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.

Last week, the ATVN Sports department had a busy week broadcasting EPC and Colonial League playoff games.  Below are highlights of those games.

For the upcoming baseball and 6A girls softball district playoff games next week, tune in ATVN and also watch the games streamed live on our YouTube channel:  @AstoundTVNetwork

Astound Sports: Liberty vs Bethlehem Catholic (5/24)

Astound Sports: Northwestern Lehigh vs. Wilson (5/24)

Astound Sports: Pocono Mountain East vs. Liberty (5/24)

Astound Sports:  Bethlehem Catholic vs. Nazareth (5/24)

Astound Sports: Nazareth vs. Freedom (9/23)

  DVDs and links to these games can be purchased by contacting the ATVN studio.

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 present this year’s EPC high school baseball all-star teams, a few notes about last week’s league playoff games seen on the Astound TV Network.

First, despite the weather and prom season radically changing almost ALL originally scheduled games (both the EPC and Colonial League tourneys were supposed to start the previous Friday, with most games being delayed as many as three days) there were some outstanding performances by all teams.

Secondly, congrats to Liberty (again) and Wilson (for their first league baseball title since 2008) for bringing home the gold medals.  Most of the games were very competitive and we also saw an abundance of non-seniors stepping up, which indicates next spring’s playoffs should be intense with so many returning players…not to mention the upcoming district playoffs, which begin later this week.

Speaking of this week, ATVN will broadcast for the first-time ever on our network, the 2A & 3A girls and boys District XI lacrosse championships.  It’ll be a very busy “week-plus” around the Memorial Day weekend as we will also have District XI baseball title games involving teams in the ATVN viewing area, along with the 6A girls softball championships all between now and the end of the month.

Enjoy!

Now, here’s the complete listing of EPC “all-conference” and “all-division” team members–the first team members were honored before last Friday’s championship.

Eastern Pennsylvania Conference
2024 Baseball

All-Conference 1st Team

Pitcher (2):
Noah Gyauch Quirk- Liberty
Adam Horvath – PME

Catcher (1):
Franklin Pichardo – Liberty

Infielders (4):
Jacob Rivera – Liberty
Rocco Delgiudice – PME
Chad Kauffman- Emmaus
Louis Inserra – Parkland

Outfielders (3):
Braylen Gonzalez – Liberty
Aidan Butz – Nazareth
Jarred Peluso – Freedom

Utility (2):
Josiah Williams – Emmaus
Alex Suarez – Freedom

MVP:
Noah Gyauch Quirk – Liberty

All-Conference 2nd Team

Pitcher (2):
Cole Moreau – Emmaus
Chase Walker – Freedom

Catcher (1):
Luis Reyes – Allen

Infielders (5):
Vincent Paar – Nazareth
Mason Haupt – Northampton
Caden Deegan – Bethlehem Catholic
John Phillips- Freedom
Bobby Ehrmann – Pocono Mt. East

Outfielders (3):
Andrew Klotz – Parkland
Noah Hogan – Emmaus
Adam Horvath – Pocono Mt. East

Utility (2):
Matt Daems – Nazareth
Cohen Schadler – Emmaus

All-Division Team
Division: Lehigh

Pitcher (2):
Cole Moreau – Emmaus
Logan Higgins – Northampton

Catcher (1):
Luis Reyes – Allen

Infielders (4):
Louis Inserra – Parkland
Chad Kauffman – Emmaus
Mason Haupt – Northampton
Trevor Golden – Allen

Outfielders (3):
Andrew Klotz – Parkland
Noah Hogan – Emmaus
Seth Hodorewski – Whitehall

Utility (2):
Josiah Williams – Emmaus
Cohen Schadler – Emmaus

All-Division Team
Division: Northampton

Pitcher (2):
Noah Gyauch Quirk – Liberty
Chase Walker – Freedom

Catcher (1):
Franklin Pichardo – Liberty

Infielders (4):
Jacob Rivera – Liberty
Caden Deegan – BECA
John Phillips- Freedom
Vincent Paar – Nazareth

Outfielders (3):
Braylen Gonzalez – Liberty
Aidan Butz – Nazareth
Jarred Peluso – Freedom

Utility (2):
Alex Suarez- Freedom
Matt Daems – Nazareth

All-Division Team
Division: Monroe

Pitcher (2):
Adam Horvath – PME
Liam Huffman – East Stroudsburg South

Catcher (1):
Thomas Gonzalez – Stroudsburg

Infielders (4):
Will Mecca – PMW
Rocco Delgiudice – PME
Bobby Ehrmann – PME
Jayden Martinez – PME

Outfielders (3):
Logan Rasmussen – ESS
Adam Horvath – PME
Dakoda Lucas – PV

Utility (2):
Zach Pandolfo – PN
Eric Rivera – PMW

Check back to “The SportsTalk Shop” for more all-star listings as they become available to us.

