After the opening kickoff, Catasauqua didn’t have a good feeling about its night ahead with Saucon Valley.

The host Panther returned the kickoff 60 yards for a touchdown, and they also returned a blocked field goal attempt 61 yards in a 31-point first half that gave them an eventual 38-10 victory over the Rough Riders last Friday night.

With the defeat, Catty dropped to 1-2 overall. They will host undefeated Palmerton (3-0) Friday night.

Roughies’ head coach Joe Henrich didn’t see too many positives.

“It was not a great game for us,” said Henrich. “They got on us early with a kickoff return and then a couple of big plays.

“Overall I felt we were outhustled. Their aggressiveness to the ball and ability to maintain blocks longer were the difference makers. We need to get back to work and practice with an urgency and commitment to getting better and working harder.”

Roughies’ quarterback Aiden Reilly, who was five-of-16 for 45 yards with two interceptions, saw the same picture as his coach.

“I saw the game as a very ugly game for us as a team and another learning experience,” offered Reilly. “In the first half, we just weren’t sticking together and weren’t in our comfort zone together, so everyone kind of settled down and changed their mentality for the second half.

“I’m honestly not sure why we started so slow, it obviously doesn’t help that Saucon took the ball back on the opening kick for a touchdown. That always stinks, but overall we just need to come out stronger and faster from the start.”

Henrich is well aware of a streaking Palmerton squad ahead. The Blue Bombers have outscored their opponents, 150-61, through three games.

“Palmerton is a scrappy, tough, and aggressive team,” noted Henrich. “They are flying high right now and scoring a lot of points.”

ROUGHIE RITES: Catasauqua won last year’s meeting in Palmerton, 28-7, to clinch a district playoff berth ... But Palmerton had won the previous 12 meeting with Catty’s last prior win in 2012 by a 48-7 score ... Solomon Mosby ran for 50 yards against Saucon Valley ... Jonell Rosado and Max Bergman each registered five tackles in the game ... Reilly has completed 26 of 66 passes for 215 yards with one touchdown and five interceptions ... Ruben Concepcion has run for 150 yards on 37 carries with three touchdowns ... Omar Pacheco Jr. has eight catches for 75 yards with a touchdown ... Chase Kratochvil has 14 tackles, and Tuari Wright has 13 ... Palmerton had 149 yards passing and 249 yards rushing against Palisades ... Palmerton’s Carson Eckhart ran for 161 yards and three touchdowns against Palisades. He has 261 yards on the season. Quarterback T.J. Gursky has completed 27 of 42 passes for 499 yards with 10 touchdowns and zero interceptions ... Conner Lawless (six catches, 91 yards), Cade Young (six-91), and Gaven Meixsell (5-120, two touchdowns) have been Gursky’s prime targets.

PREDICTION: Catty will be glad to be at Alumni Field after last week’s horror show at Saucon Valley ... However, they are catching a Palmerton team that has taken advantage of its schedule, and has matured quicker than anticipated, playing with a lot of confidence ... Roughies falling into the trap again of playing a sluggish first half and then scrambling to recover ... Roughies enter part of their schedule where their next four opponents have a combined 9-3 record beginning this week ... Coach Snyder, I’m in the mood for some Yocco’s Hot Dogs from Northampton ... PALMERTON 31-14.