Both Jim Thorpe and Tamaqua had their backs against the wall at different moments on Thursday night.

Tamaqua trailed 21-0 early in the second quarter. However, the Raiders pounded their way back into the game to make it 21-21 late in the third.

With all their momentum gone, the Olympians could have faltered, but they didn’t.

Thorpe answered to take a 28-21 lead on its next possession and eventually hung on for a 35-27 win, scoring with just 47.5 seconds left in the contest.

“I’m just really proud of our kids. Tamaqua took back all the momentum. They got it back to 21-21, but our kids dug in,” said Jim Thorpe head coach Mark Rosenberger. “Our guys found a way. In the past few years, that’s something that didn’t happen. So, I think it shows the growth, and it shows the maturity and the leadership that this team has.

“Our veterans made big plays for us as expected, but we’re also playing a lot of young kids out there and they came through for us, too.”

Thorpe built a 21-0 lead with 9:45 to go in the first half off explosive plays in the run game from senior Josh Louk. A 63-yard Louk scamper gave JT a 7-0 lead with 3:47 to go in the first, and then a 31-yard Louk rush set up a Bobby Levins 15-yard score to make it 14-0 at the 1:41 mark of the first.

Cole Lazorick and the Olympians’ passing game then got it going early in the second frame, with Lazorick connecting with tight end Connor Zurawa for 40 yards that got the ball down to the Tamaqua nine. Three plays later, Lazorick found sophomore Spencer Gothard on an 11-yard slant route to make it a three-score Thorpe advantage.

Tamaqua finally got its run game going in the second quarter after struggling to move the ball in the first, with a punt and a turnover on downs. A 10-play, 62-yard drive that featured talented sophomore running back Terrence McDowell got the Raiders an important score to cut the deficit to 14 points heading into the break. The drive was capped off by a McDowell 5-yard plunge. McDowell rushed for 53 yards on nine carries on the scoring drive.

The Olympians struggled to move the ball in the third quarter, going scoreless with two punts.

The Raiders then went right back to the run game.

A 10-play, 72-yard drive and a seven-play, 77-yard march knotted the score up at 21-21. McDowell was again heavily showcased on both scoring drives, and finished both of the ground-and-pound drives off with a 7-yard rushing score, and a 4-yard plunge.

“We started grinding it out. We got that big score in the second quarter. And then we got stops in the third quarter. We definitely had some momentum going,” said Tamaqua head coach Sam Bonner. “The counter trey was working for us. We started getting more push up front, and we played much better assignment football in the second half. And Terrence McDowell certainly doesn’t run like a sophomore. He a tough runner. He had another big night for us.

“But we can’t dig ourselves a 21-0 hole, and we can’t have the mental mistakes we had down the stretch. False starts, a late hit, an unsportsmanlike late in the game after we scored. Those are the mental mistakes at the end that can hurt you.”

Thorpe was finally able to jumpstart its offense late in the third off yet another big run from Louk — a 27-yard rush — that got the Olympians down to the Tamaqua 31. Five plays later, Lazorick connected with Gothard for a second time to make it 28-21 with 10:32 left to play.

The Raiders smartly went right back to McDowell and the run game with an 11-play drive finished off by fullback Malachi Stewart from four yards out. A big 33-yard run from McDowell got the drive going despite a late hit penalty on the Raiders after the run.

On Stewart’s scoring run, an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty was called on the Raiders for the ball being spiked after the scoring play, moving Tamaqua back to the 19-yard line for its PAT. Raiders signal caller Chase Serfass was sacked on the try, keeping Thorpe out in front by one, 28-27.

The Olympians got the ball back with just over five minutes to play where they put together their most clutch drive of the night. Thorpe drove the ball all the way down to the Tamaqua 23, spurred once again by key runs from Louk to keep the sticks moving.

Facing a fourth-and-eight from the 23, JT dialed up the play call of the game, faking a run with Lazorick finding a streaking Gothard down the middle for the score to make it a 35-27 Thorpe advantage with 47.5 seconds remaining.

“I was able to beat their guys a few times tonight on the inside, and Cole put the ball where it needed to be every single time,” said Gothard.

“On our last scoring play, I think we caught them off guard. It was a great play call. My job was to beat my guy inside and get open and make the play. It was a great ball, and I was able to come down with it.”

Tamaqua got the ball back for its last gasp with 42.4 seconds to play and no timeouts. The Raiders were able to get down to the JT 30 with 5.4 seconds remaining, but a desperation pass was intercepted by Gothard to seal the victory for the Olympians.

ALL HE DOES … All Gothard does is catch touchdowns. He had three catches for 41 yards, with all three receptions being receiving touchdowns. Gothard also came through with an interception.

MR. BIG PLAY … Louk came up with big play after big play for JT. He finished the game with 166 rushing yards on 16 carries and a rushing score. Louk averaged 10.3 yards per carry on the night.

SCARY TERRY … Terrence McDowell’s film is going to strike fear into opposing coaches after his performance against JT. McDowell carried the ball 41 times for 263 yards and three rushing touchdowns against the Olympians.

Jim Thorpe 35, Tamaqua 27

Tamaqua 0 7 14 6 - 27

Jim Thorpe 14 7 0 14 - 35

JT - Louk 63 run (Flyzik kick)

JT - Levins 15 run (Flyzik kick)

JT - Gothard 11 pass from Lazorick (Flyzik kick)

T - McDowell 5 run (McCabe kick)

T - McDowell 7 run (kick failed)

T - McDowell 4 run (McDowell run)

JT - Gothard 7 pass from Lazorick (Flyzik kick)

T - Stewart 4 run (pass failed)

JT - Gothard 23 pass from Lazorick (Flyzik kick)