Hunter Reitz is anxious.

The Catasauqua junior running back has good reason to feel that way. He hasn’t played since the third game of last season when he was shut down with a knee injury.

The 6-0, 190-pound Reitz made a splash as a freshman when he led the team in rushing with 403 yards and set a new freshman single-game mark with 174 yards.

“I have been getting a lot stronger,” boasted Reitz. “I feel like I am bigger, stronger, and faster. In fact, our whole team is getting bigger and stronger.”

Last season, Catasauqua sprinted out to a 4-0 start, but Reitz and Anthonie Hunsicker – both who were integral parts of the offense – went down with injuries.

“It was bad for the whole team,” he said. “We were a big part of the team, and it brought people down.

“But I went to all the practices and the games. I tried to do what I could. I knew I had to work hard in the offseason.”

Reitz began physical therapy, and he felt that had overcome his setbacks early in the spring. He also missed the baseball season

“Right now, I feel 100 percent,” he said. “I went through a lot of strength training, and I feel like I have put on 10 pounds of muscle.”

Head coach Travis Brett certainly is relieved to have a healthy Reitz in the lineup.

“Hunter is an amazing kid and very mature for his age,” he stressed, “He had some injuries the past two years, but he quickly overcame them and pushed himself to get back on the field.

“He is a very likable and coachable kid, and he is a stud on both sides of the football. Hunter has the potential to run for over 1,000 yards if he can stay healthy. This is one kid teams should fear. We are expecting big things from him, and he is exciting to watch.”

Reitz, who has been a bulldozer type back in the past, wants to change his style.

“I’m a contact runner who likes to lower his shoulder,” Reitz said. “I want to try and make more moves. I have been working on taking some stutter steps and making some jukes to change my game a bit.”

Reitz will play linebacker for the Rough Riders this fall, and he likes the team’s unit.

“We have the people to be a dominant defense,” he said. “There are a lot of starters back. I think we will have a very good year defensively.”

Reitz also expects a strong season for senior quarterback Christian Fye, who stepped into the starting role last season.

“He was learning some things last year,” Reitz said. “He has been working hard and has looked very good in the 7-on-7s. He is a good leader, and we all have been playing together for a while.”

When Reitz isn’t working out for football, he is spending more time in the weight room. Since he began in flag football, he has played the same positions. Taking the cue from his head coach, Reitz has his sights on rushing for over 1,000 yards

Reitz believes this will be a memorable run ahead.

“Since Coach Brett has been here, we have worked to build from the previous season,” said Reitz. “We definitely believe we can go deep into the playoffs. We know we can win a league championship and go from there.”