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Muncy can’t hold fourth-quarter lead in state tourney loss

MARK NANCE/Sun-Gazette Muncy’s Christian Good (15) waits for the ball to fall in his arms after a mid-air battle for the pass with Halifax defenders Jesse Kargus (20) and Broc Grosser (5) in the first quarter of Sunday’s PIAA Class A playoff game at Danville High School.

DANVILLE — As Muncy wide receiver Dylan Wilt and Halifax safety Broc Grosser jumped high in the end zone, they collided hard and fell even harder. Wilt suffered an apparent broken hand on that incompletion and Grosser a tailbone injury.

Neither athlete missed a play.

The sequence symbolized Sunday night’s fiercely-fought, wildly-entertaining Class A state tournament first-round game. Both teams delivered big hits, fantastic plays and fought off the ropes. Neither one landed a knockout blow, but Halifax won a dramatic decision.

Muncy erased a seven-point, third-quarter deficit, but Halifax mounted a game-winning 46-yard drive, set up by Grosser’s 29-yard return. Evan Billow’s late 4-yard touchdown run lifted Halifax to a 19-18 win. One of the best Muncy seasons in program history came to a gut-wrenching end despite a valiant effort against the state’s No. 6-ranked team.

“We have a lot to be proud about and we did a lot of great things for Muncy football,” Muncy quarterback Kolby Moyer said after throwing for 107 yards and a touchdown. “Halifax played a great game, we played a great game and at the end of the day somebody has to win, but we did a great job the last four years and I couldn’t be prouder of my teammates and coaches. I’m going to have these memories forever.”

Halifax (11-1) earned a spot in next weekend’s quarterfinals against District 2 champion Lackawanna Trail. Billow scored twice and West Virginia-bound Grosser caught a 39-yard touchdown.

“My back kept locking up on me and any sharp movement was sending a shock down my leg,” Grosser said. “With it being my last season you have to give everything and not just me, but the whole team, did that. When it came down to crunch time everyone went 110 percent.”

After Mike Kustanbauter made a jarring hit on a fourth-and-short from the Indian 12-yard line and Coleman Good forced a fumble, Muncy put together consecutive scoring drives which turned a seven-point halftime deficit into an 18-13 lead with 8 minutes, 5 seconds remaining. Linemen Donovan Diehl, James Yordy, Dakota Hauesien, Josiah Meza, Coty Steele and Mason Hillman dominated those two drives as Muncy ran the ball at will. Kustanbauter’s 1-yard touchdown made it 13-12 late in the third quarter, and Good’s 4-yard score on a third-and-goal gave Muncy its first lead as it neared the program’s first state tournament win.

Grosser, though, provided Halifax a badly needed spark on the ensuing kickoff. He fielded a high-hopping kick at the 25, broke to his left and ran 29 yards to the Muncy 46. Seven plays later, Billow scored and Halifax went ahead, 19-18.

“I was listening to my blockers. Evan and Jay Zerby behind me said outside and we went outside and a hole opened up and we were able to get good field position to start that drive,” Grosser said. “We knew we had six minutes or so and we knew we had enough time to put another score in.”

Muncy moved 18 yards to midfield on its next series before Billow charged into the backfield and blew up a play for a 3-yard loss. Moyer looked like Houdini a play later, somehow escaping a sack and throwing toward Christian Good at the first-down marker. Good and his brother Coleman both looked like they might have made a Julian Edelman-style Super Bowl catch but the back judge ruled it incomplete and Muncy punted.

After Muncy forced a three-and-out, it had one last chance, taking over at its 35 with 16 seconds remaining. Moyer found Coleman Good for 17 yards on the last play, but Halifax swarmed him before he could lateral as time expired.

As heartbreaking as the defeat was, Muncy made yet another statement after winning a second district title in three years and beating two teams it had lost to during the regular season to do so. The Indians slowed down a powerful offense, moved the ball on a defense allowing just 11 points per game, and nearly made history. In defeat, the Indians were as impressive as in any of those big wins.

“I can’t ask for more from our guys. They came out and played with all their hearts. They left it all on the table and it just didn’t go our way in the end,” Muncy coach Sean Tetreault said. “This group of kids is the toughest kids I’ve ever coached at Muncy. They come in and work everyday balls to the wall. They put in all the extra time and they’re in top-notch shape. They know it’s going to be a physical battle and they bring it every single play.”

Halifax struck first when it took its opening drive 71 yards in 16 plays and took a 7-0 lead on Billow’s 4-yard score. Christian Good made a circus-like fourth-down catch on Muncy’s next drive and Wilt shook off his hand injury to speed past his defender and catch a 20-yard touchdown on fourth-and-16 as Muncy cut it to 7-6.

Grosser caught a 39-yard score right before halftime and Halifax threatened to make it a two-score drive when it drove to Muncy’s 12 on the second-half’s first series. Kustanbauter, who capped a brilliant scholastic career with another double-digit tackle performance, perfectly read the option play and stoned Tyler Berzowski for just 1 yard on a fourth-and-3 and his hit changed the game’s complexion.

After Coleman Good (85 yards, nine tackles) forced a fumble on Halifax’s next offensive play, the Indians moved 64 yards and made it a one-score game. Wilt made a spectacular leaping 30-yard catch, wrestling the ball from Grosser, which kept the drive going.

Muncy ran the ball 12 consecutive times on its following drive and Good scored inside the right pylon on a delayed draw.

“We could not have played a better game, but at the end of the day just a few things didn’t go our way,” Moyer said. “This game kind of summed up all four of our years together. We have nine great seniors that played both sides of the ball that worked every single summer. We took a fourth-quarter lead in states and not too many, if any Muncy teams, can say that.”

“They have every reason to hold their heads high,” Tetreault said. “They set a new legacy at Muncy.”

Halifax 19, Muncy 18

Muncy 0 6 6 6 — 18

Halifax 7 6 0 6 — 19

First Quarter

H–Evan Billow 4 run (Tai Lehman kick), 3:17

Second Quarter

M–Dylan Wilt 20 pass from Kolby Moyer (kick failed), 11:54

H–Broc Grosser 39 pass from London Johnson (run failed), :9.6

Third Quarter

M–Mike Kustanbauter 1 run (run failed), 2:26

Fourth Quarter

M–Coleman Good 4 run (pass failed), 8:05

H–Billow 4 run (pass failed), 4:31

TEAM STATISTICS M H

First Downs 10 14

Rushes-yards 44-169 39-171

Comp-Att-Int 6-13-0 11-15-0

Passing yards 107 98

Total yards 276 269

Fumbles-lost 0-0 1-1

Penalties-yards 4-25 3-17

INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS

RUSHING: Muncy, Coleman Good 19-85, TD; Mike Kustanbauter 11-53, TD; Ty Nixon 10-23; Kolby Moyer 3-5; Ethan Gush 1-3. Halifax, Tyler Berzowski 16-89; London Johnson 6-30; Donovan Marshall 8-25; Broc Grosser 2-17; Evan Billow 6-13, 2 TD; Jay Zerby 1-(-3).

PASSING: Muncy, Moyer 6-13-0, TD, 107 yards. Halifax, Johnson 11-14-0, 98 yards; Grosser 0-1-0.

RECEIVING: Muncy, Dylan Wilt 2-50, TD; Christian Good 2-33; Co. Good 1-18, Nate Palamtier 1-6. Halifax, Grosser 3-46, TD; Billow 3-31; Marshall 3-16; Zerby 1-3, Berzowski 1-2.

RECORDS: Halifax 11-1. Muncy 9-4.

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