North Schuylkill rushing attack leads to lopsided victory
PINE GROVE — If you like the classic ground-and-pound style of football, then this game was for you.
From start to finish, North Schuylkill controlled the game in all three phases to take care of Pine Grove Area 52-13 in a Schuylkill League Division I game Friday night at Cardinal Stadium.
From the run game, to defense and special teams, everything clicked for the Spartans (2-4, 1-0 D-I) in the first half as they went into the locker room with a 40-0 lead.
To open the game, Bryce Kile rushed six yards for a Spartan score. The defense then forced Pine Grove Area into a three-and-out.
Later in the first quarter, Michael Rader took a 1-yard run into the end zone with a failed two-point conversion attempt following to make the game 12-0. After the score, they took the Cardinals’ offense off the field with a turnover on downs.
Going into the second quarter, Teagan Schneck-Haines recovered a fumble in the back of the end zone to give possession back to the Cards.
The Spartan defense forced Pine Grove Area to punt once again, but the kick was blocked and taken to the house for 23 yards by Kole Rollenhagen. Wesley Urban converted the PAT to increase the lead to 19-0 with eight minutes left in the first half.
On the next drive for the Cardinals (2-4, 0-1), the Spartans blocked another punt. This time, Casey Rader blocked it and scored on a 32-yard return. Following another successful extra point from Urban, North Schuylkill increased its lead to 26-0.
After a successful Cardinals punt, the Spartans had no issue scoring. Kile ran five yards for his second score of the evening with an Urban extra point to make the score 33-0. Just over a minute after the touchdown, Evan Rakus recovered a fumble for the defense. Daniel Brake scored with 12.7 seconds left in the first half on a run from four yards out. Urban once again made the extra point to put the halftime lead at 40-0.
Coming out of the locker room, the Spartans’ defense created another turnover on downs. When North Schuylkill took possession, Angel Ortiz scored on a 38-yard run to increase the Spartan lead. The PAT failed to keep the lead at 46-0 with 5:53 left in the quarter.
The Pine Grove Area offense finally came to life 50 seconds into the final quarter as Logan Troup scored on a 5-yard run. C.J. Herber converted the extra point to put the Cards up 46-7.
Jedreck Gehman gave the Cards another touchdown, this one being for 18 yards. The two-point conversion attempt failed.
On the final play of the game, Francis Kowalonek threw a 17-yard touchdown pass to True Perkins to make the final score 52-13.
Spartans head coach Joe Tomtishen said that the run game is the identity of his team.
“Playing tough, fast and physical” is the goal of this ground game,” Tomtishen said.
Coming into the season, Tomtishen wanted his special teams to be special, and they were Friday night with two blocked punts.
Tomtishen also said between the coaching staff and players, everyone is growing together for this team in Year 1 of his reign as head coach.
North Schuylkill’s next game is home against Tamaqua, which lost 22-0 to Pottsville on Thursday night.
Next week, Pine Grove Area travels to Blue Mountain, which handled Panther Valley 60-0.
Game Summary:
North Schuylkill 52, Pine Grove Area 13
| Teams | 1st | 2nd | 3rd | 4th | Final |
| North Schuylkill (2-4) | 12 | 28 | 6 | 6 | 52 |
| Pine Grove Area (2-4) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 13 | 13 |
NS — Kile 6 run (kick failed)
NS — M. Rader 1 run (2-point conversion failed)
NS — K. Rollenhagen 23 blocked punt return (Urban kick)
NS — C. Rader 32 blocked punt return (Urban kick)
NS — Kile 5 run (Urban kick)
NS — Brake 4 run (Urban kick)
NS — Ortiz 38 run (kick failed)
PGA — Troup 5 run (Herber kick)
PGA — Je. Gehman 18 run (2-point conversion failed)
NS — Diaz 17 pass from Leib (no attempt)