The Morning Journal (Lorain, OH)
Panthers’ upset bid comes up a bit short
Elyria Catholic falls to Division V top-ranked Genoa Area in heartbreaker
Elyria Catholic left everything on the field and then some in a Division V, Region 10 semifinal, but fell just short to undefeated Genoa in an instant classic as the Comets’ late field goal was enough for a 42-41 victory on Nov. 10.
“I can’t say enough about these seniors and how these kids played,” Elyria Catholic coach Brian Fox said. “They gave everything
they had. When we needed it, they stepped up and made some big plays. If you look at their faces, you know exactly how much it meant to them and I know it hasn’t always been that way for them, (but) them letting me be a part of this was just a thrill of a lifetime.”
On a night filled with huge individual stats, it came down to the final drive of the ball game for the Panthers to continue on in what had already become a tremendous season. Leading early in the fourth quarter, 39-35, after missing a few PATs, Genoa moved the ball down the field on a heavy dose from the run game and brought the ball inside the Panthers’ 9-yard line.
Looking to put the game away with a score, the Comets tried to push Elyria Catholic off the ball with a few runs right up the middle.
But Elyria Catholic anchored down and held Genoa out of the end zone and forced a field goal.
Trailing 42-35, the Panthers needed someone on defense to come up big against a quarterback in Jacob Plantz, who had not thrown an interception all season, but threw one in the first half. Coming up with an interception of Plantz by junior Connor Trockley on a third and a mile play call, the Elyria Catholic sideline exploded with intensity and a change in the momentum was felt
throughout Bellevue Athletic Facility.
Fox called on the man he and his team trusted most in senior running back Leighton Banjoff to make something happen after being shut down in the second half on offense. Down by a touchdown, the Panthers got the ball moving with a couple of key plays before finding self itself in Comet territory.
Watching the clock wind down, Banjoff ripped off his fifth touchdown of the game with a 33-yard sprint to bring the Panthers within an extra point of a win that brought the whole house down.
In a season the had seen so many positive things
happen because of the grit and determination of all the Elyria Catholic players, it just wasn’t in the cards as the point after flew wide right of the field goal with 3:10 left to play.
Although the Panthers did have one more shot at the end zone, the final Elyria Catholic play was an interception by none other than the Genoa quarterback, Plantz.
After upsetting Anna last week on a last minute score, the Panthers knew it had what it takes to win the game in what turned out to be a game for the ages that won’t be forgotten by anyone in attendance or listening over the airwaves.
“It was a slugfest, man,
these guys stepped up (and) every opportunity they had they played good football, put themselves in a position (to win),” Fox said. “That catch over on that sideline that Trockley had blew me away, I still don’t understand the physics of how that happened, but you can’t help but be proud of these guys. This was one amazing season.”
Banjoff was proud of everything he and his team had done for the school and community.
“I can’t thank this whole group enough, honestly, whether it be coaches, players, alumni, anybody in this Elyria Catholic community,” Banjoff said.