Plymouth South shakes off injury to star running back to hold off Hanover in OT, 29-27

HANOVER – Plymouth South star running back Casious Johnson conducted his postgame interview with his right arm in a sling. He said he thinks he'll be OK going forward.

Standout Hanover receiver David Quinlan conducted his postgame interview sitting behind the wheel of his Jeep in the parking lot, his left kneecap having popped back into place after becoming dislodged on the very first play of the game. He said he thinks he's OK, too.

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A game that seemed destined to be a blowout (with diminished star power) somehow became a nail-biter and then an instant-classic overtime thriller.

A lot happened at Harry Gerrish Memorial Field on Friday night – some of it bad (the injuries) and a lot of it wildly entertaining.

In the end, though, the big-picture takeaway was this: Plymouth South now has a big leg up in the Patriot League Fisher Division title chase.

The Panthers blew a 21-0 halftime lead but righted the proverbial ship in time to pull out a gutsy 29-27 overtime win in the Fisher opener for both teams.

"Yeah, it was scary," said senior receiver Jamie Andrews, who caught the go-ahead 10-yard TD pass from Cole Brunstrom in OT, "but we didn't get off our game. We did what we do best – we win football games."

Plymouth South (4-0) overcame the loss of Johnson, their do-everything junior tailback, by doing just enough, including denying Hanover running back Nick Freel on what would have been the tying 2-point run to conclude the first OT possession.

"Big stop," Andrews said. "Big stop."

The walk-off defensive stand could prove very valuable down the road in a meat-grinder division that also features Scituate (1-2, 1-0), Quincy (3-0, 0-0), North Quincy (2-1, 0-0), Hanover (2-2, 0-1) and Pembroke (2-2, 0-1).

"Everybody has a real strong team this year," South coach Darren Fruzzetti said. "We know that from here on out it's going to be dogfights. Next week we have a really tough one against Pembroke on a short week. Then you just keep running the gauntlet."

The Panthers passed their first test despite losing Johnson with just under six minutes remaining in the second quarter.

Johnson, who had rushed for 465 yards and seven TDs in South's first three games, scored on a 25-yard TD run to cap the game's opening drive and then caught a 74-yard TD pass from Brunstrom on a wheel route for a 14-0 cushion. Johnson didn't find the end zone on South's third scoring drive, but he had a big assist, throwing a 23-yard option pass to Andrews on fourth-and-3 to keep the chains moving. Brunstrom, who was terrific (14-of-18 passing for 222 yards, 3 TDs), finished off that possession with a 21-yard TD pass to Nicholas McNulty, and Ian Wernik's third PAT made it 21-0.

Johnson finished with 11 carries for 91 yards. He was hurt on an 11-yard run in the second quarter when Freel pulled him down from behind.

"I just fell on my shoulder," said Johnson, who had a monster game (40 carries for 339 yards and six TDs) in last year's 42-35 win over Hanover. "Nothing crazy, nothing popped out, none of that. I think it's an AC sprain or a bruise. It should take a couple of days (to heal); nothing too serious. I should be back. I'll definitely be back out here, for sure. I have to be."

Frustrating to stand around and watch the rest of the game?

"Yeah, it always is," said Johnson, who missed the second half of his sophomore season with a foot injury. "I see stuff that I could have done (to help). It eats me up."

Meanwhile, Hanover had its own injury woes, losing Quinlan on the first snap of the game while he was playing defensive end. He's valuable there and an absolutely essential piece of the offense; he had 12 catches for 206 yards (17.2-yard average) with 3 TDs over the first three games.

"I think it just dislocated (my kneecap) and then it went back in on the field," Quinlan said. "But it's fine. It was just awkward. Now it's really sore because I iced it so it's stiffened up. Hopefully (it's) a speedy recovery."

Like Johnson, Quinlan was bummed at having to watch from the sideline.

"That was the game of the year," Quinlan said. "That was kind of a redemption game (for us after South's win last year) and we fell a little short."

Still, Quinlan appreciated the effort his teammates gave in digging out of a 21-0 hole to force OT.

"That was amazing," he said. "We slumped our heads in the first half, but we came back in the second half and were a completely different team. I loved to see it."

So did Hanover coach Chris Landolfi, whose two losses this season have come to unbeaten juggernauts Duxbury and Plymouth South.

"I'm absolutely proud of them," Landolfi said of his players. "It says a lot about the character of the kids on the team. They battled back. We had a chance at the end; that's all you can ask for."

Quinlan's absence allowed South's talented secondary to slide coverage to Hanover's other star receiver – senior slot maestro Joe Curran. He had 22 catches for 293 yards (13.3-yard average) and 2 TDs coming in but was held to 5 catches for 11 yards. With his receiving corps compromised, QB Ben Scalzi struggled, completing 5-of-14 passes in the first half for 38 yards and an interception. Quite a contrast to his first three games in which he had completed 75 percent of his throws for 685 yards and eight TDs.

Scalzi made amends in the second half, scoring on runs of 6 yards and 1 yard in the third quarter and then hitting Mehki Bryan with a 14-yard TD pass with 14 seconds left in regulation. John McDonald's third PAT knotted it up at 21-all.

Hanover turned to its ground game in the second half, particularly Freel, who ran 12 times for 101 yards after the break. He finished with 14 carries for 125 yards.

"I'm always ready for whatever," Freel said. "I welcome getting the ball as much as I possibly can, but it's team first. If someone else wants the ball and (the coaches) think that's a better (plan), go for it. I'm just doing whatever the team wants."

Freel said it was "frustrating" to come all the way back and fall short, but he noted, "There were definitely a lot of positives in the second half. The first half everyone was sluggish, no one knew what to do. Coach Landolfi gave us an inspiring (halftime) speech that got us going."

South had the first chance in OT, and Brunstrom immediately found Andrews with a 10-yard TD pass under heavy pressure. His throw didn't have much on it, but Andrews came back to the ball and made a lunging catch near the goal line.

"Oh, yeah, I was barely able to get it off," Brunstrom said with a smile, "but luckily my receiver made the play. That's my guy."

Said Andrews: "Cole's my best friend, so we have that connection. We worked all summer for that."

Brunstrom then hit McNulty with the 2-point pass for a 29-21 lead.

Hanover answered on their possession with Scalzi (7 carries for 46 yards, 3 TDs; 14-of- 25 passing for 121 yards, TD, INT) scampering up the middle from 6 yards out on second down. Freel's 2-point run up the middle came up just short, though, and South celebrated a big win.

"I'm proud of these boys," Johnson said. "I got hurt in the second quarter and they pulled it out. (Hanover) came back from 21-down but we still got it done."

This article originally appeared on The Patriot Ledger: Plymouth South High football defeats Hanover in instant classic