PHILADELPHIA - Nearly everything about Saturday’s state playoff game was different than any other Northwestern had played this season.

The Tigers went into a hostile big-city environment for their PIAA Class 3A quarterfinal game and fell 38-6 to District 12 champ Neumann-Goretti.

“We knew what we were up against,” said Northwestern Lehigh head coach Josh Snyder. “That being said, I thought we played pretty well. I don’t think the score was an indication of how the game played out. It sort of got away from us at the end.

“In the first half we moved the ball from the 20 to the 20 a good bit, then stalled a couple drives out. I thought we made them work for their scores. They converted on a couple fourth downs, and a couple of third-and-long distances. They really didn’t bust any huge touchdowns.”

The Saints, who were playing the neutral site game just over a mile from their campus, feature a team with no less than five Division I recruits.

The one who stood out most was Boston College-bound running back/corner back Shawn Battle. The senior ran for three touchdowns, and also intercepted a pass and took it the length of the field for his fourth touchdown.

“We’ve played some pretty good athletes, but none quite like that,” Tiger head coach Josh Snyder said of Battle.

Battle carried the ball eight times on the Saints’ first drive, an 11-play march to paydirt. He ran the ball on 23 of his team’s 33 rushing plays for 121 yards.

Neumann-Goretti scored on two of four first-half drives. The Tigers forced a turnover on downs after a three-and-out on another Saints possession, and the fourth ended with the halftime clock as they led 16-0 at the break.

Northwestern - which gained five first downs in the first half and didn’t have a three-and-out before intermission - consistently moved the ball, but was unable to score in the first half.

The Tigers took the second-half kick off and marched 70 yards to finally get on the scoreboard when Cade Christopher took a handoff from Dalton Clymer and ran 10 yards for the touchdown to make it 16-6 with 7:15 left in the third quarter.

The Saints responded with an 11-play drive that saw Battle carry the ball five times, including his four-yard touchdown scamper that gave his team a 24-6 lead with 2:04 left in the third quarter.

Neumann-Goretti’s defense forced a three-and-out before the Saints took over again and went 51 yards in eight plays as quarterback Mekhi Wharton hit Anthony Zungolo with a 12-yard touchdown pass for a 32-6 lead early in the fourth quarter.

Northwestern - which lost starting quarterback Christopher to an injury early in the fourth quarter - mounted another long drive late in the game. The Tigers moved the ball 56 yards in 14 plays and were four yards from the end zone when Battle picked off a pass and took it 103 yards for a touchdown with 2:49 left in the contest

The loss ends Northwestern’s season. The District 11 champs finished 11-2.

“I’m extremely proud of this group, proud of the effort,” said Snyder. “You have to play exceptionally well when you get to this round. We came down here into a hostile environment. I thought our kids handled themselves really well and we battled. I don’t think we were out-toughed or out-physicalled in any way.”

SAINTS GETTING SIGNED...In addition to Battle, Neumann-Goretti has one other senior committed to play at the Division I level next season in linebacker/tight end Samuel Hobbs (6-1, 210). He leads the Saints in tackles. Four juniors and sophomores are also being recruited by big-time programs: lineman Deshon Dodson (Penn State, Pitt, and Wisconsin among others); cornerback Khair Reed (PSU, Old Miss and Pitt among others), defensive lineman/tight end Samir Bromfield (Maryland), lineman Koren Robinson (West Virginia, Maryland).

HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL IN PHILLY ... Among the differences at the South Philadelphia Super Site where this game was played compared to venues across District 11 were the stadium PA announcer openly rooting for the home team; worn out turf; chain gangs that aren’t in place before the ball is snapped on some plays; no play clocks in end zones and a scoreboard that doesn’t show down and distance. None of that would have changed the outcome of Saturday’s game. But it sure was a different environment than players, coaches and fans are used to in rural and suburban areas.