HS FOOTBALL: Last-minute touchdown, stout defense elevates Mahanoy over Nativity, 28-21
KAYLEE LINDENMUTH / SHENANDOAH SENTINEL - Mahanoy Area's #2 Colm McGroarty returns the opening kickoff during Saturday's game.
FOUNTAIN SPRINGS – An explosive start and nail-biting finish were the bookends for Saturday night’s thriller between Mahanoy Area and Nativity.
The Golden Bears entered Saturday’s game 2-6 as they travelled to Fountain Springs, where the 5-3 Green Wave have been playing their home games this year.
On the opening kickoff, junior Michael Oblas fielded the kick for Mahanoy before handing it off to senior Colm McGroarty, who broke off an 85-yard return to paydirt.
Senior running back John Borrell scored on the ground with under seven minutes remaining in the first quarter. With the point-after, Nativity took the lead 7-6.
With under a minute left in the first half, junior receiver Noah Dolbin hauled in a pass from junior quarterback Ben Kreitzer to extend Nativity’s lead. Kreitzer would sneak in for a two-point conversion to take a two possession lead into halftime, 15-6.
Early in the third quarter, Mahanoy’s defense came up big, stopping the Green Wave on fourth down and, moments later, McGroarty broke off a 53-yard score on the ground. A successful two-point conversion cut the deficit to one point.
Kreitzer would punch it in on fourth down after multiple tries on the goal line to go up 21-14 after a failed two-point conversion.
With under 10 minutes left to play, McGroarty found senior tight-end Joseph Noraka in the endzone for the tying score.
Fast forward to a minute remaining, and Levi Terry, under center for the Bears, connected with senior receiver Ethan Manley for the go-ahead touchdown.
The Bears defense, though, had its hands full in the final stanza, as the Green Wave marched down the field. At one point, Mahanoy picked off a tipped pass, though it was called back for pass interference.
With three seconds to go, Kreitzer scrambled but came up short, wrapped up by a host of Golden Bears just short of the five yard line as time expired.
Mahanoy improved to 3-6 and will host Shenandoah Valley next Friday for possession of the the Damato/Szematowicz Trophy.
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