Congratulations to East Stroudsburg South and Northwestern for already capturing District XI championships in their respective classifications last weekend.  Also, best of luck to those going after the 4A and 6A titles coming up this week (both championship games will be broadcast LIVE on ATVN this week!)

Before we unveil our second last edition of the “Astounding 10” football teams in our Lehigh Valley coverage area, here’s a look back at highlights of games recently broadcast on the Astound TV Network…

Astound TV Network Sports: Freedom vs. Parkland (11/24)

Astound TV Network Sports: Whitehall vs. East Stroudsburg South (11/24)

Astound TV Network Sports: Liberty vs. Parkland (11/24)

Now for the latest “Astounding 10’’ high school football weekly poll for this fall season.

Our pollsters give their selections for who they believe are the top 10 performing football teams that you’ll see on the Astound TV Network this fall.

Each voter will select the top 10 teams – with the top team getting 10 points, 9 for the second best team, 8 for third and so forth.

One caveat – in order to balance the bigger and smaller schools in the region, each pollster MUST include at least three teams that are NOT a 6A-sized school.

It’s a brand new way to gauge the top teams in Eastern Pennsylvania this fall, and we invite you to check back each week throughout this football season to see which teams make our poll…and who’s listed where, as decided by our diverse group of voters.

One other unique aspect to our poll…the coaches and athletic directors’ names are never revealed so they can vote with their minds…and also avoid any potential “bulletin board” material, so each one can make selections without repercussions.

Throughout the years that we have done our poll, the coaches and athletic directors have always maintained very objective opinions.  If you look back through our archives, you’ll notice that our pollsters have been amazingly accurate and unbiased in their selections, and our polls’ top teams very often finish similarly in the same order as the “power points” system that District XI uses when compiling its standings and playoff positionings.

So without any further delay, here’s this week’s edition of the “Astounding 10” … (the number in parenthesis is the average points received for each team, with ‘10’ being the maximum.)

1. Emmaus (10)
2. Parkland (9)
3. Easton (7.2)
4. Northwestern (7)
5. Freedom (6.6)
6. East Stroudsburg South (2.6)
7. Nazareth (2.4)
8. Liberty (2.2)
9. So. Lehigh (1.2)
10. Becahi (.6)

Other team(s) receiving more than one mention: (none)

Coming up this week we’ll have live coverage of our poll’s #1 versus #2 teams as they play for the district 11 6a championship on Friday. We’ll also have the number 9 and 10 teams facing off against each other for the 4A title game – which we will also broadcast live on Thursday.  Last but not least we’ll have our number four ranked team, Northwestern, play their first state playoff game against Conwell Egan.Bookmark and return to our page each week and check back after this weekend’s game to see if your favorite teams moved up or down in the minds and opinions of our pollsters.  And, be sure to check out the FINAL poll of the season next week, right here at “The SportsTalk Shop!”

The views expressed in this blog are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of Astound Broadband or any other agency, organization, employer or company.

The funny thing about field hockey in the Lehigh Valley come mid-October is the vastly different scenarios in which teams find themselves. Some teams are cleaning out their lockers and looking towards fall 2025. Other teams are vying to stay alive for as long as possible. And some teams, the very top teams in their respective classifications, are at the precipice of a whole new “season”. 

For those very select teams with eyes on the PIAA State Championship game at Cumberland Valley High School on Saturday, November 16th, there’s another month’s worth of training and somewhere near eight or nine “win-or-go-home” games to get through to make it there. 

At this point, the season is over for anyone who failed to qualify for the District playoffs. For those who advanced to Districts (see below), the champion and runner-up from the largest school classification (3A) District XI playoff and the smallest school classification (1A) District XI playoff will advance to the state tournament, while only the champion from the 2A Class District XI playoff earns a spot in the PIAA State Tournament.

District Qualifiers:

3A: 1. Emmaus, 2. Nazareth, 3. Easton, 4. Parkland, 5. Stroudsburg, 6. Northampton, 7. Whitehall, 8. Liberty

2A: 1. Southern Lehigh, 2. Salisbury, 3. Pocono Mountain East, 4. Bangor 

1A: 1. Northwestern, 2. Palmerton, 3. Wilson, 4. Pen Argyl, 5. Catasaqua, 6. Saucon Valley

But before we totally shut the door on the regular season of play for the EPC and Colonial League, let’s recap how we got here.

Eastern Pennsylvania Conference

Surprise! Emmaus won the EPC championship. After going 13-0 in league play, the Green Hornets brought home their 42nd league championship with a 4-1 win over Easton. Emmaus will be the top seed in the District XI 3A where they’ll compete to earn their 36th consecutive district championship. Which is absolutely incredible, but is hardly even news around here these days. 

