Northern Lehigh’s sensational sophomore Chris Frame is a game breaker.

Frame and Bulldogs quarterback Garrett Smoyer’s big first half helped Northern Lehigh get out to a 22-3 halftime advantage en route to a 44-24 Colonial-Schuylkill Gold Division victory.

Frame tallied 125 yards of total offense with one rushing and one receiving touchdown in the first half. Smoyer was precise in the first half, throwing for 118 yards and one score with just two incompletions.

“They were loading up to try and take away our run game,” said Northern Lehigh head coach Joe Tout. “They would not show a two-high safety. We made some adjustments and we thought we could get some good looks in the passing game. Garrett and Chris and some other guys made plays for us. Frame has been a guy that has been making big plays for us every single week, and you saw that again tonight.

“He makes some sort of explosive play every week. It’s been very fun to watch.”

It was all about the chunk plays in the passing game for the Bulldogs in the first half. A quick throw from Smoyer to Frame on Northern Lehigh’s first play from scrimmage went for 59 yards after Frame made a few men miss. Three plays later, Smoyer cashed in from four yards out to make it 7-0 at the 10:30 mark of the first.

After a Salisbury three-and-out, the Dawgs came up empty on their second possession after a seven-minute drive was thwarted by the Falcons, who came up with a nice defensive stop on a fourth and short attempt at the Salisbury six-yard line.

The Bulldog defense, forced another three-and-out and got the ball back with good field position at the Salisbury 35-yard line. It took Northern Lehigh just four plays to cash in, with Frame scoring on a 18-yard rush to make it a 14-0 Bulldogs’ lead early in the second quarter.

“I think we had some missed opportunities in the first half that we didn’t convert on,” said Salisbury head coach Kevin DiZenzo. “We had some receivers open at times and we couldn’t come up with the plays down the field.”

Salisbury would finally get on the board midway through the second quarter on a 26-yard Joshua Hudak field goal.

Northern Lehigh answered with what was its most important score of the night, coming through with a touchdown right before the end of the half.

A five-play, 64-yard drive was highlighted by a wide receiver pass from Frame to Ryan Zambo for 25 yards, followed by a Frame 19-yard run that would get the Dawgs down to the Falcons 18. Smoyer would then find Frame with a drop in the bucket type throw for the 18-yard pitch and catch to give NL a 22-3 lead at the intermission.

“The score before the half was huge for us there,” said Tout. “To get that one in gave us some momentum heading into the locker room.”

Salisbury cut into the lead when Jordan Tocci-Wachter scored from seven yards out in the third quarter to make it 22-10.

The Bulldogs answered with a 28-yard Smoyer run for a score to extend the lead to 29-10.

Salisbury refused to go away as Falcon receiver Jamanni Cruz and quarterback Andrew Lucas hooked up for a 69-yard touchdown in the fourth quarter.

The Bulldogs added to more late scores, including one a fumble recovery for a touchdown, to seal the win.

“This is a good win, a quality win,” said Tout. “Salisbury is a team that is much-improved. They didn’t quit. Again, it’s a good win for us.”

Smoyer, a sophomore, threw for 175 yards and a touchdown and ran for 46 yards and three rushing scores.

Frame finished the night with 157 yards of total offense and two touchdowns and also scored on defense on a scoop and score.

Salisbury’s Jason St. Leger led the Falcons with 63 rushing yards on seven carries. Tocci-Wachter had 43 yards on eight totes.

Lucas threw or 172 yards on 5-for-14 passing with one touchdown and one interception. Cruz caught three passes for 122 yards and a score.

“The kids fought,” said DiZenzo. “Scored 21 points at the end. There’s a lot that we’ve gained this year and I’m still a proud coach.

“That’s a good team. They’re an efficient team. They’re well-coached. They’re disciplined. They’ll grind you and run the ball. Then they had a couple good pass plays. Kudos to them.”

Salisbury falls to 4-5 with one game left in the season when it hosts Palisades Friday.

“I’m proud of my guys,” said DiZenzo. “What they’ve seen the last few years and what Salisbury football has been this year, it’s been a great ride.”

The Falcons don’t have a chance to earn one of the four District 11 playoffs spots in a stacked Class 3A field this fall, but they might have a chance to earn an Eastern Conference playoff bid with a win Friday night.

Heading into this week, Saucon Valley and Berks Catholic were in position to earn the two bids into the EC playoffs, with the Falcons just behind. Salisbury will likely need to not only beat Palisades Friday night, but also have Berks Catholic lost to Anville-Cleona. Saucon Valley takes on Northern Lehigh Friday but a loss to the Bulldogs might not be enough to move the Panthers out of EC playoff position.