It also shined a light on how quick these South Williamsport kids are growing up. Emphasis on the word kids, too, because South features only three seniors and is playing mostly sophomores and freshmen.

So, maybe it was fitting that a freshman made the game-clinching play. Moy intercepted a pass in the end zone with just a few seconds remaining and South edged Muncy, 28-20 at Scott McLean Field. The Mounties (5-3, 4-0 NTL-II) erased a six-point fourth quarter deficit, won at Muncy for the first time in the regular season since 2017 and set up a showdown for the league championship next Friday against Montgomery.

“I was going to go and try and tackle the QB. I saw he was rolling out and went back to a seam in the end zone and was able to make the play,” Moy, a freshman cornerback said. ” I was hyped. It was really exciting.”

So are both South’s present and future.

Andrew Walters of Muncy throws the ball under pressure from Cade Lusk of South Williamsport at Muncy High School Friday night. DAVE KENNEDY/Sun-Gazette

Sophomore Eli White ran for 105 yards and three touchdowns; freshman Garrett Lorson ripped off a 30-yard fourth quarter touchdown after intercepting a pass moments earlier and junior wide receiver Levi Butler made an acrobatic catch which set up White’s 1-yard, go-ahead touchdown run with 7 minutes, 53 seconds remaining.

Sophomore Cade Lusk ran for 62 yards, intercepted a first quarter pass at the goal line to prevent a score and then made a touchdown saving tackle on a last-minute double reverse. The Mounties might be young and most do not yet have their licenses, but they have won four straight games and have driven themselves to the league championship game.

“It’s fun. Now it’s more than just football,” long-time South coach Chris Eiswerth said. “We’ve been here for all these years and the big thing we talk about with them is, ‘You’re the next group. You’re the next guys. You’re the next all-staters. You’re the next guys making playoff runs. You can kind of build off that.”

South has done a lot of building in a short time, winning four straight games and securing a .500 or better regular season for a 14th straight year. The Mounties are young, but they played like veterans against Muncy, never flinching after trailing twice in the second half. White’s third touchdown, and ensuing Kaiden Paulhamus extra point, put South ahead to stay before Lorson (71 yards) caught the defense looking inside and took a hand-off right before cutting up the middle and speeding away for a 30-yard touchdown which made it, 28-20 with 5:23 left.

But Muncy kept coming back, too. The Indians (5-3, 3-2) drove to the South 37-yard line on their next series before consecutive Moy break-ups on third and fourth down ended the threat. Unfazed, the defense forced a quick three-and-out when a first down would have ended the game and Nixon Lamper charged through the line, blocking a punt and giving Muncy a shot at the South 38.

Carter Fiegles of Muncy pulls in a pass against South Williamsport at Muncy High School Friday night. DAVE KENNEDY/Sun-Gazette

“We gave ourselves a chance, that’s for sure. We turned it over the possession before and the defense steps up and makes big plays, and we get a blocked punt. We got a couple first downs and get the ball to the 15 and we just have to find a way to finish that drive,” Muncy coach Chris Persing said. “That happened a couple times tonight, and I have to go back and figure out a way for us to get better in the red zone, and that’s what we’ll do and we’ll try and get better for next week.”

Bryson Barrows took a reverse and threw his first pass this season to Nate Rogers for 11 yards on that final series before Andrew Walters (221 yards passing, 3 total touchdowns) found Gavin Barrows for 11 yards and a first down at the 16. Following a spike to stop the clock, Lusk made a superb open-field tackle and limited Rogers to one yard when he was the last line of defense on that double revers. A play later, Gavin Barrows caught a four-yard pass setting up 4th-and-5 from the 11.

Kasim Davenport capped a strong performance by flushing Walters from the pocket but the senior quarterback kept the play alive. When Moy made his snap decision, however, Walters was out of options and had to release the ball before being tackled. Moy caught it in front of the left pylon and South celebrated its biggest win yet this season.

“I was a little scared because you don’t know if he’s going to catch it, but I’m proud that my team and I could make the plays,” Moy said. “They’re a good team. We just did our thing and made it happen. We knew we could do it.”

Two years after going to overtime at Muncy, South and the Indians staged another classic in a series defined by them. The Mounties scored first on White’s three-yard touchdown run in the second quarter before Muncy tied it on a Walters to Gavin Barrows 31-yard connection. Walters found Rogers for a 27-yard touchdown run which gave Muncy a 14-7 third quarter lead and hit Carter Feigles for 13 yards on a 4th-and-5, four plays before putting Muncy ahead, 20-14 with his fourth-and-goal 1-yard touchdown run.

Cole Gerber (3) of South Williamsport hands the ball off to Cade Lusk (26) and fakes to Garrett Lorson (22) at Muncy High School Friday night. DAVE KENNEDY/Sun-Gazette

South, though, quickly responded both times Muncy moved ahead. Several players have excelled in big moments in other sports and they proved they can do it on the football field as well. South outscored Muncy, 14-0 in the fourth quarter and repeatedly made huge plays at the most critical times.

“We just had to keep fighting,” Butler said after catching five passes for 61 yards. “We just had to push through.”

