Co-MVPs and Historic Seasons Define 2025 Monroe County Football

The Eastern Pennsylvania Conference Monroe County Division crowned three champions in 2025 — Pleasant Valley, Stroudsburg, and Pocono Mountain East all shared the title. Now, with playoffs wrapped and seasons complete, here’s how the division’s top talent finished their campaigns.

The MVPs: Shared Glory, Different Paths

The Monroe County Division split its MVP honors between two players from different ends of the spectrum.

Christian Stiehler, Pocono Mountain West’s sophomore sensation, shared offensive MVP despite playing for a team that finished outside championship contention. His explosive playmaking ability made him a bright spot for the Panthers.

Justin Williams, Pocono Mountain East’s senior receiver, earned the other offensive MVP after a historic season. Williams became just the fourth player in school history to surpass 1,000 receiving yards, leading the entire EPC with 66 catches for 1,054 yards and 11 touchdowns. He finished strong with an 8-catch, 139-yard performance in the District 11 5A semifinals.

On defense, Keegan Munch of Stroudsburg and Jonathan Adjin-Tettey of East Stroudsburg South split defensive MVP honors.

Pocono Mountain East: Seven-Win Turnaround

The Cardinals had the Monroe County Division’s most dramatic season. After going 1-10 in 2024, Pocono Mountain East surged to 8-3 — the best record in school history since the district split into East and West campuses in 2002.

Second-year coach Dustin Thomas built his offense around three stars: quarterback Ceejay Serfass (1,981 passing yards, 21 TDs), running back Amari Green (1,417 rushing yards, 13 TDs), and Williams. All three earned first-team All-Monroe County honors.

The Cardinals reached the District 11 5A championship game before falling to Whitehall, but their seven-win improvement stood as the biggest turnaround in District 11 this season.

Pleasant Valley: From Winless to Champions

The Bears completed an even more remarkable transformation — from 0-11 in 2024 to 5-5 and Monroe County co-champions in 2025.

Coach Blaec Saeger’s squad rode a strong running game behind Chris Ward (565 yards, 8 TDs) and Niko Payan (414 yards, 7 TDs). The defense, coordinated by Brian Miller, proved crucial down the stretch.

Pleasant Valley clinched a share of the Monroe County title with a 10-6 win over Stroudsburg in the regular season finale, with William Breuer’s last-second interception sealing both the victory and the championship.

The Bears made the District 11 5A playoffs but fell twice to Pocono Mountain East — 28-0 in the regular season and 27-0 in the playoff rematch.

Stroudsburg: Third Share of Crown

The Mountaineers earned their piece of the Monroe County championship despite that heartbreaking finale loss to Pleasant Valley. Keegan Munch anchored a defense that kept Stroudsburg competitive throughout the season.

The Mounties qualified for the District 11 6A playoffs as a lower seed, facing an uphill battle against stronger Lehigh Valley programs.

East Stroudsburg South: Defending Champs Struggle

The Cavaliers entered 2025 as defending District 11 5A champions but stumbled to a 2-8 record. Despite Jonathan Adjin-Tettey earning defensive MVP honors with 50 tackles and five sacks, East Stroudsburg South couldn’t recapture their 2024 magic.

Injuries plagued the Cavaliers throughout the season, disrupting the continuity that carried them to a championship the year before.

The Three-Way Split

The Monroe County Division finished in a unique three-way tie, with Pleasant Valley, Stroudsburg, and Pocono Mountain East each claiming a share of the crown. That competitive balance reflected the overall strength of the division, even as traditional power East Stroudsburg South struggled.

The shared title also meant the all-star selections came from across multiple contenders rather than being dominated by a single program.

All-Monroe County First Team Highlights

Beyond the MVPs, the first-team selections included:

• Pocono Mountain East: WR Justin Williams, QB Ceejay Serfass, RB Amari Green led the Cardinals’ explosive offense
• Pleasant Valley: Multiple defenders who fueled the Bears’ remarkable turnaround
• Stroudsburg: LB Keegan Munch headlined a stout defensive unit
• East Stroudsburg South: DB Jonathan Adjin-Tettey remained one of the division’s premier tacklers
• Pocono Mountain West: QB Christian Stiehler showcased playmaking ability beyond his sophomore year

Looking Ahead

For 2026, the Monroe County Division faces significant turnover. Williams, Adjin-Tettey, Munch, and Green all graduate, taking their combined MVP awards with them.

But Ceejay Serfass returns for Pocono Mountain East, giving the Cardinals a proven quarterback to build around. Christian Stiehler will be just a junior for Pocono Mountain West, positioning the Panthers for potential improvement.

Pleasant Valley’s rebuild under Saeger appears sustainable after proving the 0-11 season was an aberration rather than a trend. Stroudsburg returns to the drawing board after narrowly missing sole possession of the county title.

The 2025 season proved Monroe County football remains competitive and unpredictable — exactly what makes October football in the Poconos compelling year after year.

Pocono Mountain East finished 8-3 with a runner-up finish in District 11 5A. Pleasant Valley (5-5) and Stroudsburg completed playoff appearances. East Stroudsburg South finished 2-8.