Easton, who went 11-2 in league play, advanced to the EPC championship after beating Stroudsburg (8-5 in EPC) 2-0 in the quarterfinal and beating Nazareth (11-2 in EPC) by the same score in the semi-final. 

Parkland (10-3 in EPC) also advanced to the semi-final round with a 5-2 win over Northampton (9-4 in EPC), ultimately falling to Emmaus 4-0.

Also earning an appearance in the EPC playoffs were Liberty (7-6 in EPC) and Whitehall (10-8 in EPC), who both failed to advance from the quarterfinal round.

Colonial League

As a very wise Lehigh Valley field hockey blogger suggested may happen earlier this season, Salisbury (13-3 in CL play) made a little noise in the Colonial League playoffs. The third-seeded Falcons upset #2 Southern Lehigh (15-1 in CL play) in the semi-final round by a score of 2-0. The Spartans had just beat Salisbury by a score of 2-0 less than a week earlier in league play and once more earlier in the season by 1-0. While league favorite Northwestern Lehigh (15-0 in CL play) ended up taking home the league championship, defeating Salisbury 3-0, this Salisbury team took their program to new levels with their championship appearance, having failed to qualify for the league playoffs any time in recent history.

Northwestern made their way to the championship with a quarterfinal win over Saucon Valley (6-8-2 in CL play) 7-1, and by beating Wilson (8-6-1 in CL play) by a score of 8-0 in the semi-finals. So, yes, you counted that right. The Tigers scored 18 goals in three games in the Colonial League playoffs.

Northwestern Coach Lissa Opolsky’s team boasts an experienced crew, including eight seniors and 11 juniors. 

“Once you learn how to win, it’s a lot easier in those big games and big moments,” said Opolsky. 

Also making Colonial League playoff appearances were Bangor (7-6-2 in CL play), Pen Argyl (6-7-2), and Palmerton (10-5 in CL play). All three teams failed to make it past the quarterfinal round, with #4 Palmerton being upset by #5 Wilson in a tight 3-2 contest. 

For the teams that play on, the first round of the District XI playoff will begin on Wednesday, 10/23 for 1A and on Thursday, 10/24 for the 2A and 3A classes. 

Given that I called the Salisbury upset, I’ll throw my two cents out there again. I’d venture to guess we’ll see Emmaus, Southern Lehigh, and Northwestern bring home District gold by month’s end. 

But as that same very wise Lehigh Valley field hockey blogger once said—only time will tell. 

The views expressed in this blog are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of Astound Broadband or any other agency, organization, employer or company.

Here is a look at recent highlights of some of the teams that have been featured so far this season on the Astound TV Network…

Astound TV Network Sports: Nazareth vs. Freedom (9/24)

Astound TV Network Sports: Allentown Central Catholic vs. Freedom (9/24)

Astound TV Network Sports: Northampton vs. Liberty (9/24)

Astound TV Network Sports: Parkland vs. Northampton (9/24)

Astound TV Network Sports: Northern Lehigh vs. Pen Argyl (9/24)

Contact the ATVN offices for copies of these and other Astound TV Network productions.  Tune in for three more high school football games coming up this weekend!

Bookmark and return to our page each week and check back after this weekend’s game to more of your favorite teams video highlights.  Plus, see which teams moved up or down in our “Astounding” HS football polls and also get local news and opinions on other local fall sports action in our region!

The views expressed in this blog are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of Astound Broadband or any other agency, organization, employer or company.

Before we unveil this week’s high school football poll, a look at recent highlights of some of the teams have have features so far this season on the Astound TV Network:

Astound TV Network Sports: Becahi vs. Emmaus (8/24)

Astound TV Network Sports: George Washington vs. Parkland (8/24)

Astound TV Network Sports: Northwestern Lehigh vs. Northern Lehigh (8/24)

Coming up this Friday, the top two teams (both 3-0) in the Astound TV Network coverage area square off, as we’ll be broadcasting Freedom and Nazareth live at 7pm, followed by Northampton vs. Liberty airing at 9:30pm.

We will also broadcast our first Lafayette football game of this year on Saturday.

On Thursday at 7pm, we’ll recap the first three weeks of the high school football season and preview this weekend’s games on “ATVN SportsTalk,” broadcasting live on ATVN and also streaming the program for free at: youtube.com/AstoundTVnetwork

Now for the latest “Astounding 10’’ high school football weekly poll for this fall season.

