EASTON - While watching Jim Thorpe play Notre Dame of Green Pond Friday night, one got the feeling that if the quarters were 15 minutes long instead of 12, the combined final score might have been 120 points.

In the Crusaders’ 57-40 win, the teams combined for 950 yards of offense and 42 first downs. Needless to say, defense was in short demand.

Notre Dame’s quarterback Danny Darno threw for 347 yards and ran for 107. His counterpart Brett Balliet completed 17 out of 25 attempts for 260 yards. As well as the Olympians offense moved the ball, the Crusaders answered with several big plays.

After Darno found AJ Lozano for a 30-yard touchdown on Notre Dame’s first possession, Thorpe answered with a 71-yard march culminated by a Balliet 8-yard throw to Benjamin Goldberg. The Olympians then took their only lead in the game on a shifty 55-yard run and cutback by Sal Capria.

The Crusaders (6-2) struck for three straight scores, beginning with a second Lozano touchdown that continued his four-catch, 110-yard night. But Jim Thorpe senior David Fiorto, who caught five balls for 97 yards, caught a Balliet pass in the left flat and shouldered a defender to the ground en route to a 67-yard pass and run touchdown leaving the Olympians (3-5) trailing 34-18 at intermission.

“I loved the effort from our offense tonight,” said Jim Thorpe coach Mark Rosenberger. “David Fiorito, Brett Balliet and Bryson Heydt all had outstanding games. Our pass game clicked all night, but we just couldn’t find any answers on defense.”

Notre Dame took a 41-18 lead on its first possession of the third quarter when Darno found James Wisecarver for a 35-yard hook up. That score began a back-and-forth scoring binge that lasted until the final horn. Balliet hit Heydt with a 13-yard TD toss, but that was followed up by Notre Dame’s Julian Baker who caught a 15-yard pass from Darno.

Balliet struck again, this time on a 45-yard deep throw to Joshua Louk. The Olympians could not close the gap, however, following a Josh Ludlow five yard scamper.

Balliet finished the Olympians’ scoring with a late fourth quarter five-yard burst up the middle.

ROUGH AND TUMBLE ... The game became physical into the latter part of the second half with personal fouls, sideline warnings and both coaches pleading their cases in the middle of the field.

LOW LIGHTS ... The physicality of the game had a bit of a Halloween feel to it. The moon was out and the low lit stadium lights at NDGP appeared to cast ghostly shadows during play.

NEXT UP ... The Olympians will try to end their two-game losing streak next Friday night when they host the Northern Lehigh Bulldogs.