Nobody really expected the fireworks that Northwestern and Catasauqua opened their regular season finale with Friday night.

The first 3:32 of the game saw just eight plays from scrimmage but 28 points as the two teams battled to a 14-14 tie.

By the end of the night though, Northwestern had come out on top 61-27 in a wild one.

Catasauqua’s Wilquon Clemens settled under the opening kickoff and returned it to near the 40-yard line before the ball popped out when he was hit. The Tigers recovered the ball and made quick work of their first drive when Deven Bollinger connected with Derek Holmes to give Northwestern an early 7-0 lead. Clemens atoned for the mistake and ran the ensuing kickoff back 85 yards to even the score.

The Rough Riders kickoff brought more excitement as they successfully pulled off an onside kick to open a drive at the Tigers 49-yard line. On the second play of the drive, quarterback Andrew Martinez rushed 48 yards and Catasauqua had a 14-7 lead.

“I could kind of tell when we were warming up that the intensity wasn’t quite there,” said coach Josh Snyder. “These kids are human and they looked at the records and weren’t really fired up and it showed early on.”

A second attempt at an onside kick didn’t go as well, and the Tigers opened their drive with a short field, going 44 yards in three plays to tie the score.

The Tigers opened the second quarter with an impressive drive that saw Bollinger hit Nick Henry for 21 yards down to the one-yard line. After Henry couldn’t get in on the next play, the Tigers went back to a play that didn’t work last week against Northern Lehigh. Lineman Hayden Bobbyn lined up in the backfield and took the handoff, powering into the end zone to put Northwestern up 35-14.

Catasauqua answered right back by going 66 yards in just four plays, with Martinez hitting Clemens on a 44-yard connection as the big play of the drive and the only completion of the night for Martinez. On the next play, Martinez used his feet to cover 15 yards into the end zone to make it 35-21.

Bollinger wrapped up the second quarter with a 54-yard TD pass to Rodda and a 47-yard TD pass to Paul Huff, who broke numerous tackles and dragged a defender into the end zone to put Northwestern up 55-21 at the half. On the night, Bollinger threw for 170 yards and four touchdowns.

Josh Gornicz replaced Bollinger at quarterback in the second half and led Northwestern on a seven-play drive that ate up 3:26 of the third quarter. Gornica, a senior, hit Rodda, who tip-toed just in front of the back line of the end zone for the score.

“It was good to see Josh get some time and get a touchdown pass tonight,” admitted Snyder. “He’s a senior and doesn’t get to play, but he does everything you can ask, he’s sending in signals, running the scout team in practice and works just as hard as anybody.”

BIG OFFENSE

... The 61 points by Northwestern marked the first time they’ve cracked the 50-point mark since a 50-21 win over Palmerton on October 17, 2014. For Catasauqua, the 61 points were just shy of the 63 that they gave up last week in a 63-7 loss to Southern Lehigh.

RUNNING THE NUMBERS

... With Saucon Valley beating Palisades and Bethlehem Catholic beating Allentown Central Catholic on Friday, it appears that the Tigers will host Central Catholic in a District 11 first round matchup next week. The top four seeds figure to be Beca, Saucon Valley, Northwestern and Pottsville.