The top passer, the three top rushers and the top three receivers from the 2025 Eastern Pennsylvania Conference football season may have graduated, but there’s still plenty of talented players remaining on EPC rosters at the start of the 2026 season.
Here’s a look at 15 players to watch in the coming season:
Axel Burkart, QB, Bethlehem Catholic
Bethlehem Catholic’s Axel Burkart on Friday, Aug. 14, 2026, during Bethlehem Catholic high school football practice in Bethlehem (Jonathan Broady/Special to The Morning Call)
The 6-foot-4 senior and New Hampshire commit got a lot of snaps last season when Cayden Vassa went out with an injury and delivered 1,475 yards and 12 touchdowns passing and added 287 yards and eight TDs on the ground.
Zyaire Davis, WR, Liberty
Liberty’s Zyaire Davis runs the ball down the field Saturday, Oct. 25, 2025, against Freedom at Bethlehem Area School District Stadium. (Amy Shortell/The Morning Call)
While record-breaking receiver Jake Pukszyn has graduated and moved on to Lehigh, the Hurricanes passing game is in good hands with Davis, a senior who caught 50 passes for 1,0815 touchdowns last season.
Derwyn Deris, WR/DB, Dieruff
Deris, a multi-talented senior, is coming off an injury, but if healthy he could be one of the league’s top playmakers. He caught 29 passes for 249 yards last season and added plenty of return yards. On defense, he made 45 tackles, had an interception and recovered two fumbles.
Tanner Dogmanits, QB, Whitehall
Whitehall’s quarterback Tanner Dogmanits poises for a picture Tuesday, Aug. 11, 2026, the second day of practice for the 2026 high school football season, in Whitehall. (Jonathan Broady/Special to The Morning Call)
Dogmanits made big strides last year as a junior in his second season at QB. He threw for 2,293 yards, second most in the league behind only Liberty’s Antonio Fontanez, and 24 touchdowns. He was intercepted just five times on 223 attempts.
Tahir Edmondson, WR/DB, Allentown Central Catholic
Tahir Edmondson on Tuesday, Aug. 11, 2026, during Allentown Central Catholic football practice in Allentown. (April Gamiz/The Morning Call)
Edmondson, a junior, earned all-state honors last year as a returner where he had 923 yards and a pair of touchdowns, while also making big plays from both sides of the line of scrimmage. He had 36 receptions for 588 yards and seven TDs on offense and 49 tackles and three interceptions on defense.
Te’Shon Gaynair, TE/DE, Allen
TeShon Gaynair runs drills Wednesday, Aug. 12, 2026, during Allen’s football practice in Allentown. (April Gamiz/The Morning Call)
The 6-foot-1, 220-pound Gaynair may be used a lot at linebacker this season to put him in position to make more plays for the Canaries defense. Last year, he had 37 tackles, including seven sacks on defense and 23 passes for 336 yards and three TDs.
Lashawn Johnson, RB, Freedom
Jane Therese/Special to The Morning Call
Freedom’s Lashawn Johnson runs for yardage against Nazareth in a battle of two of the EPCs top teams Friday, Sept. 12, 2025, at Liberty High School in Bethlehem. (Jane Therese/Special to The Morning Call)
Johnson was on his way to a 1,000-yard rushing season as a junior when he suffered a major injury in Week 9. He still finished with 822 yards on 122 carries and scored nine touchdowns. He has worked hard to get back on the field and figures to play a key role again for the Patriots offense.
Chase Kessler, RB, Northampton
Northampton’s Chase Kessler runs the ball against Catasauqua on Thursday, Nov. 27, 2025, at Catasauqua Alumni Field in Catasauqua. The contest marked the 100th anniversary of the first Thanksgiving game between the two schools and the 102nd game overall (they played twice in the first two years). (Jonathan Broady/Special to The Morning Call)
Kessler had a blockbuster sophomore season when he rushed for 1,501 yards — fourth best in the league — and scored 15 touchdowns. With a new quarterback taking snaps for the Konkrete Kids this year after the graduation of Gavin Taff, Kessler may play an even more significant role in 2026.
TJ Lawrence, RB/LB, Parkland
Jonathan Broady/Special to The Morning Call
Parkland’s TJ Lawrence runs the ball down the field on Thursday, Oct. 16 2025, against Whitehall at Whitehall High School. (Jonathan Broady/Special to The Morning Call)
The speedy and powerful Lawrence, who has committed to Villanova, has recovered fully from the injury that took him out of the District 11 6A final against Easton last November. He rushed for 1,127 yards and 26 touchdowns and also caught 16 passes for 237 yards. On defense, he made 60 tackles.
Cooper Madson, QB, Nazareth
Nazareth’s Cooper Madson throws the ball,Tuesday, Aug. 18, 2026, during Nazareth High School football practice in Nazareth. (Jonathan Broady/Special to The Morning Call)
Madson got rushed into duty last year as a sophomore after Peyton Falzone suffered a season-ending injury in the first half of the fourth game of the season. He played well 1,523 yards passing and 13 touchdowns and was intercepted just three times in 176 attempts
Sean McPeek, WR/DB, Easton
Easton’s Sean McPeek, shown here in a file photo, is The Morning Call’s co-player of the year along with Parkland’s Drew Shaffer. (Jonathan Broady/Special to The Morning Call)
The 6-foot-4, 200-pound McPeek was an EPC MVP and USA lacrosse All-American last spring and is headed to Lafayette to play that sport but will be a playmaker on both sides of the ball for the Red Rovers. He had 52 tackles and made six interceptions on defense last year as a junior, returning four for touchdowns. He also had six TD receptions, including a 50-yarder against La Salle in the state playoffs.
Jack Mitchell QB, Stroudsburg
Mitchell set the school’s single-season record last season as a junior with 1,567 yards in the air with 16 touchdowns. He also has 2,983 yards passing in his career, another school record. Combined with Keyen Johnson, who ran for 1,421 yards and 13 TDs last fall, the Mounties’ have a potent 1-2 offensive punch.
Ceejay Serfass, QB, Pocono Mt. East
Pocono Mountain East quarterback Ceejay Serfass (left) and Cardinals coach Dustin Thomas pose with the Old Oaken Bucket trophy after East defeated Pleasant Valley 28-0 on Oct. 10. (Contributed photo / Pocono Mountain East)
Serfass threw for a school record 2,146 yards and 22 TD last year as a junior in leading the Cardinals to an 8-4 season and the District 11 5A title game.
Christian Stiehler, RB/LB, Pocono Mt. West
(Sean McKeag/The Times-Tribune)
Pocono Mountain West’s Christian Stiehler, 24, approaches Scranton’s Tony Battaglia at Veterans Memorial Stadium in Scranton Friday, Aug. 22, 2025. (Sean McKeag/Times-Tribune)
The 6-foot-3, 240-pound Stiehler is a three-sport athlete coming off a big sophomore season. Despite an injury cutting his season short, Stiehler ran for 1,147 yards and 16 TDs last year. He also had 105 tackles, including 26 in one game.
Carter Vassa, WR/DB, Bethlehem Catholic
Bethlehem Catholic’s Carter Vassa on Friday, Aug. 14, 2026, during Bethlehem Catholic high school football practice in Bethlehem (Jonathan Broady/Special to The Morning Call)
The Towson commit had 53 catches for 880 yards and nine touchdowns despite missing several games due to injury. He will work well with Burkart after the two hooked up for seven TDs last season, including four that covered 49 yards or more. He had an 87-yard reception against Nazareth.