Almost 4,000 football fans witnessed a great high school football game Friday night between SV and ND
Saucon Valley and Notre Dame both came into Friday night’s, Week 9 game undefeated and now only the Panthers remain perfect on the season. SV defeated ND 42-35 to keep their dream alive for an undefeated championship season.
The game started surprisingly slow. Both teams took awhile to gain offensive traction. There was much pre-game hype made about the offensive firepower of both teams and it was missing. Early on, the Panther and Crusader defenses were trading stops instead of the offenses trading scores during the first quarter of play.
That would all change quickly.
Mike Kane pressures ND quarterback Tre Jordan. With 10.5 sacks Kane is now SV’s career sack leader.
With 11:09 remaining in the 2nd quarter Notre Dame made a 21-yard field goal but was flagged for a false start. After the 5-yard penalty, ND would kick again but miss, turning the ball over to the Panthers at the 19 yard line. On the very next play, Evan Culver took a “quick-pitch” around the left end and ran 72 yards all the way down to the Crusader 9 yard line. Two plays later the Panthers cashed in as Culver and the Hogs pounded the Crusaders for a 2-yard touchdown plunge with 9:55 to play in the first half.
Saucon’s all-time leading rusher, Evan Culver, looking for Zone behind Mike Paolini and the Hogs
Saucon’s defense again stiffened and denied a single first down on Notre Dame’s next possession. The Panthers forced the punt and took over at their own 40 yard line. Behind the Hogs, Culver and Thatcher would alternate carries moving the ball to the Crusader 24 yard line. On the seventh play Panther quarterback Zach Thatcher read “keep” on an option play and burst down the left side for a 24-yard touchdown scamper with 5:03 left in the opening half.
Notre Dame would answer with their first points of the night only five plays later. Crusader all-star senior quarterback, Tre Jordan, found receiver Jalen Simpson open in the right flat. Simpson’s speed would carry him into the end zone for a touchdown. Panther defensive tackle Cody Zrinski broke the Crusader line and blocked the extra point keeping the score 14-6.
Saucon received the ball with three minutes remain in the half and wasted no time fabricating a scoring drive. Zach Thatcher, this time, ran a “sweep” around the right end for a 5-yard touchdown. Panther kicker, Josh Snead kicked his third extra point and the 21-6 score held at half. Snead ended up perfect for the night converting all of his kicks.
After trading possessions to start the 2nd Half, Saucon Valley added to their score with another 24-yard touchdown run by Zach Thatcher around the right end to make the score 28-6 with 2:46 to play in the 3rd quarter. Thatcher looked unstoppable rushing 17 times for 162 yards and 3 td’s for the night.
The Panthers rally around Zach Thatcher after he scored one of his three rushing touchdowns
Tre Jordan brought Notre Dame back by leading a Crusader 10 play drive for a touchdown. Notre Dame converted the 2 point try to make the score 28-14. However, the Thatcher and Culver show continued with Culver scoring from 5 yards out. With 11:02 left in the game the Panthers seemed to have it locked up at 35-14. Culver finished with 24 carries for 201 yards and 2 touchdowns.
Notre Dame started at their own 35 yard line and took only six plays to score on a Tre Jordan touchdown run. The Crusaders missed the extra-point kick but closed the gap to 35-20 with 9:17 remaining in the game.
The Panthers went “3 and out” and after a Mike Kane punt from his own 18 yard line, the Crusaders started at midfield. Jordan and the Crusaders crafted a 10-play drive and again scored on a Tre Jordan 7-yard scamper. Jordan found his receiver on a short “out” route for the 2-point conversion and put the Crusaders in striking distance at 35-28 with 4:08 to play.
Notre Dame running back Mitch Daniel looking for room to run against the Panther defense
Saucon could not pick up a first-down and again went “3 and out” giving the ball back to Notre Dame at midfield. Seven plays later with 1:04 on the clock, the Crusaders found the end zone on a 9-yard scramble by Jordan. Notre Dame opted to kick the extra point and lock the game at 35.
Notre Dame kicked off deep and Saucon’s Nate Harka returned the ball to the 25 yard line. On first down the Panthers hit a “play-action” pass to wide open Mike Kane down the middle of the field for a 30-yard gain. The Panthers quickly lined up and “spiked” the ball at the Crusader 46 yard line to stop the clock. Saucon came out the next play in a “Gun Trips Right” formation. With three Panther receivers split out to the right, Alstan Wolfe was the lone Panther receiver on the left side getting single coverage. On the snap of the ball Wolfe ran a deep-vertical streak route. Thatcher seeing the single coverage on Wolfe, let it fly high and long after a quick fake to Culver. Wolfe leaped and attacked the ball at its highest point and snatched it away from the Crusader defender. Landing on his feet as the Notre Dame defender collapsed, Wolfe skipped and celebrated the final fifteen yards into the end zone with 37 seconds remaining. Josh Snead hit the extra point for the Panthers to make the score 42-35.
Coach Lenehan congratulates Alstan Wolfe after his heroic catch in the final seconds against Notre Dame
With no timeouts remaining and starting from their own 19 yard line after the Panther kickoff, Notre Dame’s Tre Jordan was sacked by Mike Kane for a 2 yard loss. That tackle would make Kane SV’s all-time career sack leader. With the clock still ticking, Notre Dame tried a desperation “fumblerooski”. Although breathtaking and entertaining, the play was eventually blown up by Nate Harka and stomped out by King-Kong Cody Zrinski as time expired.
It was a fantastic night for the Panthers and a fantastic night for the Saucon Valley community. Almost 4,000 spectators were on hand to see the Panthers make history and guarantee themselves at least a share in the 2015 Colonial League title. With a victory next Friday at Palisades, the Saucon Valley Panthers will win the championship outright with an undefeated regular season; the first time since 2004. Congrats Panthers, you made your town proud. Good Luck next week and bring it all home! The Source will be with you.
Evan Culver was his usual workhorse self as he rushed 24 times for 201 yards passing Nick Savant to become SV’s all-team leading rusher with 3,612 rushing yards. Culver has 1,811 yards so far this season.
