The St. Mark's defense stood strong in the closing seconds and toppled defending Division I state football champion Middletown 20-15 in a first round playoff thriller Friday night.

The host Cavs got within 14 yards of scoring the game-winner as time wound down, but an incomplete pass in the end zone was the final play of the game. As St. Mark's players celebrated their huge victory, tears flowed freely from their Middletown opponents.

"Our line was great all night in containing their quarterback [Kenny Anderson]," St. Mark’s senior defensive back Stephen Hamberger said. "We knew he could run the ball, but also had to respect his passing abilities. We hung tough all night and got the job done at the end."

Fifth-seeded St. Mark's (8-3) overcame an early 6-0 deficit and eventually took a 20-9 lead on a 23-yard touchdown run by 5-foot-4, 130-pound Rashaun Davis on the first play of the fourth quarter. Kyle Sullivan kicked a 46-yard field goal midway through the third quarter for a 13-9 advantage. Just before halftime he booted a 24-yarder to put the Spartans up 10-9.

The Spartans defense kept fourth-seeded Middletown out of the end zone until midway through the fourth quarter, led by an overall team effort by Frank Flanigan, Luke Horney, Donte Potter, Mike Kemske, Wendell Hill, Colin McKeeferey, Sullivan Hamberger, Derek Diver, Corey Olsen, Chaz Malewski, Jack Williams and Jake Quinn, among others.

"We've got a sign at our school that says 'Rough roads develop better character," St. Mark's coach John Wilson said. "Our guys played to win tonight and knew there would be some challenging times. We got through it.

"This is the defending state champion and we were playing in their place. We didn't come in thinking it was going to be a cakewalk."

Midway through the fourth quarter, Middletown drove 56 yards for its only touchdown drive. Quarterback Kenny Anderson keyed the march with several 7- to 9-yard completions, and then charged up the middle for a 6-yard touchdown run. The two-point conversion pass failed, and St. Mark's led 20-15 with 6:46 left in the fourth quarter.

The Spartans offense then held on to the ball for more than five minutes, converting two fourth down plays to keep the drive going.

Fullback Matt Lennon and quarterback Brandon Baker both moved the chains with their short gainers, running behind the blocks of center Bobby Telford, guards Malewski and Olsen, and tackles Matt O'Laughlin and Quinn.

"We just didn't want to put it in the hands of their offense," Wilson said. "I asked the guys 'Do you want to go for it?' They believed in it, I believed in it, so we did it."

Middletown scored on three Scott Adkins field goals in the first half from 31, 26 and 30 yards. His third kick put the Cavaliers ahead 9-7 with 2:44 left in the second quarter.

St. Mark's quickly moved downfield, keyed by Baker's 45-yard pass completion to Aaron Jones. A pass interference call then moved the ball to the 11-yard line, which set up Sullivan's short kick for a one-point lead with 42 seconds left before intermission.