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Olympians come up one play short, fall from unbeaten ranks @NSAthletics1 @JTOlympians

Tagged under: District 11, News

| September 29, 2018

The 2 point play after this Olympian td failed, Spartans survive in the mud

JIM THORPE- Sometimes when two evenly matched, unbeaten teams get together on the football field it somehow doesn’t match the hype. That was not the case Friday night on a soggy, sloppy track at Jim Thorpe High School Field as North Schuylkill held off the Olympians to earn a hard-fought 8-6 victory in front of a Standing-Room-Only crowd.

The Spartans got the game off to an electrifying start on their opening drive however, when on the third play from scrimmage running back Mitchell Wagner took an inside hand-off and was able to split through the Olympians eight-man front on his way to a 69 yard jaunt for a score. With a penalty against Jim Thorpe moving the ball half the distance on the point after, North Schuylkill decided on going for two points. Quarterback Jaden Leiby kept the ball himself around the right side and was just able to tuck the ball inside the pylon, giving the Spartans a 8-0 lead

“That was the difference in the game.” Spartan Coach Wally Hall Stated. “We had the chance to take the two, with field condition as it was, was the best option and we were able to execute it successfully.” Said Hall. “Then on the flip side later in the game, we were able to stop them when they went for two, that was the difference in the game.”

Both defenses then settled in and took control of the game with the assistance of the poor field conditions. Both teams tried to take advantage of field position most of the game, as the teams combined for eight punts between the second and third quarters alone.

Jim Thorpe did manage to pin North Schuylkill deep in their own territory to start the fourth quarter, forcing the Spartans to punt from inside their five yard line. The punt was returned by Jarrin Geisinger for 23 yards to the Spartan 13 a face-mask call on the return by North Schuylkill moved the ball half the distance to the seven. The ensuing three plays yield no yards for the home team, bringing up a fourth and goal situation. The Olympians needing to find the end zone decided to go for it. That decision paid off as quarterback Roberto Santiago, bought some time avoiding the onrushing pressure, rolled to his left and then shot-putted the ball to Austin Williams, who was open in the end zone for the score. Santiago was taken down behind the line of scrimmage on the conversion attempt however, leaving the score 8-6 with 10:27 left in the contest.

Neither team could manage to get anything going offensively most of the remaining time that was left to play. Another well placed Thorpe punt pinned the visitors inside their ten once again, unable to pick up a first down to seal the deal, the Spartans were forced to punt near their goal-line. The punt was shanked and went out of bounds at the North Schuylkill 21 with under a minute to play. Then there was some confusion to set in.

On their first three plays from the 21 the Olympians managed to lose a yard back to the 22. On third down and needing 11 yards to continue the drive the Spartan defense  stopped them short of the line to gain, however, a hands-to -the-face penalty was called but did not result in a first down as the ball was moved half the distance and was determined after the measurement about a football length short of  first down. So on fourth down Santiago kept it himself to get new set of downs at the Spartan 12.

Again, the defense rose up and forced a fourth down decision from the Spartan 6 for Jim Thorpe. a 23 yard field goal attempt with 23 seconds left was pushed way left giving the win North Schuylkill the win.

“We were one play short tonight.” Jim Thorpe coach Mark Rosenberger stated. “North Schuylkill played a great game all the credit goes to them.” “I am proud of my players and the effort the gave tonight, we hung in their but came up just one play short tonight.” He concluded.

North Schuylkill (6-0) will now face another undefeated team as it travels to 6-0 Tamaqua next Friday night. Tamaqua defeated Pottsville 35-6. Jim Thorpe 5-1 will be at 3-3 Blue Mountain, who lost to Lehighton 26-6.

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