PINE GROVE - After losing 17 starters from last season’s 8-3 team, Jim Thorpe was flying under the radar coming into the 2020 season.

But after three weeks, the Olympians (3-0) stealth is now long gone as they stayed unbeaten on Friday, grinding out a victory on the road against a tough Pine Grove squad, 16-9.

Defense and special teams have been Thorpe’s main ingredients to its winning recipe this season and once again both units came up big against the Cardinals (0-3).

The Cardinals did put Thorpe on early notice, however, with a 12-play 83-yard drive on their first offensive possession that ended with a three-yard Josh Leininger score to put them up 6-0. But that would be the last time Pine Grove would get into the end zone.

Still, it served as some early adversity for the Olympians to overcome.

As it has throughout this season, Thorpe answered the Cardinals’ call, with a 10-play 65-yard drive of its own on its ensuing possession, running the ball on all 10 plays to take a 7-6 lead with 2:34 remaining in the opening quarter. Cameron Tinajero served as the workhorse on the drive, rushing for 35 yards and the score from four yards out.

“First off, we’re just excited to be playing football right now. Our kids, they’re playing with a lot of energy, excitement and passion and you can see that in their play,” said Jim Thorpe head coach Mark Rosenberger. “A lot of people didn’t think we would probably be 3-0 after losing 17 starters, but these kids are stepping up, and I’m extremely proud of their effort.

“But this was a battle. Credit to Pine Grove, they’ve gone toe-to-toe with some good football teams over the past two weeks, and played really well tonight.”

At the start of the second quarter, Thorpe punter Travis Benson pinned the Cardinals at the one-yard line after a diving play by Bryan Bowen stopped the ball dead just before the ball went into the end zone. The result on the very next play was a Pine Grove safety after Brody Robinson was stopped by a host of Olympians in his own end zone to make it a 9-6 Thorpe advantage.

The Olympians would then continue to dominate the quarter, but had nothing to show for it on the scoreboard at the end of the first half. With two offensive possessions inside the ‘Cards 20-yard line in the quarter, they weren’t able to convert and had to settle for a three-point lead, heading into intermission.

Offense was hard to come by for both teams in the second half, but it was once again the big play ability of Thorpe newcomer Derryl Fisher that proved to be the deciding score of the game.

With just a little under eight minutes remaining in the third, Thorpe quarterback Davier Calcano hit Fisher down the left sideline for a 29-yard strike to give the Olympians a 10-point advantage. It was Fisher’s third touchdown reception of the season - all over 20 yards.

“We knew this was going to be a tough one, coming up here tonight, but we kept fighting and were able to get the win,” said Fisher. “I worked a lot this offseason on going up and getting the ball.

“You never know who you’re going to be playing against and how tall they can be, so you have to go up and get the ball at its highest point. Davier made a perfect throw and I was able to make the catch and score.”

The Cardinals made every attempt to try and come back and steal this one from Thorpe, tacking on a field goal around the seven-minute mark in the fourth and then forcing the Olympians offense to turn it over on downs on their next possession. That gave the ball back to Pine Grove with 1:11 remaining in the game, but a defensive stand at the JT 23-yard line would seal the game and keep the Olympians unbeaten.

SPECIAL SPECIAL TEAMS ... The Olympians special teams unit has simply been special this season. Benson averaged 52 yards per punt on the night, pinned the Cardinals inside their own two-yard line twice and helping setup a safety.

STEPPING UP ... With one of Thorpe’s top defensive lineman in AJ Bailor missing the game due to injury, the Thorpe defensive front still caused havoc. Defensive ends Bryson Heydt and Bryan Bowen, who filled in for Bailor, made it an uncomfortable pocket for Pine Grove quarterback Josh Leininger. The Thorpe defense had four sacks on the night.