Fela Olaniyan called it an energy.

And it was palpable Friday night at Pleasant Valley.

When the Bears needed a stop on defense, they made it.

When they had to convert on offense and special teams, they came through.

It’s the type of effort that drives championship-winning programs.

And it was one Pleasant Valley delivered with a 7-6 victory over East Stroudsburg South.

The Bears’ performance in a battle of two of the top teams in the North Division of the Eastern Pennsylvania Conference reverberated across Brodheadsville in what was billed as the Times News Game of the Week.

“Wow. This was such an amazing team effort,” said Pleasant Valley coach Blaec Saeger. “It was everybody, the whole week, from the scout team to the defense to the offense when we needed it.

“And the offense struggled at times. We moved the ball but we shot ourselves in the foot. But when we needed it most, we scored, we ran the clock out.”

With the game scoreless through the first three quarters, the Bears (3-0) watched the Cavaliers strike for a touchdown on the first play of the fourth period with a five-yard touchdown pass from Colby Mitchell to Shane Bulay with 11:22 remaining.

But the Pleasant Valley defense came up with a stop on ES South’s (2-1) two-point conversion try, keeping the deficit at 6-0.

“I told them all week, I said, ‘Listen, this team is going to score on you - they’re better than any team we’ve faced - and this team could go up on you.’ I told them, ‘Who knows, we might have to block the extra point and win by a point down the road.’

“I said it to them, and we ended up stopping the two-point conversion and ended up winning by a point. It just shows their heart. It’s them. It’s the kids. They are just tough, tough kids.”

The Bears responded with a five-play, 68-yard drive that took just over two minutes, with quarterback Valentino Byers-Robinson going in from 13 yards out and Rory Robinson adding the extra point to put Pleasant Valley ahead 7-6 with 9:06 to play.

“I absolutely love it,” said Byers-Robinson, who ran for 117 yards on 21 carries. “This is the best game I ever played. When they scored, I was a little nervous, but I knew that no matter what, I just have to push through, I have to just follow my line, let my playmakers work, and that touchdown, I made it, but I have to give it to Rory (Robinson) who finished it out, and iced the game pretty much.”

The Bears’ defense forced the Cavaliers to punt on their final two possessions, which included a huge sack by Angelo Syracuse and Michael Barrett on third-and-22 on what would be South’s final play from scrimmage in the fourth quarter.

“I tip my hat to every single one of them,” said Saeger. “Coach (Brian) Miller (defensive coordinator) did an amazing job. What an amazing effort by our freakin’ defense. Absolutely incredible.”

That defense was huge late in the third quarter, with South looking at first-and-goal from the PV 9-yard line. The Bears stiffened, forcing a fourth-and-goal that ended with a stop inside the 1-yard line to end the threat and keep the game scoreless with 2:57 remaining in the third.

“We were on the one, I saw what I needed to do, we saw what we needed to do, and it just got done,” said Olaniyan, who was in on the tackle. “Nothing has to be said. It just goes around. It just goes around, and it’s an energy that we all have in our minds and our hearts. It just culminates into one big thing, one big play, every single game.”

Olaniyan and the Bears also stopped the Cavaliers inside the 10-yard line on their first possession. South had first-and-goal from the 9-yard line, but managed a run for one yard before a negative rushing play and two straight incompletions in the end zone ended the drive.

“It’s a big win, but we’re looking ahead to the next one,” said Olaniyan. “But for right now we’re going to celebrate. That’s what’s going to happen. Let’s just keep it rolling.”

UP NEXT

... Undefeated Pleasant Valley travels to Dieruff next Friday, while ES South travels to Pocono Mountain East.

BIG TIME EFFORT

... In addition to his stellar defense, Olaniyan also carried the ball 18 times for 83 yards.