The next meeting of the Touchdown Club is Feb. 16 at 6 p.m. in the commons area of the high school.

The agenda includes: new officer announcements, fundraisers, publicity, field update and more. There is an open position for Vice President. Interested candidates should e-mail Ann Clark.

Please encourage as many people to come.  Please pass the word out about our club, the more people that get involved the more support we can provide the  TEAM (our children).  People working together is always the greatest achievement.

Thank you!

Junior Shane Edwards pushing in for his third touchdown.

The Jim Thorpe Olympians drove up Route 209 to Lehighton Area High School tonight to defend its possession of the Route 209 Trophy and after four quarters Thorpe succeeded in keeping the trophy for another year.

Shane Edwards had a huge game as did the entire offense. On defense, Terry Moll forced three fumbles with at least two converting to touchdowns.

Here’s the breakdown on touchdowns. Note that JT scored on seven out of nine possessions:

JT – Johnson 35 run (Denny kick)
JT – Edwards 4 run (Denny kick)
L – Keer 41 pass from Agosto (Nalesnik kick)
JT – Johnson 19 pass from Cinicola (kick failed)
L – Nalesnik 22 pass from Agosto (kick failed)
JT – Edwards 1 run (Denny kick)
L – Keer 30 pass from Agosto (Nalesnik kick)
JT – Cinicola 1 run (Denny kick)
L – Rebovich 8 pass from Agosto (Nalesnik kick)
JT – Edwards 8 run (kick failed)

Here are the individual statistics corrected to account for Tom Acker’s 18-yard catch that was not recorded in the TIMES-NEWS’ box score:

Rushing – Jim Thorpe: Edwards 27-117, Cinicola 18-60, Johnson 9-75. Lehighton: Agosto 5-74, Rebovich 8-17, Farole 3-7, Angst 1-6, Hunter 4-2.

Passing – Jim Thorpe: Cinicola 9-16-0-151. Lehighton: Agosto 9-13-0-152, Hunter 1-2-0-5, Keer 0-1-0-0.

Receiving -  Jim Thorpe: Moll 3-40, Acker, 1-18, Schron 3-37, St. Hill 1-37, Johnson 1-19. Lehighton: Keer 5-98, Stauffer 2-16, Nalesnik 1-22, Farole 1-13, Rebovich 1-8.

What an ending to the season. Thanks guys!

More photos for purchase here.

The Indian, created by Joni Bensinger (Carp's mom)

Tonight, the Jim Thorpe Olympian football team honored its seniors along with the band and cheerleaders at Olympian Stadium. The rescheduled Senior Night included a short parade from the high school around the block and into the stadium. Seniors were acknowledged and then everyone went to the bonfire where an “Indian” was ceremoniously thrown into the fire.

Everyone please come out to the Fan Bridge at 4:30 tomorrow to cheer the bus over Route 903 on the way to Lehighton and then come to the game.

Click here for photos from Senior Night and the bonfire. Please remember all photo purchases benefit The Touchdown Club, aka your kids!

The Touchdown Club is hosting a series of events to prepare for the big game against Lehighton this Friday. Events include crafting decorations for the Fan Bridge and Street Spirit and posting those decorations.

Fan Bridge is a new tradition in which we all stand on the Route 903 bridge, wave red, white and blue pom-poms, hold signs and cheer on the buses as they pass on their way to the football game.

This week’s game against Lehighton is a big one — we want to KEEP THE ROUTE 209 TROPHY. We need as many people as can spare the time to help make decorations.

Tonight (Tuesday, Nov. 3) 5:30, high school commons
Everyone is invited to make spirit decorations for this Wednesday’s Street Spirit and Friday’s Fan Bridge event.

Wednesday, Nov. 4, 5 p.m.
Meet in front of the high school to hang decorations and signs along Olympian Way and North Street.

Friday, Nov. 6, 11 a.m.
Meet at back parking lot to blow up balloons and hang them around Olympian Way and the town.

Friday, Nov. 6 at 4:30 p.m
Meet at the 903 Bridge to participate in Good Old Fashion Spirit for our new FAN BRIDGE tradition.

Senior Night is rescheduled for Thursday, Nov. 5 at Olympian Stadium. There will be a parade that ends at the football field for Senior Presentations and then we’ll have the bonfire.

PLEASE COME OUT AND THANK THE SENIORS!

Times-News Article

Parents please attend the Touchdown Club meeting on Monday, Nov. 2 at 6 p.m. in the commons to discuss the Fan Bridge for this Friday’s Lehighton football game.

The Fan Bridge is an opportunity to wish the team luck as they pass over the Route 903 bridge on their way to Lehighton.

We hold signs, shake pom-poms and get the passing cars honking in support.

The Monday meeting will firm up plans for this Friday’s Fan Bridge in support of the game against Lehighton.

Go JT!

Senior Michael Carpenter breaks a block.

After coming back from a 20-point deficit, the Olympians beat Marian 37-34 Friday, Oct. 30 in Hometown. What a game! It started with three turnovers and ended with a three-point field goal by Kicker James Denny.

Congratulations guys!

We’ll have more photos from Mr. Lynch and Mr. Lesisko later. Click here for the first batch from Kathy Schwartz.

Game Press:

Times-News Article, 10/31/2009
Republican-Herald Article, 10/31/2009
Varsity570 statistics

The Olympians lost to Schuylkill Haven last night. We were not at the game so there are no pictures. Click here for the Pottsville Republican-Herald’s story about the game.

We still do not know when Senior Night will be held. It’s a real shame that after four years of representing Jim Thorpe in athletic and musical programs, the seniors will not be recognized in front of the residents and fans of Jim Thorpe.

Let’s hope the fix to the field is not a temporary patch. The field requires a complete overhaul since a major part of the problem is the lack of proper drainage.  A new drainage system or something would have to be put in place to ensure the field doesn’t become a swamp after one day of rain.

Just putting more dirt on top of the faulty foundation won’t work. Sure, it may only cost $50,000 this time around but in three years we’ll have to spend another $50,000 and three years after that another $50,000. Let’s just do it right the first time.

Remember, it’s always true — you get what you pay for.

Please let the School Board know how important the field is to you and your children and ask them to do the right thing by our kids and the town of Jim Thorpe.

Thank you!

Please be aware that Friday night’s game (Oct. 23, 2009) is moved to Schuylkill Haven high school.

The Olympian Stadium field is unplayable.

Click here for directions.

Senior Night will be rescheduled.

Carl St. Hill, 20, is taken down in a sea of mud.

The weather was horrible and so was the field. The Olympians had lots of chances to beat visiting Pocono Mountain West but didn’t pull it off in a heartbreaking loss, 8-6.

Sean Green acknowledges Cinicola after a key catch in the red zone.

Click here for more pictures from the game. Please remember all pictures are copyright. If you’d like to keep a photo, please purchase it. All purchases benefit the Olympian Football Touchdown Club (aka – your children).

Related links: Jim Thorpe falls to PMW, Republican-Herald.