An overwhelming display of speed and savvy allowed the Central York football team to jump out to a comfortable lead over Red Lion Friday night, not unlike most of the Panthers' games this season.

This time was different, though.

The opposing Lions found their stride in the third quarter. They knocked the Panthers back on their heels in front of the home crowd. They recovered an onside kick and held the ball in Central territory down by only six points with less than six minutes remaining.

That's when a Central team facing its first

pressure-packed fourth quarter of the season delivered in the clutch to keep its Division I title hopes alive.

A critical sack forced a Red Lion punt and a pair of big rushes from T.J. Shaffer

Red Lion's Brett Fishel, left, gets taken down by
Central's Kyle Baublitz, center, and Eric Spahr during Friday's game. Fishel scored on a 4-yard run in the third quarter for the Lions.
(Daily Record/Sunday News - Meghan Gauriloff)
and D.J. Harrison led to a two-play, 89-yard scoring drive that accounted for the final touchdown in Central's 40-28 victory.

"To me, the last eight minutes of that game told me a lot that I needed to know about our football team," Central coach Brad Livingston. "I think we came out for the second half and kind of thought we would have our way with them. And then that didn't happen, and we putzed around a little bit, but we came back when the chips were down, and it counted."

Harrison rushed for 188 yards and two touchdowns on 20 carries and also found the end zone on a 41-yard reception and an 80-yard kickoff return on the first play of the game.

L'Mar Calhoun also returned a kickoff 80 yards for a touchdown in the first half to help the Panthers grab a 20-point advantage after two quarters.

"Other than the two kickoffs that I said all week could be the difference in the game, I think we're a better football team," Red Lion coach Pat Conrad said. "Our kids played a hell of a football game."

The Panthers (8-1, 6-0 YAIAA Division I) still held a 20-point lead late in the third quarter until Red Lion sophomore quarterback Dalton Miller found a wide open Max Horka in the end zone on a play fake to make the score

Central York's D.J. Harrison tries to get around Red Lion's Joe Ross at the goal line to score a touchdown during Friday's game.
(Daily Record/Sunday News - Meghan Gauriloff)
34-21. It was the second touchdown reception of the night for the senior tight end, who finished with four catches for 46 yards.

Red Lion forced Central to punt on its next possession but had its drive stalled with eight minutes left in the fourth quarter when a holding penalty brought back a Brett Fishel touchdown reception, and the Lions (5-4, 4-2) faced a fourth-and-26 on their own 20.

Even that couldn't stop the Lions, as Todd Maciejewski's punt bounced off the leg of Central's Chris Royer and was recovered by Ross at the Central 38. Five plays later, Miller threw his third touchdown pass of the night, finding fullback Jake Hagan from 1 yard out to pull within six points.

Red Lion went for the onside kick, and Keith Dalheimer delivered a high bouncer that was recovered by Ross at the Central 45. The comeback stopped there, as Central's Eric Spahr sacked Miller for a 6-yard loss on second down. The sophomore failed to find a receiver on third-and-13, and the Lions punted the ball to the Central 11 with just more than five minutes left in the contest.

Calhoun ran up the left side for 32 yards on the first play from scrimmage, and the Panthers called Harrison's number on the next play. The senior took a pitch on the far side, found a hole and was gone. Fifty-seven yards later, Harrison stopped running, and the Panthers stopped worrying

"Because they were coming back, we knew we had to score," Harrison said of his final touchdown run. "Everybody was back into the game."

Red Lion failed to get a first down the rest of the game, turning the ball over on downs on its next possession. The Lions did force a Central punt with 1:14 remaining, but Miller, who finished the game 10-of-21 for 86 yards, was intercepted by Central's Brandon Kenney.

The Panthers close the season next week at home against undefeated William Penn in what amounts to a Division I title game.

smclernon@ydr.com; 771-2045
 

Red Lion    0    7  14    7 -- 28
Central York  13  14    7    6 -- 40

First Quarter
   CY -- D. J. Harrison 80 kickoff return (Alex Kelly kick), 11:55
   CY -- Parrish Fells 31 pass from Brandon Workinger (run failed), 6:20
Second Quarter
   RL -- Max Horka 13 pass from Dalton Miller (Casey Raver kick), 11:54
   CY -- L'Mar Calhoun 80 kickoff return (Kelly kick), 11:36
   CY -- Harrison 63 run (Kelly kick), 1:39
Third Quarter
   RL -- Brett Fishel 4 run (Raver kick), 9:27
   CY -- Harrison 41 pass from Workinger (Kelly kick), 4:49
   RL -- Horka 20 pass from Miller (Raver kick), 1:16
Fourth Quarter
   RL -- Jake Hagan 1 pass from Miller (Raver kick), 6:17
   CY -- Harrison 57 run (pass failed), 4:33
 
-- RL -- CY
First downs -- 13 -- 9
Rushes-yards -- 39-184 -- 29-248
Passing -- 10-21-1 -- 4-12-1
Passing yards -- 86 -- 107
Total yards -- 270 -- 355
Punts -- 3-44 -- 2-32.5
Fumbles-lost -- 4-1 -- 0-0
Penalties-yards -- 6-34 -- 2-15

 
INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS
   Rushing -- Red Lion, Dalton Miller 14-65, Jake Hagan 8-61, Brett Fishel 17-58; Central York, D.J. Harrison 20-188, T.J. Shaffer 3-43, Brandon Workinger 4-9, Parrish Fells 1-6, Charles Anderson 1-2.
   Passing -- Red Lion, Dalton Miller 10-21-1-86; Central York, Brandon Workinger 4-12-1-107.
   Receiving -- Red Lion, Max Horka 4-46, Joe Ross 2-20, Brett Fishel 3-19, Jake Hagan 1-1; Central York, D.J. Harrison 1-41, Parrish Fells 1-31, Kyle Baublitz 1-24, Blaine Liggins 1-11.