UPDATED 10.17.2021 Jim Thorpe pulls away in second half, shuts out Tamaqua 34 to 0… Photo Gallery Included @JTOlympians @TASDAthletics1

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Daniel Reed | October 16, 2021

Jim Thorpe pulls away in second half, shuts out Tamaqua 34 to 0 !

Tamaqua would get the opening kickoff to begin the game and would start the opening drive at their own 33 yard line. After a few plays, the Blue Raiders would end up punting. Jim Thorpe would start their opening drive at their own 47. Things weren’t looking good for both teams offense as neither team could move the ball on their first possession. The Olympians would turn the ball over on downs and Tamaqua have the ball once again. This time, the Raiders would fumble, turning the ball over to the Olympians and JT would begin their next possession at the Tamaqua 40. Jim Thorpe would have the ball at the Raider 29 when Olympians QB Brett Balliet would connect with Bryson Heydt however, they would turn the ball back over to Tamaqua on downs. Once again, Tamaqua would end up punting back to Jim Thorpe. The first score of the game would come after two long runs by Derryl Fisher and David Fiorito setting up a 1 yard touchdown run by Camron Tinajero. The Olympians would go for two but fail giving them a 6 to 0 lead late in the quarter. The next drive for Tamaqua would begin at their own 33. A few plays later, and loss of yardage, the Blue Raiders would turn the ball over on downs in their own territory, at the 24. A long run by Aaron Curran would have the Olympians down to the Blue Raider 5. A couple plays later, Camron Tinajero would score his second rushing touchdown of the first quarter from 1 yard out extending the Jim Thorpe lead to 14 to 0 after the two-point conversion attempt was good this time when QB-Ryan Fikentscher would take it in from 2 yards out. Tamaqua would show some life on their next drive which began at their own 32. A 12 yard pass by Nathan Gregoire to Warren Stewart would have them first and ten at their own 44. Stewart would run for 8 yards on the next play putting Tamaqua in JT territory for the first time late in the first quarter.

Tamaqua would have the ball to start the 2nd quarter, 3rd down but would have to punt once again. The Olympians would start at their own 25. Brett Balliet would call take the ball himself and run into territory to the Tamaqua 48. Shortly after, David Fiorito would scamper to the Raider 33. Nothing would amount after that for the Olympians and Tamaqua would get the ball again. But like the rest of the first half thus far, the Blue Raiders would give the ball back to JT at the Olympians 27, this time by way of turnover on downs. Both teams would have the ball again but nothing would come from it giving us a halftime score of 14 to 0 with the home team Blue Raiders trailing.

Jim Thorpe would start the second half at their 37 yard line following the kickoff. It wouldn’t take long until the Olympians were in Tamaqua territory when Tinajero would rumble to the Blue Raider 46. Shortly after, the Olympians would score when David Fiorito would run it in, adding the their lead, making the score 21 to 0 in the third quarter. Tamaqua would start the drive at their 23 following the kickoff. The Blue Raider offense would still struggle to get things going as they would once again turn the ball over on downs in their own territory. Jim Thorpe would take over at the Tamaqua 39 but they too had their own struggles and fumble back to the Blue Raiders deep in Raider territory when John Klein would recover the fumble. However, Tamaqua would give the ball back to Jim Thorpe when Matthew Stauffer would intercept the Gregoire pass and take it to the house for the PICK-6. Olympians would miss the extra point but still extended their lead to 27 to 0 about mid-way thru the 3rd quarter. Tamaqua would again turn the ball over back to the Olympians with another fumble, this time recovered by Bryan Bowen. Jim Thorpe would start the drive at the Blue Raider 32 yard line. The Olympians wasted little time to score when Balliet would connect with Derryl Fisher for 32 yards. The score at the end of the 3rd. quarter would be 34 to 0.

Not much would happen in the final quarter of play as both teams would turn the ball over to each other to close out the game. Tamaqua punting twice, and Jim Thorpe just trying to run out the time, turning the ball over on downs twice. In the game, the Tamaqua offense would gain just 114 yards of total offense, lead by Warren Stewart, 38 yards rushing, 7 yards receiving, and 10 yards passing, totaling 55 yards in all. John Klein lead the Blue Raider defense with 13 tackles, all solo. Even though the score was lopsided in 34 to 0, the Tamaqua defense did record 5 turnovers with 3 interception, and 2 fumble recoveries of their own.

Next up for Jim Thorpe(4-4) will by a home game vs (2-6) Palisades
Next up for Tamaqua(2-5), is a home game vs #1 ranked (8-0) North Schuylkill

Photo Gallery included… just click the link below !

https://pafootballnews.smugmug.com/Jim-Thorpe-vs-Tamaqua-10152021