Whitehall Survives and Advances to District Championship Game.
Tagged under: District 11, News
Brian Ptashinski | November 9, 2020
By Brian Ptashinski @BPtashinski on Twitter
WHITEHALL- What a difference a year makes. Last season the Whitehall Zephyrs finished the season at 0-10. Sunday afternoon they were playing for a spot in the District XI 5A championship game next week against Pocono Mountain East, in their way was a familiar foe in the playoffs, the Spartans of Southern Lehigh, when the final whistle sounded, the Zephyrs found themselves on the winning end of a 42-34 score on a unseasonably warm day in the Lehigh Valley,
Whitehall was dealing with some Covid-19 issues early in the week and were forced into a double-session practice on Saturday and a walk-through on Sunday morning.
The Zephyrs got on the scoreboard first and never trailed in the contest, but the Spartans would not go away as they trailed 21-14 at halftime.
With Whitehall leading 14-7, Southern Lehigh’s running back Logan Shorb plowed his way into the end zone from twelve yards at the 10:34 to tie the score at fourteen.
Logan Shorb 12yd score for @SLSpartanNation with 10:34 left till half @SLSpartanNation 14 @ZephyrsFootball 14. @PaFootballNews @scorestream @circlewsports @CoachWeaver3 @HEARTLANDFAN15 pic.twitter.com/AVz77g2Nb9
— Brian Ptashinski (@BPtashinski) November 8, 2020
Damonte Foreman answered back for the home team as he found paydirt from three yards out with under a minute left till intermission making the score 21-14.
Damonte Foreman 3yd run for @ZephyrsFootball with :50 till half and lead @SLSpartanNation 21-14. @PaFootballNews pic.twitter.com/1rxE0pZl2P
— Brian Ptashinski (@BPtashinski) November 8, 2020
Shorb scored his third touchdown of the afternoon from three yards once again to tie the score at 21 with 6:19 left in the third quarter. Then the Zephs but some distance between them and the visitors as the scored the next 14 points. The first on a 35 yard pass from quarterback Quinn Wentling to Anthony Sabbaugh and then an electrifying 64 yard dash by running back Nigel Linton to make it 35-21 with just 13 ticks left on the clock
Nigel Linton 64yd TD for Whitehall score. :13 left in the 3rd quarter. @ZephyrsFootball lead 35-21. @PaFootballNews pic.twitter.com/kjg31u7H1q
— Brian Ptashinski (@BPtashinski) November 8, 2020
With 8:30 left in the contest Spartan quarterback JC Rizzuto tossed a 13 yard pass for one score to Jayden Henry and then with 1:34 left a 34 yarder to Tyler Houser to make it an eight point game, but a failed onside kick allowed the Zephyrs to run out the clock to get the victory.
Rizzuto to Henry 13yd pass for Southern Lehigh score. PAT no good. 8:49 left to play. @ZephyrsFootball lead @SLSpartanNation 35-27. @PaFootballNews pic.twitter.com/oqcFnCwb7Y
— Brian Ptashinski (@BPtashinski) November 8, 2020
“The coaches did a great job as we had some Zoom calls this week, which helped us out and the getting out there on Saturday and it was all about execution.” Wentling said after the game.
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