T.K. Gursky wasn’t trying to put up gaudy statistics.

He was just trying to win another game and keep his team unbeaten.

The Palmerton junior quarterback did both Saturday afternoon at Salisbury High School when he threw six touchdown passes in a 42-7 win over the Falcons that moves the Blue Bombers to 6-0 this season.

“Guys were making plays,” said Gursky, who after the game was unaware that he tossed half a dozen touchdown balls. “The line was giving me time to get the ball out.

“The line was the big MVP of the day. Both sides. They’re the heart and soul of this team. Without them up front we wouldn’t be anywhere.”

Gursky hit five different receivers with touchdown throws while putting up 271 passing yards. He completed 17 of 25 passes without an interception.

“T.K. has been a great leader for us reading the field and seeing what the defense gives him and spreading the ball to different receivers,” said Palmerton head coach Chris Walkowiak. “He’s really tremendously evolved from this year to last year, his maturity, his leadership, his growth, his command of the offense.”

Palmerton’s defense was just over nine minutes away from pitching its second straight shut out when Salisbury hit a couple big plays in the fourth quarter to get on the board. The Bomber defense allowed just two Salisbury first downs over the Falcons’ first four possessions and forced punts on all four possessions.

Palmerton didn’t punt once in the game.

The Bombers’ first drive stalled at the Falcon 3-yard line. When Salisbury took over, Colson Ruzicka’s tackle for a 2-yard loss helped force a three-and-out and gave Palmerton a short field for its next drive.

From there, the Bomber offense got rolling and scored on six of its next seven possessions.

Gursky found Cale Young for two touchdown passes in the first half. Young was one of six Palmerton players to catch a pass in the game, leading the way with 116 yards on 16 catches.

“T.K. can deliver the balls and the linemen were blocking well up front,” Young said.

Gaven Meixsell caught a 24-yard pass from Gursky with under a minute left in the first half for a 21-0 lead.

“First half was sluggish,” said Walkowiak. “Second half was more efficient.

“We did what we had to do. They were stopping our run. We took what they were giving us and spread the ball out.”

The Bombers struck with more precision in the second half. While two of their scoring drives in the first half were nine plays or longer, their first two drives after intermission used just seven plays combined.

Palmerton went 26 yards in four plays, capped by Jacob Walkowiak’s 15-yard touchdown catch for a 28-0 lead in the third quarter.

After a Chris Collier interception, Palmerton needed just three plays for Gursky to find Collier with a 23-yard touchdown pass to put the game into the mercy rule at 35-0 with 6:55 left in the third quarter.

After a Salisbury touchdown early in the fourth quarter, the Bombers capped the scoring when Gursky hit Ben Negley for a 12-yard score and his sixth touchdown pass of the day.

After back-to-back Saturday afternoon games, Palmerton has a short week before it takes on one of its toughest opponents of the season next week.

“We’re just focused on one game and one day at a time,” said Chris Walkowiak. “I know it sounds boring, but we literally focus every day on getting better and our fundamentals and our finish and doing what we do, controlling what we control and that’s our effort, our attitude and our energy.”

STUFFED FALCON ... The Palmerton defense forced nine plays for loss in the game, including four sacks. It also caused a pair of Salisbury turnovers.

FEASTING ON DEFENSES ...Palmerton has scored 24 points or more in all six of its games. It has eclipsed 34 points five times and went over 50 twice. The Bombers are averaging 42 points per game this season.

SIZZLING STATS ...Young and Gursky led the Bombers in rushing with 29 yards each as Palmerton put up 116 yards on the ground. Connor Lawless ran for 28 yards and caught three passes for 22 yards. Jacob Walkowiak caught three passes for 45 yards, while Negley had two receptions for 38 yards.

TASTY MATCHUP ...The win sets up a battle of unbeatens next Friday in Palmerton when the Bombers host Notre Dame of Green Pond (6-0). Both teams are Class 3A and battling for district playoff position.

Palmerton 42, Salisbury 7

Palmerton 7 14 14 14 - 42

Salisbury 0 0 0 7 - 7

P - Young 14 pass from Gursky (Moyzan kick)

P - Young 36 pass from Gursky (Moyzan kick)

P - Lawless 24 pass from Gursky (Moyzan kick)

P - Walkowiak 15 pass from Gursky (Sell kick)

P - Collier 23 pass from Gursky (Moyzan kick)

S - Frye 12 pass from Lopez (Lazaridis kick)

P - Negley 12 pass from Gursky (Good kick)