South did so after the Rogers touchdown, needing just three plays to answer. Cole Gerber (80 yards) found Butler for eight yards on the next play, Lusk (62 yards) ripped off a 30-yard run and White burst up the middle for a 27-yard touchdown run on the next play, tying it, 14-14.

After Muncy went ahead again, Gerber connected with sophomore tight end Neeko Bowen for 14 yards, igniting a nine-play drive. Butler highlighted that series when he made a phenomenal 29-yard catch at the 1-yard line.

Butler was defended well on third-and-7, but Gerber threw an excellent deep ball, giving Butler the shot at making a play. Despite blanket coverage by Dominic Guardini, Butler somehow made the leaping catch while falling backward. A play later, White was in the end zone and South was ahead for good.

Eli White (28) of South Williamsport runs for a touchdown against Muncy at Muncy High School Friday night. DAVE KENNEDY/Sun-Gazette

“I honestly thought I was covered pretty well. My QB threw a perfect ball and it just hit me right in the hands,” Butler said. “Credit to them and the line for helping make that happen.”

Linemen Eli Harvey, Gavin Lumbard, Camden Hannan, Kamdyn Bubb and Cadden Smith excelled all night, providing Gerber quality protection while helping the three-headed monster of White, Lorson and Lusk run for 238 yards, averaging 6.6 yards per carry.

Lorson is having a terrific freshman season and it continued when the linebacker dropped into coverage following White’s third touchdown and intercepted a pass at midfield. Lorson returned it to the Muncy 34, but the Indians stiffened and forced a third-and-7.

Having White back to full health following an early-season injury has opened up the options for South in the running game and it paid big dividends here. After White and Lusk ran inside, Lorson hit the edge hard on third down, White provided a super seal block. Lorson found another gear, pulling away for his 30-yard touchdown run which made it an eight-point game.

“Muncy made some plays and did some really good things but we just hung in there. We hung around and hung around and we just kept grinding and digging,” Eiswerth said. “We have these donnybrooks with Muncy and so many go down to the wire, so that was a great win.”

Carter Feigles (9) of Muncy tackles Levi Bulter (11) of South Williamsport after Bulter pulled in a pass at Muncy High School Friday night. DAVE KENNEDY/Sun-Gazette

Muncy produced a valiant performance in defeat. The Indians were playing without starting linebackers Layken Harris and Jaxson Thomas, both who also play key roles in the offensive backfield. Wes Somits rarely left the field but played well on both sides of the ball, while Bryson Barrows entered the backfield mix for the first time and was one of many players who played well in new roles.

Ultimately, it was not what Muncy did wrong late in the game but what South did right. The effort was there and Muncy has some positives it can build upon as it enters the regular season’s final two weeks.

Those include Walters throwing some dimes after South took away Muncy’s running game and Gavin Barrows catching six passes for 90 yards, among others. Nassir Miller also played a strong game in the middle of Muncy’s defense and started slowing South’s inside running game as the contest progressed.

“We had some guys step up and that’s what we asked of them, to sacrifice for the betterment of the team. I’m really proud of that because it could have been problematic and it wasn’t. Our guys responded really well,” Persing said. “We have to learn from this one and come in Monday and be ready to work and be ready to play well and keep building and get ourselves in position to be healthy and move forward.”

South moves forward toward Friday’s championship showdown against Montgomery at Rodney K. Morgans Stadium. The Mounties have just 26 players on their roster and three are seniors. Given those numbers, many did not expect South would be in this situation entering Week 9.

South, however, enjoys quieting the doubters. They might not have large numbers, but the Mounties have talent, toughness and poise and they keep improving each week.

The ride continues but someday South will look back at this Muncy game and smile. This was the one where the kids really came of age.

“It feels great. This is one we wanted,” Butler said. “This one will definitely be in the back of my mind.”

“You start crying because this stuff overwhelms you. These kids become such an intricate part of your life,” Eiswerth said. “It’s really cool to see them achieve something like this.”

Nathan Rogers (11) of Muncy celebrates score a touchdown against South Williamsport during the third quarter at Muncy High School Friday night. DAVE KENNEDY/Sun-Gazette

Nathan Rogers (11) of Muncy scores a touchdown against South Williamsport during the third quarter at Muncy High School Friday night. DAVE KENNEDY/Sun-Gazette

Andrew Walters of Muncy runs with the ball against South Williamsport at Muncy High School Friday night. DAVE KENNEDY/Sun-Gazette

Eli White of South Williamsport looks for running room against at Muncy High School Friday night. DAVE KENNEDY/Sun-Gazette

Levi Butler of South Williamsport runs against Muncy at Muncy High School Friday night. DAVE KENNEDY/Sun-Gazette

Nathan Rogers (11) of Muncy runs the ball against South Williamsport at Muncy High School Friday night. DAVE KENNEDY/Sun-Gazette

Andrew Walters of Muncy passes under pressure by Kamdyn Bubb of South Williamsport at Muncy High School Friday night. DAVE KENNEDY/Sun-Gazette

Gavin Burrows (1) of Muncy celebrates a touchdown against South Williamsport in the second quarter at Muncy High School Friday night. DAVE KENNEDY/Sun-Gazette

Gavin Burrows (1) of Muncy pulls in a touchdown pass against South Williamsport in the second quarter at Muncy High School Friday night. DAVE KENNEDY/Sun-Gazette