Fight for 48.

Pleasant Valley head coach Blaec Saeger never has to worry about his players battling to the final whistle.

It’s a mindset Saeger has built the Bears’ program on.

And one East Stroudsburg South mentor Matt Walters knows well.

Regardless of the record, the Cavaliers’ head coach expects relentless effort from Saeger’s squad.

And he got it Friday night.

East Stroudsburg South pulled away from Pleasant Valley in the second half to claim a 54-14 victory in an Eastern Pennsylvania Conference Monroe Division showdown. But the Bears showed their teeth, and the signs of a program that hasn’t lost its tenacity.

“I just want to credit Pleasant Valley,” said Walters. “Those kids are young and they’re fighting, and I know coach Saeger, coach (Brian) Miller (defensive coordinator) and that staff, they’re gonna get them ready. … Pleasant Valley doesn’t quit. You know, you know whenever you play a Pleasant Valley team that they’re gonna fight for 48 (minutes), and they did that tonight. And I’m sure that’s gonna be the message for coach Saeger to tell the squad, that we’re young, we made some mistakes but we’re gonna fix them, and they’re gonna turn it around. I know that.”

The Bears dug in on the Cavaliers first drive. Facing a third-and-goal from the 12-yard line, Pleasant Valley’s defense forced a fumble.

On the third play of their ensuing possession, sophomore Chris Ward blasted to the end zone for an 88-yard touchdown, which included a thunderous hit on a defender near midfield and a broken tackle to finish off the run, giving the Bears an 7-0 first quarter lead.

“This was the first game where we really highlighted him,” Saeger said of Ward. “The kid is just a freaking animal. You saw the way he runs, man. We don’t even have to block a safety … he’ll run him over, he’s that type of kid. And he’s only a sophomore, and he’s got he’s got so much room to grow. And he’s such a nice kid; never says boo, works his butt of and is just a pleasure. He’s gonna be special.”

East Stroudsburg South (4-1) answered with three first half rushing touchdowns from Charles Capers to make it 20-7 at the intermission.

Capers added a fourth score early in the third quarter to push the lead to 26-7.

“To have Charles Capers back there, man, he just runs so hard, said Walters. “He runs so well. And he just has that chip on his shoulder. He wants to be the guy. He wants to be the guy in the backfield. And he’s the guy. He’s the guy. Three touchdowns in the first half shows that. And we’re entering the second half of the season now. He knows that we need to take that next step to get to where we need to be. We still can’t be satisfied with where we’re at. And he’s going to have that chip on his shoulder for the second half of the season.”

Pleasant Valley (0-5) got a 10-yard touchdown pass from Jaxson Haines to Tyler Berger with 7:21 to go in the third quarter.

The Cavaliers got it back two plays later, when Ivan Laubach hit Xzavier Pusateri for a 65-yard touchdown to push the lead to 40-14 with 6:42 remaining in the third.

Pusateri added a 10-yard touchdown catch from Laubach in the period, and Gianni Gonnella scored on a 45-yard run in the fourth for South.

Despite the loss, Saeger feels strongly about where his program is — and where it’s headed — after challenging his players this week.

“We talked to them about this week, and how it’s bigger, and we need more out of them,” said Saeger. “And that’s what I expect. That’s the message, and they responded. We had our best week, by far, and it showed. We were in a football game. We are a very young team, our record is what it is … but we were in a football game against a really good football team. My message to them was to crank it up this week at practice, and they did, and you saw the result. It didn’t end the way we wanted it to end; they’re better than us. It is what it is. But I think our kids saw what matters, what happens, when you put in the work and practice the way it’s gotta be. We have Nazareth this week, then we have a stretch run of games we can be very competitive in.”

CAVALIER LEADERS … Capers carried the ball 17 times for 130 yards and four scores. Laubach was 16-of-22 for 221 yards and three TDs, and Pusateri finished with six grabs for 140 yards and two scores.

BREAKING OUT … Ward had a big night for the Bears, carrying the ball 20 times for 199 yards and a touchdown. He also ripped off a 53-yard run on his first carry of the second half.

KAUFFMAN’S GOT IT … Quinn Kauffman came up with a pick in the second half for Pleasant Valley.

ES South 54, Pleasant Vy. 14

ES South 6 14 27 7 - 54

Pleasant Vy. 7 0 7 0 - 14

PV - Ward 88 run (R. Berger kick)

ESS - Capers 1 run (kick failed)

ESS - Capers 9 run (Mercado pass from Laubach)

ESS - Capers 2 run (kick failed)

ESS - Capers 4 run (pass failed)

ESS - Perez 5 pass from Laubach)

PV - T. Berger 10 pass from Haines (R. Berger kick)

ESS - Pusateri 65 pass from Laubach (kick failed)

ESS - Pusateri 10 pass from Laubach (Aillet kick)

ESS - Gonnella 45 run (Aillet kick)