Whether it be routines, traditions, or music, every team member has a way to get dialed in for a game. However, most players on the football team prefer to blast their favorite music.
“We always walk out to Capo,” said senior Ryan King.
The currently undefeated Southern Lehigh boys’ football team has been dominating the Schuylkill League this season. They currently lead in point differential at both the league and state levels in their division. The Spartans have set the tone in the Lehigh Valley that they are not a team to take lightly.
“The mindset this year has been to let our game speak for itself,” head coach Phil Sams said. “All everyone else can do is talk, and we just play our game.”
This season, the senior athletes have found new motives for success. They hope to leave the Southern Lehigh football program on a positive and victorious note. Lacking a perfect season during their high school careers, they believe that this year must be different.
“Silver medal has been a constant reminder that we must win gold,” senior captain Will Knudson said. “To think that this will be the last time that this group of guys will play football together, we have to win gold”
After welcoming a new coaching staff in 2020, the seniors have stuck with the program and reaped the rewards. With spots to be filled, many new coaches joined the team and some old ones took on bigger roles. Coach Sams took the position of head coach, unsure of what was to come.
“He went into the role with confidence,” King said. “He respects our opponents, but goes into every game with a winning mindset.”
Each year, it is up to the underclassmen to fill in the spots left by the previous year’s graduates. Many young players, including sophomores Darius Roman and Carter Giberson, quickly made their names known on the field from their freshman year, but there was still confusion surrounding who would play quarterback this season. Since Coach Sams became head coach, there has been a different starting quarterback every season.
“Losing [2023 graduate] Avery Koser left a question mark at the quarterback position,” Knudson said. “[Junior] Chris Fritts has quickly stepped up to fill his shoes.”
The final game of the regular season against Northwestern Lehigh has historically been where the Spartans’ winning streak comes to an end. At the rate the Spartans are going, however, this year looks to be different. For the seniors, they feel the Tigers stand no chance against their ruthless lineup.
“Against Northwestern, we have more skill on the outside, and are more physical up front,” Knudson said.
As the regular season comes to a close, the team looks forward to what is expected to be an exciting postseason. The outcome of the matchup with Northwestern Lehigh, also currently undefeated, will decide both the league title, as well as who has the home-field advantage for the PIAA District XI 5A playoffs. Considering the Spartans’ current record, Southern Lehigh is hopeful for the team’s second state playoff appearance in a span of four years.
