Notre Dame High School football team ends losing streak by defeating Salisbury High School 28-13

FROM THE EXPRESS TIMES

BETHLEHEM TWP., Pa. | For the second straight week, Notre Dame High School's football team was handed a lead.

Last week against Palisades, the Crusaders didn't handle it particularly well.

But presented with a lead Friday night, Notre Dame knew exactly what to do with it.

The Crusaders rebounded from a two-touchdown deficit in the first half and rode a 183-yard, three-touchdown performance by Dysean Alexander as well as a stout second-half defense to turn back Salisbury 28-13 in a Colonial League football game.

The win ended the Crusaders' 36-game losing streak, dating to the second game of the 2007 season, which tied Notre Dame with Phillipsburg Catholic (1978-82) for the longest winless streak in Express-Times region history.

With the streak finally stamped out, Notre Dame (1-8) and coach Chuck Muller now can routinely prepare for their rivalry game next Saturday at Wilson (4-4).

"These kids last week maybe didn't know how to win, but this week they found the will to win," said an excited Muller, who was hugging anyone he could find after the win. "One of my players, Kyree (Bowles), told me after we got the lead, 'Coach, we're gonna get this. And Vic Embardino, what can you say about him? He's only 148 pounds but he's the fiercest striker in the league."

Notre Dame fell behind 13-0 and it had little answer for Salisbury running back Andy Eherts who rushed for 108 yards and two touchdowns in the first half.

But the Crusaders got moving in the final minute of the first half, the result of a 43-yard interception return by Noah Miller to the Salisbury 37. Alexander eventually scored on a 4-yard run around the left side with four seconds left to get Notre Dame on the board.

A key second-half adjustment also impacted the game. The Crusaders moved Embardino, normally an inside linebacker, to the outside and inserted Joey Baurkot in the middle.

The scheme worked perfectly. Embardino, a junior, was all over the field. Unofficially, he was credited with 12 tackles, a sack and another for loss.

Notre Dame took the lead for good on its first play of the third quarter when Alexander broke loose on a sweep and raced 72 yards down the right sideline. Connor Hughes kicked the extra point and the Crusaders had their first lead.

Instead of wilting from their front-runner perch, the Crusaders used it as a position of strength against the Falcons (0-9).

Alexander didn't stop there, either. The junior running back scored on a 6-yard run off left tackle on the next Notre Dame series as the Crusaders offensive line was visibly wearing down Salisbury, which dressed just 24 players.

"We could feel the momentum shift right at the end of the first half," said Alexander, a Moravian Academy student. "Last week, we let a 17-point lead slip though our hands. We weren't going to do that again."

Bowles, who alternates at quarterback with Gary Poulson out of Notre Dame's wildcat look, augmented Alexander with 81 yards rushing, including a 2-yard sneak with 6:18 to go.

Salisbury 6 7 0 0--13

Notre Dame 0 7 14 7--28

First quarter

S -- Andy Eherts 4 run (kick blocked), 8:08.

Second quarter

S -- Eherts 11 run (Chad Heidecker kick), 5:31.

ND -- Dysean Alexander 4 run (Connor Hughes kick), 0:04.

Third quarter

ND -- Alexander 72 run (Hughes kick), 8:32.

ND -- Alexander 6 run (Hughes kick), 3:37.

Fourth quarter

ND -- Kyree Bowles 2 run (Hughes kick), 6:18.

Records: Salisbury 0-9, 0-9; Notre Dame 1-8, 1-8.

TEAM STATISTICS

Salisbury ND

First downs 11 15

Rushes-yards 39-128 40-290

Passing yards 44 69

Passes C-A-I 5-12-1 5-15-0

Fumbles-lost 1-0 3-1

Punts-average 4-41 2-31

Penalties-yards 2-11 5-45

INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS

RUSHING -- Salisbury, Eherts 25-116, Dominic Rossetti 6-10, Aaron Young 1-3, Michael Abraham 7-(minus-1); Notre Dame, Alexander 15-183, Bowles 15-81, Juvany Georges 1-20, Victor Embardino 2-9, P.J. Santos 1-2, Gary Poulson 1-(minus-1), Vince Villani 3-(minus-2), Dan Weekes 2-(minus-2).

PASSING -- Salisbury, Ryan Kelly 1-1-0 for 32, Abraham 4-11-1 for 12; Notre Dame, Poulson 5-13-0 for 69, Bowles 0-1-0 for 0, Jeff Barr 0-1-0 for 0.

RECEIVING -- Salisbury, Eherts 2-1, Rossetti 1-32, Kelly 1-6, Trent Clay 1-5; Notre Dame, Noah Miller 2-18, R.J. Snyder 1-25, Alexander 1-21, Santos 1-5.

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