Tigers cruise to win
Harry Hall didn't have his "Superman" cape on last night, but the Northwestern Lehigh junior didn't need it.
He rushed for 219 yards on 16 carries, scored a pair of touchdowns, blocked a punt out of the end zone for a safety and just about singlehandedly beat Palmerton, 50-21, in a Colonial League showdown."I told the guys afterwards I've been waiting for a game like this that all three phases come together," Northwestern Lehigh head coach Josh Snyder said. "We had two pick sixes on defense. We had a blocked punt for a safety on defense."What can you say about Harry (Hall). He's a horse out there and has a lot of eight and nine yard runs during the year. I told him before the game I love those eight and nine yard runs, but how about a couple of 50 yarders. And he did that."The Tigers set the tone early when they marched right down the field on the opening drive. Quarterback Frank Dangello found Cam Richardson open for a 27-yard TD with 9:06 on the clock for a 6-0 lead.Poor field position hurt the Blue Bombers early and Northwestern Lehigh took advantage of a couple of short punts. To get the ball deep in Palmerton territory.The first time, Brandon Miller missed a 30-yard field goal, but the second time, Hall broke loose for a 23-yard run down to the two. Dangello snuck in from there and Miller's kick made it 13-0.The Tigers added a safety to their side of the scoreboard before the second quarter ended when Hall blocked a Sean Doherty punt and it rolled out of the end zone making it 15-0.Northwestern put together another nine-play drive eating up some clock before Hall scored on a two-yard run with 6:22 left in the half.""Kudos to our offensive line," Snyder added. "We didn't have to pass the ball much. We took a couple of shots early,one was the play action to Cam (Richardson) for a touchdown. Our offensive line just blocked great. And our receivers did a nice job blocking on the exterior, turning a lot of minimal gains into long touchdown runs."The Tigers weren't done either, as Taylor Breininger intercepted a pass and took it 20 yards into the end zone 40 seconds later and it was 29-0.Tre Nelson finally put the Bombers on the scoreboard with a nine-yard run with just over two minutes left in the half and Garrett Perschy connected with Zach Buck for a 13-yard TD with seven seconds remaining pulling the Bombers within 36-14."Field position hurt us early big time," said Palmerton head coach Chris Walkowiak. "Northwestern Lehigh is a good team and as good as advertised. You can't have fundamental mistakes, turn the ball over, a punt blocked and field position. I think we were three-and-out on our first couple of drives and couldn't get anything rolling. And they took advantage and before you know it, they were up big and your game plan is out the window and you're fighting from behind and you wind up doing things you don't want to do."Palmerton opened the second half with a drive that took about six and a half minutes off the clock. But the 15-play drive ended on downs at the Northwestern 35.Two plays later, Hall busted right up the middle and the speedster raced 54 yards for a touchdown. With 4:54 left in the third quarter, Northwestern was nailing down the win, leading 43-14.Two minutes later, Hall showed his quickness again as he intercepted a pass and took it 82 yards for another touchdown. This one put the game under the "Mercy Rule".With 6:26 left in the game, Buck broke loose on a 46-yard run for a Bomber TD and the final score of the night making it 50-21."We moved the ball, but it's execution," said Walkowiak. ""We move the ball and then come back and give them the big play with Harry Hall. He's a great athlete."We've got to go to work and we've got to fix ourselves and get ready for a big Salisbury game next week. that's where we need to rise to the next level."Meanwhile, the Tigers return home for the "Backyard Rumble" against Northern Lehigh.