The Panther defense swarmed to the ball on Friday night.

The classic clash between the Panthers and Spartans Friday night was like an old-time championship fight that went the full 15 rounds. Of the 48 minutes the teams played, the outcome wasn’t decided until the 47:44 mark. The Panthers punched and got punched. In the last round, the Panthers were on their heels. They desperately defended themselves from a late Spartan barrage. Saucon Valley was staggered, but they refused to go down.

The Early Rounds

Saucon Valley won the toss and chose to defer their option until the second half. The Spartans opted to receive the opening kickoff and were forced to punt by the stout Panther defense. The Spartan defense returned the favor. The first three possessions of the game resulted in alternating punts. The teams were feeling each other out, looking for a weakness to exploit.

The Middle Rounds

Due to an interference penalty against the Spartans as Alstan Wolfe tried to field a punt, the Panthers took possession at midfield instead of their own 33 yard line. It was there that Saucon started an eight play drive which included a 14 yard pitch and catch from Brandon Holub to Kory Kemmerer, and a five yard “bootleg” run by Holub. The other six plays called on Panther junior Zach “Lightning” Petiet. His final carry of the drive resulted in an 18 yard touchdown run behind 1,000 pounds of pork on an “unbalanced” line. The extra point was wide left but the Panthers drew first blood and took a 6-0 lead with 2:12 remaining in the first quarter.

The Panther offense found the end zone when they most needed. — The Panther offense found the end zone when they most needed it.

The Spartans answered by going 70 yards in 17 plays. Southern Lehigh used an efficient blend of pass and run to move the ball, but the biggest play may have been a pass interference call on 2nd and 18 from the Panthers’ 43 yard line. Seven plays after the 15-yard penalty the Spartans took a toss into the end zone for a touchdown. The score made it 7-6 in favor of Southern Lehigh.

Saucon counterpunched. In three plays and using only :36 seconds the Panthers came roaring back. Brandon Holub read “keep” on an option and bolted 47 yards around the left end for a touchdown. The Panthers tried for a two-point conversion but came up empty. Saucon took back the lead 12-7.

Building off the momentum of a 55-yard kickoff return all the way to the Panther 34 yard line, Southern Lehigh answered in four plays with a touchdown of their own. Spartan sophomore quarterback read keep on an option and sped through the left side of his line for a 10-yard touchdown run. With 4:09 to go in the first half Southern Lehigh jumped back on top 14-12.

The Panthers fought off the ropes. Saucon Valley forged a 10-play drive highlighted by a 40 yard reception by Alstan Wolfe on a 3rd and 15 from their own 35 yard line. Holub hit Wolfe in stride with a beautiful bomb down to the Spartan 25 yard line. Six plays later from the six yard line with only :35 seconds remaining in the second quarter Holub again kept on “option” for the score. Saucon kicker Josh Snead connected on the extra point to put the Panthers in the locker room at halftime 19-14.

The Later Rounds

With laser-focused resolve, the Panthers came out of the halftime break ready to roll. Starting from their own 36 yard line to open the half, the Panthers crafted a sixteen play drive that included three fourth down conversions. Saucon went smashmouth and averaged 4 yards per carry during the nine-minute scoring drive. Abe Lugo lugged the rock five times, Holub four and Alstan Wolfe carried one on a shovel pass from Holub. Petiet carried six times with his last touch being a 1o yard score on a blast off right tackle. With 3:07 remaining in the third quarter, the Panthers seemed to have knocked the Spartans down for the count and extend their lead 26-14.

Southern Lehigh got up off the canvas. Down but not out, the Spartans answered the bell and came back again. Following a Panther punt and a 25-yard return by Tim Walters, the Spartans took over at their own 40-yard line. Southern Lehigh’s quarterback Logan Edmond ran for his life, but proved elusive enough to complete 5 of 6 passes on the drive and get another score for the Spartans. His scoring strike to receiver Logan Hantz was from 5 yards out. With 5:16 remaining the Spartans overcame a whole lot of Panther pressure to make the score 26-21.

The Final Round

Starting at their own 37 yard line following Southern Lehigh’s kickoff, Saucon moved the chains all the way down to the Spartan 25 yard line, where their drive would stall with under two minutes to go. Edmond and company came back, moving the ball to the Panther 36 yard line. On second and 10 with about 25 seconds remaining in the game Southern Lehigh sent four receivers deep. Edmond lofted a deep ball into the middle of the end zone. Saucon senior safety, Kory Kemmerer out-jumped Southern Lehigh’s Tim Walter and came down with the pick. Game over. The Panthers held on to win 26-21. Kemmerer’s heroics knocked out the Spartans.