PROGRAMMING NOTE:

Coming up on this Thursday’s ATVN SportsTalk show, we will have Colonial League President and Northern Lehigh High School Athletics Director Bryan Geist on our program. 

He will not only be giving an update on many spring sports topics/news items – especially track and field, of which he is a district chairman of. He will also have news on a major change coming for high school football next year and also, another significant announcement affecting high school sports going forward.

You can watch the show Thurdsday live at 7pm on ATVN for free, and also live streaming on our YouTube channel: @AstoundTVNetwork 

Astound TV customers can also catch the show at various other replay times for the next week. 

Be sure to tune in!

Today here at “The Shop” we continue our look back at some of the best boys and girls high school games, players and teams from this past school year.

Among them include a thrilling come from behind victory by Northampton basketball, a sold-out stadium seeing Parkland recapture a District XI title, a solid performance in the state playoffs by Northwestern en route to a PIAA title, and more….

Astound TV Network Sports: Pocono Mountain East vs. Northampton (1/25)

Astound TV Network Sports: William Allen vs. Allentown Central Catholic (1/25)

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

Astound TV Network Sports: Conwell-Egan vs. Northwestern Lehigh  (11/24)

Astound TV Network Sports: Bethlehem Catholic vs. Southern Lehigh (11/24)

Copies of the above events plus all our local sports productions and community shows can be obtained by contacting the Astound TV Network 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.

Programming Note:
Coming up on this Thursday’s ATVN SportsTalk show, we will have members of the PIAA State Championship boys and girls soccer teams – both undefeated – from Northwestern High School.

The show starts at 7:00 p.m. on the Astound TV Network.

Don’t miss it!

Now, as promised, we continue our look back at back at the plays/players/teams of the past winter season, of basketball games and wrestling matches seen on ATVN.

Astound TV Network Sports:  Girls Wrestling – Freedom vs. Liberty (1/25)

Astound TV Network Sports: EPC Girls Wrestling Championship (1/25)

Astound TV Network Sports: Boys Wrestling – Bethlehem Catholic vs. Notre Dame Green Pond  (1/25)

Astound TV Network Sports: Boys Wrestling – Parkland vs. Emmaus (1/25)

Astound TV Network Sports: Boys Wrestling – Bethlehem Catholic vs. Easton (1/25)

Copies of the above events plus all our local sports productions can be obtained 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 unveil the Colonial League basketball All-Conference team members for 2025, here’s a look at more of the top recent sports highlights on ATVN…

Astound TV Network Sports: Bethlehem Catholic vs. Nazareth (1/25)

Astound TV Network Sports: Allentown Central Catholic vs. Shamokin (3/25)

Astound TV Network Sports: Notre Dame Green Pond vs. Wilson (2/25)

Copies of the above events plus all our local sports productions can be obtained by contacting the ATVN studio.

Now, here’s this winter’s Colonial League basketball “all-stars” as selected by the Colonial Coaches Association (ATVN does not select the players)…

Colonial League Boys Basketball Coaches All League Honors 

League MVP: Gavin Nelson (Northwestern) 

First Team
Gavin Nelson (Northwestern)
Jack Robertson (Saucon Valley)
Isaiah Miles (Notre Dame)
Frankie Pujols (Catasauqua)
Joe Roth (Lehighton)
Lafayette Acree (Wilson) 

Second Team
Exavior Prado (Bangor)
Cole Dietz (Lehighton)
Eli Zimmerman (Northwestern)
Shane Marth (Northwestern)
Carmine Diaz (Notre Dame)
Adam Clark (Saucon Valley) 

Honorable Mention
Marquise Acree (Wilson), Joey Plessl (Southern Lehigh), Caleb Grim (Saucon Valley), Steven Lozada (Salisbury), Mason Soos (Pen Argyl), Logan Anthony (Palmerton), Lincoln Cook (Palisades), Blake Oglialoro (Palisades), Justin Manning (Notre Dame), Kellen Bauer (Northern Lehigh), Connor Simms (Northern Lehigh), Blake Roberts (Lehighton), Pierce Gothard (Jim Thorpe), Hamaad Jenkins (Catasauqua), Reece Lopez (Catasauqua), Hunter McShane (Bangor), Sam Joseph (Moravian Academy) 

Check back to The SportsTalk Shop for more local accomplishments and awards from this past winter season!

