ASHLAND - Stan Dakosty hopes to be where Wally Hall is in a few years.

Dakosty reached the mountain top of high school football with Marian and knows what it takes to get there.

Right now, it’s Hall who is guiding a program that appears to be at the peak of its powers.

North Schuylkill flexed its muscle Friday night with a 48-0 victory over the Colts to stay undefeated.

But Dakosty was undeterred, knowing the setback was part of a longer rebuilding process during his second stint at Marian.

“That’s where we were,” Dakosty said of the Spartans. “That’s where we aspire to be. We’re not there yet; we’re far from it.

“It’s a lesson for our kids to see the caliber of play ... that’s probably the best team in the league, so we went up against the best the league has to offer, I believe, and it showed. That’s where we were, and that’s where we’re trying to get back to being.”

North Schuylkill (5-0) scored on six of its eight possessions in the first two quarters to build a 42-0 halftime lead.

Quarterback Jake Hall (18-of-27) threw for 347 yards and five touchdowns in the first half, working the ball to the Spartans’ skill players to keep the offense humming.

“Our kids played well,” said Wally Hall. “They executed well, and that’s the most important thing that we were looking for, and just getting better every week.

“The bottom line is execution. Sometimes there were different defenses, different looks, and how our kids adjust to that is really important. I think we adjusted well, and did what we needed to do.”

North Schuylkill found room to move the ball on the ground and through the air, finishing with 516 yards of total offense.

Jake Hall exploited the Colts’ (1-4) defense with big plays to Tanner Walacavage (five catches, 139 yards, touchdown), Gavin Whalen (four catches 65 yards, two touchdowns) and Evan Stanakis (three catches, 57 yards, TD).

The junior also connected with Dylan Dietz for a 10-yard score that capped the Spartans’ first drive of the game, a series that went 64 yards in just 1:05.

Defensively, North Schuylkill held Marian to eight yards of offense.

“We’re going step-by-step with our kids,” said Dakosty. “I think we played seven freshmen tonight, and not just put them in.”

As the face of Marian football for 40 seasons, Dakosty led the Colts to 309 wins, seven District 11 titles, six conference championships and the 1990 PIAA state crown during a decorated career before stepping down in 2016.

He knows the experience his underclassmen have gained so far this season will eventually pay dividends.

“It’s like money in the bank,” Dakosty said of the opportunity for playing time. “We were down five starters tonight for various reasons, and that’s tough to do. But we had some kids play for the first time, and it’s experience for them. What we have to do is put the whole thing together. Hopefully, we’ll get everyone back and get things moving in the right direction.

“We are not discouraged. This is a long term situation. We have 38 kids and they’re hanging in there and working every day and I’m proud of them and their effort.”

SPORTSMANSHIP

... Ricky Halford got to the edge for a 23-yard score with 4:34 left in the fourth quarter to make it 48-0. The Spartans took a knee instead of attempting an extra point.

I’LL TAKE THAT

... Carsyn Chambers ended North Schuylkill’s second drive of the game with a pick. Dakosty praised the freshman’s play so far this season. “He’s gotten better and better every week,” the coach said. “I think he’s going to be an outstanding football player. He’s only a freshman, but he plays like he’s a senior.”

STEPPING IN

... Sophomore Andrew Baran got the start at quarterback for the Colts, who rotated several players under center, including senior Owen Brady. “He ran tailback, slot back, quarterback and did everything for us,” Dakosty said of Brady.

ROLLING

... Including last week’s 36-0 win over Jim Thorpe, North Schuylkill has outscored its last two opponents 84-0.