Williams Valley's players pose with the Buzzsaw Award after practice Wednesday in Williamstown (Photo by Leroy Boyer).

Vikings face athletic Lansdale Catholic squad in Class AA quarters

WILLIAMSTOWN — No Williams Valley football team has ever done it.

Reach Week 15.

Could tonight be the first?

The Vikings hope so.

Williams Valley will look to advance to the state semifinals for the first time in program history tonight when the District 11 champion Vikings (12-1) take on District 12 champion Lansdale Catholic (11-2) in a PIAA Class AA state quarterfinal at 7 p.m. at Lehighton’s Multi-Purpose Stadium.

Only four times in Williams Valley’s storied history — 2016, 2017, 2024, 2025 — have the Vikings played 14 games in a season. No team has played 15.

Advancing further in the PIAA playoffs was something the Vikings’ players have talked about since the summer. Last year’s 28-21 loss to Riverside left a bitter taste in the Vikings’ mouths after they committed six turnovers — five in the first half — and saw a spirited second-half comeback fall just short.

“We just need to keep grinding,” Williams Valley quarterback Brady Shomper said after Friday’s 34-31 win over Schuylkill Haven in the district title game. “We came up short last year against Riverside. We want to go further than that this year. We know we can do that.”

To go further than last year, Williams Valley will have to knock off an athletic Lansdale Catholic team looking to add a new chapter to past glory.

The Crusaders have been this deep in the PIAA playoffs twice before, reaching the 1995 Class AA state semifinals before losing to Bishop McDevitt, then winning the 2004 Class AA state championship with a 40-17 victory over Grove City in the final.

Lansdale Catholic ended a 17-year PIAA playoff drought last year only to lose to Riverside in the Class AA first round. This year, the Crusaders were able to get past the first round, beating District 2 champion Lakeland 43-7 last Saturday at the Germantown SuperSite in Philadelphia.

The Crusaders are led by senior dual-threat quarterback Yeboa “Boa” Cobbold, who has thrown for 1,192 yards and 16 touchdowns while running for 1,264 yards and 16 more scores.

Saturday against Lakeland, Cobbold was 5-for-8 passing for 156 yards and two TDs while running eight times for 68 yards and a TD.

He’s joined in the backfield by speedy senior Nick O’Brien, who has rushed for 879 yards and nine TDs. O’Brien also had a big game against the Chiefs, rushing 10 times for 159 yards and a score. Lanky receivers James Webb (26-397) and Asher Thickening (27-293) give Cobbold a pair of top targets to throw to, while senior Steven Clement (6-foot-2, 252 pounds) anchors a good offensive line.

Defensively, senior linebacker Braeden Smith has 117 tackles and three interception returns for touchdowns, while defensive end Russell Holmes has 11 sacks.

Lansdale Catholic’s resume is a strong one, with Philadelphia Catholic League victories over West Catholic, District 12 Class 3A champion Neumann-Goretti, Archbishop Carroll, Archbishop Wood and Conwell-Egan. Their losses were to Father Judge and Archbishop Ryan.

“Their quarterback is really good,” Williams Valley head coach Ben Ancheff said of the Crusaders. “He’s already thrown for a thousand, ran for a thousand. They have a four-star tackle up front, they have some perimeter athletes that have some offers from places. They definitely have team speed and up front they block pretty well.

“Defensively, their defensive end was first-team all-Philly Catholic League for three seasons, their linebacker is going to the Naval Academy and their other defensive end is going to Robert Morris. Their cover guys … they run a lot of man coverage. They have some athletes that can run.

“When you get to this level, top eight teams in the state, everyone is good. So it’s not a surprise that they have so much talent and athletes on their team. We do as well.”

Statistic-wise, Williams Valley matches up with Lansdale Catholic.

Senior QB Brady Shomper has thrown for 1,996 yards and 30 touchdowns while rushing for 957 yards and 16 scores. Sophomore Fletcher Thompson has rushed for 1,733 yards and 21 TDs, while the receiving corps of Evan Achenbach (37-678, 9 TDs), Colin Crisswell (18-394, 8 TDs) and Blazer Lords (19-384, 6 TDs) has made a bevy of big catches in the postseason.

For Williams Valley to make it to Week 15, it’ll need to limit mistakes, both mentally and physically, not panic and play the style of football that got the team this far.

