The quality of football in the 2025 Eastern Pennsylvania Conference season is expected to be enhanced by the return of several starting quarterbacks.

Nazareth’s Peyton Falzone, Easton’s Cole Ordway, Liberty’s Antonio Fontanez, Whitehall’s Tanner Dogmanits, East Stroudsburg South’s Ivan Laubach, Bethlehem Catholic’s Cayden Vassa, Emmaus’ Jerek Cooper, and Allentown Central Catholic’s Patrick Cahill, among others, are expected to help their teams with their experience and leadership.

And, most of them played well and delivered wins in Week 1 of the season.

But it was a newcomer, Pocono Mountain East’s Ceejay Serfass, who led the league and all of District 11 in passing with 285 yards and four touchdown passes in a win over Dieruff. Serfass connected with Justin Williams eight times for 137 yards and two TDs.

Ordway led the league in rushing with 170 yards and four TDs overall in a win over Central Bucks West.

Jeziah Gregory, a transfer from Bethlehem Catholic, made an immediate impact for Whitehall with 165 yards rushing in a win over Wilkes-Barre Area and both Stroudsburg’s Jaylin Rieara and Pocono Mountain West’s Chrisian Stiehler delivered 140 yards or more on the ground in wins for their teams.

Carter Vassa led all receivers with 10 catches for Bethlehem Catholic in a win East Pennsboro.

According to District 11 statistician Duke Helm, Vassa’s 10 receptions were one shy of the school record set by Eric Wert in 2021 against Emmaus. He is one of three EPC receivers closing in on 100 career receptions. The others are Jake Pukszyn of Liberty (97) and Talon Dogmanits of Whitehall (91).

Vassa’s brother, Cayden, is one of three EPC quarterbacks to have thrown for more 1,000 yards and rushed for 1,000 yards in their careers. Vassa has 3,015 passing yards and 1,205 on the ground. Nazareth’s Peyton Falzone has 4,921 career passing yards and 1,291 rushing, and East Stroudsburg North’s Wayne King has 1,705 passing and 1,268 rushing, according to Helm’s numbers.

Here are the EPC stat leaders from Week 1:

Easton quarterback Cole Ordway ran for 170 yards and three TDs and passed for 116 and another score in a Week 1 win over Central Bucks West. (Oliver Lois Economidis)

RUSHING

Player; Team; Class; Att; Yds; Avg; TD

Cole Ordway; Easton; Sr.; 11; 170; 15.5; 3

Jeziah Gregory; Whitehall; Sr., 24; 165; 6.9; 3

Jaylin Rieara; Stroudsburg; Sr.; 19; 146; 7.7; 3

Christian Stiehler; PM West; So.; 21; 140; 6.7; 2

TJ Lawrence; Parkland; Jr.; 21; 125; 6.0; 1

Gianni Gonnella; ES South; Sr.; 20; 117; 5.9; 0

Amari Green; PM East; Sr.; 20; 114; 5.7; 1

Cayden Vassa; Becahi; Sr.; 8; 112; 14.0; 2

Chris Ward; Pleasant Valley; Jr.; 6; 112; 18.7; 2

Peyton Falzone; Nazareth; Sr.; 3; 95; 31.7; 1

Jay Santos; Emmaus; Jr.; 13; 93; 7.2; 0

Ivan Laubach; ES South; Sr.; 15; 90; 6.0; 0

Nazareth’s Peyton Falzone passes the ball Friday, Sept. 13, 2024, against Freedom at Nazareth High School.(Amy Shortell/The Morning Call)

