CUYAHOGA FALLS, Ohio — Both teams played their hearts out, but afterward the CVCA Royals could only walk around, stunned, with tears in their eyes, watching the Manchester Panthers celebrate an unexpected 10-0 season. Senior Mark Noble scored three touchdowns -- two in the game's final 6:16, as Manchester clinched another PAC-7 championship as well as a Division IV...
CUYAHOGA FALLS, Ohio — Both teams played their hearts out, but afterward the CVCA Royals could only walk around, stunned, with tears in their eyes, watching the Manchester Panthers celebrate an unexpected 10-0 season.
Senior Mark Noble scored three touchdowns -- two in the game's final 6:16, as Manchester clinched another PAC-7 championship as well as a Division IV playoff berth, doubling up on host CVCA, 28-14.
But don't be fooled by the final score. The Royals stood toe-to-toe with the state's second-ranked Division IV team, only faltering in the end with too many crucial penalties and one devastating special-teams blunder.
"I thought we outplayed them," an obviously disappointed CVCA coach Ray Carroscia said. "I thought we out-hit them, and I thought we had a great game plan that we executed well, especially in the second half."
The crux of the game occurred midway through the final quarter with the score 14-14. CVCA tailback Alex Utley, who finished with 212 yards on 39 carries, broke a 65-yard TD run after breaking several tackles -- usually by running through and over the defender -- but the play was called back on a holding penalty, CVCA's fourth of the game.
"Alex Utley gave everything he had on that play," Carroscia said. "He left it all on the field. It was outstanding. I thought we had the momentum, and they caught that break, if you want to say that."
Carroscia clearly didn't agree with the call and continued to let the officials know about it, even after the game. But the bottom line was that the play was called back, and Manchester needed to take advantage.
"Momentum plays a big part on all levels of football," Manchester coach Jim France said. "They seemed to go down a little, but it gave our guys new life."
As a result of the penalty, the Royals were unable to get a first down and had to punt from their own 31. However, the snap bounced through the legs of punter Aaron Port, who was downed on the 5-yard line.
On the next play, Noble, who finished with 94 yards on 14 carries, ran through a huge hole to make it 21-14 with 6:21 to play.
On the ensuing possession, CVCA again failed to get a first down, this time with quarterback Antonio Carroscia being sacked on fourth down.
"Utley was dominating us," Noble said. "Then our D-line made a few huge plays that got us all riled up."
Once again it took Noble only one play to score, this time from 17 yards out to complete an undefeated regular season that was not really expected by this young team.
"I think our coaches thought we could go 10-0," Noble said. "But I know a lot of families that believed we would be lucky to go 6-4. It's great to prove them wrong."
Joe Magill is a freelance writer in University Heights.