Written by: Brian Ptashinski on Friday, September 2nd, 2022
Mountain Road Rumble Captured By Bulldogs For First Time in Five Years.
By Brian Ptashinski @BPtashinski on Twitter
SLATINGTON- Nothing in football is given. You got to grab the moment at hand and cherish it for all that it is worth. Thursday night at Bulldog Stadium, Northern Lehigh jumped out to early 19-0 lead and then had to fight and claw to survive a Northwestern Lehigh comeback in a 34-27 win in a Schuylkill/Colonial League showdown.
Izaiah Ramos scored two first half touchdowns on runs of four and seven yards and a Nick Frame one yard dive to give the home team what looked a commanding 19-0 lead with 2:36 left in the half.
Izaiah Ramos 4yd TD for @AthleticsNlsd with 6:22 left 1st quarter Northern Lehigh 6 NW Lehigh 0. PAT no good @PaFootballNews pic.twitter.com/j8JOOg1G39
— Brian Ptashinski (@BPtashinski) September 1, 2022
But Northwestern, behind quarterback Cade Christopher, quickly drove down field and scored a touchdown by Dalton Clymer, but two-point conversion failed and the teams headed for the locker room with Northern Lehigh leading 19-6.
Dalton Clymer 3yd score for @nwtigerfootball with :07 left till half. 2pt conversion no good @AthleticsNlsd lead 19-6 @PaFootballNews pic.twitter.com/aqkZxrnMiD
— Brian Ptashinski (@BPtashinski) September 2, 2022
With the Tigers receiving the second half kickoff, when Landen Matson returned it 65 yards setting his squad up on the Bulldog 22. Christopher scampered in from three yards out on ensuing drive making the score 19-13 with about ten minutes left in the quarter.
Cade Christopher scores for @nwtigerfootball with 10:08 left 3rd quarter. @AthleticsNlsd leads 19-13 @PaFootballNews pic.twitter.com/INDpA7ppJ5
— Brian Ptashinski (@BPtashinski) September 2, 2022
It didn’t take the home team long to respond as the Bulldogs drove the ball inside the Tigers five and QB Ayden Oswald scored on two yard run to bring the lead back to 27-13 with 7:18 left 3rd quarter.
Ayden Oswald 2yd TD for @AthleticsNlsd. Izaiah Ramos with 2pt conversion 7:18 left 3rd quarter @AthleticsNlsd 27 @nwtigerfootball 13 @PaFootballNews pic.twitter.com/On3iG7IzVC
— Brian Ptashinski (@BPtashinski) September 2, 2022
At the 2:31 mark of the period Christopher hooked up with Seth Kern fora 48 yard touchdown pass for Northwestern making it 27-19 heading into the final 12 minutes.
Christopher took a Bulldog punt at his own 35 and made a move to get to the sideline, from there it was foot race to the end zone tying the score at 27-with 9:09 left in the contest.
The Bulldogs got the ball one last time but a penalty and a sack had Northern Lehigh looking at a 3rd down and 25 Frame found Auston Smyth along the home sidelines and the play covered 31 yards. A series of running plays then moved the ball to the Tiger three, and with just 47 ticks on the clock, Ramos found an opening on the right side and cashed it in for 34-27 lead.
Izaiah Ramos 3yd TD for @AthleticsNlsd with :47 left in the game for 34-27 lead over @nwtigerfootball @PaFootballNews @KeithGroller @CoachWeaver3 @circlewsports @PFNDan570FB @Sykotyk @HEARTLANDFAN15 pic.twitter.com/3HX4tYKg0E
— Brian Ptashinski (@BPtashinski) September 2, 2022
The scrappy kids from Northwestern were going away that easily, as the Tigers ventured into the red zone with under 20 seconds left, had three chances to get the ball into the end zone to possibly win or send it to overtime came up short as Christphers last pass fell harmlessly out of bounds.
Here is what both Coach Joe Tout and Izaiah Ramos stated after the win.
My post-game interview with coach Joe Tout of @AthleticsNlsd after his team defeated @nwtigerfootball 34-27 @PaFootballNews pic.twitter.com/NPzU4IP27A
— Brian Ptashinski (@BPtashinski) September 2, 2022
My post-game interview with Izaiah Ramos after his 3TD game including 3yd score with :47 for @AthleticsNlsd 34-27 over @nwtigerfootball @PaFootballNews pic.twitter.com/I570cTAcGE
— Brian Ptashinski (@BPtashinski) September 2, 2022
Next week, Northern Lehigh puts their 2-0 record on the line “Up On The Hill” against Pen Argyl Saturday at 1pm, while Northwestern (1-1) will host Blue Mountain Friday 7pm.
Nick Frame to Austin Smyth for a 31yd gain on 3rd-and-25 play for @AthleticsNlsd on the game winning 13 play drive @PaFootballNews @circlewsports @PFNDan570FB @Sykotyk @HEARTLANDFAN15 @CoachWeaver3 pic.twitter.com/0pfRzpRPdt
— Brian Ptashinski (@BPtashinski) September 2, 2022
Follow PA Football News on Twitter @PaFootballNews
