Fall Classic

Shamrocks prevail in an overtime thriller that won't soon be forgotten

  Once every several years, a highly anticipated sporting event comes along that elevates above its lofty hype and becomes embedded in its witnesses' memory banks forever.

  Saturday's Canton-vs.-Novi-Detroit Catholic Central Division 1 Regional final football game qualifies for the above-listed standard.

  In a highly entertaining showdown that mirrored a heavyweight fight that goes the distance, the 12-0 Shamrocks won 31-24 in overtime to move on to next Saturday's semifinal against Holt.

  Following a noble effort that would have been good enough to defeat 99 percent of the teams in the state, the Chiefs fell to 10-2.

  "I'm very proud of these guys," said Canton coach Tim Baechler. "They played hard, they battled. Neither team deserved to lose this game, but it is what it is. They made a couple more plays than we did."

  The game's biggest point differential was eight when CC's Niko Palazeti bulldozed into the end zone from 18 yards out with 7:40 left in the third quarter to expand his team's lead to 17-9.

  The Chiefs, who never led, nearly won the game at the end of regulation, but Alex Dixon's 47-yard field goal attempt fell short.

  Canton compiled more total yards than the Shamrocks, 372-337, but CC won the time-of-possession battle, 27:58-20:02.

  "We played against a very good defense today," said Baechler. "They gave up three touchdowns all season before today and we scored three against them, so I was happy with our offense. I didn't expect to give up as many points as we did today, but, hey, they're a tough, physical team."

  CC grabbed a 3-0 lead with 2:37 left in the first quarter on a 28-yard field goal by Justin D'Agostino. The key play in the 10-play possession was an 18-yard Sam Landry-to-John Jakubik hook-up on a third-and-9 from the Canton 32.

  The Chiefs answered on their next possession, driving from their 20 to the CC 6 before settling for a 23-yard Conner Shennan field goal. A 58-yard pass from Kevin Delapaz to Dakota Dark-Bird set up the score.

  After both teams exchanged pointless possessions, the Shamrocks grabbed a 10-3 advantage 1:20 before the half when Palazeti capped a clock-eating 14-play, 83-yard possession by plunging in from two yards out. The Chiefs nearly stopped the drive in its infancy, but CC's fleet-footed halfback Anthony Capatina picked up 14 yards on a draw play on a third-and-13 play from the Shamrock 10.

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