Wet and Wonderful: Comets Survive Cold and Rain to Score Final-Minute Game-Winning Touchdown
Tagged under: District 6, Gameday Hub, News
Luke Rainey | October 22, 2021
If there was any right time to separate from a grueling losing streak, now would be the moment.
Penns Manor has found that time as they defeated the United Lions for their second consecutive win. They now sit at a 3-6 record as they transition into the crossover series against the West PAC, and will play Blacklick Valley as the 7th seed for the Heritage Conference.
The only time the Comets led was during the final 38 seconds, as the Lions were one step ahead of them throughout the first half. They entered the third quarter tied at 16, but mistakes, fumbles, and turnovers on downs kept the offenses from breaking the score.
It was not until Penns Manor took possession midway through the final quarter that the draw broke, ultimately spending more than 7 minutes with the ball before scoring a 6-yard rushing touchdown with 38 seconds to go.
“We knew we had to run the clock down,” Head Coach Bill Packer said after the Comets’ third win. “The kids did an excellent job blocking, and that was very important. They deserve credit because if we left them any extra time, you never know what can happen.”
The Lions began the game with possession after Penns Manor deferred the opening kickoff. Quarterback Jacob Boring and running back Caden McCully alternated carries throughout the 13-play drive. The strategy eventually produced a touchdown on a 3-yard run by Boring.
Before Penns Manor executed a play, they lost a combined 15 yards on an off-centered snap and a false start penalty. It was not enough to thwart their drive, as they converted fourth-and-1 on the same set of downs.
Without any reliance on a passing attack as a result of poor conditions, the game quickly moved into the second quarter. The Comets began it at the Lions’ 20-yard line, and Max Hill soon found the end zone on a score for 2 yards. He supplemented the score with a successful carry on the 2-point attempt to tie the game at 8-8.
13 seconds later, Boring pulled the Lions ahead once again. He scored on a 50-yard breakaway run by pushing through the Comets’ defense and immediately escaping into open field.
As the rain continued, it soon inflicted serious impairments against both offenses. Hill fumbled a snap during the Comets’ drive. The Lions made the recovery, but they soon returned the favor and gave Penns Manor another possession. Another fumbled snap for the Comets forced third-and-23, but Hill gained 19 yards to create a more manageable fourth-and-4. On a direct snap to Justin Marshall, he outran the Lions’ secondary to score the game-tying touchdown for 35 yards.
A three-and-out for the Lions gave the Comets slightly north of a minute to somehow score points from their own 6-yard line. This endeavor fell far short, as time expired while they were at midfield.
The deferral at kickoff gave them another chance to take the lead at the start of the third quarter. They were forced to punt immediately, and the Lions started at the Comets’ 34-yard run after a strong return by Boring. They quickly stalled after penalties tangled them at the 25-yard line.
It was at this point that Boring threw his first passes on third and fourth down, but they both fell incomplete.
The Comets survived a pair of penalties on the drive’s opening set of downs, and a 27-yard run by fullback Alec Johnson moved them into Lions’ territory. However, he was stymied on two consecutive carries, and the Lions forced a turnover on downs after stopping Hill on fourth-and-6.
After the Lions reassumed possession, they methodically drove into Comets’ territory. Their early success was largely due to a 20-yard run by McCully. They soon failed to break through in a goal-to-go situation, and the Comets again took over downs with 7:50 remaining in the fourth quarter.
From the 10-yard line, the circumstances were perfectly aligned for Penns Manor to drain the clock while making efficient forward progress. One of the most influential moments of the game occurred on fourth-and-4 at the 46-yard line. The Lions were penalized for being offsides, automatically producing a new set of downs.
Marshall and Hill were the most prominent means of production, as they exchanged carries throughout the possession. It led them to the 10-yard line as less than 1 minute remained.
On first-and-goal, fullback Mark Bagley gained 4 yards. Penns Manor’s timeout came with 44 seconds left, and Hill then scored from the 6-yard line. He also scored the 2-point conversion to pull Penns Manor ahead by 8 points.
After the score, the Lions were in an unfavorable situation. They were working against unfavorable conditions for passing and a pressing time constraint, and two straight incompletions kept them at the 33-yard line with 7 seconds to go. Boring completed a pass on the Lions’ final play to Wade Plowman, who lateraled to McCully. He was promptly tackled, and time subsequently expired to finalize a 24-16 win for the Comets.
Coach Packer was satisfied with his team’s ability to handle the unusual circumstances, regarding both the playing surface and the weather.
“We haven’t had too many games on grass, really. That was a lot more different for us than being in these conditions, honestly, but these kids still came out and did a good job.”
“United definitely deserves some credit, though,” he continued. “They are a tough football team, and if you let them stay in the game, it’s anybody’s to win.”
For the Lions, losing to the Comets puts an end to another difficult season plagued by low roster numbers.
Despite the winless season, Coach Kevin Marabito especially took great pride in the current senior group for their efforts throughout a challenging three years.
“The numbers were just not there,” he said. “This senior group hung with us through thick and thin. In their 2018 playoff run, they felt the best part of football, but tonight, they did not. We had decent numbers this year, but the injury bug really bit us. I’m still very proud of these seniors. They have all worked hard, and that’s all you can ask for.”
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