NEW TRIPOLI, Pa -
In a battle of two unbeaten state-ranked teams in their respective classifications. The Northwestern Lehigh Tigers got the best of the Southern Lehigh Spartans Friday night in a Schuylkill/Colonial League Gold Division much-anticipated game by a score of 42-14 before a packed Tiger Stadium on Senior night.
Southern Lehigh received the opening kickoff and picked up two quick first downs, but on the third play from scrimmage DB Eli Zimmerman picked off a Chris Fritts pass and returned it 55 yards inside the Spartans ten-yard line. QB Shane Leh then took it in for a score from four yards out and a Northwestern 7-0 lead with 8:50 left in the opening quarter.
Northwestern Lehigh Dominates Southern Lehigh Friday night.
After shutting the Spartans down on their next possession, Northwestern would drive on a 10-play 70-yard drive that RB Dalton Clymer would score from a yard out and a 14-0 lead with 1:40 left in the quarter.
"Those first two scores were huge for us. We were off and running from that point on as we settled in both on offense and defense" Coach Josh Snyder stated.
A second Eli Zimmerman was denied after a roughing-the-quarterback call went against the Tigers that extended the Spartans drive that culminated in a 48 yard pass from Fritts to Jack Inglis. Inglis avoided several tacklers as he caught the ball near the home sidelines and weaved his way to the opposite side f the field before crossing the goal line to cut the lead in half.
A twelve-play 65-yard drive ensued for Northwestern as Leh scores his second touchdown this time from three yards and a 21-7 lead with 5:36 left before half.
Northwestern held the potent Spartan rushing game to just 29 yards on the night. Southern Lehigh pushed the ball deep into Tiger territory with 2:12 left in the half but a fourth down play came up empty and left the score at 21-7 at intermission.
To start the second half, Northwestern too the kickoff and went on a 11-play drive as Clymer scored from six yards out making the score 28-7 and pretty much put the game out of reach with 6:53 left in the quarter.
With Fritts struggling only completing 7 of 14 passes for 150 yards, coach Phil Sams replaced him with Freshman Colton Sams for the remainder of the game.
Sams managed a fourth down touchdown pass from nine yards to Inglis to make it 28-14 with 8:49 left in the game.
Dalton Clymer ended the night with a career-high 250 yards rushing giving him 3,374 yards for his career putting him in third place in the all-time school's rushing record.
Devon Hildebrand capped off the scoring for the night on a four-yard run with just 3:29 left in the game.
My post game interview with RB Dalton Clymer after Northwestern Lehigh stayed unbeaten at 10-0 with a win over Southern Lehigh.
With the win, Northwestern clinched the top spot in the District XI 3A playoffs next Thursday and will be at home to face Lehighton. Southern Lehigh will be in the 5A playoffs next Friday against an opponent to be decided.
My post-game interview with Eli Zimmerman, whose interception set the Tigers up for their first score Friday night.