Spartan Football by Decade (2000s)
- nssite8
- Nov 22, 2024
- 5 min read
Updated: 4 days ago
The 2000s were a decade of rebuilding and resurgence for North Schuylkill Spartan Football, culminating in a return to championship form by the end of the decade. Early years were marked by struggles, including winless seasons in 2002, 2003, and 2007, as the program faced significant challenges under multiple coaches.
By 2008, under Coach Rick Geist, the Spartans rebounded with a strong 7-4 season, highlighted by a thrilling one-point victory over Panther Valley and a playoff berth in the District XI Class AA Semifinal Game. However, the team fell short against Palmerton in a closely contested match.
The decade peaked in 2009 when the Spartans had an incredible 13-1 record, securing the Anthracite League Championship and the District XI Class AA Championship. The team triumphed over Panther Valley in a dramatic triple-overtime semifinal and defeated Northern Lehigh in the championship game. Their playoff run ended in the PIAA Class AA Playoff Game with a narrow loss to West Catholic.
The 2000s showcased the resilience of the Spartans, who rebuilt their program and closed the decade as champions, setting a strong foundation for future success.
2000 VARSITY FOOTBALL SCHEDULE
Date | Team | Location | Spartan Score | Opponent Score | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Sept. 1 | Archbishop Carroll | Home | 12 | 38 | Loss |
Sept. 8 | Spring Grove Area | Away | 6 | 9 | Loss |
Sept. 15 | Allentown Dieruff | Away | 27 | 14 | Win |
Sept. 22 | Blue Mountain | Away | 0 | 48 | Loss |
Sept. 29 | Allentown Allen | Home | 18 | 10 | Win |
Oct. 6 | Tamaqua Arae | Home | 21 | 20 | Win (3OT) |
Oct. 13 | Mount Carmel Area | Away | 13 | 28 | Loss |
Oct. 20 | Marian Catholic | Home | 14 | 35 | Loss |
Oct. 27 | Shamokin Area | Home | 14 | 32 | Win |
Nov. 3 | Pottsville Area | Away | 6 | 34 | Loss |
RECORD: Won 4, Lost 6, Overall.
COACH: Robert Chesney
2001 VARSITY FOOTBALL SCHEDULE
Date | Team | Location | Spartan Score | Opponent Score | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Sept. 1 | Archbishop Carroll | Away | 6 | 40 | Loss |
Sept. 7 | Cocalico | Home | 22 | 21 | Win |
Sept. 14 | Allentown Dieruff | Home | 34 | 20 | Win |
Sept. 21 | Blue Mountain | Home | 6 | 22 | Loss |
Sept. 29 | Allentown Allen | Away | 7 | 10 | Loss |
Oct. 5 | Tamaqua Arae | Away | 9 | 14 | Loss |
Oct. 12 | Mount Carmel Area | Home | 0 | 27 | Loss |
Oct. 19 | Marian Catholic | Away | 13 | 21 | Loss |
Oct. 26 | Shamokin Area | Away | 20 | 0 | Win |
Nov. 2 | Pottsville Area | Home | 12 | 34 | Loss |
RECORD: Won 3, Lost 7, Overall.
COACH: Robert Chesney
2002 VARSITY FOOTBALL SCHEDULE
Date | Team | Location | Spartan Score | Opponent Score | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Aug. 30 | Pottsville Area | Away | 7 | 45 | Loss |
Sept. 6 | Minersville Area | Away | 6 | 27 | Loss |
Sept. 13 | Lehighton Area | Away | 14 | 31 | Loss |
Sept. 20 | Blue Mountain | Away | 12 | 49 | Loss |
Sept. 29 | Marian Catholic | Home | 7 | 42 | Loss |
Oct. 4 | Tamaqua Area | Home | 7 | 34 | Loss |
Oct. 11 | Mount Carmel Area | Away | 6 | 40 | Loss |
Oct. 18 | Pius X | Home | 6 | 27 | Loss |
Oct. 25 | Shamokin Area | Home | 8 | 27 | Loss |
Nov. 1 | East Stroudsburg North | Away | 6 | 13 | Loss |
RECORD: Won 0, Lost 10, Overall.
