Christian Banks capped off his courageous performance at far less than full strength with a 10-yard touchdown catch and Adam Shearer kicked the game-winning extra point as Montoursville kept its season alive with a thrilling 43-42 win. The Warriors will advance to face Mifflinburg in the District 4 Class AAA championship game next week.

“I’m just proud of our effort,” Montoursville coach Joe Hanna said. “There’s ebbs and flows in a game like that. I thought at the end of regulation we had an opportunity to win, and didn’t. It didn’t happen, and I thought the kids did a nice job of staying in the game and playing out the overtime. They were taking it as it came. We have a great group of seniors. They’re great leaders, they weren’t ready to lose tonight, and we showed that off on the field.”

Shearer had a chance to win it on the final play of regulation, but his 30-yard field goal attempt got blocked to force overtime. Montoursville (9-2) has a very dangerous one-two punch at running back with Banks and Hayden Harvey, but both were limited due to injuries. Harvey only played defense, while Banks only touched the ball three times in the first half for 12 yards. However, the second half was a much different story, as Banks was an absolute menace to the Mount Carmel defense. He finished with 146 yards and two touchdowns on the ground, which was complemented by his reception on a swing pass to start the Warriors’ possession in the third overtime.

“Both Banks and Harvey are a little dinged up, we knew that coming in,” Hanna said. “Kaden Kleinman (40 yards on nine attempts) got us some carries early, Banks came in late. This team is all guts. We lost a couple other guys during the game and the kids just fought through it, so I’m super proud of them.”

Jaylen Delaney of Mt. Carmel runs the ball in for a touchdown in the third overtime against Montoursville at Montoursville High School Friday night. Montoursville won in triple overtime 43-42. DAVE KENNEDY/Sun-Gazette

Mount Carmel (5-6) rallied from a 14-0 deficit to lead by seven points on two separate occasions. In the first overtime, Jaylen Delaney, who did his absolute best to match Banks play-for-play, scored on a 3-yard run to give the Red Tornadoes a 28-21 lead in the first overtime. Just like last week in a near-upset of Shamokin, Mount Carmel was one play away from winning. Facing 4th-and-goal, Montoursville quarterback Elijah Eck found a wide-open Kingston Fisher on a 8-yard touchdown pass that extended the game into the second extra session. It was the second crushing loss for the Red Tornadoes in as many weeks, but one that further validated their second-half turnaround following a 1-4 start to the season.

“I’m proud of the way we fought to the end,” Mount Carmel coach John Darrah said. “We left it all on the field. You know, obviously it’s a tough one, but you can’t ask anymore from the kids.”

In the second overtime, Banks not only scored on a 3-yard run, but also scored on the two-point conversion following an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty on Mount Carmel. Having a very steep hill to climb, Mount Carmel easily conquered it. Gavin Marshalek hit little-used Kenny Miller all alone for a 10-yard touchdown pass on the first play of the series. Needing a two-point conversion of their own to temporarily extend their season, Delaney took a snap out of the wildcat formation and willed his way across the goal line to once again tie the score at 36-36. Delaney totaled 147 yards and three touchdowns on 24 carries. He also caught two passes for 47 yards, and became the second player in program history, joining Xavier Diaz, as the only players to go over 1,000 yards in both receiving and rushing for their careers.

“I don’t think there’s anything else he could have done,” Darrah said of Delaney. “He’s just an extremely tough kid. Great player, and like I’ve said, very, very strong.”

Montoursville jumped out to a 14-0 lead, as penalties and a couple of fumbles hurt Mount Carmel early. Eck scored on runs of 41 and 52 yards in the first half, and tallied 114 yards for the game. The Warriors offense was slowed down for much of the second half, but when the Warriors were trailing 21-14, they put together a well-executed 68-yard scoring drive when they needed it. Banks capped it off with a 6-yard run, helping the Warriors earn a chance to avenge a 35-7 loss to Mifflinburg back in Week 4.

Christian Banks of Montoursville celebrates a touchdown in the third overtime against Mt. Carmel at Montoursville High School Friday night. Montoursville won in triple overtime 43-42. DAVE KENNEDY/Sun-Gazette

“Obviously you enjoy the win,” Hanna said. “They earned the weekend to celebrate. We’ll get back to work on Monday. We played them once before, we kind of know what to expect. So, we’ll be ready come next Friday.”

