Gary Blockus
Pennsylvania
Writer, past Executive Director, LVYSL, In School Suspension Paraprofessional, Sports Writer, music critic, Opinions are all my own
Is this you? As a journalist, you can create a free Muck Rack account to customize your profile, list your contact preferences, and upload a portfolio of your best work.
Claim your profile
Articles by Gary Blockus
Lehigh Valley looks to regroup in Charlotte
Winter is coming, and the Phantoms need to get hot in a hurry. Things have been up-and-down for the team lately, mostly down, with just two wins over the last eight games. Cooper Marody was in pain as he discussed the situation, figuratively and literally.
Lehigh wrestlers have big week ahead, including a visit to the No. 1 team in the nation
Nathan Taylor knows he has his work cut out for him over the next week. Taylor, a Lehigh University sophomore heavyweight from wrestling powerhouse Brookville High School, is a returning NCAA qualifier for the Mountain Hawks and is ranked No. 11 in the country by various polls. That won’t mean much, however, when Lehigh travels to Rec Hall on Sunday to take on top-ranked Penn State in the 111th meeting between their squads since Lehigh’s most-wrestled rivalry began in 1911.
Lehigh Valley serves up four straight wins
Sometimes you just have to be thankful. Like the Lehigh Valley Phantoms over the last four games. On Tuesday night, the Phantoms edged the Toronto Marlies 2-1 to cap a three-game road trip in Canada, a sweep of Laval, Belleville and the Marlies, the first time the Phantoms have swept a Canada road trip since Nov. 30-Dec. 2, 2018, when they did it against the same three teams.
District 11 football: Whitehall’s defense helps Zephyrs get past Southern Lehigh for 5A title
Whitehall’s Jack Kocher didn’t make all-conference earlier this week, so he wanted to prove something. Kocher, a senior receiver and defensive back, had a monster game, catching a pair of touchdown passes from Trey Dogmanits before returning an interception for a touchdown in the fourth quarter as Whitehall won its second straight District 11 Class 5A championship over Southern Lehigh, this one by 45-34 score at Catasauqua’s Alumni Field.
Tanner Laczyinski promotes team while hoping for another crack at NHL
Tanner Laczynski may be tied for the lead in scoring among Lehigh Valley Phantoms, but he’s offering so much more to the team that doesn’t register on the scoresheet. Lacyznski, 26, leads the Phantoms with seven assists, and that, plus his one goal, gives him eight points, tied with Olle Lycksell and Samu Tuomaala for the team’s scoring lead. But it’s on the bench, at practice and off the ice that the former four-year player at Ohio State makes such a difference. He is the consummate professional.
Whitehall pulls away from Pocono Mountain West
You can bet there were more than a few nervous people at Zephyr Stadium on Friday night when Pocono Mountain West rallied with a field goal to take a lead in the second quarter against Whitehall. But the ever-resilient Zephyrs, the defending champions and No. 2 seed in the District 11 Class 5A playoffs, showed no sign of panic or breaking.
District 11 3A football: Josh Ludlow’s six touchdowns pace Notre Dame-Green Pond to 56-20 win over Saucon Valley
Josh Ludlow came oh-so-close to a school record on a frigid Thursday night. Ludlow, a 5-foot-9, 160-pounder, is Mr. All-Purpose for Notre Dame-Green Pond and showcased his abilities in the opening round of the District 11 Class 3A football playoffs. Ludlow scored six touchdowns, one shy of the school record, as the No. 4 Crusaders knocked off No. 5 Saucon Valley 56-20 in the final home game of his scholastic career.
Whitehall football edges Northampton in overtime thriller
The late Tom Landry – the revered former coach of the Dallas Cowboys – used to say it’s not what you do in a game, but when you do it. Whitehall proved that on Friday night. It what looked like it could turn into a Northampton blowout in the opening quarter, the resilient Zephyrs fought back again and again. For the third time this season, Whitehall went to overtime and pulled out a win, this one for the Cement Bowl as they edged a tough Northampton team 45-44 in overtime at Al Erdosy Stadium.
Lehigh Valley Phantoms notebook: Black Knight leads the charge
As nice as it would be to have a Stanley Cup champion Las Vegas Golden Knight player on their roster, the Lehigh Valley Phantoms are pleased to have a Black Knight in the lineup. Goalie Parker Gahagen, a 2017 graduate of the U.S. Military Academy West Point, is 2-0 for the Phantoms this season, helping them earn their first win of the season as well as their win on Sunday as the Phantoms completed their first three-in-three by going 2-1 with bookend wins in that series.
