Sam Senneca celebrated a birthday earlier this week.
Senneca has been involved with high school football for more than 50 years, going back to his playing days at Nazareth, where he was an all-state selection before graduating in 1971, and then heading to N.C. State where he played three seasons for legendary college coach Lou Holtz.
He is still a member of the Easton coaching staff, where his son, Matt, is the head coach.
“My dad is the GOAT,” Matt Senneca said. “He taught me everything. He coached a lot of different places and had a lot of different experiences, but he was always there for me when I needed someone to lean on for his advice and expertise. What he taught me the most was that you always have to care about your players and treat them like they are your own kids. That’s something I always try to do … care for our kids on and off the field.”
The father and son combo have enjoyed a lot of great moments together, including Matt’s previous stop at Whitehall, where the Zephyrs won two District 11 5A titles in a four-year span.
But perhaps their most memorable football season together was in 2008 when Matt was an assistant coach on Tim Moncman’s staff and Sam was the school’s athletic director. That season ended with an Anthony Gonzalez interception that preserved a 28-21 overtime win over Bethel Park in Hershey for the PIAA 4A title. It was Liberty’s third appearance in the state finals in a span of four years and marked the last time a Lehigh Valley team won a state football title in the highest classification.
Sam Senneca retired in 2011 after more than 30 years in the Bethlehem Area School District, including 11 as Liberty’s athletic director.
No one knows better the caliber of the athletes and the rich tradition associated with Liberty athletics more than Sam and Matt Seneca and when the current Hurricanes come to Easton’s Cottingham Stadium Friday night for a District 11 6A semifinal, they know it will be a renewal of one of the area’s oldest and most heated rivalries.
It will be meeting No. 111 in a series that began more than a century ago. Easton leads the series 69-38-3 and has won nine straight.
But the respect the Senneca family and the Rovers staff have for the Hurricanes and the school is as high as it could be.
Easton quarterback Cole Ordway throws a pass on Friday, Oct. 17, 2025, against Freedom during an EPC game in Easton. (Jonathan Broady/Special to The Morning Call)
“Anytime you get two programs with this kind of history together, you know it’s going to be a heck of a game,” Matt Senneca said. “They are so well-coached and they’re having such a great year. They have tremendous athletes and will be a huge challenge for us.”
Easton won the previous meeting 23-20 on Oct. 10 in a game that came down to the final possession.
Reflecting on that game, Senneca said: “They played really well up front against us and took away some of the things that we do in the run game. They made some plays downfield with their athletes. They are going to make their plays. We just have to try our best to limit them and respond when they happen. Their offense presents a ton of challenges.”
Senneca’s team is 11-0 and ranked fifth in the state and there are many fans who are already anticipating a showdown with unbeaten and third-ranked Parkland next week for the district title, but no one in the Easton locker room is thinking that way.
“We’re going to have to play our best game of the season to pull this one off,” Senneca said. “They’re going to come down here with a lot of confidence after the way they played us the last time, and rightfully so. They us to the wire and I expect this to be a very similar game.”
Here’s a look at that matchup and the other 6A semifinal between Parkland and Nazareth and the 5A championship game between Whitehall and Pocono Mountain East on Saturday night at Catasauqua.
District 11 6A semifinals
No. 4 seed Liberty (8-3, 5-2) at No. 1 Easton (11-0, 7-0)
When/where: 7 p.m. Friday at Cottingham Stadium, Easton.
At stake: A berth in next week’s District 11 6A title game.
The storylines: It has been a memorable season for both historic programs. The Red Rovers, who are in the district semifinals for the second straight season, are coming off a 28-7 win over Emmaus. That victory was also the program’s 900th win all-time. The Hurricanes, who are in a district or regional semifinal for the first time since 2015, are coming off back-to-back over Bethlehem rival Freedom. The second meeting was more competitive than the first and finished with a 26-14 triumph. After losing to Easton in Week 8, Liberty has responded with three straight wins. In the first meeting, Easton led 17-0 before the Hurricanes rallied to ake a 20-17 lead on two Antonio Fontanez TD passes and a rushing TD. Easton got what proved to be the game-winning touchdown on a Cole Ordway run with 9:27 left and depended on a pair of defensive stops to get the win.
