Even when Lehighton’s running game didn’t go according to plan Friday night, it worked.

On the Indians’ opening possession against Saucon Valley, Lukas Croizier took a carry and was stood up in the hole. As he was going down, Croizier spotted quarterback Jack Lucykanish behind him and flipped the ball back.

Lucykanish did the rest, racing 21 yards for a touchdown.

It was an unconventional beginning to another dominant performance from Lehighton.

Croizier scored four rushing touchdowns, the Indians controlled the line of scrimmage and their defense posted its second shutout of the season in a 41-0 victory that moved Lehighton to 4-0.

“I’ve got to say the line of scrimmage,” said Lehighton coach Tom McCarroll. “We controlled the line of scrimmage. We ran the heck out of the ball. That was our game plan.

“Our O-line is our strength. Lukas Croizier is just a workhorse back there.”

The opening touchdown was a perfect example of the confidence and instincts Lehighton has developed during its unbeaten start.

McCarroll called the play, “something I’ve never seen before,” praising Croizier and Lucykanish for turning a play that appeared to be stopped into six points.

“High football IQ,” McCarroll said. “These guys have played so much football, and that’s kind of what they do.”

Croizier had a slightly different perspective on the improvisation.

“I kind of saw Jack back there, and he wasn’t looking at first, but then eventually he ran forward,” Croizier said. “I was like, ‘I’ve got to throw the ball. Whatever happens, happens.’ He was able to get it, and I didn’t think he was going to score, but maybe Jack’s a little faster than I thought.”

Croizier followed with a 5-yard touchdown run later in the opening quarter to give Lehighton a 14-0 advantage.

While the first touchdown required improvisation, most of Lehighton’s success came from simply executing its game plan — even when Saucon Valley knew what was coming.

“There were a lot of times where they really stacked the box, and they knew we’d run the ball,” Croizier said. “We were able to just pound it every single time, regardless of the fact that they knew it was coming.

“When somebody knows what you’re about to do and you just do it anyway, that’s the definition of execution. That was just pure will, and that was all up front.”

The Indians continued to pull away in the second quarter.

Croizier broke loose for a 54-yard touchdown with 8:40 remaining to extend the lead to 21-0.

Lehighton’s defense supplied the next score.

After Saucon Valley recovered a Lehighton fumble, Carl Lingham intercepted a pass and returned it 13 yards for a touchdown, giving the Indians a 28-0 halftime advantage.

The defense continued to frustrate Saucon Valley after the break.

Lucykanish intercepted Braden Rohn early in the third quarter, and Lehighton eventually turned the takeaway into another score. A screen from Lucykanish to Croizier moved the Indians near the goal line, and Croizier finished the possession with a 1-yard touchdown run to make it 34-0.

Saucon Valley mounted one of its best threats later in the quarter when Taylor Rohn broke a long run that moved the ball to the Lehighton 12.

But the drive unraveled after a fumble that the Panthers recovered resulted in a significant loss, and Lehighton kept the shutout intact.

The Indians weren’t mistake-free. Penalties put them behind the chains on several occasions, and Jaylen Caballero intercepted Lucykanish near the Saucon Valley goal line in the fourth quarter.

But McCarroll was pleased with the way his team responded whenever something went wrong.

“We talk to our kids all the time about having the mentality to bounce back, press the reset button, have a short memory and worry about the next play,” McCarroll said. “They didn’t let the mistakes compound. They didn’t let those mistakes bother them. They bounced back, and they capitalized on the mistakes that Saucon made.”

That happened again moments after Caballero’s interception.

Saucon Valley fumbled at its own 3-yard line, and Lehighton recovered with 6:09 remaining. Five seconds later, Croizier scored his fourth touchdown on a 3-yard run.

Sawyer Hoffman added the extra point to make it 41-0 and trigger the running clock.

It was the finishing touch on a night when Croizier made plenty of plays, but the senior was quick to redirect the credit toward the players in front of him.

“Obviously, I ran it tough and made some plays, but up front we were able to move the ball,” Croizier said. “As much as I had a couple big plays, most of that game we were just chunking the ball five, six yards at a time. That’s up front for sure.”

Lehighton 41, Saucon Vy. 0

Saucon Valley 0 0 0 0 - 0

Lehighton 14 14 6 7 - 41

L - Lucykanish 21 run (kick failed)

L - L. Croizier 5 run (conversion good)

L - L. Croizier 54 run (Hoffman kick)

L - Lingham 13 interception return (Hoffman kick)

L - L. Croizier 1 run (kick failed)

L - L. Croizier 3 run (Hoffman kick)