The captains of the Southern Lehigh High School football team didn’t automatically turn into effective leaders when they became seniors.

The Spartans had to grow into their roles.

“I don’t know if they were the same kind of captains in heat [acclimatization] and Week 1 and Week 5 as they are now,” Southern Lehigh head coach Phil Sams said. “They’ve gotten better; they had to learn how to lead. I think a couple of them didn’t really know how to lead right away. Now, here we are in Week 16 and they understand.”

No one can question the guidance the Spartans have received as they sit one win away from the program’s first state championship.

Southern Lehigh (14-1) will meet District 3 champion Twin Valley (14-0) in the PIAA Class 4A final 7 p.m. Thursday at Cumberland Valley High School

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