SCHUYLKILL HAVEN – The difference between Jim Thorpe and Schuylkill Haven’s football teams came down to one key component: experience.

With a horde of returning starters, the Hurricanes’ battle-tested team was far too much for the Olympians to handle on opening night as the hosts rang up an impressive 31-14 decision in a non-league meeting.Without a doubt, Jim Thorpe played toe-to-toe at times with the much quicker and seasoned Hurricanes. But as time wore on, and field position became an ally for the eventual winners, Thorpe didn’t have enough answers.Rallying around the quick feet of running back Preston Gehring, the 5-7, 145-pound senior was far too elusive for Thorpe to wrap up. Gehring would use his shifty outside speed and quick darting moves to go inside enabling him to pile up an impressive 156 yards rushing on 18 carries while posting touchdown runs of 38 and 15 yards.“He was pretty quick and we just couldn’t wrap him up at times,” said veteran Jim Thorpe coach Mark Rosenberger.However, it was the Haven defense that might have played the biggest role in the victory.“Our hats go off to Haven,” said Rosenberger. “That defense is the strength of their team. Last year our ability to run the ball was the key. We just couldn’t get it going.”On a blistering hot night, both teams came out even through the first 12 minutes, but then things started to unravel for the visitors at Rotary Field.A short punt set the stage for Haven to work a short field. It took just two plays for Gehring to punch in the game’s first score as he bolted 38 yards to pay dirt after just a one-yard gain on his first carry.Moments later Jim Thorpe had a quick answer of its own, using the air to stage a short-lived 7-6 lead. Brendan Carroll came on to play quarterback, teammate Nick Rosahac moved to wide receiver, and in a flick-of-a-wrist, Carroll was connecting with Rosahac with a 76-yard bomb. Jon Fikentscher kicked the point after for the only lead of the contest by Thorpe.Haven would take a 12-7 lead just before the half using an 11-play drive to hit pay dirt as Blue Mountain transfer Mike Kaylan boomed into the end zone from two yards out with six seconds to play.With 3:33 to go in the third quarter, Haven used another short field to score, needing only four plays to traverse 38 yards with Gehring racing the final 15 for an 18-7 lead.Back came the Olympians as Rosahac fired a 66-yard scoring strike to Shawn O’Toole to make it 18-14. However, as quickly as the euphoric state had hit the Thorpe sideline, it was dashed in one play. Danny Lozada, the Hurricanes’ QB, took the ensuing kickoff and zoomed 75 yards to pay dirt.“To be honest, I really didn’t think we played badly, we just didn’t generate enough offense, but that will come in time,” noted Rosenberger. “We’re going to be all right. We’ve got two very good quarterbacks, and we got one heck of a game from Colin Jacobs who is only a sophomore. It’s a long season”NOTABLES ... Rosenberger had high praise for linemen Fikenstscher, Derek Scott, Lucas Boyle, Billy Munson and Ethan Mordaunt.AGING HELPS ... Surely Schuylkill Haven’s veteran team was the factor. Haven returns 18 starters and it has a lively backfield in the two-headed monster of Gehring and Mike Kaylan, the latter rushed for 111 yards on 11 carries.PRAISING THORPE ... Veteran Haven coach Mike Farr was impressed with the Olympians. “That is not a bad football team by any means,” he said. “They played us really tough.”