NDGP Capitalizes on Second Half Mistakes to Pull Away from Saucon Valley

Tagged under: District 11, Gameday Hub, News

Billy Splain | September 14, 2024

Guest contributor: lsvsports.com

As Braden Rohn dropped back in the pocket, trying to make something happen for this Saucon Valley Panthers offense, Kalet Wilson was bearing down. Wilson forced a fumble that was scooped up by Brett Bruckman and taken 25 yards to the house, putting the Crusaders on top for good with 10:50 to play in the third quarter.

To that point, the normally high-flying offenses were nearly silent. The Crusaders had far more success moving the ball early. Their first drive initially covered 55 yards, but a holding call called back a touchdown pass. On 4th & Goal from the 22, Matt Bodnar’s pass to Jonathan Striba fell incomplete down the left side. After forcing a quick punt, Notre Dame again pushed into Panthers territory at the 42. On 2nd & 12, Braden Rohn picked off his counterpart, giving Saucon the ball back.

The Crusaders defense, which had given up 64 points just three weeks ago, was constantly swarming. Saucon’s first ensuing play went for a loss of 17, as the snap was low and Rohn scrambled in the backfield. Joshua Scherer got to Rohn and brought him down. Saucon Valley saw progress on 3rd & 25, when Jared Rohn ran up the middle and reached the first down marker. Brett Bruckman recorded a tackle for loss in the next series of downs, and Saucon Valley was forced to punt.

After forcing a Crusaders punt, Saucon Valley converted a 4th & 3 with a run around the left side on their own 37. However, the play was called back for a hold, costing the Panthers an opportunity to continue the drive. Notre Dame took over on their own 25. The longest play of the first half went to Carmine Diaz, as he made a diving snag on a 28 yard completion Striba also hauled in a 10 yard catch between two defenders, as Notre Dame marched into the red zone. A holding penalty resulted in 2nd & Goal from the 20 and a few plays later, Notre Dame opened the scoring with a 26-yard field goal.

Saucon Valley’s final drive of the first half began with 6:44 left on the clock from their own 32. The drive nearly ended just over midfield, where the Panthers faced a big 4th & 4 call. Jared Rohn broke through the middle of the line for 25 yards, bringing his team as close to the end zone as they had been all game. Kalet Wilson set the drive back nine yards when he sacked Braden Rohn, setting up 3rd & 18. Rohn found jack Robertson for a 25 yard touchdown, getting the Panthers on the board and in the lead going to halftime.

As Saucon looked to capitalize on the opening drive of the second half and add to the 7-3 lead, the drive fell apart just 70 seconds into the third quarter. Kalet WIlson’s forced fumble and Brett Bruckman’s scoop and score made it 10-7 and would prove to be a backbreaker of a play. Notre Dame also stumbled in the third quarter, though, as Alex Clark let the ball slip from his hands after a short catch and run. Jack Robertson came from his corner spot and scooped the fumble, returning it into the red zone. On the drive’s first play, however, a bad snap caused a loss of 9 and Saucon Valley again got in its own way, stalling out on a blocked 46-yard field goal attempt.

Notre Dame benefited from a 16 yard completion from Bodnar to Striba, but the drive ended in a punt. Saucon Valley got the ball back with 5:35 to go in the third quarter. Robertson hauled in a 31 yard completion on 3rd & 11 flipped the field, but the Panthers would turn it over on downs when CJ Diaz stopped Jared Rohn in the backfield on 4th & 2.

With the lead still just 10-7 entering the fourth quarter, Notre Dame finally put the pedal to the metal, engineering a ten play, 74 yard drive. Striba torched the Saucon defense on a 22 yard run down the sideline, setting up the Crusaders on the Panthers 21 yard line. Three plays later, Drew Boyd caught a four yard touchdowns pass, increasing the lead to two scores at 16-7 with 8:13 to play in the game.

In desperation mode, the Panthers turned the ball over on downs at their own 37. Striba punched it in from four yards out and a two point pass put the game well out of reach at 24-7.

Bodnar kept his impressive production going, completing 22 of 35 passes for 206 yards and a score, his thirteenth passing touchdown of the young season. Jonathan Striba accounted for 97 offensive yards, while Carmine Diaz caught six balls for 70 yards. In the loss, Jared Rohn ran for 117 yards on 19 carries. Braden Rohn completed four of 15 passes for 73 yards and a score.

Notre Dame will hit the road to face unbeaten Catasauqua next Friday night. Saucon Valley will look to bounce back next week against Wilson.

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