The Salisbury football team held Notre Dame (Green Pond) to just two first-half scores last week and kept the game close in the first half. But the Crusaders quick-strike offense got to work in the second half. They scored five touchdowns after intermission to top the Falcons 49-6.

Notre Dame took a 14-0 lead with a pair of first-quarter touchdowns.

Salisbury answered in the second quarter when it mounted a 13-play touchdown drive that spanned 60 yards and ate 5:38 of the clock. Jacob Bucchin found the end zone on a 13-yard run to get his team within 14-6.

The long drive and late second-quarter Notre Dame turnover helped keep the Crusaders from putting up any points in the second quarter. They made up for it in the second half.

After forcing a Salisbury punt on the first possession of the first half, the Crusaders scored in two plays to extend their lead.

The Falcons tried to answer with another long drive that used up over seven minutes, but after 12 plays it ended with a turnover on downs. The Crusaders took the ball 65 yards the other way in nine plays to make it 28-6 late in the third quarter.

Two lost fumbles in the fourth quarter helped the Crusaders put up three more scores in the final stanza.

Danny Darno led Notre Dame with 79 rushing yards and one touchdown. Six different Crusaders players hit pay dirt in the game, all on running plays as they amassed 228 rushing yards on 31 carries. They also threw the ball 21 times and gained 193 yards on 16 completions. Darno went 13-for-17 with 151 passing yards.

Nick Beck led the Falcons with 68 rushing yards on 14 carries. Bucchin went 4-for-8 for 26 passing yards.

George Spann made six solo tackles for the Falcons, while Toby Linn (4), Derek Trinidad (3) and Jake Gibbons (3) were also active on defense for the Falcons. Linn was also credited with a forced fumble, which was recovered by teammate Jordan Tocci.

Now, at the midway point of the regular season, Salisbury will hit the road for a trip to Tamaqua on Friday night, looking for its first victory in 2022. The Blue Raiders are 1-3 and have lost their last two games, including 41-26 to Notre Dame two weeks ago.

Tamaqua averages 26 points per game. Quarterback Luke Kane has thrown for seven touchdowns to six different receivers. Running back Connor Dillon has been the work horse, recording nine total scores, eight of which were on the ground.