Pennsylvania Offseason Outlook: Northwestern Lehigh Tigers

<!-- wp:heading --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading"><strong>2022 Recap</strong></h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>It was a great 2022-23 season for the Northwestern Lehigh Tigers under the direction of head coach Josh Snyder. Snyder has been the leader of the program since taking over in 2012-13 from Bob Mitchell and has taken the Tigers program to great heights. After going 5-5 and 3-7 in his first two seasons, the Tigers have won nine or more games seven times and have always found themselves near the top of the then-Colonial and now Colonial-Schuylkill Conference. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>This past season was no different. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The Tigers were 11-3 overall including 8-2 in conference play, led by an offense that averaged 35.1 points a contest and a very good defense that surrendered just 17.3 points a game. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The Tigers got their season off strong with five wins in their first six games including winning four-straight over Blue Mountain-Pen Argyl, Lehighton, and Saucon Valley by a combined score of 133-17. They would pick up a close win over Pottsville one week after a shutout win over Saucon Valley to move to 6-1 on the season. Bangor would deliver them their second loss in mid-October 27-21 but they would rebound nicely, winning their last two regular season matchups before defeating Jim Thorpe, Notre Dame-Green Pond, and North Schuylkill in the first three rounds of the playoffs. Their season, however, would come to an end when the highly talented Neumann-Goretti defeated Northern Lehigh 38-6. A loss that no one should be hanging their heads about, Neumann-Goretti would go onto beat Wyomissing 20-17 in the state semi-finals before losing to Belle Vernon 9-8 in the state championship game. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong><a href="https://www.maxpreps.com/pa/new-tripoli/northwestern-lehigh-tigers/football/22-23/stats/#Player">FULL TEAM STATS:</a></strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading"><strong>Key Losses:</strong></h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><a href="https://www.hudl.com/profile/13140489" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">QB [player_tooltip player_id='357959' first='Cade' last='Christopher'] | 5-foot-11, 170-pounds </a> (East Stroudsburg signee)</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><a href="https://www.hudl.com/profile/13157469">OT J</a><a href="https://www.hudl.com/profile/13157469" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">osiah Gornicz</a><a href="https://www.hudl.com/profile/13157469"> | 6-foot</a><a href="https://www.hudl.com/profile/13157469" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">-1, 235-pounds</a> (Grove City signee)</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><a href="https://www.hudl.com/profile/13139901">DT [player_tooltip player_id='279718' first='Rian' last='Golas'] | 6-foot-0, 225-pounds</a> (unsigned)</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><a href="https://www.hudl.com/profile/15834618">LB Ty Meck | 5-foot-10, 150-pounds </a></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><a href="https://www.hudl.com/profile/14806063">WR Austin Sosnovik </a></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><a href="https://www.hudl.com/profile/13140050" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">OG [player_tooltip player_id='281311' first='Cameron' last='Shields'] | 6-foot-0, 235-pounds</a></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading"><strong>Key Returnees:</strong></h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><a href="https://www.hudl.com/profile/15135591" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">2024 RB [player_tooltip player_id='1105890' first='Dalton' last='Clymer'] | 6-foot-0, 180-pounds</a> </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><a href="https://www.hudl.com/profile/14829217" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">2024 WR Devon Hildebrand </a></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>2025 <a href="https://www.hudl.com/profile/13250592">RB Eli Zimmerman | 5-foot-5, 130-pounds</a></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><a href="https://www.hudl.com/profile/18164293" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">2026 QB [player_tooltip player_id='646779' first='Mason' last='Bollinger'] | 6-foot-2, 174-pounds</a></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><a href="https://www.hudl.com/profile/16983932" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">2026 LB [player_tooltip player_id='940940' first='Shane' last='Hulmes'] | 5-foot-10, 195-pounds</a></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><a href="https://www.hudl.com/profile/18597826" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">2025 OG Jared Meck | 5-foot-10, 202-pounds</a></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>2024 <a href="https://www.hudl.com/profile/14904452">LB [player_tooltip player_id='1105936' first='Blaine' last='Snyder']</a></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>2024 <a href="https://www.hudl.com/profile/14806116">OT Benjamin Waters | 6-foot-1, 240-pounds</a></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><a href="https://www.hudl.com/profile/15934480">2025 WR Landen Maston | 5-foot-11, 178-pounds</a></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><a href="https://www.hudl.com/profile/16476362">2025 OT Bryer Reichrad | 6-foot-3, 240-pounds</a></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading"><strong>2023 Outlook</strong></h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>As mentioned above, the Tigers are often among the best teams in the Colonial-Schuylkill Conference and that shouldn't be any different next fall. Replacing quarterback [player_tooltip player_id='357959' first='Cade' last='Christopher'] will be extremely tough, he had 800 passing yards and nearly 1,900 rushing yards as well. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>That being said, their next six all-purpose yards leaders are all set to return this upcoming fall which should pay huge dividends for the Tigers. They also return two of their top tacklers from last year [player_tooltip player_id='1105936' first='Blaine' last='Snyder'] and [player_tooltip player_id='1105890' first='Dalton' last='Clymer']. They do lose a large chunk of their production however defensively which will be tough to replace, names like Austin Sosnovik, Lucas Miller, Sam Mauro, and [player_tooltip player_id='1091160' first='Evan' last='Anderson']. If they can replace that production at a solid level, they'll be able to have quality success on defense once again next year as well. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>REGISTER FOR THE PREPREDZONE PROSPECT TOUR IN MANHEIM ON MAY 6</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><a href="https://events.prepredzone.com/info?website_id=4&amp;event_id=753">Don't forget to register for our PrepRedzone Prospect Tour on May 6 in Manheim</a><strong>. </strong>Spots are limited, so be sure to register as soon as possible to ensure your own spot. College coaches will be in attendance to help run the camp and FBS schools will be receiving your measurables.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong><em>Have information regarding a prospect or team that you believe would be useful for us to know? Feel free to contact me at dylanccwriting@gmail.com or on Twitter, <a href="https://twitter.com/RivalsDylanCC">here</a>.</em></strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->