Northampton Cruises Past PM West on Emotional Night

Tagged under: District 11, Gameday Hub, News

Cody Brady | September 27, 2024

Prior to Northampton’s contest against the Panthers of Pocono Mountain West, there was a moment of silence for two individuals. The first was Rianna Glass, a student who was killed last year as a victim of domestic abuse. The second was Kim Davis, a longtime teacher, tennis coach and voice of Northampton sports for more than thirty years who passed away last week. Behind the backdrop of remembering those lost, and on Mentor Night, the Konkrete Kids football team dominated Pocono Mountain West.

Encapsulating the night was the opening kickoff of the second half. Aiden Hess received the ball on his own 32 and took it 68 yards to the house, breaking through a swarm of tacklers near midfield and going the rest of the way untouched. That score increased Northampton’s lead to 35-6 following a first half in which they only allowed one PM West first down.

Zeke Spencer returned the first Panthers punt of the night 30 yards, setting up his team on the PM West 29. Billy Stuhldreher scored his first touchdown of the night five plays later from a yard out. Gavin Taff’s 40 yard hookup with Tymir Williams marched Northampton into the red zone on their sixth offensive play of the night and Stuhldreher took it over the right side of the line from ten yards out to give the Konkrete Kids a 14-0 lead.

Meanwhile, Pocono Mountain West mustered just fifteen total yards over their first three offensive drives, punting on all of them. Brady Behr gave the team a boost when he picked off Taff over the middle and took returned the interception 45 yards. Quarterback Jerel Sims scored the only Panthers touchdown of the night on the next play, taking it in from five yards out and cutting the early deficit to 14-6 with 1:52 left in the opening quarter.

Northampton then put together their most impressive drive of the night, keeping the West defense on the field for over five minutes. It was a ground and pound attack from Stuhldreher and Taff, as they ran downhill. Stuhldreher converted a key 4th & 4, running outside along the far sideline to pick up seven yards and a first down. Aiden Hess finished the drive on a seven yard touchdown jaunt over the left side, extending the lead to 21-6.

After a Sims lateral in the backfield was picked up by the Konkrete Kids, Stuhldreher put up consecutive runs of nine, ten, and eleven yards. Tymir Williams snagged a 15-yard catch and Stuhldreher capped the drive on another rushing touchdown, this time from five yards out.

Despite the outcome of the game no longer being in doubt after Hess’ long runback to open the second half, the Panthers did not give up. Jerel Sims had a couple very nice long completions in the latter half of the game. The first was a 30 yard shot to Behr that gave the Panthers their first first down of the second half at the Northampton 39. However, a false start and subsequent running losses forced a punt on 4th & 21. The second was a leaping 24 yard completion to Behr near midfield. Unfortunately, that drive ended as Christian Stiehler was stopped short on a 4th & 2 call.

Zeke Spencer put the finishing touches on the game when he broke one 68 yards to the house, invoking the mercy rule midway through the third stanza.

Brady Behr took over at the quarterback position in the fourth quarter for the Panthers and threw a deep ball 45 yards to Demetrius Artis-Green. However, the team could not punch it in on four consecutive plays from inside the five yard line, as the Northampton defensive line continued its dominance all night long.

Pocono Mountain West was held to just 13 net rushing yards on 24 attempts. Sims and Behr combined for 175 through the air, with most of that coming in the second half. Conversely, Northampton ran as it pleased– by night’s end, nine different ball carriers combined for 285 yards and five touchdowns. Billy Stuhldreher finished with 16 carries for 110 yards and three scores, while adding three catches for 24 yards. Others who got involved included Trent Rickert, Dom Barkanic, Robert Wambold, and Elijah Moldanado, and Zion McKinney. Cam Hersch had three timely receptions for 28 yards, as well.

Northampton will face a stiff test next week when they travel to Easton. Pocono Mountain West will travel to Stroudsburg.

Read more about this game on LSVSports.com

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