The Northampton football team kept their undefeated 2022 campaign rolling with a 31-21 win over Bethlehem Catholic to run their record to 6-0.

Head coach John Toman reflected on the team’s performance, “They got one at the end and the blocked punt, we were reeling there, but other than that we kind of dominated them on both sides of the ball, except for that opening drive when they went down (and scored). I was happy with the way the kids responded. We talked to them about how in a big game, teams are going to make plays. And they did to start and our kids responded. First time we were faced with any adversity this year and we responded.”

After the Golden Hawks converted a 3rd and 19 and then rushed 10 straight plays for the opening score of the game, Jaelen Richardson offered the first response by taking the ensuing kickoff 80 yards to the house to knot the score at 7.

Tristen Pinnock was the next guy to step up and make some plays for the Kids and he did it on both sides of the ball. First, he stopped Becahi’s next possession with an interception and 23-yard return. Two drives later took a handoff and burst up the middle for 28-yards and a touchdown to give Northampton a 14-7 lead.

The Hawks tied the game at 14 after a blocked punt set them up at the Kids’ 7 yard and they scored on the next play.

Toman identified the subsequent Northampton drive as perhaps the key to the win. The Kids started at their 36 with 3:58 left in the half and no timeouts. Caden Henritzy picked up a tough 2 yards to convert a 4th and 1 from the Kids’ 45. Then AJ Slivka converted a 3rd and 4 running out of the Wildcat formation to continue the drive. An 11-yard Antonino Russo to Tymir Williams connection got Northampton within field goal range and Russo delivered from 37 yards to send the Kids into the locker room up 17-14.

Becahi stymied Northampton just across midfield on the opening drive of the second half, but when the Kids jumped on the muffed punt return at the 16, they were back in business. Slivka once again made big plays with his feet. He converted a 4th and 2 and then scored 3 plays later thanks to some sleight of hand on a fake to Henritzy on an end around.

With the Kids up 24-14, Slivka made a key play on the defensive side of the ball. The Hawks attempted to convert a fourth down in Northampton territory, but the junior linebacker snuffed out the toss play for a 3-yard loss.

More big plays? You bet. On the next drive, Henritzy picked up 8 on 4th and 1 from the Beca 43 to extend a drive that eventually led to a Russo to Williams 24-yard touchdown over the middle on a play that totally confused the Beca secondary and gave the K-Kids a 31-14 lead.

The defense? The next Bethlehem Catholic possession wound up with 1st and goal at the one and came away with no points after taking four shots at the end zone. Even after the Hawks cut the lead to 10 and recovered an onside kick, there was still one more play to be made. Devlin Chevere picked off a pass to give the ball back to the offense and let them run out the clock.

This year’s homecoming opponent is Pleasant Valley. The Bears gave Northampton a tough game in last year’s district quarterfinal, losing 21-7. They will likely have a chip on their shoulder as they felt they were the recipients of a bad call on an interception in that game.

PV is 5-1 on the season with their lone loss coming last week, 38-7 to Parkland. Their best win was a 7-6 victory over East Stroudsburg South.