Lehighton grinds out 24-7 victory
Line up and stop us.
That is the way Lehighton approached its Schuylkill/Colonial Gold Division match-up with Saucon Valley on Friday and the result was a 24-7 victory.
From the start of the game, it was easy to see the Indians (2-7) wanted to ground and pound the ball, running three straight times on their first possession, going 62 yards in three plays capped off by a 43-yard burst from junior running back Dylan Moyer to go up 7-0.
“We’ve been working and growing toward being a more physical football team up front and being a more physical team in the run game,” said Lehighton head Tom McCarroll. “Dylan Moyer and Ethan Buchert were a great one-two punch for us tonight and they were able to keep one another fresh. And I can’t say enough about our offensive line. They got a great push all night and really played hard and were sound in executing their blocks.”
The Indians got right back to the ground game in the middle of the second quarter, putting together an impressive 10-play, 60-yard drive that was finished off by a four-yard Brady O’Donnell quarterback run up the middle to put the Indians up 14. Lehighton ran the ball nine times for 48 yards and collected four first downs on the drive.
Saucon Valley came up with a pivotal score with just 18 seconds remaining in the second quarter on a 29-yard pitch and catch from Luke Shimko to Braden Weiss. With the Panthers receiving the ball to start the third quarter, the opportunity was there for them to even the ball game, but the Lehighton defense clamped down in the third. The Indians forced Saucon Valley to punt and turn it over on downs as the Panthers ran just seven plays in the third quarter.
“Give them credit for making some plays to get that score before the half, but defensively our guys played a great first half and we talked to our guys about that at the half,” said McCarroll. “Our kids, they just showed great resolve defensively in the third quarter and just settled in and kept them off the scoreboard and then eventually kept them off the scoreboard for the entire second half. It was a great effort for us defensively tonight.”
The Indians held the Panthers scoreless in the fourth quarter, while tacking on 10 points to put the game away.
An A.J. Light 22-yard field goal with 10:56 left and a 12-yard looping pass from O’Donnell in the flat to Ian Rarick from 12 yards out sealed the deal with 3:19 remaining.
“Our kids played hard, and our kids put together a complete football game and got a well-deserved win,” said McCarroll. “We have certainly had our ups and downs this season, but through all that our kids have had an amazing attitude this whole season. They have not quit, and they have gotten better, and you saw that tonight with the way we were able to play a physical style of football and get the win.”
TWO-HEADED MONSTER ... Buchert and Moyer combined for 28 carries and 200 yards on the night.
THIRD QUARTER D ... With momentum on the Panthers side after their late second quarter score and the ball to start the third, the Indians’ defense shut them down. Lehighton allowed just 29 yards of total offense in the third quarter.
POSTSEASON SHOT ... With the win, Lehighton has now surpassed Pine Grove for the eighth and final spot in the District 11 3A playoff ratings. A win over rival Jim Thorpe next week in the Battle for the 209 Trophy would guarantee them a spot in the playoffs.