With two potent offenses trading touchdowns in a game that had its share of out-of-your-seat moments, the Whitehall and Delaware Valley football teams needed an extra session to decide a winner.

The last moment when fans stood in either sheer joy or resounding heartbreak was after Warrior quarterback Bryan Schor found Martin Strenk for the two-point conversion, lifting Del Val to the 46-45 victory.

For Whitehall, that moment was met with the realization that their season was over, closing the book on an 8-3 year that saw them win a share of the Lehigh Valley Conference football title.

The Warriors had been building momentum in the second half, rallying from a 24-9 halftime deficit to tie the game in the fourth quarter. So when they called a timeout after scoring on a Schor keeper in OT, the decision to go for two didn't surprise Zephyr head coach Brian Gilbert.

"We kept our defense on the field because we knew they were going for two," said Gilbert. "They wanted to end the game right there."

Gilbert believed a couple of factors led to that decision. First, the Warriors had an extra point blocked after their first touchdown. Secondly, they had been successful in their play calling, registering 21 points in the second half.

"I think all that played a part," said Gilbert.

Afterward, Gilbert told his team that some clichés hold true, and football is a game of inches, and they just happened to come up little short in their bid to advance to the AAAA subregional semifinals.

Head coach Brian Gilbert always preaches starting fast, and the game against Del Val was a textbook example of that philosophy.

In fact, just as some Whitehall fans may have been settling into their seats, James Wah got them out very quickly, taking the opening kickoff 88 yards for a touchdown.

On the very next play they rose again as the Zephs forced a fumble on the kickoff, with Eugene Setar pouncing on the ball at the Warrior 33-yard line. They subsequently converted that mistake into a touchdown when quarterback Nick Shafnisky ran it in from the five, extending their lead to 14-0.

"It was exactly the situation we wanted to be in," said Gilbert.

The Warriors then gave their fans a reason to rise, returning the ensuing kickoff to the Zephyr five-yard line. However, the Zephs made a defensive stand and forced the Warriors to kick a field goal.

Even when all seemed to be going well for the Zephs, Gilbert was aware of an important aspect.

"We knew that their offense hadn't really touched the ball yet," said Gilbert.

True, the Warriors didn't have time to establish any rhythm, and this was from an offense that averaged 42 points per game.

Still, Whitehall's drive right before the half gave them another confidence boost. Gilbert said they were faced with :57 left on the game clock and needed to go 64 yards. That's when Shafnisky engineered an efficient drive, taking his team down the field, hitting both Nick and Seth Sommer for big gains. The drive was completed when Shafnisky hit Zachary Delp for a nine-yard score.

In that drive, Shafnisky went 3-5 for 40 yards, mixing in a 6-yard run to further advance the ball. It may have been the senior's signature drive of the season, running their hurry-up offense to perfection.

"I thought it was a really good two-minute drill," said Gilbert.

Gilbert said the drive was also highlighted by runs after the catch by both Nick and Seth Sommer.

"They both made huge catches to get us in position," said Gilbert.

The Zephs held a 24-9 halftime advantage, and while it may have appeared that the game was well in hand, Gilbert understood the big-strike capability of the Warriors offense.

"We took advantage of some opportunities on special teams in the first half," said Gilbert. "But we knew we needed to continue to score."

Those words proved to be prophetic as the Warriors chipped away once the third quarter began, relying on the savvy of senior quarterback Schor to get them back into the game. He led them on three scoring drives, finishing the game 17-26 for 230 yards and 3 TDs.

The Zephs took a big body blow in that second half, but managed to answer with scores by Shafnisky and Saquon Barkley, the latter on a 52-yard romp to the end zone.

Gilbert said the team got big performances from a number of their skill players.

"When we needed our players to step up, they did," said Gilbert. "All of our playmakers made plays. It's what you expect from these guys.'

Gilbert citied the efforts of Shafnisky, Barkley, Wah, Delp, Ryan Bonshak, Nick Nejad, Seth and Nick Sommer, among others, who gave the Zephs an opportunity to win the game.

Shafnisky's effort was notable, finishing the game 19-27 for 262 yards, including two touchdowns. He also ran for 99 yards, scoring twice.

"He had one of his best games," said Gilbert. "He really played well."

Gilbert said that penalties hurt as well, negating two scores in the first half. They also missed a 25-yard field goal with left in regulation. However, it still boiled down to making stops.

"Bottom line, we didn't make enough plays on defense," said Gilbert.