Players to watch: The two quarterbacks have had spectacular seasons. Ordway has rushed for 1,544 yards, the second-most in the league, and 30 TDs. Fontanez has thrown for 2,568 yads and 35 touchdowns. Hurricanes receivers Jake Pukszyn and Zyaire Davis have combined for 91 catches and 28 TDs. Liberty will be without Jaxon Barlok who suffered a season-ending injury against Freedom last week. He had 32 catches for 474 yards and three scores. Liberty’s Gabe Green has run for 801 yards and 7 TDs while Easton’s Chris Martinez has gained 1,116 yards and scored five times. The defensive standouts include JJ Pujals and Adriaan Delone for Liberty and Algee Macon and Kurtis Crossman for Easton. The Red Rovers average 37.5 ppg and allow 14.0 while the Hurricanes average 36.6 ppg and allow 19.9.
Keith Groller’s pick: Easton 26-17
No. 3 Nazareth (8-3, 4-3) at No. 2 Parkland (11-0, 7-0)
When/where: 7:05 p.m. Friday at Parkland School District Stadium, Orefield
At stake: A berth in next week’s District 11 title game
The storylines: These two met in both the 2018 and 2023 district finals, both thrillers won by Nazareth. The Trojans won the earlier meeting this season, 42-6 on Sept. 19 at Nazareth. It was the first game for the Blue Eagles after the season-ending injury to star quarterback Peyton Falzone the week before at Freedom. It was the first start for sophomore quarterback Cooper Madson, who is also the son of Parkland superintendent Mark Madson. Since that game, Nazareth has gone 4-2 with losses to Nothampton and Easton. The Blue Eagles avenged the loss to Northampton with a 37-36 win in last week’s quarterfinals. Parkland has rolled most of the season. They have now allowed more than 14 points against any opponent since a 38-27 win over Northampton on Sept. 5.
Players to watch: Parkland, which has allowed the fewest points of any EPC team at 99, is led by its hard-hitting defense featuring Liam Spang (71 tackles) and TJ Lawrence (55). Both Dom Martrich and Michael Car are among the league’s sack leaders. The offense is sparked by Lawrence, who has rushd for 972 yards and 24 touchdowns. Madson has passd for 1,292 yards and 13 touchdowns whil trowing just two interceptions in seven starts. Marquez Wimberly, who began his career at Parkland, enters the game as the EPC’s leading rusher with 1,605 yards and 21 TDs and he is averaging 9.1 yards per carry. The Eagles not only have been without Falzone, but have missed key starters Lance Zuercher and Jayden Wolf due to injury most of the season.
Keith Groller’s pick: Parkland 33-24
District 11 5A championship
No. 2 Pocono Mountain East (8-3, 4-3) at No. 1 Whitehall (9-2, 6-1)
When/where: 6 p.m. Saturday at Catasauqua’s Alumni Field
At stake: A berth in the state tournament against District 12 champ, Roman Catholic or Olney Charter.
The storylines: Pocono Mountain East has been the biggest surprise in EPC football football going from 1-10 to the district final. The Cardinals are trying to win their first district gold since upsetting Easton for the 1988 title when they were coached by Frank Scagliotta. Whitehall is going for its sixth 5A title in 10 seasons since the PIAA expanded to six classifications in 2015. The Zephyrs lost to East Stroudsburg South, 22-17, in last year’s final. Whitehall routed East 49-7 in last year’s semifinals. Both teams have beaten South this season, East winning 30-7 on Oct. 3 and Whitehall winning 43-28 in last week’s semifinals. The one other common opponent between the two teams is Allentown Central Catholic. East lost to the Vikings, 30-3, while the Zephyrs routed Central 49-14 on Oct. 24. Whitehall has scored 41.6 ppg, the top aveage in the EPC, while allowing 28.5. East averages 30.4 ppg and allows 18.2.
Players to watch: East features several key offensive players led by quarterback Ceejay Serfass, who has thrown for 1,981 yards and 21 TDs. Amari Green has rushed for 1,417 yards and 14 TDs, while Justin Williams leads the EPC with 62 catches for 1,005 yards and 11 TDs. Connor Triano has added34 catches for 368 yards and 8 TDs. The Dogmanits brothers, Tanner and Talon, have been the catalysts or the Zephyrs offense. Tanner has thrown for 2,011 yards and 22 TDs and has rushed for 418 yards and 10 scores. Talon has caught 44 passes for 934 yards and 13 TDs.
Keith Groller’s pick: Whitehall 37-28
