Frame it any way you like: Northern Lehigh’s sensational sophomore Chris Frame is a game breaker.

Frame and Bulldogs’ quarterback Garrett Smoyer’s big first half helped Northern Lehigh get out to a 22-3 halftime advantage and an eventual 44-24 Colonial-Schuylkill Gold Division victory.

Frame tallied 125 yards of total offense with one rushing and one receiving touchdown in the first half. Smoyer was precise in the first half, throwing for 118 yards and one score with just two incompletions.

“They were loading up to try and take away our run game. They would not show a two-high safety,” said Northern Lehigh head coach Joe Tout. “So, we made some adjustments seeing that, and we thought we could get some good looks in the passing game. Garrett and Chris and some other guys made plays for us. Frame has been a guy that has been making big plays for us every single week, and you saw that again tonight.

“He makes some sort of explosive play every week. It’s been very fun to watch.”

It was all about the chunk plays in the passing game for the Bulldogs in the first half. A quick throw from Smoyer to Frame on Northern Lehigh’s first play from scrimmage went for 59 yards after Frame made a few men miss. Three plays later, Smoyer would cash in from four yards out to make it 7-0 at the 10:30 mark of the first.

After a Salisbury three-and-out, the Dawgs would come up empty on their second possession after a seven-minute drive was thwarted by the Falcons, who came up with a nice defensive stop on a fourth and short attempt at the Salisbury six-yard line. The Bulldogs defense, though, would force another quick three-and-out and would get the ball back with good field position at the Salisbury 35-yard line. It would take Northern Lehigh just four plays to cash in, with Frame scoring on a 18-yard rush to make it a 14-0 Bulldogs’ lead early in the second quarter.

“I think we had some missed opportunities in the first half that we didn’t convert on,” said Salisbury head coach Kevin DiZenzo. “We had some receivers open at times and we couldn’t come up with the plays down the field. Making those plays could be momentum swings. Our kids fought all night long. That’s a good football team we played tonight and credit to Northern Lehigh for making the plays in order to come away with the win.

“I’m still walking away tonight a proud coach. We have improved so much this year.”

Salisbury would finally get on the board midway through the second quarter on a 26-yard field goal. Northern Lehigh would answer with what was its most important score of the night, coming through with a touchdown right before the end of the half. A five-play, 64-yard drive was highlighted by a wide receiver pass from Frame to Ryan Zambo for 25 yards, followed by a Frame 19-yard run that would get the Dawgs down to the Falcons 18. Smoyer would then find Frame with a drop in the bucket type throw for the 18-yard pitch and catch to give NL a 22-3 lead at the intermission.

“The score before the half was huge for us there,” said Tout. “To get that one in gave us some momentum heading into the locker room.”

Leading 22-10 heading into the fourth quarter, the Bulldogs were able to tack on 22 points to put the Falcons away. Two Salisbury turnovers contributed to the cause, with one coming off a strip sack that was scooped up at the 37 by Frame, which he returned for a touchdown. A Smoyer one-yard quarterback plunge and a 28-yard rushing score from Smoyer accounted for the rest of the Northern Lehigh scores in the fourth.

“This is a good win, a quality win,” said Tout. “We have some things we need to clean up, but this is a group that is hungry to put in the work to continue to get better. Salisbury is a team that is much-improved. They didn’t quit. Again, it’s a good win for us.”

BIG NIGHT … NL quarterback Garrett Smoyer had a big night in the scoring department. The sophomore signal caller threw for 175 yards and a touchdown and ran for 46 yards and three rushing scores.

FREEZE FRAME … Frame had the Salisbury defenders on ice skates all night long. He finished the night with 157 yards of total offense and two touchdowns and also scored on defense on a scoop and score.

No. Lehigh 44, Salisbury 24

Salisbury 0 3 7 14 - 24

No. Lehigh 7 15 0 22 - 44

NL - Smoyer 4 run (Hanna kick)

NL - Frame 18 run (Hanna kick)

S - Hudak 26 FG

NL - Frame 18 pass from Smoyer (Newhard run)

S - Tocci-Wachter 7 run (Hudak kick)

NL - Smoyer 1 run (Newhard run)

S - Cruz 69 pass from Lucas (Hudak kick)

NL - Smoyer 28 run (Hanna kick)

NL - Frame 37 fumble return (Hanna kick)