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LAST GASP EFFORT GOES AWRY, AS CRUSADERS HOLD ON TO ADVANCE. @notredamegp @TASDAthletics1

Tagged under: District 11, News

| November 4, 2018

TAMAQUA- The basic premise when it come to playoff football is to survive and advance. No more evident was that statement put to the test as a derermined Tamaqua Blue Raiders team pushed Notre Dame-Green Pond to the brink of elimination in a PIAA Distrct XI 3A playoff game at Tamaqua School District Stadium Saturday night before a mediocre crowd on a cold night and a field still showing signs of a dilluge of preciptitation from Friday night. As on the last play of the game a desperation 35 yard heave from Tamaqua was to be intercepted by the Crusaders Andrew Darno, in the back of the end zone to preserve a 40-33 victory and Notre Dame’s shot a a District XI Championship against North Schuylkill at Lehighton Area High School next Friday night. North Schuylkill defeated Jim Thorpe 16-7 Friday night. Both teams will becoming into that contest with 10-1 records.

Tamaqua and Notre Dame came in the game with very contrasting styles. The Blue Raiders with the ground-and-pound style with the Crusaders enjoy puting the ball in the air. Both teams had dificulty in the first half containing one another as at the half Tamaqua held a 21-13 lead behind three scores by RB Nate Boyle, his first on a one yard dive and the second on a seven yard bolt and his last coming from four yards out with 3:45 till half. QB Cole DeFranco led his charges by passing for 349 yards in the game for Notre Dame had two scoring passes a 32 yard strike to Darno, and a 23 yarder to his other wide-out David Sanders.

Coming out in the second half, DeFranco led his team down deep into Blue Raider territory. Christian Greggo capped the drive with an eight yard score with the PAT making the score 21-20. On the ensuing drive Tamaqua QB Brayden Knoblauch’s pass in the flat was intercepted by Ethan Aquino, who returned it 40 yards for a touchdown, the 2 point conversion failed leaving the visitors lead at 26-21 with 10:39 left in the third quarter.

Not to be outdone, Knoblach hooked up with Boyle on a 25 yard pass on a 4th down play, but they too failed to convert the two-point conversion making the score 27-26 heading into the final stanza.

The first play in that pivitol fouth quarter, DeFranco hit a streaking Isaiah DeJesus across the middle at the Raiders ten, breaking free from two would-be-tacklers and diving into the end zone completing a 32 yard scoring play, giving the Crusaders the lead back at 34-26, with DeJesus on the receiving end of the two-point conversion.

Tamaqua would answer back on a four yard score by Boyle once again with 5:35 left in the contest, but the point after was no good leaving the score at 34-33.

DeFranco showed he could do it with his legs as well as his arm as on the ensuing drive, he snuck it in from a yard out with 2:04 left, again the 2 point conversion failed. On the drive DeFranco had a 32 yard run on third down to extend the drive.

That would setup the dramatic finish as the Raiders began their final drive at their own 27. They pushed the drive to the Crusdaers 35 with just six ticks left on the clock and no timeouts. Knoblauch bought some time and lofted the ball deep into the back of the end zone as time expired only to have the ball fall into the hands of Darno.

“Our defense stepped up when they needed to at times tonight.” Notre Dame coach Phil Stambaugh stated. “That is a good football team, they won 9 games and that Boyle kid is a good back as well is Nick Breiner. They were tough up front.” He concluded.

Boyle rushed for 216 yards on 25 carries and 4 scores rushing and one receiving. DeFranco completed 24 of 33 passes 3 TD’s and no picks.

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