For three quarters, the Northampton football team went toe-to-toe with a Nazareth squad that pennlive.com had ranked as the 10th best 6A team in Pennsylvania.

The Konkrete Kids were the more physical team, but ultimately the Blue Eagles’ skill position players proved to be the difference, as they scored three touchdowns in a 7-minute span in the second half to take the win, 27-17.

In the first half, the K-Kids used a strong running game and timely defensive plays to build a 10-7 lead at the intermission.

The special teams blocked a field goal on Nazareth’s first possession to keep the game scoreless.

Northampton then responded with a 12-play march, including a 4th down conversion, that resulted in an Aidan Reinhard 25-yard FG.

Nazareth got its initial points of the game on the next drive by running a reverse from the 3-yard line for a TD to make the score 7-3.

On the K-Kids next play from scrimmage, Michael Cruz burst through the Blue Eagles’ line for a 63-yard scamper. The drive culminated seven plays later when Joe Kerbacher powered ahead on a QB sneak for a 1-yard TD.

Victor Hunt turned away Nazareth with an interception near midfield to quash the next drive.

Sacks by Owen Baker and Kyle Perl were the key plays in holding Nazareth scoreless on their final two possessions of the first half.

The turning point of the game came with about three minutes left in the third quarter. The Blue Eagles converted a 4th and 2 from their own 32 and eventually scored to take a 14-10 lead.

Following a Northampton punt, Nazareth went back into their bag of tricks. The QB lateraled to the flanker on the right side, who turned and heaved a pass to a wide-open receiver for a 71-yard TD.

The Blue Eagles put the game away with another touchdown on their next drive.

The K-Kids capped the scoring with a 6-yard toss from Kerbacher to Baker with 32 seconds left in the game.

Head coach Kyle Haas was frank in his assessment.

“We’re going through growing pains in the secondary,” he said. “We’ve got a freshman and three juniors and they hit some plays against us.

“I’m proud of the way our kids played. I think we got some respectability. For everybody in the program, we want to start finishing these games.”

The offense was led by Baker and Cruz, who each rushed for 100 yards. Kerbacher was 9 of 18 passing for 96 yards and an interception on a Hail Mary late in the fourth quarter.

Freshman Mike Coleman had 3 receptions for 31 yards. Cooper King had a pair of catches for 33 yards.

On Friday, Northampton hosts Liberty for Senior Night and the first of only two home games this season. The Hurricanes are 0-2 on the season having lost 30-7 to Easton and 42-17 to Bethlehem Catholic.