COACH: Jeff Polinsky
2003 VARSITY FOOTBALL SCHEDULE
Date | Team | Location | Spartan Score | Opponent Score | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Aug. 29 | Shenandoah Valley | Away | 6 | 13 | Loss |
Sept. 5 | Minersville Area | Home | 7 | 14 | Loss |
Sept. 12 | Lehighton Area | Away | 21 | 35 | Loss |
Sept. 19 | Blue Mountain | Home | 0 | 22 | Loss |
Sept. 26 | Marian Catholic | Away | 6 | 34 | Loss |
Oct. 3 | Tamaqua Area | Away | 6 | 19 | Loss |
Oct. 10 | Mount Carmel Area | Home | 0 | 34 | Loss |
Oct. 18 | Pius X | Away | 20 | 21 | Loss |
Oct. 24 | Shamokin Area | Home | 0 | 37 | Loss |
Oct. 31 | Pottsville Area | Home | 7 | 31 | Loss |
RECORD: Won 0, Lost 10, Overall.
COACH: Jeff Polinsky
2004 VARSITY FOOTBALL SCHEDULE
Date | Team | Location | Spartan Score | Opponent Score | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Sept. 3 | Shenandoah Valley | Home | 0 | 12 | Loss |
Sept. 10 | Minersville Area | Away | 21 | 35 | Loss |
Sept. 19 | Lehighton Area | Home | 14 | 17 | Loss |
Sept. 24 | Schuylkill Haven Area | Away | 3 | 21 | Loss |
Sept. 1 | Marian Catholic | Home | 3 | 6 | Loss |
Oct. 8 | Tamaqua Area | Home | 9 | 0 | Win |
Oct. 15 | Mount Carmel Area | Away | 0 | 33 | Loss |
Oct. 22 | Southern Columbia | Home | 0 | 40 | Loss |
Oct. 29 | Shamokin Area | Away | 6 | 45 | Loss |
Nov. 5 | Pottsville Area | Away | 0 | 48 | Loss |
RECORD: Won 1, Lost 9, Overall.
COACH: Joe Ruth
2005 VARSITY FOOTBALL SCHEDULE
Date | Team | Location | Spartan Score | Opponent Score | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Sept. 3 | Shenandoah Valley | Away | 6 | 24 | Loss |
Sept. 10 | Minersville Area | Home | 6 | 7 | Loss |
Sept. 19 | Lehighton Area | Away | 0 | 26 | Loss |
Sept. 24 | Schuylkill Haven Area | Home | 8 | 42 | Loss |
Sept. 1 | Marian Catholic | Away | 8 | 20 | Loss |
Oct. 8 | Tamaqua Area | Away | 19 | 18 | Win |
Oct. 15 | Mount Carmel Area | Home | 6 | 26 | Loss |
Oct. 22 | Southern Columbia | Away | 13 | 48 | Loss |
Oct. 29 | Panther Valley | Home | 52 | 24 | Win |
Nov. 5 | Pottsville Area | Home | 7 | 41 | Loss |
RECORD: Won 2, Lost 8, Overall.
COACH: Joe Ruth
2006 VARSITY FOOTBALL SCHEDULE
Date | Team | Location | Spartan Score | Opponent Score | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Sept. 1 | Shenandoah Valley | Home | 13 | 33 | Loss |
Sept. 8 | Minersville Area | Away | 7 | 13 | Loss |
Sept. 15 | Jim Thorpe Area | Home | 6 | 50 | Loss |
Sept. 22 | Schuylkill Haven Area | Away | 6 | 35 | Loss |
Sept. 29 | Marian Catholic | Home | 14 | 42 | Loss |
Oct. 6 | Tamaqua Area | Home | 7 | 21 | Loss |
Oct. 13 | Mount Carmel Area | Away | 27 | 47 | Loss |
Oct. 20 | Mahanoy Area | Away | 21 | 14 | Win |
Oct. 27 | Panther Valley | Away | 49 | 41 | Win |
Nov. 4 | Springfield Township | Home | 14 | 6 | Win |
RECORD: Won 3, Lost 7, Overall.
