Hunter LaSala (44), Ryan Pejakovich, and Jackson Bagwell (11) provide good blocking during the C-S’ game against Mendon October 18 at C-S Jr./Sr. High School.
By Bruce Rolfe
The Climax-Scotts varsity football team is not only a determined group, but a team not afraid of a challenge.
The Panthers displayed those two qualities and more in a huge 46-44 win over Mendon at C-S Jr./Sr. High School October 18 in yet another classic battle between the two rivals.
With both teams entering the game with 4-0 SCAA records, the win gives C-S (7-1 overall) a second straight SCAA division title. The loss was Mendon’s first of the season, leaving the Hornets with a 7-1 record entering its final regular season game at Adrian Lenawee Christian.
The Panthers faced a big challenge when Mendon’s Brayden Crites caught an over the middle pass from quarterback Ryder Gorham to put the Hornets ahead 42-38 with 4:30 left in the game. Mendon added the two-point conversion on a run by J.T. Lutz, leaving the Panthers facing a 44-38 deficit.
A Mendon short kick was recovered by the Panthers at their own 47-yard line.
At that point C-S coach Tyler Langs saw his team step up to another level, showing the determination so many winning teams are made of.
Fueled by a huge conversion on a fourth down play, C-S marched 53 yards in eight plays using 3:37 to tie the game and then scored a crucial two-point conversion for a 46-44 lead.
The team then held off the offensive minded Hornets in the final 55.3 seconds to secure the win.
“Proud of the seniors. proud of the boys. Just fighting. We could have given up at any point. I give Logan Gilbert credit. They scored their touchdown to go up. Logan Gilbert came up and he said ‘I got you coach, we’re okay’. Alright, well you got it. Let’s do it. So yeah, hats off to our seniors,” said Langs.
An 11-yard pickup by Jackson Bagwell gave the home team the ball at the Mendon 41-yard line. However the Hornet defense stiffened, allowing just two yards over the next three plays and the Panthers faced a big fourth and eight from the Mendon 39-yard line with 2:25 left in the game.
C-S seemed to surprise Mendon and ran a reverse play with Chase VanMiddlesworth getting the first down by bulling his way ahead for a 11-yard pickup at the Mendon 28-yard line.
“That’s a play we’ve practiced, just a few times in practice. But we knew hot to execute it. We knew we had to execute it. That’s exactly what we did,” observed senior Jackson Bagwell.
A pass interference call on Mendon one play later on a pass intended for VanMiddlesworth put C-S on the Mendon 14-yard line with 1:07 left in the game.
A big 10-yard pickup by Luke Lawrence to the Mendon four-yard line left C-S knocking on the door.
Bagwell finished the drive, following a beautiful block created by the offensive line to the left side for a four-yard touchdown run with 55.3 seconds left to tie the game 44-44.
C-S had to score the all important two-point conversion to move ahead. Bagwell said C-S coach Tyler Langs asked the team what they wanted to do. Bagwell told him he wanted to get the job done, and the determined C-S senior scored on the two-point conversion run that put C-S ahead 46-44.
“It was second down, so I knew if we didn’t get it, it wasn’t the end of the world, but I knew we wanted it so badly. We called the time out on the two points. Coach T (Tyler Langs) said it was up to us. I said I want the ball in my hands and we put it in,” admits Bagwell.
“That last drive was definitely a choice for us to make some holes, and let Jack get his touchdown and two points. We had a lot of things go our way at that end just because of pure strength, determination and will to succeed,” adds senior Sam Bleeker.
Mendon still had time, starting at its own 36-yard line with 49.3 seconds left.
Two incomplete passes and an eight-yard completion left the Hornets facing a fourth and two at the their own 45-yard line.
It appeared Gorham thought it was third down and the Mendon quarterback spiked the ball for an incompletion and the ball was turned over to the Panthers on downs.
The Panthers ran out the clock, setting off a wild celebration and a 46-44 win.
A 21-yard touchdown run by Jackson Bagwell (Luke Lawrence ran in the two-point conversion) with 7:17 left in the opening frame and 67-yard touchdown run by Bagwell with 1:12 left in the second quarter
(the two-point conversion was good) sandwiched around a two-yard run by Mendons Owen Gorham (the two-point conversion was good) gave C-S a 16-8 lead after one quarter.
An Owen Gorham 30-yard touchdown run (the two-point conversion attempt was no good) and three-yard touchdown run by Lawrence with 1:20 left in the second quarter (the two-point conversion attempt was no good) allowed the Panthers to maintain an eight-point lead at halftime, 22-14.
Owen Gorham’s 1-yard touchdown run, followed by a two-point conversion pulled Mendon into a 22-22 tie with 8:09 left in the third quarter.
However C-S senior Chase VanMiddlesworth answered with a 80-yard touchdown run on the ensuing kickoff. Bagwell ran in the two-point conversion, restoring C-S’ eight-point lead at 30-22 with 7:58 left in
the third quarter.
Mendon knotted the score again on a three-yard touchdown run and two-point conversion run by Owen Gorham with 4:22 left in the quarter sending the two teams into the fourth quarter tied 30-30.
The Hornets recovered a key onside kick on the next play at the C-S 45-yard line, giving the visitors plenty of momentum entering the fourth quarter.
A one-yard touchdown run by Gorham (the two-point conversion was no good), gave Mendon a 36-30 lead with 11:56 left in the game.
Mendon attempted another onside kick, but this time the alert Panthers recovered on the C-S 49-yard line.
A huge 50-yard run on a quarterback sneak by Logan Gilbert put C-S on the Hornet 1-yard line and then Luke Lawrence finished the drive with a one-yard plunge with 11:21 left in the game. Bagwell ran in the two-point conversion, giving C-S a 38-36 lead.
Mendon answered with its 15-yard touchdown pass play that culminated a 72-yard drive that consumed 6:50. The successful two-point conversion set up C-S’ dramatic late game touchdown and two-point conversion that won the contest.
Mendon held the upper hand in total yardage, 404-302, rushing for 312 yards on the ground and adding 92 yards in the air.
Most of C-S’ damage came on the ground, where the team churned out 291 yards.
Bagwell finished with 114 yards on 10 carries, but he also added 14 tackles, including 12 solo tackles.
The 80-yard kickoff return by VanMiddlesworth gave the C-S senior a large chunk of 133 all purpose yards. He also caught two passes for 11 yards, had one carry for 11 yards and had nine tackles, including seven solo stops.
Gilbert added 117 yards on eight carries and Lawrence had 49 yards on 13 carries.
Defensive end Jordan Grove had eight tackles including seven solo tackles and Maddox Wyman contributed seven tackles including six solo tackles from his cornerback position.
C-S will close out the regular season hosting Pittsford October 25.
Selection Sunday Playoff
Pizza Party October 27
The Climax-Scotts varsity football team will learn who its opening round playoff opponent will be during the Selection Sunday Community Playoff Pizza party Sunday, October 27 at C-S Jr./Sr. High School cafetorium.
Doors will open at 4 p.m. when visitors can enjoy pizza and other treats for a donation, mingle with the team and coaching staff. Playoff clothing apparel order forms will also be available.
The MHSAA Selection Sunday playoff pairings show on Bally Sports Detroit will begin at 4:30 p.m. and be played on a big screen.
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