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’ve reached the end of the winter high school sports season for the 2024-25 season!

Now we take a look back at some of the best highlights featuring teams in our coverage area from the past season (Check back next week for “part two” of our list)…

Astound TV Network Sports: Parkland vs. Emmaus Girls (2/25)

Astound TV Network Sports: Parkland vs. Imhotep  (3/25)

Astound TV Network Sports: Allen vs. Parkland (2/25)

Astound TV Network Sports: Freedom vs. Wilson (1/25)

Astound TV Network Sports: Boys Wrestling; Freedom vs. Liberty (1/25)

Copies of the above events plus all our local sports productions can be obtained by contacting the ATVN studio.

As we transition from the winter to the spring sports seasons, tune into this Thursday’s ATVN SportsTalk show as our special guests will be the defending District XI 5A girls softball champions from Whitehall and the District XI 3A boys lacrosse champions from Easton – both with unique storylines to talk about.

Catch the show live at 7pm and email comments/questions to us at chris.michael@astound.com and we might read/respond to your emails live on the air!

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.

While the ATVN broadcast season is now over for this winter, it wasn’t without a ton of great moments by boys and girls teams in the PIAA state playoffs!

Among our highlights include:

• A magical run by the Catty basketball team, falling just short of advancing to the quarters with a last second shot attempt
• A buzzer beating basket made by Parkland sophomore Black Nassry in the second round
• A dominating performance by Archbishop Wood’s girls team at “The Geigle” in Reading (you won’t believe how many three pointers they made)
• A number of other great plays during this winter’s post-season
• Two impressive defensive-minded teams (sparking a TON of offense) from Scranton Prep and Hazelton
• A great comeback attempt from the Liberty Lady Canes falling just short

 Here’s a look at “part two” of the top plays and players from this month’s PIAA playoffs…

Astound TV Network Sports:  Bethlehem Catholic vs. Archbishop Wood  (3/25)

Astound TV Network Sports:  Parkland vs. Scranton  (3/25)

Astound TV Network Sports: Lancaster Mennonite vs. Catasauqua (3/25)

Astound TV Network Sports:  Allentown Central Catholic vs. Scranton Preparatory (3/25)

Astound TV Network Sports:  Liberty vs. Hazelton (3/25)

Copies of the above events plus all our local sports productions can be obtained by contacting the ATVN studio.

Keep checking back to The SportsTalk Shop for more great plays and notes on this winter’s basketball post-season.

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 had ANOTHER overtime (actually DOUBLE overtime) game on Tuesday night as Astound TV Network broadcast the Freedom vs. Nazareth matchup, which officially kicked off district playoff season (video highlights of that game is below).

Before we talk more about districts, here’s part two of our highlights from the EPC basketball playoffs, including the Emmaus girls and the Northampton boys teams (more on them below) winning their championship games and an overtime victory by Pocono Mountain West over Whitehall in the semifinals…

Astound TV Network Sports:  Emmaus vs. Bethlehem Catholic (2/25)

Astound TV Network Sports: Pocono Mountain West vs. Northampton (2/25)

Astound TV Network Sports: Pocono Mountain West vs. Whitehall (2/25)

Astound TV Network Sports: Bethlehem Catholic vs. Nazareth (2/25)

Astound TV Network Sports: Nazareth vs. Freedom  (2/25)

A reminder that our special guests will be Northampton Head Coach Matt Scholl and members of the Konkrete Kids on this Thursday’s live ATVN SportsTalk show at 7pm to talk about their magical playoff run and the road ahead in the District XI playoffs.

The program featuring Northampton will air live on the Astound TV Network and will be live-streamed for free on our YouTube channel (type in “Astound TV Network” in the “search,” then click on our live links) or subscribe to get free alerts when we go “LIVE” with our local sports programming!

