The 2014 postseason was a rough one for Schuylkill County area football teams.
Sure, Tri-Valley and Blue Mountain captured Eastern Conference championships. But when Week 13 rolled around, football was over in Schuylkill County.
When North Schuylkill (AA) and Marian (A) lost in their respective District 11 title games, it marked the second time in four years that a Schuylkill County team did not win District 11 gold.
In fact, over the past five years (2010-14), only three local teams — Schuylkill Haven (2010 A, 2013 A) and Williams Valley (2012 A) — have hoisted a District 11 championship trophy.
What’s in store for 2015? Does Schuylkill County’s luck change?
Let’s break down the District 11 fields and pull out the crystal ball to predict some winners:
Class A
One thing is certain when it comes to the District 11 football playoffs: A local team will win Class A since Pius X has been closed.
There are eight remaining teams in Class A, all from Schuylkill County: Mahanoy Area, Marian, Minersville, Nativity, Schuylkill Haven, Shenandoah Valley, Tri-Valley and Williams Valley. Four of those will make the district playoffs.
Who will they be? Last year’s runner-up, Marian, is the preseason favorite. Tri-Valley should easily make the field as well.
That leaves two spots up for grabs, with those spots likely to be decided by head-to-head Anthracite Football League games. Any two of the six remaining teams could get in if they make a run and get to somewhere around five wins.
I think Williams Valley and Mahanoy Area complete the Class A field. I wouldn’t be surprised, however, if any of the other four get in.
Final: Marian over Tri-Valley
Class AA
North Schuylkill came within a controversial two-point conversion — I still think he was in — of winning Class AA gold last season. That serves as a big motivation factor for this year’s Spartans.
Last year’s champion, Northwestern Lehigh, returns RB Harry Hall, while Salisbury QB Tevon Weber passed for 1,692 yards and 19 touchdowns last year. Notre Dame-Green Pond went winless in 2014 but gained 11 players from District 11 Class A champion Pius X, including explosive QB Tre Jordan, who threw for 35 touchdowns and 2,963 yards.
Paced by the return of Bobby Grigas, Tevin Murray and Major Jordan, North Schuylkill enters as the preseason favorite. The Spartans will be joined by Northwestern Lehigh, Salisbury and Notre Dame-Green Pond in a very competitive Class AA tourney.
Northern Lehigh and Tamaqua are darkhorse candidates to get into the field.
Final: North Schuylkill over Northwestern Lehigh
Class AAA
Schuylkill County hasn’t had a Class AAA champion since Blue Mountain won it in 2007. I don’t expect that fact to change this year.
Saucon Valley returns nearly its entire team from a year ago, and defending champion Bethlehem Catholic is loaded again as usual. Other teams to watch here include Southern Lehigh, Allentown Central Catholic and East Stroudsburg North.
There is room here for Lehighton, Blue Mountain or Jim Thorpe to earn one of the four playoff berths. It will take seven or eight wins to do so, however, considering the abundance of Class A schools on their schedules.
Final: Saucon Valley over Bethlehem Catholic
Class AAAA
Parkland has won three straight District 11 Class AAAA titles and returns QB Devante Cross, who passed for 2,348 yards and 27 touchdowns a year ago.
The Trojans are the favorite to repeat here in this eight-team subregional with District 2 and 4. Of the four teams from District 2, Wyoming Valley West appears to be the strongest.
From District 11, keep an eye on Bethlehem Freedom, Stroudsburg and Easton. When the smoke clears, however, everyone will be looking up at Parkland again.
Final: Parkland over Bethlehem Freedom
(Boyer is sports editor and covers HS football for The Republican-Herald. Follow him on Twitter @pubsportsboss)