Jake Kober thought his senior year in football and basketball would be different.

Kober played a minor role on the Roughies' legendary run during the football season last year and he also was instrumental in helping the basketball program reach the district final game last spring.

This season, Kober knew the landscape would be different on the football field as the Roughies lost a horde of starters. As a result, Kober realized he would need to play a pivotal role. Overall, Kober and his teammates struggled through a rebuilding year that resulted in three wins.

Over the past two months, Kober and his basketball mates have failed to live up to expectations, one that expected them to be in the middle of the Colonial League pack and having a return to the district playoffs as a distinct possibility.

Entering Tuesday night's play against Northern Lehigh, the Roughies had an overall 1-9 record and needed to win 10 of their 12 remaining games to net a playoff berth.

"This is not how I thought things would work," said Kober. "We had a very good team last year and I thought it would carry over. We played well during the summer and we had a good beginning of the season."

The Roughies did lose their first five games of the season before they broke the snide with a win over Pen Argyl on Dec. 18.

Since then, the Roughies have lost five straight.

"It's frustrating," noted Kober. "We have some good players here. We just haven't been getting the job done for whatever reason. We still think we can make districts, but we can't keep falling behind.

"We're also giving up too many points on defense. When you give up an average of 50 points or more, you won't win too many games. We just have to get everything together."

Kober, who normally has played in the backcourt with some front court time, has spent the majority of his time being under the boards.

"It is different," said Kober. "Playing down low, it is a matter of battling and getting position. The players there are stronger and I have to work to get position. It has been a challenge, but I have enjoyed it.

"It has really given me a different perspective of the game."

Head coach Eric Snyder has been impressed with his sense of determination.

"He works very hard and will do anything we ask of him," said Snyder. "He is a gritty, tough player and has battled playing up front. We expect him to have a good finish."

Kober is looking forward to baseball season, where he will have one of the team's outfield spots.

"We should have a pretty good team back," said Kober in reference to the baseball season. "When we have been having problems in football and basketball, I am looking forward to baseball. It has just been tough not winning."

After Catasauqua, Kober plans to play college football and has been looking at Juniata, Moravian and Muhlenberg among some other schools. He plans to study sports medicine to lead to a career in athletic training and/or physical therapy.

Kober has begun to understand that this is his final season.

"When I walked off the field on Thanksgiving Day, it hit me that was my last time on a football field," recalled Kober. "Now I know every game is important to me. I want to end basketball on a good note and then head to baseball."