Thirty-Five Point Second Quarter Helps NDGP Roll Over Pen Argyl 59-7
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Cody Brady | October 5, 2025
Copy of NDGP v Pen Argyl TV by PAFootball Newsdotcom
A sloppy start on Saturday afternoon characterized the early going between two teams with one loss between them. The team exchanged three consecutive turnovers over the first twelve minutes before a Jonathan Striba punt return to the house put an early stranglehold on the game for the state-ranked Crusaders.
Notre Dame’s first drive saw them cover 40 yards in six plays, down to the Green Knights six yard line. But Caiden Faust picked off Matt Bodnar, returning the interception to the Green Pond 38.
The Green Knights were quickly in business and picked up a first down. On 3rd & 2 from the 24, the handoff between Mason Soos and Faust hit the turf and Tom Kosiba recovered the fumble for the Crusaders.
One play after Bodnar found Striba for a 14-yard gain to their own 43, Faustie Capobianco gained ten more yards into Pen Argyl territory. However, he lost the ball and Terrell Estes pounced on the loose pigskin. Garrett Grants made his first mark on the game, sacking Mason Soos and forcing a punt on 4th & 28. With three minutes to go in the first, we remained scoreless.
Green Pond drove the field on their third possession, but was forced to settle for a 26-yard field goal after the Green Knights on three consecutive plays inside the 10. Pen Argyl punted on their next drive, following a big hit laid by Jackson Hughes on Caiden Faust in the backfield.
The Crusaders, leading 3-0 after one quarter, began taking over in the second. After taking over in plus territory at the Green Knights 44, Bodnar connected with Cody Driscoll for a 31-yard touchdown to make it 10-0.
Another big defensive play kept the Crusaders on the attack, as Capobianco recovered another Faust fumble. Two plays later, Striba picked his way through the left side of the line and headed to the end zone, making the score 17-0 with 9:23 to go before intermission.
Striba wasn’t done. On the ensuing punt, he caught the ball cleanly in space and cut to his right, going 37 yards for the score. With 7:31 to go in the second quarter, it was suddenly 24-0 and NDGP was well on their way.
Bodnar, who had nearly 200 passing yards by halftime, tossed a 56-yard touchdown pass to Alex Clark with under three minutes to go before the break. Special teams then came through, as Garrett Grants blocked a punt, allowing his team to take over at the Pen Argyl 32. This marked the fourth first half drive that began in plus territory for NDGP. Two plays later, Bodnar passed to Nick Youngkin for a 15-yard touchdown to make it 38-0, ensuring a running clock in the second half.
The second half was much of the same. Bodnar hit Striba on a swing pass to his left; Striba took it 36 yards to pay dirt with 8:14 to go in the third. Backup quarterback and sophomore Tommy Murphy completed a pass to Cody Driscoll that went 24 yards for a touchdown to make it a 52-0 lead.
Later in the fourth, Murphy took off on a 49-yard run, setting up a Youngkin 6-yard touchdown.
Caiden Faust ended the shutout bid by scoring from 27 yards out to make the final score 59-7.
The victory keeps Notre Dame Green Pond ahead of Northwestern Lehigh in the District XI 3A power rankings. The Crusaders host Palisades next week. Pen Argyl’s home playoff hopes took a hit, but they will have a chance to rebound next Saturday when they host Saucon Valley.
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