Steve Camp
Special to the Chapel Hill Sports Report

Mario Cannon stretches for extra yards. (Alan Cordrey/Chapel Hill Sports Report)

There is a certain degree of pain with any loss, but some sting worse than others.  The largest home crowd of the season saw the Panthers (3-2, 2-2 in region play) suffer a 20-17 last-second homecoming loss at the hands of the visiting Pebblebrook Falcons.  A 40-yard bomb in the waning seconds proved to be the deciding blow and set up the game-winning 25-yard field goal with 5 seconds remaining. 

It appeared despite multiple miscues and penalties the Panthers had earned a shot at overtime redemption.   A  gritty 75-yard drive late in the fourth quarter ended with Mario Cannon’s second TD run.  Twice during the drive Chapel Hill converted on 4^th down, the last being the  1-yard touchdown plunge.  Senior kicker, James Harris’ point after knotted the score at 17 with 1:56 remaining. 

But following  the ensuing kick-off ,  Pebblebrook  (2-3 overall & in the region) ground out a pair of first downs (only their 2^nd and 3^rd of the half) to the Chapel Hill 48. With 20 seconds remaining a 40-yard completion  brought the Falcons to the Panther’s 8 yard-line.  A timeout by Coach Parker seemed to have no ill effect on the visiting kicker, who calmly split the uprights with the game winner with only 5 seconds remaining.. 

“We had too many mistakes from start to finish”, stated a somber Chris Parker afterward.  “They (Pebblebrook) made the plays all night, especially there at the end.  We’ll have to come back on Monday ready to work harder”.

Cannon paced the Panthers on the ground with 118 yards and a pair of touchdown on 20 carries.  Fellow Senior, Jonathan Parks added 4 catches along with several tough rushing yards down the stretch.  Quarterback DeShawn Abercrombie appeared to have passed his first real pressure test of the season.  The junior signal caller completed several key passes in both of the Panthers’ touchdown drives and made all the critical throws.

After the Panthers opened the game with 5 offensive plays and a punt, the visiting Falcons used a 61-yard run to set up the games’ first score on a 37-yard field goal  4 minutes into the contest.  Their 74-yard TD pass less than 3 minutes later put them in control, 10-0.  Maintaining their composure, the Panthers went to the ground game as Cannon churned out the yardage.  His 3-yard ramble on the opening play of the 2^nd quarter cut the Falcons’ lead to 10-7.  

IT appeared the home team had taken the lead late in the half as senior, Tent White returned a punt 69 yards for a TD.  But a block in the back negated White’s stellar effort and the half concluded with the visitors clinging to their 3-point margin. 

“Blue collar” work by the Panther defense in the 2^nd half kept them in the game.  Linebackers Tim Potate and Michael Goodnight lead the Panthers’ charge as they allowed the Falcons only a single 2^nd-half first down until the game’s final drive.  The Falcons pushed the score to 17-7 at the beginning of the 4^th quarter with a 47-yard fumble return for a touchdown.  The Panthers quickly answered with a drive which ended with a 23-yard Harris field goal to cut the lead to 17-10. 

After their dramatic game-tying drive late in the game, Chapel Hill’s defense was unable to garner one final stop.  The Falcons used the waning last ticks of the clock to move into position for their winning boot.

The Panthers get back to work on Monday as they prepare for next week’s road contest with region contest against Region 4 AAAAA foe, Mundy’s Mill.  All 5 of the Panthers’ remaining contests with be region battles which will determine who advances to the AAAAA State play-offs.