Our pollsters give their selections for who they believe are the top 10 performing football teams that you’ll see on the Astound TV Network this fall.

Each voter will select the top 10 teams – with the top team getting 10 points, 9 for the second best team, 8 for third and so forth.

One caveat – in order to balance the bigger and smaller schools in the region, each pollster MUST include at least three teams that are NOT a 6A-sized school.

It’s a brand new way to gauge the top teams in Eastern Pennsylvania this fall, and we invite you to check back each week throughout this football season to see which teams make our poll…and who’s listed where, as decided by our diverse group of voters.

One other unique aspect to our poll…the coaches and athletic directors’ names are never revealed so they can vote with their minds…and also avoid any potential “bulletin board” material, so each one can make selections without repercussions.

Throughout the years that we have done our poll, the coaches and athletic directors have always maintained very objective opinions.  If you look back through our archives, you’ll notice that our pollsters have been amazingly accurate and unbiased in their selections, and our polls’ top teams very often finish similarly in the same order as the “power points” system that District XI uses when compiling its standings and playoff positionings.

As far as which media members have a say?  They will identify themselves on our Thursday “SportsTalk” show, which, this fall, will be streamed live on YouTube every Thursday at 7pm, in addition to being broadcast on ATVN.

So without any further delay, here’s this week’s edition of the “Astounding 10” … (the number in parenthesis is the average points received for each team, with ‘10’ being the maximum.)

1. Freedom (9.8)
2. Nazareth (9.2)
3. Parkland (7.2)
4. Emmaus (6.4)
5. Northwestern (6)
6. Liberty (4.2)
7. Easton (3.6)
8. Northampton (2.2)
9. North Schuylkill (0.8)
10. Bethlehem Catholic (.06)

Other team(s) receiving more than one mention: Notre Dame-GP, Blue Mountain

Bookmark and return to our page each week and check back after this weekend’s game to see if your favorite teams moved up or down in the minds and opinions of our pollsters!

The views expressed in this blog are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of Astound Broadband or any other agency, organization, employer or company.

We continue our focus on different local sports teams getting recognized with league and district “All-Star” honors.  Today here at “The Shop,” we spotlight track and field and football, and also finish our honors for local tennis teams in the Astound TV coverage area

First, we’ll start with the final rankings of both the EPC and Colonial League track results… View Results

Next, we’ll take a look at the Eastern Pennsylvania Conference football all-stars…

Bo Wheeler, Tight End – Northampton

Tristen Pinnock, Wide Receiver – Northampton

Brady Behr, Wide Receiver – Pocono Mountain West

Kamari Coleman, Wide Receiver – Stroudsburg

Jacob Ladd, Tackle – Northampton

Brandon Stiehler, Tackle – Pocono Mountain West

Colby Reph, Guard – Northampton

Aiden Quintero, Guard – Stroudsburg

Braydon Gable, Center – Northampton

Ryder Bray, Quarterback – Pocono Mountain West

Nathan Gray, Running Back – East Stroudsburg South

Caden Henritzy, Running Back – Northampton

Val Byers-Robinson, Offensive Athlete – Pleasant Valley

Brandon Stiehler, Defensive End, Pocono Mountain West

Mehki Kirkland, Defensive End – Stroudsburg

Colby Rehp, Defensive Lineman – Northampton

Stoney Fuller-Bey, Defensive Lineman – Stroudsburg

Brett Rickert, Inside Linebacker – Northampton

Karter Nuss, Inside Linebacker – Pocono Mountain West

Charles Capers, Outside Linebacker – East Stroudsburg South

AJ Slivka, Outside Linebacker – Northampton

Nekhi Spencer, Cornerback – East Stroudsburg South

Tristen Pinnock, Cornerback – Northampton

Nathan Gray, Safety – East Stroudsburg South

Mike Coleman, Safety – Northampton

Alex Ecker, Defensive Athlete, Pleasant Valley

Luis Martinez, Placekicker – Dieruff

Aaron Gutowski, Punter – Northampton

Juan Mazano, Special Team Player – Dieruff

Caden Henritzy, Offensive MVP – Northampton

Brandon Stiehler, Defensive MVP – Pocono Mountain West

Last but not least, here is the rundown of the boys District XI tennis champions from this past season…

2A Finals- #1 Deven Pandey (Saucon Valley) defeated #2 Ford Koch (Moravian Academy) 6-4, 6-2

3A Finals- #5 Chris Stone (Emmaus) defeated #2 Gideon Knowles (Nazareth) 6-3, 6-3  

We’ll have a few more sports to spotlight here at “The Shop,” plus news on summer basketball leagues and Blue Mountain League baseball highlights – check back to our website for more soon!

