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Elder edges Fairfield in a classic

West Price Hill, Oh. – The Elder Panthers were on the ropes many times but its defense made just enough plays in a come-from-behind 50-42 first round playoff win over the Fairfield Indians. Keith Orloff’s pick-six interception return for a touchdown all but sealed the win for the Panthers at The Pit on Saturday night.

Elder's Keith Orloff / photo by Brady Laber

Elder’s Keith Orloff / photo by Brady Laber

Despite surrendering 42 points and 464 yards of total offense, the Panther defense came up with three turnovers to hold off the high-powered Fairfield offense.

Fairfield took what appeared to be a commanding 42-31 lead with 7:16 left to play in the game. Quarterback Hunter Krause had just thrown his third touchdown pass of the game, all of them to wide receiver T.C. Wells.

POST-GAME INTERVIEW
—Keith Orloff, Elder

However, the Elder offense put together a four-play scoring drive to stay alive. Peyton Ramsey engineered a possession that lasted just 1:25 off the game clock, finding Nick Hall on a 46-yard touchdown pass. A failed two-point conversion made the score 42-37 in favor of the Indians.

Fairfield took over on the 20-yard line and the Elder student section interjected itself to become the 12th man on the field. After a holding penalty on first down, the noise became deafening and forced a
delay-of-game penalty, making it 1st-and-24 from the 6-yard line.

The Indians failed to earn a first down and were forced to punt deep in its own territory.

Elder took over close to midfield with just under four minutes left to play. The Panthers marched down the field and took its first lead of the second half. At the 1:40 mark of the fourth quarter running back Ja’Vahri Portis scored his second touchdown of the game to Elder a 43-42 advantage.

Fairfield had plenty of time to re-take the lead but Krause committed the third Indians turnover of the game on the drive’s first play.

Linebacker Keith Orloff caught the pass at the 20-yard line and took it the other way scrambling toward the goal line and got into the end zone at the left pylon.

“I just wanted six, I kept rolling and just got into the end zone,” said Orloff after the game. “It’s a emory that I’ll never forget, it was pretty awesome.”

The rest of the Elder fans felt the same way especially since the Panthers (8-3) will now advance to the second round of the playoffs to play Hilliard Darby. Darby defeated Lancaster 17-10 to earn the right to play in next Saturday’s matchup.

On the other hand, Fairfield sees its season end with an 8-3 record. Krause in only his second game back after missing time with a knee injury, threw for 312 yards.

Wells caught 11 passes for 168 yards to go with his three touchdowns. Alex Kaminsky chipped in with seven receptions for 97 yards, including a 40-yard diving catch that helped set-up a touchdown in the third quarter.

Running back Tellis Kennedy scored three rushing touchdowns and rushed for 129 yards on 21 carries.

Elder quarterback Peyton Ramsey ran for 157 yards and a touchdown. He threw for 247 and three touchdowns. Hall and Robby Oswald, who both had over 100 yards receiving, along with Adam Schwaille each caught a scoring pass from Ramsey.

SCORE BY QUARTERS

1 2 3 4 T
Fairfield 7 21 7 7 42
Elder 10 7 14 19 50

SCORING PLAYS

1st Quarter
FAR – Tellis Kennedy 1-yard TD run (Jared McGuire kick)

ELD – Joe Onorato 27-yard FG

ELD – Peyton Ramsey 18-yard TD pass to Adam Schwaille (Joe Onorato kick)

2nd Quarter
FAR – Tellis Kennedy 19-yard TD run (Jared McGuire kick)

ELD – Peyton Ramsey 10-yard TD run (Joe Onorato kick)

FAR – Tellis Kennedy 2-yard TD run (Jared McGuire kick)

FAR – Hunter Krause 10-yard TD pass to T.C. Wells (Jared McGuire kick)

3rd Quarter
ELD – Peyton Ramsey 6-yard TD pass to Robby Oswald (Joe Onorato kick)

FAR – Hunter Krause 10-yard TD pass to T.C. Wells (Jared McGuire kick)

ELD – Ja’Vahri Portis 1-yard TD run (Joe Onorato kick)

4th Quarter
FAR – Hunter Krause 2-yard TD pass to T.C. Wells (Jared McGuire kick)

ELD – Peyton Ramsey 46-yard TD pass to Nick Hall (pass failed)

ELD – Ja’Vahri Portis 1-yard TD run (pass failed)

ELD – Keith Orloff 10-yard interception return for TD (Joe Onorato kick)

Brady Laber is a 2009 graduate of Northern Kentucky University. He is in his sixth season with tristatefootball.com and has covered Northern Kentucky high school football since 2006.

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