Helps Redbirds remain unbeaten
By Justin Feil, The Packet Group
Jake Lewis has been an impact player on defense all of his career in the Allentown High School football program.
In the offseason, he took steps to become more. He worked with fellow AHS senior and quarterback Nick Palladino, and he has come into this season playing the part of the veteran wide receiver.
”We were out all the time (practicing),” Lewis said. “We were out there in the winter, spring, and also this summer, calling each other up and saying, do you want to run routes?
”I think it’s a really big advantage. We’ve been throwing together so long. Sometimes he’ll give me a look and I know he’s throwing to me.”
Twice on Friday night, Palladino looked Lewis’s way and came up big. Lewis hauled in touchdown passes of 51 and 59 yards from Palladino as the Redbirds had to come back for the first time this season for a 19-7 win over Hopewell Valley in a rain-soaked second half.
”It just hit us at halftime, this is a close game, Hopewell came out really strong, and we have to step it up,” Lewis said. “We made some halftime adjustments, but we feel like we can pass the ball. With the rain, it was a little hard. We try not to make excuses and just go out there and play.”
The Bulldogs led, 7-0, at halftime. It is the first time that Allentown has trailed in its four games. The Redbirds won their first three games by a combined 104-8 score, but Hopewell gave them a significant test.
”The positive is that we responded as a team in the second half,” said AHS head coach Jay Graber after improving to 4-0. “We’re happy with the way we responded. We’re not happy just yet. We have to play a complete game. Last week, against Hamilton, we played a good first half and struggled in second half. This time, we struggled in the fisrt half. We’re looking to put 48 minutes together.”
It helped the Redbirds that they had experience everywhere on the field, and at halftime, the veteran demeanor kept things positive.
”We knew we came out flat,” Lewis said. “In my mind, I was thinking relax, we’re perfectly capable of coming back. My attitude was not panic.”
His second touchdown catch put Allentown ahead in the fourth quarter, and Norman Williams padded the lead with a 64-yard touchdown run. He finished with 199 yards rushing on 26 carries.
”Norman had 95 yards in the first half,” Graber said. “I thought we moved the ball well in the first half, but we struggled in the red zone. That was a testament to Hopewell playing good defense. We had a penalty and got stuffed. We were in the red zone three times and just couldn’t convert. We talked about it at halftime. We challenged our team.”
Palladino’s perfect strikes helped him finish 10-for-15 for 182 yards and the two scores. He’s been making it look easy for his receiving corps.
”They were just post patterns that I just went on,” Lewis said. “Nick hit me on both of them. They were both right in my hands. He’s becoming a really good quarterback.”
Palladino has been playing the way the Redbirds expected of their senior signal-caller.
”He’s playing well right now,” Graber said. “He had one turnover that was a pass that bounced off a receiver, and he’s playing extremely smart and taking what the defense is giving him. He’s playing great right now.”
It’s helped that Lewis has developed into a go-to receiver. His 120-yard receiving game upped his season total to 13 catches for 344 yards and four touchdowns. It’s his first season playing receiver, and he’s starting at strong safety for the second straight year. He was a back-up running back on the freshman team, and didn’t play any offense the last two seasons, but had no doubts that he could help on offense.
”Basically it started this offseason,” Lewis said. “I said, someone has to step up and be a receiver, so why not me?”
That initiative showed how much Lewis wanted to help the team. He took it on himself to help the Redbirds offense.
”He’s played offense his entire life,” Graber said. “It’s not anything new to him. Last year, he played strong safety for us. He’s played offense his entire time playing football. The other thing is, he knew that our team needed him to step up and play receiver for us. That’s what he did.
”You never hear a word out of him. He doesn’t complain at all. We told him this was something that would help our team and he does it.”
Lewis didn’t wait for the Redbirds to come to him. He just wanted to help the team any way he could.
”They never really formally came to me and said I’d play receiver,” Lewis said. “I knew we had a big senior receiver leaving. I thought, I can catch the ball.”
Lewis’s transformation into a productive receiver has made the Allentown offense that much more dangerous. The Redbirds are thrilled with what he has brought to the other side of the ball.
”He’s an excellent player,” Graber said. “He was very good for us last year. He only played strong safety for us last year. We put him out at receiver for us this year and he’s playing very well.”
Lewis has played so well that Allentown has to consider whether it missed an opportunity by not playing him on offense last year.
”We had good players on offense last year,” Graber explained. “Jake has done a really good job of playing receiver. He’s embraced the role and done a good job so far.”
Lewis, who plays golf for AHS in the spring, continues to play solidly on defense as well. He’s comfortable in his role and with what the Redbirds are trying to do after starting all of last year as well.
”The game just slows down for you,” Lewis said. “All the calls, they’re all familiar. I’ve been doing them all last year. It’s really helpful having a year under your belt.”
It was the defense that was just as critical in the second half of the win over Hopewell as the improvements on offense.
”Defense, it kept us in the game this game,” Lewis said. “No matter how bad our offense is, if defense doesn’t let up any points, we’re going to be in the game. It’s really nice having a good defense.”
The defense will be tested again when Allentown hosts Trenton 6 p.m. Friday night. Last year, Trenton won the matchup.
”They’re a good team,” Lewis said. “They’re a good physical tough game. They have talented skill players. We have to step it up on defense. They have a good receiver and good running back.”
Lewis will turn his focus to stopping them from his strong safety spot, and when the Redbirds get the ball back, he will be one of their prime targets. It’s a bigger impact than he may have expected to make, but it’s all in the name of helping Allentown football enjoy its best year yet.
”We knew we had a lot of kids coming back,” Lewis said. “We were all really excited and we expected to have a good season.
”I’m having a lot of fun,” he added. “It’s really what we expected with all the guys coming back.”

