Palisades reaches semifinals
It was quick. It was painless for all involved.
Palisades scored on all 10 possessions, racked up 436 yards of offense on only 40 offensive plays and reached the District 11 Class 2A semifinals with a 70-6 win Saturday afternoon over visiting Panther Valley at Walter T. Rohrer Stadium.
Mason Smeland had 110 rushing yards and three TDs. He was one of six Pirates who scored running the ball. Jaden Newton and Nick Petrillo connected for two passing scores.
Coach Ramie Moussa’s club scored a school-record 56 points in the first half.
Most importantly, however, Palisades walked away healthy after not playing last weekend because of a COVID-19 situation at rival Saucon Valley.
“It was good to have that last week off to be able to recoup, let our bodies heal and recover,” Smeland said. “Today, we were able to come out and fire on all cylinders.”
After a Panther Valley 3-and-out, Smeland’s 16-yard carry on Palisades’ first offensive play put him over the 1,000-yard rushing mark for the first time in his career. His 20-yard run on the next play gave the Pirates the lead for good less than 2 minutes into the game.
The senior later added TDruns of 24 and 19, the last one putting the Pirates up 42-6 early in the second quarter.
Palisades back-ups played much of the remaining game and everyone left healthy.
“They were hungry,” Moussa said. “They didn’t get to play last week. We saw the product today. We did what we had to do.
“Good teams and those who survive and advance will win games they are supposed to win. This was a game we were supposed to win.
“The kids executed and we got some younger kids some playoff football time, which was good.”
Smeland remembers being on the sidelines as a freshman in 2017 while a senior-laden team pounded several opponents on its way through the district playoffs. He wants that feeling again of having a gold medal put around his neck.
The senior running back said the Pirates recognize that Saturday’s win was only one small step toward that goal and that the road will get tougher.
“That is the challenge,” he said. “They are not all going to be this easy. We’ve got to prepare for each team like it could be our last game.”
Palisades was up 21-0 after seven offensive plays, but got a quick jolt of reality when Panther Valley senior running back Lou Clouser burst through the left side of the Pirates defense and raced 62 yards for a touchdown.
Clouser finished the game with 104 yards on 13 carries. He ended this season with 966 rushing yards and 10 TDs.
Ben Haubert quickly grabbed the momentum back for Palisades. The senior picked up a squib kick and returned it 47 yards to the Panthers 16, then scored on a run up the middle on the first offensive play for a 28-6 Pirates lead.
Kyle McGrath gave Moussa’s club another short field when he returned a Panther Valley punt 31 yards to the Panthers 26. Twoplays later, Smeland’s 24-yard TD on the first play of the second quarter pushed the cushion to 35-6.
Newton’s 192 yards passing are a season high. His two TD passes give him seven this season.
Up next
Top seed Palisades (6-2) hosts Minersville (4-3) or Catasauqua (1-5) in next Saturday’s district semifinals at a time to be announced. Panther Valley’s season ends at 2-7.