The views expressed in this blog are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of Astound Broadband or any other agency, organization, employer or company.

We continue to honor our local student athletes in the Astound TV coverage area here at “The Shop.”

First, here’s pictures of the Northwestern boys and Southern Lehigh girls track and field Colonial League champions…

Next, here are the EPC girls field hockey “all-conference” players for the 2023-24 campaign…

First Team

Sr. FWD – Jocelyn Morgan, Easton

Sr. FWD/MID – Morgan Herceg, Nazareth

Sr. FWD/MID – Raegan Iasiello, Northampton

Sr. FWD/MID – Melea Weber, Emmaus (MVP)

Sr. MID – Lexi Causa, Easton

Sr. MID – Elaina Fragassi, Parkland

Sr. MID – Aurora Gery, Parkland

Sr. MID – Eleanor Kirkwood, East Stroudsburg South

Jr. MID – Alyssa Laubach, Freedom

Sr. MID – Ruby Miller, Liberty

Sr. MID – Riley Tepper, Stroudsburg

Sr. G – Mackenzie Mann, Nazareth

Second Team

Sr. FWD – Kendall Iasiello, Northampton

Sr. FWD – Ava O’Connor, Stroudsburg

Sr. FWD – Molly Sobers, Pleasant Valley

Jr. FWD – Tiana Weeks, East Stroudsburg South

Sr. MID – Cameron Alvino, Nazareth

Jr. MID – Autumn Kernechel, Emmaus

Sr. MID – Ella Steirer, Northampton

Jr. MID – Abby Wortmann, Nazareth

Sr. MID/DEF – Dakota Stiff, Pocono Mountain East

Sr. DEF – Raegan Day, Easton

Sr. DEF – Mena Kazista, Nazareth

Jr. DEF – Mackenzie Lopez, Pocono Mountain East

Jr. DEF – Sydney Moritz, Stroudsburg

So. DEF – Morgann Orobono, Emmaus

Jr. G – Lily Trocki, Whitehall

Third Team

Jr. FWD – Emmy Horner, Emmaus

So. FWD – Julianna Zumas, Liberty

Sr. FWD/MID – Haley Kvacky, Emmaus

Fr. MID – Jodi Bowen, Pocono Mountain West

Jr. MID – Lydia Keppel, Whitehall

Jr. MID – Aubre Krazer, Easton

Sr. MID – Aubrey Steiner, Whitehall

Jr. DEF – Jordan Brunnabend, Parkland

Sr. DEF – Ashlee Gensits, Nazareth

Jr. DEF – Ava George, Liberty

So. G – Lilla Berces, Bethlehem Catholic

Sr. G – Emma Cari, Emmaus

Last but not least, here is the rundown of Easter Pennsylvania Conference’s girls softball “all-league” players for their recently completed season…

2024 Softball 1st All Conference Team

1st Base – Brianca Pridham, Pleasant Valley

2nd Base – Kate Miller, Freedom

2nd Base – Alina Weaver, Nazareth

3rd Base – Maia D’Amico, Freedom

Shortstop – Madison Glick, Freedom

Catcher – Hannah Duerr, Northampton

Outfield – Brooke Rummel, Freedom

Outfield – Addison Sabo, Liberty

Outfield – Molly Yard, Emmaus

Outfield – Lydia Borger, Pleasant Valley

Designated Player – Maria Moore, Parkland

Utility Player – Abby Derr, Emmaus

Pitcher – Adelynn Smith, Liberty (MVP)

