North Schuylkill entered this game with something to prove after the Crusaders handed the Spartans their own conference loss last season.
The action-packed evening kicked off with North Schuylkill's first drive, which took them all the way to the Notre Dame 44-yard line before they were forced to punt. However, their defense quickly rose to the occasion during Notre Dame's initial drive, with North Schuylkill's Keegan Curry and Neekoli Carabello pushing back the Crusaders three times in a row. The relentless pressure pushed Notre Dame back to a daunting 4th and 29 on their own 1-yard line, forcing them to punt from their end zone.
The action-packed evening kicked off with North Schuylkill's first drive, which took them all the way to the Notre Dame 44-yard line before they were forced to punt. However, their defense quickly rose to the occasion during Notre Dame's initial drive, with North Schuylkill's Keegan Curry and Neekoli Carabello pushing back the Crusaders three times in a row. The relentless pressure pushed Notre Dame back to a daunting 4th and 29 on their own 1-yard line, forcing them to punt from their end zone.
The second drive for the Spartans would prove to be less fruitful, but they came roaring back on their third possession. It seemed as though North Schuylkill was on the verge of scoring, but a fumble on the Crusaders' 3-yard line with only 27 seconds left on the clock turned the tide in favor of Notre Dame.
The game's first points came with 9 minutes and 52 seconds remaining in the second quarter when North Schuylkill's Quarterback Caden Mengel executed a 14-yard run, followed by a successful extra point by Gavin Mentzer, giving the Spartans a 7-0 lead. However, Notre Dame wasn't about to be outdone, as Josh Ludlow answered back with a 30-yard rushing touchdown and a successful kick by Mark Talpas, tying the game at 7-7 with just 1 minute and 55 seconds left in the second quarter.
The momentum shifted swiftly on the Spartan's first possession of the next drive, with Mengel connecting with wide receiver Luke Miller for a 56-yard pass and a touchdown right after Notre Dame's score. With the extra point, North Schuylkill surged ahead, leading 14-7.
In the third quarter, Mengel demonstrated his prowess once again, this time with a short pass to Joey Flail for another touchdown. North Schuylkill extended their lead to 21-7, and it seemed like they were in control.
Notre Dame wasn't ready to concede, though. Crusaders' Quarterback Danny Darno displayed his passing skills, connecting with Lozano for a 62-yard pass and a crucial score, closing the gap to 28-21.
As Notre Dame began another promising drive down the field, their hopes were dashed when, with just 50 seconds remaining on the clock, North Schuylkill's Colin McGee intercepted a pass on the 2-yard line.
The game concluded with North Schuylkill emerging victorious, claiming a 28-21 win.
With this win, North Schuylkill's record improved to 5-1 for the season, setting the stage for an exciting homecoming game against Jim Thorpe next week.
