Lehighton was done in by a playmaker in last week’s season opener.

But on Friday night, the Indians turned the tables.

Senior Hunter Crum made sure of that.

The versatile skill player ran the ball with gusto and made some outstanding catches on his way to a six-touchdown night and a wild 55-42 victory over visiting Tamaqua.

“Tonight was a good night,” said Lehighton head coach Tom McCarroll, whose team fell to Palmerton and Matt Machalik the week before. “It was a bounce back night for us. Hunter Crum certainly had a big night for us ... He’s a playmaker. We’ve had some here before, and now it’s his turn. He just had a fantastic game. He’s a senior now and he stepped up.

“But there were a lot of kids who contributed on both sides of the ball for us tonight. At times it wasn’t pretty, but it’s the kind of win you want to get in Week 2 after a tough Week 1 loss. I was really proud of the way our kids handled some adversity early on. I think it showed some resolve from our players and hopefully it’s something we can build on.”

Crum, who finished with 189 yards of offense, scored the game’s first touchdown on a 6-yard run on the team’s first possession, and produced a highlight-reel one-handed snag on a fourth-and-long pass that ended up going for a 45-yard score and a 13-7 Indian lead.

But the adversity McCarroll talked about came quickly after that.

The Blue Raiders’ Zander Coleman broke free for a long 50-yard scoring run late in the opening quarter. After an Indian fumble, Tamaqua punched in another tally - this one on a 1-yard Warren Stewart run (the first of four on the night for Stewart) - that put the hosts in a 20-13 hole midway through the second frame.

“We really showed some resolve and answered the bell there,” said McCarroll. “As a coach, when you face something like that, you want to see how your kids respond and I think they did a good job of doing that.”

Did they ever.

A Crum 4-yard touchdown run, set up by a Brady O’Donnell 37-yard pass to Brayden Lutz, tied the score while another O’Donnell-to-Lutz hookup right before the half led to Crum’s fourth trip to the end zone - this one from eight yards out.

“We knew coming in (that Crum was a playmaker),” said Tamaqua mentor Sam Bonner. “We knew he was a guy that we had to stop, and obviously we didn’t. We’ve had that issue two weeks in a row now. We just have to get tougher, physically and mentally. That’s going to come through hard work at practice. We just can’t give up that much yardage.

“We had a turnover that led to a score right before the half and that one hurt us. Then we had to punt on our first series (of the second half) and they got that two-score lead and we were playing catch-up for the rest of the game.”

Lehighton, and Crum, made sure the Raiders would never come close.

After Tamaqua’s failed opening series of the second half, Crum broke free for his fifth tally - escaping down the left sideline for a 41-yard TD and a 34-20 advantage. Following a stand by the Indians’ defense, Lehighton moved 57 yards in 10 plays to take control. Crum capped off his big night by outjumping a Tamaqua defender in the end zone for a 14-yard scoring toss from O’Donnell.

O’Donnell ended his night with three touchdown passes, hitting Lutz later in the contest to keep the margin well in the Indians’ favor.

“Brady’s just a sophomore and he was coming off his first start,” said McCarroll. “I thought with our ability to run the ball early, it allowed him to settle in. He didn’t have to make the perfect throw, and his receivers came up with some nice catches.

“I think mentally it’s so important to be 1-1 instead of 0-2, so overall I’m happy with this win.”

PICK SIX ... Lehighton’s Jasius Allen accounted for his team’s final touchdown when he intercepted a pass and returned it 30 yards to the end zone in the game’s final minute.

BIG PLAYS ... Besides Coleman’s 50-yard TD run, the Blue Raiders had three passing plays of 45 yards or more. One of those was a 53-yard scoring strike to Steven Kostecky late in the third quarter. “Offensively, we did some good things,” said Bonner. “We made some nice plays, but we have to get a little more consistent - especially upfront.”

NEXT UP ... Lehighton hosts Wilson on Friday, while Tamaqua entertains Northern Lehigh.