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 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.

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.

Another L in the stat category but at least we scored some points! Click here for more photos from the game and please remember that all photos are Copyrighted. We appreciate your patronage in our photo store. All proceeds benefit the Jim Thorpe Touchdown Club which is the booster club for the football program.

For more pictures from tonight’s game, click here. Please remember all photos are copyrighted and are for purchase to support The Touchdown Club.

Corey Cinicola is mentioned in this pennlive.com blog about his passing the 4,000 yard mark. Read it here.

On a perfect night for football Marian Catholic fans thought they had a W before the game started. But, Jim Thorpe’s Red Swarm defense and Awesome Offense ended that assumption.

Photo Gallery Here >>

After an even first half (13-7) the Olympians dominated the field with 291 total offensive yards to Marian’s 183. JT QB Corey Cinicola connected with Kysheem Lynch for a 25-yard touchdown, Terry Moll, Chris DeMuro (60-yard pass), Tom Ferguson (18-yard pass) and Lynch again in the third quarter for a 40-yard pass.

The Olympian win may position Jim Thorpe for some post-season play. They must all show up next Friday at home, though, and stuff the Lehighton Indians just like they corralled the Colts before we think about playing into November.

Read the story from the Pottsville REPUBLICAN.

Marian	0	7	0	0	-	7
Jim Thorpe	7	6	19	0	-	32

JT – Lynch 25 pass from Cinicola (Schmidt kick)
M – Eckhart 10 run (Gates kick)
JT – Moll 2 pass from Cinicola (kick failed)
JT – DeMuro 60 pass from Cinicola (pass failed)
JT – Ferguson 18 pass from Cinicola (pass failed)
JT – Lynch 40 pass from Cinicola (Schmidt kick)

Statistics
	M	JT
First Downs	9	12
Rushing Yards	36-139	33-100
Passing Yards	44	191
Total Offense	183	291
Passing	4-13-0	10-18-0
Punts	6-34	5-31
Fumbles (lost)	3-2	0-0
Penalties (yds.)	6-40	5-35

Individual Statistics
Rushing – Marian – Lally 16-63, Eckhart 7-57, Andrews, 7-25, Zimmerman 1-3, Nietz 3-0, O’Brien 1-(-1_, Gates 1-(-8), Jim Thorpe — Mistretta 21-74, St. Hill 2-8, Baier 2-8, Cinicola 4-6, Fritz 1-4, Lynch 1-3, Canalley 1-0, Busocker 1-(-3).

Passing – Marian – Eckhart 4-12-0, 44, Leitzel 0-1-0, 0. Jim Thorpe – Cinicola 10-18-0, 191.

Receiving – Marian – Hutta 1-25, Nietz 1-15, Andrews 1-3, Lally 1-1. Jim Thorpe – DeMuro 4-79, Lynch 3-90, Ferguson 1-18, Mistretta 1-2, Moll 1-2.

The criteria for the Edward “Fuzzy” Fahey Memorial Award is to be awarded to a sophomore who has shown dedication, leadership, hard work ethics and the strong desire to improve.

This athlete showed his desire for all of the traits mentioned earlier during the off-season as well as during the season.

This year’s recipient bursted onto the scene in the first quarter of the Tamaqua game and continued to flourish throughout the season. This young man is on pace to shatter every passing record in school history. This year he had an area-leading 1,957 yards passing and 24 touchdowns. He was named to many all-star selections including 3rd Team All State by the Pennsylvania Football News.

This year’s recipient of the Ed Fuzzy Fahey award goes to Corey Cinicola.

The following players were recognized at the Annual Football Banquet, Sunday, Jan. 27, 2008 for their 2007 All-Star Selections:

Billy Rieck – Center
Honorable Mention Schuylkill County North Team
Honorable Mention All Anthracite Team

Tyler Mangold – Guard
Honorable Mention Schuylkill County North Team
Honorable Mention All Anthracite Team

Joe Garland – RB
Honorable Mention RB – All Anthracite Team

Nathan White – OT
2nd Team Schuylkill County North Team
2nd Team Anthracite Team
2nd Team Times News

Anthony Mistretta – DB
2nd Team Schuylkill County North Team
2nd Team Anthracite League

