FOUNTAIN SPRINGS – Talk about a buzzsaw.

North Schuylkill’s football team can cut through an opponent in the blink of an eye.

Speed kills and the Spartans - who at times resemble a track relay team - have plenty of it.

Palmerton did everything in its power to try and keep pace with the Spartans at Gosh Orthodontics Field on Thursday evening in the semifinal round of the District 11 Class 3A playoffs.

Unfortunately for the Blue Bombers, they never had enough answers for North Schuylkil’s speed as they dropped a 51-21 decision.

Even Palmerton’s splendidly-gifted quarterback, Matt “The Rifleman” Machalik, didn’t have enough ammunition to prevent his team’s second loss to the Spartans this season.

“He’s a great athlete,” veteran North Schuylkill coach Wally Hall said about Machalik. “He’s got great individual elusiveness, he has eyes everywhere. He is able to avoid a lot of people.”

Machalik rallied the troops throughout the first half as Palmerton stayed within range of the top-seeded Spartans.

North Schuylkill whizzed in front early when Jared Tinari plunged into the end zone, and superb sophomore kicker Gavin Mentzer booted the first of his six extra points to make it 7-0.

Machalik used his quick feet and speed to out-leg the North Schuylkill secondary with a dazzling run of 80 yards, and Samantha Perloni booted the first of her three extra points for a 7-7 tie.

North Schuylkill answered thanks to Joey Flail, who caught a pass from Trevor Minalda and used his sprinter speed to out run the Bombers’ secondary for a 39-yard touchdown that put the Spartans ahead 14-7.

Palmerton wasn’t looking for a life raft just yet as it once again turned to Machalik, who zipped his way into the end zone on a nifty 30-yard run. Perloni’s kick tied it at 14-14.

Once again North Schuylkill quickly responded. This time Minalda and Collin McGee hooked up for a 62-yard scoring strike. Then, just before the half ended, Mentzer knocked home a 25-yard field goal for a 24-14 lead.

“We were right there (at the half),” said Palmerton coach Chris Walkowiak. “We felt good about being down only 10 points at the half. But they’re such a gifted team, and they did a great job of adjusting at the half to keep Matt from getting loose.”

North Schuylkill started to put the pedal to the medal after intermission.

McGee latched onto a 10-yard pass from Minalda to make it 31-14. Then it was the Flail sprint-to-the-end zone show. The speedster had his number twice called on jet sweeps - and twice he raced to paydirt.

Flail was down-right scintillating on his scoring runs that covered 65 and 41 yards. His high end speed was obvious, as he outran defenders who seemed to have an angle on him on both of his touchdown runs.

“We had guys out there, but he was able to out-run them,” Walkowiak said. “He’s just a great athlete.”

North Schuylkill capped its scoring deluge when reserve running back Ricky Halford ran seven yards.

On the ensuing kickoff, Palmerton’s Stephen Jones roared 90 yards to paydirt to finish off the evening’s scoring.

QUOTEABLE … “I’m proud of the whole effort; I’m proud of the whole team what they’ve done for the program. If you come to our practice and see that we’re preparing with 20 kids ... to get this far is pretty special,” said Walkowiak about the Bombers’ small roster that was furthered depleted by injuries this season.

FINAL TIME … Palmerton graduates seven seniors from this year’s team - Perloni, Daniel Luckyanish, Robinson, Cole Serfass, Drake Dalton, Hannah Mack and Dave Figuerora.

SPEED SAYS IT ALL … Flail can flat-out run. His ability to get to the edge on jet sweeps says it all. Palmerton just didn’t anyone that could catch him.

UP NEXT … North Schuylkill and Northwestern Lehigh will meet in the title game next Friday.