The Notre Dame Crusaders secured a 24-7 victory over Saucon Valley on Friday night at home, overcoming a slow start to dominate the second half. 

The first half was characterized by a sluggish start from Notre Dame, managing just a field goal to trail 7-3 at the break. Saucon Valley's defense held strong early, but the Crusaders came out firing in the third quarter. The momentum shifted when junior Kalet Wilson forced a fumble, allowing fellow junior Brett Bruckman to recover it and return it 39 yards for a touchdown, turning the game in Notre Dame’s favor.

In the fourth quarter, the Crusaders sealed the win with two touchdowns, capitalizing on their dominant ground and air attack. Junior Matt Bodnar finished with 218 passing yards, completing 24 of 37 attempts with one touchdown and one interception. Bodnar’s longest completion of the night came on a 28-yard pass to senior Carmine Diaz, who had three receptions for 43 yards.

Sophomore Jon Striba contributed significantly, rushing for 53 yards on 10 carries, including a 22-yard touchdown. Striba was also effective in the passing game, adding five catches for 40 yards.

Notre Dame's defense was the backbone of their second-half resurgence. Senior Christian Rivituso, who was later named the game's MVP, led the defense with a game-high 12 tackles. Junior Kalet Wilson had 9 total tackles, including two sacks and two tackles for loss. Sophomore Josh Scherer and junior Austin Casal also put on strong performances, each registering a sack and a tackle for loss, as the Crusaders' front line wreaked havoc in the Saucon Valley backfield.

The win moves the Crusaders to 3-1 on the season as they look to carry their second-half dominance into this week’s matchup at Catasauqua.