Christian Banks of Montoursville celebrates his team’s win over Mt. Carmel at Montoursville High School Friday night. Montoursville won in triple overtime 43-42. DAVE KENNEDY/Sun-Gazette

The final two quarters he would ever play at Memorial Stadium beckoned. He felt pain but Christian Banks would not exit the field.

One way or another, the Montoursville senior was leaving his home turf for the last time on his shield. Because he delivered such a valiant performance there, Banks also left it a winner.

After an injury limited him to mostly defense in the first half, Banks made a monster offensive impact in the second half, running for 137 of his 149 yards, scoring three touchdowns and helping Montoursville win a dramatic 43-42 three-overtime thriller against Mount Carmel in the District 4 Class AAA semifinals. His effort helped the Warriors (9-2) reach their first district championship since 2021 and there, they will play at Mifflinburg, Friday.

“I just knew I wanted to give everything I had. I was just driving as much as I could,” Banks said. “The injury shut out of my mind in the second half because my mindset was just to win.

“I knew no matter what percentage I was or, even if I had to stay on the sideline, I was going to do everything to support my team and they were going to give everything back that I gave to them.”

That reciprocal relationship continued through all the ebbs and flows in this riveting instant classic. All the players kept driving forward and Banks helped power that engine. After carrying just three times in the first half, he ran for 137 second-half yards, carried 19 times and caught the game-winning touchdown pass from Elijah Eck.

Banks is a four-year starter who has 3,485 career yards and 250 tackles. But of all his standout performances, this one might have been the best given the situation and ramifications.

“I’ve been at Montoursville a while now and we’ve had some really good running backs and he’s up there with those guys and that’s a tribute to his perseverance and work and toughness,” Montoursville coach Joe Hanna said. “He has the mentality of, ‘I want to win and lay it all out on the line.’ Christian really overcame a lot of adversity.”

Banks has battled injuries throughout the season but one can hardly tell. He has run for 1,263 yards and 19 touchdowns, while adding 137 receiving yards and two scores. Banks also has made 50 tackles, including 40 solos and eight for loss. That has been vital to Montoursville making a three-win improvement and winning its most games in a season since 2019.

The numbers tell a small story, but it’s the way Banks plays which really is the page turner. Never was that truer than against Mount Carmel. Montoursville found itself involved in one of the more dramatic games in the history of its storied program as both title contenders traded big plays and leads like Bugs Bunny and Yosemite Sam in a Steel Cage match.

But inspired by senior teammate, two-way linemen Noah Rakestraw, Banks fought on. Instead of asking for a lighter load, Banks welcomed a heavier one. There were times he ran through holes and times Banks ran over tacklers. Either way, he kept churning out yards and Montoursville kept battling back, erasing a seven-point fourth quarter deficit and two overtime deficits.

“Noah Rakestraw has the motivation to lead an army into any battle. He has that drive to win every game, and he just puts the mindset into your head that you can win the game no matter what,” Banks said. “When I see that from him, it drives me even more and I hope that pushes the team. Without him, I wouldn’t be able to do what I do. When you need him, he’s a guy you can depend on, no matter the circumstance.”

So is Banks.

Banks was first injured in Week 2 against Milton but did not miss any time. He closed the regular season with six straight 100-yard games, starting at Mount Carmel’s Silver Bowl in Week 5. Banks went over 100 yards before halftime in the Battle of the Bridge Game five weeks later but was banged up again and played just defense during that second half.

That pretty much was the case throughout the first half against Mount Carmel and Montoursville built a 14-0 lead. But after the Tornadoes tied it early in the third quarter and took the lead later that quarter, Banks pushed aside both a strong opponent and any pain he felt. And as Banks started imposing his will, his body started feeling better.

Now, it was Banks administering the pain. He tied the game with a 6-yard fourth quarter touchdown before crashing in for a 3-yarder and adding a 2-point conversion as Montoursville took a 36-28 double overtime lead. Mount Carmel responded and scored on consecutive plays, going up, 42-36 in the third overtime.

Mount Carmel likely had an idea who would get the ball on Montoursville’s ensuing play but the line did its job, Banks his and he ripped off a 10-yard touchdown run which tied the game again.

“I think I reached a different level, considering I was dealing with an injury,” Banks said. “The amount of effort I was able to release from my body, I felt like I was improving as the game went on with the injury and with my strength and my agility and things like that.”

“Christian kind of took it upon his shoulders in the second half to go in on offense,” Hanna said. “He wanted the ball and knew as a senior that this was probably his last home game and that in the playoffs, it’s win or go home, so he wanted to do everything he could.”

Banks certainly did that and moments later he experienced euphoria as Adam Shearer drilled the game-winning extra point. Through it all, Banks and the Warriors overcame all obstacles and won, 43-42. Talk about making one’s final home contest a special one.

“That’s probably the best way I could have left that field,” Banks said. “Any normal win or blowout would still have been memorable, but that game was something I’ll never forget. I’m very happy with that.”

Montoursville has been more than happy it has had Banks these last four years.

He immediately stepped in as a freshman and played well at linebacker. A year later, he became the team’s top rushing option, running for 786 yards and seven touchdowns. Each season he progressed and Banks ran for 1,308 yards and 14 touchdowns last fall as Montoursville made a three-win improvement and reached the district semifinals.

That Banks has increased his immense team value each year is not a coincidence or just natural progression. It is a result of countless hours spent lifting, training and conditioning. That has made Banks a 5-foot-10, 190-pound bowling ball-type runner with speed.

He has the ability to run by, around or over defenders. Conversely, Banks has the speed and intelligence to help quarterback the defense and excel against both the pass and rush.

What completes the package, however, is the toughness Banks displays. That is the thread which has connected all four years at Montoursville.

Banks is among the top 20 area rushers of the 2000s and the only Montoursville players to gain more yards during that time are Keith Batkowski, Rocco Pulizzi and Cody Haupt. That puts him in exclusive company but it’s who Banks is which really cements his place in Montoursville history.

“When you play as much football as Christian has over the years, you’re going to have setbacks mentally and physically and he always seems to overcome those,” Hanna said. “He’s a tough, physical kid and he put in a lot of effort in the offseason to make himself better, and has become a really, really good running back. He’s a good linebacker, too, but this year he kind of made it his mission to become a complete running back and he’s really done a good job of doing that.”