Alstan Wolfe and the Panthers ran through the Catasauqua Rough Riders in a 2017 Colonial League showdown.
The Saucon Valley Panthers and the Catasauqua Rough Riders both entered Friday night’s football fight with 2-1 records. The winner would remain in contention for the 2017 Colonial League crown. The loser would fall from league contention and slide to the middle of the Colonial League pack. On a wonderful night for high school football, the Panthers came out on top by a 49-21 score.
It was Zach “Lightning” Petiet and the Saucon defense that led the way early. Both Petiet and the Panther “D” dominated the 1st Quarter. Petiet registered five carries for 88 yards and scored two touchdowns. “Lightning” struck from six yards and then from sixty-eight yards out. The Panther defense was rock-solid early allowing only two first downs in the opening stanza.
Zach Petiet led the Panthers with 13 carries for 124 yards and 2 TD’s.
In the second quarter, the Roughies were able to piece together a 9-play, 90-yard drive for a touchdown. Catty was able to punch the ball into the end zone on a 5-yard run with 4:20 remaining until halftime.
The Panthers’ answered immediately with a 2-play drive. On the first play, Alstan Wolfe ran a super-freaky quarterback keeper 42 yards down to the Rough Rider 19-yard line. Ian Csicsek then followed Christian “Mongo” Alling’s kick-out block off the left side and went untouched into the end zone for a 19-yard touchdown run. Csicsek, a shifty junior with very quick feet, juked and jived to end the first half scoring. The Panthers headed to the locker room with a 20-7 lead.
Saucon Valley faced an explosive Catasauqua offense.
The 3rd Quarter scoreboard also belonged to the Panthers. Saucon Valley’s Steven Rose took the second-half kickoff out to their own 45-yard line. Six play later, Christian Alling took advantage of Jared Harka’s “trap-block” and powered his way up the gut into the end-zone for 32 yard touchdown run. The Panthers made good on the two-point conversion to make the score 28-7 with just over nine minutes remaining in the 3rd Quarter.
The Panthers other third quarter touchdown was set up by Alstan Wolfe’s 75-yard interception return back to the Rough Rider 20 yard-line. Two play later, Wolfe kept on a “speed-option” to his right and cruised across the goal-line for a 17-yard touchdown run. The scoreboard read 35-7 at the end of the 3rd Quarter.
The Panther defense brought the pressure all night long.
With the game all but in the bag, the Panthers put there defensive reserves into the game and Catty would score to make it 35-14. Catty then unsuccessfully attempted an onside-kick. As much as they Panther coaching staff would have preferred to play their reserves, they opted to keep their regulars in to preserve the victory. Saucon Valley executed a four-play drive that culminated in a 42-yard Alstan Wolfe to Patrick Beatty touchdown pass to make the score 42-14 with about nine minutes remaining.
Catasauqua again refused to pull their starters and give the reserves a chance. The Rough-Rider starters marched down the field against the Panther back-ups and scored another touchdown to make the score 42-21 with 6:43 to play.
With reserve players from both teams in, Ian Csicsek capped an 8-play Panther drive with a 3-yard touchdown run. Eric Sundlof’s PAT ended all scoring to give the Panthers the 49-21 victory.
UP NEXT: Homecoming 2017! Friday night, the Panthers will host cross-town rival, Southern Lehigh.
Lets get ready for homecoming!
Good luck Panthers, the Source is with you!
