Many students and athletes believed entering the new league would damage Stroudsburg High School’s chances of winning as many titles as they had in the past.

“Nazareth is going to kill Stroudsburg in football” said Josh Lowe, a graduate and former football player at East Stroudsburg North. The football team’s opening games was played against Nazareth. The Mounties won 20 -14.”Success isnai??i??t given itai??i??s earned.”

The Eastern Pennsylvania Conference (EPC) is the new super conference that hosts 18 school districts, now home to the former Mountain valley conference and Lehigh valley conference schools. The EPC is divided into one or two or three divisions, depending on the number of games the PIAA require them to play. The only thing different about each division is that two teams from the former Lehigh valley conference enter the Mountain division for an even nine teams on each side. This year Bethlehem Catholic Area School District and Nazareth Area School District enter the mountain division.

In the previous Mountain Valley Conference there were seven school districts that competed in the regular season. This was already considered a fairly small conference and the loss of Leighton into the Colonial league prompted a revision of the Mountain Valley Conference.

The Lehigh and Mountain Valley Conference were to combine to form the new conference and be named the Eastern Pennsylvania Conference.

Stroudsburg has acquired an 80% win rate across the board for all fall sports and have won four out of nine Eastern Pennsylvania Conference title awards.

Boys cross country finished seventh overall in the district with a 10-5 and our girls cross country team finished their season 13-2 placing fourth out of 18 conference teams. Field hockey had a phenomenal season with an 18-0 record in the regular season and placed 1st overall, winning an EPC title award .

“Training and practice hasnai??i??t really changed in many ways since last year except for the fact that we train for each team and their strengths and what we lacked in the previous game,” said sophomore Lizzie Cunningham, a member on the field hockey team.

Our football team battled their way to a 10-0 record which makes this the first undefeated regular season in Stroudsburg history since 1985, and a 10-1 record in the entire EPC.

“I didnai??i??t have much concern coming into this fall season for fall sports. In terms of competition, because Stroudsburg generally does well even with stronger competition,” said Mr. Skip Cassady, director of the Marching Band.

The boys soccer team also won one of the four titles and held a 10-5-1 record in the season.

“Our team defended pretty well amongst the new EPC pool, and it was nice to face more of competition to prepare us for playoffs” said senior Oliver Maloney, a varsity soccer player.

Stroudsburg faithfuls had reserves of confidence in our athletic program upon entering the new league as well.

“Success isnai??i??t given itai??i??s earned on the field,” said senior Aspen Gaita. “Thatai??i??s why our team is doing great this year.”