Susquehanna Township snaps 13-game losing streak with shutout of Northern Lebanon

(This story was produced by LNP/Lancasteronline, and published in partnership with MikeDragoSports.com.)

By Brian Markley — LNP/Lancasteronline

HARRISBURG — It’s been a tough start for Northern Lebanon, which lost 37-0 Thursday to Susquehanna Township — its second loss in just seven days.

It was the Indians’ first victory since October 2020, and they did it in dominant fashion.

They did everything right in the first quarter, scoring three times and holding the Vikings within their own 30 the entire way.

Susquehanna Township, which had lost 13 in a row, cashed in on two interceptions by quarterback Grady Stichler and led 21-0 by the end of the first quarter.

Once the Vikings threw that second interception, the game slipped away from them. They weren’t able to put much together after that other than the one big drive in the second quarter.

The Vikings’ first first-down conversion of the game came with about 10 minutes to play in the second quarter, igniting their best drive. However, Indians linebacker Larondo Tucker put an end to the drive with a sack of Stichler and the Vikes turned the ball over on downs.

The Northern Lebanon defense was stronger after the first quarter.

“We had spells of being able to move the ball, being able to stop them,” Vikings head coach Jason Rice said.

But Susquehanna Township was able to utilize both its ground and air games against a Northern Lebanon defense that struggled to get a stop. Indians quarterback Torin Evans went 9-for-15 passing with 165 yards and a touchdown.

The trio of Javon White, Siroun Tillman and Dorian Smith combined for 103 yards and four of the five Susquehanna Township touchdowns.

Northern Lebanon has produced just one TD in eight quarters; it lost its opener to Pine Grove, 14-9.

“There is a lot of football left to play,” Rice said. “Our goals for the season don’t change because of two weeks of football. We have teams coming up that we can compete with.”