In life, some people you don’t forget.

One of those was Bob Stem, the late Bethlehem Catholic football coach, who departed the Lehigh Valley football community in 2023 at the age of 84.

When I was working for the A.D. (Allentown Diocese) Times, our paths would cross during the season, and notably more during the postseason.

That’s where Stem always left his mark.

He posted an overall 173-53-3 record at Becahi, and he brought them state titles in 1988 and 1990. In the process, he also captured eight district titles.

Like every good coach, Stem’s teams reflected his personality.

They were tough, disciplined, smart and honest, the latter meaning you always knew what was coming. It was old-fashioned, grind-it-out-football.

Through it all, Stem always kept it brutally honest, win or lose. Whatever the outcome, Stem usually kept his sense of humor through his frankness.

One line, a classic sports line, from him that always stays with me in a loss about his team was, “Well, most days, you can’t make chicken salad out of chicken [bleep].”

It was just the way Stem said it in the moment.

Stem had his enemies, mainly at Becahi, due to the whispers of recruiting, but he also had just as many admirers for his deeds for numerous people along his life path.

His 1990 Becahi state title will always be in my memory for the season he guided.

The Golden Hawks finished 9-2 during the regular season, dropping only losses to Easton and Catholic rival Allentown Central. Becahi routed Whitehall, 34-9, in the district final.

A much anticipated matchup in the Eastern final was with perennial power Berwick and legendary coach George Curry. In Stem style, Becahi pounded out a 7-3 victory,

That proved to be the catalyst for the Golden Hawks, as they had little trouble with Seton-LaSalle in the state championship game, rolling to a convincing 43-7 victory.

In 14 games, Becahi averaged 29.2 points per game, and they held nine of their opponents to single digits.

Running back Erik Marsh was the hub of their offense, as he rushed for a career 4,433 yards over four seasons, and ironically, Marsh nearly matched and surpassed that mark with 4,834 yards at Lafayette College. With that mark, Marsh became the program’s all-time leading rusher - still to this day - and he also holds the Leopards’ mark for a single-season total (1,441).

Marsh was a major story behind the Golden Hawks’ success, and there were plenty of smaller ones that added to the whole.

This year will mark 27 years since Becahi last won a state title.

It was a magical 1990 season led by a magical coach.

Stem was one you never forget.

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