TAMAQUA – Both Tamaqua Area and Marian Catholic high schools share a consensus that their season is one game long and begins and ends in week 10. It is also said across Schuylkill and Carbon counties that there are two kinds of people: “People from Marian and everybody else,” so needless to say, fans on hand were in store for an emotionally heated contest.
The Blue Raiders kicked off to start off the game, and Marian wasted no time as seven plays later, Marian QB K.J. Snerr slipped by would-be tacklers for a 37 yard score to put his Colts up 7-0. Tamaqua struggled to move the ball down the field. It appeared as though, the Blue Raider offensive line had over-looked the undersized Marian front seven. The Colts were playing with a fire and purpose they had not shown in their first few opening games that resulted in their 0-3 start. With just over a minute to play, Tamaqua was held inside their own 30 yard line and forced to punt. Marian senior Lukas Damian blocked the kick and recoverd inside the Blue Raider 15. From there, Bailey Becker recorded a 20 yard field goal to increase the lead to 10.
The home crowd was shocked. A Blue Raider squad coming off a three game win streak with all games on the road against AFL competition, comes home and trails Marian 10-0? Marian had played the first half with an enthusiasm and attitude that the Raiders had used throughout the season to battle through hardships, but it remained absent in the first half of play.
That, however, was about to change. From the minute the Blue Raiders tore through the banner until those 15 seniors had played their final play in Raider blue, they dominated with the swagger that propelled a 10-0 season a year ago. On the opening drive, Tamaqua drove 56 yards and capped it off with a Nate Edmonds pass to Adam Frantz. A highly criticized Tamaqua defense suffocated the Colts in the second half, allowing 15 yards on only nine plays. The third quarter was winding down and the visitors still held a 10-8 advantage. Then, junior standout Tyler Skripko blocked a Marian punt to set up Tyler Hope for the go ahead score. Tamaqua now had the lead 16-10 and never looked back. After another score, this time, a 12 yard run by Edmonds, Mike Kelly put the game away with an interception of Marian QB Dean Richards, and then Tyler Hope delivered the first down that was all the Blue Raiders needed to put the game away.
The victory marked the first time Tamaqua defeated Marian three years running and also continued the Blue Raider control of the rivalry as they had won five of the last six. Edmonds had finished off his mark on Tamaqua football by setting the career record for touchdown passes.
Despite a 7-3 record, the Blue Raiders are on the outside looking in on the playoff picture making this the final game of their seniors’ careers. In hindsight, there might not be a better note to end on then a come-from-behind win over your biggest rival in front of your home crowd. Marian, however, is moving on to the Eastern Conference playoffs. Their first contest is still to be determined.
Congratulations to the Blue Raiders on a fantastic season, to the seniors for bringing a winning atmosphere to the town of Tamaqua, and good luck to the juniors, sophomores, and freshmen who need to keep it going for years to come.