Parkland football backs up lofty ranking with dominant win over Bethlehem Catholic
Newsflash. Bethlehem Catholic held Parkland’s Trey Tremba to just 75 yards rushing. In the first half. It didn’t matter. Tremba scored a pair of first half touchdowns, quarterback Luke Spang ran for one, threw for three, and Connor Johns caught two of them in the opening half as undefeated Parkland, the No. 2 Class 6A team in the state, celebrated Homecoming with a 40-3 win in Orefield on Friday night. “I thought Spang did an amazing job of keeping plays alive,” said Bethlehem Catholic coach Ty Ward.
Peyton Falzone makes it right as Nazareth football topples Whitehall
Peyton Falzone doesn’t make mistakes often, and if he does, opponents had better not rejoice. The 6-foot-4 sophomore quarterback for Nazareth turned ferocious in the final quarter, overcoming an interception and a fumbled exchange to run for a pair of touchdowns, spoiling Whitehall’s Homecoming Night and Senior Night with a 41-17 win.
Whitehall wins hard-fought, emotional game over Freedom, 29-28, in OT
Football is an emotional game, and Whitehall harnessed that emotion to come back three times against a stubborn, determined Freedom team for a 29-28 win overtime on Friday night. Carter Troxell scored on a 1-yard run to tie the game at 28 in overtime, and then Andrew Deutsch nailed the PAT to provide the win as the Zephyrs improved to 4-1 on the season, 3-1 in the Eastern Pennsylvania Conference South.
Whitehall football rallies twice to beat Emmaus 21-16
Two straight wins, two different games, but there was no holding Whitehall back on Friday night against Emmaus. The Zephyrs had to rally in the final quarter, coming back twice thanks to solid efforts on both sides of the ball to nip Emmaus 21-16 at Zephyr Stadium.
Whitehall football puts emotion aside, takes care of business in 27-0 win over Easton, former coach
While every other high school fan in the Lehigh Valley was wondering what it would be like for Whitehall to host its former coach just a season removed from the Zephyrs bench, quarterback Trey Dogmanits was not one of them. Nor were the majority of his Whitehall teammates.
Phantoms Zone: Lehigh Valley is proving to be the AHL comeback kids of 2022-23
Fortitude and resilience make for a winning combination, and the Lehigh Valley Phantoms have demonstrated both attributes in the last few months to clinch a playoff spot for the first time since the 2017-018 season when they made it all the way to the Eastern Conference finals. Where last season’s team found difficulties trying to pull out close games and wins in overtime and shootout, this season’s rendition of the Phantoms has thrived.
Phantoms Zone: Playoffs so close Phantoms can almost taste them
WIth eight games left in the regular season, the Phantoms (33-25-3-3) are in fifth place in the Atlantic Division and could clinch a playoff spot after this weekend's three-in-three against all the teams that are chasing them.
Playoffs so close Phantoms can almost taste them
Don’t look now – heck, do look now – because the Lehigh Valley Phantoms are in great position to make the Calder Cup Playoffs this season. WIth eight games left in the regular season, the Phantoms (33-25-3-3) are in fifth place in the Atlantic Division and could clinch a playoff spot after this weekend’s three-in-three against all the teams that are chasing them.
Phantoms Zone: Rookie on the Brink of something big
But during offseason workouts in Philly, Brink tore the labrum in his left hip and underwent surgery that caused him to miss five months this season. The Flyers activated him at t
Phantoms Zone: Rookie on the Brink of something big
Bobby Brink saw his charmed 20221-22 collegiate career end on a high note. Brink, a 5-foot-8, 166-pound forward playing his rookie pro season with the Phantoms, scored 14 goals and 43 assists for 57 points while leading the University of Denver to an NCAA Championship at the Frozen Four. The 34th overall pick in the 2019 NHL Entry Draft, Brink joined the Flyers for the final 10 games of the season and showed flashes of brilliance while recording four assists in limited ice time.
Phantoms Zone: With AHL playoffs in sight, will key Phantoms be in Philly?
Sam Ersson finally took his first NHL loss last weekend and was promptly returned to the Lehigh Valley Phantoms, though the loss had nothing to do with the transaction. He joined the Phantoms on
Phantoms Zone: With AHL playoffs in sight, will key Phantoms be in Philly?
