By Brian Ptashinski @BPtashinski on Twitter
LEHIGHTON- In the much-anticipated matchup between the Route 209 rivals Jim Thorpe and Lehighton certainly lived up to the hype, as both teams came into Friday night’s game with identical 9-0 records. When the dust cleared, it was Lehighton coming out on top 43-27 before an overflow crowd on Senior night.
The Indians jumped out to a 18 point lead to start the contest. The home team took the opening drive 74 yards in 12 plays as QB Cody Scherer connected with Zach Crum for a 17 yard score.
Taquon Bradley-Chambers made it 12-0 with an explosuve 56 yard run. Scherer hooked up with Crum again for a 23 yard score with 10:09 left before half.
Scherer completed 11-17 passes for 215 yards. He also gained another 214 yards rushing. Bradley-Chambers added 202 yards on 22 carries. The Indians amassed 643 total yards against a vaunted Olympian Red Storm defense, who pitched six shutouts on the season and only allowed 51 points all season.
‘We have some guys who can break open games for us,” Lehighton coach Tom McCarroll stated. ‘We tested their secondary tonight, but we also ran the ball extremely well tonight. I am so proud of our kids effort tonight,” he concluded.
Jim Thorpe got on the board with Justin St. Hill scoring from 13 yards out with 2:18 before half. But Lehighton added a 28-yard field goal by Nate Petit-Clair to take a 21-7 lead at the intermission.
The Olympians cut the lead to seven after QB Nick Rosahac scored from five yards out with 2:09 left in the third quarter. Scherer took over with his legs going for an electrifying 81 yard jaunt two plays after the Jim Thorpe score.
With St. Hill sitting out much of the second half due to an injury. Dominic Madeira and C.J Selby needed to step up and make some plays.
Madera did his part to make it a one score game 29-21 at the 8:35 mark of the fourth quarter with a one-yard run. It was Scherer answering back with a 74-yard run at the 8:00 mark making the score 36-21.
Lehighton got a third scoring pass from Scherer to Crum this time from 28 yards out and a 43-21 lead.
Selby closed out the scoring with a two-yard run for Jim Thorpe with 2:31 left to play.
Both teams qualify for District XI playoffs beginning next weekend at site and times and opponents to be determined.
