The District XI Class 5A football champion Whitehall Zephyrs hosted District 12 champ Roman Catholic in the first round of the PIAA State Tournament on Nov. 14 when the Cahillites outscored the Zephs, 49-7, ending Whitehall’s 10-3 season.

The Zephyrs, however, were able to give their fans one last reason to celebrate when quarterback Tanner Dogmanits’ pass to Talon Dogmanits (87 receiving yards) resulted in a fourth quarter touchdown and Cole Richards’ extra point to prevent a shutout.

“It was big,” said Talon Dogmanits. “Getting to play an extra home game was really special for us, for all the seniors, and then to field my last touchdown of my career being here at home is really special and nothing I could ask for.”

Roman Catholic scored its first six points in the first 15 seconds on Semaj Beals’ 68-yard pass to Eyan Stead, and Eli Pollack kicked the extra point for a 7-0 lead.

A nice punt return by Justin Hussett led to Tanner Dogmanits’ pass to Talon Dogmanits at Roman Catholic’s 35-yard line, but the Zephyrs were unable to convert on 4th-and 1.

On Whitehall’s next drive, Tanner Dogmanits (121 passing yards) broke through three tackles on 3rd-and 5 for a first down to Roman’s 36-yard line, but again, the Cahillites took over on downs.

Roman took over on downs twice more for two touchdowns.

In the last three minutes of the first half, Whitehall’s Benjamin Pychinka had an interception at the 49-yard line, but the Zephyrs were unable to move into Roman Catholic territory.

“They’re as advertised. They’ll be playing for a long time,” said Whitehall head coach Andy Marino of the Cahillites. “If you want to win a state championship, you’re gonna have to go through somebody like that.”

The Zephyrs had another nice punt return to open the second half when Henry Shultz took the ball to the 37-yard line, but even a 60-yard punt by Richards couldn’t stop Roman Catholic from scoring its seventh touchdown of the game.

Whitehall tight end Iskander Blanco’s 15-yard run, 21-yard pass reception, and fourth-down conversion to Roman’s 19-yard line set up the Dogmanits touchdown.

“My numbers are what they are because of what [Tanner] does,” said Talon Dogmanits. “He makes great plays, and he’s able to find me the ball, and my line held strong tonight. Those kids were big. They were good. They were fast, but we held our own. It was like 42-0 (at halftime), but we kept putting up a fight, got on the board, and held them to seven points in the second half. We did as much as we could do.”

Coach Marino and his staff said farewell to 20 seniors.

“A lot of close wins, a lot of big wins, a district championship, everything that they wanted, they worked for,” Marino said. “I hope they took the life lessons of the journey. It was about playing for themselves, playing for each other, and that’s what they did.”