(Posted 9:30 a.m., Aug. 19)
Panthers lose OVFL championship in triple overtime
By Fred Sherwin
Orléans Online

A dejected Alex Skinner (right) and Ashton Dickson sit on their helmets as the championship medals are handed out to the Essex Ravens following their 39-32 triple overtime win in the OVFl final on Saturday. Fred Sherwin/Photo

Mistakes, miscues and missed opportunities -- that pretty well sums up the story for the hometown Cumberland Panthers as they fell 39-32 to the Essex Ravens in the OVFL championship game in triple overtime on Saturday.

The Panthers had two touchdowns called back due to penalties, four turnovers -- one of which set up the Essex Ravens first touchdown -- and a third penalty that would eventually lead to the Ravens' game-tying touchdown late in the fourth quarter,

But despite all the miscues the Panthers still had a chance to win the game in overtime, thanks to the play of running back Ashton Dickson and slotback J.P. Hamelin.

In the OVFL overtime is played out with both teams getting a chance to score from the 30-yard line. If neither team scores, or if both teams get the same number of points they do it all over again until a winner is determined.

After wining the coin toss to begin the extra session, the Panthers chose to defend first, hoping that they would stop the Ravens on their first attempt from the 30 yard line and then count on the foot of Ryan Begin to win the game.

Unfortunately their plan hit a snag when the Ravens got into the end zone in just three plays culminating in a five yard fade pass from their quarterback and game MVP Austin Kennedy to Dylan Whitfield, which was identical to the play they tied the game on.

The Panthers answered back with a touchdown of their own, going 30 yards on four plays including a four yard run up the middle by Dickson. After the Ravens were called for unnecessary roughness on the convert, the penalty was assessed on the next series of downs which meant the Panthers got to start on the 15-yard line after winning the second coin toss.

Back-to-back runs of nine and six yards by Dickson was all that it took for the Panthers to regain the advantage. But it wouldn't last long as Kennedy hooked up with Whitfield again on a 30 yard slant pass to set up a third overtime.

After winning the coin toss Essex elected to go on offence first and scored a touchdown again, forcing the Panthers into the situation where they had to get into the endzone again or the game would be over.

Cumberland managed to pick up one first down, but then the Ravens stopped the run twice setting up a fourth down and 10 situation at the 15-yard line. Panthers quarterback Alex Skinner scrambled out of the pocket and then found Andrew Mullings who had to come back to make a leaping catch right at the first down marker.

The Ravens immediately rushed on to the field thinking that that they had won the game, but the referee called for a measurement. The game came down to how the ball was spotted and whether or not Mullings momentum in coming back for the ball had caused him to come down short of the first down. As the first down marker came down to reveal the answer it showed that he had come up a foot and a half short and the Ravens celebration started anew.

For the Panthers it was a bitter way to end what was a classic championship football game at Minto Field.

The Panthers thought they had opened the scoring in the first quarter when Hamelin crossed the goal line on a one yard run up the middle, but Cumberland was called for having too many men on the field, so instead of first and goal from the one yard line, they were moved back 10 yards. The result was that they had to settle for a field goal instead of a touchdown.

As the first quarter was winding down, Skinner threw an errant pas right into the hands of a Ravens defender who ran the ball back to the Panthers 20-yard line. An unnecessary roughing call against the Panthers on the tackle would give the Ravens a first down from the five.

It took the Ravens three plays to get into the end zone and and take a 7-3 lead into the second quarter.

The Panthers would have another touchdown called back midway through the second quarter on a questionable offside call that negated an excellent pass and run play down the middle from Skinner to Hamelin that covered 67 yards.

As it was the first half ended with the Panthers trailing 7-3. The Ravens extended their lead to 10-3 in the opening minutes of the second half after Ziad Elsayed picked off an errant pass from Skinner and returned it to the Panthers' 20-yard line where Essex kicker Dan Collela split the uprights.

The score would remain 10-3 in favour of the Ravens until late in the third quarter when Dickson broke across the line of scrimmage and ran 48-yards for the major thanks to a well-timed block downfield by Mullings.

The Panthers would eventually take the lead late in the fourth on a 23-yard run up the middle by Dickson that was set up by a 30-yard pass down the sideline from Skinner to Mullings on a play that had missed fired on twice before.

Another unnecessary roughness call against the Ravens on the convert would give Panthers' kicker Ryan Begin a chance to kick a single from the Essex 50-yard line and put Cumberland up 18-0 with just under three minutes left to go in the game.

But just when it looked as though the Panthers might have snatched victory from the jaws of defeat, the Ravens manufactured a 75 scoring drive that was almost over before it even started. The Panthers had forced the Ravens into a fourth and 10 situation deep in Cumberland territory when they were called for roughing the passer.

The call seemed to breath new life into the Ravens sails and they promptly and efficiently moved the ball 42 yards on eight plays, culminating in a 15-yard fade pass from Kennedy to Whitfield.

But even with the touchdown, the Ravens still had to make a two point conversion to force overtime. Not surprisingly, Kennedy went to his favourite receiver who caught the ball on the goal line to knot score at 18-18.

Despite the miscues the Panthers played their hearts out on both sides of the ball. Besides Hamelin and Mullings, Harry Short also had a great game as did Skinner minus the two interceptions.

This is the second time a Panthers' team has made it to the OVFL finals. The Junior Varsity team pulled off the feat two years ago, but lost as well.

There are already great expectations for the Junior OV team next year which will benefit from a handful of graduates from this year's Peewee squad. The Varsity team should also be a force to be reckoned with once again. But for now all attention turns to the Panthers' junior team and the upcoming NCAFA season where the Panthers are looking to return to the A-Cup finals.

(This story was made possible thanks to the generous support of our local business partners.)

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