One of two field goal attempts that could have given Glen Rock the win earlier.

GLEN ROCK - It has to be frustrating.

How much closer can Cresskill get to knocking off Glen Rock in the North 1, Group 1 state sectional finals? This year, for the third straight year and this time in agonizing fashion, the Cougars have fallen short of ending Glen Rock's now four-year old stranglehold on the state championship.

"We've been in every game three years in a row. The games have come down to a touchdown, a fumble, a pick, a play here…"

This year it came down to all of those things for Cresskill coach Bob Valli, who spoke those words.

After giving back a 14-point lead in a four minute span of the third quarter, staving off two potential game-winning field goals, and coming within six yards of taking an overtime lead, the Cougars finally ran out of answers when Glen Rock quarterback Rob DeChiaro (9-for-19, 120 yards) kept on a option on the first possession of the second overtime.

Rob DeChiaro running the option, a play that led to the winning score.

DeChiaro's score and the subsequent trick two-point conversion gave the Panthers (11-1) a 22-14 win and a fourth straight state title. Six second half turnovers relegated Cresskill to riding shotgun for the third straight year.

"This has to be the most exciting one of all because it was in overtime," said Glen Rock head coach Alan Daett, who won his sixth state title in this go-round as the Panthers' coach. "(Cresskill) gave us all that we wanted. It was a heck of a football game, they are darn good team. You don't get to the state final unless you are pretty good.

And in the first half, the Cougars looked like a state champion rather than a bridesmaid. Cresskill (10-2) got 105 yards on the ground from tailback Mark Butler (17 carries, 150 yards), a quarterback sneak for a touchdown by Alan Conrad and a Conrad to Gregg Petillo 13-yard score to take a 14-0 lead into halftime.

Jim Crowley running back the interception that tied the game.

But in the second half, the Cougars gave it all back and didn't waste much time on doing it. It started with a Conrad (6-for-17, 87 yards, 4 INT) fumble on the third play of the third quarter that was scooped up by Sean D'Arrigo on the Cresskill 38. One play later, Mark Hannon took in a DeChiaro pass on a post and bounced off two defenders to get the Panthers on the board.

After the teams traded three-and-outs and Hannon's punt pinned Cresskill on its own 4, Conrad retreated to the end zone and, under pressure, threw off his back foot up the left sidelines. Glen Rock's Jim Crowley was the nearest receiver and he returned the interception 26 yards for the tying score.

"I just stayed home until I saw the ball in the air and made a break on it," said Crowley, who went in untouched. "We could, everybody could, feel the momentum switch right there."

If there was a big play one way or the other, Mark Hannon was involved in it.

Of the Cougars' 10 possessions after halftime, six resulted in turnovers and the rest in punts as Cresskill posted only 65 yards in total offense over the game's final 24 minutes, plus its two untimed overtime periods. The blast play that had been so successful for Butler early was taken away by Glen Rock adjustments.

Hannon played a hand in almost all of the game-deciding plays, the good for the Panthers and the bad. He had the important punt that set up the interception and the catch that gave the Panthers their first score. From the quarterback position he was 4 of 5 passing for 60 yards and an interception, he carried the ball eight times for 27 yards, he picked off two passes and threw the two-point conversion pass that sealed the win.

Mark Butler ran for 105 yards in the first half but only 45 after halftime.

He also missed the two field goals that could have won the game, the first coming with 1:57 to go in the game, but it came after a 15-play drive that he engineered that looked good when it was first-and-goal on the Cresskill 3.

To say that the versatile junior would have been the goat if Glen Rock had lost after the two missed field goals, the second in the first overtime, would not have be fair. It's not like he stands on the sidelines kicking a ball into the net all game waiting for a chance.

"We made a few mistakes, especially me, but I just tried to do what I could to help us win the game. We didn't care how," said Hannon. "Coach started asking me to be the kicker around the middle of the season and I did my best. I wouldn't say it's my specialty, but I still wish both of those (field goals) would have gone through. It would have made it easier for us."

Lou Levy was held to just 39 total yards against a defense designed to limit the run.

Cresskill had its best shot in the first overtime when, on second-and-9, Butler broke one off tackle and headed toward the goal line. He got to the 6 before the ball was stripped and recovered by, who else, Hannon.

For Cresskill and coach Valli coming so close, especially this year, is hard to take but they know that they don't have far to go.

"I think our team is right there with (Glen Rock), our program is right there, we just haven't been able to make that key play to win the ball game," said Valli. "We know we are right there with them, it's just unfortunate that we haven't been able to win the championship. It's just the way it goes."