FOUNTAIN SPRINGS — There was one thing on the minds of the North Schuylkill Spartans after Friday night’s District 11 Class AA semifinal against Palmerton at Spartan Stadium.
“Everyone’s looking for revenge,” senior linebacker Alek Hummel said.
The Spartans’ defense slammed the door shut on the Blue Bombers in their 38-0 victory that earned them a place in the district championship game against Northwestern Lehigh — the squad that edged North Schuylkill 19-18 in the Eastern Conference championship last season.
Northwestern Lehigh defeated Palisades 42-14 in Friday night’s other Class AA semifinal.
Palmerton was held to minus-1 yard rushing, a stat that was balanced out by quarterback Garrett Perschy’s 163 passing yards. Perschy finished 15-of-30 but spent significant time on the turf. Hummel was involved in at least three sacks alone.
“We went over a lot during the week,” Hummel said. “We knew what they were going to do so I just read my reads and did what I had to do.”
The Spartans (11-0), champions of the Anthracite Football League, recorded the victory with just 246 yards of total offense.
Thanks to Hummel and company pressuring Perschy, the Spartans received immaculate field position all game.
North Schuylkill started eight drives in Palmerton territory to put the Bombers in its rear-view mirror.
“Our coaches did a fantastic job preparing for them,” North Schuylkill coach Wally Hall said. “Palmerton offensively is a team that throws a lot at you. They have those athletes. When they get in space, they’re a little scary, but our defense played exceptional.”
North Schuylkill quarterback Bobby Grigas found familiar target Tevin Murray for the first score of the game, a 24-yard pass on a fourth-and-2 to put the Spartans ahead 6-0 with 4:07 remaining in the first quarter.
Palmerton’s next offensive series contained a holding penalty on a sack and a bad snap that gave North Schuylkill possession at the Bombers’ 38 after the punt.
John Rupinski scored his first of three touchdowns on a 12-yard run to cap the drive and put the Spartans ahead 12-0 in the final minute of the first quarter.
Rupinski, who finished with a game-high 129 yards on 26 carries, made it 18-0 on a 3-yard run with 2:52 to play in the half. The Spartans missed their first three point-after-touchdown attempts.
Major Jordan picked off a Perschy pass on the next drive and eventually ran in a 1-yard score to extend North Schuylkill’s lead to 25-0 at the half.
“They were better up front,” Palmerton coach Chris Walkowiak said of North Schuylkill’s defense. “We didn’t get much going but give credit to them — they’re a good football team and they’re well-coached. They did a number on us up front. That’s where the game starts.”
Palmerton (7-4) averaged 304 yards per game this season and was never held below 21 points. But the Blue Bombers simply couldn’t recover from what North Schuylkill’s defense did to them in the first half.
Perschy completed a stretch of five straight passes for 46 yards to start the third quarter but was sacked twice in a row — with Hummel in on both — for a loss of 16 yards.
An injury timeout for a downed Spartan after a Palmerton fumble at its own 6 delayed the game 18 minutes, but North Schuylkill struck immediately after with a 3-yard pass from Grigas to a kneeling Jordan to make it 32-0.
Grigas finished 5-for-9 passing for 67 yards. All five passes were to five different receivers.
A 14-yard run by Rupinski — spinning and dragging defenders as he went down the right sideline — set the final and a date with the Tigers in the District 11 Class AA title game.
“It’s all revenge this week,” Hummel said. “We’re coming to get them.”
Game Summary
District 11 Class AA Semifinal
Palmerton (7-4) 0 0 0 0 — 0 NS (11-0) 12 13 7 6 — 38
NS —Murray 24 pass from Grigas (kick failed)
NS —Rupinski 12 run (pass failed)
NS —Rupinski 3 run (pass failed)
NS — Jordan 1 run (Grigas kick)
NS —Jordan 3 pass from Grigas (Grigas kick)
NS —Rupinski 14 run (kick failed)
Palm NS
First Downs 12 14
Rushes-Yards 32-(-1) 42-179
Passes 15-30-2 5-9-0
Passing Yards 163 67
Total Yards 162 246
Fumbles-Lost 2-2 2-1
Penalties 2-25 5-30
INDIVIDUAL LEADERS
RUSHING: Palmerton — Nelson 7-25, Pereira 4-11, Stasko 4-7, Perschy 14-(-16), Team 3-(-28). North Schuylkill — Rupinski 26-129, Zahodnick 3-26, Grigas 6-22, Jordan 4-5, Deangelo 1-2, Team 2-(-5).
PASSING: Palmerton — Perschy 15-30-2, 163. North Schuylkill — Grigas 5-9-0, 67.
RECEIVING: Palmerton — Nelson 3-69, Sander 2-45, Shivone 3-19, Pereira 4-13, Doherty 2-10, Stasko 1-7. North Schuylkill — Rupinski 1-30, Murray 1-24, Zahodnick 1-6, Marlow 1-4, Jordan 1-3.
INTERCEPTIONS: North Schuylkill — Jordan, Marlow.