Notre Dame finally broke through against North Schuylkill, defeating the Spartans 21-20 on Friday night in a hard-fought battle. The victory marked the Crusaders’ first win over their Schuylkill League rival in two years, snapping a three-game skid in the series.

Notre Dame struck first in the opening quarter on a 2-yard touchdown run by Jon Striba to take a 7-0 lead. North Schuylkill answered in the second quarter with a short touchdown run, but the failed two-point conversion kept the Crusaders in front 7-6 at halftime.

Quarterback Matt Bodnar extended the lead in the third quarter with an 18-yard touchdown pass to Drew Boyd. The Spartans responded with an 11-yard touchdown run and successful two-point conversion to tie the game 14-14 entering the fourth.

The decisive score came early in the final period when Bodnar connected with Aaron Gordon for a 26-yard touchdown strike. North Schuylkill countered with a 26-yard touchdown pass of its own, but a failed conversion left Notre Dame clinging to the one-point advantage. The Crusader defense held strong in the closing minutes to secure the victory.

Bodnar finished 15-of-25 passing for 233 yards and two touchdowns, while Gordon and Boyd combined for 100 receiving yards and both second-half scores. CJ Diaz added three receptions for 94 yards, including a 39-yard catch that set up a score. Defensively, Faust Capobianco led Notre Dame with 11 tackles, while Kalet Wilson and John Hull chipped in 12 a piece.

Despite being outgained 306-251 and running just 39 plays to the Spartans’ 73, Notre Dame capitalized on efficiency, big plays, and special teams execution to earn the statement win.

Notre Dame (3-0) will look to build on the momentum when it travels to Saucon Valley for a Friday night matchup.