Kai Stiansen, Steven Lilly, Sheadon Carr, James Mitsch and other seniors addressed Palisades’ first-half performance last Friday night with the rest of the Pirates.
The message – delivered in various volumes – was simple: It was unacceptable.
Coach Bobby Smith’s club played like a different team in the second half, and the desired result was achieved, a victory – 20-17 in overtime at Catasauqua.
Palisades clinched the Colonial-Schuylkill League White Division title and improved to 7-2 this season.
The commitment and camaraderie, however, did not come from the several emotional pleas during the 20-minute break inside the Alumni Stadium visitors’ locker room.
It was cemented during a team meeting more than nine months earlier, shortly after Smith decided to move up from defensive assistant to head coach.
“It started in January,” Smith said, “with how the kids wanted to do it and the coaches being there to teach them how to be young men.
“And when you fight for a common cause, you get good results.”
Palisades went from 2020 District 11 Class 2A champions to 2-8 last season when injuries and graduation took their toll.
The returning Pirates knew the only thing to do was to work hard together to make sure that 2022 was not a repeat of the previous one.
Even the seniors are surprised by the significant turnaround.
“I never imagined this,” Steven Lilly said. “But we’re not done. Our goal is not to stop here. I’m super proud of how far we’ve come from last year.”
Lilly is among those who have played a large part in the Pirates’ success. He was thrust into a running back’s role last season because of several injuries.
With Friday night’s rivalry game against Saucon Valley and at least one district playoff game left in his high school career, Lilly is already a 1,000-yard rusher.
But there are many contributors, including those previously mentioned plus Danny Haubert, Galen Limantour, Kyle Kirsch, Logan Winters, Mason Lambert, Riley Sessinger, and Greg Borgeson.
Perhaps the biggest of all, though, is the career assistant coach who has been an emotional compass for nearly two decades.
Smith didn’t want to see the program struggle for years and not be a part of the community’s identity. So he stepped in. He even convinced athletic director Brian Gilbert, a former head coach at two schools, to join the staff.
The chemistry between coaches and players has been an important element of this team’s success since that January meeting.
“Smith stepping up was the best thing that could have happened for the community, for the program,” Lilly said.
Palisades’ first confidence boost came in a wild Week 3 win over Palmerton. Lilly accounted for five touchdowns, including the game-winner late in the fourth quarter of a 47-40 victory.
“When we beat Palmerton,” Lilly added, “we really found out who we were, knew what we could do. We won as a team. That gave us confidence.”
After losing the following week to 8-1 Southern Lehigh, Palisades rattled off five consecutive victories – none more dramatic than last Friday.
The Pirates clinched a district playoff berth the week before and looked uninspired during the first two quarters when the Rough Riders built a 14-0 lead.
That’s when everyone in purple and white needed a reminder about what mattered most. It wasn’t a district playoff berth or a division title.
It was about playing for one another and winning the day. That day. Every day. Until the last day.
“At halftime, we were all raging because that wasn’t us,” Lilly said. “We knew what we had to do. We became more vocal, supported each other.
“I guess that’s what happens when we do.”
Palisades still trailed 17-14 after Catasauqua kicked a field goal on its overtime possession. A first-down trick play fell a few inches short of success and two running plays left the Pirates facing a 4th-and-goal from the 3-yard line.
Smith and Co. talked over their options during a timeout. Kicking a field goal was not one of them.
Instead of giving the ball to Lilly or Stiansen, the two who did most of the damage that night, Palisades ran a counter play to sophomore John Haubert. It worked earlier in the game. It worked several times this season.
It worked on the last play Friday night, sending the Pirates into a raucous celebration – one that matched that of halftime but with a more desired tenor.
“It could have gone to anyone,” Haubert said of the last play. “We all just wanted to win. Anyone who got [the ball] would have done it. It doesn’t matter who.
“We just have that camaraderie, wanting to win, to be a family.”
Morning Call reporter Tom Housenick can be reached at 610-820-6651 or at thousenick@mcall.com
We rely on the support of our subscribers to fund our journalism. If you’re not already signed up, we hope you will consider subscribing. Already a print subscriber? If you haven’t already, please activate your digital access.
Colonial-Schuylkill League Week 9 stat heroes
(in alphabetical order)
Alex Achenbach, Williams Valley: Ran for 101 yards and two touchdowns in a victory over Shenandoah Valley.
