One team will move on to the postseason, while another hangs up its shoes.

It was rivalry night in Slatington as Northern Lehigh hosted Palmerton with a district playoff berth on the line for the Bulldogs.

Nolehi gave everything it had, but the Blue Bombers were too much to handle, putting a clamp on the home team’s season with a 49-36 Colonial League victory.

Things initially looked good for the Bulldogs with a 9-8 lead after the first.

Emma Rex opened the game with back-to-back threes for Palmerton, but Tegan Simms responded with seven points to put her team in front at the end of the quarter.

However, the visiting Bombers took over early in the second with a 14-3 run. Cate Morgan kick started the frame with back-to-back threes, while Emma Rex tallied five more points, including her third triple to finish with 12 points and seven rebounds.

“Last time I was here, I left with an ACL tear, so I kind of just wanted to leave it with a better night to remember than last time,” Rex said.

Trailing 27-16 at the half, it was now-or-never for the Bulldogs to keep their season alive. That’s when Simms put her team on her back with eight points as part of a 13-5 third quarter to cut the deficit to three.

Unfortunately for Northern Lehigh, Palmerton wasn’t about to let things slip away after that third period. The Bombers jumped on the Bulldogs early in the fourth with a 9-0 run to regain their double-digit lead.

Morgan then salted things away, going 11-for-13 in free throws as part of a 26-point performance.

“I think it just comes down to defense, having the next-play mentality,” said Morgan. “They came back, they scored on us, but we came back with better plays and kept scoring, and we just didn’t give up in the end.”

The season ended in disappointment for Northern Lehigh, but head coach Brandon Hibbler is thankful for the opportunity he’s been given regardless of the final results.

“It’s been a great experience,” he said. “I didn’t think four years ago I’d get back into coaching, (but) this kind of turned up and it really worked out for us.

“I got the job two weeks before the season. We didn’t have (an) off-season, so I’m really looking forward to putting a full season together with these kids and player development and structure.”

As for Palmerton, one season ends while another begins on Friday in the Colonial League playoffs.

Head coach Jeremy Coleman believes that playing a team like Northern Lehigh provided a small taste of what playoff basketball will be like.

“We knew that it was going to be a hard-fought game,” he said. “Northern Lehigh is a very good team. Their record really doesn’t give them justice for the team that they are. They are a hard-fighting team.

“They’re scrappy (and have) a lot of talent on that team. (They’re) the type of team we’re going to be playing in the playoffs. So this was a good test for us.”

QUEST FOR GOLD ... Palmerton begins its journey for the league championship on Friday as it will travel to Catasauqua for its quarterfinal matchup. “They’re a tough team; they’re hot right now,” Coleman said about the Rough Riders. “They have a few of the best players in the league, so it’s going to be another battle.”

PALMERTON

A. Barry 1-2-2-5, Rex 4-1-2-12, Rumfield 0-0-0-0, Schneider 0-0-0-0, Morgan 6-11-13-26, Wasilewski 0-0-0-0, Green 0-1-2-1, H. Barry 2-1-1-5. TOTALS: 13-16-20-49.

NORTHERN LEHIGH

Powell 0-0-0-0, Williams 1-0-0-2, Gad 0-0-0-0, Ash 0-0-0-0, Ramos 0-0-0-0, Tosh 1-0-0-3, Wentz 0-0-0-0, Simms 7-8-9-25, Snyder 3-0-3-6, Thompson 0-0-0-0. TOTALS: 12-9-13-36.

Palmerton 8 19 5 17 - 49

No. Lehigh 9 7 13 7 - 36

Three-Pointers: Palmerton - Rex 3, Morgan 3, A. Barry 1; Northern Lehigh - Simms 3, Tosh 1.

Records: Palmerton (16-6; 13-5); Northern Lehigh (9-13; 7-11).