Northwestern Lehigh Walks Off Avonworth in Class 3A PIAA Championship

MECHANICSBURG, Pa. — An elusive state title was up for grabs between a pair of teams that pride themselves on their ground game as the Avonworth Antelopes faced the Northwestern Lehigh Tigers in the Class 3A PIAA Championship.

Regulation was not enough as the two teams needed overtime before Northwestern Lehigh walked off Avonworth, 36-33, on an Eli Zimmerman touchdown to claim its first state championship at Chapman Field.

With Northwestern Lehigh, the District 11 champion, and Avonworth, the District 7 winner, tied at 30-30, the Antelopes started with the ball. Behind workhorse running back Luca Neal, the Antelopes looked to go up a score, but the Tigers shut down the junior rusher.

Settling with a field goal, the ‘Lopes turned to their defense for an answer, staring down Tiger running back Eli Zimmerman, who rushed for 2,000-plus yards during his senior campaign.

It took one snap for Zimmerman to wheel right and go in untouched for a 10-yard touchdown to claim the state crown for Northwestern Lehigh (16-0) over Avonworth (12-4).

The game-winning touchdown was one of three for Zimmerman on the day as he ran for 123 yards on 29 carries.

Without senior running back Nico Neal, brother Luca was relied on heavily, totting the ball 36 times for 252 yards and four scores.

The younger Neal received the call time and time again for the ‘Lopes as he carried the ball six times on the opening drive of the game. Once inside the red zone, Neal took the direct snap, swung to the outside near the Northwestern Lehigh sideline and cut up field to score on the 18-yard run.

Avonworth strikes on its first drive as Luca Neal takes it in from 18 yards out.

XP no good.

L. Neal with 6 carries on the first drive for 58 yds.

Avonworth — 6
Northwestern Lehigh — 0

8:54 1Q pic.twitter.com/uhXmZpvPaS

— Nathan Breisinger (@NateBreisinger) December 7, 2024

In similar fashion, the Tigers engineered a scoring drive on their first possession behind a mixture of play designs. Northwestern Lehigh would set up on the 1-yard line after junior quarterback Shane Leh hit Landen Matson down field, bringing in a tough 28-yard grab. One play later, Zimmerman punched it into the end zone as the Tigers would go up 7-6.

The back-and-forth ground affair would continue as Neal worked up the middle for the Antelopes, finishing off several punishing runs. On his fifth carry of the drive, Neal would not be denied as he broke through several tackles on his way to a 32-yard touchdown to put Avonworth back in front, 13-7.

Luca Neal takes off for a 32-yard touchdown in the Class 3A PIAA Championship Game. Dec. 7, 2024 // Nathan Breisinger. PSN

Avonworth needed to zero in on Zimmerman and it did so in the second quarter, forcing the Tigers to throw the ball, which proved deadly for the ‘Lopes defense.

Leh connected on a 23-yard pass to Michael Lagowy deep into Avonworth territory. Two plays later, Leh faked the handoff to Zimmerman while rolling right. He would stop up and deliver a strike near to corner of the end zone to Shane Hulmes for a 7-yard touchdown.

The Antelopes and Tigers would trade a pair of field goals before heading into the locker room with Northwestern Lehigh leading 17-16.

Just as Avonworth set the tone in the first half on its opening position, the Tigers would do the same to commence the third quarter, running the ball each of its 11 plays.

Spreading the ball around between Zimmerman and junior Mason Bollinger resulted in the Tigers motoring down to the 1-yard line where Zimmerman would go over the top for his second score of the game to make it 23-16 Tigers.

Northwestern Lehigh’s Eli Zimmerman scores three touchdowns as Tigers win 3A State Title. Dec. 7, 2023 // Nathan Breisinger. PSN

The first possession that did not result in points finally came midway in the third quarter and happened to end via the first turnover of the game. It came at just the right time for Northwestern Lehigh as Zimmerman stripped the ball from Neal and recovered it into Avonworth territory.

Not long after, Hulmes — a 6-foot-1, 205-pound tight end — took the direct snap, once again from the 1-yard line, and scored to put the Tigers ahead 30-16.

Putting the fumble in the past, Neal did what he could to put the Antelopes on his shoulders as he took the first snap on the following drive 54 yards to bring the ‘Lopes back within a score.

Neal would add his third touchdown of the game to tie it up at 30-30 from the 1-yard line with 4:32 left in the fourth quarter.

Heading into overtime, Northwestern Lehigh won the toss and elected to defend first. The decision worked out perfectly for the Tigers as they held Neal for just three yards, forcing a field goal.

One play later, Northwestern Lehigh was in the end zone behind Zimmerman as the Tigers claimed the state title in front of a jubilant crowd.