This season started earlier than ever with games on Aug. 22, and that means the regular season will end earlier than ever before with this weekend’s action putting a bow on the Eastern Pennsylvania Conference schedule Saturday, several days before Halloween.
Week 10 is not just the finale of the regular season, but it’s also rivalry week with traditional matchups lined up, such as Allen-Dieruff, Liberty-Freedom, Parkland-Emmaus, Pocono Mountain East-Pocono Mountain West, and some more recently created rivalries such as Easton-Nazareth and Bethlehem Catholic-Northampton.
Questions to be answered include who will win the EPC’s Monroe County Division?
Who will earn the final spots in District 11 6A, where Stroudsburg, Northampton, Emmaus and Pocono Mountain West are all looking for that green stripe on the District 11 football website that means they are headed to the postseason?
And can both Parkland and Easton finish out the regular season with perfect 10-0 records, or will one stumble and clear the way for the other to secure the No. 1 spot in D11 6A?
Parkland and Easton are just two of three remaining unbeatens in 6A in the state. The Trojans and Red Rovers have been at the top of the EPC rankings almost the entire season, and this week is no exception.
Here’s a look at where all 18 teams stand:
No. 18: East Stroudsburg North
Record: 0-9, 0-6 EPC
Last week’s rankings: 18th
Last game: Lost to Pocono Mountain East 56-20
Next game: At East Stroudsburg South, 7 p.m.
Comment: The Timberwolves got a season-high point total in the loss to East. Wayne King ran for 95 yards on 14 carries and two touchdowns. King also passed for 94 yards. Kendrick Sympson had four catches for 50 yards, but three turnovers proved costly as North’s losing streak stretched to 11 games since a 42-14 win over East late last season.
No. 17: Dieruff
Dieruff quarterback Bruce Billger. (Jane Therese/Special to The Morning Call)
Record: 1-8, 1-5 EPC
Last week’s rankings: 17th
Last game: Lost to Allentown Central Catholic 42-15
Next game: At Allen, 2 p.m. Saturday
Comment: The Huskies trailed 35-0 at halftime. They finished with 171 yards on offense, 89 on the ground and 82 in the air. Khali Moultrie and Derwyn Deris caught TD passes from Bruce Billger, and Eli Dalrymple ran for a two-point conversion. The Dieruff defense allowed just 40 yards rushing, but gave up 189 passing.
No. 16: Allen
Record: 3-6, 0-6 EPC
Last week’s rankings: 16th
Last game: Lost to Emmaus 42-6
Next game: Host Dieruff, 2 p.m. Saturday
Comment: The Canaries hope to put a six-game losing streak behind them and will try to get their second straight win over Dieruff. It will be meeting No. 69 between Allentown’s public schools. The series is tied at 34 wins apiece. Allen snapped a four-game losing streak to the Huskies with a 20-14 overtime last year. It was just the Canaries’ fourth win over Dieruff since 2011. Allen had 296 yards on offense against Emmaus, including 247 passing. The lone Canary score was a 24-yard pass from Julian Pagan to TeShon Gaynair.
No. 15: 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: 1-9, 1-5 EPC
Last week’s rankings: 15th
Last game: Lost to Stroudsburg 45-19
Next game: Host East Stroudsburg North 7 p.m. Friday
Comment: The Cavaliers would like to build some momentum entering a District 11 5A semifinal against Whitehall set for Nov. 1 at Whitehall. In the loss to Stroudsburg, Ivan Laubach had a 22-yard TD run, Greyson Fuller had a 59-yard TD pass to Lyric Parkins and Gianni Gonnella scored on a 21-yard carry. But the Cavs’ defense gave up 385 yards of offense.
No. 14: Pocono Mountain West
Pocono Mountain West’s Brady Behr tackles Scranton’s Kamani Sterling at Veterans Memorial Stadium in Scranton Friday, Aug. 22, 2025. (Sean McKeag/Times-Tribune)
Record: 5-4, 2-4 EPC
Last week’s rankings: 12th
Last game: Lost to Pleasant Valley 28-21
Next game: At Pocono Mountain East, 7 p.m. Friday
Comment: The Panthers have lost four of their last six after a 3-0 start, and their only wins in that stretch were over East Stroudsburg North and East Stroudsburg South, who are a combined 1-17. West’s sophomore star Christian Stiehler had a 53-yard fumble return for a score and a 52-yard TD run on offense. Stiehler rushed for 171 yards on 21 rushing attempts. Brady Behr caught a 35-yard TD pass from Curtis Sipler. West is still hopeful of a 6A tournament spot, but probably needs to beat East to get in.