Max Karycki caught an 8-yard touchdown pass just before halftime, then Delaney took one to the house from 50 yards out that tied the game late in the third quarter. Michael Kimsal made a huge play to give his team the brief fourth-quarter lead when he returned a fumble 33 yards for a touchdown. Mount Carmel was an onsides kick recovery away from beating Shamokin last week, and the Red Tornadoes were very close to closing things out against Montoursville, a team that soundly beat them 27-0 back in Week 5. In the overtimes, both teams had trouble getting stops, as both defenses looked exhausted.

“We had some injuries and things like that,” Darrah said. “We’ve got a lot of guys going both ways, but it’s just tough. Like I said, they battled. (Montoursville) was tired too, but obviously it came down to one point there at the end.”

Christian Banks of Montoursville runs for a touchdown in the third overtime against Mt. Carmel at Montoursville High School Friday night. Montoursville won in triple overtime 43-42. DAVE KENNEDY/Sun-Gazette

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

Montoursville celebrate the game winning field goal by Adam Shearer against Mt. Carmel at Montoursville High School Friday night. Montoursville won in triple overtime 43-42. DAVE KENNEDY/Sun-Gazette

Montoursville celebrate the game winning field goal by Adam Shearer (15) against Mt. Carmel at Montoursville High School Friday night. Montoursville won in triple overtime 43-42. DAVE KENNEDY/Sun-Gazette

Montoursville celebrate the game winning field goal by Adam Shearer against Mt. Carmel at Montoursville High School Friday night. Montoursville won in triple overtime 43-42. DAVE KENNEDY/Sun-Gazette

Adam Shearer of Montoursville kicks the game winning field goal against Mt. Carmel at Montoursville High School Friday night. Montoursville won in triple overtime 43-42. DAVE KENNEDY/Sun-Gazette

Kaden Kleinman of Montoursville is dragged down by Aidan Brokenshire of Mt. Carmel at Montoursville High School Friday night. Montoursville won in triple overtime 43-42. DAVE KENNEDY/Sun-Gazette

Quarterback Elijah Eck of Montoursville breaks through the defense of Mt. Carmel and scores a touchdown in the second quarter at Montoursville High School Friday night. Montoursville won in triple overtime 43-42. DAVE KENNEDY/Sun-Gazette

Hunter Shaffer (74), Branson Fogelman (55), and Kingston Fisher (41) pressure quarterback Gavin Marshalek of Montoursville of Mt. Carmel at Montoursville High School Friday night. Montoursville won in triple overtime 43-42. DAVE KENNEDY/Sun-Gazette

Kingston Fisher of Montoursville recovers a fumble by Gavin Marshalek of Mt. Carmel during the third quarter at Montoursville High School Friday night. Montoursville won in triple overtime 43-42. DAVE KENNEDY/Sun-Gazette

Christian Banks of Montoursville turns over the ball to Mt. Carmel and they went on to score and take the lead in the 4th quarter at Montoursville High School Friday night. Montoursville won in triple overtime 43-42. DAVE KENNEDY/Sun-Gazette

Christian Banks of Montoursville celebrates a touchdown to tie the game in the 4th quarter against Mt. Carmel at Montoursville High School Friday night. Montoursville won in triple overtime 43-42. DAVE KENNEDY/Sun-Gazette

Elijah Eck of Montoursville completes a pass in the final seconds of the 4th quarter against Mt. Carmel at Montoursville High School Friday night. Montoursville won in triple overtime 43-42. DAVE KENNEDY/Sun-Gazette

Jaylen Delaney of Mt. Carmel scores a touchdown in the first overtime against Montoursville at Montoursville High School Friday night. Montoursville won in triple overtime 43-42. DAVE KENNEDY/Sun-Gazette

Kingston Fisher of Montoursville runs the ball into the endzone for a touchdown against Mt. Carmel in the first overtime at Montoursville High School Friday night. Montoursville won in triple overtime 43-42. DAVE KENNEDY/Sun-Gazette

Jaylen Delaney of Mt. Carmel runs the ball in for a touchdown in the second overtime against Montoursville at Montoursville High School Friday night. Montoursville won in triple overtime 43-42. DAVE KENNEDY/Sun-Gazette