The nonleague portion of the 2025 Eastern Pennsylvania Conference football schedule is over.
Some teams navigated the three-game stretch better than others.
Alllen, benefiting from a forfeit win over Dobbins Tech of Philadelphia, finds itself at 3-0 along with two surprising teams from Monroe County — Pocono Mountain East and West.
Defending District 11 Class 5A champ East Stroudsburg South is 0-3 and so is Dieruff, just one year after the Huskies began 4-0.
Emmaus and Freedom, perennial District 11 6A powers who were a combined 20-5 last year, are both 1-2 but feeling better about themselves after getting wins this past weekend.
Bethlehem Catholic has made new coach Joe Bernard a coach-of-the-year candidate with a 3-0 start.
But while there are more than a few surprises, there are several squads that are — to paraphrase late NFL coach Dennis Green — who we thought they were.
Parkland, Nazareth, and Easton are all 3-0, and no one is shocked.
EPC members went 19-9 against teams from other areas, led by Easton’s 3-0 slate against Central Bucks West, Spring-Ford, and Erasmus Hall of Brooklyn.
Allen, Becahi, Nazareth, and Pocono Mountain East and West were all 2-0 against outsiders. Pleasant Valley and East Stroudsburg North were both 0-2 against non-EPC teams, and Dieruff didn’t play anyone outside the EPC.
From here until the end of the regular season on Oct. 25, it’s all league games.
Here’s a look at where everyone stands as the season moves into a different phase:
No. 18: Dieruff
The Dieruff football team practices in August under coach Dave Lutte in Allentown. (Jane Therese/Special to The Morning Call)
Record: 0-3, 0-0 EPC
Last week’s ranking: 18th
Last game: Lost to Pocono Mountain West 28-0
Next game: Host East Stroudsburg North, 7 p.m. Friday
Comment: The Huskies have lost nine in a row and now get to play the last team they beat, East Stroudsburg North. They beat the Timberwolves 20-14, last Sept. 12 in a game that saw Dieruff rally for the last 14 points. With Liberty and then five tough Lehigh County Division games to follow, this is a must-win for the Huskies to give the team a boost of confidence.
No. 17: East Stroudsburg North
East Stroudsburg North athletic director Chuck Dailey in a Morning Call file photo when he was hired as the school’s first football coach in 1999. (Ed Koskey, Jr. / The Morning Call).
Record: 0-3, 0-0 EPC
Last week’s ranking: 17th
Last game: Lost to Allen 16-0
Next game: At Dieruff, 7 p.m. Friday
Comment: The Timberwolves have to make the long trip from Pike County to Allentown for the second straight week and will look to find an offense that figured to be better than it has shown so far. North had just 35 yards in total offense against Allen. Senior quarterback Wayne King has been the team’s only threat on offense, running for 67 yards and passing for 138.
No. 16: East Stroudsburg South
East Stroudsburg South’s Gianni Gonnella runs the ball down the field Friday, Sept.5, 2025, against Whitehall at Whitehall High School. (Amy Shortell/The Morning Call)
Record: 0-3, 0-0 EPC
Last week’s ranking: 15th
Last game: Lost to Whitehall 62-21
Next game: Host Allen, 7 p.m. Friday
Comment: The Cavaliers have been ravaged by injuries. They were down seven starters early in the game at Whitehall, and lost quarterback Ivan Laubach. But South coach Matt Walters was encouraged by the effort of the backups. Senior running back Gianni Gonnella was another positive. He ran for 157 yards on 16 carries and scored two touchdowns. Tramire Banks added 45 yards on five carries.
No. 15: Pleasant Valley
Current East Stroudsburg University coach Jim Terwilliger had a successful stint as the Pleasant Valley coach, leading the Bears to 34 wins from 2011-14. (Kevin Mingora/The Morning Call)
Record: 1-2, 0-0 EPC
Last week’s ranking: 14th
Last game: Lost to Exeter Township 42-0
Next game: At Parkland, 7 p.m. Thursday
Comment: The Bears had their most disappointing effort of the season against Exeter. They were outgained 310-39 and Exeter had 239 yards rushing while PV averaged less than a yard per carry. After playing one undefeated team, the Bears have to regroup in a hurry to face another unbeaten and state-ranked team in Parkland Thursday night.
No. 14: Allen
Allen football coach Joel Rupp talks to his players Monday, Aug. 11, 2025, during a practice in Allentown. Allen is off to a 3-0 start. (April Gamiz / The Morning Call).
Record: 3-0, 0-0 EPC
Last week’s ranking: 16th
Last game: Beat East Stroudsburg North 16-0
Next game: At East Stroudsburg South, 7 p.m. Friday.
