Battling through some injuries and some other minor setbacks, Catasauqua head football coach Travis Brett had a positive outlook on his team’s 7-5 season in the new Colonial/Schuylkill league format.

“I thought we had a great year,” said the second-year head coach. “The kids had some obstacles to overcome and we had some injuries.

“We were in a new league, and we went against schools our own size. The kids got after it all season.”

The Rough Riders season ended with a 47-13 loss to Northampton in their annual Thanksgiving Day battle. Yet, Brett didn’t view the game for only its final score.

“The game was pretty good for us,” he noted. “We had some mistakes early that hurt us, but our kids played really hard.

“In the second half, they scored on a kickoff return and an interception. They had their starters in there until the end, and then brought them back in when they thought we were going to score.”

Brett noted the loss of running backs Hunter Reitz and Anthonie Hunsberger hurt the Roughies’ depth, but senior Elijah Soler had a stellar year filling the void. Soler ran for 809 yards on 164 carries with five touchdowns. Soler also caught six passes for 106 yards.

“Elijah did a great job,” said Brett. “He really did a very good job on offense and defense. He normally is a safety, but he stepped in at linebacker with Reitz and Hunsicker out. He is a great kid, and did everything we asked of him.”

Brett also cited the play of senior linemen Gabe Toth and Alex Oakley, both of whom had steady seasons.

“Gabe was a real anchor on our line,” added Brett. “Gabe’s size will be missed, and I thought he was one of the finest defensive tackles in the league and should be recognized.

“Alex was a utility guy for us. We could put him practically anywhere, and he did a good job.”

The Roughies will return the bulk of their starters with only nine seniors graduating. Along with Reitz, Hunsicker and quarterback Christian Fye, wide receivers Wyatt Younes and Ian Juica will be back as the team’s main passing threats.

Fye completed 60 of 111 attempts with nine touchdowns and seven interceptions. Younes had 23 receptions for 557 yards with seven touchdowns, and Juica had 28 catches for 416 yards with three interceptions. Younes had 11 touchdowns overall, returning a fumble 72 yards for a score against Northampton.

“Younes brought back a couple of returns this year, and he isn’t playing basketball to focus on football,” said Brett. “We’re fortunate to have him and Juica back.”

Brett stated that his team is anxious to get back to work, and the team will begin weight room workout for non-winter athletes next week.

He knows his team will have an early reading on next year when they open with Northern Lehigh and Palmerton in the opening weeks.

“We’ll know where we are after playing Northern Lehigh and Palmerton” noted Brett. “Our kids are anxious and hungry to get started for next year.”