Sam Ersson finally took his first NHL loss last weekend and was promptly returned to the Lehigh Valley Phantoms, though the loss had nothing to do with the transaction. He joined the Phantoms on the road in Bridgeport, and stood tall late as Lehigh Valley rallied from a three-goal deficit for the first time this season in a 4-3 win over the Islanders. It marked Ersson’s fourth straight win with the Phantoms dating back to Feb.
Lehigh Valley Phantoms Zone: Phantoms hope 2023 hot streak leads to wins over Charlotte and the playoffs
There’s no question the Lehigh Valley Phantoms are on a roll heading into their two-game series at Atlantic Division rival Charlotte on Tuesday and Wednesday. The Phantoms (24–17-5) were on a three-game winning streak heading into Tuesday night’s game, winners of eight of their last 11 games and coming off a 3-0 win over the Bridgeport Islanders on Saturday as Sam Ersson recorded his first-ever AHL shutout.
Phantoms Zone: Coach says Phantoms can't fear mighty Bears
At 28-9-4-1, the Hershey Bears are one of the top teams in the AHL, second with 61 points, just one behind the Pacific Division's league-leading Calgary Wranglers. When the Bears skate into Allentown on Wednesday night for their second straight game at PPL Center,
Phantoms Zone: Coach says Phantoms can’t fear mighty Bears
At 28-9-4-1, the Hershey Bears are one of the top teams in the AHL, second with 61 points, just one behind the Pacific Division’s league-leading Calgary Wranglers. When the Bears skate into Allentown on Wednesday night for their second straight game at PPL Center, the Lehigh Valley Phantoms, 20-1-3-2 and tied for fourth in the Atlantic Division, will need to find some magic in their skates and sticks against their juggernaut opponents from Chocolatetown.
Phantoms’ Kieffer Bellows embraces challenge of following in footsteps of father, a former NHL all-star
Growing up with three-time NHL All-Star Brian Bellows as a father could have done one of two things for his son, Kieffer, a left wing for the Lehigh Valley Phantoms. Brian Bellows, who won the Stanley Cup with the Montreal Canadiens in John LeClair’s last full season with the team, was the No. 2 overall pick of the Minnesota North Stars in 1982.
Former Phantom Greg Carey still has goals in mind, but now they’re on a spreadsheet
Greg Carey played just four seasons with the Lehigh Valley Phantoms, but left an indelible impression as a proven goal scorer. Had it not been for the COVID-19 pandemic ending the 2019-2020 season prematurely, Carey’s numbers would place him even higher on the franchise’s all-time scoring lists. But these days, Carey has traded his Phantoms game day uniform for another Phantoms uniform, that of a suit in the Phantoms front office. The 32-year-old is excited about his new role.
Phantoms Zone: NHL veteran Anisimov scores contract, points
When Artem Anisimov exploded for two goals and two assists in the Lehigh Valley Phantoms’ 6-1 win over Charlotte last Saturday at PPL Center, it was no fluke. The impressive four-point night came on the same day the 13-year NHL veteran signed an AHL contract with the team for the remainder of the season.
Phantoms on the rise: Lehigh Valley skates to earn points in seven of last eight games
It’s the Holiday Season, and as the temperatures begin to dip, the frosty weather reminds us that hockey season must be in full swing. And it is. The Lehigh Valley Phantoms are 8-6-1-1, nearing the end of the first quarter of the season, and coming off a big 5-1 win over Rochester at the PPL Center last Saturday.
Lehigh Valley Phantoms lose home-opener
Emil Bemstrom scored two goals for the Cleveland, the second just 42 seconds into overtime as the Monsters ruined the home-opener for the Lehigh Valley Phantoms. The 101st sellout crowd in PPL Center history cheered loudly but could not give the Phantoms enough energy in a spirited 4-3 loss to Cleveland that saw the Phantoms drop their second straight game to start the season.
Phantoms season preview: Lehigh Valley looks to return strong with energy, depth, and new Flyers leadership
It may begin on the road, but the 2022-23 season for the Lehigh Valley Phantoms offers promise and a glimpse of players who may make their mark with the NHL Flyers this season. The Phantoms finished last season 29-32-10-5 and missed the Calder Cup Playoffs for the second time in a row. Due to COVID-19 restrictions, there were no playoffs in the 2019-20 and 2020-21 seasons. “I think it’s a very exciting year for us,” an enthusiastic Cal O’Reilly, the team captain, said this week.