Jake Zurn – DB
2nd Team Schuylkill County North Team
2nd Team Anthracite League
2nd Team Times News – Defensive Specialist

Nathan Schmidt – Kicker
1st Team Schuylkill County North Team
1st Team Anthracite League
1st Team Times News

Corey Cinicola – QB
1st Team Schuylkill County North Team
1st Team Anthracite League
1st Team Pottsville Republican
1st Team Times News
2nd Team Morning Call
Honorable Mention Pennsylvania Football News All State

Kyle Porembo – LB
1st Team Schuylkill County North Team LB
1st Team Anthracite League LB
1st Team Times News
Honorable Mention – Reading Eagle LB

Scott McGonigal
1st Team Schuylkill County North Team LB
1st Team Anthracite LB & FB
1st TeamTimes News
1st Team Pottsville Republican LB
1st Team Reading Eagle – Anthracite Region LB 

Eric Busocker
1st Team  Schuylkill County North Team DB
1st Team Anthracite League DB
1st Team Pottsville Republican DB
1st Team Times News DB
2nd Team Anthracite League WR
Honorable Mention – Reading Eagle WR
Honorable Mention Pennsylvania Football News All State DB

Lance Malatak
1st Team Schuylkill County North Team Guard & DT
1st Team Anthracite League Guard & DT
Anthracite League Lineman of the Year
1st Team Times News
2nd Team Pottsville Republican Offensive Guard
Honorable Mention – Reading Eagle Offensive Guard
3rd Team Pennsylvania Football News All State

Phil Redline – RB
1st Team Schuylkill County North Team
1st Team Anthracite League
1st Team Times News
2nd Team Pottsville Republican
Honorable Mention – Reading Eagle RB
Honorable Mention Pennsylvania Football News All State

Josh Hontz
1st Team Schuylkill County North Team WR
Offensive Player of the Year Anthracite League
2nd Team Schuylkill County DE
1st Team Anthracite League
2nd Team All Anthracite DE
Co-Offensive Player of the Year
1st Team Times News
1st Team Pottsville Republican
1st Team Reading Eagle – Anthracite Region
1st Team Morning Call
2nd Team Associated Press All State
3rd Team Pennsylvania Football News All State

GAME PHOTOS HERE
The 2007 Jim Thorpe football season ended with a loss to Lansdale Catholic at Wissahicken High School. The Olympians took a 7-6 lead to the half. JT scored on a 2 yd pass from Corey Cinicola to Josh Hontz (Hontz went over 1000 yds receiving for the season) and the Red Swarm defense controlled a potent Crusader offense for the first 24 minutes. LC tailback John Howell came into the contest averaging over 10 yards per carry but the was held to 24 yds in the half.

In the 3rd quarter the Crusaders capped a 90 yard drive witha 15 yard Howell TD run to make the score 14-7. The Olympians drove to the LC 10 yard line with 5:40 remaining in the game but were stopped on downs when a 4th down pass to Hontz was tipped away by the defense. Three plays later Howeel sealed the Olympians fate with a 67 yard TD run to make the score 21-7. Howell would finish the game with 161 yds rushing. JT fumbled on the next possession and the Crusader QB Shane Pinzka scored the final TD of the game on a 42 yd run.

Jim Thorpe ended the season 9-3. The Olympians won the Anthracite League Title for the second straight year (and the 3rd time in the last 4 years). The team also won the first football playoff game in school history with a 42-14 victory over Northern Lehigh in the first round of district playoffs.

The Olympians posted an impressive 42-14 win over the Northern Lehigh Bulldogs last Saturday night in the first round of the District XI AA playoffs (pictures coming to site soon). It was the first post season victory in school history for Jim Thorpe. The Bulldogs took an early 7-0 lead but could not find an answer for the Thorpe passing attack. Olympian QB Corey Cinicola threw for 253 yards with 6 TD passes and no interceptions. Pulling in TD passes were Kysheem Lynch (2), Eric Busocker (2), Josh Hontz & Kyle Porembo. The Red Swarm defense was impressive as well, allowing NL only 3 first downs in the second half. In the district semi-finals the Olympians will face Lansdale Catholic on Friday at 7pm at Wissahickon HS.