Everett Luisi understands there are plenty of crucial games left in his team’s football season this year.

The Northampton senior running back/strong safety also believes he is playing his best football. Luisi had 18 yards rushing and had three tackles in his team’s latest victory over Pocono Mountain East. He is among a bevy of running backs for the Konkrete Kids.

“I think my season has been an overall success,” he stated. “I did have some bumps in the road that I had to work on, but the coaches stuck with me.

“I’m starting to play the best football that I have played yet.”

His team has followed suit.

The Kids (8-0) will host Dieruff (2-5) Friday with a chance to officially wrap up the East Penn Conference North title for the second time in three years. They also can firmly maintain their second spot behind Parkland in the District 11 Class 6A bracket.

“This game is a big one, and this would clinch the North for us,” stressed Luisi. “We want to keep our undefeated streak going.

“We have seen the film on Dieruff, and they are not the same team they were from the beginning of the season. They have come a long way, so we have to respond with high intensity and minimize our own mistakes on our side of the ball. But I have no doubt in my mind that we will come out with a win.”

Kids’ head coach John Toman also realizes his undefeated team can’t take the Huskies for granted. Dieruff has won two straight after a 0-5 start.

“Dieruff is an improved team with plenty of talent and speed,” he noted. “If not for a cancellation for COVID, they would probably be on a three-game winning streak.

“Defensively, they throw multiple fronts at you and bring plenty of pressure. Offensively, they show more formations than any other team we have faced.”

PREDICTION: Life for the Huskies has turned for the better lately with a 33-14 win over Stroudsburg and a 47-16 triumph over East Stroudsburg North. In their previous five games, they were outscored 188-34 ... Senior quarterback Jovan Rodriguez and senior running back Christopher Sell has been a weapon out of the backfield and in the open flat ... The Kids already have clinched a district berth ... The last time Northampton had eight wins in a season was in 2018 when former head coach Kyle Haas guided them to an 8-4 season that ended in a district loss to Easton ... Before that, the Kids’ 2005 team has eight wins under the late Teko Johnson ... Northampton last won 10 games in 2008 under Bob Steckel when they finished 10-3 with two playoff wins ... This will be the Kids final home game before they scoot across to Whitehall to end the regular season ... Dieruff will make it competitive in the first half ... Which place has the best pizza in Northampton? Coaches Toman and Ronalds will owe me one ... K-KIDS, 49-14.