They gave their head coach a Gatorade bath.

They posed for a team photo at midfield.

And they belted out their “fight song.”

Yet, for as poignant as those moments were, it’s likely that the most enduring memory that the teenagers from neighboring school districts will carry with them forever is the defensive lockdown they put on Maple Grove.

Clymer/Sherman/Panama head coach Ty Harper holds up the championship plaque after the Wolfpack’s Section VI Class D title game win over Maple Grove on Friday at New Era Field in Orchard Park. P-J photo by Mark L. Anderson

“They were really hitting on all cylinders,” Wolfpack coach Ty Harper said.

Clymer/Sherman/Panama allowed just 90 total net yards, including five rushing; picked off four passes; recovered a fumble; and registered five sacks en route to a convincing 35-7 victory over the Red Dragons.

The win vaults the Wolfpack (10-0), the state’s top-ranked team, into the Far West Regional at noon a week from today at Clarence High School. Their opponent will be the winner of today’s Section V title game between Alexander and York/Pavilion.

If its defense plays like it did yesterday, Clymer/Sherman/Panama will be difficult to beat.

The Wolfpack, which beat Maple Grove twice during the regular season, parlayed three picks and a fumble recovery into 22 unanswered points after intermission to break open a tight game. Clymer/Sherman/Panama led only 13-7 at the break.

Clymer/Sherman/Panama’s Derek Ecklund stiff-arms a Maple Grove defender during Friday’s Section VI Class D championship game at New Era Field in Orchard Park. P-J photo by Mark L. Anderson

“It’s a lot easier to get the defense ready when they’re such good kids,” said Wolfpack assistant coach and defensive coordinator Chris Payne. ” … That’s probably one of the biggest wins I’ve ever been around, and the biggest defensive stand that we’ve seen.”

The way Clymer/Sherman/Panama flipped the momentum was lightning fast.

On the third play of the third period, Mike Beatman stepped in front of a Carson Crist pass, setting up the Wolfpack near midfield. Seven plays later, Beatman was rewarded with a 22-yard touchdown run with 8:26 remaining. Quarterback Gerrit Hinsdale connected with Chance Meeder on the 2-point conversion pass, pushing Clymer/Sherman/Panama’s lead to 21-7.

Two plays after that, Crist was intercepted again, this time by John Swabik, which set up Derek Ecklund’s 7-yard run at the 7:25 mark, and on the first play of the fourth quarter, Crist was hit from the blind side, fumbled and the Wolfpack recovered. Two plays after that, Hinsdale tossed a pass high into the back of the end zone and all-state high jumper Cameron Barmore came down with it despite excellent coverage by two Maple Grove defenders. It was the second Hinsdale-to-Barmore TD connection of the afternoon as the pair accounted for 46-yard screen pass, catch and run in the first quarter that staked the Wolfpack to a 13-0 lead.

“I saw him coming over the middle, he threw his hand up. I knew he’d catch it,” said Hinsdale, who finished the afternoon 11 of 16 for 159 yards and two touchdowns.

Maple Grove’s Carson Crist throws a pass during Friday’s Section VI Class D championship game against Clymer/Sherman/Panama at New Era Field in Orchard Park. P-J photo by Mark L. Anderson

Armed with a 35-7 lead with 11:13 remaining, the outcome was all but decided, but Swabik picked off his second pass of the day, this time on an Easton Tanner aerial, for the fifth forced turnover, putting an exclamation point on a dominant defensive effort.

“It’s a culmination of four years of hard work on the part of the kids and on the part of the coaching staff,” Harper said. “Our program is 4 years old. To go from winning two games in a season to be able to play here on this field and this stadium and come off the field with a win against a program like Maple Grove, I think speaks volumes about our kids in all three communities.”

The Wolfpack scored a touchdown on its first possession of the game when Hinsdale plunged into the end zone from a yard out. The TD was set up by Ecklund’s 37-yard run. They made it 13-0 early in the second quarter when Hinsdale connected with Barmore on a screen pass and the latter split two Red Dragon defenders for a 46-yard score.

Maple Grove (6-4) finally found paydirt on its final possession of the first half after it held Clymer/Sherman/Panama on downs near midfield. Eleven plays later, Crist bulled in from the 1 for the touchdown. When Zach Hendrick kicked the point-after, the Red Dragons trailed 13-7.

After that, however, the game belonged entirely to the Wolfpack.

“Hats off to CSP,” said Maple Grove coach Justin Hanft. “They are a great team and played a great all-around game. We knew they were going to be tough to beat and we needed to play a perfect game, especially in the turnover battle, and just came up shy (today).

“We put together two solid halves against them this season, but we were unable to put together the full game. I’m really proud of my team for not quitting and throwing in the towel. Mainly, all of our guys play both sides of the ball and all special teams and they never quit.”

For the Wolfpack, the season continues next week against the Section V champ.

“I’m not ready for basketball yet,” Hinsdale said. “Basketball can wait a couple more weeks.”

NOTES: Ecklund finished with 131 yards rushing on 23 carries; Barmore caught five passes for 75 yards; and Zavon Overton added three receptions for 54 yards. … Robert Overton and Meeder each had six tackles, and Ecklund and Beatman added five apiece to pace the Wolfpack, which yielded just 5 yards rushing on 27 carries. … Garrett McClelland booted three extra points. … Tanner had 40 yards rushing on 15 carries to lead Maple Grove. … Crist completed 10 of 20 passes for 85 yards. … Hendrick caught seven passes for 65 yards. … Taige Jones record 11 tackles to lead the Red Dragons, Daren Vaillancourt had nine and Caleb Roller added eight. … Ayden Reagle picked off a pass.