The first two carries didn’t look like the start of a special night.

Terrence McDowell Jr. gained one yard on his first attempt against Schuylkill Haven. His next went for two.

But inside Tamaqua’s huddle, McDowell saw something different.

“I got in the huddle, I’m like, ‘Boys, we’re one block away from these plays being huge,’” McDowell recalled. “And then we slowly started clicking, and that’s when I realized that we could really control this game.”

He was right.

By the end of Tamaqua’s 40-27 victory, McDowell had carried 41 times for 337 yards and six touchdowns, averaging 8.2 yards per attempt in a performance that earned the junior Times News Football Player of the Week honors.

It was also the response McDowell believed the Blue Raiders needed after opening the season with a 44-20 loss to Lehighton.

“I feel like that’s definitely huge, to bounce back like that in a game where almost everybody wrote us out and no one thought we were going to be able to win, let alone hang with them,” McDowell said. “So it’s definitely a great feeling and a good way to bounce back from Week 1.”

McDowell pointed to improved chemistry as a difference.

“Week 1, you could tell we were lacking chemistry,” he said. “We had to get used to playing with each other, but Week 2 I feel like it all clicked. The line had a phenomenal game.”

Tamaqua head coach Sam Bonner has watched McDowell’s development closely.

McDowell rushed for 1,740 yards and 19 touchdowns last season despite playing at around 155 pounds. He has since added roughly 20-25 pounds of muscle.

“He really surprised us last year with his capability of being able to run the ball 30 times a game sometimes as a sophomore who was about 155 pounds,” Bonner said. “He’s put on a good 20, 25 pounds of muscle over the offseason, and I think he demonstrated a lot of that on Friday night.”

McDowell feels the difference.

“Last year, I definitely had the ball a significant amount of times, but this year I’m definitely a lot more confident with having the ball 40 times a game,” he said. “I know my body can handle a lot more this year than last year.”

The added size has complemented a running style that was already difficult for defenses to handle.

“I think his yards after contact — even last year, for a young guy who didn’t have a lot of weight behind him, he never seemed to go down with an early hit,” Bonner said. “He gets a lot of yards after contact.”

McDowell had plenty of help against Schuylkill Haven.

Tackles Bryce Nelson and Kaden Krajcirik, guards Dylan Garcia and Carter Trotman, and center James Wronski helped Tamaqua pile up 457 rushing yards. Four of the five were making just their second varsity starts on the offensive line.

“I feel what really helps is the speed that our linemen are able to play at,” McDowell said. “We have a more agile, athletic group, so it definitely helps me to be able to cut faster with them being able to get to their blocks faster.”

Quarterback Ace Schickram added 109 rushing yards, while fullback Camden “CJ” Walker helped clear the way.

Once Tamaqua found what worked, Bonner kept going to it.

“I’m one of those guys, if we run one play well, we may run it 20, 25 times in a game,” Bonner said. “Do it until you can stop us.”

But McDowell’s impact went well beyond his 41 carries.

He recorded a tackle for loss, and intercepted a pass in the end zone while also contributing on special teams.

“He doesn’t want to come off the field,” Bonner said. “It’s tough to find guys like that anymore. Everybody kind of wants to be a specialty kind of guy. You get guys that don’t want to come off the field — I have to yell at him because he wants to snap and punt.”

McDowell wouldn’t have it any other way.

“I’m super happy always to be out there,” he said. “It’s a blessing, win or lose, just to be able to play this game. I know some people nowadays take that for granted.

“Just to be out here and be able to excel in my position, and to get a big team win like that with the guys, it’s huge.”

Bonner said McDowell began emerging as a leader as a sophomore, and his willingness to play virtually every snap has given younger players an example to follow.

“At times he’s probably our best secondary guy,” Bonner said. “So he’s a hard guy to pull off the field. And on top of that, he doesn’t want to be off the field.”

That approach reminds Bonner of former Tamaqua standout Nate Boyle.

“The younger guys see that stuff,” Bonner said. “This guy’s not coming out. He’s not asking to be pulled off the kickoff team. He sucks it up and he plays a full game. That’s the kind of kid you can rally around.”

McDowell and Tamaqua will try to carry the momentum into Friday’s rivalry matchup against Marian.

“We take this week very serious,” McDowell said. “Big rival Marian, and we’re just looking to capitalize off that game last week and have an even bigger week this week.”