Perhaps it was merely Salisbury's game plan finally coming to fruition.

Or maybe it was a boost of adrenaline the Falcons got after watching one of their players suffer an injury early in the second half that resulted in him being taken off on a stretcher.

Maybe it was a combination of both that helped turn around the Falcons' season opening game after trailing 33-7 early in the third quarter.

Facing that deficit with 7:28 to play in the third quarter, after Saucon Valley added another touchdown, the same play in which senior tight end/defensive end Wes Maron was carted off the field after suffering an injury, the Falcons' hopes of making it a game after intermission seemed to dwindle.

But an unexpected swing of 29 unanswered Salisbury points pushed the Falcons in front 36-33 with 5:29 to play. However, when the Panthers trailed for the first time all game and needed a score, Zach Thatcher's third touchdown pass gave Saucon Valley a 39-36 lead with just over two minutes to play, a score the Falcons would lose by on Friday night at Montford E. Illick Stadium after a turnover on downs.

"At halftime, we talked about doing the simple things better than anybody else," head coach Andy Cerco said. "If you really look at the game film, we ran our base offense in the second half. We did the simple things better than they did."

After a lengthy break in action following Maron's injury, the Falcons' first offensive play from scrimmage was a 65-yard run by junior running back Shane Wittman. Three plays later, junior running back Devin Irwin pounded in from a yard out for his second score of the game that made it a 33-14 Saucon Valley lead.

A quick three-and-out for the Panthers gave the ball back to Salisbury, and junior running back Alex Kubinec's 6-yard touchdown early in the fourth started a string of three fourth-quarter scores.

Down 33-21 after Kubinec's score with 11:20 to play, Wittman scored from 12 yards out to make it a five-point deficit with 7:59 remaining. Junior quarterback Tevon Weber set up the Falcons' score with a 58-yard strike to senior running back Matt Heiserman.

Kubinec then halted the next Panthers drive with an interception, and Weber connected with Irwin for a 28-yard score two plays later that gave the Falcons a 36-33 lead.

"We played our base defensive package," Cerco said. "That is it. We called pretty much the same defense all of the second half."

While Irwin (95 rushing yards, 123 total yards and three touchdowns) and Wittman (94 rushing yards and one touchdown) led the Falcons' rushing attack, Cerco credits much of the turnaround to his offensive line in junior Brett Sonntag, senior Carlos Santiago, freshman Dillon Trenge, junior Isaac Rivera and senior Mason Gannett.

"Devin is a gifted player, but it starts with the offensive line," Cerco said. "If we don't have those kids up front doing what they need to do and doing those simple things well, he can't do what he can do. Credit to the offensive line."

On the game's biggest play-a third-and-goal from the 12-yard line-Thatcher found Nate Harka on a scoring strike at the goal line that helped the Panthers escape with a victory.

"I think it's the best half of Salisbury football in the history of Salisbury football to be perfectly honest with you," Cerco said. "Those kids did a lot for themselves. We're proud of them. They should be proud of themselves."

Weber finished with 218 passing yards and a touchdown, while Kubinec (64) and Heiserman (63) led the Falcons in receiving yards.

Evan Culver had 142 yards on the ground and three total scores for Saucon Valley. Thatcher passed for 163 yards and Mike Kane caught four passes for 107 yards and a score.

The Falcons host Palisades on Friday night in their home opener at 7 p.m.