EASTON - The competition level was different.

After a 56-14 season-opening victory over Catasauqua last week, the Palmerton High School football team lined up against steeper competition this week.

Notre Dame Green Pond used a balanced attack on both sides of the ball to take down the Blue Bombers and give them their first loss of the season, 48-7, Friday night in Colonial League action.

“They do a lot of things well, said Palmerton head coach Chris Walkowiak. “They have a lot of weapons on both sides of the ball and are hard to stop. We did a good job of it in the first quarter-and-a-half, but we weren’t able to sustain that same energy level and they took advantage.”

Palmerton fell to 1-1 overall on the year, while the Crusaders remain undefeated at 4-0, having played two extra games.

“They’ve been able to play a couple more games,” Walkowiak said. “It’s not an excuse, it just helps being able to add more film and give the kids more experience.”

The Blue Bombers showed up ready to play Friday. They received the opening kick and finished a quick, five-play, 82-yard drive, capped by a 13-yard pass from Cole Serfass to James Denicola to take the early 7-0 lead just 1:36 into the game.

Palmerton’s defense was then tested on its first possession, but a 38-yard missed field goal after a 13-play Notre Dame drive gave the football back to the Blue Bombers, looking to go ahead by two scores. But they were forced to punt on their ensuing possession.

The Crusaders then struck in one play - a 70-yard rushing touchdown by Matt Frauen to even the score with 2:28 remaining in the first quarter.

Frauen also found paydirt from two yards and 10 yards respectively in two of the Crusaders’ next three possessions. Following a 31-yard strike from Collin Quintano to Nadir Sanders, Notre Dame took a commanding 28-7 advantage into the locker room at halftime.

The backbreaker came midway through the third quarter when Quintano hit Frauen for an 87-yard touchdown pass and a 34-7 lead.

“He did a lot for them tonight,” said Walkowiak about Frauen. “He was hard to stop. He ran the ball hard and also was able to catch the ball and create after the catch.”

UP NEXT ... Palmerton will look to get back in the win column when it hosts Northwestern next Friday night.

BALANCED ATTACK ... Notre Dame amassed 594 yards of total offense, including 257 on the ground and 337 in the air.

SOPHOMORE SENSATION ... Sophomore quarterback Serfass has accounted for six touchdowns through the first two games and has rushed for 304 yards on the year.