NTL FOOTBALL: NORTH PENN-MANSFIELD PULLS AWAY FROM SAYRE FOR 25-0 VICTORY (24 PHOTOS) (2025-08-29)

TIM TAYLOR
Valley Sports Report
SAYRE — North Penn-Mansfield used an advantage in numbers and experience to wear down Sayre and pull away for a 25-0 NTL victory here Friday night.

“Our numbers aren't fantastic, but we’ve got a lot of guys that want to play football,” said coach Ricky Lindblad. “I think we played a pretty good game from start to finish as a team.

“At some point numbers do hurt you because they just rotate some fresher guys in there and they're tired, but (I’m) proud of absolutely every single one of them. They're getting in there and grinding them and putting up a fight.”

The Panthers also capitalized on the running of sophomore Jeremiah Lawrence and senior Luke Kreger, as well as several Sayre penalties to improve to 2-0 on the season.

Kreger scored three touchdowns and rushed for 107 yards while Lawrence ran for 127 yards and one TD. The rest of the team had zero yards on the ground on four carries.

The Redskins hurt themselves with nine penalties for 68 yards while NPM was only flagged five times for 50 yards.

“We talked about it,” Lindblad said. “We’ve got to be more disciplined across the board. We had a couple penalties there; our guys weren't quite sure what they were doing. We got clarification so we can clean that up this week. Just some mental lapses that we’ve got to make sure we clean up and take care of.”

The Sayre defense hung tough throughout the first quarter. The Redskins forced a three-and-out on NPM’s first possession of the evening, sending the visitors backwards.

North Penn would get the ball back late in the period and put together an 81-yard drive with Kreger scoring from four yards out at 8:03 of the second quarter. Brody Grinnell’s PAT kick made it 7-0.

The Panthers took advantage of a three-and-out on Sayre's next possession and the Panthers overcame a pair of penalties with Kreger scoring on a 3-yard run. The PAT failed, making it 13-0.

North Penn threatened again late in the half, moving the pigskin to the Sayre 16, but the Redskin defense stuffed the Panthers. Lawrence was tackled for a 4-yard loss, PM was flagged for a penalty, then quarterback Bradley Brooks threw three incomplete passes with Declan Barry and Owen Duran teaming up to deny a first-down toss to Colton Pellett.

Lindblad saw some positive moments on the defensive side of the ball.

“We're another year into the system defensively so we’ve got some things there,” he said. “We had some guys out from week one and things like that so we had some guys in playing some different roles, but they did a great job. They're listening. They're being coachable and we're continuing to grow there.”

The Redskins ended NPMs first possession of the third quarter when Jayden Morningstar got his hands under a low pass by Brooks.

Sayre was unable to capitalize on the turnover, giving the ball back on downs just inside the 50. The Panthers turned it into a 51-yard TD march with Lawrence scoring on a 2-yard run. Sayre blocked the PAT, making it 19-0 at 4:06.

The Redskins lost Barry to injury on a QB keeper on the next possession then, following a punt, Sayre’s Hudson Malanoski recovered a fumble at his own 26 to thwart another North Penn threat.

The Panthers would get the ball back and Kreger would seal the deal with a 29-yard TD run down the NPM sideline with 4:42 to go in the fourth. Sayre again blocked the PAT.

Despite the loss, Lindblad feels the Redskins are headed in the right direction.

“A lot of improvement from where we've been,” he sad. “Obviously, not the outcome we want, but these guys are working and it's a process for us, and that's what we're trying to get them. We all hate losing, but we're getting in there. We're continuing to grow and go there.”

North Penn finished the game with 286 yards to the Redskins’ 95.

Brooks went 4-for-9 for 52 yards through the air.

For Sayre, Barry had 10 carries for 49 yards and Malanoski added 13 rushes for 44 yards. Riley Johnson contributed 19 yards on eight runs and Quin Chandler was sacked twice for minus-17 yards. The Redskins had zero passing yards.

Sayre (0-2) visits Montgomery (1-1) next Friday.

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IN PHOTO 1:Sayre’s Hudson Malanoski runs for some yardage. IN TOP PHOTO: Sayre’s Owen Duran (right) and Declan Barry ensure North Penn-Mansfield’s Colton Pellett doesn’t catch the ball. … PHOTOS BY TIM TAYLOR.

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