Often times in sports, the term “ultimate chess match” is used when referring to two teams that are evenly matched.

That phrase can definitely be used to describe this week’s District 11 Class 2A semifinal round game between No. 2 seed Northern Lehigh and No. 3 seed Palmerton.

The Bombers (3-4) and Bulldogs (4-3) played just two weeks ago, which saw Palmerton come away with a 31-26 victory at home.

With both team already having seen which moves worked and which ones didn’t, Saturday’s 1:30 p.m. game might come down to which squad can take what they have learned and move their pieces into better positions this time around.

The team that does it best will likely find itself playing for a District 11 championship next weekend.

For Northern Lehigh, its improvements boil down to its play up front. The Bulldogs surrendered 338 yards rushing, or almost nine yards per carry, against the Bombers. Offensively, Northern Lehigh did rush for 181 yards, but at five yards per game.

Establishing physicality in the trenches from the onset will be key for the Bulldogs.

“They beat us up a little bit up front in the last game,” said Northern Lehigh coach Joe Tout. “Credit to them, they had a good game plan against us, going to a 6-2 and 5-3 front defensively. But we were able to see it now, and we know what we’re dealing with and we’ve been working on it.

“I really liked how we played up front last week, and then for us offensively, we’re going to have to be balanced. They’re going to almost dare us to throw the football, and we have to take advantage. But overall, the biggest thing is that we have to be the more physical football team.”

For the Bombers, protecting the football has to be their main objective coming into this one-and-done scenario.

Although Palmerton was able to secure a five-point win a couple of weeks ago against the Bulldogs, they still lost the turnover battle (3-1), which has been a constant battle for them the entire season. Palmerton comes into the contest with a -8 turnover ratio.

Palmerton’s narrow losses on the season to Saucon Valley (42-41) and Palisades (30-20) had a lot to do with the Bombers’ turnover woes.

“I know I might sound like a broken record, but it’s imperative for us to win the turnover battle,” said Palmerton head coach Chris Walkowiak. “We have been a resilient team, and we have handled adversity well, but if you don’t win the turnover battle, the majority of the time you’re not going to come out on top,

“I think we took a big step last week, not turning it over and taking care of the football. We have to continue to build off that.”

This game might not only be about who figures out where to best move their pieces, but also about which pieces smash into each other harder and knock them down, as both teams have showcased hard-charging physical rushing attacks.

The Bombers’ two quarterback system worked well in their last outing against the Bulldogs, with Cole Serfass (154) and Anthony Machalik (134) combining for 288 yards rushing. On the season, Palmerton is averaging 241 rushing yards per game, or over six yards per carry.

Meanwhile, Northern Lehigh features a backfield with three capable runners who can take it the distance at any time. Power back Matt Frame leads the way with 698 yards and an impressive 11 touchdowns. Mike Repsher has 518 yards and six scores, and Joe Abidelli has 381 yards and six scores and provides a speed and agility complement to Frame’s workhorse style. The Bulldogs average 262 yards per game on the ground, or 7.5 yards per carry.

The Bombers and Bulldogs have a long history of playing exciting late-season football games.

But this one is different, because for the first time in history, the two rival schools that are located just a few miles apart are facing each other in the postseason.

The 2020 season has been a bizarre one due to the COVID-19 pandemic, but the opportunity to play games like this one help people appreciate the hard work administrators, coaches, parents and players have put in to keep the football season alive.