Better call Gaul: State College gets 3OT playoff victory over McDowell
Michael Gaul has experience playing in big games.
Whether it was the 2021 District 6 Class 6A championship game or the 2021 state semifinal, the sophomore has been there. Like those two other major games, Gaul made his presence known in Friday’s 57-50 PIAA Class 6A first round playoff win against McDowell.
Gaul found himself in the third overtime with his team tied 50-50 with the Trojans. Quarterback Finn Furmanek was dropped for a 3-yard loss on first down. At the 13-yard line and on second down, Furmanek threw a dart to Gaul, who dragged his feet in the end zone.
With Kajetan Kaszubowski’s extra point, State College took a 57-50 lead. On the ensuing McDowell drive, wide receiver Christian Santiago started to go down to the ground and the ball popped loose. It was Gaul’s ball and State College’s win.
“I remember looking at my guys John Scott and Michael Dincher in their eyes and they were saying how bad they wanted it,” Gaul said after the game. “I saw in them how much this meant to them and I knew something had to happen. We couldn’t go out like that. It means a lot to me and more importantly, it’s given my boys an extra opportunity next week to advance and move on.”
Friday’s game was an extra special one for Furmanek. He didn’t get to play as much he was used to in last season’s playoff run after suffering an injury. He played both quarterback and wide receiver against McDowell and threw two touchdown passes, including the game-winning pass to Gaul.
And yet, Furmanek responded calmly with a stoic look on his face — even after winning.
“That was a very good game,” Furmanek said. “I’ve always been saying the whole season that we are going to prepare for the next game all throughout the week, listen to our coaches and then follow behind everyone else. I think we’ll be good.”
The Little Lions needed a little help to get to a third overtime. Senior wide receiver Donte Nastasi’s number was called not once, but twice in the running game with the season on the line. He took a jet sweep for three yards and a touchdown in the first overtime to give State College a 43-36 lead in the first overtime. Then, he followed with a 10-yard rushing touchdown to tie the game at 49-49 in the second overtime.
“It was great because I was just thinking about my pads,” Nastasi said. “This is my senior year and I won’t have another year of playing high school football. So, I was just really thinking about my pads and I was just playing with my heart.”
State College got on the board first with freshman running back D’Antae Sheffey’s 10-yard rushing touchdown with 10:21 left in the first quarter. McDowell quarterback Ben Moore pranced through the snowy Memorial Field for a 2-yard rushing touchdown to tie the game 7-7 with 2:46 remaining in the first quarter.
Santiago took a snap under center to push the pile into the end zone for a 1-yard touchdown and a 14-7 McDowell lead at the 8:52 mark in the second quarter. Sheffey immediately answered with a 12-yard rushing touchdown of his own to knot it at 14-14 with 3:19 left in the first half.
It took just one minute for McDowell to score in the beginning of the third quarter. Moore hit Nick Desanto on a 31-yard touchdown pass to give the Trojans a 21-14 lead. State College senior running back Matt Wall entered the game for Sheffey and rushed for a 6-yard touchdown. Backup quarterback Owen Yerka entered the game on the two-point conversion and fell into the end zone for a 22-21 State College lead with 5:45 left in the third. Gaul caught his first touchdown on a 19-yard pass from Furmanek to give the Little Lions a 29-21 lead with 36 seconds left in the third.
With strong field position to open up the fourth quarter, Moore hit Simmons on a 49-yard touchdown pass and followed up with a 10-yard two-point conversion pass to Ray Jackson to tie at 29-29 with 11:21 left in regulation. State College drove down the field with Wall rushing for a 7-yard touchdown to give his team a 36-29 lead at the 7-minute mark. Simmons tied the game with 24 seconds left at 36-36 with his 10-yard rushing touchdown.
Nastasi immediately scored on his 3-yard rushing touchdown in the first overtime. McDowell’s Ray Jackson had a 5-yard rushing touchdowns on a jet sweep to tie the game at 43-43 at the conclusion of the first overtime. Santiago led off the second overtime with a 1-yard rushing touchdown, followed by Nastasi’s 10-yard rushing touchdown.
State College got the ball back and Furmanek found Gaul for a 13-yard touchdown pass. Gaul recovered the ball on the defensive end and the Little Lions survived 57-50.
The Little Lions will next take on the winner of the WPIAL Football Championship between Pittsburgh Central Catholic and North Allegheny. State College is the final Centre County team remaining in the postseason following Penns Valley’s 56-35 loss in the District 6 Class 2A championship on Friday.
This story was originally published November 19, 2022 at 12:13 AM.
