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Just a yard past the line of scrimmage, Portland junior back Shawn Sebring bounced off of his first White House defender. A few yards down the field two more bounced off of him like he was a moving truck.
Seconds later and Sebring was strolling into the end zone with just under 10 minutes remaining.
That touchdown run, reminiscent of NFL legends Larry Csonka and Mike Alstott, would prove to be the difference as Portland rallied in the second half to beat White House 21-20.
“My coaches drew up that play for me and we run the heck out of it,” an excited and out-of-breath Sebring said after the game. “I saw the blocks, went through the man and I was just hyped. It was a heck of a game.”
Had you told anyone in the first quarter that Sebring’s touchdown would cap a Portland comeback, they likely wouldn’t have believed you. A pair of 68-yard touchdowns by White House quickly put the Blue Devils up by 14 just seven minutes in.
Portland never shied away from its run game though. Relying on Sebring and a plethora of other weapons, the Panthers made it a seven-point game entering halftime.
Portland opened the second half marching quickly into White House territory. Kielen Dalton evened things three minutes in and momentum was on Portland’s side.
“When that happened, I knew we were going to win,” Dalton said. “That was very important for us to get that momentum and get things back on our side.”
White House would not be outdone though.
An interception on Portland’s next drive set the Blue Devils up with the ball in Panther territory. They would make the most of this opportunity thanks to Kenneth Holt touchdown late in the third.
Portland took its first lead of the night on Sebring’s touchdown but never settled on cruise control defensively.
White House ended up with two opportunities to take the lead in the quarter including one with just over three minutes to go. Neither ended with any points scored.
“Going down 14-0, they could have easily given in,” Portland coach Hunter Hicks said. “They fought through it. Hopefully now they build on it and just keep getting better.”
