To score the game-winning touchdown in the state championship game is the goal of every young football player.
Subscribe to PennLive’s high school sports newsletter every day.
Mason Smith, the running back for Troy, fulfilled his dream on Friday afternoon when the Trojans defeated Central Clarion 25–24 in the PIAA 2A state final.
Smith described the sensation as weird. I can only give thanks to my team for supporting me.
Let’s get things started.
Clarion had a lengthy drive that ended with a 10-yard run from quarterback Jase Ferguson. Troy maintained to their strategy of running the football with 6:27 left in the game.
Under the leadership of running back Brendan Gillilland, who had already scored three goals, the Trojans marched down the field slowly, wasting valuable time.
With less than two minutes left in the game, head coach Jim Smith called up what should have been a pitch pass down at the Clarion 16-yard line.
Mason Smith became a Troy legend by taking matters into his own hands after Clarion smelled it out.
TOUCHDOWN | Mason Smith’s 16-yard touchdown run as time ran out (XP GOOD)There is 1:15 left in the game, and the Trojans are ahead 25–24.
According to Troy head coach Jim Smith, it was intended to be a pitch pass. No one was open, and they were ready for it. He made a fantastic play, ad-libbed, and is an excellent athlete.
Even though he only managed 46 yards of running that day, the Trojans won their first state championship in school history thanks to his biggest run of the day.
—
We appreciate your interest in PennLive. There has never been a greater need for local journalism of high quality. We need your help. Not yet a subscriber? Please think about helping us out.
Rymir Vaughn can be followed on X@RymirVaughn.
More High School Sports
Note: Every piece of content is rigorously reviewed by our team of experienced writers and editors to ensure its accuracy. Our writers use credible sources and adhere to strict fact-checking protocols to verify all claims and data before publication. If an error is identified, we promptly correct it and strive for transparency in all updates, feel free to reach out to us via email. We appreciate your trust and support!