No guts no glory was the battle cry for the Olympians Friday night.

After matching touchdowns with Blue Mountain in overtime, Jim Thorpe went for the winning two-point conversion, but a fumbled snap gave the Eagles a thrilling 27-26 victory in the season opener for both teams.

Blue Mountain took the ball first in overtime and quarterback William Jacobson Jr. found James Seaman in a crowded end zone for a 10 yard touchdown pass. Kreese Stablein booted the extra point, giving the Eagles a 27-20 lead.

Thorpe answered with a 10-yard touchdown run by Benjamin Goldberg, setting set the stage for a dramatic attempt by the Olympians to win the game.

“We had decided that if the game was going to go to overtime, we’d go for two and the win,” said Jim Thorpe coach Mark Rosenberger. “We gave it our best effort, but the results just weren’t there. That’s on me.”

The game was loaded with big plays from both sides. On Blue Mountain’s first drive and with a second and 11 from their own 49, Jacobson hit a wide open Gaige Guers for a 51 yard touchdown.

Thorpe took the ensuing kickoff and capped a five minute drive when quarterback Brett Balliet hit David Firoito over the middle for a game tying score.

The Olympians took the lead on some great running by junior Sal Capria, who finished the game with 213 yards on 27 carries. After Balliet’s play action pass to Goldberg put the ball on the Blue Mouintain 39, Capria blasted up the middle twice for 15 yards before making a nifty cutback on his way to a 23 yard touchdown run.

There were 27 penalties in the game for 204 yards, stifling scoring drives for both teams.

Thorpe managed a drive to the Eagles’ one-yard line with just over a minute to play before halftime, but Blue Mountain’s defense stopped Capria on a fourth and one to keep their deficit at seven points. The Eagles then connected on a long pass and run play with 11 seconds before the half and a TD saving tackle by Justin Yescavage sent Jim Thorpe into the locker room with a one touchdown lead.

The third quarter saw no scoring until the Eagles started a drive at the JT 45 with 1:13 left. On first down Jacobson hit Tyler Miller on a 43-yard pass and run play to the two yard line where Jacobson powered across the goal line. The extra point was missed leaving Thorpe with a one point advantage at 14-13.

With 27 seconds left in the quarter, Capria again did his magic. He shot through the right side of the defensive line and outraced the Eagles’ secondary for a 53-yard touchdown run.

Jim Thorpe’s defense, led by defensive end Bryson Heydt’s two sacks and several quarterback rushes on the night, got the ball back after Nick Schwartz tipped away a would-be touchdown pass by Jacobson. Beginning at their own 40, Balliet marched his offense to a fourth and two at the Eagle 13, but a false start penalty moved the line of scrimmage back to the 18. Rosenberger then let 28 seconds tick off the clock before Blue Mountain took possession at their own 18 with 3:13 left in the game.

On a third down and eight at the 20, Jacobson threw a strike to a streaking Payton Fasnacht for an 80- yard touchdown setting up the overtime.

Rosenberger was disappointed with the tough loss.

“I’m proud of our effort,” he said, “But we left too many plays on the field. It was a game we shouldn’t have lost, but give credit to Blue Mountain for taking advantage of our mistakes.

SPORTSMANLIKE CONDUCT ... Before the opening kickoff, Jim Thorpe game announcer Andy Yurchak asked the home crowd to give a welcoming wave across the field to the Blue Mountain fans who then waved back.

PENALTY KICKS ... There were four kickoffs, two by each team, that sailed out of bounds.

UP NEXT ... Thorpe plays Bangor Thursday night in Bangor.