Luke Miller, North Schuylkill (Photo by First Class School Imaging)

LEHIGHTON — Luke Miller continues to etch his name in the North Schuylkill football record book.

The speedy senior rushed 22 times for 286 yards and three touchdowns Friday night as the Spartans outlasted Lehighton 36-14 in a Schuylkill-Colonial Red Division contest.

His 286 yards make him the first North Schuylkill running back to run for more than 2,000 yards in a season as he sits at 2,009 yards for the season. It also made him the school’s all-time leading rusher, as his 3,302 career rushing yards surpasses Josh Chowansky’s previous mark of 3,257.

“We moved the ball well. We only had 26 plays in the first half and only four possessions in the first half,” North Schuylkill head coach Wally Hall said. “But as it does every week, it starts up front on both sides of the ball.

“I was really pleased with the way our offensive line played tonight. That’s an experienced group. Really both sides of the ball up front played well tonight. And if you get Miller the ball he’s going to make things happens. Teams load the box up on him and if he’s able to break through, he makes explosive plays happen.”

This one was tight going into the half. North Schuylkill was able to jump out to a 14-0 advantage after the first quarter, fueled by Miller and the run game. The senior rushed for 91 yards in the first half on just 11 carries and broke away for a 22-yard scamper at the 9:24 mark of the first to give the Spartans a 6-0 lead.

Lehighton looked like it might answer the Spartans’ first score after Lukas Croizier returned the ensuing kickoff 55 yards to the North Schuylkill 32. But the Spartans’ defense would come through with a huge stop, forcing a turnover on downs and taking over at the 27.

The Spartans would go back to Miller, who would methodically take the North Schuylkill offense to the Lehighton 41 after a few nice runs. Quarterback Caden Mengel then got the North Schuylkill passing game going with a 38-yard connection over the middle to the 3-yard line to Landen Smith. Cadyn McGraw then punched it in one play later to extend the Spartans lead to 14-0.

Lehighton made it a one-score game right before the half by putting together a 16-play, 60-yard drive that took up a majority of the second quarter. The Indians converted three fourth downs on the drive with quarterback Jayse Lawrence finding Kyden Hauser on a slant play over the middle for a 12-yard touchdown to cut the Spartans lead lead to 14-7 with 18 seconds to go in the first half.

Lawrence had a solid night throwing the ball, passing for 146 yards and two touchdowns. Both TDs were to Hauser, who had a productive night as well, hauling in 10 catches for 99 yards.

However, the third quarter proved to be the difference in the game, with North Schuylkill taking control.

Miller and North Schuylkill’s big boys up front made the Indians pay. After a defensive stop, Miller put together two long runs, the final one a 64-yard burst for six that made it a 20-7 game with 6:41 left in the third quarter.

Lehighton went three-and-out on its next possession and an errant snap sailed over punter Blake Roberts’ head and into the end zone for a safety after Roberts jumped on the ball, upping the Spartans’ lead to 22-7.

Later in the third it was Miller time yet again, this time from 40 yards out to make it 29-7 North Schuylkill lead heading into the fourth.

“I thought we made some good plays and did some good things,” Lehighton coach Tom McCarroll said. “We just weren’t consistent enough in some big spots. We have the big kickoff return and we don’t capitalize there and then we have the nice drive to start the third and we don’t convert there either.

“But our kids played really hard. I thought they battled all night. That’s a really good football team and a veteran football team. And you know Miller is going to get his. He had some big plays for them. But I’m proud of our kids. Of course we would’ve liked a different result, but we’ll get some things fixed and cleaned up and get back to work to get better.”

The Spartans’ offensive and defensive linemen had a dominating night. North Schuylkill rushed for 294 yards at 11.7 yards per carry. And on the defensive end they held the Lehighton rushing attack to 130 yards at 3.8 yards per carry.

North Schuylkill has won three in a row and improves to 6-3 and looks to be locked into the No. 3 spot in the District 11 Class 3A power ratings. Lehighton falls to 4-5 and is ranked No. 5 in the 4A ratings.

Game Summary

North Schuylkill 36, Lehighton 14

NS (6-3, 5-2)         14          0          15          7  —    36

Leh (4-5, 3-4)          0          7          0          7  —    14

NS — Miller 22 run (run failed)

NS — McGraw 3 run (Miller run)

Leh — Hauser 12 pass from Lawrence (Ebbert kick)

NS — Miller 64 run (run failed)

NS — Safety

NS — Miller 40 run (Urban kick)

NS — Nelson 9 pass from Mengel (Urban kick)

Leh — Hauser 6 pass from Lawrence (Ebbert kick)