Franklin Road Academy coach Bill Whittemore fought back tears as he watched his team and fans celebrate an improbable come-from-behind 34-33 victory over Notre Dame on Friday night in the second round of the Division II-AA state playoffs.
“I love them,” Whittemore said, his voice wavering. “They played their butts off and played hard. I couldn’t be prouder of them. They never quit, and they play for each other.”
Down 30-6 in the second quarter, the Panthers (8-4) made key adjustments on defense to stymie the overwhelming Notre Dame rushing attack by bringing eight or nine defenders in the box.
The Fighting Irish (9-2) dominated the early game via a blend of rushing and trickery. They finished with 465 yards of total offense but were kept out of the end zone in key late-game situations by mishandled snaps, turnovers and penalties.
“They were moving the ball on us, running the clock – it’s what they do, and we knew that,” Whittemore said. “We just had to execute with the opportunities we had after struggling early.”