Tigers run away from Spartans to win Gold Division
Cade Christopher got to the perimeter, but Southern Lehigh had defenders and the sideline working in its favor.
No matter.
The Northwestern senior quarterback dodged a few tackles then tip-toed the sideline to finish off a 22-yard touchdown run on the first series of Friday night’s Colonial-Schuylkill League Gold Division championship game.
A message was delivered, and except for a few hiccups, the Tigers never wavered.
“The line did such an amazing job and I did the rest,” Christopher said. “I give full credit to them. They couldn’t do much better than that.”
For much of the time, Southern Lehigh’s defenders couldn’t do much in attempt to tackle Christopher — one of the league’s premiere players.
Coach Josh Snyder’s team never lost the lead and eventually ran away from the Spartans for a 45-7 victory, the Tigers’ most complete game this season.
“We really hadn’t put a four-quarter game together until tonight,” Snyder said. “Our defense played outstanding tonight. Our defensive coordinator put in a lot of nice packages.
“And, offensively, we just weren’t going to be denied tonight. It started with that opening, 95-yard drive . I think that set the tone for the night.”
Christopher ran for 176 yards and four touchdowns and Dalton Clymer had 123 and two scores for Northwestern (8-2), which will get a first-round home game in next week’s District 11 Class 3A playoffs.
Southern Lehigh (8-2) also gets a home game next weekend in the district’s 5A semifinals.
Clymer scored twice in the third quarter on runs of 14 and 8 yards. Christopher dazzled with a 62-yarder in the third and put
the mercy rule into effect with a 39-yarder on fourth down in the fourth quarter.
Shorthanded
The Spartans played without quarterback Avery Koser (1,169 passing yards, 14 TDs; 623 rushing yards, 8 TDs; 47 tackles) and receiver Jack Inglis (12 catches, 334 yards, 5 TDs; 33 tackles) because of injuries.
Koser is out for the season after getting injured on his touchdown run in last week’s win at Pottsville. Inglis, who missed the last few games, could return for the District 11 Class 5A playoffs.
Running back Cade Sawyer moved to quarterback in the Wildcat formation for the Spartans. Wide receiver Tyler Rizzuto, a running back until this season,
moved into Sawyer’s spot at times in the backfield and sophomore Christopher Fritts played some quarterback.
“We don’t make excuses,” coach Phil Sams said. “We came in here tonight thinking we could win the game. That didn’t happen, obviously.
“I think Northwestern had a great game plan on both sides of the ball and they whooped our butt. I think we could have played better, but they earned that league championship.”
Wild first half
Northwestern converted two fourth downs and two third downs before Christopher finished off the game-opening-18-play drive with a 22-yard touchdown run for a 6-0 lead.
The Tigers got a 32-yard field goal by Kian Osborne after Clymer recovered a Spartans fumble on the ensuing series.
Northwestern twice looked like it was going to extend its lead, but penalties and a lost fumble kept Southern Lehigh in it.
First, Christopher returned a punt 59 yards for a score but it was called back by an illegal block. The Tigers had a first-and-goal at the Spartans’ 1-yard line, but fumbled two plays later.
Carter Giberson’s recovery led to a 10-play, 94-yard scoring drive capped by Cade Sawyer’s 4-yard touchdown run with 3:07 left in the first half.
The Spartans used two pass interference penalties and a 37-yard completion from Christopher Fritts to Tyler Rizzuto on the drive and overcame a holding penalty.
But Christopher struck again, this time on a quarterback draw. The senior broke several tackles before finding the end zone for a 45-yard score and a 16-7 halftime lead for Northwestern.
Southern Lehigh avoided further damage after a botched punt snap on its last series of the second quarter. Northwestern was just short on a 38-yard field goal as time expired.
The Tigers survived seven penalties for 80 yards in the first two quarters.