With playoffs beginning next week, this will be the final OVERTIME column of the season.

We figured it would be the perfect time to take a look back at the first nine weeks of the season and come up with our picks for the top 10 games of 2021.

Here’s the list in descending order with a sentence or two about why the game deserves special mention. The games were ranked based on several factors including the quality of the teams involved, the closeness of the game, and how entertaining it was.

Here are a few notes about the list.

• Northwestern has been the top team in the coverage area this season. That is reflected by the Tigers’ 9-0 record, and also the fact that they played in the top two games in our rankings.

• Northern Lehigh has played an extremely difficult schedule for a Class 2A team this season, with six of its first nine opponents being either a 3A or 4A school. The Bulldogs’ competitiveness against the bigger schools is reflected by the fact that they have played in three of the top 6 games in our rankings, and four of the top 10.

• There has only been one overtime game involving a local team this season (Marian), so that one is obviously part of our list.

• Eight of the nine area teams make at least one appearance on the list. The only team not to make it is Pleasant Valley. The Bears - who are 4-4 and on the playoff bubble in Class 6A heading into the final week of the season - have been hurt by a lack of competitive games. PV’s four wins have come by an average of 34 points per game, while its four losses have come by an average of 26.5 point per game.

TOP 10 GAMES OF 2021

10. Jim Thorpe vs. Northern Lehigh, Oct. 8 - In a matchup created by the new Colonial League/Schuylkill League football alliance (that will be theme with games on this list), Northern Lehigh pulled out a 27-17 victory. Leading 13-10 in the third quarter, the Bulldogs got a 55-yard TD run from Trevor Amorim to open up some breathing room. Matt Frame rushed for 120 yards and a touchdown for Northern Lehigh.

9. Shenandoah vs. Panther Valley, Oct. 8 - The winless Panthers were within seconds of getting that initial victory before suffering a heartbreaking 28-21 loss. De’Antay Alston’s fourth-quarter blocked punt that was returned by Shyiem Ervine for 39 yards to the Blue Devil 3-yard line, set up a TD run by Michael Pascoe to give the Panthers a 21-20 lead. But Shenandoah converted both a third-and-18, and a fourth-and-short in the final minute, leading to the winning touchdown with just seconds remaining.

8. Lehighton vs. Tamaqua, Sept. 3 - This was the second-highest scoring game of the season in the area, as the teams combined for 97 points in a wild 55-42 Lehighton victory. Hunter Crum scored six touchdowns for the Indians. Crum finished with 189 yards from scrimmage, scoring on runs of four, six, eight and 41 yards, while also catching TD passes of 14 and 45 yards. The 55 points is 33 more than the Indian’ next best offensive output this season.

7. Tamaqua vs. Salisbury, Sept. 24 - Tamaqua ripped off 19 unanswered points to rally for a 27-21 victory against the Falcons. A 50-yard touchdown pass from Nathan Gregoire to Zander Coleman with 7:38 to play in the fourth quarter capped the comeback. A few minutes earlier, Gregoire had tied the game at 21-21 with a one-yard TD run. He finished the game with over 200 yards of offense, two rushing touchdowns, and one passing TD.

6. North Schuylkill vs. Northern Lehigh, Oct. 1 - Northern Lehigh threw its entire offensive playbook at the unbeaten Spartans, but it wasn’t enough to pull off the upset as North Schuylkill recorded a 56-42 victory. The Bulldogs used a double pass that featured wide receiver Nick Frame hitting Trevor Amorim with a 74-yard TD pass on their first play from scrimmage. During the course of the game, Northern Lehigh also attempted two halfback option passes, several reverses, and an end-around that Amorim took for a 60-yard touchdown. But North Schuylkill survived by producing nearly 700 yards of total offense. It was the highest point total of the season in a game featuring an area team.

5. Palmerton vs. Jim Thorpe, Sept. 3 - Jim Thorpe built a 17-0 second-half lead before Palmerton stormed back behind quarterback Matt Machalik, who passed for one score and ran for another. But the Bombers hope for a miracle finish ended when Olympians’ safety Matthew Stauffer intercepted a pass near the goal line with seconds remaining to secure Thorpe’s 17-14 victory, Bryson Heydt and Sal Capria (BOTH) scored touchdowns for Jim Thorpe. (TO DATE,) It’s the only loss of the season for Palmerton.

4. Marian vs. Nativity, Oct. 15 - This was not only the biggest upset of the season by an area team, but it was also the season’s only overtime game. Marian entered the contest with an 0-7 record, while Nativity was 4-3. The Colts led late in the fourth quarter, but Nativity scored in the closing seconds to force OT. After stopping Nativity on a Luis Teron interception on the first possession of OT, Marian used an eight-yard TD run by Matt Martin to pull out a 19-13 victory.

3, Notre Dame vs Northern Lehigh, Sept. 17 - Notre Dame - currently 7-1 on the season - entered the game unbeaten. But the Bulldogs built a 27-14 third quarter lead. But the Crusaders rallied to score 20 unanswered points and pull out a 34-27 victory. Northern Lehigh finished with more total yards than Notre Dame (416-356). Trevor Amorim and Matt Frame combined for 274 yards rushing and a pair of long scores for the Bulldogs, but it wasn’t enough.

