When Jackson Buskirk intercepted the ball just a few yards from the goal line in the fourth quarter, Whitehall fans still clung to a glimmer of hope.

That pick prevented the Trojans from going up two scores midway through that final period, giving the Zephyrs the ball deep in their own territory with a chance to take the lead.

And when Zach Gilbert hit Devin Castro for a big 24-yard gain that put the ball into Parkland territory, that hope swelled even stronger.

Could this be the year that they were going to regain the Joe Gerencser Trophy after a year in Parkland’s possession? Would they vanquish the Red Army? They had broken Parkland’s scoreless streak at 11 quarters and were now looking to see if they could hand their rivals their second loss of the season.

Optimism was something Whitehall fans had good reason to hold onto since the Zephyrs were leading at halftime despite giving up huge chunks of yards to Jahan Worth. And this was despite suffering two turnovers that could have been game-ending daggers in that opening half.

But a stout defense that was bending and not breaking had forced the Trojans in a couple of field goals in the red zone, none more impressive than Kevon Allen’s big hit on Worth, stopping the Trojan back in his tracks on a crucial third down play at the 28-yard-line, forcing them to attempt the three-pointer. It was one of the few times they stopped Worth for no gain. The game’s eventual MVP was at times unstoppable, running through, around, and on one occasion bounced off a slew of would-be tacklers and slid to the outside, rambling 15 yards for the score to put them up 19-14. He finished the game with 183 yards.

As the misty rain continued to fall, Whitehall set up for a 4th-and-10 on the Trojan 27-yard line with 5:48 remaining in the game. They ran an option play, deciding to pitch the ball to try and gain the edge. However, they lost the handle and Parkland recovered the ball, setting up Frank Guida’s 54-yard touchdown romp that sealed the game.

With the 26-14 loss to the Trojans, the Zephyrs tumble to 3-3 on the season.

“It came down to fumbles and a couple of plays we didn’t execute,” said head coach Brian Gilbert. “At times we did, but we just didn’t make enough plays against a good team like this.”

The Zephyrs were penalized seven times for 67 yards. It was an area of the game that proved costly, with their first penalty leading to a Trojan first down that sustained their opening drive, leading to a 7-0 lead.

But it was Parkland’s ground game that really told the story. They rushed for 336 yards, with Guida also going over the century mark for the Trojans. They had the ball almost twice as long as the Zephs, and with the conditions present at Parkland School District Stadium, that strategy proved beneficial in winning their fifth game of the year.

Whitehall scored early in the second quarter when Zach Gilbert tucked the ball deep into Tavion George’s belly, only to fool the Parkland defenders who followed George the wrong way. Zach Gilbert’s path to the end zone was unimpeded, scoring on the 15-yard run.

They took the lead in late in the second quarter when Ryan Klaugh got behind the Trojan defense, hauling in the pass along the near sideline for a 59-yard TD.

But perhaps the biggest play came when the Zephyrs were driving late in the third quarter. Facing a fourth and inches at the Parkland 37-yard line, all they had to do was fall forward and they would most likely convert the first down. But a bad exchange put the ball on the wet turf and the Zephs squandered the opportunity to take the lead.

On a night where Trojan quarterback Michael Ruisch didn’t complete a pass, Zach Gilbert threw for 112 yards and a score. He also rushed for a TD.

Still, it was Parkland’s ability to use their assortment of backs that kept Whitehall from topping their nemesis.

Whitehall’s ground game was led by George who finished the game with 56 yards. Dez Boykin added 21, while Braxton Marrero finished with 18.

“We just have to get back to work and keep fixing things,” said Gilbert. “We have to keep working.”

The goal is to get the team positioned for the playoffs. With the new classification format this season, Whitehall is still sitting atop the 5A schools in the district power rankings.

“We want to take care of league games,” said Gilbert who will now prepare for Freedom this week. “Every game is big in our conference. We want to keep getting better.”