Legendary WWE announcer Jim Ross was known for using the word “slobberknocker” whenever he anticipated a hard hitting, physical showdown.

On Friday night at Olympian Stadium, rivals Jim Thorpe (4-3) and Lehighton (5-2) appear poised to deliver just that, as they meet in a high stakes matchup with major playoff seeding implications on the line in the Times News Game of the Week.

Both teams have been playing a physical brand of football lately, but Jim Thorpe, in particular, has taken a step forward in physicality across all phases of the game. That upward trend was evident last Friday night as the Olympians delivered an impressive 35–7 road victory over Northern Lehigh. What many expected to be a competitive, back and forth matchup between the Bulldogs and the Olympians was dominated by JT.

Thorpe set the tone early by committing to the run and controlling the line of scrimmage, and that approach paid off. Sophomore running back Bobby Levins powered the offense with 142 yards on 16 carries and three touchdowns. JT quarterback Tyler Hoherchak has also been a major factor in the ground game, nearing 300 rushing yards with three scores. His timely passing has kept defenses honest when they load the box, contributing 727 yards through the air, which ranks fifth in the Times News area.

The mindset remains the same this week for Thorpe on both sides of the ball, as playing physical up front will be crucial for JT if it hopes to continue building on its recent momentum.

“There’s no doubt that where we have improved the most is playing at a much more physical level this season and that’s in all three phases,” said Jim Thorpe head coach Mark Rosenberger. “And that’s going to have to continue this week. Lehighton is a big, physical, and well-coached team. Their size presents a lot of challenges. But again, I like how physical we have been playing. Defensively, it’s been evident as well and not just up front. Our linebackers have been good, and our defensive backs have been coming down and making plays. Our kids have been getting better every week at swarming to the football and against Lehighton, that’s how you have to play, because of all their athletes.”

It’s no secret that Lehighton likes to hang its hat on its running game, and after a frustrating offensive showing against Northwestern Lehigh’s elite run defense, the Tribe will look to bounce back with a big night on the ground. Lukas Croizier, who ranks fourth in the Times News area with 713 rushing yards and nearly seven yards per carry, is the player who the Indians will look to get going. He also sits third in the area with 13 total TDs.

Lehighton’s passing attack has also taken nice strides over the past two weeks. Junior quarterback Jack Lucykanish has been a pleasant surprise, ranking fourth in the Times News area with 838 passing yards, while throwing 12 touchdowns against just two interceptions. Carl Lingham leads the receiving corps with 31 catches — tied for the most in the Times News area — for 366 yards and five touchdowns.

“We have some big boys up front and when we’ve played well there, we’ve had a lot of success. And that’s what we’re going to look to do this week and that’s get back to that identity,” said Lehighton head coach Tom McCarroll. “In a game like this, where it’s going to be a very intense and physical game, I think running the ball and sustaining drives can go a long way in deflating their defense, and it also takes the ball out of their hands on offense. But I’ve been very impressed with Jim Thorpe and the way that they fly around. They’re well-coached, and they’ve done a good job of putting their kids in good positions to make plays. Defensively, we will look to build off some of the good things we did last week. I thought physically we played really well at times, which is the way we will need to play for the entire game come Friday night.”

In a matchup where the teams are evenly matched, turnovers often become a deciding factor. Thorpe has been trending upward in that area as well, forcing four turnovers in a win over Bangor a few weeks ago, and another four last week against Northern Lehigh. That effort was highlighted by a blocked punt on the game’s opening series, which set up Thorpe’s first score, along with two interceptions from Anthony Kiehl that included a pick six. Kiehl has also made a strong impact on the offensive side of the ball, totaling 515 yards and six touchdowns this season.

“Creating that big turnover when you have the opportunity is something we’ve really been stressing and working hard on at practice,” said Rosenberger. “In a game like this, with so much on the line and a lot of emotion, creating turnovers can be huge. It’s part of the standard that we’re trying to set. We want to play to a high standard, and play that way for all four quarters, and when you’re in games like the one we’re going to be playing in on Friday night, that’s the mentality you need to have. But you need to do it by playing smart and disciplined as well. With the Route 209 Trophy on the line and playoff seeding as well, we know there is a lot to play for in this game.”

The Tribe enter their matchup with the Olympians with a very similar approach.

“We’re challenging everyone in our program to adapt a playoff mentality for the rest of the season. In high leverage situations and scenarios, we want to be the team that executes the best and comes out on top,” said McCarroll. “We want to create as much momentum as we can here as the season moves forward.”