Two dominant backs in Quinton Martin and Dalton Clymer are getting ready to go toe-to-toe. The Belle Vernon Leopards will face off against the Northwestern Lehigh Tigers at 1:00 p.m. on Saturday. Both teams are coming into the match red-hot, with Belle Vernon sitting on nine straight wins and Northwestern Lehigh on 15.
It can be hard to translate regular season success to the playoffs, but Belle Vernon had no problem doing just that on Friday. They were the clear victor by a 42-16 margin over the Hornets. Considering Belle Vernon has won 11 matchups by more than 20 points this season, Friday's blowout was nothing new.
Belle Vernon got their victory on the backs of several key players, but it was Braden Laux out in front who rushed for 76 yards and two touchdowns, and also threw for 108 yards and a touchdown while completing 72.7% of his passes. Martin was another key contributor, gaining 153 total yards and two touchdowns.
Meanwhile, Northwestern Lehigh's offense rose to the challenge against a Spartans defense that boasted an average of only 15 points allowed. Northwestern Lehigh walked away with a 33-24 victory over Wyomissing on Friday.
Northwestern Lehigh's success was the result of a balanced attack that saw several players step up, but Clymer led the charge by rushing for 96 yards and two touchdowns, while also catching a touchdown. Clymer hasn't dropped below two rushing touchdowns for six straight games. The team also got some help courtesy of Shane Leh, who rushed for 62 yards and a touchdown.
Belle Vernon has yet to lose a contest at home this season, leaving them with a 12-1 record. Those good results were due in large part to their offensive dominance across that stretch, as they averaged 48.3 points per game. As for Northwestern Lehigh, their victory bumped their record up to 15-0.
Saturday's game might be decided on the ground as these two are both standouts in the run game. Belle Vernon has been unstoppable on the ground this season, having averaged 266.8 rushing yards per game. However, it's not like Northwestern Lehigh struggles in that department as they've been averaging 239.5 per game. It's looking like Saturday's matchup might have some serious battles in the trenches. Come back here after the game to get analysis of the match and other football content.
