Northwestern Lehigh Rolls Past Scranton Prep, Advances to PIAA Class 3A State Semifinals
By: Carrie Miner Yaple | SportzWire | November 21, 2025 | Photo courtesy Justin Bradley
BERWICK, PA — Under the bright Friday night playoff lights, Northwestern Lehigh delivered one of its most complete performances of the season, overpowering Scranton Prep 42–14 to punch its ticket to the PIAA Class 3A semifinals.
The Tigers, fueled by a dominant passing attack led by senior quarterback Shane Leh and a relentless defensive front, outpaced a gritty Scranton Prep squad that leaned heavily on its run game but couldn’t keep up with Northwestern’s explosive offense.
A Fast Start Sets the Tone
Scranton Prep received the opening kickoff and looked poised to strike early—until Northwestern linebacker Braxton Lakatosh changed everything. Reading a screen perfectly, Lakatosh snagged the interception and sprinted untouched for the game’s opening touchdown. Chase Zukanick nailed the extra point, giving the Tigers a 7–0 lead with 9:15 left in the first quarter—before the Northwestern offense even touched the field.
Prep responded quickly behind quarterback Will McPartland, who engineered a run-heavy drive featuring a 33-yard burst to the 2-yard line before punching in a 2-yard touchdown to tie the game at 7-7.
Leh and Zimmerman Ignite the Tigers’ Air Attack
If Scranton Prep controlled the trenches, Northwestern Lehigh owned the air.
Quarterback Shane Leh, facing a stiff Cavaliers run defense, turned to his talented receiving corps. Consecutive completions to Brady Zimmerman jump-started the Tigers’ first offensive series, and a Leh keeper brought them inside the red zone. Moments later, Zimmerman capped the drive by diving in for a touchdown with 3:57 left in the first, giving Northwestern a 14–7 advantage.
The Tigers continued to find success through the air on their next possession. Leh connected repeatedly with Michael Lagowy, including a critical completion to open the second quarter. After a steady mix of passes and short runs—and despite a false start—Leh rolled left and found Shane Hulmes for a touchdown to extend the lead to 21–7.
Northwestern’s Defense Takes Control
Scranton Prep’s offense stalled repeatedly in the second quarter as Northwestern’s defensive line swarmed McPartland, collapsing the pocket and forcing hurried throws. Penalties pushed the Cavaliers backward, and a high punt snap nearly flipped field position—but punter Owen Jeffers managed to get a kick away to prevent disaster.
Prep did come up with a defensive stand midway through the second, stopping the Tigers on 4th-and-5. But the Cavaliers’ offense couldn’t capitalize. Northwestern regained possession with less than two minutes left in the half, and Leh again exploited the secondary. With 18 seconds remaining, he fired a 19-yard strike to Lagowy for another touchdown, stretching the Tigers’ lead to 28–7 at the break.
By halftime, Leh had already set the program’s single-season passing yards record.
Second Half: The Tigers Close the Door
Northwestern Lehigh opened the second half the same way it ended the first—through the air. Leh found Lagowy on a deep throw to the 2-yard line, pushing him to 5 catches for 87 yards. Although penalties briefly stalled the drive, the Tigers found the end zone again when Brady Zimmerman kept his balance on a pitch and powered in for his second touchdown of the night, putting Northwestern up 35–7 with 7:45 left in the third quarter.
Scranton Prep, refusing to fold, pieced together a strong drive capped by McPartland’s touchdown pass to Shawn McCormick, trimming the deficit to 35–14. But Northwestern’s offense—and clock management—remained firmly in control.
With just over four minutes remaining, Leh sealed the game on a 40-yard strike to a wide-open Zimmerman for his second touchdown of the night, pushing the lead to 42–14 and putting the game out of reach.
Postgame: A Program Moving Forward With Purpose
Head coach Josh Snyder praised his team’s execution, physicality, and adaptability.
“Spectacular—from top to bottom, offense and defense. The kids did an amazing job absorbing everything,” Snyder said.
“We’re a run-first team until they take the run away. Tonight the way we threw the ball was pretty cool to watch.”
He also praised the defensive line’s relentless effort, which repeatedly smothered Scranton Prep’s run-heavy attack.
Leh, who delivered one of the best passing performances of his career, emphasized the team’s versatility:
“It just shows we can do anything and everything. We’ve got weapons all over.”
“It's awesome to be back in the semifinals, but the job’s not finished.”
Senior leader Shane Hulmes echoed the focus needed for the next round:
“We’ve gotta have a really focused, disciplined week.”
Snyder closed with a smile and a playful nod to the team’s tradition:
“The big practice? Thursday morning. That’s the big one—gobble gobble.”
Next Up: A State Semifinal Showdown
With the win, Northwestern Lehigh returns to the PIAA Class 3A Final Four, where they are projected to face Neumann-Goretti in what promises to be a high-stakes, high-intensity semifinal matchup.
If Friday night’s performance is any indication, the Tigers are peaking at exactly the right time—and carrying serious momentum into the state semifinals.