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.

There were some interesting results from the recent tennis tournament championships. 

Here are the results along with pictures of the winning squads…

In the District XI boy’s singles finals:

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 

In the girl’s District XI TEAM finals…

2A Finals- #1 Moravian Academy 3 #2 Allentown Central Catholic 0    

3A Finals- #1 Parkland 3 #2 Liberty 0 

Next, in the District XI girl’s singles finals:

2A Finals- #1 Francesca Bartolacci (Moravian Academy) defeated #3 Mallory Conner (Northwestern Lehigh) 6-4, 6-0

3A Finals- #1 Helena Lynn (Liberty) defeated #2 Alexandria Warsing (Parkland) 5-7, 6-2, 6-3  

Last but not least, here are the boys Eastern Pennsylvania Conference “All-League” team members…

EPC Most Valuable Player:  Luke Appleman – Liberty  

EPC Boys Tennis (Singles) First Team All-Conference:

EPC Boys Tennis (Singles) Second Team All-Conference:

EPC Boys Tennis (Singles) Third Team All-Conference:

EPC Boys Tennis (Doubles) First Team All-Conference:

EPC Boys Tennis (Doubles) Second Team All-Conference:

EPC Boys Tennis (Doubles) Third Team All-Conference:

More local tennis news, award winners and honors, along with other sports’ achievements by student-athletes in the Astound TV Network’s coverage area – as they become available – in future editions 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.

Today we introduce a new blogger and series of articles by Salome Carr, a standout lacrosse athlete at Saucon Valley HS and Moravian College, to increase the awareness, knowledge and popularity of this growing sport for our readers.

In the realm of sports, lacrosse stands out as one of the top emerging sports with rapid growth in recent years in not only the Lehigh Valley, but across the country and all over the world. There has been a rise in the amount of teams and opportunities at the high school, collegiate, and even professional levels. Lacrosse is the oldest team sport in North America. The game played today originates from Native American communities and most closely relates to stickball that the Haudenosaunee or Iroquois people. Over the years, it has been adapted to cater to a diverse array of participants across different age groups, genders, and skill levels, and still continues to grow each and every year. 

When it comes to the technicalities of the game, the Men’s and Women’s versions could not be more different. While they do share fundamental principles such as getting the ball in the net, the two variants exhibit distinct differences. Men’s lacrosse is renowned for its physicality and high-speed gameplay, with aggressive stick checks, and lightning-fast shots on goal. Conversely, women’s lacrosse prioritizes finesse, strategy, and precision, with players wielding different equipment and adhering to modified rules regarding contact and protective gear. Not only do the men and women play with different equipment, the field set up and number of players is different too. 

Men 

• 10 players on the field at once
• 6 v 6 on the attacking side 
• Faceoff at the start/after each goal
• Sticks – Field Players
  • Must measure between 40-42 inches in length for standard stick; long pole can be 50-72 inches.
• Equipment – Field Players
  • Helmet
  • Mouthguard
  • Gloves
  • Shoulder & Elbow pads
  • Chest protector

Women 

• 12 players on the field at once 
• 7 v 7 on the attacking side 
• Draw at the start/after each goal 
• Sticks – Field Players
  • Must measure between 35.5 – 43.5 inches in length 
• Equipment – Field Players
  • Mouthguard
  • Goggles or helmet

Despite these differences, both men’s and women’s lacrosse has gained exponential growth in recent years, propelled by an increase in media coverage, sponsorships, and overall popularity. The youth club opportunities in the Lehigh Valley too have grown and expanded in the last 10 years. More importantly, the rise of women’s lacrosse games that are televised has grown exponentially in the more recent years as there is more and more awareness about the game and strong players that are making a name for themselves and the sport as a whole. Additionally, the expansion of professional leagues, such as Premier League Lacrosse (PLL) for men and the Athletes Unlimited Pro Lacrosse League for women, has provided aspiring athletes with pathways to pursue their passion at the highest level. 

Lacrosse’s rise from its indigenous roots to a global sporting phenomenon epitomizes its enduring appeal and adaptability. As it continues to evolve, embracing new audiences and avenues for participation, there is no doubt that this is just the beginning for what is to come. With each passing year, lacrosse cements its status as more than just a game whether on youth “rec fields” or in the professional leagues, it stands as a testament to the power of sport and the impact it has on people.

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 ATVN Sports Department has been gearing up for our busiest spring playoffs in our network’s history–with coverage of high school baseball, girl’s softball and boy’s and girl’s lacrosse post-season coverage coming up over the next several weeks (not to mention our first two broadcasts from the Grandview Racing Speedway).

Before we start our playoff coverage next week, we’ll have the last of several “SportsTalk” shows taking a look at the different high school sports in our viewing area.  New ATVN softball analyst Sally Whitaker-Kahan will join us to talk about girls softball this spring, along with a look ahead to the league and district playoffs.

