On their first possession, North Schuylkill turned the ball over. The next play, Notre Dame-GP QB Cole DeFranco found Dan O’Hare down the middle for a 56-yard touchdown.
It was big plays like this which decided the District XI AAA Quarterfinal in Fountain Springs, where Notre Dame-Green Pond defeated North Schuylkill 28-6.
Even when the Spartans controlled the line of scrimmage and the clock, the Crusaders struck quickly.
Late in the first, DeFranco found David Sanders Jr. for another touchdown, this time a 32-yard strike. Notre Dame-GP led 14-0 at the end of one.
There was no quit from North Schuylkill, as the Spartans pulled within eight in the second quarter. Justin DeAngelo finished off a long drive with a 1-yard run, but the extra point missed.
That was the only time the Spartans would find the end zone. The two teams battled through the scoreless third quarter, exchanging punts throughout. Notre Dame-GP led 14-6 heading into the fourth.
Early in the fourth, DeFranco set up Gerald Grube on a screen that went for an 18-yard touchdown, extending the Crusader lead to 21-6.
Fighting to stay in the game, North Schuylkill drove into Notre Dame territory but could not convert on a 4th down with six minutes to go. The Crusaders took the ball back and finished off their final drive with a 5-yard rushing score.
Notre Dame-GP will advance to the District XI AAA Semifinals to meet undefeated Colonial League champion Palisades next Saturday. The teams played in Week 1, and Palisades won a 22-17 nail biter.
North Schuylkill finishes 8-3 on the season. Their losses came against three fourths of the AAA semifinals, as they dropped league games to Jim Thorpe and Lehighton.
