The Northwestern Lehigh Tigers clinched the District XI Class 3A Championship, shutting down the North Schuylkill Spartans with a commanding 36-7 victory at Lehighton Area Stadium.
The Tigers now advance to the PIAA State Playoffs to face the District 12 Champion next week.
Northwestern Lehigh entered the championship with an undefeated record, having outscored their opponents 451-65 during the season. North Schuylkill, meanwhile, came in as the third seed in the playoffs, finishing the regular season 7-3 and advancing after a hard-fought 26-23 overtime win against Notre Dame Green Pond in the semifinals. Unfortunately, the Spartans faced an uphill battle with half a dozen key players out due to injuries.
After Northwestern Lehigh won the toss and deferred, North Schuylkill received the opening kickoff but found themselves quickly on the defensive. The Tigers struck early and hard on their first play when quarterback Shane Leh ran 73 yards to the end zone. Kicker Josh Wambold added the extra point, giving Northwestern Lehigh an early 7-0 lead.
North Schuylkill’s challenge mounted as starting quarterback Caden Mengel left the game with a leg injury, forcing backup Michael Mogish to step in. The Tigers capitalized on this, scoring again in the closing moments of the first quarter when Eli Zimmerman punched in a one-yard touchdown. North Schuylkill managed to block the extra point, but Northwestern Lehigh held a 13-0 lead.
Northwestern continued to press their advantage in the second quarter. The Tigers added two more points on a safety as North Schuylkill’s Angel Ortiz was tackled in the end zone, widening the score to 15-0. By halftime, the Spartans found themselves scoreless, trailing the dominant Tigers.
The second half opened with the Tigers taking control once again. Just over a minute into the third quarter, Northwestern’s Mason Bollinger ran in a three-yard touchdown, and with the successful extra point, the Tigers were up 22-0. Eli Zimmerman continued the Tigers' offensive onslaught with two more rushing touchdowns—one for 73 yards and another for 31 yards—to bring the score to a lopsided 36-0 by the end of the third quarter.
Despite the Spartans' best efforts, their offensive challenges proved insurmountable. However, North Schuylkill avoided a shutout when Michael Mogish scored on a two-yard run with 5:14 left in the fourth quarter. The extra point brought the final score to 36-7.
North Schuylkill finishes their season with an 8-4 record, taking the silver in the District XI Class 3A. Northwestern Lehigh now sets its sights on the PIAA State Playoffs, where they will face the District 12 Champion in their quest for a state title.
