Nine Years in the Making: Southern Lehigh Wins Battle of Unbeatens, Holds Off Northwestern 17-14
By: Justin Bradley | SportzWire | October 24, 2026 | Photo courtesy Justin Focus
CENTER VALLEY, Pa. — Two unbeaten teams. Two reigning state championship finalists. Two No. 1 teams in Sportzwire’s District 11 rankings.
Friday night’s showdown between Southern Lehigh and Northwestern Lehigh carried the weight of one of Pennsylvania’s biggest regular-season matchups, and it lived up to the billing.
The defending PIAA Class 4A state champion Spartans held off last year’s Class 3A runner-up Northwestern Lehigh, 17-14, snapping a nine-year drought against the Tigers while keeping their perfect season alive.
Southern Lehigh improved to 9-0, while Northwestern suffered its first loss, falling to 8-1.
It wasn’t necessarily Southern’s cleanest performance, but against an opponent that hadn’t lost all season, the Spartans found a way.
“One of our coaches put it best. We didn’t even play our best game and we still won,” Southern Lehigh head coach Phil Sams said afterward. “I think that’s a tribute to the kids.”
Heavyweights Trade Early Blows
Northwestern struck first when Brady Zimmerman scored on a 4-yard touchdown run with 5:51 remaining in the opening quarter.
Southern answered with its own ground game as Adam Fritts broke free for a 30-yard touchdown run just minutes later, evening the score at 7-7.
Fritts finished with 138 rushing yards, providing a steady presence in Southern’s backfield throughout the night.
The Spartans grabbed their first lead late in the second quarter when Declan Walsh connected on a 30-yard field goal with 1:38 remaining before halftime, sending Southern into the break ahead 10-7.
Sams to Pavis Changes the Game
The biggest offensive play of the night came early in the second half.
With 10:55 remaining in the third quarter, Southern quarterback Colton Sams found Jack Pavis downfield for an 86-yard touchdown strike, extending the Spartans’ lead to 17-7.
Sams completed 13 of 19 passes for 218 yards and a touchdown, while Pavis finished with two receptions for 96 yards, including the game-changing score.
The connection reflected the preparation Sams says his receiving group puts in behind the scenes.
“We watch a lot of film. We stay after practice,” Sams said, crediting Pavis, Otto Young and the rest of Southern’s offensive weapons for their work throughout the season.
Northwestern wasn’t finished.
Zimmerman scored again on a 3-yard touchdown run with 1:06 remaining in the third quarter, pulling the Tigers within 17-14 and setting up a tense final 12 minutes.
Defense Delivers When It Matters
With three points separating two unbeaten teams, the fourth quarter became a defensive battle.
Neither offense managed to score, and Southern’s defense protected its narrow advantage to secure the victory.
Northwestern’s Chase Sukanick carried 21 times for 81 yards, while Zimmerman finished with 18 rushing yards and two touchdowns, adding four receptions for 44 yards.
Quarterback Trey Snyder completed 7 of 11 passes for 64 yards but was intercepted twice as Southern’s defense made key plays against the Tigers’ passing attack.
Coach Sams praised his defensive unit while acknowledging that the offense left points on the field.
“I thought defense played phenomenally,” Sams said. “We just missed on a couple touchdowns in the red zone there, too, so we’ll clean it up and we’ll get better.”
It was a performance that may not have been flawless, but it was enough to end Northwestern’s unbeaten run.
Nine Years Later, Southern Has Its Moment
Southern entered the matchup ranked No. 1 in Sportzwire’s District 11 big school rankings, while Northwestern held the top spot among small schools.
The matchup also carried a bit of history.
Southern hadn’t defeated Northwestern in nine years, making Friday’s victory another meaningful accomplishment for a program that has already enjoyed remarkable postseason success.
Now, the Spartans are one win away from another milestone.
Southern Lehigh hasn’t completed an undefeated regular season since the mid-1970s, and the opportunity is directly in front of them.
“I love when these kids have made different types of history over the years,” Coach Sams said. “They’re the ones that play. We just kind of lead them in the right direction, so super proud of them.”
Southern Lehigh (9-0) travels to Salisbury (3-6) in Week 10 with a chance to finish the regular season unbeaten.
Northwestern Lehigh (8-1), meanwhile, returns home to face Catasauqua (4-5), looking to regroup before postseason play.
Two of District 11’s best went toe-to-toe in a matchup that had the attention of high school football fans across Pennsylvania.
And after nine years of waiting, the Spartans finally got the better of the Tigers.
Relive the Showdown
Tony Sibilla and the Penn Sports Radio broadcast team had the call for Friday night’s heavyweight matchup.
Listen to the full game replay: Game of the week!
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