Getting over the hump.

The Palmerton football team has been oh so close the last few weeks in what has been a gauntlet of an opening season Colonial League schedule, a stretch that started with Palisades, Southern Lehigh and Saucon Valley, The Bombers (0-4) battled once again on Friday night against a talented Notre Dame Green Pond squad, but in the end, it was Crusaders All-State quarterback Cole DeFranco who proved to be the difference, leading his team to a 35-20 Colonial League victory over Palmerton.

“DeFranco can hurt you with his arm and he can be even more dangerous with his legs, and he showed that tonight,” said Palmerton head coach Chris Walkowiak. “He’s a super talented quarterback and on key downs they were able to extend their drives and we didn’t get off the field. That’s a credit to them, we battled, we’re getting better, but that was the difference in the game.”

The Bombers didn’t let up throughout the contest, as they got out to a 7-0 lead on an Aaron Stasko one-yard plunge. Palmerton started on its own 35 and put together a nice drive for the score, moving the ball on the ground, rushing for 60 yards on the opening possession. The Bombers rushing game was solid on the night, as Stasko and Andrew Sabo combined for 224 yards and two scores.

However, Notre Dame showcased its fire power with DeFranco posing as the trigger man, quickly driving down the field to answer, using the aerial assault to setup a nine-yard touchdown run by Christian Greggo. DeFranco threw for 40 yards on the possession, while rushing for 15. It was a sign of things to come for the Bombers.

“Cole is an All-State caliber kid, he does the little things the right way and he makes the people around him better, but credit also needs to go to our offensive line, because they did a good job of protecting him tonight,” said Notre Dame Green Pond head coach Phil Stambaugh. “We made the plays that we needed to make in key situations and on key downs.”

That was the story of the game. Any time the Bombers were able to put the Crusaders in a precarious situation, DeFranco was able to extend the play with his arm, and if the play broke down he was able to get to the edge and scramble for a first down. Notre Dame picked up the offense in the second quarter with DeFranco leading the way again, throwing a 30-yard strike to big target wide receiver David Sanders Jr. who made a nifty play diving over the pylon and then ran one in from five yards out with just under a minute remaining in the half.

Palmerton kept in striking distance, however, converting a fourth and goal play into a score on a roll out pass from Stasko to Tanner Burnett, which knotted the game at 14 around the 3:30 mark in the second. DeFranco’s late rush gave Notre Dame a 21-14 lead at the half.

“Their record might be 0-4, but that is certainly not an 0-4-caliber football team we faced tonight,” said Stambaugh. “I hope for their sake they’re able to reel off some wins and make the postseason in 2A, because they can certainly compete.”

The Bombers going scoreless in the third quarter proved to be the decider in this one, and Notre Dame was able to extend its lead to two scores during the quarter after a hookup between Isaiah DeJesus and Defranco from four yards out with a little under four minutes to go in the third. As they have all season, Palmerton still let out one last gasp, scoring a touchdown at the beginning of the fourth quarter on a 14-yard Sabo score, to make it 28-20, but it couldn’t get anything going on its next two possessions, never getting past the Crusaders’ 42-yard line.

DYNAMIC DEFRANCO

… The 2017 3A All-State selection accounted for 321 yards of total offense and four touchdowns (three passing, one rushing).

WHO PUNTS?

... There was just one punt the entire game, which came from Palmerton, and it was a pretty good one too from Jordan Nelson, going 49 yards.

LOOKING FOR ONE

… The Bombers have fought hard the last four weeks, but have come up emptied handed. They will be looking to get their first win of the season next week against Pen Argyl (2-2).