Jim Thorpe and Tamaqua weren’t scheduled to meet on the football field this season.

But the longtime rivals will renew acquaintances tonight when the third-seeded Olympians host the sixth-seeded Raiders in the District 11 Class 3A quarterfinals at Olympian Stadium.

The teams had met every regular season since 2002, but Jim Thorpe’s move to the Colonial League, coupled with the end of the Schuylkill-Colonial League football merger brought that streak to an end.

Now, a postseason matchup promises another physical battle between two teams built around their running games.

Jim Thorpe (6-4) features quarterback Tyler Hoherchak, who has rushed for 411 yards and eight touchdowns, along with Bobby Levins (738 yards, 10 TDs) and Anthony Kiehl (224 yards, four TDs). Hoherchak has also thrown for 1,178 yards and eight scores.

“Establishing the run game is always key for us, and it’s something we’re going to need to do early against a good Tamaqua team,” Jim Thorpe coach Mark Rosenberger said. “But we’re going to need to finish drives and put the ball in the end zone. With Tamaqua’s ability to move the sticks in the run game, possessions are going to come at a premium.”

Tamaqua enters on a four-game winning streak, powered by a rushing attack featuring “Scary Terry” Terrence McDowell, quarterback Ace Schickram and CJ Walker.

McDowell has surpassed 1,000 yards and scored 16 touchdowns despite missing time with an injury. Schickram has rushed for 815 yards and five scores, while Walker has added 390 yards and three touchdowns.

“We’ve been playing some pretty good football over the last four weeks,” Tamaqua coach Sam Bonner said. “We’re the healthiest we’ve been, which is something you’re always looking for going into the playoffs.

“We’re running the ball well, but Ace is also throwing the ball much better, so we’ve been able to take advantage of play-action. We have a bunch of guys making plays for us.”

Both coaches expect a physical matchup.

“Tamaqua is a typical Coach Bonner-coached team,” Rosenberger said. “They’re going to play hard, play physical and come downhill at you. They have good athletes all over who are playing confident football.”

Bonner is equally concerned about the Olympians’ playmakers.

“Jim Thorpe’s speed jumps out,” he said. “They have multiple guys who can make plays, and their staff always does a good job of putting them in position. Getting off blocks and making plays at the line of scrimmage will be key for us.”

Turnovers could also play a significant role.

Jim Thorpe has generated takeaways throughout the second half of the season, including three against Northern Lehigh in Week 7, and two interceptions against Palmerton last week that led directly to touchdowns.

“Our guys have done a great job of forcing turnovers,” Rosenberger said. “We’ve had multiple guys swarming to the football, and that helps. We preach all year how important takeaways are and the momentum they can generate.”

Bonner knows the Raiders must protect the football, particularly against an aggressive Olympians defense.

“When they got that first turnover last week against Palmerton, they really started bringing pressure, and that got Palmerton out of its rhythm,” Bonner said. “Keeping them from getting that momentum is a top goal for us.

“We’ve won four in a row, and we have multiple guys we can lean on to make plays. But in a game like this, taking care of the ball is going to be really important.”