Shelby Valley fell behind by 27 points with nine minutes left in the opening half and the Wildcats were on the verge of being blown out by visiting Fleming County at Teco Field Friday night.
Not so fast.
Quarterback Russ Osborne set a school record for passing yards and touchdowns in a single season and Anthony Pallotta retuned a fumble 71 yards for the go-ahead touchdown as Valley came all the way back to stun the Panthers, 42-27.
He passed for 218 yards and four scores while running back Jayden Newsome added 140 yards rushing.
Shelby Valley’s defense held the visitors scoreless the final 33 minutes of the game to improve to 7-2.
Osborne tossed TD pass to Pallotta (26 and 29 yards), one to Lincoln Billiter (30 yards) and to Keian Worrix (12 yards).
The Wildcats scored 43 unanswered points, including 29 in the final 6 minutes, 28 seconds of the first half to take their first lead on Pallotta’s fumble return.
Worrix scored a pair of second-half touchdowns in the third quarter, including an 18-yard run with 4:23 to play.
Pallotta had four catches for 78 yards while Billiter caught three passes for 80 yards.
Shelby Valley will now play Martin County (3-3) in the opening round of the Class 2A playoffs at home on Nov. 13. Kickoff is set for 7:30 pm.
At Robinson Creek
SCORE BY QUARTERS:
FC (3-3)…7 20 0 0 – 27
SV (7-2)….0 29 13 0 – 42
Scoring:
First Quarter
FC – Levi Denton, 9-yard pass from Buddy Morgan (Justin Haggerty kick), 7:40
Second Quarter
FC – Payton Roark, 53-yard pass from Buddy Morgan (kick failed), 11:48
FC – Jaden Argo, 40-yard INT (kick failed), 11:31
FC – Logan Pinkley, 39-yard pass from Buddy Morgan (Matt Dugan pass from Buddy Morgan), 9:03
SV – Anthony Pallotta, 26-yard pass from Russ Osborne (Jordan Little kick), 6:28
SV – Anthony Pallotta, 29 pass from Russ Osborne (poor snap), 5:35
SV – Lincoln Billiter, 30-yard pass from Russ Osborne (Ethan Bentley run), 1:15
SV – Anthony Pallotta, 71-yard fumble return (Jordan Little run), :40
Third Quarter
SV – Keian Worrix, 12-yard pass from Russ Osborne (kick failed), 9:31
SV – Keian Worrix, 18-yard run (Jordan Little kick), 4:23
Fourth Quarter
No scoring
Next up: Shelby Valley (7-2) vs. Martin County (3-3), Class 2A playoffs, 7:30 pm, Nov.13.