Schuylkill Haven's Leyden Hertz scored three touchdowns, one rushing, one receiving and one on defense, in the Hurricanes' 81-6 rout of Pine Grove on Friday night.

PINE GROVE – Ask me no questions and I’ll tell you no lies, but Schuylkill Haven football coach Mike Farr had to admit following Friday’s 81-6 Schuylkill/Colonial Blue Division mauling of Pine Grove on its home field that the Hurricanes have the potential to be the best to ever represent the school.

With a PIAA state championship and numerous District 11 and Eastern Conference championship trophies to their credit, the Hurricanes figure to be challenged if they are to add more hardware to the collection. From his experience as a player and coach for the Hurricanes, Farr knows how hard it is to win a championship. But he also knows the potential of this year’s team that won its seventh straight game and improved to 7-0 in the division.

“If this team plays their best game, this can be the best team Haven ever had,” Farr said. “What we have to do to play at that level is avoid mental breakdowns more than the physical.

“If we had two or three more players who are varsity ready we wouldn’t have to worry. We do have depth, but some of those players are young and still learning, and when we get tired they have to fill in.

“What we do have is an offensive line that plays together, is physical and moves. People say we’re one dimensional, but if they see how good we are, that’s OK.”

In building a 69-0 halftime lead Haven scored on all six of its first-half possessions, and scored three more touchdowns on a blocked punt return and two interception returns. Haven scored on its first two possessions of the second half and closed the game taking a knee on three downs to run out the clock.

All total, Schuylkill Haven compiled 478 yards of total offense despite only running 26 offensive plays.

Niko Carestia got the onslaught started with a 34-yard touchdown run and added the conversion run. In the second quarter he ran 72 yards for a touchdown and scored in the third quarter on a 58-yard run.

Carestia carried nine times for 222 yards, giving him 138 carries for 1,734 yards this season. He has rushed for 24 of his 25 touchdowns and has scored 180 points.

After Niko Castillo scored on a 30-yard return of a blocked punt, Colton Reber scored three consecutive touchdowns on runs of 7 and 61 yards sandwiching a 43-yard interception return. Following Carestia’s second touchdown, quarterback Brayden Fasnacht completed his only pass, but it was good for a 15-yard touchdown to Leyden Hertz.

Then Hertz and Castillo scored on runs of 9 and 27 yards to make the score 62-0, but the biggest play of the game was yet to come. A 31-yard run by Logan Troup gave the Cardinals (1-7, 1-6 Blue) their initial first down, but two plays later disaster struck when Hertz intercepted a pass and returned it 100 yards for a touchdown and 69-0 halftime lead.

Pine Grove put together a 16-play drive that spanned the third and fourth quarters. Troup, who led the Cards with 21 carries for 78 yards, ended the shutout with a 5-yard run.

Not to be outdone, freshman Chase Yoder broke free and capped the scoring with a 62-yard run. It was a fitting ending to a game where Haven showed how good it can be.

Game Summary

Schuylkill Haven 81, Pine Grove 6

Sch. Haven (7-1, 7-0).  34  35 6 6  —  81

Pine Grove (1-7, 1-6).     0.  0  0 6  —   6

SH — Carestia 34 run (Carestia run)

SH – Castillo 30 blocked punt return (Reber run)

SH – Reber 7 run (pass failed)

SH – Reber 45 interception return (pass failed)

SH – Reber 61 run (run failed)

SH – Carestia 72 run (Correll kick)

SH – Hertz 15 pass from Fasnacht (Correll kick)

SH – Hertz 9 run (Correll kick)

SH – Castillo 27 run (Correll kick)

SH – Hertz 100 interception return (Correll kick)

SH – Carestia 58 run (no attempt)

PG – Troup 5 run (kick failed)

SH — Yoder 62 run (No attempt)

Team Statistics

SH     PG

First Downs;13;7

Rushes-Yards;25-463;35-103

Passing;1-1-0;5-15-2

Passing Yards;15;35

Total Yards;478;138

Fumbles-Lost;1-0;0-0

Penalties;3-20;2-10

INDIVIDUAL LEADERS

RUSHING: Schuylkill Haven — Carestia 9-222, Reber 6-124, Yoder 1-62, Castillo 4-32, Hertz 1-9, O’Keefe 1-6, Davis 1-6, Fasnacht 1-2, Goad 1-0. Pine Grove — Troup 21-78, Snyder 9-17, Ibarra 1-8, Hatter 2-1, Fedechko 2-(-1).

PASSING: Schuylkill Haven — Fasnacht 1-1-0, 15. Pine Grove — Snyder 5-15-2, 35.

RECEIVING: Schuylkill Haven — Hertz 1-15. Pine Grove — Ibarra 4-29, Schneck-Haines 1-6.

INTERCEPTIONS: Schuylkill Haven — Reber, Hertz.