The Upper Saint Clair Panthers Stay Undefeated with 17-7 Victory Over South Fayette

Tagged under: District 7, Gameday Hub, pfn

Ryan Thielet | October 5, 2024

If you enjoy fast-paced defensive games, this one is for you. The score remained tied at 0 until just 28 seconds before halftime when the Upper Saint Clair Panthers finally broke through with a touchdown. They added to their lead in the third quarter, making it 14-0 by the end of the period. The South Fayette Lions fought back in the fourth quarter with a touchdown to cut the lead in half, but after recovering an onside kick and making a field goal. The Panthers held on to win and remain undefeated with a final score of 17-7.

The Lions started the game with the ball, and what looked like a promising drive was derailed by multiple penalties. The Panthers’ first drive followed a similar pattern, as they made progress down the field only to be set back by three penalties, eventually forcing them to attempt a field goal. Kicker Jacobo Echeverria Lozano missed the kick, leaving the score at 0-0 with 7:28 left in the first quarter. The Lions’ next possession also failed to result in points and ended with another costly mistake as Panther Carter Stein intercepted a pass, giving the ball back to Upper Saint Clair with 2:46 remaining in the first quarter. The Panthers’ next drive appeared promising, and with just 18.6 seconds left in the quarter, they seemed to find the end zone on a big run, but the touchdown was negated by an illegal procedure penalty. As a result, the first quarter ended scoreless.

The second quarter was like the first, with both teams trading multiple drives that all ended similarly—without points. However, they finally broke through on the Panthers’ final drive of the half. Julian Dahlem scored on a touchdown run, giving Upper Saint Clair the first points of the game and a 7-0 lead with just 28 seconds left in the half. The Lions opted to take a knee on their final possession, sending the game into halftime with the Panthers leading 7-0.

The Panthers received the ball to start the second half but didn’t hold it for long, as the Lions’ defense quickly forced a stop. The Lions’ offense responded by moving the ball downfield with pace, but their drive stalled, leading to a 30-yard field goal attempt. The kick was no good, keeping the score at 7-0 in favor of the Panthers late in the third quarter. On their next drive, the Panthers capitalized with another touchdown run from Julian Dahlem, extending their lead to 14-0 with 2:10 remaining in the third quarter. It was the only score of the quarter.

The fourth quarter saw two scores, one from each team. The first came early, at the 9:45 mark, when the Lions cut the Panthers’ lead in half with a perfectly executed catch-and-run by Alex Deanes, making the score 14-7 in favor of Upper Saint Clair. After the touchdown, the Lions attempted an onside kick, hoping to catch the Panthers off guard, but the kick went out of bounds, giving the Panthers a favorable field position. They capitalized on it with a field goal by Jacobo Echeverria Lozano, extending their lead to 17-7 with 1:28 left in the game. The Lions had one last chance to mount a drive, but their hopes were dashed when Charlie Bywalski intercepted a pass, sealing the victory for the Panthers.

The Panthers improved to 7-0 and will face another undefeated team, Bethel Park, in an upcoming showdown at Bethel.

The Lions drop to 6-1 after today’s game. They’ll need to regroup quickly as they prepare to face Peters Township in an upcoming matchup on the road.

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All photos by Wyatt Clatterbaugh

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