EASTON – Last season, Notre Dame lost two tough games late against North Schuylkill. Once again, the game came down to a key late play.
With the Spartans down six, quarterback Caden Mengel hit a wide-open Luke Miller to bring North Schuylkill within one with 58 seconds remaining in the game.
But this time, it was the Crusaders defense that came up with a key stop on a two-point conversion. They stopped Miller at the one-yard line to come out with a 21-20 win over the Spartans Friday night at Fisher Stadium.
On North Schuylkill’s first drive it was the Crusaders’ defense who got the first big play of the game, stopping the Spartans on a fake punt attempt.
It was time for Notre Dame’s offense to make a statement. The Crusaders drove down the field 48 yards on six plays and Jonathan Striba scored from two yards out. The key play of the drive was a Matt Bodnar to Striba 29-yard pass. Clemente Cintron’s kick put Notre Dame up 7-0 with 7:54 left in the first quarter.
After both teams punted several times in the second quarter, North Schuylkill got a late scoring drive in the first half. The Spartans drove 70 yards. It was capped off by an Angel Ortiz three-yard touchdown run with 57 seconds left in the first half.
The two-point conversion was no good and the Crusaders went into halftime leading 7-6.
Notre Dame’s first possession of the second half resulted in a Bodnar 18-yard touchdown pass to Aaron Gordon and a 14-6 lead with 9:58 left in the third quarter.
North Schuylkill answered back on their next possession. Mengel answered the drive with a 11-yard touchdown run with 4:15 left in the third quarter. Mengel to Miller’s two-point conversion tied the game up at 14.
Like every great prize fight, the Crusaders answered back. The Crusaders capped off a fourth quarter drive with a 26-yard touchdown pass from Bodnar to Drew Boyd with 9:47 left in the game.
But just like other games in this series, the Spartans drove down the field late in the game. With 58 seconds remaining and down one after a Mengel to Miller touchdown pass. But they couldn’t convert.
This version of the 2025 round one matchup goes to Notre Dame’s defense with the stop and the one point victory.
Notre Dame GP 21, North Schuylkill 20
| Final | 1st | 2nd | 3rd | 4th | Final |
| North Schuylkill (2-1) | 0 | 6 | 8 | 6 | 20 |
| Notre Dame GP (3-0) | 7 | 0 | 7 | 7 | 21 |
Scoring Summary:
1st quarter:
NDGP: Jonathan Striba 2 yard run (Clemente Cintron kick good) 7:54
2nd quarter:
NS: Angel Ortiz 3 yard run (run failed) 0:57
3rd quarter:
NDGP: Matt Bodnar 18 yard pass to Aaron Gordon (Clemente Cintron kick good) 9:58
NS: Caden Mengel 11 yard run (Caden Mengel pass to Luke Miller) 4:15
4th quarter:
NDGP: Matt Bodnar 26 yard pass to Drew Boyd (Clemente Cintron kick), 9:47
NS: Caden Mengel 26 yard pass to Luke Miller (run failed), 0:58