Photo by J Kroon Photography
By Matthew DeGeorge
The teams each featured a battering running attack and rugged offensive line play as their primary weapon in the Lions’ hard-fought 9-7 victory over the Panthers.
Despite a strong commitment to trying to grind each other into the ground, the game took a dramatic — and fast-paced — turn in the fourth quarter.
Trailing 9-0, Strath Haven went into hurry-up mode and it paid immediate dividends. After gashing the otherwise sturdy Lions defense down to the one-yard line, Panthers quarterback Evan Atsaves plunged into the end zone to cut the lead to 9-7 with 2:44 remaining in the contest.
Penncrest recovered an onside kick and was subsequently forced to punt. The Panthers took over and went to work; this time using their passing game. Ahmir Gordon took a pass from Atsaves and weaved his way 47 yards to the Lions’ 5-yard line.
After a convincing performance for 59 minutes and 55 seconds, Penncrest now faced the possibility of losing as Gordon lined-up for a 23-yard field goal attempt.
