Late touchdown pass lifts Dr. Phillips to playoff victory | Observer Preps

KISSIMMEE It's hard to say exactly how many times BeSean McCray has envisioned the scenario that unfolded Friday night.

It's a situation plenty of football players live for.

As the quarterback for the Dr. Phillips Panthers, McCray was handed the ball with 2:04 to play in the FHSAA Class 8A-Region 2 Semifinals, and his team trailing 13-10.

Thanks to a big kickoff return by Tanner Ingle following Osceola's go-ahead field goal, the Panthers would start with the ball at the Kowboys' 31-yard line. Then, after two third-down conversions and with the seconds ticking down, McCray rolled out to his right and made arguably the biggest throw of his career to date — finding Devodney Alford in the end zone for the go-ahead score with 15 seconds to play.

As Dr. Phillips players celebrated their thrilling 17-13 playoff victory moments, the senior quarterback admitted it's a moment he'd long been dreaming of.

"A long time — since I was a kid growing up," McCray said. "I just knew we had to punch it in and I couldn't let my team down."

McCray also ran for the Panthers' (10-2) first touchdown in the second quarter, meaning the senior captain accounted for two of three total touchdowns scored in a playoff game defined by strong defensive play from both squads.

A field goal in the third quarter by Sterling Stockwell accounted for the other three points scored by the Panthers.

On defense, Dr. Phillips weathered several long, meticulous drives by a well-disciplined Osceola (10-1) offense, in a bend-but-don't-break manner. Late in the game, when a blocked punt set up the Kowboys at the Panthers' 20, it was the Dr. Phillips defense's ability to limit Osceola to a field goal that set the stage for the offense's dramatic finish.

On that final drive, in addition to the big return by Ingle, Davarius Bargnare had two pivotal catches, including a third down reception followed by a move that picked up a crucial first down.

"We leaned on our seniors all year long," Panthers head coach Rodney Wells said. "Davarius Bargnare made probably the biggest play of the game, getting that first down and setting us up for a score."

With the win, Dr. Phillips will prepare to hit the road for the regional final in Sarasota Nov. 24. There, the Panthers will reunite with the Riverview Rams (11-1), whom Dr. Phillips defeated in last fall's regional semifinal.

A day before that, though, the Panthers will gather for something players and coaches in the program have grown accustomed to — football practice on Thanksgiving morning.

"That's a Dr. Phillips tradition," Wells said with a smile. "Since I been here and became the head coach, I believe there was only one Thanksgiving that we didn't have practice — and that was the worst Thanksgiving I had in a long, long time."