ND-GP gets 5 Frauen TD runs
Matt Frauen ran for 219 yards and five touchdowns and Notre Dame-GP took advantage of three turnovers to pull away for a 51-22 victory Friday night over Salisbury.
The Crusaders (3-0) were locked in a scoreless game midway through the second quarter until Ethan O’Neill picked off a Falcons pass in the end zone.
That opened up the flood gates. Frauen scored five plays later from 18 yards out.
After Quintin Stephens and Chad Parton hooked up on an 80-yard TD pass play, Notre Dame scored with 46 seconds left in the half on a Frauen 1-yard run.
Salisbury then snapped the ball over punter Josh Brooks head and Notre Dame capitalized on a Nick Garrido 24-yard field goal on the last play of the half.
The Falcons’ third big miscue came on their first play of the second half. Crusader Jake Hull recovered a fumble.
Six plays later, Frauen was in the end zone again, and Salisbury (0-1) never recovered.
Notre Dame also never forgot losing this game last season.
“That was the hardest loss I’ve had to deal with,” Frauen said. “We never forgot that. It was big motivation tonight.
The teams combined for 19 penalties in a game that took nearly three hours to play.
“We make things harder than they need to be,” Crusadsers coach Phil Stambaugh said. “Wehave a fourth-and-9 and instead of just going and getting the first down, we have a fourth-and-14 and have to make some big play.
“I’m happy with where we’re at, but there are things we have to clean up.”
Up next: Salisbury visits Palisades on Friday night. Notre Dame-GP hosts Palmerton, also Friday.