Quentyn Demara had only thrown four passes this season for University City High.
The 5-10 freshman quarterback finally got into a game where the Centurions needed him to pass.
With 1:40 to play, University City trailed for the first time in the game.
“There was definitely some panic in me,’’ Demara said.
Demara’s first pass was to Dreyden Garner on the sidelines in front of his own team, but Garner raced 78 yards to the end zone to regain the lead for good as the Centurions rallied for a 49-46 nonleague victory over Bishop’s.
Bishop’s (3-2) had one last gasp, but a bad snap on the game’s final play doomed a 46-yard field goal try to tie it up, snapping the Knights’ two-game winning streak.
Ladanian Lawrence scored four touchdowns — two rushing, one passing and one on a fumble return to start the game’s scoring — for University City (3-2).
But it took a fresh-faced freshman to save the day after the Centurions blew a 21-0 first-quarter lead.
Bishop’s took its first lead of the day on a one-yard run with 1:40 to play.
Quarterback Will Fiero’s scoring run shocked the Centurions, but there was just enough time left on the clock.
That set the stage for Samuel Cooper, the Centurions starting quarterback, to exit with an ankle injury.
Up stepped Demara.
“Coach just said read where you want to go,’’ Demara said. “I had to throw to Drey. There was no one on him. I wasn’t going to let the team down. I told the team to shake it off.’’
University City looked to put the game away in the first quarter.
And almost did.
The Centurions raced to a 21-0 lead in less than seven minutes.
Lawrence returned a fumble on Bishop’s first drive for a touchdown.
Then Lawence ran three yards for his second TD and a 14-0 lead.
Raynall Thornton also ran three yards for a TD and the 21-0 lead with 5:40 left in the first quarter.
“We go up 21-0 and I thought this was going to be our night,’’ Centurions coach Paul Lawrence said. “Both our losses have come in overtime, so we have the ability to come back.
“But we can’t keep doing this. You fall back and then you have to comeback. I don’t want to keep doing this.’’
Then, something happened after the Centurions dominated the first seven minutes.
Bishop’s finally stopped the Centurions’ run when quarterback Fiero ran two yards for a TD with 1:33 left in the opening quarter.
Fiero wound up with three touchdowns in the game.
Lawrence grabbed the momentum back with a 17-yard TD reception from Cooper with 9:45 left before halftime.
The rest of the first half belonged to Bishop’s.
Xavier Rodriguez fumbled the ensuing kickoff, picked it up and ran 96 yards for a touchdown.
Will Cluskey’s 35-yard field goal was followed by Colin Fagan’s 22-yard catch for a TD from Fiero, who hit Chase Jordan on a two-point pass, cutting the deficit to 28-25 at halftime.
Monahan is a freelance writer.
University City 49, Bishop’s 46
Bishop’s 7 18 14 7 — 46
University City 21 7 14 7 — 49
UC — Lawrence 5 fumble return (Calderon kick)
UC — Lawrence 3 run (Calderon kick)
UC — Thornton 3 run (Calderon kick)
B — Fiero 2 run (Cluskey kick)
UC — Lawrence 17 pass from Cooper (Calderon kick)
B — Rodriguez 96 kickoff return (Cluskey kick)
B — FG Cluskey 35
B — C. Fagan 22 pass from Fiero (Fiero pass to Jordan)
UC — Cooper 6 run (Calderon kick)
B — Fiero 1 run (Cluskey kick)
UC — Lawrence 1 run (Calderon kick)
B — Thorton 43 pass from Fiero (Cluskey kick)
B — Fiero 1 run (Cluskey kick)
UC — Garner 78 pass from Demara (Calderon kick)
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