North Schuylkill quarterback Brock Holmes rushed for all five of the Spartans’ touchdowns, but the Bulldogs took control behind quarterback Nolen Pauling and receiver Carter Rhinehart.
Holmes opened the scoring with a touchdown run in the first quarter, giving North Schuylkill a 6-0 lead. Jersey Shore answered with an 11-yard touchdown run by Pauling and an extra point by Gabriel Welshans to move ahead 7-6.
The Spartans regained control in the second quarter as Holmes scored on runs of 1 and 4 yards. Wesley Urban converted both extra points, giving North Schuylkill a 20-7 advantage.
Jersey Shore cut into the lead shortly before halftime. After Rhinehart returned a kickoff into North Schuylkill territory, Pauling escaped the Spartan defense for a 32-yard touchdown run. The score sent the Bulldogs into halftime trailing 20-14.
Jersey Shore carried that momentum into the third quarter.
Pauling connected with Rhinehart for a 15-yard touchdown pass, giving the Bulldogs a 21-20 lead. North Schuylkill responded when Holmes scored from 14 yards out, putting the Spartans back in front 27-21.
That would be North Schuylkill’s final lead of the night.
Pauling and Rhinehart connected for touchdowns of 50 and 31 yards before the end of the third quarter, moving Jersey Shore ahead 35-27.
The Bulldogs extended their lead early in the fourth quarter when Pauling found Khani McCray for a 37-yard touchdown pass.
Holmes scored his fifth touchdown on a 1-yard run with 7:42 remaining, pulling the Spartans within 42-34. Jersey Shore answered less than two minutes later with a 14-yard touchdown run by Zeke Sechrist to complete the scoring.
Pauling finished with 390 yards of total offense and accounted for six touchdowns. The junior completed 13 of 21 passes for 266 yards and four touchdowns while rushing 11 times for 124 yards and two scores.
Rhinehart caught seven passes for 152 yards and three touchdowns. McCray added a 37-yard touchdown reception.
Holmes completed 9 of 13 passes for 83 yards in addition to scoring five times on the ground. Angel Ortiz led North Schuylkill’s rushing attack with 144 yards on 18 carries.
Jersey Shore improved to 1-0 with the victory, while North Schuylkill fell to 0-1.
North Schuylkill will hold its home opener on Friday, September 4, when the Spartans host Notre Dame-Green Pond.