In a game that was not even on the schedule before this week, the Panthers and Patriots delivered a gem of a game that could not be settled in regulation.

Their first meeting in 7 years proved to be a back and forth affair. The Patriots numerous penalties haunted them the entire game as much as their lack of a kicking game. With Jordan Allen at QB you are never are out of a game but he was not the story for the Patriots. The emergence of Corenzo Green-Hill was the story for the Patriots with 3 touchdowns and 225 yards rushing! This young man is just a freshman at that so the Capital and Region 4B better keep an eye on this young man.

The Panthers defense was swarming for much of this game, particularly in the first half. Any concerns of the hits graduation took on this team evaporated as quickly as the smoke from the Panthers entrance onto the field donning new uniforms and a new attitude with a new coach at the helm in Timothy Jean-Pierre.

The Panthers came into this game jacked and on both sides of the ball big plays were made all night be it sacks on defense, interceptions or on offense Jeremiah Coney racking up a modest 62 yards but did have two TD's, one on the ground and the air. Jaylen Burton and Jhakiri Bolden proved to be a dynamic duo with Bolden coming away with 91 yards receiving and Burton putting up 207 yards of offense behind 2 TD's of his own.

This entertaining affair would not be settled in regulation. In fact, it came down to the last two plays of the game. The Panthers faced a 4th & 6... no score, no win. Burton found a path and took off running to the end zone. It was up to Braden Meginity at this point... kick the PAT and you win the game, miss and we are going to double overtime.

Meginity delivered, the Hermitage sidelines went crazy. Hermitage who had to wait to week three to play their first game is 1-0 and Coach Jean-Pierre has his first win as head coach of the Panthers!

Nothing seemed to go right for the Patriots in the first quarter. The Patriots first drive began at the 26 and ended with a blocked punt. 3 penalties against Patrick Henry and a QB sack at the hands of Malik Myers doomed the opening possession. To make matters worse Hermitage blocked the punt and Bralin Jones returned the it for a Hermitage touchdown.

The Patriots were driving moving the ball from their own 40 to the Hermitage 19 behind the run game of Corenzo Green-Hill. The Patriots continued to be besieged with penalties but nothing hurt as much as Christian Berry's catch and fumble. Christian Stubbs of Hermitage came away with the loose ball.

The quarter ended with Hermitages punting, the Patriot defense forcing a 3 & out.

Patrick Henry would rally back in the half with two touchdowns after being shutout in the first quarter. The Patriots covered 50 yards in 5 plays with Corenzo Green-Hill leading the way but it was Jordan Allen providing the touchdown. The failed PAT kept the Panthers ahead 7-6.

The Patriots followed that up with an 80-yard, 6 play drive that saw Corenzo Green-Hill bust off a 38-yard touchdown run. The Patriots were on top 12-7 just like that.

Sandwiched between the two Patriot TD's was a Hermitage possession that started with a bang in a return to the Patrick Henry 38. Penalties pushed the Panthers back to the 50 but they recovered to get to the PH 25 before a Jaylen Burton pass was intercepted in the end zone by Edwin Henderson.

Playing from behind for the first time in the game, disaster nearly struck when the ball was fumbled early. The Panthers faced a 4th & 5 and took a shot at the end zone... the Patriots were called for pass interference. Moments later Hermitage was called for pass interference themselves on a push off. The Panthers kept coming and with 30 seconds to go in the half, Jaylen Burton and Jeremiah Coney hooked up for a 12-yard touchdown and just like that the Panthers were ahead despite a PAT miss.

A quarter dominated largely by the Patriots did not reflect on the scoreboard.

The third quarter was defined by defense.

Hermitage got the ball first and was called for holding on back-to-back plays which set them back but they were able to overcome. What they could not overcome was a Charles Frazier interception.

The Patriots looked like they were primed to go ahead after moving the ball to the Herm 9. 1st & goal the Patriots had when when Corenzo Green-Hill was wrapped up for a loss of 3. Jordan Allen's second down pass was broken up and on third down Malik Myers got to Allen with a sack. The Patriots faced 4th & goal but it was not meant to be as Breon Gunnell intercepted the Allen pass.

The Panthers would be held to a 3 & out as we headed into the fourth quarter.

Despite starting from their own 12 the Patriots were able to get into field goal position to take the lead. The Patriots Jordan Allen fumbled early but the ball went out of bounds. Jordan Allen was victim to a Secorey Bolden sack but the Patriots continued to drive. The inefficient kicking game struck again as the field goal was no good.

The Patriots fared better on their next possession with a 45-yard run from Corenzo Green-Hill. The Patriots went for two and go it when Jordan Allen hit Jayden Mines with a pass.

The 2-point conversion was key for the Patriots as it tied the game. Hermitage had gone ahead on an 80-yard drive that saw back-to-back penalties that cost the Panthers. The hero on this drive was Jeremiah Coney who punched it in from 3 yards out to cap the drive.

With the game tied, Hermitage would be looking to put it away and avoid overtime. Coney would amass 29 yards on 4 carries which was key considering the pass game was being disrupted. Twice on back-to-back plays the Patriots came between Burton and his receivers.

After a delay of game penalty set them back 5 yards, the Panthers faced a 4th & 20 but Jaylen Burton hit Chase Rivers for a big-time completion that setup the Panthers at the Herm 15 with 3.3 seconds on the clock. Braden McGinity lined up for the field goal but it was not meant to be!

Patriots had the ball on offense to begin overtime. Corenzo Green-Hill carried the load with 3 straight runs including the 3-yard touchdown run to put the Patriots on top. Given the inefficient kicking game the Patriots went for two and came up just maybe 4 inches short of the goal line.

It was on the Patriot defense now.

Jaylen Burton's quarterback keeper netted 4 yards.

Burton's second down pass was broken up.

Burton's third down pass was incomplete.

Passing game not working, Burton on fourth down looked, saw a lane and burst in before the defenders could close in. Burton's 6-yard run tied the game...

Braden McGinity's PAT won the game!

How can we not mention Braden Meginity? The junior kicked bounced back from missing a PAT earlier in the game and a field goal to win the Panthers the game on the PAT in overtime.

QB Jaylen Burton also delivered in a big way for the Panthers. The senior QB completed 16 of his 25 passes for 164 yards and a touchdown. The QB also had 43 yards including a 6-yard run in overtime that tied the game.

This was the first overtime game between these two programs in 46 meetings.

This was the first 1-point game in the series since the two met in 2004 and the Panthers won that won 34-33.

This was Hermitage's first overtime game since Sept. 6th, 2019 when they lost to Henrico.

Ironically Henrico was the last team Patrick Henry faced in overtime and they too lost in overtime.

This was Hermitage's first overtime win since beating Highland Springs on August 28th, 2015.