The Southern Lehigh Spartans traveled to Veterans Memorial Stadium on Friday night and secured a 40-25 victory over the Pottsville Area Crimson Tide.
Entering the game with a 3-1 record, Southern Lehigh's only blemish was a loss to Blue Mountain. Meanwhile, Pottsville looked to rebound after a Week 3 defeat against Tamaqua, entering the contest with a 2-2 record.
1st Quarter: Pottsville Strikes First
Pottsville wasted no time getting on the scoreboard, with quarterback Andrew Allen connecting with Tsirell Curry on a 40-yard touchdown pass. Christian Alvarez's successful extra point gave the Crimson Tide a 7-0 lead, and it looked like Pottsville was ready to control the game.
2nd Quarter: Spartans Take the Lead
Southern Lehigh responded in the second quarter. Running back Sean Steckert found the end zone twice on short runs, scoring from 3 yards out and then again from 1 yard. Noah Tapler added both extra points to give the Spartans a 14-7 lead heading into halftime.
3rd Quarter: Scoring Frenzy
The game intensified in the third quarter with both teams trading big plays. Southern Lehigh extended their lead when Colton Sams connected with Luke Kawczenski on a 30-yard touchdown pass. Tapler’s kick made it 21-7, but Pottsville answered quickly with a 7-yard rushing touchdown by Juleon Bainbridge. However, a missed extra point kept the score at 21-13.
Southern Lehigh continued, as Steckert broke free for a 28-yard touchdown run, extending the Spartans’ lead to 28-13. Pottsville’s Bainbridge wasn’t done yet, ripping off an 81-yard touchdown run to bring the score to 28-19 after a failed two-point conversion.
4th Quarter: Spartans Pull Away
Southern Lehigh took command in the fourth quarter, with Steckert adding a 53-yard touchdown reception from Sams. Although the Spartans missed the two-point conversion, they pushed their lead to 34-19. Pottsville fought back with Andrew Allen launching a 65-yard touchdown pass to Letrel Montone, but a blocked extra point dashed any hopes of a late comeback.
Steckert sealed the game with one more rushing touchdown for Southern Lehigh, bringing his total to four on the night and capping a dominant performance. The final score stood at 40-25 in favor of the Spartans.
Next Week
Southern Lehigh (4-1) will host Jim Thorpe in their next game, while Pottsville (2-3) looks to rebound at home against Lehighton.
Photos by Jocelyn Barrett / Danie Mae Photography
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