Many had their eyes shut tight. Others were holding hands.

But when Devin Erickson's extra-point attempt passed through the uprights, the Parma High football team flooded onto the field to celebrate the Panthers' first football state championship since 1996.

Erickson's extra point gave Parma a 29-28 overtime victory against Declo (8-4) in the 2A state title game Friday at Bronco Stadium.

"I was super nervous," Erickson said. "I was trying to not think about it too much so I could do what I've practiced for all year."

The game was tied 22-22 after four quarters, and Declo had the first attempt in overtime from the 10-yard-line.

Hornets senior Riley Kowitz scored on a 1-yard run, but the Panthers (11-1) batted down the two-point conversion pass, giving Declo a 28-22 lead.

On third-and-3, Parma sophomore running back Lance Johnson scored his third touchdown of the night to tie the game at 28-28 before Erickson nailed the point-after attempt.

"We went through ups and downs. We went through injuries, and this is the craziest thing ever," said Parma senior quarterback Rance Portenier, who passed for 265 yards and a touchdown. "Our wildest dream came true."

The 6-foot, 165-pound Johnson finished with 107 yards and three touchdowns on 15 carries. Senior running back Dalton Koplin added 75 yards on 14 carries.

Sophomore Randy Riley had the Panthers' other touchdown, scoring on a 60-yard pass from Portenier with 2:44 to play in the third quarter. Riley had five catches for 144 yards. Senior Cam Stewart added four catches for 115 yards.

"Our kids just kept pounding away," Parma coach Greg Asbury said. " I can't say enough about our kids. They believed, they got after it and it was just a great win for Parma."

Declo junior running back Tyler Briggs scored the first touchdown of the game, running 11 yards and then stretching out to reach the end zone. Junior quarterback Jeremy Jenkins ran in the two-point conversion to give the Hornets an 8-0 lead with 2:38 to play in the first quarter.

Johnson did all the damage for the Panthers in the first half. He scored on a 15-yard run with 36 seconds to go in the first quarter and ran in the two-point conversion to tie the game 8-8.

Johnson gave Parma a 15-8 lead with a 41-yard touchdown run on a fake punt with 2:50 remaining in the second quarter.

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