Northern Lehigh has no shortage of game-breakers on its roster.

It’s a luxury that quarterback Dylan Smoyer took full advantage of last Friday against Palisades.

Smoyer completed 12-of-15 passes for 269 yards and two touchdowns in the Bulldogs’ 35-7 victory over the Pirates.

The stellar performance earned him Times News Football Player of the Week honors, and helped Northern Lehigh move to 3-2 on the season.

Early on, the senior spotted man coverage on teammate Nick Frame. With no help over the top, Frame hauled in a 34-yard pass from Smoyer, who punched in a one-yard score a few plays later.

It set the tone for the rest of the night.

“It was great. Everyone showed up, came to play, we came prepared, got off the bus and we were ready to play,” said Smoyer. “Having them around is just amazing, because it makes my job easier and it really helps out the team. We have explosive guys all over (the field). Our skill positions are amazing, our linemen are amazing, and they’re really stepping up this year. It just makes everyone’s job easier.

“Our game plan was to just feel everything out, take what they gave us. And once we saw the passing game was working, we stuck with it and it really worked out.”

The second score was a 78-yard touchdown pass to Frame.

“We put guys out there and, one of the adjustments that they made, they sent a guy over with motion, and that ends up being a long touchdown pass ... then after that they adjusted, we motioned, they kept a guy over top, and then we started to hit the other side of the field,” said Northern Lehigh head coach Joe Tout. “And that was all Dylan. That’s stuff that we didn’t have a chance; they adjusted, and we went back to the same formation, same play, and now that’s the chess move. They adjust, and that’s what’s nice about having Dylan there, because he knew it immediately, and made the correct read on it, and then that’s the other side to having four wideouts on that play, and he could have thrown it to any. You trust any of those kids.”

Trevor Amorim added a one-yard touchdown run, and found Izaiah Ramos caught a 28-yard score from Smoyer to make it 28-0 at halftime.

Amorim broke off a 70-yard touchdown run in the third quarter to push the advantage to 35-0.

“We kind of got back to that the last few years. We had a little bit of a lull in speed,” said Tout. “When you have to grind out 70 yards without that ability to pop one, now you have more mistakes that happen. Now we’re kind of back to that threat. We’re able to grind, but these guys can also break one at anytime.”

Smoyer - in his second year as the team’s starting quarterback - has a good relationship with his teammates, something he has worked to strengthen during the offseason.

“Me, Trevor Amorim, Brett Misera, Matt Frame, and all the other guys, we all worked together in the offseason, just to get some reps in, working on our timing,” said Smoyer. “It’s really showing this year so far this season.

“They’re a great group of guys; they’re all ready to show up every practice. They all put the work in. It’s nice to have, knowing that they have my back, and I have their back.”

After a late start to the 2020 season because of the coronavirus pandemic, the relationships the group has forged on the field and off it has paid dividends in 2021.

“It helps a ton, because you’re not starting over,” Tout said. “You always have to refresh some things. But coming into camp, I’m comfortable with him, I know what he likes, what he doesn’t like, and kind of vice versa. You kind of get that feel together. That’s been the easier part, I guess, and then you also knew because of some of the circumstances where we were kind of late in our start up last year, he’s close with Brett, and Trevor, they’re buddies, so they ended up going out on their own.”

The group will be looking for a similar effort this Friday against a 5-0 North Schuylkill team.

“We’re just ready to show up and win,” said Smoyer. “We take it week by week, and we don’t take any team lightly. We’re just ready to play.”