Colonial League track & field championships: Southern Lehigh sweeps boys and girls titles, for Wilson, it’s The Simpsons
Winners were everywhere Wednesday during the final night of the two-day 2022 Colonial League Track & Field Championships, and so were records, but team-wise Southern Lehigh stood head and shoulders above the rest of the league in both the boys and the girls meets. While the Spartans dominated the team races, Wilson twins Damon and Damian Simpson dominated the sprints, going 1-2 in the 100 and 200, and ran critical legs on the Warriors’ winning 400-meter relay team.
Personal bests and meet records fall at Colonial League Championships
Faith Yost was excited, happy smiling and chatty on Tuesday. The Northwestern Lehigh junior, the defending champion, set a pair of personal bests en route to winning a pair of gold medals on the opening day of the Colonial League Track & Field Championships at Whitehall High School. Yost won both the high jump and the 300-meter hurdles, and still has the 100-meter hurdles and the 1,600-meter relay on Wednesday to go.
Phantoms notebook: With one game to go, Lehigh Valley looks to an off-season to rebuild
At the start of the season when Lehigh Valley Phantoms players or coaches were asked about the team, the talk was about how the talented young players and the leadership from the older players was going to lead to a deep playoff run. That changed pretty much from the start of the season when the Phantoms went winless in their first eight games.
Lehigh sending 7 to NCAA wrestling championships; Nazareth’s Sasso, Becahi’s Labriola also qualify
Max Brignola isn’t afraid to admit he didn’t know what he was getting himself into when he was in first grade. He and his twin brother, Tyler, went to their first wrestling practice at the urging of a friend. “At first, I thought it was WWE and was psyched for the sport,” said Max, a true freshman at Lehigh University and one of seven Mountain Hawks who will be competing at the 2022 NCAA DIvision I Wrestling Championships Thursday through Saturday at Little Caesars Arena in Detroit.
Lehigh University wrestling EIWA preview: Down one starter, Mountain Hawks’ bid for fifth straight title in doubt
Thank you for supporting our journalism. This article is available exclusively for our subscribers, who help fund our work at The Morning Call. Lehigh University's Jordan Wood (right) is looking to become the conference’s first-ever five-time EIWA champ. (Rick Kintzel/The Morning Call) Lehigh University’s wrestling team isn’t thinking about winning a fifth straight EIWA team title as one of the most prestigious conferences in college wrestling begins this weekend.
Phantoms update: Goalie Pat Nagle returns from Olympics as playoff push begins
Thank you for supporting our journalism. This article is available exclusively for our subscribers, who help fund our work at The Morning Call. Getting selected for the USA Hockey men’s Olympic team was the thrill of a lifetime for Phantoms’ goalie Pat Nagle. He embraced the whirlwind schedule of the Olympic Games, the crammed schedule of practice for 12 teams on the same sheet of ice, and very little downtime until the competition started.
District 11 Class 2A team wrestling championships: Notre Dame-Green Pond rolls over Saucon Valley for title
It started off on such a high note for Saucon Valley. Aiden Grogg put the Panthers on top of arch-rival Notre Dame–Green Pond with a 7-0 decision over Cooper Feltman at 113 pounds, barely missing a major decision and bonus point in the championship match of the District 11 Duals at Freedom High School on Saturday. That 3-point lead had no chance of holding up against top-seeded Crusaders, however.
District 11 wrestling team duals: 3A top-seed Becahi wins in rout; Catty, No. 4 seed in 2A, sets up rematch with Saucon Valley
There are movers, and then there are shakers, and the Bethlehem Catholic wrestling team is certainly an earth shaker. On Thursday night, the top-seeded Golden Hawks put on a clinic at Catasauqua High School, dismantling No. 8 seed Pottsville 60-6 in the quarterfinals of the District 11 Class 3A Duals. Bethlehem Catholic was up 60-0 before Pottsville managed to win the final two bouts. Pottsville knocked off No. 9 seed Stroudsburg 53-21 in the preliminary round earlier in the night.