No. 13: Pleasant Valley
Pleasant Valley quarterback Jaxson Haines throws a pass Thursday, Sept. 11, 2025, against Parkland at Parkland Stadium. (April Gamiz/The Morning Call)
Record: 4-5, 3-3 EPC
Last week’s rankings: 14th
Last game: Beat Pocono Mountain West 28-21
Next game: Host Stroudsburg, 7 p.m. Friday
Comment: The Bears bounced back from a 28-0 loss to Pocono Mountain East with an impressive win over Pocono Mountain West. The game was tied at 21 when PV got a fourth down stop at its own 4 and then went on a 96-yard drive that resulted in a 29-yard Chris TD run with 2:21 left. PV, which will play Pocono Mountain East again on Nov. 1 in the 5A semis, held on from there. Ward was one of four different runners to score TDs joining Niko Payan, Isaac Westerman and Marcelus Solt with rushing TDs.
No. 12: Pocono Mountain East
Second-year Pocono Mountain East football coach Dustin Thomas is all smiles these days as the Cardinals have gone from 1-10 last season to 6-3. (Contributed photo)
Record: 6-3, 3-3 EPC
Last week’s rankings: 13th
Last game: Beat East Stroudsburg North 56-20
Next game: Host Pocono Mountain West, 7 p.m. Friday
Comment: The Cardinals have had one of the area’s best turnaround seasons with six wins after going 1-10 last season. Running back Amari Green went over 1,000 yards rushing on the season, quarterback Ceejay Serfass is now tied for the single-season passing mark for TDs with 15, and wide receiver Justin Williams has set a new receiving mark 48 receptions. It is no wonder East is averaging 30.2 points per game after averaging just 12.8 ppg last season. They will get a home 5A semifinal game against Pleasant Valley on Nov. 1.
No. 11: Stroudsburg
A look inside the stadium at Stroudsburg High School. (Keith Groller/The Morning Call)
Record: 5-4, 4-2 EPC
Last week’s rankings: 11th
Last game: Beat East Stroudsburg South 45-19
Next game: At Pleasant Valley, 7 p.m. Friday
Comment: The Mounties have put themselves in a great position to secure a 6A tournament spot with a three-game winning streak. Jack Mitchell was 13-for-21 for 203 yards and three TDs in the win over South and has thrown for 1,291 yards on the season. Essam Alrefai had six catches for 68 yards last week. Keyen Johnson ran for 168 yards on 13 carries and has gone over 1,200 rushing yards this season.
No. 10: Emmaus
Emmaus’s Robert Edwards lines up against Neshaminy on Friday, Aug. 22, 2025, at East Penn School District Stadium in Emmaus. (Jonathan Broady/Special to The Morning Call)
Record: 4-5, 3-3 EPC
Last week’s rankings: 10th
Last game: Beat Allen 42-6
Next game: At Parkland, 7 p.m. Friday
Comment: The Green Hornets moved into the eighth and final position in the District 11 6A power rankings but may need to beat Parkland to secure a playoff spot. Emmaus had 477 yards on offense against Allen, 378 on the ground. They were 5-for-6 on third-down conversions. Emmaus has just one win over a team with a winning record — Stroudsburg, by a 48-10 margin on Sept. 12.
No. 9: Allentown Central Catholic
Allentown Central Catholic quarterback Patrick Cahill has more than 1,400 passing yards this season. (Jane Therese/Special to The Morning Call)
Record: 5-4, 4-2 EPC
Last week’s rankings: 9th
Last game: Beat Dieruff 42-15
Next game: Host Whitehall, 7 p.m. Friday
Comment: The Vikings bounced back from a lopsided loss to Parkland with a dominant performance against Dieruff. They are looking to keep the momentum entering the District 11 4A semifinals, where they will have a quarterfinal home game on Oct. 30. Patrick Cahill has more than 1,400 passing yards this season. Tahir Edmondson is the team’s top receiver with 32 catches for 496 yards and six TDs.
No. 8: Whitehall
Whitehall quarterback Tanner Dogmanits looks for a play from the sideline on Thursday, Oct. 16, 2025, against Parkland at Whitehall High School. (Jonathan Broady/Special to The Morning Call)
Record: 7-2, 5-1 EPC
Last week’s rankings: 4th
Last game: Lost to Parkland 53-7
Next game: At Allentown Central Catholic, 7 p.m. Friday
Comment: The Zephyrs had a six-game winning streak snapped by Parkland, but will still be the No. 1 seed in the upcoming District 11 5A tournament. Whitehall fought back early in the game and answered an early Parkland touchdown with a TD of their own, but Parkland then scored 47 unanswered points. The Trojans’ defense pressured QB Tanner Dogmanits, who was just 4-for-15 passing for 63 yards. Jeziah Gregory ran for 61 yards and a touchdown on 11 carries.
No. 7: Bethlehem Catholic
Bethlehem Catholic is looking to get back on track. (Amy Shortell/The Morning Call)
Record: 5-4, 2-4 EPC
Last week’s rankings: 7th
Last game: Lost to Liberty 35-20
Next game: Host Northampton, 7 p.m. Friday
Comment: The Golden Hawks lost their third straight game and for the fourth time in six games after a 3-0 start. But they’re playing tough foes week in and week out in the EPC’s Northampton County Division. Axel Burkart has settled in at quarterback and passed for 152 yards against Liberty and had two rushing TDs. Much of this team’s postseason hopes rest on the health of Carter and Cayden Vassa who have been in and out of the lineup in recent weeks.