2024 EPC Softball 2nd Team All-Conference

1st Base – Emma Cozy, Emmaus

2nd Base – Kylie Eberts, Northampton

3rd Base – Rosalie Echevarria, Northampton

Shortstop – Ariana Castillo, Liberty

Catcher – Shauna McNamee, Nazareth

Outfield – Vanessa DeFalco, Stroudsburg

Outfield – Alyssa Mayorca, Easton

Outfield – Natalie Chloros, Nazareth

Designated Player – Souadou Barrie, East Stroudsburg North

Utility Player – Allison Hunsberger, Parkland

Pitcher – Kailyn Getz, Pleasant Valley

Division All-Conference Teams

2024 EPC North Softball 1st Team All-Conference

Brianca Pridham, Pleasant Valley

Johanna Carey, East Stroudsburg South

Eva Massaro, East Stroudsburg North

Dorothy Elko, Stroudsburg

Sierra Thieme, Stroudsburg

Souadou Barrie, East Stroudsburg North

Lydia Borger, Pleasant Valley

Vanessa Defalco, Stroudsburg

Hailey Krock, Pleasant Valley

Kailyn Getz, Pleasant Valley

2024 EPC North Softball 2nd Team All-Conference

Karlie Jurasits, Pocono Mountain East

Elizabeth Molinaro, Stroudsburg

Riley Evans, Pocono Mountain West

Madison Nadasi, East Stroudsburg North

Alexa DelGiudice, Pocono Mountain East

Sarah Tsantker, East Stroudsburg South

Isabella Thomas, Stroudsburg

Jillian-Grace Alvarez, East Stroudsburg North

Katie Verwys, East Stroudsburg South

EPC West 1st Team All-Conference

Emma Cozy, Northampton

Kylie Eberts, Northampton

Rosalie Echevarria, Northampton

Ashley Cruz, William Allen

Abby Derr, Emmaus

Maria Moore, Parkland

Molly Yard, Emmaus

Anna Belletieri, Parkland

Page Tacker, Whitehall

Hannah Duerr, Northampton

Autumn Held, Emmaus

EPC West 2nd Team All-Conference

Avery Deibert, Northampton

Hailey Kahr, Allentown Central Catholic

Taylor Gitski, Emmaus

Brianna Amey, Emmaus

Alison Hunsberger, Parkland

Taylor Bruckler, Emmaus

Aubrey Steiner, Whitehall

Ava Cascario, Northampton

Gianna Montone, Allentown Central Catholic

Masielys Hiciano Reynoso, William Allen

EPC East 1st Team All Conference

Leah Onia, Liberty

Alina Weaver, Nazareth

Kate Miller, Freedom

Maia D’Amico, Freedom

Madison Glick, Freedom

Shauna McNamee, Nazareth

Brooklyn Pronovich, Freedom

Brooke Rummel, Freedom

Addison Sabo, Parkland

Alyssa Mayorca, Easton

Adelynn Smith, Liberty

EPC East 2nd Team All-Conference

Hailey Mandala, Nazareth

Faith Zimmerman, Easton

Taylor Friel, Nazareth

Ariana Castillo, Liberty

Madison Noll, Liberty

Natalie Chloros, Nazareth

Lily Moretti, Nazareth

Hannah Heidemann, Freedom

Kylie Grover, Nazareth

Congratulations to all these honorees!

We appreciate our local athletic directors and conference chairs for sending this information to my attention.  If you would like to send addition honors for athletes in the Astound TV coverage area, please email me at Chris.Michael@astound.com

The views expressed in this blog are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of Astound Broadband or any other agency, organization, employer or company.

If you are fans of these two sports, Astound TV video customers witnessed history for our network as we brought you our first ever district championships for girls and boys lacrosse and for volleyball this past school year!

The ATVN sports team is busy gearing up for even more ‘firsts’ for the 2024-25 seasons.

But before we do, we wanted to honor the members of this year’s Eastern Pennsylvania Conference’s “All-Star” teams for their recently completed seasons.

Girl’s Lacrosse All-Star Team

Low Attack:
Jocelyn Morgan – Easton
Jordyn Poll – Emmaus
Ashlee Gensits – Nazareth
Gigi Leonzi – Parkland
Lydia Attisano – Easton
Brianna McClain – Emmaus
Olivia Iandoli – Pleasant Valley

Low Defense:
Lucy Kontir – Freedom
Sophie Cole – Nazareth
Cecelia Cordova – Pleasant Valley
Alivia Rath – Pleasant Valley
Marley Geiger – Easton
Abbey Thomas – Emmaus
Braygan Bender – Nazareth
Madison Roseman – Parkland
Briana Palmieri – Pleasant Valley

Midfielder:
Olivia Schmidt – Emmaus
Devon Bush – Pleasant Valley
Rylee Rath – Pleasant Valley
Kate Raymond – Cedar Crest High School

Goalie:
Arianna O’Keefe – Freedom
Erika Broesicke – Liberty

Utility:
Karee Vandever – Freedom
Karsen Hippert – Easton

Most Valuable Player: Devon Bush – Pleasant Valley

Boy’s Lacrosse All-Star Team

Attack
Mike Restino – Cedar Crest High School
William Barber – Emmaus
Parker Kusko – Parkland
Shae Linegar – Easton
Alex Greenberg – Freedom
Blake Smith – Nazareth

