The 2013 Southern Lehigh High School football team just finished a remarkable year, ending with a record of 10-2, and winning a co-championship in the Colonial League. The Spartans received home-field advantage and the number one seed throughout the District XI Playoffs. Unfortunately, they fell short of winning the District XI Championship in overtime against Bethlehem Catholic High School.

“It was a bad ending,” junior quarterback Travis Edmond said, “[and] I’m sad to see a special group of seniors go”

Edmond, who suffered a shoulder injury in week three against Bangor, made a full recovery and was happy that his teammates did such a great job during the time he was out.

If the loss to Bethlehem Catholic wasn’t enough, the team also lost a valuable coach in the program. Joseph Glassic, head coach of the middle school football team, passed away the day before the District XI championship game. With the loss, this game meant a lot more to the players because at one point, Glassic was their coach.

“The loss of Coach Joe put the loss in perspective,” senior wide receiver Jacob DelPriore said. “It is still a tough pill to swallow.”

DelPriore, who broke seven school records and tied for one Colonial League record, said the most memorable moment of the season was “when we were circled around the Spartan Head for Coach Joe.”

After an exciting season, the entire Southern Lehigh community and student body was disappointed over the loss to Bethlehem Catholic in the District XI championship.

“Just seeing the boys faces after the game and to see how far they came, I was sad to see it end,” senior cheerleader Maddie Kosce said.

“[After the district game,] we got the whole student section to line up in a pathway to the locker room,”  senior Scotty Brown said. “That was really special.”

Despite the District XI loss, the season was one for the record books.  Southern Lehigh won its first Colonial League co-championship in a 56-7 victory over Salisbury on November 1, the same night that Catasauqua lost to Northwestern 28-27.  Catasauqua shares the league title.

“I was ecstatic, exuberant, and psyched out of my mind!” DelPriore said about the co-championship.

For seniors however, winning this title meant a lot to them because this is the end of a high school career that involved a lot of hard work.

“Put in the work early; it pays off later,” DelPriore said. “The practices are rough, but they pay off in the long run!”