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North Schuylkill Pitches Third Shutout of the Season Against Northern Lehigh.

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

| September 24, 2022

Defense Contains Potent Bulldog Offense to Dominating Win Friday Night @BPTashinski on Twitter

SLATING-TON- On Friday night, you could feel the winds of change present with temperatures in the upper 40’s, the Autumn breeze really made it football weather. The Spartans of North Schuylkill took to the task at Bulldog Stadium and put on a clinic of ball control offense and a stifling defense en route to a 31-0 shutout of Northern Lehigh before a moderate crowd. The loss was the first for Northern Lehigh on the season.

The shutout was their third in five games after an opening season 25-17 loss to Mount Carmel they followed up with a 21-0 win over Blue Mountain and a 35-0 win over Pine Grove before giving up 24 points to Tamaqua last week in a 49-24 win.

The Spartans kept the Bulldogs deep in their own territory much of the night, with their best starting field possession being at the 27. The best drive of the half ended at the the 22 yard line on turnover on down. Jack Dean picked off an errant Nick Frame pass along the sidelines on Bulldogs opening drive near midfield. The drive would stall at the seven. A 25 yard Gavin Mentzer field goal gave the visitors a 3-0 lead with 7:08 left in the quarter.

Junior Trevor Minalda, would throw for 145 yards and two touchdowns on the night got off to a slow start for North Schuylkill going 2 of 8 for 13 yards ad a pick. Late in the half he finally found his rhythm, after taking over at their own eight using a punishing rushing attack behind Jared Tinari, who finished the night with 139 yards on 23 carries. A fourteen play drive ensued capped off with a 16 yard touchdown pass for Minalda to Jack Dean, who made a one-handed catch on the right side of the end zone making it 10-0 with 1:17 left before intermission.

Northern Lehigh received the second half kickoff and promptly drove inside the Spartans thirty, but again a fourth-and-one call came up short at the 27. On the ensuing drive five plays later Minalda found Zander McElhenny across the middle of the field and outran the defense for a 54 yard score. Mentzer connected on the PAT making it 17-0 with 3:44 left in the third quarter.

North Schuylkill’s defense only allowed 155 yards on the night, with Izaiah Ramos, on the sidelines for the Bulldogs with undisclosed injury. Ramos was averaging six yards a carry and scored five times on the season, hindered what Northern Lehigh could do as the defensive fron did it’s job in containing Frame and the offense all night long.

Minalda then found a huge opening in the Bulldog defense and waltzed in for a score from six yards out making it 24-0 with 7:15 left in the contest.

Just for good measure Linebacker Steven Davis picked off a Frame pass along the visitor sidelines and dashed in for a 64 yard pick six to close out the scoring with just 25 ticks left in the game for a 31-0 lead.

Quarterback Trevor Minalda had this to say about his team after the win.

North Schuylkill (4-1) will be on the road next week to face rivalNotre Dame Green Pond (4-1) Phil Stambaugh’s Crusaders cruised by Palmerton 55-18 Friday night. Northern Lehigh (4-1) will also be away from home at Salisbury (0-5). The Falcons dropped a 52-0 decision to Tamaqua Friday.

Walter Hall, coach of North Schuylkill had this to say after last nights win.

Follow PA Football News on Twitter @PaFootballNews

 
 
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