Tune in this Thursday at 7pm on ATVN and also streamed live on our YouTube channel:  @AstoundTVNetwork

Now here’s recaps for recent productions on the Astound Television Network.

Astound Sports:  Easton vs. Freedom (12/23)

Astound Sports: Catasauqua vs. Northwestern Lehigh (12/23)

Astound Sports: Central Catholic vs. Nazareth (9/23)

Astound Sports: Parkland vs. Central Catholic (9/23)

Astound Sports: Easton vs. Whitehall (9/23)

DVDs and links to these games can be purchased by contacting the ATVN studio.

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.

On this Thursday’s “SportsTalk,” we will be taking a look at girl’s and boy’s lacrosse in the Eastern Pennsylvania region so far this spring (which has included several record shattering individual performances)…Tune in this Thursday at 7pm on ATVN or on our YouTube channel to get the latest news on this popular sport, along with a preview of the upcoming Eastern Pennsylvania Conference and District XI playoff games.

Next week on “SportsTalk,” we’ll be looking at local girl’s softball in the region and looking ahead to the league, district, and state post-season playoffs.

And … if you missed last week’s look at local high school baseball, Astound video customers can watch that show for free at any time through ATVN On-Demand.

Last but not least, some exciting news concerning our local broadcasting of high school sports will be unveiled next week here at “The Shop!”

Make sure you bookmark this page and check back next week for the details!

Now, here’s a look at highlights of recent local sports broadcasts as seen on Astound TV Network.

Enjoy!

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

Astound Sports: Northampton vs. Emmaus (12/23)

Astound Sports: Liberty vs. Bethlehem Catholic (12/23)

Astound Sports: Parkland vs. Whitehall (12/23)

Astound Sports: Liberty vs. Emmaus (12/23)

  DVDs and links to these games can be purchased by contacting the ATVN studio.

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.

ATVN made history – AGAIN – by becoming the first ever local television station to broadcast the Colonial League softball “Play Day” from Patriots Park last week.

Here are the highlights from the first two games played that weekend, with more highlights to come in upcoming weeks.  Plus, bonus footage from other recent broadcasts as seen on the Astound TV Network.

Enjoy!

Astound Sports:  Saucon Valley vs. Salisbury (4/24)

Astound Sports: Wilson vs. Northwestern Lehigh (4/24)

Astound Sports: Emmaus vs. Whitehall (1/24)

Astound Sports: Freedom vs. Southern Lehigh (1/24)

Astound Sports: Notre Dame Green Pond vs. Northwestern Lehigh (1/24)

  DVDs and links to these games can be purchased by contacting the ATVN studio.

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.

There was news recently announced regarding local sports honors from two different sports organizations in the ATVN viewing area.

First, the Colonial League Girls Basketball Coaches association released the following “all-star” teams for the 2024 season…

FIRST TEAM

SECOND TEAM

HONORABLE MENTION

Secondly, the Eastern Pennsylvania Conference announced their girls volleyball “all-league” teams members and “all-division” first teamers as well…

EPC First Team All-Conference:

Alli Reimer – Parkland, MVP
Maggie Smith – Parkland (PAR)
Bailey Corrigan – Liberty
Anna Quinn – Central (ACC)
Milly Wolf – Central
Lora Flynn – Liberty
Izzy Fekula – Liberty

EPC Second Team All-Conference:

Olivia Keckler – Easton
Rylee Ruggiero – Pleasant Valley (PV)
Emerson Springs – ACC
Hailey Wanko – Nazareth (NAZ)
Lexi Womack – PV
Ava Best – PAR

EPC Third Team All-Conference:

Amelia Michener – ACC
Briana Bruckman – PV
Madi Siggins – PAR
Malena Sabol – LIB
Kami Kirkham – NAZ
Hannah Akob – PV

North Division First Team:

Briana Bruckman – PV
Hannah Akob – PV
Rylee Ruggiero – PV
Lexi Womack – PV
Alexis Wilkes – PV
Kara Miller – PV
Laila Noboa – PME
Amiyah Poliseno – PV

East Division First Team:

Olivia Keckler – Easton
Bailey Corrigan – LIB
Lora Flynn – LIB
Hailey Wanko – NAZ
Hannah Swinsburg – Easton
Kami Kirkham – NAZ
Piper Ruggiero – BEC
Sophia Bedics – BEC
Landry Guman – FRE

West Division First Team: 

Milly Wolf – ACC
Maggie Smith – PAR
Alli Reimer – PAR
Amelia Michener – ACC
Ava Best – PAR
Anna Quinn – ACC
Emerson Springs – ACC
Izzy Fekula – PAR

Check back to “The Shop” for more all-star listings as they become available to us.

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.