Lehigh University wrestling: The 14th ranked Mountain Hawks need short memories for EIWA meets this weekend
Thank you for supporting our journalism. This article is available exclusively for our subscribers, who help fund our work at The Morning Call. If there is one thing Pat Santoro, a two-time NCAA Division I champion and the 14th year head coach of the Lehigh University wrestling team has learned over the course of his extensive career, it’s that wrestlers need to have short memories.
Oh baby, Phantoms captain Cal O’Reilly had a busy week of skating, scoring, and parenting Original
You can almost excuse 35-year-old Cal O’Reilly a little bit if he was tired this weekend. The captain of the Lehigh Valley Phantoms played in all three games of the team’s three-in-three as the team went 2-1 to reach the .500 level for the first time this season with a 14-14-6-2 record.
Lehigh University wrestling: Mountain Hawks and healthy Josh Humphreys battle No. 4 Oklahoma State Sunday
Thank you for supporting our journalism. This article is available exclusively for our subscribers, who help fund our work at The Morning Call. Josh Humphreys is a two-time EIWA champion, but he doesn’t take anything for granted, especially after last year. And it has nothing to do with COVID-19. Humphreys, a Lehigh University junior, tore an ACL just before last season began, putting him on the shelf for the entire year.
Lehigh wrestling: Plenty of underdog heroes for Mountain Hawks in upset of No. 8 Cornell
Penn State may be Lehigh’s oldest rival, but Cornell is something special as well. Lehigh’s top EIWA rival entered the Snake Pit on Saturday afternoon, and the Mountain Hawks responded by rewarding the Grace Hall faithful with an improbable 18-15 win over the No. 8 Big Red. Both unranked Jake Logan (174) and A.J. Burkhart (184) knocked off Top 20 opponents as Lehigh won six of 10 bouts for the victory.
Phantoms analysis: Fantastic finishes have Lehigh Valley on a seven-game point streak
Thank you for supporting our journalism. This article is available exclusively for our subscribers, who help fund our work at The Morning Call. Inexplicable isn’t the right word for what the Lehigh Valley Phantoms are accomplishing since Dec. 11.
Phantoms skate to 5-game point streak with help from a few Reading Royals connections
Thank you for supporting our journalism. This article is available exclusively for our subscribers, who help fund our work at The Morning Call. Things were looking bleak for the Lehigh Valley Phantoms at the beginning of December. They were mired in last place in the Atlantic Division Standings while struggling to score and win. As the holiday break began a day early on Dec.
Lehigh wrestling: Heavyweight Jordan Wood is working to make eastern championship history
Thank you for supporting our journalism. This article is available exclusively for our subscribers, who help fund our work at The Morning Call. Jordan Wood has no uncertain goals. The Lehigh University heavyweight from Boyertown is in his sixth year of wrestling for the Mountain Hawks — thanks to a deferred freshman year and COVID-19 eligibility.
Phantoms thrilled about Wade Allison’s expected return to skating and scoring
Thank you for supporting our journalism. This article is available exclusively for our subscribers, who help fund our work at The Morning Call. Wade Allison hasn’t played a single game yet this season, but the Lehigh Valley Phantoms are thrilled for his expected return on Saturday night at the PPL Center against Cleveland.
There’s good news and bad news for Lehigh Valley Phantoms scoring. Thankfully it’s early in the season.
Lehigh Valley Phantoms' Morgan Frost leads the team with three goals and 12 assists for 15 points. (Matt Slocum/AP) You would think that being tied for the league lead in shorthanded goals scored would be a cause for thanksgiving, and it is, but it’s not a cause for pure joy. The Lehigh Valley Phantoms are tied with Charlotte for the most shorthanded goals scored in the AHL so far with five each.
Phantoms hockey: Lehigh Valley is happy for ‘Lappy’ as team wins two of last three games
Head coach Ian Laperriere (center) and the Lehigh Valley Phantoms finally picked up their first victory of the season last Wednesday night by crushing the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins 4-0 in front of a crowd of 4,151 at the PPL Center. (Bill D) It took eight games, but it finally happened. The Lehigh Valley Phantoms finally picked up their first victory of the season last Wednesday night by crushing the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins 4-0 in front of a crowd of 4,151 at the PPL Center.
Show More
loading
Actions
Is this you?
As a journalist, you can create a free Muck Rack account to customize your profile, list your contact preferences, and upload a portfolio of your best work.Get in touch with Gary
Contact Gary, search articles and posts on X, monitor coverage, and track replies from one place.
Learn more about Muck Rack