The senior tailback rushed for 297 yards and four touchdowns to lead the Panthers past the Eagles for a spot in the championship at Highmark Stadium next week.

When both teams squared off in the regular season it was a close contest in the first half, but the Panthers were able to keep the Eagles off the scoreboard after the break. It was the same again as Portville/Cuba-Rushford pulled away with another two DeYoe touchdowns in the third and fourth quarter.

When Chautauqua Lake/Westfield/Brocton did get on the scoreboard, the Panthers always had an answer.

Carson Fairbank booted a 37-yard field goal, but then on the next drive DeYoe reached paydirt from 38 yards out and gave Portville-Rushford the lead.

Portville/Cuba-Rushford’s Maxx DeYoe spins away from an attempted tackle by Chautauqua Lake/Westfield/Brocton’s Clayton Smith during the Section VI Class C semifinals in Mayville on Friday. Photo courtesy of Cody Jacobson

On the next drive, Gibbs connected with another receiver streaking toward the pilon, but coming up just short. Instead of settling for a field goal when Devin Hewes caught a ball inside the 5-yard line, quarterback Brayden Gibbs snuck in for a touchdown to capitalize on the Nick Jacobson catch.

Just a couple of drives later Portville-Cuba Rushford showed that it could get it done through the air as Eli Sleggs connected with Adam Roe on a play-action pass that resulted in a 73-yard touchdown and the lead again at 14-10.

Chautauqua Lake/Westfield/Brocton punched right back on the following drive and it was started by a big kick return from Hewes, and then it finished with him. Rolling to the left with Hewes’ route, Gibbs threaded the needle perfectly between two Portville-Cuba Rushford to regain the lead at 17-14.

Unfortunately for the Eagles, their last lead of the season was short lived as DeYoe got right back to work accounting for almost all of the Panthers’ yards on the next drive before breaking off for a 26-yard touchdown run and the 20-17 lead.

With just north of a minute remaining, it looked like that would be it for scoring in the half, but an onside kick recovered by Portville/Cuba-Rushford put the Eagles on their heels again.

Eagles quarterback Brayden Gibbs fights for yards as two Portville defenders close in during the Section VI Class C football semifinals on Friday in Mayville. Photo courtesy of Cody Jacobson

However, needing to make up a lot of ground in little time forced the Panthers to air it out and Carson Fairbank ended the threat with an interception of Sleggs.

Chautauqua Lake/Westfield/Brocton had possession to start the second half, but despite its best efforts with getting the ball to playmakers like Jacobson the Panthers were able to stymie any offensive threat.

Portville/Cuba-Rushford’s ground game really started to take a toll on the clock in the second half, and adding two more touchdowns from DeYoe made it worse for the Eagles.

Unable to slow down DeYoe and the Panthers, Chautauqua Lake/Westfield/Brocton’s season came to an end in the semifinals 32-17.

Portville/Cuba-Rushford 7 13 6 6 — 32

Chautauqua Lake/Westfield/Brocton 3 14 0 0 — 17

CWB–Fairbank 37 field goal

P–DeYoe 38 run (Roulo kick)

CWB–Gibbs 1 run (Fairbank kick)

P–Sleggs 73 pass to Roe (Roulo kick)

CWB–Gibbs 25 pass to Hewes (Fairbank kick)

P–DeYoe 26 run (Kick fail)

P–DeYoe 10 run (Kick fail)

P–DeYoe 25 run (Pass fail)