Comment: The Canaries are off to their first 3-0 start in a long time. They have a chance to win four games in a season for the first time since 2005. They are getting solid play from quarterback Julian Pagan, who had an 18-yard TD pass to Elijah Watkins and a 6-yard TD run in the win over East Stroudsburg North. Pagan also ran for a two-point conversion. He finished the game with 63 yards on 16 carries, but perhaps even more impressive was defensive standout TeShon Gaynair, who had four tackles, all for negative yardage, and three QB sacks.
No. 13: Stroudsburg
Record: 1-2, 0-0 EPC
Last week’s ranking: 13th
Last game: Lost to Liberty 49-17
Next game: At Emmaus, 7 p.m. Friday
Comment: The Mounties have allowed a combined 97 points in their last two games. Despite suffering a lopsided defeat, they had 363 yards on offense. Keyen Johnson carried 28 times for 148 yards and Jackson Mitchell threw for 150 yards with Keegan Munch catching five passes for 111 yards.
No. 12: Allentown Central Catholic
Allentown Central Catholic’s quarterback Patrick Cahill runs the ball down the field Thursday, Aug. 28, 2025, against Liberty at at BASD Stadium. (April Gamiz/The Morning Call)
Record: 1-2, 0-0 EPC
Last week’s ranking: 11th
Last game: Lost to Freedom 38-27
Next game: At Pocono Mountain East, 7 p.m. Friday
Comment: The Vikings had the lead entering the fourth quarter against Freedom, but couldn’t stop the Patriots’ Lashawn Johnson. Junior Patrick Cahill had one of his best games as the Vikings quarterback, throwing for 215 yards and three TDs. Di’Quawn Leak had four catches for 94 yards and two scores.
No. 11: Emmaus
Emmaus High School’s Richmond-bound defensive lineman Robert Edwards III practices Monday, Aug. 11, 2025, in Emmaus. (Oliver Lois Economidis/The Morning Call)
Record: 1-2, 0-0 EPC
Last week’s ranking: 12th
Last game: Beat Reading 41-14
Next game: Host Stroudsburg, 7 p.m. Friday
Comment: The Green Hornets got into the win column with a big night from quarterback Jerek Cooper, who ran for 135 yards and a touchdown and threw for another. Jay Santos had three rushing TDs and Robert Edwards III got a rushing TD in addition to making seven tackles, including two for losses, on defense.
No. 10: Pocono Mountain East
Second-year Pocono Mountain East football coach Dustin Thomas is all smiles these days as the Cardinals are 3-0 and have several of the league’s top offensive performers. (Contributed photo)
Record: 3-0, 0-0 EPC
Last week’s ranking: 10th
Last game: Beat Scranton 45-0
Next game: Host Allentown Central Catholic, 7 p.m. Friday
Comment: The Cardinals got 204 yards rushing from Amari Green while quarterback Ceejay Serfass completed 12 of 15 passes for 196 yards and three scores. Justin Williams caught two of those TD passes and had six catches for 115 yards overall. Connor Triano also had a TD reception and ran for a score.
No. 9: Pocono Mountain West
Pocono Mountain West’s Christian Stiehler tries to get past Scranton’s Tony Battaglia at Veterans Memorial Stadium in Scranton on Friday, Aug. 22, 2025. (Sean McKeag/The Times-Tribune)
Record: 3-0, 0-0 EPC
Last week’s ranking: 9th
Last game: Beat Dieruff 28-0
Next game: At Whitehall, 7 p.m. Friday
Comment: The Panthers gained revenge for a 2024 loss to Dieruff with a dominant defensive effort and now will look to avenge another defeat from last season. West lost to Whitehall 41-6 a year ago and gave up 419 yards. Christian Stiehler had West’s lone score in that one with a 72-yard run.
No. 8: Freedom
Freedom’s Lashawn Johnson scored four touchdowns last week against Allentown Central Catholic. (Amy Shortell/The Morning Call)
Record: 1-2, 0-0
Last week’s ranking: 8th
Last week: Beat Allentown Central Catholic 38-27
Next game: Host Nazareth, 7 p.m. Friday
Comment: A 210-yard rushing performance by Lashawn Johnson that included a kickoff return and four touchdowns overall, paved the way for the Patriots’ first win of the season. Quarterback Michael Stofanak completed 9 of 11 passes for 139 yards and added 35 on the ground. Freedom’s defense held ACCHS to 28 yards rushing.
