Shane Hulmes and Cole Ordway already had enough memories from their high school football careers to last a lifetime.<\/p>\n
Hulmes was a key part of four straight District 11 championship teams at Northwestern Lehigh, three that made it to the state finals and one that won a PIAA title in 2024.<\/p>\n
Ordway was the driving force behind a renaissance of Easton football. As the quarterback, he helped the Red Rovers go from 3-8 in 2023 to a 10-game winning streak and an 11-2 record in 2024.<\/p>\n
Then as a senior last fall, Ordway put up record-breaking numbers and Easton set a school mark by going 13-0 before losing to eventual state champ La Salle College High School in the state quarterfinals. The Rovers then bounced back with a rout of rival Phillipsburg on Thanksgiving to finish 14-1.<\/p>\n
On Sunday, Hulmes and Ordway got one special memory to take with them from their storied scholastic careers.<\/p>\n
Hulmes and Ordway were the big winners at the 66th annual National Football Foundation and College Hall of Fame Lehigh Valley Chapter Scholar-Athlete Dinner at the Northampton Banquet and Event Center.<\/p>\n
Hulmes was the winner of the Edward J. Watto Award as the small school (Class 4A-1A) scholarship honoree.<\/p>\n
Ordway was the recipient of the Albert M. Beneck Award as the large school (5A, 6A) scholarship winner.<\/p>\n
It was the second year in a row that a Northwestern Lehigh player won the small school award as Hulmes followed in the footsteps of 2025 winner Eli Zimmerman. Ordway was Easton\u2019s first honoree since R. Scott Deschaine in 1975.<\/p>\n
In addition, Palmerton\u2019s Logan Anthony, who is already enrolled as a student and part of the football program at Rutgers, was the winner of the Michael \u201cGuut\u201d Gurdineer Award as the most outstanding lineman in the Lehigh Valley.<\/p>\n
In all, 34 area high schools and six local college teams had scholar-athlete representatives honored as the event had the feel of Lehigh Valley football\u2019s \u201cOscars\u201d with more than 300 in attendance.<\/p>\n
East Stroudsburg University coach Jimmy Terwilliger was the keynote speaker and did an outstanding job as a pinch-hitter for former Lehigh coach Kevin Cahill who was supposed to speak. Cahill took over at Yale last week and couldn\u2019t attend.<\/p>\n
Shane Hulmes<\/p>\n
The Bucknell commit was listed in the event\u2019s program as a 6-foot-3, 213-pound tight end\/linebacker who ranked in the top 6% of his class with a GPA of 4.0 or higher.<\/p>\n
He is a member of the National Honor Society, a team captain and was a three-time first-team all-state selection on defense and a four-time all-league choice on both sides of the ball. He was chosen as the Colonial League\u2019s defensive player of the year last year.<\/p>\n
\u201cThis is a huge honor and a prestigious award,\u201d Hulmes said. \u201cThere are a lot of great student-athletes here, so I am honored to accept this award.\u201d<\/p>\n
Northwestern Lehigh\u2019s seniors went 57-5 over their football careers, 46-2 over the last three years. Hulmes was there for it all.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt was a really cool run we had and it started with the coaches and the players. Once we made it to that first state championship game, we saw the kind of impact it made on the community,\u201d Hulmes said. \u201cIt was a really special thing. And then we made it back the last couple of years \u2014 a really special experience that I will cherish forever. It was an awesome time.\u201d<\/p>\n
Hulmes said that seeing all of the scholar-athletes at the banquet reinforced the idea that \u201cif you work hard in the classroom and work hard on the field, the results will show and you will be rewarded. I\u2019m a Tiger for life, but I am excited for the next chapter.\u201d<\/p>\n
Cole Ordway<\/p>\n
Ordway is listed at 6-foot and 180 pounds and also has a 4.0 GPA and ranks in the top 6% of his class. A member of the National Honor Society, student council, Future Educators of America and the Key Club, Ordway earned all-state and all-league accolades and was chosen offensive player of the year by several entities in addition to being a Mini-Max winner from the Maxwell Club.<\/p>\n
After compiling more than 2,500 yards in total offense and 20 touchdowns as a junior, his senior season was even better. He threw for 1,402 yards and 17 touchdowns and rushed for 1,977 yards and 36 touchdowns while setting a dozen records for the Red Rovers.<\/p>\n
