It was fitting that Paul VI’s last scoring drive of the season ended with the ball in Joshua Johnson’s hands, the running back plunging forward behind the muscle of his offensive line. This was the Panthers’ identity all season: physical, hard-nosed football powered by their running game. So when fourth and one arrived with the Panthers up 10 in Friday night’s Washington Catholic Athletic Conference Metro championship game, there was never a doubt who the ball was going to or what the result would be.
When Johnson inevitably broke the plane from three yards out, one word began to echo from the Panthers dotting the sideline: history. The Panthers’ 27-17 win over St. Mary’s Ryken at the Prince George’s Sports and Learning Complex in Landover delivered Paul VI its first championship since 1999.
“A lot of players have come before them to set the foundation for this program, and these guys represented who we are and what we do,” Coach Michael Grandizio said. “They bought into what we’re doing, and they trusted me. It’s really one humbling feeling.”