Coming up on Friday, we’ll have a quadruple header featuring District XI girls and boys basketball playoffs.

Join us on Saturday night as longtime ATVN wrestling announcer Scott Barr will make his final broadcast calling this year’s District XI Individual Wrestling finals at 10pm.  Scott has been with us for over 40-years and decided to step down following this broadcast, so please join us for a few “surprises” to honor Scott during this event.

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.

Things are heating up for high school sports early in 2025!

Tuesday on ATVN we’ll have two great boys basketball matchups as Liberty plays Freedom and Allentown Central Catholic plays Whitehall–all four teams have had impressive starts to the year to date!

Then on Wednesday, a rematch of one of the biggest wrestling matches in the NATION from last year as Bethlehem Catholic plays Easton – this will be broadcast on Astound TV and streamed for free on our YouTube channel: YouTube.com/AstoundTVNetwork

Speaking of outstanding wrestling action, here’s some of the top highlights so far this year from teams at Nazareth, Northampton and Easton…

Astound TV Network Sports: Girls Wrestling – Northampton vs. Nazareth (12/24)

Astound TV Network Sports: Boys Wrestling – Nazareth vs. Easton (12/24)

Astound TV Network Sports: Boys Wrestling – Northampton vs. Nazareth (12/24)

Additionally, we’d like to showcase basketball highlights from Emmaus, Freedom and Dieruff at “The Shop” this week…

Astound TV Network Sports: Boys Basketball – Emmaus vs. Dieruff (12/24)

Astound TV Network Sports: Boys Basketball – Freedom vs. Emmaus (12/24)

We’ll also have more highlights from local boys and girls basketball and wrestling action…check back next week to the “SportsTalk Shop” to see more of your favorite teams and players!

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.

First of all, we want to wish a wonderful start to the new year to all our viewers/readers here at The SportsTalk Shop and look forward to another great year of covering local sports in our coverage areas in 2025!

We start off our first blog of the New Year with a look at some of the top plays and players from our high school basketball broadcasts from games played at the end of 2024, featuring impressive individual and team performances from Allen, Bangor, Freedom, Easton, Nazareth, Whitehall, Saucon Valley, Salisbury and Catasauqua through the first few weeks of the basketball season…

Astound TV Network Sports: Bangor vs. Salisbury (12/24)

Astound TV Network Sports: Nazareth vs. Allentown (12/24)

Astound TV Network Sports: Freedom vs. Easton (12/24)

Astound TV Network Sports: Saucon Valley vs. Catasauqua (12/24)

Astound TV Network Sports: Parkland vs. Whitehall (12/24)

We jump right into doubleheader HS sports coverage early in 2025 as we’ll bring you a girls/boys basketball doubleheader this Friday, followed by a girls basketball/boys wrestling doubleheader on Saturday.  Check the “Sports on ATVN” webpage here on our website for the latest game details.

We’ll also have more highlights from local boys and girls basketball and wrestling action…Check back next week to The SportsTalk Shop to see more of your favorite teams and players!

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.

This week here at “The SportsTalk Shop”, we start honoring the top teams and individual accomplishments as designated by the local leagues and districts in the ATVN viewing area and salute the fall sports “All Stars.”

These are determined by the given league or district’s criteria and are posted as we receive them from the respective organizations.  If you have a listing that you would like us to include in upcoming posts, please send them to me at: chris.michael@astound.com

(If you don’t see your favorite sports/athletes mentioned, you may want to send a friendly reminder to the person who handles this at your local school.  Also, each league has different “rules” and not all leagues in our coverage area “host” all-star listings – that’s not Astound’s decision).

