A high Tide rolled into Panther Valley’s football stadium Friday night and it had nothing to do with Hurricane Isaias.

This Tide was from Pottsville, aka the Crimson Tide.

The Panthers stood firm early and seemed to be weathering the game just fine, but then there were a few miscues and Pottsville ran away with the contest, 50-6.

Pottsville, 4-1, 2-1 in conference play, only had a 6-0 lead in the first quarter. Both teams had four first downs in that period. The Panthers, 3-4, 1-1 in the conference, had more rushing yards in the quarter than their opponent.

Three miscues, all in the second quarter, gave the visitors the momentum to pull away for the victory. There were two blocked punts and an interception. The pickoff set up a pair of TDs for Pottsville. One blocked punt was picked up and carried into the end zone. The other resulted in a safety.

Panther Valley’s only score came late in the game, with just 11 seconds remaining to be exact. It was the final play from scrimmage in the game.

Reserve quarterback Cooper Lynn, a 5-2, 120 pound freshman, stepped back in the pocket, kept his composure until he saw a receiver clear despite a pass rush coming, then tossed it to sophomore Ethan Rolon. He caught the ball at about the 10 and rushed into the end zone for the team’s only moment of jubilation.

That PV touchdown drive was made possible when Pottsville fumbled a punt on the Panther 45. Two running plays netted seven yards before Lynn tossed a short pass to Gabriel Rodriguez, who took the ball to the 29, setting up the scoring play.

Pottsville, the second 4A school that the Panthers faced in two weeks, controlled the ball for the entire third quarter. Although the mercy rule was in effect, Panther Valley had its hands on the ball just once. On the kickoff, a PV receiver fumbled the ball, giving possession right back to the Tide.

In that third quarter Pottsville had 13 plays from scrimmage, while the Panthers had none.

The first quarter was an entirely different mood than the rest of the game. While the Panthers didn’t score, they held their own.

Sure, Pottsville scored on its first possession, but it scored only once in that quarter. That happened on a 45-yard pass play from sophomore quarterback Tommy Welsh to senior receiver Shay Strencosky with 5:15 left in the period.

Both teams had 11 plays from scrimmage in the first quarter. The Panthers had 37 yards rushing in the period compared with 22 for Pottsville. The Tide had the advantage in passing yards, completing 4 of 5 attempts for 64 yards, including the 45 on that touchdown play. The other three that were complete were for short yardage.

Panther Valley starting quarterback Cy Maynard was 3-3 in the opening segment, although all were short yardage tosses.

Pottsville’s second touchdown came with 9:06 left in the second quarter when Welsh again connected with Strencosky, this time for an 11-yard TD.

The Panthers couldn’t move the ball on their initial second quarter possession. The snap on the subsequent punt was high, and as a result, a Pottsville lineman blocked the kick. Hudson Clews picked up the loose ball on the 13 and scurried across the goal line with it.

PV had the ball for just two plays when Strencosky picked off a pass on the PV 30. A penalty moved the ball to the 25 and then Welsh passed twice to Nicholas Huda, first at the 18 and then to the end zone, making the score 26-0 with 5:32.

In those last five minutes of the half, Pottsville scored two more touchdowns. In addition, the Tide blocked a punt that was knocked out of the end zone for the safety.

NEXT WEEK ... Both Panther Valley and Pottsville have conference opponents again next week. The Panthers make the short trip to Tamaqua, while the Tide goes to Pine Grove. Both are Friday night games.

MILITARY, FIRST RESPONDERS HONORED ... It was appreciation night at Panther Valley stadium for military members and first responders. The Panthers wore camouflage jerseys for the occasions. All four Panther Valley fire departments were represented with apparatus. Aerial trucks formed an arch over the scoreboard. A military member was given the honor of participating in the coin toss.

Pottsville 50, Panther Valley 6

Pottsville 7 35 8 0 - 50

Panther Vy. 0 0 0 6 - 6

Pottsville - Strencosky, 45 pass from Welsh (Allen kick)

Pottsville - Strencosky, 14 pass from Welsh (Allen kick)

Pottsville - Clews, 13 run on blocked punt (kick failed)

Pottsville - Huda, 18 pass from Welsh (pass failed)

Pottsville - Durham, 51 run (Allen kick)

Pottsville - Blocked punt out of end zone.

Pottsville - Allen, 24 pass from Welsh (Allen kick)

Pottsville - Clews, 2 run (Clews run)

PV- Rolon, 29 pass from Lynn (run failed)