No. 7: Whitehall
Saquon Barkley is inducted into the Whitehall Hall of Fame on Friday, Sept. 5, 2025, at halftime of a Whitehall High School football game in Whitehall Township. (Amy Shortell/The Morning Call)
Record: 2-1, 0-0 EPC
Last week’s ranking: 7th
Last game: Beat East Stroudsburg South 62-21
Next game: Host Pocono Mountain West, 7 p.m. Friday
Comment: It was quite a night for the Zephyrs football program as they welcomed back Saquon Barkley and then put up a huge offensive performance Friday night. Whitehall had 199 yards rushing and 323 overall. Jeziah Gregory ran for 172 and three scores, and Tanner Dogmanits completed eight of nine throws for 124 yards and three scores. It wasn’t a perfect effort, however, as South still racked up 313 yards.
No. 6: Liberty
Liberty quarterback Antonio Fontanez threw six touchdown passes against Stroudsburg. (April Gamiz/The Morning Call)
Record: 2-1, 0-0 EPC
Last week’s ranking: 6th
Last game: Beat Stroudsburg 49-17
Next game: At Northampton, 7 p.m. Friday
Comment: The Hurricanes had a few record-breaking performances as quarterback Antonio Fontanez completed 13 of 16 passes for 324 yards and six touchdowns and star receiver Jake Pukszyn caught six passes for 159 yards and five scores. Gabe Green also had a big night running the ball, gaining 104 yards on seven carries and getting a TD.
No. 5: Bethlehem Catholic
Bethlehem Catholic quarterback Cayden Vassa chats with Golden Hawks coach Joe Bernard on Tuesday, Aug. 5, 2025, in Bethlehem during a preseason practice. Bernard. (Oliver Lois Economidis/The Morning Call)
Record: 3-0, 0-0 EPC
Last week’s ranking: 5th
Last game: Beat Berks Catholic 48-41
Next game: Host Easton, 7 p.m. Saturday
Comment: The Golden Hawks are 3-0 to start a season for the second time in three years. In 2023, they started 5-0, then lost five straight before rebounding to win the District 11 4A title. Quarterback Cayden Vassa, who has had a phenomenal start to his senior season, remembers what happened two years ago and hopes to avoid a second half skid. Saturday’s game against unbeaten Easton figures to be the marquee matchup of the EPC weekend.
No. 4: Northampton
Northampton quarterback Gavin Taff passes the ball against Pennsbury earlier this season. (Kyle Franko/ Trentonian Photo)
Record: 2-1, 0-0 EPC
Last week’s ranking: 4th
Last game: Lost to Parkland 38-27
Next game: Host Liberty, 7 p.m. Friday
Comment: The Konkrete Kids compiled 307 yards on offense against a stingy Parkland defense, but allowed 326. Gavin Taff threw for 246 yards and two scores, and Joey High had seven receptions for 61 yards and two TDs. Sincere Wadlington had eight tackles, including two for losses.
No. 3: Easton
Easton quarterback Cole Ordway scored four touchdowns against Erasmus Hall. (Oliver Lois Economidis/The Morning Call)
Record: 3-0, 0-0 EPC
Last week’s ranking: 3rd
Last game: Beat Erasmus Hall from Brooklyn, 44-32
Next game: At Bethlehem Catholic, 7 p.m. Saturday
Comment: The Red Rovers got a big rushing performance from quarterback Cole Ordway, who ran for 197 yards on 18 carries. He scored four touchdowns, and Chris Martinez added 114 yards on the ground. Tristen Dees led the defense with nine stops and also had an interception. It’s always hard to gauge the opponents of teams from outside the area. A better gauge is coming against Becahi Saturday night.
No. 2: Nazareth
Nazareth’s Tanner Zelachowski takes a Peyton Falzone pass for a touchdown against Wilson West Lawn last Friday. Bill Uhrich/Reading Eagle)
Record: 3-0, 0-0 EPC
Last week’s ranking: 2nd
Last week’s game: Beat Wilson West Lawn 30-20
Next game: At Freedom, 7 p.m. Friday
Comment: The Blue Eagles continue to put up big offensive numbers. They have scored 138 points in three games and compiled 1,543 offensive yards. Peyton Falzone is up to 833 yards passing and 174 rushing. Marquez Wimberly has added 351 yards on the ground, and receivers Tanner Zelachowski, Matt Leluga and Luke DiPietro have combined for 35 catches for 561 yards.
No. 1: Parkland
Parkland’s Finn Coen, here handing off to TJ Lawrence, ran for 102 yards and passed for 155 and three scores last week. (Amy Shortell/The Morning Call)
Record: 3-0, 0-0 EPC
Last week’s ranking: 1st
Last game: Beat Northampton 38-27
Next game: Host Pleasant Valley, 7 p.m. Thursday
Comment: The Trojans were held to a combined total of 37 points in their first two games, but got the offense rolling against Northampton with quarterback Finn Coen running for 102 yards and passing for 155 and three scores. TJ Lawrence had 49 yards on the ground and two TDs, and Nassim Adams had four catches for 103 yards. It’s all building toward a Sept. 19 showdown at Nazareth.
