HS FOOTBALL: North Schuylkill-NW Lehigh preview capsule
Nov. 18—District 11 Class 3A Championship Preview Capsule
North Schuylkill Spartans (10-2)
vs. Northwestern Lehigh Tigers (10-2)
When: Tonight, 7:05 p.m.
Where: Lehighton Multi-Purpose Stadium
Tickets: Cost $7 (plus applicable fees) and are only available online at www.districtxi.com. There will be no ticket sales at the gate. Senior citizens age 65 and older are admitted free with proof of age.
Radio/TV: WAVT 101.9 FM radio, Blue Ridge Cable TV-13, Penn Sports Radio
Live updates: Follow sports editor Leroy Boyer on Twitter @pubsportsboss
How they got here: Top-seeded North Schuylkill defeated Lehighton 54-7 and Palmerton 51-12. Second-seeded Northwestern Lehigh downed Jim Thorpe 31-7 and Notre Dame-Green Pond 35-34.
Statistical Leaders: North Schuylkill — QB Trevor Minalda, 142-230-12, 1,820 yards, 26 TDs; RB Jared Tinari, 204-1,313, 15 TDs; WR Joey Flail 48-728, 20 total TDs. Northwestern Lehigh — QB Cade Christopher, sr., 54-108-3, 773 yards, 10 TDs passing, 205-1,600, 25 TDs rushing; RB Dalton Clymer, jr., 201-1,294, 16 TDs; WR Devon Hildebrand, jr., 23-235, TD
Scoring averages: North Schuylkill — 36.5 offense, 14.0 defense; Northwestern Lehigh — 34.8 offense, 15.9 defense
Game Notes: North Schuylkill is in the District 11 Class 3A title game for the fifth straight year, beating Notre Dame-Green Pond in 2018 and 2020 and Jim Thorpe last season. Spartans lost to Tamaqua in 2019 final. North Schuylkill also won District 11 titles in 2009, 1996, 1995, and 1986. ... Northwestern Lehigh is looking for its first district football championship since beating North Schuylkill 28-26 in 2014 Class AA final. Tigers also won titles in 1995, 1997 and 2002, and lost to ACC in the 2021 Class 4A title game. Northwestern also beat North Schuylkill 19-18 for 2013 Eastern Conference Class 3A championship. ... Tigers were Schuylkill/Colonial Gold Division champions with 6-1 league record. Only losses are to Class A champion Northern Lehigh (34-27) and Bangor (27-21). North Schuylkill finished as Schuylkill/Colonial Red Division co-champions with Northern Lehigh and NDGP at 6-1. Spartans only losses were to Mount Carmel (25-17) and Notre Dame-Green Pond (34-26). ... Teams have several common opponents, as both squads faced Tamaqua, Northern Lehigh, Blue Mountain, Lehighton, Pottsville, Jim Thorpe and Notre Dame-Green Pond. ... Flail has scored multiple touchdowns in six straight games and has 14 TDs in that span. ... Tigers average 298.8 yards rushing per game. Christopher rushed 28 times for 177 yards and two TDs last week vs. NDGP, while Clymer carried 24 times for 123 yards and a score. Christopher has three games over 200 yards rushing and four TDs.
Up next: Winner faces the Scranton Prep/Neumann-Goretti winner in the PIAA Class 3A quarterfinals next weekend at a site and time to be determined.
— Compiled by Leroy Boyer
Contact the writer: Lboyer@republicanherald.com; 570-628-6026; @pubsportsboss on Twitter
