TAMAQUA - Tamaqua senior wide receiver Dustin Vandermartin found out what it was like to be a running back Friday evening on Blue Raiders Hall of Fame Night.
His temporary home at carrying the pigskin may soon be the centerpiece for the Tamaqua (2-1, 1-1 AFL) offense. Vandermartin shredded Shenandoah Valley's defense with the jet sweep play, flying by the Blue Devils for 164 yards on three carries.
Vandermartin tormented the Devils (0-3, 0-2AFL) ever single time he put touched the ball, helping the Raiders to an impressive 38-15 Anthracite Football League win.
The senior zoomed into the end zone on scoring runs of 39, 59 and 56 yards. He also caught a touchdown pass from Nate Edmonds for 44 yards.
"I never ran the ball before," Vandermartin said. "We just put the (sweep) in this week. It's different that's for sure. I like it a lot."
Coach Sam Bonner couldn't be more thrilled, either.
"We had to get a new wrinkle in there," he said. "We wanted to take advantage of (Dustin's) speed, we looked at the film from last year (with Shenandoah Valley) and saw how they jammed the middle."
To counter the takeaway in the middle, Vandermartin got his number called. Before Vandermartin hit the end zone with his first score, Tyler Hope put Tamaqua on the board early with a botched play, which went from looking like a sure loss of six yards or better, to a 79-yard touchdown run.
Tamaqua was running only its second play from scrimmage when Hope was trying to go right on a toss sweep. He bobbled the ball and raced against the grain as the Devils defense over pursued.
"Great athletes do those things," Bonner said. "He looked like he was going to lose something, but all of a sudden he comes flying around the end and just outran everyone."
That speed has now torched Shenandoah Valley the last two weeks.
"You get to the edge on us and we have problems," Blue Devils coach Randy Maksimik said. "We got caught up inside on most of those (touchdown) runs, and until we start getting in (better) position that's what you're going to get."
Up 6-0, Tamaqua pushed the numbers another six late in the first quarter. Vandermarting took off on a 39-yard sweep and with 14 seconds to play in the period, it was now 12-0.
By the time the middle of the second quarter arrived the Blue Raiders were jacking the score to 18-0. Again Vandermartin was the center of attention. This time, Tamaqua went airborne on three of its seven plays, the final a 44-yard strike to Vandermartin from Edmonds.
The best Shenandoah Valley could do was cut it to 18-7 just before intermission. Jeremiah Ney slither into the end zone to finish off a 13-play 69-yard march and Nick Krusinsky's point after kick made it 18-7 at the half.
The momentum turned back to Tamaqua to open the second half. On its very first play Tamaqua went jet sweep right again, and Vandermartin was nowhere to be touched roaring 59 yard for yet another touchdown.
Tyler Skripko bounced into the end zone for another Tamaqua touchdown, before the Blue Devils returned the kickoff 82 yards when Angelo Maskornick dashed straight through the heart of the defense and bolted to the end zone and Tyler Marnell added the two-point conversion on a pass from Ian McCole.
That, however, was far too late. Tamaqua had a commanding 31-15 lead and Vanadermartin topped off his night on the first offensive play to open the fourth quarter. This time he sped 56 yards and then added the PAT with a kick. Game Summary
Shenandoah Val. (0-3, 0-2) 0 7 8 0 - 15
Tamaqua (2-1, 1-1) 12 6 13 7 - 38