As league games in the Eastern Pennsylvania Conference begin this weekend, there are seven unbeatens.
Several of them are surprising 3-0, none more so than Allen.
The Canaries haven’t started a season with a 3-0 mark since 2002.
With a win over East Stroudsburg South on Friday night, they could celebrate a fourth win in a season for the first time since 2005.
Being the first team to do this or the first team to do that is all creating positive chatter for a program that hasn’t had lot of success for the past two decades.
But third-year coach Joel Rupp isn’t focused on history nearly as much as the next practice, the next game.
“There’s always work to do and we always look at things week-by-week,” Rupp said. “We have been excited by how our schedule set up, but it gets tougher as we go. The schedule has given us the ability to learn how to win.”
Allen started 2-0 last year, but then lost seven straight before beating rival Dieruff in the regular-season finale. The same schedule as 2024 lies ahead for the Canaries, but there is hope that Allen is better prepared for the gauntlet that is coming.
Rupp said his team played with great energy last week in its home opener against East Stroudsburg North last week and there is a concern that a hostile crowd at South’s renowned Purple Pit will pose a major challege for the Canaries.
“We’re going to have to bring our energy,” Rupp said. “The crowd was great last week at home. It was Youth night and I think our players fed off that. It gave the kids an extra boost.”
Allen has benefitted from the performance of several players, many of them have come through the Allentown youth programs which Rupp has been involved with for years.
He has been particularly pleased with quarterback Julian “Juju” Pagan and defensive lineman TeShon Gaynair.
“Juju has been playing football since he was very young and it’s great to see someone who has been playing football all of his life come along and he has a high football IQ,” Rupp said. “Some of the kids we get our first and second-year players and we have to mold them, so it’s great to have someone like Juju who has been around the game for awhile. He came from the Mountainville program and he’s great to see how far he has come”
As for Gaynair, Rupp said: “He’s got a great build, a great body and a great work ethic. He’s smart in the classroom. He’s just the total package. He plays on both sides of the ball and we’ve tried our best to keep him healthy. He has four sacks and that’s just in two games because one of our wins was a forfeit.”
Rupp insists Allen is not looking at the past or the future. They’re taking it day by day.
“We talk about being undefeated , but that not our focus,” he said. “It’s exciting, don’t get me wrong. I think that’s going to fill up our stands up a little more. We’re playing good football, but we’re not looking back, we’re not looking ahead. We’re only looking at the game that we’re playing next. The past isn’t who you are, it’s about what is coming next.”
