By Tom Robinson, NEPASportsNation.com
SUSQUEHANNA – Demetrius Douglas and Lukas Gumble ran for two touchdowns each and Max Kimmel came up with a series of tough catches at a key time Saturday afternoon as Lackawanna Trail ran over Susquehanna, 39-7, in a Lackawanna Football Conference Division 3 finale.
Douglas scored the game’s first two touchdowns on a 6-yard run in the first quarter and a 30-yarder in the second, getting the Lions started toward a 319-88 advantage in rushing yards.
Gumble kept the ground game going, running for a game-high 117 yards on 14 carries. He ran 4 yards for a second-quarter touchdown and 20-0 halftime lead and added a 41-yard run 1:16 into the fourth quarter to put away the Sabers, 32-7.
Kimmel helped the Lions navigate a difficult stretch late in the third quarter when he outbattled opponents for the ball on a 41-yard touchdown, his second interception of the game and a 32-yard catch for a long-yardage conversion.
“We saw coming up through the Junior Lions that Max had a nose for the ball and was a gifted athlete,” Lions coach Steve Jervis said. “So, we pulled him up as a freshman last year and he was an all-conference kid.
“As a sophomore, he’s really come into his own, making some big plays at the right moment. I’m not surprised in the least.”
The game broke a third-place tie in LFC Division 3.
For the Lions nothing changed as they finished the regular season with a 3-2 division record and 6-4 overall mark. They will head to Old Forge Friday night to face the Blue Devils for the District 2 Class A championship.
Susquehanna slipped to 2-3 and 4-6. The loss, combined with Holy Redeemer’s victory to knock the Sabers out of playoff position in District 2 Class 2A. Instead, the Sabers will play Pen Argyl in the Eastern Conference Class A/2A Championship, which does not advance teams toward the Pennsylvania Interscholastic Athletic Association state tournament.
Kimmel pulled the ball away from a defender as he ran do the right sideline for a 41-yard touchdown pass on a deep throw from Stephen Jervis with 7:26 left in the third quarter.
Susquehanna cut the deficit to 26-7 less than three minutes later. Nate Orapalo caught a 9-yard touchdown pass from Colton Stone one play after a 32-yard run by William Marcy.
The Sabers recovered an on-side kick and moved to the Lions 15.
Kimmel stopped the threat and the momentum when the 6-foot-2 cornerback went up above a receiver in the back corner of the end zone for the interception.
“The D-Line put some pressure on the quarterback, made him throw a little bit of a bad ball,” Kimmel said. “And, it’s just listening to my coaches. ‘When the ball’s in the air, be confident in the air’ and I came down with it.”
A penalty and a loss of yardage gave Susquehanna chance to pin Lackawanna Trail deep, but on second-and-17 from the 13, Kimmel ran a post pattern and outjumped the safety for his 32-yard gain.
“After they scored, I think the two plays, Max’s interception and even then, we’re on (second and long) and he comes up with a big catch,” Jervis said. “Those two plays were important in sealing the game.”
Four plays later, Gumble put the Lions back in the end zone.
Freshman back-up quarterback Isaac Ryon added a 14-yard touchdown for the final score.
The Lions led in first downs (20-8), total yardage (406-152) and time of possession (28:29-19:31).
Hunter Patterson ran for 82 yards on 8 carries and Douglas had 59 on 6 carries.
Kimmel had a tackle for a seven-yard loss along with his two interceptions.
Gumble, who broke up two passes and made a tackle for a loss, and Kolbee Soltis, who had a sack, shared the Lackawanna Trail team lead with five tackles.
Marcy rushed for 68 yards for Susquehanna along with making six tackles and assisting six others.