Nick Beck, Salisbury: Rushed for a touchdown, caught two passes and made eight tackles in a loss to North Schuylkill.
Landon Beckowski, Saucon Valley: Made a career-high 19 tackles, including three for loss, and forced a fumble in a loss to Lehighton.
Chad Beller, Catasauqua: Made 19 tackles, including a sack, in an overtime loss to Palisades.
Dante Carr, Minersville: Completed 15 of 25 passes for 333 yards and four touchdowns in a victory over Schuylkill Haven.
Cade Christopher, Northwestern: Passed for 125 yards and two TDs and ran for another in a win over Wilson.
Danny Darno, Notre Dame-GP: Completed 27 of 36 passes for 263 yards and five touchdowns in a win over Pine Grove.
Payton Fasnacht, Blue Mountain: Ran for 125 yards and a TD and caught four passes for 83 yards and two scores in a comeback win over Bangor.
Joey Flail, North Schuylkill: Ran for two touchdowns and caught five passes in a victory over Salisbury.
Nick Frame, Northern Lehigh: Rushed for 95 yards and a touchdown, made seven tackles and intercepted a pass in a win over Jim Thorpe.
Connor Goehring, Schuylkill Haven: Ran for 159 yards and a touchdown, caught a TD pass and made six tackles, including two for loss (one sack), in a loss to Minersville.
Austin Hadley, Panther Valley: Made eight tackles, including a sack, and recovered a fumble in a loss to Pen Argyl.
John Haubert, Palisades: Ran for two touchdowns, including the game-winning 3-yarder in overtime against Catasauqua.
Anthonie Hunsicker, Catasauqua: Rushed for 125 yards and a touchdown against Palisades.
Reece Huntzinger, Tri-Valley: Ran for two touchdowns and made nine tackles in a win over Marian Catholic.
Brody Ibarra, Pine Grove: Made a game-high 11 tackles, including a sack, in loss to Notre Dame-GP.
A.J. Jimenez, Northern Lehigh: Rushed for the go-ahead touchdown and two-point conversion, plus made five tackles, two for loss (including a sack), against Jim Thorpe.
Zeandros Johnson, Wilson: Made a career-high 10 tackles in a loss to Northwestern.
Brad Jones, Panther Valley: Registered 10 tackles, including one for loss, against Pen Argyl.
Luke Kane, Tamaqua: Rushed for two touchdowns, threw for another, made seven tackles, including a sack, and intercepted a pass in a loss to Palmerton.
Kris Kessler, Pen Argyl: Ran for a career-high 147 yards and two touchdowns and caught a 68-yard TD pass in a win over Panther Valley.
Nuallan King, Pen Argyl: Made a team-high 10 tackles, including three sacks, against Panther Valley.
Avery Koser, Southern Lehigh: Rushed for 128 yards and two TDs, completed all four passes for 108 yards and a score and made four tackles in a win over Pottsville.
Josh Ludlow, Notre Dame-GP: Caught nine passes for 94 yards and two TDs against Pine Grove.
Parrish McFarland, Pottsville: Ran for 69 yards and a touchdown, caught four passes and made eight tackles in a loss to Southern Lehigh.
Matt Machalik, Palmerton: Rushed for 199 yards and three touchdowns and passed for 126 more and one TD in a win over Tamaqua. He also made four tackles and three pass deflections.
Colm McGroarty, Mahanoy Area: Rushed for 149 yards and four touchdowns in a win over Nativity BVM.
Aiden Myers, Schuylkill Haven: Ran for 121 yards and three scores and made a team-high 12 tackles against Minersville.
Brady O’Donnell, Lehighton: Ran for a touchdown and threw for another in a win over Saucon Valley.
Brock Polinsky, Minersville: Made 17 tackles against Schuylkill Haven.
Jesse Rodino, Marian Catholic: Made a team-high 14 tackles, including a sack, and blocked a punt in a loss to Tri-Valley.
Cade Sawyer, Southern Lehigh: Ran for 137 yards and two TDs, made four tackles and recovered a fumble against Pottsville.
Eric Striba, Bangor: Rushed for 115 yards and two touchdowns and passed for 94 yards and a score in a loss to Blue Mountain. He also made four tackles.