Midfielder
Cael DiSora – Easton
Kaleb Mains – Emmaus
Jake Parker – Parkland
Tate Shoemaker – Cedar Crest High School
Ryan Kane – Nazareth

Defense
Luke Placotaris – Easton
Zachary Yenawine – Emmaus
Jonah Ortwein- Freedom
Jack Foley – Cedar Crest High School
Erik Matulevicius – Parkland

Long Stick Midfielder
Cole Angeline – Nazareth
Michael Chies – Emmaus

Short Stick Midfielder
Shawn Quinn – Easton
Jake Beidleman – Parkland
Reilly Bechtel – Emmaus
Sam Neuffer – Freedom

Faceoff
Jared Karabinus – Freedom
James Scott – Parkland

Goalie
Sam Rainford – Emmaus
Andrew Matulevicius – Parkland

Most Valuable Player: William Barber – Emmaus

Boy’s Volleyball All-Star Team

1st Team
Adam Mittl (Outside Hitter) – Liberty
Jametric Harris (Middle Hitter) – Emmaus
Cristian Matos (Setter) – Liberty
Luke Smith (Middle Hitter) – Parkland
Josh Nation (Outside Hitter) – Parkland
Ethan Ringenberger ( Outside Hitter) – Whitehall
Jack Kocher (Outside Hitter) – Whitehall

2nd Team
Daniel Sledz (Setter) – Bethlehem Catholic
Cooper Henseler (Setter) – Emmaus
Ayden Willman (Opposite Hitter) – Freedom
Dan Soleymani (Outside Hitter) – Freedom
Jackson Biechy (Outside Hitter) – Nazareth
Landon Nickischer (Opposite Hitter) – Northampton
Will Stiles (Setter) – Parkland

3rd Team
Calvin Long (Outside Hitter) – Allentown
Joe Braun (Setter) – Freedom
Jake Rice (Setter) – Nazareth
Owen Hasker (Middle Hitter) – Nazareth
Nicholas Ingrassia (Libero) – Pocono Mountain East
Aaron Jacob Ruiz (Outside Hitter) – Pocono Mountain West
Kumayl Soonasra (Libero) – Parkland

We’ll have more news on other “All-Stars” in the ATVN viewing area as they are “named” by the local sports organizations over the next few weeks.

Also, with the summer basketball season heating up in the Lehigh Valley, be sure to check back to “The SportsTalk Shop” for news and highlights as the action unfolds over the next two months.

The views expressed in this blog are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of Astound Broadband or any other agency, organization, employer or company.

Photo by Ashley Rodrigues and Moravian Athletics

Today we bring you part two of our interview with college standout Jackie Savatore (see our last entry for part one of this interview)…

How do you approach each game mentally and physically to consistently perform at such a high level? 

I personally go into every game with no expectations. I have watched so many lacrosse games where the “expected” team to win loses, and where the “expected” team to lose wins, so I genuinely go into every single lacrosse game not thinking whether my team is going to win or to lose because I know anything can happen. Lacrosse is a game in which it can go either way any day, and I believe with that mindset and no expectations you are encouraged to push yourself and work as hard as you can every game no matter who you are playing. This mentally eases my mind because when I think too much about a team we are playing I don’t play to my potential.

Can you share any particular challenges you’ve encountered during your collegiate career and how you’ve overcome them? 

During my collegiate career I have had trouble with keeping myself in shape on my own. I was always used to going from back to back seasons in high school so I was always in shape, but in college I had to teach myself how to train on my own. In the off season I would make a schedule for myself where I would either run, shoot, or do wall ball every day. This would keep me in shape and motivated. I have also struggled with figuring out how to eat properly before practices and games. I would struggle on how to find a balance between eating enough to properly nourish me, but also not eating too much to where it’s unhealthy. My strength and conditioning coaches would help me with eating and learning what is good and not good to eat before training, or when not training. 

Another challenge I would encounter being in season was with mental health. Being a full time college student while also practicing 4 times a week and having 2 games is a lot. It can be very difficult to keep stress levels low when all of this is going on. Having a bad game and then learning how to try to forget about it and keep playing 100% the next day can be hard, but it is doable. A lot of times this season I tried to remind myself that I only play college lacrosse once in my life, so I should be enjoying it. Seeing it as a privilege and not a job helped my mental health a lot. It allowed me to be thankful for what I have and realize that mistakes and stress are okay, and to know that everything will end up okay.

How has your experience as a collegiate lacrosse player shaped you as a person, both in terms of character development and future aspirations? 

