SELINSGROVE — Tamaqua dominated up front for most of Friday’s nonleague game against Selinsgrove at Harold L. Bolig Memorial Field.

However, for a stretch in the third quarter, the Selinsgrove defense made some stops it hadn’t in the first half, and the Seals offense finally got on track.

But two plays by the Tamaqua defense ensured Selinsgrove never really got back into the game.

The Blue Raiders forced two fumbles that directly led to second-half scores and rolled up 301 rushing yards as both Terrence McDowell Jr. and Ace Schickram topped 100 yards on the ground in a 27-18 win over the Seals.

“I think we had two or three fumble recoveries if you count the onside kick,” Tamaqua coach Sam Bonner said. “We put the ball on the ground at a bad time (a late first-half turnover at the goal line), when we could have gone up three scores, but that second fumble (we forced) was a momentum killer.”

The Blue Raiders (5-4) ran 21 plays, all on the ground, for 145 yards while building a 14-0 lead with 8:36 left in the second quarter. McDowell, who carried 27 times for 178 yards, scored from 23 yards out for his second rushing touchdown of the game.

“I thought we ran the ball well, especially at the start of the game,” Bonner said. “We had the real good first drive (14 plays, 78 yards, 8:17), and I think it really set the tone for the game. I think we did a great job of making plays on both sides of the ball.”

Tamaqua stopped Selinsgrove on downs at its 22, but the Seals blocked the ensuing punt with 2:33 left in the first half. Again, the Blue Raiders stiffened, forcing three straight incompletions after a short gain on first down.

The Blue Raiders then took over with 1:50 left in the half and were helped by McDowell’s 30-yard run and a 35-yard Schickram pass to Teegan Phillips that reached the Selinsgrove 2. However, a scramble for a fumble in the end zone ended when the ball rolled out of the back of the end zone for a touchback.

Tamaqua recovered an onside kick to open the second half and took nearly six minutes off the clock. However, a pass on fourth-and-6 from the Selinsgrove 14 was incomplete with 6:08 left in the third quarter.

The Blue Raiders then forced their first key fumble after a completed pass to the Seals’ 21. After a penalty moved the ball to the 11, the Selinsgrove defense tackled Schickram for a 3-yard loss on second down, but Ryder Holmberg caught a 10-yard touchdown pass on third down for a 20-0 lead. The extra-point attempt failed with 4:15 left in the third quarter.

Selinsgrove scored on its next two offensive possessions. Rocco Amato hit Jonathan Neidig for a 52-yard touchdown pass, and a quick Tamaqua three-and-out ended with another Selinsgrove blocked punt that was recovered at the 2. Amato scored from there to cut the lead to 20-12.

The Seals then had a short field and took advantage of a pass interference penalty, setting up a second-and-1 from the Blue Raiders’ 26. Amato gained the first down on a sneak but had the ball stripped while fighting for additional yardage.

Tamaqua recovered at its own 24. McDowell ran 19 yards on the next play to kick-start a 10-play drive that pushed the lead back to two scores.

He finished the march with an 11-yard touchdown run with 6:15 left for a 27-12 advantage.

Amato finished with 234 passing yards, but the Blue Raiders limited Selinsgrove to just 26 rushing yards on 14 carries.

“I think they would have liked to run the ball a little more. But I think our d-line and linebackers did a really good job,” Bonner said. “It put them in a situation where they had to throw the football.”

Tamaqua 27, Selinsgrove 18

Tamaqua 7 7 6 7 - 27

Selinsgrove 0 0 12 6 - 18

T - McDowell Jr. 1 run (Godinez kick)

T - McDowell Jr. 23 run (Godinez kick)

T - Holmberg 10 pass from Schickram (kick failed)

S - Neidig 52 pass from Amato (pass failed)

S - Amato 2 run (run failed)

T - McDowell Jr. 11 run (Godinez kick)

S - Badman 8 run (pass failed)