As I shelter in place during this time, I thought I would assemble some of my favorite moments while covering Whitehall football the last 11 years.

These aren’t necessarily the best plays, or plays that may have helped secure a championship; rather, these are plays that have stood out in my memory over the course of covering Whitehall football since 2008.

I’ve covered three coaches during that time starting with Tony Trisciani. Brian Gilbert succeeded Trisciani’s tenure in 2012, with the reins going to Justin Kondikoff following Gilbert’s retirement in 2018.

During that time I’ve also covered some exceptional athletes who’ve provided those memories. That list includes: Eric Fiore, Tyler Artim, Nick Shafnisky, James Wah, Ryan Bonshak, Matt Bonshak, Chris Polony, Jake Buskirk, Andrew Harris, Tarey Carey, Saquon Barkley, Pat Bet, Zach Gilbert, Ethan Parvel, Bret Legath, Devin Martinez, Zach Delp, Nate Hoenl, Markes Cruz, Braxton Marrero, Gianni Sinatore, Chad Rex, Conor Sullivan, Nick Sommer, Dez Boykin, Mike Smith, Aaron Genevese, Jacob Kerchner, Jacob Wygant, Braden Zeiner, Mehki Lee, Mustafa Mitchell, Kasai Harrison, Jackson Buskirk, Joe Herman, Alex Khouri, Allen Negrete, and a host of others.

No. 10: It was 2018 and the Zephyrs were in the midst of a challenging season when they hosted Liberty for their final home game. They were 1-7 heading into the contest and it would be the last time the seniors played in front of their home crowd. This play is memorable because it invokes the chase-down play of Patriot Ben Watson as he raced the length of the field to knock Champ Bailey out of bounds at the 1-yard-line after intercepting Tom Brady’s pass in the end zone. Senior Joe Herman, who caught two touchdown passes in the game against the Hurricanes, made a similar chase-down play late in the game, coming from the opposite side of the field from his defensive back position to prevent a Liberty running back, who was racing down the far sideline, from scoring. With the game clearly out of reach, Herman’s hustle demonstrated a never-give-up attitude that permeated throughout that team despite their record, making it a memorable play to make this list.

No. 9: It was the 2014 season, and Saquon Barkley showed off his arm talent, throwing two TD passes against Parkland. Barkley was a threat to score whenever he touched the ball. However, his path to pay dirt was via his legs, but in the game against Parkland, he used his arm to help lift the Zephyrs over the Trojans, erasing a four-year drought against Parkland.

The most memorable of these TD tosses was the first. Gianni Sinatore pitched the ball to Barkley at their own 10-yard-line. Barkley began to run, drawing the defenders toward him. As he began to run upfield, he suddenly stopped, planted his back foot, and uncorked a throw to Chad Rex who hauled in the pass, racing 65 yards for the score.

Barkley’s next toss came on a fourth-and-six inside their own territory. This time Barkley threw back across the field to Sinatore who had leaked out of the backfield. The pass went through defender Kenny Yeboah’s hands into the waiting arms of Sinatore who galloped 52 yards for the score, sealing the win.

No. 8: The 2014 season makes the list again, this time the Zephyrs return three kickoffs for scores against Easton. They were playing at Cottingham Stadium and Mustafa Mitchell brought the Whitehall faithful to their feet with a scintillating, 87 yard return to tie the score right before the half. That touchdown seemed to inject momentum into the Zephs who had scored on the opening kickoff as Bryce Krum romped 70 yards to start the game. However, the Zephs were returning kicks because the Red Rovers kept moving the chains, rushing for over 500 yards in a 63-49 win. Saquon Barkley completed the kickoff trifecta with an 87-yard touchdown run, but it wasn’t enough to overtake a furious Easton ground game. Still, those three TD returns and the excitement they invoked, made that game memorable.

No. 7: Pat Bet’s interception in title game closes the door. The year was 2009 and Whitehall and Emmaus were playing for the Eastern Conference 4A Championship. With the Green Hornets trailing late in the second half, quarterback Brady Knerr was forced to put the ball in the air. Bet, who had watched a lot of game film in preparation for the matchup, knew some of Knerr’s tendencies and drifted back into zone coverage. Bet jumped the route, intercepted the ball, and raced 24 yards for the score, putting the nail in the coffin of a 35-24 victory. His pick-six was a memorable play that began a long string of success for the program over the next decade.

