ASHLAND - Two weeks off didn’t seem to bother North Schuylkill.

In fact, the missed time might actually have helped the Spartans.

After being shut down due to COVID issues, Wally Hall’s team returned to the field Saturday and cruised to a 48-14 victory over visiting Lehighton.

“I think we may have lost a little bit of energy some times throughout, but they didn’t miss a beat,” said Hall, whose club improved to 6-0. “The days we had to practice, we had one day in the gymnasium and one day on the field, they were pretty sharp.

“Sure, (I thought there could be a letdown). There’s a lot that goes through your mind. But the energy when we came back Thursday was great. And Friday’s workout was really good. And this morning, when we had our walk-through, they were right on everything that we needed to do. Honestly, sometimes that rest does help a little bit.”

Whether it was the rest or not, North Schuylkill quarterback Jake Hall was especially sharp.

The junior threw for 245 yards and four touchdowns, and also ran for 96 yards and a score.

Hall completed a pair of passes and picked up 16 yards on a carry to set up Josh Chowansky’s 5-yard touchdown run in the opening quarter. The next time the Spartans had the ball, he threw a deep pass to Tanner Walacavage, which resulted in an 86-yard score and a 14-0 lead.

“Today, we tried a couple different things and had a couple different ideas,” said Indians mentor Tom McCarroll. “But they have four good receivers, and it’s a pick-your-poison deal.

“They sure didn’t seem to miss a beat. They’re just tough.”

Hall reeled off runs of 20 and 14 yards before hitting Joey Flail with a 12-yard TD strike early in the second frame. After a Lehighton three-and-out, along with a blocked punt, Hall slipped away from tacklers and scampered 21 yards to the end zone to make it 28-0.

“That’s what we can do,” said coach Hall. “A lot of our run game ... has a few different answers. It’s just not give the ball. So there are reads that go into it, whether it’s going to be throwing the ball or handing it off or the quarterback in the run-read.”

While the Spartans’ offense was buzzing, the Indians were having trouble sustaining drives.

McCarroll’s club did string some positive plays together, picking up a few first downs during some early marches, but they just couldn’t keep the momentum going.

“We forced them to punt a couple times, and we had the ball and were moving a little bit, but inconsistency hurt us,” said McCarroll. “We would have three, four, five plays in a row, and then something happens and it takes you back, and you’re just scraping to get back to where you were. Against a good team like that, it’s hard to do.”

Hall wasn’t done in that second period, as he connected with Dylan Dietz - his third different receiver - for an 18-yard score. Two minutes later, Chowansky zigged and zagged his way for a 70-yard TD run that pushed the margin to 41-0.

“They are a throw-first kind of team, but their back is also good,” said McCarroll. “He’s so shifty. He makes people miss. He’s just difficult to corral.”

Lehighton (3-5) managed to get on the board late in the first half when JJ McDowell plowed in from two yards out. His 44-yard run set up the score.

But North Schuylkill tallied on its second play from scrimmage in the second half - on a Hall 20-yard toss to Flail - to make it 48-7 and enforce the Mercy Rule.

RECORD BREAKER ... Lehighton’s Zack Hunsicker had five catches for 63 yards and became the school’s all-time leader in receiving yards. He now has 1,685, which passes Shane McEvoy’s mark of 1642. Hunsicker’s 108 catches are also just three behind Jacen Nalesnik’s total of 111.

ONE MORE SCORE ... McDowell added his second score of the game in the third quarter when he broke loose for a 30-yard touchdown run.

Richard Fronheiser’s 29-yard completion to Hunsicker occurred the play before the score.

UP NEXT ... Lehighton has qualified for the District 11 Class 4A playoffs and will travel to Pottsville Friday evening for a quarterfinal matchup. The Indians are the seventh seed, while the Tide are seeded second.