\u201cI definitely was a little surprised and then nervous that I had to give a little speech,\u201d Ordway said. \u201cI wasn\u2019t ready for that. But it\u2019s definitely a great feeling and honor.\u201d<\/p>\n
Ordway said that he had many highlights to choose from when looking back, but said, \u201cTo be able to play with all of the guys I grew up with was just special. And then being so successful as a team is something we\u2019ll always hold on to.\u201d<\/p>\n
He said that the top highlight was beating Parkland for the district championship and added it was extra special \u201cbecause a lot of people didn\u2019t pick us to win.\u201d<\/p>\n
Growing up in a sports-oriented community like Easton, Ordway said, \u201cGrowing up here and being raised here, I always dreamed of playing here. To be able to do it is something very special.\u201d<\/p>\n
Easton coach Matt Senneca said Ordway was special.<\/p>\n
\u201cThis award is very deserving of a student who has worked very hard for it,\u201d Senneca said. \u201cAll of the accomplishments he had on the field and then you top it off with an award like this makes it even more special. I am definitely going to miss coaching him, that\u2019s for sure. He\u2019s a 4.0 kid with all honors classes and playing and excelling at multiple sports. I never worried about putting too much on his plate. I knew he could handle everything I wanted him to do and I think he\u2019s going to do great at West Chester.\u201d<\/p>\n
Before he becomes a Ram, Ordway will play baseball for Easton this spring. He was an all-league shortstop last season.<\/p>\n
Logan Anthony<\/p>\n
The 6-foo-4, 315-pound Anthony ranked in the top 33% of his class with a GPA of 3.8. He was an all-league and all-state selection as an offensive guard and chosen as the Colonial League\u2019s lineman of the year. He was also a Mini-Max winner chosen by the Maxwell Club.<\/p>\n
He was also active in the school and community with organizations such as SADD, the environmental club, the Leo Club and Avedium and also volunteered with the Bo Tkach Memorial Foundation Turkey Day Trot and the Palmerton Lighting Committee for Christmas trees.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019d like to thank everyone who has helped me along the way and thank everyone who puts this banquet together and gives this award,\u201d Anthony said. \u201cI think linemen should be recognized. They don\u2019t get it all the time. I feel blessed and super thankful that I\u2019m here among my peers.\u201d<\/p>\n
Anthony is already at Rutgers getting acclimated to college football.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019m the first one from Palmerton to go to the Big Ten and I love it there so far,\u201d he said. \u201cThe workouts and the academics are challenging, but I am prepared to get better. But playing at Palmerton meant a lot to me, especially my coaches. [Mike] Falcone was so big in my development and with my workouts and helping me get recruited. And [head] coach Chris Walkowiak reached out to every school for me. I was truly fortunate to have those guys and the faculty and staff with me at Palmerton. I wouldn\u2019t trade my high school for any other.\u201d<\/p>\n
Other honors<\/p>\n
Parkland was saluted for having the highest team GPA among Class 6A schools in the state.<\/p>\n
Bob Novogratz, a former Northampton and Army standout on both the offensive and defensive lines, was recognized for his induction into the NFF College Hall of Fame.<\/p>\n
Novogratz earned the Knute Rockne Award as Lineman of the Year from the Touchdown Club of Washington, D.C. and also was named Lineman of the Year by the Los Angeles Times in 1958. He ended his college career by playing in the East-West Shrine Game.<\/p>\n
Following his graduation from West Point, he was commissioned as a second lieutenant and served for 28 years in the U.S. Army with tours of duty in Vietnam and Korea. He received the Legion of Merit Award and the Vietnamese Honor Medal before retiring as a colonel.<\/p>\n
Also, the new inductees for the NFF Lehigh Valley Chapter Hall of Fame are Jim Pokrivsak, Mark Farnan, Gerry Nicholas, Robert Dougherty, Doug Leonzi, Dave Steckel, Terry Stoudt and the late Kevin Hoffman. The Hall of Fame banquet will be held on May 1 in Northampton.<\/p>\n
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