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Behind Josh Ludlow’s Six Touchdown Performance Crusaders Roll Over Panthers Thursday Night

Tagged under: District 11, Gameday Hub, News, pfn, Playoffs

| November 3, 2023

District XI 3A Playoff Quarterfinal Dominated by Notre Dame Green Pond over Saucon Valley.

 

BETHLEHEM TWP-  The man of the hour Thursday night in the opening round of the District XI 3A playoff, was RB Josh Ludlow of Notre Dame Green Pond Crusaders, who rushed for six touchdowns Thursday night, just one shy of the school record in impressive fashion leading his team to a 56-20 win to advance to the 3A semifinal next week at a time and date to be announced.

The 5’9″ 160-pound senior rushed for 180 yards on 17 carries gave all the props to his offensive line, who opened up the holes for 5 of his six scores, his other score came on a 64 yard punt return.  On a night where the highly regarded passing game was limited due to the frigid temperatures, it was up to Ludlow to provide the spark need to get the win.

QB Danny Darno, who came into the game throwing for 2,000 yards in the regular season finished the night with just 91 yards  on 9-of 15 passing, used his legs on the opening drive scoring from 11 yards out for a 7-0  just two minutes into the game on a six play drive.


 

Saucon Valley looked like they were tie the score on their first possession of the game, but after a 64 yard hookup between QB Jared Rohn to WR Jack Robinson put the ball on the Crusader four, they were unable to cash it in and Notre Dame took over on the one. A bad snap and a Panther recovery of the fumble at the Crusader 38, but again they could not cash it in.

Ludlow scored his first touchdown from 13 yards out with just seventeen seconds left in the opening quarter and gave the home team a 14-0 lead. The drive went 60 yards on five plays after the Crusaders recovered a backwards lateral.


Saucon Valley’s Constantine Donahue then ripped off a 70 yard run down the visitor’s sideline to cut the lead to 14-7 to start the second quarter, but after the ensuing kickoff put the ball at the Crusader 41, Ludlow answered back with an electrfying 59 yards on the first play and extended the lead to 21-7.

 

The defense then got in on the scoring spree as a Rohn pass in the flat on their next possession was picked off by Jaysen Blacknall-Farmer took it back 25 yards for a touchdown and a 28-7 lead.

The Panthers were forced to punt the next time they got the ball and Ludlow went to work taking the ball at his own 34 and weaved his way down the sidelines and finding the end zone for a 64 yard score making it 35-7 with 6:37 still left before half, but neither team  could establish any more points and they entered the locker room with the Crusaders leading by 28

Donahue, got the Panthers roaring out of the gate to start the second half by going for a 39 yard touchdown to cut the lead to 35-13 as the two-point conversion failed.  Ludlow would find the end zone twice more in the quarter, once from three yards out the other on a five yard score for the Crusaders.

Sandwiched between those two scores for Ludlow, was a 10 yard pass from Rohn to Robinson on a nicely set up pass in the flat making it 42-20 with 5:12 left in the third quarter.

The Crusaders would close out the scoring in the fourth quarter when Ludlow took it into the end zone from five yards out with 9:21 to play in the game. There would be no further scoring and Notre Dame Green Pond moved their record to 8-3 and will advance to face the top seed Northwestern Lehigh (11-0) in New Tripoli next week. The Tigers overwhelmed Lehighton 58-14 Thursday. That game will feature two former college teammates facing each other: coach Phil Stambaugh at Notre Dame and Josh Snyder who coaches the Tigers, Here is what Phil Stambaugh said after the game.

Follow PA Football News on Twitter @PaFootballNews

 
 
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