EASTON — North Schuylkill did everything in its power to slow Notre Dame-Green Pond quarterback Tre Jordan in Friday’s District 11 Class AA semifinal, but the Lafayette-bound senior was simply too good.
Jordan compiled 401 total yards and factored into all five of his team’s touchdowns as the Crusaders downed the Spartans 35-15 in cold, gusty conditions.
The win advances Notre Dame to next week’s district final against Northwestern Lehigh, which beat Salisbury 27-14 in the other semifinal Friday.
“We haven’t seen a passing game like that all year,” North Schuylkill coach Wally Hall said. “They get those guys in space and (Jordan) can throw or break the pocket and he runs extremely well.”
Jordan completed 19-of-31 for 259 yards and two touchdowns. He also had 18 carries for 142 yards and three touchdowns.
But on the first drive, Jordan hardly looked invincible. He completed a short, 6-yard gain to Jon Moran before his second pass attempt was picked off by North Schuylkill’s Bobby Wagner. The Spartans couldn’t take advantage, however, and Jordan made them pay.
After North Schuylkill went three-and-out, Jordan reeled off a 14-yard run before hitting Nick Basenese for a 52-yard touchdown pass over the middle to spot the Crusaders a 7-0 lead five minutes into the game.
Following another Spartans punt, Jordan hit running back Mitch Daniel for a 21-yard screen, with a late-hit penalty putting Notre Dame at the North Schuylkill 32. A couple plays later, Moran tipped a Jordan pass to himself in the end zone for a 23-yard score and a 14-0 lead with 2:14 to play in the first quarter.
The Spartans appeared to have answered with Richie Zahodnick’s 33-yard touchdown run, but despite the nearest official signaling a touchdown, the ball was marked at the Crusader 3. Zahodnick pounded the ball in on the next play to cut the deficit in half with 10:44 until halftime.
After Zahodnick’s score, both teams traded possession five times in the next nine minutes courtesy of three punts and two fumbles. Jordan put an end to all that when Notre Dame got the ball back with 3:26 left in the half, running 71 yards for a touchdown off an option keeper on the first play of the drive.
“Tre’s just a hell of a player,” Notre Dame coach Chuck Muller said. “For people who know him, you can see what he can do on the football field, he’s such a humble young man. You don’t get many kids like that to coach throughout your career.”
Another Spartans three-and-out set the Crusaders up at their own 29 with 2:34 until the intermission. This time, Daniel took the option from Jordan and ran 61 yards to the North Schuylkill 10, setting up Jordan’s eventual 1-yard touchdown run for a 28-7 halftime lead.
Notre Dame outgained North Schuylkill 319-75 in the first half. All of the Spartans’ yardage came on the ground.
Facing a mercy rule in the second half, North Schuylkill’s defense dug deep. Jordan scored Notre Dame’s final points of the night on a 17-yard run three minutes into the second half. But the Spartans twice prevented the Crusaders from earning more points after drives stalled deep in North Schuylkill territory, resulting in two missed field goals.
Unfortunately for the Spartans, Notre Dame’s defense was even better. The Crusaders benefited from an influx of players from defending District 11 Class A champion Pius X, which folded after the 2014-15 school year. Until Friday, those players have powered Notre Dame with their offense. Friday’s victory showed they’re pretty good defensively, too.
“I’ve been waiting on that all year,” Muller said. “I’m a defensive guy. (Former Pius X head coach Phil Stambaugh) has been in charge of the offense, I’m taking care of the defense. It’s just exciting to see kids arrive tonight.”
North Schuylkill tailback Major Jordan added the final points of the game with a 5-yard touchdown run with 7:16 to play. Jordan led the Spartans with 105 yards on 24 carries.
The score was slightly symbolic of North Schuylkill’s season — never backing down despite the odds being stacked against the team. The Spartans were dealt a bevy of injuries throughout the course of the season, and the core group of players that led them to two straight title games rarely all played on the field at the same time.
While Grigas, receiver Tevin Murray, running back Pat Gownley and lineman-turned-running back C.J. Steinhilber are among those graduating, North Schuylkill will still bring back significant skill players in 2016 — including Jordan and Zahodnick.
“There was still a lot of fight,” Hall said. “The kids didn’t give up. And that was their season. The seniors played extremely well, they stuck together. A lot of them got banged up during the year. They kept fighting and kept the team together. That’s why we played Week 11.”
Game Summary
District 11 Class AA Semifinal
North Sch. (6-5) 0 7 0 8 — 15
NDGP (10-1) 14 14 7 0 — 35
ND — Basenese 52 pass from T. Jordan (Nesfeder kick)
ND — Moran 26 pass from T. Jordan (Nesfeder kick)
NS — Zahodnick 3 run (Grigas kick)
ND — T. Jordan 71 run (Nesfeder kick)
ND — T. Jordan 1 run (Nesfeder kick)
ND — T. Jordan 17 run (Nesfeder kick)
NS — M. Jordan 5 run (Zahodnick run)
NS NDGP
First Downs 15 16
Rushes-Yards 52-165 31-221
Passes 6-23-0 19-31-1
Passing Yards 58 259
Total Yards 223 480
Fumbles-Lost 2-2 4-1
Penalties 5-57 7-73
INDIVIDUAL LEADERS
RUSHING: North Schuylkill — M. Jordan 24-105, Zahodnick 10-45, Gownley 6-17, Steinhilber 3-11, Team 3-(-6), Grigas 6-(-7). Notre Dame-Green Pond — T. Jordan 18-142, Daniel 7-63, Simpson 5-32, Team 1-(-16).
PASSING: North Schuylkill — Grigas 6-21-0, 58; Zahodnick 0-2-0, 0. Notre Dame-Green Pond — T. Jordan 19-31-1, 259.
RECEIVING: North Schuylkill — Zahodnick 4-36, Smith 1-12, Murray 1-10. Notre Dame-Green Pond — Moran 8-99, Basenese 6-83, Woody 3-50, Daniel 1-21, Simpson 1-6.
INTERCEPTIONS: North Schuylkill — B. Wagner