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ERIE -- McDowell scored on its first play in the second overtime to eliminate Altoona from the District 6-8-10 Class 6A playoffs in a soggy 47-41 contest at James Conner Field Friday night.
McDowell running back Chase Carrick toted the ball around the left edge for a game-winning touchdown from 10 yards out.
"My goodness it's tough," Altoona coach Vince Nedimyer Jr. said. "Give credit to McDowell. They made the plays in the end there that put them over the edge. Unfortunately we didn't."
It was a game that took well over three hours to sift through regulation before the Trojans capitalized on an Altoona fumble on their third play in the second overtime.
"I think we were fortunate that they turned the ball over," McDowell coach Aaron Slocum said. "I think otherwise, we'd still be out here playing it out."
The fumble was the second in the overtime periods and the third lost by the Mountain Lions in the game.
Otherwise, the game was filled with splash plays and over a half mile of offense between the two teams who combined for 967 total yards.
The Trojans got on the board early with a 24-yard touchdown pass from quarterback Chase Kuhn to Cash Hammond to put McDowell up 7-0.
Altoona scored just two plays later with a 77-yard touchdown strike from quarterback Mekhi Jackson to Noah Stump to tie the game.
A fumble recovery by Mountain Lion Colt Sipes on just the second drive for McDowell set up the Altoona offense with the ball inside the Trojans 20-yard line. Jackson finished the drive off with a 1-yard touchdown rush, but the Mountain Lions missed the kick to make it a 13-7 game.
Jackson found Cody Chathams for a 30-yard strike to push the lead to 20-7, but McDowell answered with a touchdown pass of their own after a fumble by Jackson. This time Kuhn found Taylor Lincoln for a 16-yard score.
A three-and-out by the Mountain Lions set the Trojans up with phenomenal field position and Carrick just a few plays later from 2 yards out to make it a 21-20 game entering the half.
Jackson and the Altoona offense marched down the field on their first drive of the second half capped off by an 8-yard touchdown run by Chathams.
Carrick scored on a 1-yard rush to tie it at 27-27 after a missed extra point by Joseph Clark.
The Mountain Lions answered with a 1-yard run of their own by Jackson to take a 34-27 lead with 8:56 left in the game.
Kuhn found Emory Moffett for an 80-yard connection to tie it right back up at 34 apiece only 25 seconds later.
Stump and Jackson connected again, this time a 7-yard touchdown with 5:50 left in the game which made it 41-34.
McDowell wouldn't be denied and Kuhn found Deonte Flemings for a 7-yard touchdown reception to tie it at 41 with 2:58 to go.
Altoona got the ball at midfield after a personal foul on the kickoff, but the offense couldn't get anything going and was forced to punt. Punter Lucas Snyder pinned the Trojans inside their own 5-yard line with 1:29 to play.
McDowell did enough to get in position to win and set Clark up with a 42-yard field goal. The ball sailed wide left for the fourth time Friday night as time expired.
In the first overtime, both teams turned the ball over with Luke Geishauser hauling in an interception from Kuhn and the Trojans recovering a fumble by Jackson.
Jackson and the offense got the ball first in the second overtime, but just three plays in, senior running back Myzick Clemons fumbled, and it was recovered by McDowell to set up Carrick's game-winner.
The Trojans take on State College in the District 6-8-10 sub-regional final Friday at 7 pm.
Play of the game: McDowell running back Carrick carried the ball off the left edge and 10 yards into the end zone for the game-winning touchdown.
Player of the game: McDowell quarterback Evan Kuhn. Kuhn was 25-for-47 for 406 yards and four touchdowns.
Unsung hero: Erie WR James Feronti had nine catches for 120 yards and a touchdown.
Most vital statistic: There were 13 plays that went for 20 or more yards including seven by Altoona.
Nedimyer: "I couldn't be more proud of our kids. With everything against us. the last three games on the road. Come up here, perform the way that we did. We were just saying we weren't thinking about plays. We were thinking about playmakers, and I think we showed that we had quite a few of those tonight."
Slocum: "These guys have been in a situation all year where they've had to kind of come back, or they've been met with adversity and kind of had to bounce back, and they did it again tonight. Got to give a lot of credit to Altoona, their staff. They did a great job tonight. We're fortunate to come out with a win."
Notable: Sipes and Chathams each recorded a sack. … Altoona fumbled the ball four times, but lost three … McDowell kicker Joseph Clark missed three field goals and an extra point.
Records: McDowell (8-3); Altoona (6-5).
Next week: McDowell will play State College. Altoona's season is over.
SCORE BY QUARTERS
Altoona 13 7 7 14 0 0 -- 41
McDowell 7 14 6 14 0 6 -- 47
First Quarter
M -- Hammond 24 pass from Kuhn (Clark kick), 10:49.
A -- Stump 77 pass from Jackson (kick failed), 9:55.
A -- Jackson 1 run (DelBaggio kick), 8:04.
Second Quarter
A -- Chathams 30 pass from Jackson (DelBaggio kick), 11:11.
M -- Feronti 16 pass from Kuhn (Clark kick), 3:25.
M -- Carrick 2 run (Clark kick), 0:45.
Third Quarter
A -- Chathams 8 run (DelBaggio kick), 8:39.
M -- Carrick 1 run (kick failed), 0:57.
Fourth Quarter
A -- Jackson 1 run (DelBaggio kick), 8:56.
M -- Moffett 80 pass from Kuhn (Clark kick), 8:31.
A -- Stump 6 pass from Jackson (DelBaggio kick), 5:50.
M -- Flemings 7 pass from Kuhn (Clark kick), 2:58.
First Overtime
No scoring
Second Overtime
M -- Carrick 10 run (no attempt), :00.
TEAM STATISTICS M A
First downs 17 12
Total yards 474 493
Rushes-yards 26-68 33-120
Yards passing 406 373
Passing (comp.-att.-int.) 25-47-1 12-18-0
Fumbles-lost 3-1 4-3
Penalties-yards 13-78 20-141
INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS
RUSHING--McDowell, Carrick 12-56, Kuhn 11-7, Heidelberg 3-5. Altoona, Clemons 13-28, Jackson 13-43, Geishauser 5-29, Chathams 2-20.
PASSING--McDowell, Kuhn 25-47-1-406, Altoona, Jackson 12-18-0-373.
RECEIVING--McDowell, Hammond 4-58, Feronti 9-120, Lincoln 4-38, Moffett 3-128, Flemings 4-60, Carrick 1-2. Altoona, Chathams 3-74, Pike 1-50, Stump 3-122, Geishauser 4-117.