Overtimes have become the recurring theme for the Nease football program in recent weeks, as they earned their second straight overtime victory on Monday, Sept. 30, this time a huge 20-17 district win over visiting Gainesville Buchholz.
The win was clinched after Tyler Ghazanfari drilled a field goal to put the Panthers up 20-17 in overtime and then senior safety Shemar McNair broke on a route and jumped in front to intercept a pass at the goal line that erupted the celebration on the Nease sideline and in the stands.
“I just happened to read the play perfectly,” McNair said. “In practice we always go at it, and that’s a play we run a lot in the red zone, so I was used to seeing it and had a real feel for it, which allowed me to break on the ball and get a “W” for our team.”
His interception was his second on the night and came on third and goal, which proved crucial because not only did it end the game, but it prevented Bobcats from attempting a field goal to force a potential second overtime.
Some players may play an entire high school career without ever playing in an overtime game and now the Panthers have experience two in as many weeks.
“It’s stressful and it gets to my heart,” Curry chuckled. “When you’re out there, you’re just trying to make a play no matter how you can,” Curry said. “Shemar was the one that made it, and he does that kind stuff all the time in practice, so I knew he had it all the way.”
Not only did the Panthers win another game in overtime, but they also came back from trailing at halftime to win, as they continue to show the ability to stand tall instead of crumbling when adversity hits.
“I believe a lot of people didn’t think we could beat that team out there tonight, but we did and we’re not even close to being done,” McNair said.
The adjectives to describe the Panthers this season are getting harder to come up with as they continue to impress by compiling memorable wins and impressive performances each week.
“There’s something special that’s going on right now with this group, and its only just begun,” head coach Collin Drafts said.
Ghazanfari was clutch on multiple occasions late in the contest, as he crushed a 37-yard field goal, that had plenty of distance behind it to give the Panthers their first lead of the night, 17-14 with 3:34 left to play.
However, despite the Panthers’ defense providing relentless pressure on Bobcats’ quarterback Trace Johnson, he was able to convert a couple of lengthy third downs to extend a late drive and they hit a 40-yard field goal with nine seconds remaining to force overtime.
Prior to the field goal, the Bobcats had been held scoreless during the second half, as the Panthers’ defense again made the proper adjustments after trailing 14-7 at halftime.
“They make me look good,” defensive coordinator Robert Garth said. “I tell them all the time, ‘that if all 11 guys are working in unison, it doesn’t matter what I call, it will work because of the players we have,’ and that showed again tonight.”
Joe Miracle was a stat sheet stuffer as he made plays in a variety of ways, including sacks, tackles for a loss, and an interception that set up Ghazanfari’s field goal attempt in regulation.
His interception came shortly after the Panthers tied it up at 14-all after Nate Harry connected with Maddox Spencer on a slant route for a touchdown.
“We’re all so versatile and we’re just athletes out there, which is what makes us so special,” Miracle said. “I feel like by the end of the season we’ll all be off to college playing at the division one level and I can’t wait to see that.”
The start of the game was delayed one and a half hours due to lightning in the area.