No. 6: Northampton
Northampton’s captains take the field before a game against Easton on Friday, Oct. 3, 2025, at Northampton. (Jonathan Broady/Special to The Morning Call)
Record: 4-5, 2-4 EPC
Last week’s rankings: 8th
Last game: Beat Nazareth 41-28
Next game: At Bethlehem Catholic, 7 p.m. Friday
Comment: The Konkrete Kids have been looking for a signature win that signifies the improvement of the program, and got it with their victory over Nazareth. Northampton ran for 448 yards, including 317 by sophomore Chase Kessler, who also scored three second-half touchdowns. K-Kids also may have set a record with back-to-back onside kicks that kept the ball away from Nazareth’s potent offense. Still could use a win over Becahi to secure a 6A playoff spot.
No. 5: Liberty
The Liberty High School football team takes the field before its game against Allentown Central Catholic on Thursday, Aug. 28, 2025, at BASD Stadium in Bethlehem. (April Gamiz/The Morning Call)
Record: 6-3, 4-2 EPC
Last week’s rankings: 6th
Last game: Beat Bethlehem Catholic 35-20
Next game: At Freedom, 1 p.m. Saturday
Comment: The Hurricanes snapped a two-game losing streak with a hard-fought 35-20 win over Bethlehem Catholic. Antonio Fontanez threw for 192 yards and a TD and ran for 76 yards and three scores. Gabe Green added 63 yards rushing and a score. Jake Pukszyn may have provided the biggest news of the week from the Liberty program by announcing that he has committed to Lehigh, which is currently unbeaten and No. 7 in the country in FCS football.
No. 4: Freedom
Freedom football coach Jason Roeder huddles up with some of his players during a timeout at Easton on Friday night. The Patriots lost a 17-14 heartbreaker to the unbeaten Red Rovers. (Jonathan Broady/Special to The Morning Call)
Record: 5-4, 4-2 EPC
Last week’s rankings: 5th
Last game: Lost to Easton 17-14
Next game: Host Liberty, 1 p.m. Saturday
Comment: Yes, it may be strange to see a team move up in the rankings after losing a game, but the Patriots were impressive in a heartbreaking loss at unbeaten Easton. They absorbed the loss of star running back Lashawn Johnson on their first play from scrimmage and took the Red Rovers to the wire where only a narrow miss on a late field-goal try prevented the game from going to overtime. It’s a team that has come a long way since starting 0-2, 1-3.
No. 3: Nazareth
Nazareth’s Cooper Madson takes the snap from center Friday, Oct. 10, 2025, against Bethlehem Catholic at Nazareth. (Amy Shortell/The Morning Call)
Record: 7-2, 4-2 EPC
Last week’s rankings: 3rd
Last game: Lost to Northampton 41-28
Next game: Host Easton, 7 p.m. Friday
Comment: The Blue Eagles stay at No. 3 despite a loss because it is tough to play the teams in the EPC Northampton Division week after week and not have a slip-up. That said, Nazareth has to tighten a defense that allowed 449 yards rushing for it to have a chance to advance deep in District 11 6A. Marquez Wimberly ran for 177 yards and two TDs and he Blue Eagles had 418 yards on offense, but it wasn’t enough.
No. 2: Easton
Easton’s mascot left Cottingham Stadium happy after a close win over Freedom on Friday night. (Jonathan Broady/Special to The Morning Call)
Record: 9-0, 6-0 EPC
Last week’s rankings: 2nd
Last game: Beat Freedom 17-14
Next game: At Nazareth, 7 p.m. Friday
Comment: The days of dominance for the Red Rovers have been replaced by wins of grit, perseverance and tough defense late. Easton has been challenged in back-to-back weeks by Liberty and Freedom but is still unbeaten after a pair of 3-point wins. They have now won back-to-back EPC Northampton County titles and are looking for the top seed in the District 11 6A tournament. However, a win at Nazareth won’t be easy, nor will it likely be low-scoring. Remember, last year’s 63-55 Easton win over the Blue Eagles was an all-time classic.
No. 1: Parkland
Parkland head coach Tim Moncman puts on his game face as he gets his team ready last Thursday at Whitehall. (Jonathan Broady/Special to The Morning Call)
Record: 9-0, 6-0 EPC
Last week’s rankings: 1st
Last game: Beat Whitehall 53-7
Next game: Host Emmaus, 7 p.m. Friday
Comment: The Trojans haven’t had to go through the weekly meat grinder that teams in the EPC Northampton County division have had to go through, but remember they are 2-0 against teams in that division with wins over Freedom and Nazareth. You get the sense that they can’t wait to be challenged. First things first, and that’s a rematch with Emmaus, the team they beat for the District 11 title last year, just three weeks after losing 27-0 at Emmaus. Parkland’s offense is coming together behind junior quarterback Finn Coen and a lot of playmakers on both sides of the ball. TJ Lawrence ran for 117 yards on just 11 carries and scored four touchdowns in the rout of Whitehall.