When times get tough, the Vikings will need to rely on the experience and the lessons learned from the past two trips to the postseason to get them through.

“The experience is definitely going to help us,” Ancheff said. “We have a lot of three- and four-year starters on this team that played in those games, know what we did wrong and hopefully can improve on those things and keep this thing rolling.

“We definitely have to take care of the ball on offense and fly to the ball on defense. We can’t get lost in coverage and just play our style of football.”

Playoff Preview Capsule

PIAA Class AA Quarterfinal

Williams Valley (12-1) vs. Lansdale Catholic (11-2)

Where: Lehighton Multi-Purpose Stadium

Kickoff: Friday, 7 p.m.

Tickets: All tickets cost $8 (plus applicable fees) and must be purchased online.

TV/Radio: T-102 (101.9 FM)

Live Updates: Follow T102 Sports Now writer Eli Doyle on X @iamelidoyle

How they got here: Williams Valley won its third straight District 11 Class AA crown with wins over Executive Education (42-13), Minersville (56-35) and Schuylkill Haven (34-31). … Lansdale Catholic defeated Audenreid 58-8 to win District 12 title, beat Bristol 49-21 in District 1/12 subregional final, then downed District 2 champ Lakeland 43-7 in the opening round of the PIAA playoffs last Saturday.

PIAA History: Lansdale Catholic is 6-4 in PIAA playoff games, winning 2004 Class AA state title. Williams Valley is 2-7, with its last win coming in 2017.

Team Scoring Averages: Offense — Williams Valley 43.9 ppg, Lansdale Catholic 30.2 ppg. Defense — Williams Valley 15.3 ppg, Lansdale Catholic 10.5 ppg

Stat Leaders: Williams Valley — QB Brady Shomper 92-142, 1,996 yards, 30 TDs passing, 149-957, 16 TDs rushing; RB Fletcher Thompson 173-1,733, 21 TDs rushing, 16-455, 6 TDs receiving; WR Evan Achenbach 37-678, 9 TDs; WR Blazer Lords 19-384, 6 TDs; Colin Crisswell 18-394, 8 TDs; LB Trevon Bair 109 tackles, 8 TFLs, 5 sacks; K Quin Smeltz 72-78 XP, 1-3 FG.

Lansdale Catholic — QB Yeboa Cobbold 99-169, 1,192 yards, 16 TDs passing; 132-1,264, 16 TDs rushing; RB Nick O’Brien 149-879, 9 TDs rushing, 9-111, TD receiving; RB John Cobbold 114-505, 6 TDs rushing, 12-109, TD receiving; WR/DB James Webb 26-397, 7 TDs, 7 INTs defense; WR Asher Thickening 27-293, 2 TDs; TE Darren Jackson 11-144, TD; LB Braeden Smith 117 tackles, 3.5 sacks, 12 TFL, 3 pick-6s; DL Russell Holmes 61 tackles, 11 sacks, 24 TFLs; K John Trainor 28-31 XP

Fast Facts: Crusaders compete in the Blue Division of the Philadelphia Catholic League despite their school being located in Lansdale, Montgomery County. The school does fall under the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Philadelphia. … Crusaders were 8-5 last year, winning the District 12 Class AA title and losing to Riverside 17-7 in the first round of states. Riverside then defeated Williams Valley the following week. … School’s alumni include former Philadelphia 76ers coach Jim Lynam and former New York Giants head coach Joe Judge. … The victory over Schuylkill Haven last Friday gave Williams Valley its 11th championship all-time and 10th District 11 crown. Nine of those district championships have come since 2012. … Williams Valley is making its eighth appearance in the PIAA playoffs and third straight. Other appearances were in 2012, 2016, 2017, 2019, 2021, 2023 and 2024. … The Vikings are 2-7 all-time in the PIAA playoffs, the only wins coming in Class A in 2016 against Lackawanna Trail and 2017 against Old Forge. … The win over Old Forge was the last time Williams Valley played at Lehighton. … This is the first time Williams Valley will play a District 12 team. … Williams Valley seniors are 42-9 for their careers. … Ben Ancheff is 6-0 as Vikings’ head coach.

Up Next: Winner faces the Southern Columbia-Steel-High winner in the PIAA Class AA semifinals next weekend.