First it was a fumble.

Then a three-and-out.

Pocono Mountain West looked out of sync.

Then the Panthers woke up.

Three straight scoring drives and a big special teams play helped Pocono Mountain West take control after a sluggish start to down Pleasant Valley 42-7 in an Eastern Pennsylvania Conference contest Friday night.

The Panthers went from out of sorts to in command during the second quarter. Preston Green jump-started the offense, scoring twice in the period and finishing with 113 yards on 13 carries in the first half.

“We were struggling a little bit offensively,” said Pocono Mountain West head coach Jim McCarroll. “Give our line credit. We said let’s see if we can pound it a little bit, and we just went with our heavy set, using Preston (Green) left and right iso, and he had some good vision and we were able to move the ball down and score.

“Preston did a nice job seeing the holes, the offensive line did a nice job of opening the holes for him.”

Lawson Bray hit a streaking Tyler Arman for a 58-yard score to make it 20-0 with 2:03 remaining in the first half.

“I was really proud of our defense the way they came out,” said Bears’ head coach Blaec Saeger. “We got the turnover, got a stop, and really came out playing inspired football. Coach (Brian) Miller does an incredible job with them as defensive coordinator, and had them ready to play today.

“The offense, we move it at times, then we shot ourselves in the foot. And we had a tough time blocking them upfront. They’re big and strong ... and we gave it everything we had, but sometimes we just run into people that are a little stronger than us.”

Pleasant Valley (0-8) cut it to 20-7 when Jack Stephens hit Ryan Blass for a 14-yard score with :20 to play in the first half.

But the Panthers answered. Isaac Mensahn took the ensuing kickoff 86 yards for a touchdown. Green’s run on the two-point conversion made it 28-7 at halftime.

Pocono Mountain West (3-5) scored on its first two drives of the second half. Bray hit Deion Marshall for a 20-yard score on the opening series of the third quarter, and found Matthew Marinovich for a 41-yard score to make it 42-7 late in the third quarter.

“It was huge for us,” said McCarroll. “We really haven’t hit too many big plays down the field ... tonight we had two big ones down the field, and that’s what we need to do, We’ve got to be able to stretch the defense, open it up for our run game, and we did, and that’s what we need to do.”

Bray completed 7-of-14 pass attempts for 150 yards and three touchdowns.

“They’re backbreakers,” Saeger said of the big plays. “We played well, and then they’d get a backbreaker. The kickoff, the first drive of the second half; just backbreakers.

“If we’re going to turn this thing around, and I believe we are, it’s going to take some time. But those big plays, among other things, we’re going to have to limit and get rid of. And right now, we’re not doing it.”

WELL PLAYED

... Neither team committed a penalty in the second half. There were only three flags in the first half, all of which were called on Pocono Mountain West.

HITTING THE ROAD

... Pleasant Valley travels to East Stroudsburg South next Friday, a game Saeger knows his team will be ready for. “If these kids can bounce back from a loss in the “Bucket Game,” or a loss to North, they’ll bounce back from anything,” said Saeger. “They are the most resilient group of kids I have ever seen. I have no doubt they’ll be here next week ready to go. When we go to the “Purple Pit” we’re going to be fired up and ready to play again. I promise you, and guarantee you they will play as hard as they can. There’s no quit in them.”