During the last minute of regulation in Friday’s Class 6A quarterfinal game at Lawrence Free State, suspense was felt in the air on both sides of the field.

With 2.7 seconds left in the fourth quarter, Derby junior Jackson Syring attempted a game-winning 47-yard field goal. The kick came up short. Overtime.

And that’s where Derby won, beating Free State 55-49 to advance to the 6A semifinals at Wichita Northwest (10-1) on Nov. 17.

The Grizzlies defeated the sixth-seeded Garden City Buffaloes (8-3) at home 49-6.

“I’ve said find a way… happened to be in overtime, but we found a way,” Derby coach Brandon Clark said.

It was the third straight year Derby (10-1) beat Free State (10-1)  in the playoffs. The Panthers also handed Free State its first loss of the season.

Overtime consisted of starting on the 10-yard line with four downs each.

Free State had the ball first, but the Derby defense held and a Free State pass came up short on the final play.

Next was the Panthers’ possession, and on the first play, junior quarterback Hunter Igo handed the ball to senior Brody Kooser, who scored.

It was Derby’s first game with a combined 100 points scored.

The Firebirds started out strong in the first quarter with 14 points behind its huge offensive line.

Sophomore Tre Washington ran a kick return to Derby’s 8-yard line where Igo ran in the Panthers’ first touchdown with 1:52 left in the quarter.

It was a close game, but in no means a low scoring game. There was touchdown after touchdown.

The second quarter was filled with five touchdowns — the Panthers had three touchdowns and alternated scoring with the Firebirds.

The third quarter was the same with three touchdowns, two from the Panthers and one from the Firebirds.

Igo had four touchdowns, the most in a game and 15th so far in the season. Kooser had three and senior Jack Taylor had one.

The Panthers successfully ran two three-man trick plays including Igo, Kooser and sophomore Aaron Larson or senior Tyler Brown.