When Jim Thorpe’s Sal Capria ran back the second half kickoff for an 80 yard touchdown to tie the score at 22, it looked the game would keep its pattern of each team trading touchdowns to the last possession.

That was until Palmerton quarterback Matt Machalik and his Bombers’ offense exploded for five of the final six touchdowns to defeat the Olympians 54-29.

Machalik was incredible all night long. If he wasn’t finding his receivers with pinpoint passes, he was scampering out of the pocket for long ground gains. Palmerton gained 545 yards of offense, mostly on big throws and running plays.

“We just couldn’t get off the field on defense,” said Jim Thorpe coach Mark Rosenberger. “Every time we had them in third or fourth and long, they made plays. They have outstanding athletes at the skill positions and Machalik is the best player we’ve seen. That said, we have to do a better job of tackling. We had numerous opportunities. We have to get better and we have to do it quick.”

Jim Thorpe took a 7-0 lead into the second quarter when quarterback Brett Balliet finished a 45 yard drive with a six yard pass to Ben Goldberg, but the Bombers took the lead on a nine yard run around left end by Kendall Robinson. After a bad snap on the extra point try, Machalik threw a 30 yard two- point conversion pass to Daniel Lucykanish for an 8-7 Palmerton lead with 11:50 to go in the second quarter.

The Olympians answered on a second down and long when Capria cut to the right sideline for a 36 yard score. A three minute drive punctuated by a six yard pass from Machalik to Robinson brought Palmerton within one point and the game began to appear like neither defense could get a third down stop to force a punt.

The junior star Bomber quarterback, who amassed 493 passing and rushing yards in the game, then broke the pocket on a third and seven at the Jim Thorpe 43 and outraced the secondary for a 22-15 lead at the intermission.

“Our game plan was to spread the ball out,” said Palmerton coach Chris Walkowiak, “and on defense we needed to do a better job than last week against the run.”

And spread the ball out they did. Four receivers caught 13 passes for 280 yards led by Dalton Drake’s eight catches for 165 yards. But Thorpe would hang tough and when Balliet turned a busted play into a nine yard score, his team trailed by only five points at 34-29 heading into the final 12 minutes.

Machalik had his hand or his legs on the final four Bomber touchdowns as he repeatedly broke as many as five tackles on runs and out ran the defensive pursuit.

“It was a dogfight in the first half,” said Machalik, “but at the half we said if we could hold our blocks then we would win the game.” He praised his receivers for having great games.

When asked how he breaks so many tackles, he said, “I just keep my feet moving. That’s all I got.”

What Machalik gave the Palmerton fans was one terrific game that pushed the home team’s record to 3-1 on the season.

“Our offensive line did a great job tonight,” said Walkowiak. “And when we fumbled the ball away when it was still anybody’s game, we held them without a first down. That was big.”

SNAP CHAT ... Both coaches stressed the need for better long snaps after the first half saw two bad punt snaps and two errant extra point snaps after touchdowns.

MAGIC MATT ... Machalik now has thrown for over 1,000 yards this season and 13 touchdowns after his four Friday. He’s also one shy of tying the school record of 46 rushing TDs, having hit pay dirt three times in the Bombers’ win.