The Penney Hornets, scuffling through a first half controlled by the unbeaten Milan Wildcats, sought a turn-around in the second half, after a second quarter goal line stand had kept the Wildcats advantage at only 7-0.
With renewed enthusiasm and strong line-play, the Hamilton side controlled the third quarter, outscoring the host Wildcats 13-0, only to see Milan respond in the fourth quarter with a touchdown. After a Milan goal-line stand late in the fourth quarter kept the game tied, both teams failed to score in the first overtime session, before a 4 yard touchdown run by running back Sawyer Morrow, and a game-ending interception on third down, gave Penney (8-3) the double overtime triumph, ending Milan’s season at 10-1.
In a game broadcast on KTTN FM 92.3 and Hot Country Z 101.7, the ‘Cats opened the scoring with 3:57 remaining in the first quarter, as junior classmates Ryan Dabney and Hunter Shaw combined on a touchdown pass into the southeast corner of the end zone at Cal Hubbard Field. Tom Johnson had the play-by-play call:
With 5:06 remaining in the third quarter, and momentum, surging Penney’s way with strong line play on both sides of the ball, changing, Morrow, who had 200 rushing yards on the night, evened the score at 7:
Penney, less than five minutes later, took the lead for the first time:
Down 13-7 headed to the final quarter, the Wildcats responded with a drive that placed John Dabney’s team in the “red zone”. Senior fullback Jamuel Pagan went in from one yard out, tying the score at 13-all, as both teams missed PAT’s on their second touchdowns of the night. The Hornets attempt came via an extra point kick, while Milan was stopped on a two-point run attempt.
Penney spent nearly eight minutes with the football on what looked to be a long, drawn-out, game-winning drive. However, after gaining 1st and goal from the 2 yard line, the Hornets saw the Milan front-line stiffen against Sawyer, suffering an unspecified injury on a second-down carry. After a third-down run resulted in a loss of yardage, the Wildcats season came down to a 4th-and-Goal try from the 3 yard line on the Pit’s north end:
The game went to Overtime #1 tied at 13. Milan got the ball first but was stopped on downs, giving the ball to Penney. The Hornets attempt to win the game was stifled on an interception by Shaw at the 9 yard line on third down.
In double overtime, the Hornets were able to score on a four yard run by Morrow, with the extra point leaving the score at 20-13. Needing seven points to send the game to a third overtime, or potentially eight points to win the game, Milan picked up a key fourth down conversion on a screen pass to keep the Wildcats hopes alive, but on the ensuing series of downs, pressure on the quarterback forced a late, third-down throw to the goal line, intercepted by Hamilton to end the game.
Here is Milan Head Coach John Dabney:
While the Wildcats do boast more returning talent than graduating seniors, and the future of Milan football remains very bright, Coach Dabney noted that the 2018 football seniors do leave big holes for the 2019 team to attempt to fill:
Penney will play at 10-1 Marceline in the Class 1, District 8 championship game, set for Friday, November 9th at 7 o’clock.
Other scores from district semifinal action on Friday night were:
Class 2, District 8:
Lathrop 45, Macon 14
Lawson 15, Lexington 8
Class 2, District 7
Summit Christian 49, Knob Noster 28
Holden 46, Lafayette County 35
Class 2, District 6
Monroe City 48, Bowling Green 12
Clark County 36, Palmyra 0
Class 2, District 5
Blair Oaks 70, Tolton Catholic 6
South Callaway 14, North Callaway 6
Class 1, District 8
Marceline 29, Gallatin 0
Class 1, District 7
Wellington-Napoleon 46, North Platte 30
Mid-Buchanan 42, East Buchanan 20
Class 1, District 6
South Shelby 46, Scotland County 28
Westran 39, Mark Twain 7
Class 1, District 5
Fayette 60, Slater 6
Sweet Springs 12, Tipton 0
Class 3, District 8
Maryville 38, Chillicothe 7
Savannah 50, St. Pius X 0
Class 3, District 7
Odessa 63, Pleasant Hill 28
Pembroke Hill 14, Hogan Prep 12
Class 4, District 8
Platte County 28, Excelsior Springs 20
Smithville 24, Kearney 10
8 Man, District 1
Stanberry 84, Rock Port 44
Worth County 66, East Atchison 14
8 Man, District 2
Mound City 52, DeKalb 0
North Andrew 56, South Holt / Nodaway-Holt 54
8 Man, District 3
Pattonsburg 66, North Shelby 12
Southwest Livingston 84, King City 62
8 Man, District 4
Orrick 96, Northwest (Hughesville) 22
Osceola 44, Norborne/Hardin-Central 40
