James Sobol ran for one touchdown and passed for another while unbeaten Old Forge was scoring three times in the final 3:05 of the first half Friday night on the way to a 49-0 blowout of host Riverside in the non-league meeting of Lackawanna Football Conference rivals.
The burst late in the second quarter pushed Old Forge’s lead from 14-0 to 35-0 and meant that the entire second half was played under the Mercy Rule.
Old Forge posted the biggest shutout victory in the 76-game history of the rivalry and won for the 11th time in the last 12 games in the series, which was even prior to that stretch.
Sobol accounted for three of the first four touchdowns by the Blue Devils. He scored on a 10-yard run 2:16 into the game and the lead remained at 7-0 through the end of the first quarter.
Hezekiah Deitz broke a 60-yard run on the first play of the second quarter.
Sobol scored from the 5 to start the outburst at the end of the first half. He then hit Mario Samony with a 26-yard touchdown pass with 1:15 left.
Andrew Bartnikowski’s blocked punt gave the Blue Devils a chance to score again right before halftime.
Josh Greenfield scored on a 7-yard run with 13 seconds left and Nate Krenitsky’s fifth straight of seven extra points made it 35-0.
Bartnikowski had a big game for Old Forge, including on the special teams. He made six tackles, had the blocked punt and recovered a fumble on a kickoff to set up a touchdown.
Josh Spindler added 21- and 29-yard touchdown runs in the third quarter.
MORE FRIDAY FOOTBALL COVERAGE
Crestwood-Abington Heights: https://nepasportsnation.com/schultz-carries-crestwood-to-victory/.
Dallas-Pittston Area: https://nepasportsnation.com/bolesta-defense-lead-dallas-victory/.
Hazleton Area-Scranton: https://nepasportsnation.com/wolfes-passing-leads-hazleton-area/.
Mid Valley-Dunmore: https://nepasportsnation.com/spartans-top-bucks-take-lead/.
Delaware Valley-Williamsport: https://nepasportsnation.com/dv-shuts-out-williamsport-26-0/.
Lakeland-Western Wayne: https://nepasportsnation.com/chiefs-prevail-by-halting-ww-rally/.
Nanticoke-Montrose: https://nepasportsnation.com/trojans-break-loose-against-meteors/.
North Pocono-West Scranton: https://nepasportsnation.com/chiefs-prevail-by-halting-ww-rally/.
Friday scoreboard: https://nepasportsnation.com/fridays-football-scoreboard-4/.
