OBSERVER Photo by Ron Szot The Dunkirk Marauders football team is pictured with coaches and staff, celebrating after the program’s 50-48 victory over Batavia on Saturday. Dunkirk’s opponent next week in the semifinals, Chenango Forks, the top-ranked team in the New York State Sportswriters’ Association Class B poll, was the three-time defending NYSPHSAA Class C champion before moving up to Class B this season.

Editor’s note: Due to an early deadline, a full account of Dunkirk’s Section VI Class B championship game against Batavia will appear in Monday’s edition of the OBSERVER.

ORCHARD PARK — The dream is still alive.

Dunkirk’s quest for its first New York State Public High School Athletic Association football title is still intact after its thrilling 50-48 overtime win over Batavia on Saturday night in the Class B Far West Regional at New Era Field.

In a game that saw seven lead changes during regulation, it was Alton Ingram’s 16-yard run and two-point conversion that put Dunkirk on top for good, as Batavia was unable to convert its own two-point try in overtime to tie the game and send it to a second overtime session.

After Ingram put Dunkirk on top 50-42, Batavia quarterback Jerry Reinhart scored on a 3-yard dive into the end zone, but his pass on the two-point conversion fell incomplete and the celebration was on for the Marauders, who will now play Section IV’s Chenango Forks (11-0), a 35-13 winner over Section III’s Cazenovia (10-1), Saturday night in the Central Regional final. Game time for the NYSPHSAA Class B semifinal is set for 3 p.m. at Cicero-North Syracuse High School.

Batavia jumped out to a 6-0 lead on the game’s opening drive, as Ray Leach scored on a 33-yard run. But Dunkirk, as it did last week against Cheektowaga in the Section VI final at New Era Field, answered right back, as quarterback Evon Hernandez connected with tight end Elwin Gomez for a 61-yard strike to help put the Marauders up 8-6 with 10:46 left in the opening quarter.

However, also like last week, the first quarter was a shootout, as the Blue Devils got a 59-yard touchdown from Leach to put Batavia up 12-8 with 10:27 remaining in the first quarter. Ingram, who finished the night with 240 yards on 33 carries, scored the first of his four touchdowns, this one a 60-yarder that helped Dunkirk to a 16-12 lead with 8:19 remaining in the first frame.

From there, Hernandez increased the Marauders’ lead to 22-14 with a 4-yard scamper while Reinhart got the Blue Devils to within two, 22-20, with a 48-yard keeper with 3:15 left in the first quarter. Batavia then went on top 28-22 after Reinhart found Chandler Baker from 23 yards out with 4:46 remaining in the first half. However, an Ingram 5-yard jaunt into the end zone with 35 seconds left in the second quarter sent the teams to halftime tied 28-all.

If anyone in the stands thought the game was going to slow down in the second half, they were wrong, as the two teams kept up the same scoring pace, with Batavia regaining the lead, 34-28, with 6:48 left in the third quarter on a 61-yard run by Leach, who finished his night with 224 yards on 20 carries and four touchdowns.

Like they had all night, the Marauders had an answer for the Blue Devils, as Ingram capped a 12-play, 69-yard drive with a 6-yard plunge into the end zone. The two-point conversion failed, leaving the score tied 34-all with 9:35 left in regulation.

After Dunkirk forced Batavia to punt on the ensuing drive, the Marauders were able to take the lead once again, this time on a 5-yard pass from Hernandez to Dontrell Clemons on 4th-and-goal with 2:33 left in the fourth quarter. After Ingram added the two-point try, Dunkirk held a 42-34 advantage.

The Blue Devils took over at their own 38-yard line with 2:31 left on the clock, which was more than enough time for them to answer the Marauders’ go-ahead score. And they did just that as Reinhart found Leach from 11-yards out on 4th-and-6 from the Dunkirk 11-yard line. After a halfback pass from Leach to Baker on the two-point conversion, the game was tied 42-all with 16 seconds left on the clock.

Dunkirk was able to run a few plays and gain some yards, but Hernandez was sacked on the final play of regulation, sending the game to overtime, where Dunkirk received the ball first, setting the pace that Batavia ultimately could not keep up with.

NOTES: Hernandez finished the night 5 of 7 for 119 yards and two touchdowns while adding another 59 yards on 17 carries and a score on the ground… Isaiah Velez chipped in 75 yards on six attempts and a 36-yard reception in the win… Leading Dunkirk’s defense was Gomez, who had seven tackles while Ingram chipped in six of his own… Reinhart finished the night 3 of 9 for 48 yards and two touchdowns through the air while adding 131 yards on 14 carries and two more scores on the ground… Batavia held a 422-382 edge on the ground while Dunkirk won the overall yardage battle, 501-470… Dunkirk’s opponent next week in the semifinals, Chenango Forks, the top-ranked team in the New York State Sportswriters’ Association Class B poll, was the three-time defending NYSPHSAA Class C champion before moving up to Class B this season.