COACH: Rick Geist
2007 VARSITY FOOTBALL SCHEDULE
Date | Team | Location | Spartan Score | Opponent Score | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Aug. 31 | Shenandoah Valley | Away | 0 | 33 | Loss |
Sept. 7 | Minersville Area | Home | 5 | 21 | Loss |
Sept. 14 | Jim Thorpe Area | Away | 7 | 35 | Loss |
Sept. 21 | Schuylkill Haven Area | Home | 7 | 27 | Loss |
Sept. 28 | Marian Catholic | Away | 6 | 42 | Loss |
Oct. 6 | Tamaqua Area | Away | 6 | 42 | Loss |
Oct. 12 | Mount Carmel Area | Home | 13 | 42 | Loss |
Oct. 20 | Mahanoy Area | Home | 14 | 34 | Loss |
Oct. 29 | Panther Valley | Home | 27 | 29 | Loss |
Nov. 3 | Springfield Township | Away | 28 | 52 | Loss |
RECORD: Won 0, Lost 10, Overall.
COACH: Rick Geist
2008 VARSITY FOOTBALL SCHEDULE
Date | Team | Location | Spartan Score | Opponent Score | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Aug. 4 | Shenandoah Valley | Home | 19 | 6 | Win |
Sept. 5 | Minersville Area | Away | 27 | 14 | Win |
Sept. 12 | Jim Thorpe Area | Home | 28 | 21 | Win |
Sept. 19 | Schuylkill Haven Area | Away | 19 | 54 | Loss |
Sept. 26 | Marian Catholic | Home | 6 | 22 | Loss |
Oct. 3 | Tamaqua Area | Home | 35 | 20 | Win |
Oct. 10 | Bristol Township | Away | 19 | 7 | Win |
Oct. 17 | Mahanoy Area | Away | 40 | 8 | Win |
Oct. 24 | Panther Valley | Away | 40 | 39 | Win |
Oct. 31 | Mount Carmel Area | Home | 21 | 28 | Loss |
Nov. 8 | Palmerton Area ¹ | Away | 21 | 27 | Loss |
RECORD: Won 7, Lost 4, Overall.
COACH: Rick Geist
¹ DISTRICT XI CLASS AA SEMIFINAL GAME
2009 VARSITY FOOTBALL SCHEDULE
DISTRICT XI CLASS AA CHAMPIONS
ANTHRACITE LEAGUE CHAMPIONS
Date | Team | Location | Spartan Score | Opponent Score | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Sept. 4 | Shenandoah Valley | Away | 27 | 0 | Win |
Sept. 12 | Minersville Area | Home | 38 | 7 | Win |
Sept. 18 | Jim Thorpe Area | Away | 38 | 7 | Win |
Sept. 25 | Schuylkill Haven Area | Home | 17 | 7 | Win |
Oct. 2 | Marian Catholic | Home | 37 | 0 | Win |
Oct. 9 | Tamaqua Area | Home | 45 | 14 | Win |
Oct. 16 | Bristol Township | Home | 19 | 0 | Win |
Oct. 23 | Mahanoy Area | Away | 40 | 0 | Win |
Oct. 30 | Panther Valley | Away | 12 | 8 | Win |
Nov. 6 | Mount Carmel Area | Home | 27 | 7 | Win |
Nov. 14 | Pen Argyl Area ¹ | Away | 22 | 8 | Win |
Nov. 21 | Panther Valley ² | Away | 35 | 28 | Win (3OT) |
Nov. 28 | Northern Lehigh ³ | Away | 33 | 26 | Win |
Dec. 5 | West Catholic ⁴ | Away | 14 | 19 | Loss |
RECORD: Won 13, Lost 1, Overall.
COACH: Rick Geist
¹ DISTRICT XI CLASS AA QUARTERFINAL GAME
² DISTRICT XI CLASS AA SEMIFINAL GAME
³ DISTRICT XI CLASS AA CHAMPIONSHIP GAME
⁴ PIAA CLASS AA PLAYOFF GAME
