Jim Thorpe routes Rival Lehighton to keep the 209 Trophy @LehightonFB @JTOlympians

Tagged under: District 11, Gameday Hub, News

Brian O'Donnell | October 11, 2020

    After coming off a lack-luster performance last week against North Schuylkill, Jim Thorpe (3-1) looked to right the ship. The Olympians traveled just 10 miles down the road to rival Lehighton (2-2) to take on the Indians. Lehighton on the other hand was coming off of an impressive 60 point performance last week vs Schuylkill Haven, which saw area passing leader Richard Fronheiser throw for 398 yards.

    In the 2020 Covid-19 addition of the Route 209 Game, faces weren’t the only things covered all night. The Olympians returned to their “Red Swarm” form and held the vaunted Indian passing attack to just 67 yards and 4 interceptions. 

   On it’s first possession, the Lehighton offense saw their drive come to a screeching halt with their first pick going to Thorpe defensive back Drew Wimmer. The Olympians couldn’t capitalize however, and we moved into the 2nd quarter knotted at 0. 

     On the first play of the 2nd quarter, the Olympians defense struck again. Derryl Fisher stepped in front of another Fronheiser pass and returned it 25 yards for the first score of the game. After forcing a punt, Thorpe QB Davier Calcano connected on a deep ball to Chris Strika to get the drive started. Brandon Fasolino finished the drive off, punching in the touchdown from 18 yards to increase the lead to 14-0. On the very next Indian drive, a pass tipped at the line found the waiting arms of Wimmer again, who returned the interception into the red zone. Derryl Fisher found the endzone on the offensive side of the ball this time as he ran another score in from 17 yards out. With just 30 seconds left in the half and a 20-0 lead, the Olympians looked to run the clock out. Fasolino had other plans. The back took the ball 60 yards down the sideline before being knocked out at the 7 yard line, setting Thorpe up for a Chris Condly field goal to extend the lead to 23-0 going into the intermission. 

     Lehighton’s opening drive of the 3rd quarter ended very much like their opening drive of the game. This time it was Cameron Tinajero who was the culprit on the interception. Going into the 4th quarter with the score still 23-0, Fasolino booked his 2nd trip to the end zone. This time on a 39 yard scamper up the middle. Later in the quarter, Tinajero capped off the Olympian scoring for the night with a 2 yard score to give the visitors a 37-0 lead. With the 2nd units on both sides in the game, the Indians ended the shut out with just under a minute left when QB Brady O’Donnell found Dakota Staddmueller for a 15 yard catch and run into the end zone. However, when the clock struck 0, it was Jim Thorpe who raised the Route 209 Trophy for the third straight season. 

     The Olympians will host the Tamaqua Raiders next week at Panther Valley Stadium while their new turf field is installed. Lehighton will look to get back in the win column when they have the Blue Mountain Eagles come to town.

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