PASSING

Player; Team; Class; Com; Att; Int; Yds; TD

Ceejay Serfass; PM East; Jr.; 13; 23; 1; 285; 4

Peyton Falzone; Nazareth; Sr.; 13; 22; 1; 257; 3

Antonio Fontanez; Liberty; Sr.; 22; 37; 0; 251; 2

Tanner Dogmanits; Whitehall; Jr.; 12; 17; 1; 177; 1

Jackson Mitchell; Stroudsburg; Jr.; 11; 16; 0; 174; 1

Patrick Cahill; Jr.; ACCHS; 10; 15; 0; 165; 2

Bruce Billger; Dieruff; So.; 8; 19; 2; 156; 1

Ivan Laubach; ES South; Sr.; 9; 18; 1; 142; 1

Cole Ordway; Easton; Sr.; 10; 14; 0; 116; 1

Gavin Taff; Northampton; Sr.; 11; 16; 0; 116; 2

Axel Burkart; Becahi; Jr.; 12; 13; 0; 104; 0

Jaxson Haines; Pl. Valley; Sr.; 8; 12; 0; 103; 0

Bethlehem Catholic’s Carter Vassa runs with the ball against Berks Catholic’s Gavin Welker on Thursday, Sept. 5, 2024, during a football game at BASD Stadium in Bethlehem. (April Gamiz/The Morning Call)

RECEIVING

Player; Team; Class; Rec; Yards; Avg; TD

Carter Vassa; Becahi; Jr.; 10; 98; 9.8; 0

Zyaire Davis; Liberty; Jr.; 8; 166; 20.8; 2

Justin Williams; PM East; Sr.; 8; 137; 17.1; 2

Bryce Medina; Whitehall; Sr.; 6; 81; 13.5; 0

Andrew Biddle; Easton; Sr.; 6; 63; 10.5; 0

Jaxon Barlok; Liberty; Sr.; 5; 14; 2.8; 0

Talon Dogmanits; Whitehall; Sr.; 4; 83; 20.8; 1

Lyric Parkins; ES South; Jr.; 4; 63; 15.8; 1

Kendrick Sympson; ES North; Sr.; 4; 54; 13.5; 0

Keegan Munch; Stroudsburg; Jr.; 4; 52; 13.0; 0

Tahir Edmondson; ACCHS; So.; 4; 51; 12.8; 1

Marcelus Solt; Pl. Valley; Sr.; 4; 49; 12.3; 0

Eli Dalrymple; Dieruff; Sr.; 4; 27; 6.8; 0

Bethlehem Catholic quarterback Cayden Vassa helped to get his team off to a good start as the Golden Hawks beat East Pennsboro 28-10 Saturday night at BASD Stadium. (Oliver Lois Economidis/The Morning Call)

SCORING 

Player; Team; Class; TD; Total points

Derwyn Deris; Dieruff; Jr.;  3; 18

Cole Ordway; Easton; Sr.; 3; 18

Justin Williams; PM East; Sr.; 3; 18

Jaylin Rieara; Stroudsburg; Sr.; 3; 18

Jeziah Gregory; Whitehall; Jr. 3; 18

Cayden Vassa; Becahi; Sr.;  2; 12

Lyric Parkins; ES South; Jr.; 2; 12

Zyaire Davis; Liberty; Jr.; 2; 12

Marquez Wimberly; Nazareth; Sr.; 2; 12

Chris Ward; Pl. Valley; Jr.; 2; 12

Connor Triano; PM East; Sr.; 2; 12

Brady Behr; PM West; Sr.; 2; 12

Christian Stiehler; PM West; Sr.; 2; 12

Parkland’s TJ Lawrence runs for a touchdown against Emmaus on Friday, Nov. 15, 2024, during the District 11 Class 6A football championship at Whitehall High School. Parkland beat Emmaus 17-3 to win the district title. The Trojans and Green Hornets meet again on Oct. 24 in one of the most anticipated games of the 2025 season. (Jonathan Broady/Special to The Morning Call

TACKLES

Justice Edwards; ES North; Sr.; 11

Tristen Dees; Easton; Sr.

TJ Lawrence; Parkland; Jr.; 10

Di’Quawn Leak; ACCHS; Sr.; 9

Liam Spang; Parkland; Sr.; 9

Jack Restino; ACCHS; Sr. 8

Skyler Fowlin; Easton; Sr., 8

Nick Tuzzio; ESN; Sr.; 8

Brady Behr; PMW; Sr.; 8

Justin Hussett; Whitehall; Sr.; 8

Sebastian Jean Pierre; Easton; Jr.; 8

SACK LEADERS

Benjamin Gil; Whitehall; Jr.; 3

Brett Myers; Easton; So.; 2

INTERCEPTIONS

Blake Nassry; Parkland; Jr.; 2

 

https://www.mcall.com/2025/08/28/lehigh-valley-high-school-football-epc-stat-leaders/