Jim Thorpe head coach Mark Rosenberger had faith in his team to make a play it needed one.

Leading Tamaqua 7-6 and facing a 4th-and-2 at their own 44-yard line on the opening drive of the third quarter, Rosenberger knew the Olympians' offense would come through.It did.Jim Thorpe converted and finished the drive with a touchdown.That score set the tone for the second half as the Olympians pulled out a 26-18 Schuylkill Football League victory over the Blue Raiders."We tried to make a statement on the first series of the second half," Rosenberger said. "I said, 'Linemen, we're doing it. I trust you to get the job done.' And they got the job done for us."After Justin St. Hill plowed ahead for six-yards to convert the fourth-down, Quarterback Brendan Carroll found Shawn O'Toole for a 60-yard score just three plays later to put Jim Thorpe (5-3) up 13-6 with 9:56 remaining in the third quarter."I have a lot of trust in Brendan," O'Toole said. "He's a good quarterback and he has a great arm."Everyone has to trust each other. We're a family, and that's what it's all about."O'Toole finished with four catches for 120 yards receiving and three touchdowns."Shawn O'Toole made some outstanding catches," Rosenberger said. "He was open by a little bit and Brendan (Carroll) did a great job of throwing the ball to him to make some outstanding plays."Though the Olympians never trailed, the Blue Raiders (4-4) always found a way to come up with big plays of their own.Thad Zuber (11-of-17, 142 yards passing) hit Eddie Titus for a 20-yard score on Tamaqua's ensuing drive that cut the deficit to 13-12 after the extra point attempt failed.But it was O'Toole and Carroll who once again had the answer.On a 4th-and-9 from the Blue Raiders' 34-yard line, Carroll (5-of-9 passing, 152 yards) found O'Toole for the third time to put the Olympians up 20-12."The big plays were the difference tonight," Tamaqua head coach Sam Bonner said. "We said after last week's game against Lehighton (a 42-40 victory) that we thought we had to eliminate that."But I think a real big one was that fourth-down and they hit us on the one route that they caught us on twice before. It drives you nuts because we showed that route all week … Unfortunately, Carroll made a great throw and the kid (O'Toole) made a great play on it."We saw it on film and we showed it. But showing it, seeing it on film and practicing it, it's different Friday night. You've got to make sure you make that play."The Blue Raiders had another chance when they got the ball back after Jim Thorpe muffed a punt with less than two minutes to play in the third quarter.Zuber hit Zeke Wassell (six catches, 72 yards) for a 20-yard score on the first play of the fourth quarter to cap a six-play drive that cut the Olympians' lead to 20-18.Jim Thorpe made the most of its next possession, driving 62-yards and running off 6:39 before St. Hill (27 carries, 92 yards) scored from one-yard out to make it 26-18 with 5:10 to play.The Olympians' defense came up with a stop on Tamaqua's next possession to wrap up the victory."The whole second half, they were able to grind the ball out, and we had a couple of big passes," Rosenberger commented. "But our running game was very effective as well. That was huge for us."BACK IN ACTION… Captain Antonio Madera returned to the Jim Thorpe lineup Friday night for the first time since suffering an injury against Marian in Week 2. "He's an inspirational leader for us," Rosenberger said. "He's been a captain for three-years, a four-year starter. I think when he's around, on the defensive side of the ball, he brings a lot more emotion to our defense, because he has that experience and he has that passion and ability. That's what the 'Red Swarm' is built on - passion and excitement, and he brings that."BRING IT BACK… Justin St. Hill had a 49-yard touchdown run called back because of a holding penalty on Jim Thorpe's second possession of the game. The Olympians ended the drive with a punt.