Offseason Outlook: Notre Dame Green Pond Crusaders
In today’s offseason outlook, we move to Easton to look at the Notre Dame Green Pond Crusaders. The Crusaders went 9-3 this past season including 6-1 in conference play, finishing third in the Colonial-Schuylkill – Red division behind North Schuylkill…
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Continue ReadingIn today’s offseason outlook, we move to Easton to look at the Notre Dame Green Pond Crusaders. The Crusaders went 9-3 this past season including 6-1 in conference play, finishing third in the Colonial-Schuylkill – Red division behind North Schuylkill and Northern Lehigh.
The Crusaders will be entering season eighth under head coach Philip Stambaugh who has kept the program as one of the best in the Lehigh Valley and state since taking over in 2015-16. In his first season, he took what was an 0-10 team in 2014-15 to an 11-2 team, and since the Crusaders have been one of the toughest teams to beat in the Colonial and Colonial-Schykill Conference.
This past season, the Crusaders were led by one of the state’s top offenses, averaging 43.4 points per game, their defense not too shabby either, averaging 24 points allowed per game as well. They would start their season off with a close win over Saucon Valley before falling to Southern Lehigh in week two. After that first setback, they would go on a tear winning their next four before falling narrowly again to Northern Lehigh, 40-33. They would finish the regular season off with three-straight wins before getting revenge over Saucon Valley in the playoffs with a 49-14 win. Their season would come to an end one week later in heartbreaking fashion, a 35-34 loss to Northwestern Lehigh. The three losses for the Crusaders were by a combined nine points, their biggest loss being the seven-point defeat to Northern Lehigh.
Key Losses
SS Anthony Pez
OC Mason Ludlow
LB James Cartier
OT Evan Strand
SS Firoz Davis
DE Lucas Castro
Key Returnees
2024 WR James Wisecarver
2024 RB Josh Ludlow
2025 RB Christian Rivutso
2024 QB Danny Darno
2024 OT Jack Cameron
2024 RB Dainn Vassallo
2026 RB Michael Wachter
2026 WR Alex Cark
2024 WR AJ Lozano
2023 Season Outlook
Notre Dame Green Pond returns most of their talent from last season including impressive quarterback Danny Darno who complete 67.3% of his passes last season for nearly 2,700 yards while throwing 33 touchdowns to just seven interceptions. He also ran for nearly 1,200 yards while adding 18 additional touchdowns on the ground. Running back Josh Ludlow also returns after totaling 528 yards and 11 touchdowns last season as well. Overall, the Crusaders lose none of their rushing production from last season. Ludlow also totaled over 900 receiving yards and 9 touchdowns last season. Wide receiver AJ Lozano is also worth noting after recording 770 yards and 14 touchdowns.
Defensively, the Crusaders lose a bit more production between Dainn Vassallo who recorded 165 tackles last season including 100 solo tackles and 8 tackles for loss. Six of their top 10 tacklers from last season were seniors which will be hard to replace but the Crusaders do have a deeply experienced group of rising underclassmen who should help fill in those holes.
Overall, Notre Dame Green Pond should once again be one of the better teams in their division and be competing for a district title and possibly more.
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