Even though it is early June, the scent of football already is in the air around Catasauqua.

The Rough Riders are coming off a 7-6 season in which they lost to Executive Education, 32-29, in the District 11 Class 2A final. With a solid returning cast, recent spring workouts couldn’t have come any sooner.

“We had a really good two weeks,” said head coach Travis Brett. “The kids executed well, and we were able to install a lot of things already. We had 36 kids there, and they were there every day.

“There was a very good feeling about it.”

The Roughies did lose quarterback Christian Fye and running back Anthonie Hunsicker in the backfield, but incoming junior Aiden Hess will take over the role at quarterback. Hess did see some time last season.

Hess has continued to make strong impressions. Freshman Aiden Reilly and senior Dylan Pachecho will serve as the backups.

“He has a strong arm, and we saw that last year,” added Brett about Hess. “We like what we see from him, and he has all the tools. We’re anxious to see what he can do in our seven-on-seven camps.”

One of the keys for the Roughies will be keeping senior Hunter Reitz healthy. He was lost for the season last year after the first week, and injured a shoulder during baseball season. Fellow seniors Jyzaiah Bonilla and Chad Beller, and junior Jordan Bradshaw will bolster the backfield. Reitz also missed the majority of the 2021 season.

“Reitz can be a great player on both sides of the ball,” said Brett. “We would like to use him mainly on the offensive side of the ball because he is a bruising runner. We just have to work to keep him healthy.

“Bonilla has a nice year, and we’ll have a package for Beller. Bradshaw should get some reps.”

Brett likes his team’s chances up front with Beller and senior Jacob Ramos, who will likely handle a guard spot and center. Sophomores Braeden Smith and Chris Wellington and juniors Matt Fotta and Eli Voorhees, and senior Miles Melendez all will figure in the mix. Meliendez, who may not be back until closer to the start of the season due to elbow surgery, figures to handle the kicking duties, while Hess is the early choice as the punter.

Senior Ian Juica will be a major threat at wide receiver.

“Ramos will be our center, and he has looked really good,” noted Brett. “We do have a lot of interchangeable parts.”

The Roughies began last season with an 0-3 record, but they rebounded to win five straight before they suffered a late-season loss to Palisades. However, they avenged the loss to the Pirates in a district semifinal when Fye kicked a game winning field goal for a 17-14 victory in the closing seconds.

Catty will travel to Palisades for a Week 9, Oct. 20 matchup this season, and Brett sees a competition building between the two.

“We’re starting to get into a rivalry with them,” he said. “We had the two games that ended the same way for both of us last year, and we have had some battles with them. I have gotten to know their coach well, and we’re looking forward to going there.”

Brett believes his team will have a challenging schedule this season, but the Roughies will have six home games. They have their scrimmage against Pleasant Valley Aug. 19 before opening at home against Northern Lehigh the following week.

“We have Northern Lehigh and Palmerton early, and they will be tough,” he said. “Pen Argyl will be a good team, and we’ll have our work cut out for us.”

The Roughies will begin their first passing camp against Saucon Valley in two weeks, and they also will be in a multi-team passing event at Whitehall.

“We have a good chemistry here,” stressed Brett. “These kids know how last year ended, and they’re hungry.”