We start our list of honorees with the EPC boys and girls golf “all conference teams” …

Regular Season Champion: Nazareth Area High School

Tournament Champion: Nazareth Area High School

EPC Most Valuable Player (Male): Hunter Probst – Stroudsburg

EPC Most Valuable Player (Female): Camryn Hoff – Nazareth

EPC Golf First Team All-Conference:
Gavin Pychinka – Northampton
Zachary Miller – Nazareth
Evan Walters – Emmaus
Lydon Patascher – Pleasant Valley
Landon Benner – Parkland

EPC Golf Second Team All-Conference:
Holden Sparks – Nazareth
Evan Martz – Pocono Mountain East
Allie Tarreto – Nazareth
Matt Rader – Central Catholic
Charlie Gold – Parkland

EPC Golf Third Team All-Conference:
Kohler Strohl – Northampton
Kyan DeLong – Emmaus
Derek Moyer – Northampton
Jeff Snyder – Pocono Mountain East
Jayden Bleiler – Northampton

Next, it’s the Eastern Pennsylvania Conferences girls tennis “all conference” listings…

EPC Most Valuable Player: Alexandria Warsing – Parkland

EPC Girls Tennis (Singles) First Team All-Conference:
Alexandria Warsing – Parkland
Helena Lynn – Liberty
Ellyana Jacobs – Easton

EPC Girls Tennis (Singles) Second Team All-Conference:
Elizabeth Trott – Pocono Mt East
Malka Parker – East Stroudsburg South
Maddie Groff – Allentown Central Catholic

EPC Girls Tennis (Singles) Third Team All-Conference:
Sophia DiGiacinto – Nazareth
Bernadette Gasser – Allentown Central Catholic
Stephanie Zheng – Liberty

EPC Girls Tennis (Doubles) First Team All-Conference:
Aarohi Vaze/Kiana Miles – Parkland
Abigail Mayes/Katie Bruno – Liberty
Malena Stetz / Gabriela Tranguch- Emmaus

EPC Girls Tennis (Doubles) Second Team All-Conference:
Sonia Lee/Kate Gilchrist – Parkland
Brooke DiGiacomo / Natalie Hillegass – Emmaus
Lydia Moyer/Danielle Barnes – Nazareth

EPC Girls Tennis (Doubles) Third Team All-Conference:
Sarah Wang/Paulina Veraschaga – Liberty
Berlin Ulmer/Madison Noonan – Stroudsburg
Belle Mattson/Riley Zangari – Parkland

Last but not least, this fall’s EPC high school football “all stars” for both the league’s “all conference” and “all division” players…

2024 All-Conference All-Stars: Offense
Peyton Falzone – Nazareth
Jerek Cooper – Emmaus
Aaron Beete – Freedom
Dorian Thomas – Easton
Reilly Bechtel – Emmaus
Charles Capers – East Stroudsburg South
Shacre Colwell – Freedom
Caleb Newsome – Nazareth
Jake Pukzsyn – Liberty
Leo Dauberman – Parkland
Xzavier Pusateri – East Stroudsburg South
Kamari Coleman – Stroudsburg
Kurtis Crossman – Easton
Samuel Stephan – Emmaus
Algee Macon – Easton
Tanner Wheeler – Freedom
Brody McHugh – Emmaus
Evan Saylor – Parkland
Ryan Ellis – Freedom
Jackson Fuhrer – Easton
Matt Dorsey – Parkland
Aiden Joyce – Allentown Central Catholic
Dan Shiffert – Freedom
Mason Marcks – Parkland
Will Buck – Emmaus
Nate Stannard – Freedom
Will Day – Easton

2024 All-Conference All-Stars: Defense
Robert Edwards – Emmaus
Kurtis Crossman – Easton
Mehki Kirkland – Stroudsburg
Dylan Hill – Freedom
Tanner Wheeler – Freedom
Marquis Labossiere – Easton
Braheem Battles- Allentown Central Catholic
Adam Youwakim – Whitehall
Reilly Bechtel – Emmaus
Mekhi Grant – Easton
Jayden Macon – Freedom
Carlos Perez – Bethlehem Catholic
Jasir Frutchey – Easton
Ryan Roeder – Freedom
Marcel Burden – Parkland
Kehmahni Wimberly- William Allen
Shacre Colwell – Freedom
Marquez Wimberly – Nazareth
Jah’Khi Daves – Emmaus
Daniel Duggan – Emmaus
Aaron Beete- Freedom
Will Day – Easton
Aiden Sorrentino – Allentown Central Catholic
Leo Dauberman – Parkland
Dom Martrich – Parkland

