Caiden Faust is not happy with how Pen Argyl’s running game has performed this season.

The senior coming off a 1,000-yard season in 2024 had only 70 yards total the previous two games, both losses.

“He’s been frustrated with some things going on offensively,” Green Knights coach Brady Mutton said. “You could blame everyone. It’s him hitting the hole. It’s linemen not holding their blocks. He hasn’t had the year he had last year. I don’t blame him at all for being frustrated.

“He kind of takes it out on defense.”

That’s what good team players do — find ways to contribute to the program.

Faust ran for 91 yards and a touchdown in Saturday afternoon’s 37-20 victory over Catasauqua. But his presence was felt from Pen Argyl’s first defensive play.

The outside linebacker forced a fumble that was recovered by teammate Jamie Accatino. Seven plays later, the Green Knights took the lead for good on Faust’s 5-yard touchdown run and Mason Soos’ two-point conversion run midway through the first period.

“It’s like setting an edge, a morale for the entire team,” Faust said of his defensive performance. “If I’m cracking like that then my teammates are like, ‘He’s doing that good, so let’s pile in on this.’

“It worked.”

Faust had five tackles for loss among his double-digit stops against the Rough Riders, who played without quarterback Aiden Reilly and didn’t have running back Tray Dunn until the start of the second quarter.

Green Knights teammates Terrell Estes, Rocco DeCesare and Accatino also had tackles for loss. DeCesare had a fumble recovery caused by Accatino.

Pen Argyl played a solid three quarters in all phases to end a two-game losing streak and take momentum into Friday night’s 106th meeting with Slate Belt rival Bangor.

Soos ran for 61 yards and two touchdowns and threw for 235 more and two scores to get the offense back on track after managing only 14 points total the previous two weeks.

“The word the last few weeks was execution,” Mutton said. “We weren’t catching some things. We weren’t hitting the holes. We weren’t blocking. We did all that today. The first half was very mistake-ridden. We have to clean those things up.

“But we played physical. We ran the ball hard. We were running good routes and catching balls. Mason was putting them right where they needed to be. It was a good 3-and-a-half quarters.”

Down 8-0 early, Catasauqua responded with a 10-play, 66-yard scoring drive capped by Cadeo Estronza’s 9-yard touchdown run with 1:23 left in the first half. A 16-yard completion from Estronza to Manny Bolmer was a key play on the drive.

The Rough Riders, who trailed 8-6 after the failed two-point pass, then got an interception by Omar Pacheco and drove to the Green Knights’ 23 only to come up empty. Two penalties and a negative running play stalled the drive.

“We’re not there yet,” Catasauqua coach Joe Henrich said. “We hurt ourselves with penalties or a negative-yardage play. Then it’s hard to get from behind the sticks.”

Pen Argyl then drove 75 yards in seven plays for another score, a 47-yard pass from Soos to Zach Metzgar with 5:12 left in the first half. The touchdown came on third-and-6 after an illegal motion penalty.

Metzgar had five catches for 104 yards.

Catasauqua later in the half generated another turnover, a fumble recovery by Jonell Rosado, but was forced to punt with 92 seconds left in the second quarter.

Pen Argyl cashed in with a 10-play, 58-yard touchdown drive. Soos scored from five yards out with 10 seconds left and the Green Knights out of timeouts. The senior quarterback bulled his way in after initial contact a few yards shy of the goal line for a 23-6 halftime lead.

Catasauqua turned it over on its first series of the second half then got stopped on downs on its next series.

Pen Argyl then put the game away with a 63-yard drive capped by Soos’ 11-yard TD run with 2:42 left in the third quarter.

After another stalled Rough Riders drive, the Green Knights scored again on Soos’ 8-yard TD pass to Anthony Beltran for a 37-6 lead.

Dunn scored on runs of 57 and 11 yards for Catasauqua in the fourth quarter.

“There’s progress,” Henrich said. “The quarterback inconsistency is a struggle. But within the system, we were able to do the things today without having to try to re-create the wheel.”

Chris Wellington led the Catasauqua defense with double-digit tackles. Jayden Nunez had a tackle for loss.

Up next

Pen Argyl (6-3) finishes up the regular season at 7 p.m. Friday at Slate Belt rival Bangor (0-9). Catasauqua (3-6) closes with a home game against Palmerton (3-6).

Pen Argyl is sixth in the District 11 Class 2A playoff standings with one week left. Catasauqua is eighth. Top eight make the postseason. The Green Knights have locked up a berth. The Rough Riders need a win or a Mahanoy Area loss to advance.

Senior writer Tom Housenick can be reached at thousenick@mcall.com

PEN ARGYL, CATASAUQUA

Catasauqua: 6; 0; 0; 14 — 20

Pen Argyl: 8; 15; 7; 7 — 37

ORDER OF SCORING

First quarter

PA: Caiden Faust 5 run (Mason Soos run), 5:20

C: Cadeo Estronza 9 run (pass failed), 1:23

Second quarter

PA: Soos 47 pass to Zach Metzgar (Soos run), 5:12

PA: Soos 5 run (Reid Kotulka kick), 0:10

Third quarter

PA: Soos 11 run (Kotulka kick), 2:42

Fourth quarter

PA: Soos 8 pass to Anthony Beltran (Kotulka kick), 8:35

C: Tray Dunn 57 run (Estronza pass to Chris Wellington), 7:38

C: Dunn 11 run (pass failed), 3:19

TEAM STATISTICSCat; PAFirst downs; 16; 20Rushes-yards; 41-229; 35-157Passing yards; 35; 235Comp-Att-INTs; 5-11-0; 16-26-1Punts-avg.; 3-26.0; 0-0Fumbles-lost; 2-2; 3-1Penalties-yards; 4-25; 4-32

INDIVIDUAL STATISTICSRushing: (Catasauqua) Tray Dunn 19-170, 2 TDs; Manny Bolmer 2-0; Ruben Concepcion 4-24; Cadeo Estronza 10-22; Joziah Martinez 5-15; team 1-(-2); (Pen Argyl) Caiden Faust 18-91, TD; Terrell Estes 1-2; Jamie Accatino 1-8; Zach Metzgar 1-4; Anthony Beltran 1-(-7); team 1-(-2); Mason Soos 12-61, 2 TDs.

Passing: (Catasauqua) Estronza 5-11-0, 35 yards; (Pen Argyl) Soos 16-26-1 235 yards, 2 TDs.

Receiving: (Catasauqua) Bolmer 5-35; (Pen Argyl) Estes 5-59; Zach Metzgar 5-104, TD; Anthony Beltran 3-50, TD; Faust 3-22.

https://www.mcall.com/2025/10/18/lehigh-valley-football-pen-argyl-roughs-up-short-handed-catasauqua/