Staff photo / Brian Yauger Chalker's Zack Zimmerman, left, and Zach Pack share a moment following Saturday's 8-man state championship game. The Wildcats fell 34-20 to St. Mary Central Catholic at Leetonia.

LEETONIA — Chalker came up just short of its ultimate goal, falling, 34-20, to Sandusky St. Mary in the 8-man football state championship game on Saturday.

“They played their butts off,” Wildcats coach Justin Kren said. “It just didn’t come out how we needed. We made a few mistakes, and you can’t have those in a championship game.”

St. Mary got on the board with a 28-yard run from quarterback Cullen Dillard.

After senior quarterback Tanner Kelson was sidelined in the second quarter due to injury, Vince Delvecchio took over under center for the remainder of the game.

The junior got Chalker on the board, scoring on a 43-yard rush. He also scored on the two-point conversion, giving Chalker an 8-6 lead, its first of the contest.

Delvecchio came up big on the defensive side of the ball for the Wildcats on the ensuing drive. With a chance to take the lead before halftime, St. Mary drove down to the 2-yard line and scored on fourth down, but the call was wiped away due to a hold.

On their second try, much further away, Delvecchio broke the pass up, preserving Chalker’s lead into the break.

The high-caliber offenses came alive in the second half as the teams traded touchdowns.

Delvecchio scored on a 24-yard run, and minutes later Dillard connected with Bryan Gibson on a 31-yard pass.

Senior Ethan Bosch returned the ensuing kickoff back for a touchdown. Unfortunately for the Wildcats, that would be the last time they found the end zone.

The Panthers (11-1) scored three unanswered touchdowns to take the lead and secure their first state championship, avenging last season’s loss to Toledo Christian.

Kelson returned quickly after his injury in the second quarter, playing defense and lining up at tight end on offense.

Unfortunately, the senior was injured again late in the fourth quarter while battling for extra yardage.

“He’s one of the ones that helped start building to where we are now,” Kren said. “When you have a kid like that, he’s not one to be told you’re not going to go back in. You’re a senior. It’s your last game, and let alone you’re batting for your first state championship. You think anybody’s gonna keep you out of the game? Not gonna happen with the kind of competitor he is.”

Chalker (9-2) finishes the season tying a program high of nine wins. They’ll also have a new piece of hardware for the trophy case in the school’s lobby as the Wildcats made it further than any team in program history.

“What they accomplished, we might have came up short, but we made it to the dance,” Kren said. “We made it there in our second season of 8-man. It’s a pretty good accomplishment.”

While graduating talented seniors, including Kelson, Chalker doesn’t think this is a flash in the pan.

“This should be the normal,” Kren said. “This should be what they look forward to every season, playing in this game. That should be our ultimate goal. Absolutely. That’s why we play the game.”

For the returners, the work to get back to the championship begins.

“(I want them to) remember this moment, and how bad it feels,” Kren said. “That should drive you the entire offseason to want to be that much better next year when we kick off the season.”