FOUNTAIN SPRINGS – After dropping back-to-back games against Notre Dame-Green Pond and Southern Lehigh, North Schuylkill got back on track Friday night with a 36-14 victory over Jim Thorpe.
The Spartans, now 3-2 overall, leaned heavily on the ground game and explosive plays to hand the Olympians (2-3, 1-3) their third loss of the season.
North Schuylkill set the tone early when Luke Miller broke loose for an 11-yard touchdown run and added the conversion to make it 8-0. Later in the opening quarter, Miller ran for a 78-yard scoring run, again finishing the two-point try himself for a 16-0 lead.
Jim Thorpe answered in the second quarter when Cole Lazorick connected with Connor Zurawa on a six-yard touchdown pass, trimming the deficit to 16-6. But the Spartans responded before halftime as Miller capped another drive with a five-yard touchdown run, and Julian Nelson hauled in a two-point conversion pass from Caden Mengel to put North Schuylkill up 24-6 at the break.
The third quarter saw the defenses stiffen, but Jim Thorpe struck first in the fourth when Lazorick hit Bobby Levins for a 64-yard touchdown bomb. Lazorick also connected with Josh Louk for the conversion, pulling the Olympians within 24-14.
North Schuylkill immediately swung momentum back their way. Mengel found Jaxon Parker for a 58-yard touchdown strike, stretching the lead to 30-14. Miller then sealed the win with his fourth rushing touchdown of the night, a 25-yard scamper that capped the scoring at 36-14.
North Schuylkill will face a major test next week when they travel to take on undefeated Northwestern Lehigh. Jim Thorpe, meanwhile, will return home still searching for consistency as they prepare for their matchup against Southern Lehigh.