Playing collegiate lacrosse has helped me improve my teamwork and leadership skills that I would have never learned in the classroom. I will be able to use these interpersonal skills in my future career. I have learned skills from my teammates and coaches like communication, trustworthiness, commitment, and empathy. I have learned that being committed to something and putting in all my hardwork and effort into something will come with rewards. I have also learned a lot about myself while playing lacrosse like my ability to stay level headed or at least try to stay level headed in stressful moments during games. Although I get frustrated at times, I would say for the most part I stay level headed and have been working on trying to not get frustrated over little mistakes.

Reflecting on your time at Moravian, what achievements or moments stand out to you as the most memorable or significant, on and/or off the field? 

I would say my most significant achievement was either beating Scranton in the 2023 season, or beating Susquehanna in the 2024 season. Both of these games were such great team wins and showed what our team was capable of. These were very good teams in our conference who are usually competitive games for us. Not only did these games put another win for us on our schedule, but our team became so much closer because of them. It really puts into perspective how good we can be, and what we can work towards. This was such a unique experience and is really unexplainable at times because of how special it was. 

When I came into Moravian as a freshman, I created goals for myself going into my first season. I worked so hard going into that season to get rookie of the year for my conference, but earning offensive player of the year this year, my junior season has been the most meaningful to me. It is such a great feeling being awarded for all the hard work and dedication I put in leading up to this year. It really made me feel like I was working towards something great, and it paid of . There were so many great players in the conference so it really felt great to be awarded for this. I am so thankful for my teammates and coaches that helped me get these accomplishments as well.

Lastly, what advice would you give to younger athletes who aspire to follow in your footsteps and achieve success in collegiate lacrosse? 

If I had any advice to give to a younger athlete it would be to never be complacent and that anything is possible when you put your mind to it. Coming in from high school to college, I never would have thought that I would be getting the achievements I have and having so much fun while doing it, but I put my mind and energy into getting better every single day. Whatever level you play, whether it be DI, DII, or DIII, you can always become the best version of yourself with confidence and dedication.

Another piece of advice I have is to find what makes you happy. If you are not happy while playing lacrosse, it is not worth it to try and force it. Do what makes you happy and what you enjoy doing. This can be bitter-sweet, but happiness is the most important thing.

PROGRAMMING NOTE:

If the Whitehall baseball or Northwestern softball teams advance in the PIAA playoffs this week, Astound TV will try to broadcast that state semifinal game on Monday, provided it’s held at a site that is conducive for broadcasting.  That decision is made by the PIAA and is out of our hands, but we hope to bring any game involving these local teams in our coverage area home to our viewers, if possible.  Please keep checking back to our website for information on any potential broadcasts for this upcoming Monday!

The views expressed in this blog are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of Astound Broadband or any other agency, organization, employer or company

Astound Sports: Grandview Speedway (5/24)

Astound Sports: Freedom vs. Nazareth (1/24)

Astound Sports: Polo Highlights

Astound Sports: Grandview Speedway (08/23)

Next up in the College Spotlight series is an interview with one of my teammates and good friends, Jackie Salvatore. Salvatore just completed her junior season on the Women’s Lacrosse team at Moravian University. As a three year starter, she has had standout seasons earning numerous honors throughout her time thus far. In just three seasons she stands with 134 goals, 125 assists, 92 ground balls, 127 draw controls, and 39 caused turnovers. Salvatore now holds the school record for number of points in a single season standing at 109. She registered 52 goals, 57 assists, 91 draw controls , 32 ground balls and 13 caused turnovers this past season. Additionally, she has earned Landmark Conference Rookie of the Year her first year in 2022, Landmark All-Conference 2nd Team in 2023, Landmark Conference Athlete of the Week once in 2023 and twice in 2024, and Landmark Conference Offensive Player of the Year in 2024. She also made the Intercollegiate Women’s Lacrosse Association (IWLCA) All Metro Region 1st Team in 2024. I am excited to see Jackie succeed in her senior season and I wish her the best of luck.

What position do you play and what did you/are you studying? 

I play attack, and I am a public health major.

How/when did you start playing lacrosse and how did it lead you to where you are now? 

I did a pee wee lacrosse clinic in kindergarten, but then actually started playing for my hometown’s recreation team in 6th grade. When I reached high school, I tried out for a club lacrosse team-T3 lacrosse. Playing for my club team was really when I started loving lacrosse more than soccer or basketball. My club team allowed me to meet my college lacrosse coach. It also allowed me to play at higher levels and be pushed to a new level.

What inspired you to pursue lacrosse at the collegiate level, and how/why did you choose Moravian? 

