North Schuylkill senior kicker Gavin Mentzer

North Schuylkill

Head coach: Wally Hall

2023: 9-3

Story by Leroy Boyer

Throughout Wally Hall’s 11-year tenure as the head coach at North Schuylkill, he’s preached a “next-man-up” philosophy where the younger players learn and work hard at practice, becoming ready to fill any vacancy in the starting lineup at any time. It’s a philosophy that’s produced 99 wins, 11 straight winning seasons, 11 straight playoff appearances, five seasons of double-digit wins and three District 11 titles.

That philosophy will be put to the test this season as the Spartans look to overcome heavy graduation losses, especially in the skill positions. North Schuylkill lost 16 seniors from last year’s club that finished 9-3 and lost to Palmerton in the District 11 Class 3A semifinals. Included in that group were several four-year starters, including All-State wide receiver Joey Flail, fullback/linebacker Jaxson Chowansky, fullback/defensive end Neekoli Caraballo and wide receiver/defensive back Collin McGee.

Flail hauled in 47 passes for 815 yards and 10 TDs a year ago, finishing his career as North Schuylkill’s all-time leader in receptions (173), receiving yards (2,838), receiving touchdowns (42) and total touchdowns (52). His 42 receiving touchdowns are the most ever by a Schuylkill League wideout. Flail also owns the Spartans’ single-season marks in receptions (61, sophomore year) and receiving yards (1,006, sophomore year). Chowansky, Caraballo and McGee were North Schuylkill’s top three tacklers, with McGee’s five interceptions among the area leaders.

Offensively, the Spartans return six starters, including four offensive linemen. Junior quarterback Caden Mengel is back after a breakout sophomore campaign that saw him complete 124-of-183 passes for 1,647 yards and 14 touchdowns while rushing for a team-best 776 yards and seven more scores despite suffering a season-ending injury in the first quarter of the Spartans’ District 11 Class 3A quarterfinal win over Tamaqua. Up front, senior Sander Stokes and juniors Kaiden Knox, Aiden Zilker and Gavin Wall average 6-foot-4 and 290 pounds. Senior tight end Kevin Jones (15 catches, 142 yards) also returns.

Defensively, senior defensive end Brayden Lauta, junior linebacker Cadyn McGraw and senior defensive backs Luke Miller and Michael Mogish return. Senior linebacker Kolton Joyce also saw extensive playing time.

The Spartans will need to find someone to run the football besides Mengel, as 1,468 of last year’s 2,587 rushing yards and 275 of their 439 carries graduated. Mogish (16-248), junior Landon Smith (15-63) and Joyce (8-32) are the leading returning ballcarriers after Mengel. The same goes at receiver, where 148 receptions worth 1,981 yards went to players who graduated.

“Many will have opportunity,” Hall said of his potential breakout candidates. “Every position is a competition. That’s what is emphasized weekly and throughout the season.”

North Schuylkill possesses the area’s best kicker/punter in senior Gavin Mentzer, a two-time winner of the Schuylkill County Specialist Award. A Division I recruit, Mentzer converted 53-of-57 extra points, booted five field goals, had 35 touchbacks and averaged 41 yards per punt last season. He provides the Spartans with a scoring weapon on offense and a defensive help with his kickoffs and punting.

North Schuylkill has perhaps the toughest schedule in the area this season as the Spartans will compete in the Red Division (Division I) of the Schuylkilll/Colonial Football Cooperative. The Spartans’ non-league game is Week 1 against backyard rival Mount Carmel while its crossover game with the White Division (Division II) is against division favorite Notre Dame-Green Pond.

Northwestern Lehigh, Notre Dame-Green Pond and Palmerton join North Schuylkill in the nine-team District 11 Class 3A field.

“Our schedule is very competitive weekly,” said Hall, who is 99-30 as the Spartans’ head coach. “Most of the teams we play are from the Lehigh Valley, which places us more in the Colonial alignment. Equity of the alignment across classifications with the three divisions could potentially impact district playoffs in the 3A District 11 bracket.”