdowns from 1996-99 for the Mountain Hawks. The 2010 Lehigh athletics hall of famer carries a lot of pride from his time at Lehigh.
“My rivalry doesn’t waver,” he said. “Playing in that rivalry and playing on this field over the years, that’s in my blood. Now getting to coach in this rivalry is special, too. I’m glad to have the opportunity to be a part of this.”
As for his experience in the Lehigh-Lafayette rivalry, Stambaugh has one lasting thought.
“Four and 0,” he said. “I’ll tell anyone that. That’s probably the one thing I’m most proud of.”
Stambaugh is the only Lehigh quarterback to win all four games against Lafayette.
Notre Dame-GP will play two other home games at Lafayette: Oct. 10 vs. Palisades and Oct. 24 vs. Wilson.
3. On the fly: Salisbury was clinging to a one-touchdown lead in the second half Saturday at Wilson when head coach Kevin DiZenzo turned to senior cornerback Dominic Natosi.
DiZenzo told Natosi he was going to go into the game at running back because of injuries to Jordan Tocci-Wachter, Jacob Watson and Jarrod Blunt. Natosi was going to carry the ball in an attempt to secure the Falcons’ second victory of the season. The 5-foot-9, 160-pounder got the job done with two carries for 10 yards.
“We were drawing it up on the sideline,” DiZenzo said. “I told him, ‘This is how you do it. You’re getting the ball at the end of the game. Don’t fumble.’ “
Natosi didn’t fumble and Salisbury held on for the win.
4. Dwindling numbers: There are eight unbeatens and six winless teams remaining after three weeks. North Schuylkill, Catasauqua, Pen Argyl and Nativity BVM suffered their first setbacks of 2025 on Friday night.
Blue Mountain, Tamaqua and Palmerton picked up their first wins of the season over Jim Thorpe, Pottsville and Saucon Valley, respectively, also Friday.
5. Two-point plays stuffed: Three games with nearly identical scores were determined by failed two-point conversions.
Notre-Dame-GP’s stop of North Schuylkill with 58 seconds left preserved a 21-20 win.
Tamaqua stopped Pottsville’s two-point conversion run attempt with 68 seconds left for its first victory, 21-19.
Southern Lehigh needed several stops in the second half to preserve its 21-20 win at Lehighton. First, the Spartans stopped the Indians four times from the 6-yard line late in the third quarter, including fourth-and-goal from the 1. They then stopped Lehighton’s two-point pass attempt with 4:31 left in the game before picking up first downs to run out the clock and stay unbeaten.
Colonial-Schuylkill League football standings
Team (Overall record); Division record; Points for; Points against
Red Division
Southern Lehigh (3-0); 2-0; 84; 34
Northwestern Lehigh (3-0); 1-0; 152; 41
North Schuylkill (2-1); 1-0; 132; 48
Blue Mountain (1-2); 1-1; 74; 62
Lehighton (1-2); 1-1; 84; 69
Pottsville (1-2); 1-1; 49; 62
Tamaqua (1-2); 1-1; 34; 83
Jim Thorpe (1-2); 0-2; 35; 77
Bangor (0-3); 0-2; 42; 134
White Division
Palisades (3-0); 2-0; 80; 29
Notre Dame-GP (3-0); 1-0; 105; 23
Northern Lehigh (2-1); 1-0; 96; 101
Catasauqua (2-1); 1-1; 76; 49
Pen Argyl (2-1); 1-1; 60; 68
Salisbury (2-1); 1-1; 44; 77
Palmerton (1-2); 1-1; 53; 61
Saucon Valley (1-2); 0-2; 48; 57
Wilson (0-3); 0-2; 29; 92
Blue Division
Marian Catholic (3-0); 2-0; 98; 50
Minersville (3-0); 2-0; 126; 25
Schuylkill Haven (3-0); 2-0; 142; 33
Williams Valley (3-0); 2-0; 145; 0
Nativity BVM (2-1); 1-1; 48; 55
Tri-Valley (2-1); 1-1; 88; 31
Mahanoy Area (0-3); 0-2; 6; 112
Panther Valley (0-3); 0-2; 18; 121
Pine Grove (0-3); 0-2; 14; 65
Shenandoah Valley (0-3); 0-2; 29; 141
Week 4 schedule (at 7 p.m. unless noted)
FRIDAY
Blue Mountain at Northwestern
Southern Lehigh at North Schuylkill
Bangor at Pottsville
Notre Dame-GP at Saucon Valley
Catasauqua at Salisbury
Northern Lehigh at Palisades
Panther Valley at Pine Grove
Shenandoah Valley at Marian Catholic
Williams Valley at Minersville
Mahanoy Area at Schuylkill Haven
Tri-Valley at Nativity BVM
Tamaqua at Jim Thorpe
Lehighton at Palmerton
SATURDAY
Wilson at Pen Argyl, 1:30 p.m.
Senior writer Tom Housenick can be reached at thousenick@mcall.com
