The Panther offense led by Brandon Holub and Zach Petiet is back on track.
Friday night was an opportunity for the Saucon Valley Panthers to get closure to a loss against the Northwestern Lehigh Tigers that ended their 20-game Colonial League win streak. Friday was an opportunity for the Panthers to vent their pent up frustrations. The Panthers didn’t exactly get their way against the Northern Lehigh Bulldogs. Saucon didn’t dominate the game for four quarters. In what was mostly a tale of two halves, however, the Panthers did get themselves back on the winning track with a 46-20 victory.
The Panthers won the coin toss and deferred their option to the second half. Consequently the Bulldogs received the opening kickoff and marched their way to the Panther 30 yard line where the drive stalled. Saucon Valley took over and micro-waved a five play drive that included a 30-yard Holub-to-Wolfe pass and catch that set up the first of Zach Petiet’s four touchdowns. With the help of the Hogs, Petiet powered into the end zone from the four yard line. Josh Snead was perfect all night and hit the first of his six extra points to put the Panthers up 7-0 with 6:10 remaining in the opening quarter.
Panther kicker Josh Snead pinned the Bulldogs deep but could not stop them from scoring.
Northern Lehigh came storming back with a 7-play, 98-yard drive for a touchdown. On 2nd & 9 the Bulldogs lined up with double tight ends and a wing back to their right. It looked like it was going to be “toss” right toward the wing. But just after receiving the toss, the Bulldog tailback handed off to wingback Austin Hemingway who then ran “reverse” back to the left side for the score. The Bulldogs evened the score at seven at the 3:30 mark of the first quarter.
Just as a few demons of football-past may have begun to knock on the minds of some Panther faithful, “Lightning” would strike. Zach Petiet fielded the ensuing Bulldog kickoff from his own 13 yard line and took it the distance for six. Petiet hit a little turbulence around his own 35 yard line, but powered through the traffic and motored his way 87 yards to paydirt. Snead did his thing and in only 13 seconds the Panthers took a 14-7 lead.
After forcing a three-and-out punt on the next Bulldog possession, Saucon crafted a real nice 11 play drive with a little Petiet, a little Holub and a little Wolfe. The Panther possession went 54 yards and melted over eight minutes off the clock. With a full-house backfield toss to the right, Petiet punched the Panthers in for six from three yards out. With 7:26 left in the half, the extra point was good for a 21-7 lead.
The teams alternated punts with the Bulldogs taking over at midfield. In only three plays, Northern Lehigh strung together a pass and two runs for a a score. The point-after was blocked by the outstretched arms of Patrick Morrissey and with 3:23 to play in the second quarter the Bulldogs scratched their way back to a 21-13 deficit.
With decent field position at their own 40-yard line thanks to Alstan Wolfe’s kickoff return some “demons” again came knocking. Looking to get some more points before the halftime break, the Panther offense took the field in a “trips left gun” formation. Thinking maybe a rollout pass to Alstan Wolfe or maybe a “sprint-draw” to Petiet, the Panther shotgun snap to start the play went over Holub’s head. After a frantic scramble, it was the Bulldogs who recovered the fumble at the Panther 13 yard line. Conjuring up images of the bad snap that helped doom the Panthers last week at Northwestern Lehigh, the bewildered Panthers gave up a touchdown right through the heart of their defense on the very next play. After building a 21-7 lead and with 3:02 left on the clock in the first half the Panthers clung to a 21-20 lead.
The Pinked-Out Jungle loves Alstan Wolfe!
Alstan “Primetime” Wolfe was the exorcist. It seemed that the Bulldogs purposely pooched the kickoff short to avoid a big return by Wolfe. “Primetime” snatched the bouncing ball anyway from his own 22 yard line in front of the Northern Lehigh bench, raced across the field, and electrified the Jungle student section, returning the ball all the way to the Bulldog 30-yard line. Inspired, the Saucon Valley offense shook off any evil spirits and went to work with determined resolve. In five plays including an 11 yard smash-mouth gain by Abe Lugo up the gut, the Panthers scored an energizing 10-yard touchdown by Zach Petiet. With only :53 seconds to go in the first half, it was the Panthers lining up to kickoff with a 28-20 lead.
There was still time on the clock and Northern Lehigh did not give up. Perhaps inspired by Alstan Wolfe’s kickoff return, Bulldog playmaker Austin Hemingway bulldozed and powered his kick return way all the way back to the Panther 44 yard line.
The Panther defense overcame a sluggish start to beat the Bulldogs 46-20.
On their first play of the possession, Northern Lehigh went “trips left gun” and tried to flood the Panther sideline with three receivers. Panther sophomore linebacker Curtis Clifford had decent coverage under the intermediate receiver, causing the quarterback to float the ball a little high. From his deep safety position, Alstan Wolfe broke on the lofted pass and snatched it out of the air at his own 25 yard line for the pick. Wolfe again jolted the crowd with excitement as he raced, weaved and powered his way all the way down to the Bulldog 26 yard line.
Four plays later following a great 17-yard completion for Holub to Saucon senior Kory Kemmerer, Josh Snead would tee it up and connect on for a 25-yard field goal. With time exhausted in the first half the Panthers extended their lead to 31-20.
The Panthers challenge the Bulldogs to “bring it” it in the second half.
The second half was all Saucon Valley. The defense regained their swagger and scattered four Bulldog first downs while the offense remained efficient. Holub and Wolfe hooked up for a third quarter touchdown pass and catch from 16 yards out, and junior Steven Rose finished all scoring with a 9-yard touchdown run with 5:56 remaining in the game.
The Panthers certainly weren’t perfect against the Bulldogs and there are mistakes to be fixed. But, considering Saucon Valley gradually took control of the game and finished strong speaks volumes on the direction in which this team is heading. No doubt, their continued improvement toward perfection is desirable as the Panthers have Wilson, Notre Dame and Palisades remaining on their regular season schedule. Notre Dame, of course, with their unbeaten record is the huge opportunity looming on the horizon.
First things first, however. Next Friday Saucon Valley will host former Panther defensive coordinator Chris Labatch and his 0-6 Wilson Warriors. Until then the Panthers will fix the fixable and continue to trend better.
Good luck Panthers. The Source is with you!