Riley Reinhard knew it had been a while since he scored three different ways in a football game.

It was likely in a youth game that he had scored three different touchdowns, and he hadn’t accomplished the feat in his previous three seasons as a Catasauqua Rough Rider.

Reinhard scored on a 78-yard kickoff return, caught a 33-yard touchdown pass, and recorded a two-yard rushing plunge as he accounted for all of the Roughies’ scores in their 51-20 loss to Northern Lehigh last week. He also intercepted a pass that stopped an early Northern Lehigh drive.

“I returned some kicks last year, but I have never had a game like that,” said Reinhard, a senior. “I scored three touchdowns as kid, but this was special. I did bring a kick back about 70 yards against Bangor the previous week.

Head coach Mike McClarin appreciates Riley’s presence among the team.

“He kept battling back and kept us there,” said McClarin about Reinhard. “He keeps doing a very good job for us. He has a great work ethic and he has been a leader for us.”

Being a leader was an anticipated role for Reinhard.

“I think it was,” he said. “I knew I had to take that role as a senior. I felt it was up to me to see what had to be done.

“It started in practice where we worked on finishing. The younger kids needed someone to guide them along and I was comfortable with the role.

“This year we have a better chemistry on the team. Last year we had a team where there were different groups of friends.”

Reinhard decided to take charge at halftime of the Northern Lehigh game in which the Roughies trailed 38-6. They outscored the Bulldogs, 14-13, in the second half. Reinhard scored two of his three touchdowns in the second half.

“We came out fired up in the second half,” said Reinhard. “We felt something had to be done. It came down to us getting loud and rowdy. We knew we had to do something.”

Reinhard has seen fellow senior and first-year quarterback Adam Reinhart develop since the summer. He actually had contemplated volunteering for the role with Reinhart.

“He has a strong arm than me being a pitcher on the baseball team,” said Reinard about the competition. “We both were going to do it, but I thought it would be better with him (Reinhart). I have played football since I was five, but I never was a quarterback.

“Adam (Reinhart) has really progressed since the passing scrimmage against Dieruff. We work well together and we’ll see what happens the rest of our games.”

Reinhard cited watching former Roughies Wilquon Clemons and Jaylen Green as a driving force in his career.

“Growing up, I watched them,” said Reinhard. “I remember watching them and seeing how they could be the best they could be. They were a big influence for me.”

Reinhard plans to take a year off after high school and then pursue a career in physical therapy. Until then, he plans to do what he can for Catty athletics. He plans to wrestle during the winter.

“I just want to do what I can,” he said. “I feel like I have done something good when the young players come up to me and want to slap my hand for how I played.

“Stuff like that will keep me motivated.”