Williamsport won the regular-season contest, 23-6, on Aug. 30 and, just about two months to the day, the Millionaires did it again, securing a nail-biting 15-6 win after a struggle on defense the entire game.

With this win Friday, the Millionaires will advance to the District 2-4 Class 6A final. Both teams fought with dignity and neither team should hang their heads with their performance.

Williamsport held a narrow 7-6 lead for majority of the game. With 40 seconds left on the clock in the fourth quarter, Williamsport running back Jamel Bailey was able to break free for a 41-yard touchdown run.

MARK NANCE/Sun-Gazette Correspondent Hazelton quarterback (1) is swarmed by Williamsport's Jayden Ransom (85) and Kaleb Way (55) while passing under pressure in the first quarter.

The special teams came on to the field for the extra point, the snap was muffed and kicker Parker Johnson was able to recover the ball and connect with Bailey for a two-point conversion to give Williamsport a nine-point lead.

“That is something that you practice every day when you practice special teams. I didn’t see the snap, but Parker took it and was able to make a play, that’s playoff football sometimes things happen, and you have to make the most of it”, Williamsport defensive coordinator Jesse Walk stated.

The game started with the Cougars getting the opening kickoff for the first drive of the game. From the first snap it was a defensive struggle with both teams going three and out on each of their first possessions.

“I think that the boys up front fought hard, we practice all week and the team relies on the defensive and offensive lines, and they played hard tonight and helped us move the ball and burn some of the clock time tonight,” Walk said. “It’s playoff football yards are hard to come by and the boys as a team played well.”

The Cougar defense came up big in the first quarter blocking a field goal attempt by Parker Johnson keeping the game scoreless.

MARK NANCE/Sun-Gazette Correspondent Williamsport's Jamel Bailey (5) pushes off Hazelton's Carlos Gonzalaz (2) in the first quarter.

“I am just so proud of them. Our biggest weakness was our defense and we really feel like we’ve taken giant leaps this year against some of the teams we have played especially the first time we played Williamsport,” Hazelton coach Dennis Buchman commentated.

The offense was able to feed off the energy created by the defense and were able to strike first when Hazelton running back Ashton Karlick was able to sneak in for a score. The extra point was blocked by the Millionaire defense, keeping the score 6-0.

In the second quarter, the Millionaires were able to answer back when, Bailey was able to score on a 32-yard touchdown run, kicker Parker Johnson was able to send the ball through the up rights for the extra point to now make the score 7-6.

For the rest of the game, it was the defense who shined for both teams not allowing anyone to score for almost two whole quarters.

Williamsport 15, Hazleton 6

MARK NANCE/Sun-Gazette Correspondent Williamsport's Jamel Bailey (5) runs the ball behind the block of Kaleb Way in the second quarter.

Hazleton 6 0 0 0 — 6

Williamsport 0 7 0 8 — 15

First quarter

H–Ashton Karlick 1 run (kick failed).

Second quarter

MARK NANCE/Sun-Gazette Corespondent Hazelton quarterback (1) is swarmed by Williamsport's Zion Hughes (1) and Lucas Naughton (19) for a sack in the first quarter.

W–Jamel Bailey 32 run (Johnson conversion)

Fourth quarter

W–Bailey 41 run (Bailey conversion)

TEAM STATISTICS

H W

MARK NANCE/Sun-Gazette Correspondent Williamsport's Kahyear Whaley (23) runs the ball against Hazelton in the first quarter.

First downs 11 10

Rushes-yards 36-60 31-219

Passing yards 128 19

Comp.-Att.-Int. 12-21-0 4-14-0

Total yards 188 238

Fumbles-lost 0-0 0-0

Penalties-yards 6-45 8-85

INDIVIDUALS TATISTICS

RUSHING-Hazelton; Ashton Karlick 18-38, Austin Wilson 9-37, Hunter Johnson 1-1, Freddy Corrado 8-(minus-16); Williamsport; Jamel Bailey 2 TD 14-164, Elijah Way 7-34, Kahyear Whaley 8-15, Giovanni White 1-3

PASSING-Hazelton; Freddy Corrado 18-10-0 85, Austin Wilson 2-3-0 43: Williamsport; Elijah Way 14-4-0 19

RECEIVING-Hazelton; Yohansel Moran 6-84, Jack Mariano 1-19, Ashton Karlick 3-15, Carlos Gonzlez 1-0: Williamsport; Kyreek Bradshaw 1-12, Zion Hughes 1-9, Kahyear Whaley 2-(minus-2)

MARK NANCE/Sun-Gazette Correspondent Williamsport's Jamel Bailey (5) runs a sweep around Hazelton's Jeremy Ackjerman (74) in the first quarter.

MARK NANCE/Sun-Gazette Correspondent Hazelton quarterback Freddy Corrado is chased down for a sack by Williamsport's Jamel Bailey and Jayden Ransom in the first quarter.

MARK NANCE/Sun-Gazette Correspondent Williamsport's Jamel Bailey (5) leaps over an attempted tackle by Hazelton's Carlos Gonzalez (2) in the second quarter.

MARK NANCE/Sun-Gazette Correspondent Williamsport's Jaxson Thompson (65) and Kaleb Way (55) celebrate Jamel Bailey's touchdown in the second quarter.

MARK NANCE/Sun-Gazette Correspondent Williamsport's Chase Hill (7) tries to make the catch between Hazelton's Logan Gennaro (10) and Carlos Gonzalez (2) in the second quarter.

MARK NANCE/Sun-Gazette Correspondent Williamsport's Jamel Bailey (5) runs the ball against Hazelton in the second quarter.

MARK NANCE/Sun-Gazette Correspondent Williamsport's Jamel Bailey (5) stiff arm's Hazelton's Logan Gennaro for extra yards on in the second quarter.

MARK NANCE/Sun-Gazette Correspondent Williamsport quarterback Elijah Way (15) runs the ball on a quarterback keeper in the first quarter.

MARK NANCE/Sun-Gazette Correspondent Hazelton quarterback Freddy Corrado is sacked by Williamsport's Lucas Naughton for a loss.

MARK NANCE/Sun-Gazette Correspondent Williamsport's Jamel Bailey (5) runs a sweep around Hazelton's Isaah Beato in the first quarter.

MARK NANCE/Sun-Gazette Correspondent Hazelton quarterback Freddy Corrado is chased for a sack by Williamsport's Jamel Bailey and Jayden Ransom in the first quarter.