Coach Bruce Harbach's Schuylkill Valley Panthers had a rough go of it in 2025, which was plagued by injuries, finishing 5-6.
But even then, the back-to-back Lancaster-Lebanon League Section 5 champions managed to punch their ticket to the District 3 playoffs for the fourth consecutive year.
The Panthers fell 35-7 in the quarterfinals at the hands of the eventual Class 3A champions, Trinity, for the second straight year.
"They were a better football team than we were," Harbach said at the Lancaster-Lebanon League media day in early August. "I think our kids learned a lesson that you have to prepare for anybody, whether good, bad, mediocre, or whatever. You have to come out and play a game of football."
It was not the season the Panthers had hoped for after remaining at the top of Section 5 in the previous two seasons, as Harbach has turned the program around since his arrival in 2021.
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But even then, the back-to-back Lancaster-Lebanon League Section 5 champions managed to punch their ticket to the District 3 playoffs for the fourth consecutive year.
The Panthers fell 35-7 in the quarterfinals at the hands of the eventual Class 3A champions, Trinity, for the second straight year.
"They were a better football team than we were," Harbach said at the Lancaster-Lebanon League media day in early August. "I think our kids learned a lesson that you have to prepare for anybody, whether good, bad, mediocre, or whatever. You have to come out and play a game of football."
It was not the season the Panthers had hoped for after remaining at the top of Section 5 in the previous two seasons, as Harbach has turned the program around since his arrival in 2021.
#section
18 days ago