2024 All-Conference All-Stars: Specials
Chris Ward – Pleasant Valley
Joseph Geipel – Liberty
Marquez Wimberly – Nazareth
Kamari Coleman – Stroudsburg

All-Conference Offensive MVP: Peyton Falzone – Nazareth

All-Conference Defensive MVP: Robert Edwards – Emmaus 

2024 All-Divisions All-Stars: Offense
Peyton Falzone – Nazareth
Dorian Thomas – Easton
Aaron Beete – Freedom
Shacre Colwell – Freedom
Jake Pukzsyn- Liberty
Caleb Newsome – Nazareth
Kurtis Crossman – Easton
Algee Macon – Easton
Tanner Wheeler – Freedom
Jackson Fuhrer- Easton
Ryan Ellis- Freedom
Gavin Crosson – Easton
Dan Schiffert – Freedom
Nate Stannard – Freedom
Will Day – Easton

2024 All-Divisions All-Stars: Defense
Kurtis Crossman- Easton
Dylan Hill – Freedom
Marquis Labossiere – Easton
Tanner Wheeler – Freedom
Carlos Perez- Bethlehem Catholic
Mekhi Grant – Easton
Jayden Macon – Freedom
Jasir Frutchey – Easton
Ryan Roeder- Freedom
Shacre Colwell – Freedom
Marquez Wimberly- Nazareth
Will Day – Easton
Aaron Beete – Freedom
Joseph Geipel – Liberty
Marquez Wimberly – Nazareth
Ben Bartholomew- Liberty

All-Division Offensive MVP:
*Peyton Falzone – Nazareth
*Aaron Beete – Freedom
*Denotes Co-Winner

All-Conference Defensive MVP: Mekhi Grant – Easton

Keep checking back to “The Shop” and the ATVN SportsTalk show on Thursday evenings on the Astound TV Network as we continue to spotlight local athletes in our coverage areas!

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.

 First of all, it was another historic day for our Network as ATVN broadcast for the first time in our history the District XI boys – and girls – soccer championship live!

The student-athletes did not disappoint with the Northampton girls winning their first ever title (more on this team in a moment) and the Parkland boys team outlasting the K-Kids through 2 overtimes and a sudden death shootout.

It was yet another example of a continuing theme for us at the Astound Television Network as we continue to broadcast more high school sports to our viewers than ever before once again this year!

If you missed the outstanding efforts by both playoff teams, here’s highlights of both the girls and boys 4A championship games…

Astound TV Network Sports: Northampton vs. Emmaus (11/24)

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

Northampton girls Head Coach Mike Missmer shared a story with me which I retold on a recent edition of “SportsTalk” prior to the soccer playoffs commencing and I wanted to highlight the accomplishment of his team from earlier in the year, here in an email he shared with me…

My 2007 Western Lehigh United girls, probably the smallest club to ever earn a spot at the US Soccer National Presidents Cup, finished 5th in the Country.

1st time in our club history since 1989 for any team to make the National Championship.

Our entire goal this season was to compete for our first PA State Championship. We achieved that goal after 120 minutes of overtime and a PK shootout in Philadelphia.  After winning the State title we went to WV for the US Regional Championships where we went undefeated against other State champions until the final, losing 1-0 to WV.  With 4 US Soccer regions in the country they take the finalists from each to create the 8 team National Championship tournament in KS.

After flying to Kansas (our first time we flew anywhere as a team) we went 1-1-1 beating the US Southern regional champions and earning a draw with the very talented US Far West Regional Champions (Who are in the final being played as I write this)

The teams we faced were all academy and ECNL kids – all stacked with high level college commits…  we have no kids committed to college yet and only a few even looking to play after HS.  We are just a bunch of HS players, some who have yet to, and some who didn’t even make their HS teams.

Through the entire State, Regional, and National tournaments we lost a total of TWO games.

Congratulations to both the Northampton girls and Parkland boys programs on an outstanding year!

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.