PALMER — Mohawk Trail was gifted a golden opportunity on the road against Palmer with three minutes, 46 seconds to play in regulation, Friday night.
Warrior quarterback Shawn Davenport snuck in a touchdown with 8:19 to go, bringing Mohawk Trail within two points, but a failed two-point conversion meant they needed a stop defensively.
The host Panthers drove down the field on the next drive, killing clock, when quarterback Jack Letendre went to pitch the ball to the right on a third down. Running back Tyler Placanico ran to the left however, leading to a fumble that was recovered by the Warriors that set them up at the Palmer 40 with a shot to take the lead late.
As had been the case with the Mohawk Trail offense during most of the game however, it was unable to find any rhythm moving the ball as three rushes in a row failed to generate yardage before Davenport ran for his life on fourth down, culminating in a 31-yard sack and a loss of downs.
Palmer took three knees in a row to come out with a 14-12 victory in a Tri-County League showdown at Legion Field.
“They changed a little on their defense and we didn’t block,” Warrior coach Doug McCloud said of the offense’s troubles. “That’s what it comes down to. We were running all over them but couldn’t block. It’s that simple.”
It was the second week in a row the Mohawk Trail (3-2 overall, 2-2 TCL) offense wasn’t able to find its groove, as the passing game was nearly non-existent. Davenport finished 2-for-8 with 11 yards and an interception.
Evan Shippee led the way on the ground with 71 yards, 33 coming on one carry as the team’s ground attack was bottled up throughout the contest.
The Warriors caught a break to open the game, when the Panthers (2-3, 2-2) muffed the opening kickoff, setting Mohawk Trail up at the Palmer 24.
Four plays later, Cam Lococo, who finished with 56 yards on the ground, powered in from 5 yards out, but Davenport was sacked on the two-point attempt.
Palmer’s offense looked to throw short passes, spreading the Warrior defense out.
It finally found success on the Panthers’ third drive, as Letendre completed 6-of-6 passes, culminating in a toss to Placanico who scampered 22 yards through the Mohawk Trail defense and ended up in the end zone. The extra point was blocked.
With 46 seconds to go in the second quarter, Palmer had a chance to take the lead before the halftime break after a trick play for the Warriors went awry.
Lococo attempted a deep pass that was intercepted by Placanico, his second of the game, who returned it to the Warrior side of the field.
Following a fourth down incompletion four plays after the pick, the Warriors were called for a late hit on the quarterback, giving the Panthers the ball on the 10-yard line. It was the third unsportsmanlike penalty on Mohawk Trail in the half.
“We had too many penalties,” McLoud said. “You can’t have personal foul penalties. They’re 15 yards and they kill you. You lost momentum.”
With four seconds to go in the half, Letendre threw a fade to tight end Chad Bigos, but Liam Driscoll got his hands on the ball, breaking up the pass and holding the 6-6 tie going into the half.
It was the Palmer offense who struck first in the third quarter, as Letendre looked to be sacked in the backfield on fourth-and-goal from the Warrior 5, but he escaped the pressure and dashed out of the pocket to his right, finding Bigos standing wide open in the end zone for a touchdown.
He found Bigos again for what would be the key two-point conversion of the game.
Letendre finished 10-for-16 passing for 99 yards and two scores, but was kept in check on the ground, rushing for just seven yards.
“He didn’t really hurt us,” McCloud said of Letendre. “We planned to keep him in the pocket and we had guys going down inside. We just did things wrong.”
Friday marks two consecutive losses for Mohawk Trail after a blistering 3-0 start to the season. McCloud said his team can’t dwell on the past.
“We just have to keep playing,” McCloud said. “Every week, week-to-week. This one’s over and we’re on to the next one.”
The Warriors host Ware next week in another key TCL contest.