One year ago, South Carroll's football team was saddled with a 3-5 record through eight games, but rebounded to win the Class 1A North Region championship and advance to the state semifinals.

In 2008, the Cavaliers are again 3-5 after Friday's 21-14 loss to visiting Winters Mill.

South Carroll bounced back last year, but can it repeat history?

With remaining regular-season games against a pair of formidable opponents in Liberty and Tuscarora, the Cavaliers are long shots to make their fourth playoff appearance in the past six years.

A six-yard touchdown pass from senior quarterback Ben Love to junior wide receiver Scott Bowersox with just 1:14 remaining in the game was the difference, as Winters Mill improved to 3-5 overall and 2-2 in the county.

South Carroll lost for the fourth time in five games and fell to 2-3 in county play.

"We really needed the win," said Winters Mill head coach Ken Johnson, whose Falcons have lost three games in the final minutes or in overtime this season. "We've been on the short end of these kinds of games more often than not. We have a resilient group of kids."

After South Carroll's Cody Merson hauled in a 13-yard touchdown pass on fourth down to tie the game at 14-14 with 4:33 left, the Cavaliers forced a three-and-out possession by Winters Mill and got the ball back at the Falcons' 43-yard line with nearly three minutes remaining.

But South Carroll fumbled on its first offensive play and Winters Mill seized on the opportunity.

On first down from their own 39-yard line, Falcon quarterback Love found junior wide receiver Nate Ritter between two defenders for a 48-yard gain to the Cavalier 12.

"We were lucky enough to get the ball back," said Love, who has thrown for more than 1,800 yards and 18 touchdowns this season. "Our offensive coordinator and I had a talk and decided that we had to go for the home run shot. Nate didn't score but he set us up in great field position."

Three plays later, Love rolled to the right and fired the game-winning six-yard touchdown pass to Bowersox in the front of the end zone.

"We've just been coming up short this year, losing all but one game by eight points or less," Love said. "This is the first time we've had a balanced offense. John Shaw has helped us a lot. ... If other teams want to focus on our running game, we're good enough to pass over the top. And if they key on the passing game, Shaw is good enough to run it."

Turnovers played a key role in the contest. South Carroll scored the game's first touchdown after recovering a Falcon fumble at the Winters Mill 31-yard line. Merson ran down the left sideline for a 15-yard score that gave South Carroll a 7-0 advantage with 7:55 left in the opening quarter.

But the Falcons outplayed the Cavaliers for the remainder of the half. On the ensuing possession, Winters Mill drove 77 yards in 11 plays, with Shaw scoring his county-leading 15th touchdown of the season on a two-yard run to tie the contest.

Winters Mill scored again on its next drive, covering 73 yards in 12 plays and concluding with an 11-yard touchdown pass from Love to Ritter in the end zone.

"Each week, we seem to have a different receiver that puts up big numbers for us. This week, it was Nate's turn," said Johnson of Ritter, who gained 98 yards on seven catches. "You have to make the plays in the clutch, and we were able to do that tonight."

Defense ruled the third quarter, as both teams combined for just two first downs. But South Carroll had already started its best drive of the night as the fourth quarter began. The Cavaliers mixed the run and pass on the 19-play, 87-yard march, but were still faced with a fourth-and-goal from the Winters Mill 13-yard line.

Senior quarterback Ryan Weaver made a play-action fake, then found Merson open for a 13-yard touchdown that tied the game with 4:33 left.

After Love and Bowersox hooked up for the go-ahead touchdown at the 1:14 mark, South Carroll had one last shot to tie the game. The Cavaliers converted two fourth-down opportunities on their final drive and reached the Winters Mill 25 on Joe Wright's 18-yard catch with one second remaining.

On the last play, Weaver lofted a jump ball to senior Travis Tate in the end zone, but several Winters Mill defenders converged to break up the play and end the game.

Despite the win Winters Mill is virtually eliminated from the playoff picture, but at least one Falcon believes that the team can make its season with a win this Friday over a Century team that has run off eight straight wins.

"This week will be huge for us," Love said. "They're undefeated, and it would be awesome to be party-crashers. We have nothing to lose. "

South Carroll, which was missing head coach Greg Mihalko due to illness Friday, may have seen its playoff window close with the loss. The Cavaliers are sixth in the Class 1A North Region with two games left, and need wins over two likely playoff teams to keep their postseason hopes alive.

"We tied it up with five minutes to go and had another chance to put the ball in the end zone at the end," said South Carroll assistant coach Kevin Cool, who guided the Cavaliers in Mihalko's absence. "But the kids fought hard. It was a battle the whole game. We're in the same position (as last year), but it makes it tough to make the playoffs."

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