Salisbury’s football season ended Friday night in much the same way it started back in late September. In their season finale the Falcons went toe-to-toe with one of the best teams in the Colonial League for the first half, just liked did in their season opener against Notre Dame (Green Pond).

But in the second half of both games Salisbury couldn’t keep up with its opponents. Friday night Southern Lehigh walked off with a 49-29 win in the Falcons’ season finale.

“Our kids battled every week and we’ve been in every game and in the fourth quarter this is what happens,” said Falcon head coach Andy Cerco. “We just get worn down. We don’t have what a 5A school has.”

Salisbury scored on its first possession of the game Friday night when Quintin Stephens his Chase Fenstermaker for a 4-yard touchdown pass with 5:08 left in the first quarter. The score capped a drive that went 65 yards in 15 plays and ate six minutes and 52 seconds off the clock.

The Falcons got the ball back on a Southern Lehigh turnover a put another long drive together, going 65 yards to the 5-yard line before an interception on a tipped pass ended the drive.

The Spartans capitalized on the turnover and drove 88 yards for a score to go ahead 8-6.

The Falcons got their passing game working on their next drive as Stephens completed three passes including a 38-yard strike to Chad Parton for a touchdown and the two connected for the two-point conversion to put their team ahead 14-8 with 2:06 left in the first half.

Southern Lehigh tried to respond, driving down to the 7-yard line in the waning seconds of the second quarter. But Fenstermaker intercepted a pass to end the drive.

The Spartans opened the second half with a six-play touchdown drive to take a 15-14 lead. The Falcons answered on their next possession when Stephens scrambled to find time then hit Parton coming across the field. The senior and all-time Falcon career leader in receiving yards went 35 yards to the end zone. Fenstermaker’s extra point put Salisbury ahead 21-15.

From there on the Spartans seemed to move the ball at will. They needed just four plays to cover 65 yards on their next possession, which ended with Logan Shorb’s 15-yard touchdown run that put his team ahead for good, 22-21 with 6:05 left in the third quarter.

After a Falcon three-and-out, the Spartans went 54 yards in five plays with Jacob Fauzio running in from 12 yards out for the touchdown and 29-21 lead.

“Our kids give everything they absolutely have.,” said Cerco. “We have a talented team that can compete for a time period because we’re a 3A school with 30 dudes and they’re a 5A school with 50 dudes on their roster. We do everything we can. We’re just a little short this year on players. We’ve got some sophomores doing a great job for us and they’ve got juniors and seniors. And that’s a big difference.”

The Spartans added three more touchdown to take a 49-21 lead in the fourth quarter.

Salisbury got a late touchdown when Parton ran back a kick off 77 yards for a score. Stephens ran in the extra point.

“I don’t ever want to say a loss is a win for us, but this feels pretty good.,” said Cerco. “We had them. We were up most of the game.”

The Spartans (4-1) move on to the District 11 Class 5A playoffs to face Whitehall.

The Falcons’ season comes to an end. They went 1-5 in the shortened 2020 campaign.

After the season-opening loss to Notre Dame, Salisbury fell to Palisades 28-25 before beating Pen Argyl 46-20 and then falling to Northwestern (39-28) and Northern Lehigh (56-27).

Salisbury played one of the most difficult schedules in the Colonial League this season. Its six opponents went a combined 27-9 and all qualified for district playoffs in their classifications.

The Falcons graduate a talented class of seniors, highlighted by Stephens and Parton, who became the school’s all-time reception leader Friday night with 10 receptions for 148 yards.

Other seniors on Salisbury’s roster in 2020 include running back Gio Hines, long snapper John Jennings, linebacker Matthew Butz, who is one of the team’s top tacklers, lineman Travis Spargo and lineman Gaige Marcks.