No. 6: Nick Shafnisky’s 80-yard TD romp against Emmaus in 2012. While it was one of many long TD runs by the Zephyr signal caller over his illustrious career, this one stands out because of the exasperated reaction inside the press box by longtime Emmaus PA announcer Carl Smartschan. The Green Hornets couldn’t stop Shafnisky. Shafnisky, the future Lehigh University quarterback, and Patriot League Offensive Player of the Year in 2016, was like a man among boys, prompting Smartschan to throw up his hands and say “We can’t stop this guy.” That season, Shafnisky finished with 1,628 yards through the air, and 1,091 on the ground. He had 14 touchdowns via the air and rushed for 19 touchdowns. Smartschan’s reaction to Shafnisky running rampant made that a memorable moment.

No. 5: Dez Boykin puts his mark on the title game. The Zephyrs were looking to win a district title in 2012, their first since 1997. They were in the 5A title game against Southern Lehigh and they had one of the most explosive players in the league lined up on the outside. In the third quarter, the Spartans trimmed the lead to 21-14 and the Zephyrs were looking to get back the momentum. That’s when they turned to their playmaker as Zach Gilbert hit Boykin on a clear route, racing 70 yards for the score, and effectively shutting the door on the comeback. They wound up defeating Southern Lehigh 35-14 for the title, and the sight of a slew of white jerseys chasing No. 3 for the Zephs as he streaked to the end zone made it memorable moment.

No. 4: Tony Trisciani gets doused. It was the final regular season game of 2010 and Trisciani had emerged from the locker room soaking wet, the water still dripping from the shower provided by his exuberant players. They had just defeated Parkland, the first time since 2000, and everyone was celebrating the win. They were now 8-2 and heading to the playoffs, and Trisciani was still mindful of last year’s disappointing loss to the Trojans that knocked them out of the district playoffs, falling a yard short on a two-point conversion. Glenn Klein set the tone in that game with a blocked punt that led to a score, opening the gates to a 23-0 victory. The sight of a wet and elated Trisciani made that one of those moments that stick in the memory.

No’s. 3 & 2: The game against Allentown Central Catholic in 2014 warrants two spots. To set the stage, the Zephyrs were trailing the Vikings by 21 points in the third quarter and were in need of a spark. Head coach Brian Gilbert was at times hesitant to use Saquon Barkley on special teams since he played both offense and defense, but they were in a bind.

Barkley retreated to field the punt midway through the third quarter and wove his way 80 yards for the score, cutting the lead to 28-14. However, as special as that was, what happened next made it truly memorable. That score altered the Viking’s strategy, a strategy that ultimately backfired, opening the doors for an improbable win. The next two times the Vikings dropped back to punt, they were keenly aware that Barkley was waiting to receive the ball. That meant they would purposely keep the ball out of his hands by kicking away from him, with one punt sailing out of bounds for a net eight yards, and the other traveling just a bit longer which was fair caught by Barkley. They scored on both ensuing possessions. They attempted to keep it away a third time, and it was another short punt fielded by Barkley that led to the No. 2 spot on this list. It was amazing to watch a team desperately try to keep Barkley from impacting the game, but their decision proved costly. His mere presence as a punt returner changed the whole dynamic of that game and made it memorable.

It set up arguably the most exciting score during my tenure. The Zephs needed to score to tie the game, and after Gianni Sinatore was sacked they needed to go 61 yards in three plays. After two incompletions, the Zephyrs needed a miracle. With the clock ticking, Sinatore found Conor Sullivan. The ball was tipped by the defender, but Sullivan snatched it out of the air, a remarkable catch. He wheeled and raced down the sideline for the tying score.

In the overtime, ACC took the go-ahead score but missed the extra point. Barkley busted up the gut for 10 yards and the tying TD. It was now up to the leg of Conor Ilgenfritz to complete the improbable comeback. He split the uprights for the 42-41 win, making it the most memorable game I covered.

No. 1: This play occurred in 2010 and was one of two trick plays employed by head coach Tony Trisciani when the Zephyrs traveled to Cottingham Stadium to play Easton. The two teams were unbeaten heading into the game, with Easton a perennial powerhouse looking to dismantle the upstart Zephs. With the Zephyrs trailing 14-7 early in the third quarter, Trisciani reached into the playbook and pulled out the hook-and-ladder. It was expertly executed by Chris Polony, Tyler Artim and Eric Fiore, opening the gates for 10 unanswered points that led to a 17-14 victory.

Polony hit Artim on a short route near the sideline as Fiore trailed the play. Artim pitched the ball, sprawling to the ground as he released it, with Fiore snagging it and rumbling 34 yards for the score. That score tied the game. The next trick play was a fake punt that resulted in a first down. It kept the ball in their hands and sealed the win over a talented Red Rover squad. They had come into Easton’s backyard and toppled the mighty Red Rovers, and the joy of that moment was clearly evident. Perhaps it’s fondness for gadget plays that puts this at the top of my most memorable list, but it also symbolizes the huge strides the program made since I began covering them in 2008.