Even in a Week 3 loss to Franklinville/Ellicottville that snapped the Wolfpack’s 15-game winning streak, the final 12 minutes weren’t very competitive.

But on Saturday afternoon at Jack Keeney Community Field, Cleveland Hill tested Clymer/Sherman/Panama for a full 48 minutes.

The Wolfpack passed the test.

Brendon Ramsey, Braden Cook and Connor Cooper each scored a second-half touchdowns as Clymer/Sherman/Panama outscored the Golden Eagles 21-6 over the final 24 minutes en route to a 35-24 nonleague victory on Senior Day in Panama.

Clymer/Sherman/Panama's Zavon Overton and teammates attempt to bring down Cleveland Hill's Chris Diem during Saturday's nonleague game at Jack Keeney Community Field in Panama. P-J photo by Matt Spielman

“I was very impressed with the way we persevered in the second half,” Wolfpack head coach Ty Harper said. “I anticipated it being a dog fight. … I’m not surprised at how close it was. Our guys battled and I’m proud of them.”

The matchup featured a pair of 2018 Section VI champions as Cleveland Hill beat Southwestern 32-28 in the Class C game while Clymer/Sherman/Panama topped Maple Grove in the Class D contest last November at New Era Field in Orchard Park.

“We want to challenge ourselves and play against the best competition available,” Harper said. ” … This is exactly what we were hoping for. Hopefully it makes us better moving forward.”

In the title game against the Trojans, Aaron Wahler ran for 330 yards for the Golden Eagles, but they are a much different team this season without their all-state running back.

Now 1-5 on the year, Cleveland Hill started strong Saturday creating a turnover on the fourth play of the game before Chris Diem broke through the line for a 69-yard touchdown run just 1:27 into the first quarter.

Clymer/Sherman/Panama's Zavon Overton attempts to get away from a Cleveland Hill defender during Saturday's nonleague game at Jack Keeney Community Field in Panama. P-J photo by Matt Spielman

“I was happy with our effort today,” Cleveland Hill head coach Glen Graham said. “We’ve got to clean up some mistakes. We were playing, obviously, a fantastic football team. They are well-coached, disciplined and they’ve got some great players.”

Zavon Overton answered with a 40-yard touchdown for Clymer/Sherman/Panama just 1:30 later, but the Golden Eagles’ big-play offense struck again as Christian Lewis went 80 yards on their next play from scrimmage to make it 12-7 just 3:16 into the game.

The lead eventually grew to 18-7 with 5:35 left in the second quarter when Wolfpack quarterback Gerrit Hinsdale’s pass went off the hands of his intended receiver into the waiting hands of the Golden Eagles’ Caron Marshall, who returned it 80 yards for a touchdown.

John Swabik quickly turned the momentum as he took the ensuing kickoff 70 yards for a touchdown to pull his team within a score heading into halftime.

“It was assignments missed. Some of our younger guys are on the kick teams. That’s correctable stuff,” Graham said of the long return. “It’s a little late in the season to be making those mistake, but that’s on us as coaches. We have to teach it a little bit better.”

Clymer/Sherman/Panama's Zach Chase (66) attempts to bring down Cleveland Hill's Jayden Wilson during Saturday's nonleague game at Jack Keeney Community Field in Panama. P-J photo by Matt Spielman

After the break, Diem broke free for another 60-yard touchdown on the fifth place from scrimmage, but from there it was all Clymer/Sherman/Panama.

Zavon Overton returned the ensuing kickoff 57 yards to the 13-yard line and two players later Ramsey scored on a 4-yard plunge to make it 24-21 after Jordan Svetz’s third of five successful PATs.

“It’s a lot easier as a play caller when you are starting on the 20-yard line,” Harper said. “Credit to the kickoff return team, they did a good job of giving us a short field and we were finally able to punch it in there in the second half.”

Two drives later, a 15-yard run by Ramsey and a 17-yard jaunt by Swabik set the Wolfpack up with a first-and-10 from the 15-yard line. Hinsdale, who found a rhythm in the second half, quickly found Cook open for a touchdown to give Clymer/Sherman/Panama the lead for good with 1:01 left in the third quarter.

“He played much better in the second half. … He knew we had to establish the running game,” Harper said of his quarterback. ” … I thought John Swabik played incredible today. … John just hit the hole well and made some big plays for us.”

Clymer/Sherman/Panama's Brendon Ramsey attempts to elude the tackle of Cleveland Hill's Chris Diem during Saturday's nonleague game at Jack Keeney Community Field in Panama. P-J photo by Matt Spielman

On their final drive of the game, the Wolfpack ticked 5:55 off the clock with a nine-play drive capped by a 1-yard plunge from Cooper.

“I thought the defense really buckled down, especially in the fourth quarter. We were filling faster and tackling lower,” Harper said. “I just think that was where the problem was in the first half. We had guys in position to make plays, but we were running past the ball and tackling a little too high. Especially with a guy like Diem, you can’t tackle a kid that powerful around the shoulders.”

“They did a great job taking away the inside trap,” Grahm said, “which is a fundamental key play for (Diem).”

The Golden Eagles were successful keeping Cameron Barmore in check throughout the game, limiting Hinsdale’s favorite receiving target to just two catches for 22 yards, but the Wolfpack looked elsewhere for their big plays.

“Cam is such a great leader for us. I’m sure he was frustrated, but they were overplaying him no matter where he was,” Harper said. ” … I’m sure he would have liked to have his big stat line and score a couple of touchdowns, but he is so unselfish and he understood what was going on.”

NOTES: Swabik ran for 64 yards and caught five passes for 81 yards. … Cleveland Hill ran 49 times for 334 yards as Diem had 17 carries for 159 yards and Lewis had eight carries for 104 yards. … Barmore had 13 tackles; Alex Dunnewold had 10 tackles; Svetz had 10 tackles and a fumble recovery; Swabik had nine tackles and a fumble recovery; and Zach Chase had nine tackles. … Diem and Cook were named the Intense Milk/Cross Training Athletics Character Athletes of the Game for their respective teams.

Cleveland Hill 12 6 6 0 — 24

Clymer/Sherman/Panama 7 7 14 7 — 35

CH–Diem 69 run (pass failed)

C/S/P–Overton 40 run (Svetz kick)

CH–Lewis 80 run (run failed)

CH–Marshall 80 interception return (run failed)

C/S/P–Swabik 70 kickoff return (Svetz kick)

CH–Diem 60 run (run failed)

C/S/P–Ramsey 4 run (Svetz kick)

C/S/P–Cook 15 pass from Hinsdale (Svetz kick)

C/S/P–Cooper 1 run (Svetz kick)