Clymer/Sherman/Panama’s Gabe Roth attempts to get away from a Franlinville/Ellicottville defender during Saturday’s Section VI Class D semifinal at Panama’s Jack Keeney Community Field. P-J photo by Tim Frank

PANAMA — Lucas Marsh has thrown nearly two dozen touchdown passes this fall, but none was bigger than his connection with Blake Frank on Saturday afternoon.

The senior quarterback found Frank on a 49-yard catch and run early in the third quarter and that TD stood up the rest of the way as Franklinville/Ellicottville knocked off Clymer/Sherman/Panama 6-3 in a Section VI Class D semifinal football game at Jack Keeney Community Field.

The win vaults the Titans (7-2) into the title game at 5 p.m. this Friday at Highmark Stadium in Orchard Park. Their opponent will be Randolph, which knocked them off 36-26 two months ago.

“If we want to get into the state playoffs, we have to win the section and you have to get to the sectional championship,” Franklinville/Ellicottville coach Jason Marsh said. “That’s the way we looked at it as a group from Day One. We knew we had great competition to get there.”

” … We’re happy with the victory and real proud of our players,” Marsh added.

The Wolfpack, who held off the Tians 16-12 last month, end their season 7-3.

“We didn’t make enough plays on offense,” Clymer/Sherman/Panama coach Ty Harper said. “I’m big on accountability and I think it starts with me. We scored 3 points today.”

For those who like defense, this was the place to be.

Ninety-nine plays were run between the rivals, totaling 394 yards, an average of less than 4 yards per play. In the Titans’ 10 possessions, four ended in punts, two were halted by turnovers, two ended a half, and one was a turnover on downs.

But the Marsh-to-Frank aerial was a thing of beauty, and just enough to allow the Cattaraugus County merged team to advance.

“It was actually designed to be a crossing pattern,” Coach Marsh said, “and the kid gave up on the outside a little bit, (Lucas Marsh) threw a nice ball and Blake made a nice catch down the sideline.”

Until then, Clymer/Sherman/Panama held a 3-0 lead thanks to freshman Bryce Hinsdale’s 34-yard field goal with 1:22 left in the first half. It was, however, the only time the Wolfpack reached the red zone all afternoon. Meanwhile, they punted five times, one drive was halted via interception and two drives ended on downs, including one in the final minutes just inches shy of a first down.

That was it.

But that was all the Titans needed.

And now they will get another crack at the Cardinals, who advanced to the title game with a 46-0 thumping of Portville last Friday night.

“They’re physical and they’re good at what they do,” Coach Marsh said. “We have to put our big-boy pants on for that game, for sure.”

For one day, though, Franklinville/Ellicottville could celebrate an anticipated trip to the home of the Buffalo Bills. As Coach Marsh gathered his players for a postgame chat at one end of the field Saturday, a Titans’ player yelled above the rest: “We’re going to the stadium!”

For Harper and Clymer/Sherman/Panama, their season comes to a close a game short of their goal.

“I’m just really proud of our guys,” he said. “At the beginning of the season a lot of people had questions how we were going to replace so many starters on both sides of the ball. I thought they played super hard all season long. … We played a lot of good teams this fall and I think these kids battled every week, and for them to achieve what they did, I think, is fantastic.”

NOTES: Marsh completed 8 of 13 passes for 118 yards and the touchdown. He also rushed for 50 yards on 12 carries. … Wolfpack quarter Kurtis Olson completed 16 of 30 passes for 124 yards. … Hunter Smith had six tackles for Franklinville/Ellicottville, including one for loss. … Treyvon Kopta and Kyle Ryan both had seven tackles to lead Clymer/Sherman/Panama.

Franklinville/Ellicottville 0 0 6 0 — 6

Clymer/Sherman/Panama 0 3 0 0 — 3

C/S/P–FG Hinsdale 34

F/E–Frank 49 pass from Marsh (run failed)