The Blue Bombers is a fitting nickname for this year’s Palmerton football team.

Palmerton can bombard the scoreboard with points.

It did it again on Friday night in of Men of Marian Stadium for all to see.

Big plays from just about all parts of the field were produced by the Bombers’ hurry-up-and-don’t wait offense.

Scoring eight touchdowns in a variety of ways, the Blue Bombers cruised to their third win in four games, blasting host Marian 54-0.

The victory sets up a big encounter next week at Northampton High School against undefeated Catasauqua.

Matt “The General” Machalik, as he is so aptly named by his coach Chris Walkowiak, left no doubt about his abilities - and to think the kid is just a sophomore. Machalik had a major say in just about every score his team produced on this balmy late summer night.

On their opening drive, the Bombers had to go just 25 yards to paydirt, capitalizing when the Colts came up short on fake a punt on their first series of the contest.

Snuffing it out, the Palmerton defense put the offense in grand position. Three players later, Machalik scooted 18 yards for a quick six-pointer and this team was off and running.

They jacked the count to 14-0, on their second try with the ball, needing just five plays to find the end zone. Machalik zipped two completions to speedy junior wide out Kendal Robinson for 37 and nine yards. Lucas Heydt then punched it in from a yard out. Machalik and Heydt teamed up for a two-point conversion and a 14-0 lead.

“We wanted to get a fast start,” Walkowiak said of the game plan. “Our offense got the ball rolling and then we got the blocked punt.”

Lineman Shade Klotz put his paw up to block the punt, which afforded Drake Dalton the opportunity to scoop and run it the final 33 yards to send their team off with that fast getaway, which Walkowiak was looking for.

Klotz was a standout in the interior of the line all game long - joining teammate Clayton Christman in making life miserable for Marian, which finished the game with negative rushing yards.

“We were out-manned, and we were undermanned,” Marian coach Stan Dakosty said after watching his team fall to 0-4 on the season. “They have a great quarterback (Machalik) and they made a lot of plays. It got out of hand early. They only have 25 kids (on the roster), but Chris (Walkowiak) has done a great job with them.”

The Bombers kept the pedal to the floor in the second quarter, ripping off two more touchdowns.

“The General” capped off a 7-play, 71-yard drive with a 10-yard touchdown run. Junior receiver Danny Lucykanish helped set the scoring drive up latching on to a pair of passes - the first going for 31 yards.

There was 6:37 to play in the half when Lucykanish zipped nine yards for a touchdown to make it 34-0.

Lucykanish wasn’t quite through for the evening as he lit up the scoreboard again, bolting 75 yards with the second half kickoff.

The Bombers’ final scores came on a 20-yard scamper from quick-footed Ty Sander, and another 20-yard run from his sophomore classmate Stephen Jones.

HIP-HIP-HOORAY ... Palmerton struggled somewhat trying to make the PAT kick, until freshman Kameron Behler blasted the final two conversions through the uprights. He was happy as all heck.

NUMBERS … Both teams were hobbling. Marian lost six starters before the game, then three more got banged up last night. Palmerton was also missing several players and had just 17 in uniform.

BRAVO … And the band played on. Palmerton band members did an excellent halftime show.

COLTS ROAD SHOW … Marian will be on the road in search of its first win of the season next Friday at Shenandoah Valley - Dakosty’s alma mater.