BANGOR — Pottsville started building momentum from the first play and never stopped.

Tsirell Curry and Letrel Montone led the way in the passing game for Pottsville, alongside quarterback Andrew Allen, as the Crimson Tide rolled to a 38-7 victory over Bangor in a Schuylkill/Colonial Red Division game Friday at Paul Farnan Field at Memorial Park.

Curry returned the opening kickoff 80 yards to get Pottsville (2-2, 2-1 Red) started on the right foot.

“We challenged the kickoff return this week,” Tide coach Mike Brennan said. “Now, it didn’t look exactly like we planned it, (Curry) had the run, but it was a great job by the return team to get us going.

“Then we picked it up offensively as well. We ran the ball effectively, (Allen) did a nice job tonight. He got the ball to a lot of different receivers. We were effective there.”

Effective might actually be underselling Pottsville’s first quarter on offense. Allen connected with Montone for two Tide touchdowns after Curry’s kickoff return gave Pottsville a 7-0 lead.

Montone’s first TD catch followed a fumble recovery by Pottsville’s Luke Schane. Allen hit Montone for the 18-yard TD first, before finding Montone again on their next offensive possession on a screen pass that saw Montone scamper for 55 yards and the score.

Brayden Evans and Shay Strencosky led the way defensively for Pottsville. Evans racked up multiple tackles for loss of yards for the Tide all evening long and was a part of a huge third-and-short stop that forced a Bangor (0-4, 0-3) turnover on downs to begin the second quarter.

Strencosky got in on the action, picking off Bangor quarterback Jaxson Kreider midway through the second quarter.

Allen kicked a 32-yard field goal and found another target, Donovann Durham, for a 30-yard TD strike as the Crimson Tide led the Slaters comfortably 31-0 at halftime.

There was no stopping Pottsville after the half as the intermission didn’t stop the Tide from rising.

The smothering Pottsville defense forced another turnover on downs with 9:01 left to play in the third quarter. The Crimson Tide did tally three penalties for a combined 30 yards, but that was no problem as Allen found a wide-open Max Clews for a 21-yard touchdown as Pottsville now led 38-0.

Kreider got the Slaters on the board after a 12-yard touchdown run in the fourth quarter.

As the clock ran with the mercy rule in effect, the Tide began a platoon swap. From there Pottsville controlled the ball, effectively ran out the clock and took home a key victory to even its record through four games.

“We have to get better every day and every week. We know we’re going to be a good football team,” Brennan said. “We’re building, this is a building process. It’s not going to be easy, our objective by the end of the football season is to be a lot better.”

Game Summary
Pottsville 38, Bangor 7

Potts (2-2, 2-1) 21 10 7 0 — 38
Ban (0-4, 0-3) 0 0 0 7 — 7

Potts — Curry 80 kick return (Alvarez kick)

Potts — Montone 18 pass from Allen (Alvarez kick)

Potts — Montone 55 pass from Allen (Alvarez kick)

Potts — FG Allen 32

Potts — Durham 30 pass from Allen (Allen kick)

Potts — Clews 21 pass from Allen (Allen kick)

Ban — Kreider 12 run (Labar kick)

Team Statistics
Potts-Ban
First Downs —- 23 13
Rushes-Yards — 31-176 26-132
Passes —- 27-23-0 5-12-1
Passing Yards —- 240 60
Total Yards —- 416 192
Fumbles/Lost —- 0-0 1-1
Penalties — 16-70 6-35
Individual Statistics
RUSHING: Pottsville — Bainbridge 9-54, Galavage 6-52, Eroh 5-27, Herndon 5-20, Allen 3-18, B. Holley 3-6. Bangor — Kreider 11-67, Waldron 14-54, Labar 1-11
PASSING: Pottsville — Allen 26-34-0, 236; O. Holley 1-1-0, 4. Bangor — Kreider 5-12-1, 60.
RECEIVING: Pottsville — Curry 6-86, Montone 3-71, Durham 1-30, Alvarez 1-26, Clews 1-24, Huda 1-4, Strencosky 1-(-1). Bangor — Hillis 1-22, Mclain 1-18, Farensbach 2-17, Pelucacci 1-3.
INTERCEPTIONS: Pottsville — Strencosky.