My hometown has always been known for having very competitive and high levels of girl’s and boy’s lacrosse, so I was used to playing with girls that would go DI to play lacrosse in college. This pushed me to want to play lacrosse at college. I became aware of Moravian because my club lacrosse coach was also the head coach of the Moravian Women’s lacrosse team. I saw this as an opportunity to play at a higher level of lacrosse while also being able to focus on academics at a D3 level.

Throughout your college career, what do you believe has been the key to your success both individually and as a member of your team? 

I believe my key to success has been keeping myself motivated. It is not always easy but in my off season I always have goals of something new I want to achieve. This keeps me working hard and working towards something new that will make me better. I am never complacent and I believe this is a part of my success. I contribute playing on multiple teams in high school of soccer, basketball, and lacrossel to my success in being a member of my team. I have learned ways in which to communicate, be emotionally intelligent, be flexible, and be positive in teams to be a good teammate.

As a leader on your team, what role do you play in motivating and supporting your teammates to achieve their best both on and off the field? 

I believe that in order to be a good leader there has to be an equal mix of being honest and blunt with your teammates while also being positive. While being at school I would try to constantly work in the off season whether it was running, going to the wall, or shooting, and would encourage my teammates to come and join. Little gestures like this are motivating to my teammates and encouraging them to come and get better at the little things. Outside of lacrosse I would try to be a good role model by being someone that my teammates could come talk to if they needed help with anything. It is important to be a good role model and push your teammates to be better like you wish they pushed you as well. I love being very positive to my teammates because I know sometimes that’s all it takes to change a mood. I would also like to believe I am someone that my teammates can come to for help with mental health and to just be someone to talk to when things get difficult.

More coming in the next edition of “The SportsTalk Shop.”

The views expressed in this blog are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of Astound Broadband or any other agency, organization, employer or company

Photo by Avery Saladino and Moravian Athletics

This past week I interviewed Trevor Dzama who not only is one of my friends, but also has had a standout lacrosse career at Moravian University so I decided to get an insight from Trevor to see what led him to lacrosse and how he was able to dominate on the field. Dzama completed his career playing in 53 games, and even with a shortened season in 2021 due to COVID-19 restrictions, he has been able to make a name for himself not only at Moravian but across the Landmark Conference and nationally. He holds the school record for total career points standing at 203 points, registering 75 goals, 128 assists, and picked up 69 ground balls. He has earned numerous accolades including holding the Landmark Conference record for total number of assists, which also surpasses the Moravian record which was previously held by Clint Quedenfeld with 124. Additionally, he has earned Landmark Conference Player of the Week in 2024, Landmark All-Conference 2nd Team in 2024, and been on the United States Intercollegiate Lacrosse Association (USILA) Team of the Week in 2022, 2023, and 2024.

What position do you play and what did you/are you studying? 

Attack, and majored in History.

How/when did you start playing lacrosse and how did it lead you to where you are now? 

I started playing lacrosse before I learned how to walk just by throwing with a stick in my house, but I started playing for real in kindergarten. Obviously starting that young I have gotten very good at the technical skills of lacrosse just by playing for so long but it has also gotten me to a point where I have seen everything that could ever happen on the lacrosse field so that I feel comfortable in any position.

What inspired you to pursue lacrosse at the collegiate level, and how/why did you choose Moravian? 

I think the interest in me as a lacrosse player after my junior year of high school from college coaches really inspired me to play at the collegiate level. For much of my high school career I was undersized and not good enough to play varsity lacrosse so I didn’t ever think I would play in college, but after seeing how many coaches were recruiting me from DI to DIII after my junior year, I felt it would be a waste of my talent to not play at the next level. I chose Moravian because I liked the campus and the city of Bethlehem a lot.

Throughout your college career, what do you believe has been the key to your success both individually and as a member of your team? 

I think my knowledge of the game has been a big help in college as the game is much faster than in high school. Second is the confidence I have in myself and my abilities which is something that I think is vital in team sports. As a member of the team, my leadership abilities and selflessness has helped create both individual and team success.

As a leader on your team, what role do you play in motivating and supporting your teammates to achieve their best both on and off the field? 

In our current leadership group, I have found that where I can most effectively help our team is through individual leadership. Some of our other captains are quite good at motivating an entire team, but I think I really help our team by getting the most out of every individual player, whether that is through encouraging them to be their best or just helping them through tough times at practice and in games. 

We will have more news on local high school and college lacrosse interviews and videos in the next edition of “The SportsTalk Shop.”

The views expressed in this blog are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of Astound Broadband or any other agency, organization, employer or company.