2. Northwestern vs. Pottsville, Oct. 15 - The two teams entered the game with a combined record of 13-1. Northwestern survived the challenge, however, defeating the Crimson Tide, 22-14, to remain undefeated in the season. Quarterback Justin Holmes led the Tigers with 166 yards rushing and two touchdowns. He also passed for 66 yards. Holmes also was part of the biggest defensive play in the game when he sacked Tide quarterback Jazce Carabello-Snowell and forced a fumble that Dalton Clymer recovered with 3:56 left in the game. Holmes then carried seven straight times - the final one a three-yard gain on (A) fourth-and-one play - that allowed Northwestern to run out the clock.

1. Northwestern vs. Northern Lehigh, Sept 2 - Both teams entered 2021 with high expectations - and the game didn’t disappoint. The early-season, Thursday night showdown between fierce rivals lived up to the hype as Northwestern edged Northern Lehigh, 34-33. The Bulldogs led the back-and-forth battle late in the fourth quarter 27-26. But a Justin Holmes’ 10-yard run, and subsequent two-point conversion put the Tigers on top, 34-27. Northern Lehigh quickly responded as Matt Frame returned the ensuing kickoff 93 yards to the house. Trailing by a point, the Bulldogs decided to go for two, but Trevor Amorim was stopped just short of the goal line by Ben Dunstan and Northwestern ran out the clock.

**********

NW SCORING STREAK ... Northwestern scored 42 points last week against Saucon Valley to improve to 9-0 this season.

By scoring against the Panthers, the Tigers have now gone 50 straight games without being shut out. The last time Northwestern was blanked was Sept. 8, 2017, when Palisades posted a 46-0 win.

The stretch is not the longest, however, in school history. Just before the Pirates held the Tigers scoreless, Northwestern had a run of 59 straight games scoring points. That means the program has only been shut out once in their last 110 contests.

Since 1978, those two streaks are among just eight in the area that have reached 50 games. Jim Thorpe’s stretch of 68 straight (from 2001-07) is the longest. The other five include Marian’s 66 (1979-84), Tamaqua’s 65 (2010-2016), Jim Thorpe’s 61 (2014-20), Northern Lehigh’s 61 (2007-12) and Marian’s 56 (1989-93).

The next best active streaks are Northern Lehigh’s 32 and Palmerton’s 31.

**********

MELE’S GOLDEN FOOT ... Jim Thorpe’s Kieran Mele booted a pair of field goals to give the Olympians a 6-0 halftime lead against Palisades. Thorpe eventually went on to post a 33-0 victory.

Mele’s three-pointers marked the first time a Thorpe kicker had multiple field goals in the same game since Sept. 30, 2005 - 174 games ago. In that contest, Tyler O’Shura actually nailed three field goals - from 21, 31 and 34 yards.

Since 1988, this was the 19th time an area kicker had multiple field goals in the same game. O’Shura is one of five to hit three in a game, while four players (Northwestern’s Hunter Miller and Brandon Miller, Marian’s Lucca Stroia, and Pleasant Valley’s Dean Krcic) have each done it on two different occasions.

**********

TRIPLE TROUBLE ... Northern Lehigh’s Matt Frame, Trevor Amorim and Brett Misera have accomplished something that hasn’t been too often in the Times News area.

The three Bullodgs have each scored at least 70 points this season. Frame leads the way with 80, while Amorim has 72 and Misera is currently at 71.

Over the past 30 years, this is just the fourth time that three players from the same team have scored at least 70 points.

In 2003 - the year Northern Lehigh reached the state championship game - the Bulldogs had Jake Serfass (140), Kyle Follweiler (96) and Aaron Mill (75) all tally at least 70 points. In fact, they just missed a fourth as Jack Gill ended the year with 66.

The other two times it’s been done in the area were by Northwestern in 2014 (Cam Richardson, Harry Hall, Taylor Breininger) and again in 2018 (Deven Bollinger, Justin Rodda, Nick Henry).

**********

BOMBERS COME BACK ... Palmerton rallied from a slow start last Friday to defeat Minersville, 45-24. The Blue Bombers trailed 3-0 after the first quarter before using a 24-point second quarter to take the lead for good.

Palmerton had lost 24 consecutive games when it trailed after the first quarter. The last time before Friday that the Bombers were losing after the first 12 minutes and won was Sept. 26, 2014 against Notre Dame. In that contest, the Crusaders held an 8-6 advantage before Palmerton eventually rolled to a 47-8 victory.

**********

FISHER DOUBLE TAKE ... Jim Thorpe’s Derryl Fisher had a big game for the Olympians in their victory over Palisades last week.

Fisher, who had 135 receiving yards, scored on offense by catching a 41-yard touchdown pass, and also had a pick-six in the game by returning an interception 31 yards to the end zone.

While a number of players have accomplished both a TD catch and pick-six in the same game, Fisher is only one of three area players to have done it multiple times over the past 30 years.

Fisher - who also accomplished the feat in a game last season - joins Northwestern’s Taylor Breininger (10/31/14 and 9/19/14) and Panther Valley’s Jake Dunn (8/31/07, 9/20/08 and 9/25/09) (AS PLAYERS WHO) to have done it more than once.