There were shades of Monday night's game between the Kansas City Chiefs and Los Angeles Rams when No. 2 Petrides and visiting No. 3 Stuyvesant teamed for 92 points in Saturday's PSAL Cup semifinal barn-burner.

Only this one played out more like a Stephen King thriller, with far more twists and turns than the NFLers, as the Panthers bested Stuyvesant, 52-40, in a game that was kookier than even Jack Torrance was.

Petrides Panthers trip up Stuyvesant Peglegs 52-40 in PSAL Cup Conference semifinals 44 Gallery: Petrides Panthers trip up Stuyvesant Peglegs 52-40 in PSAL Cup Conference semifinals

Petrides (10-1) will meet the winner of Sunday's semifinal between No. 1 Kipp and No. 4 Cardozo on Dec. 2 at Lincoln HS for the championship.

An inauspicious start pitted the Panthers with a 7-0 deficit after a fumble set the Peglegs up for an easy score.

Fortunately for Petrides, they quickly rallied to score.

And score again...and again, and again, until it had built a 30-7 advantage just one minute into the second quarter.

Game over? Not so fast.

Miraculously, Stuyvesant rose from the dead like a cat in the Pet Sematary (more Stephen King humor).

The Peglegs circled the wagons to the tune of 27 unanswered points, sending the Panthers to the locker room with a slim 30-28 advantage before taking a 34-30 lead to open the third quarter.

"We were fighting uphill nonstop," said Petrides coach Dave Olah. "We prepared all week, but we couldn't stop their screen game."

The two teams subsequently alternated scores before Petrides cashed in on the game's final two TDs to seal the win in what proved to be one of the most INSANE high school football playoff games you will ever see.

"I don't think I've ever been a part of a game with two runs like that," said Olah. "We played well, we got it rolling...we relaxed and Stuyvesant is a good team, they're not gonna give up and they took it to us."

TURNING POINT

Trailing 44-40 late in the third quarter, Stuyvesant promptly drove down field, poised to take back the lead.

A slanting receiver caught a pass near midfield for a solid gain, but linebacker Angelo Sereno had a lead to protect.

The junior lowered his shoulder squarely into the chest of the pass-catcher, knocking him off his feet as the ball bounced free into the waiting hands of Sereno's teammate Divine Streeter.

Quarterback Mike Diforte (152 pass yards/75 rush yards/two TDs) took advantage of the solid field position and finished off the ensuing drive with a TD run that ultimately sealed the victory.

"We ain't going home!" Petrides players could be heard saying on the sideline.

PLAYER OF THE GAME

As per usual, running back Tyheer Tucker carried the load.

After his fumble on the opening drive put the Panthers in a hole, the senior proceeded to pile up 171 yards on 24 totes, 55 additional yards through the air, and four total TDs to go along with three two-point conversions.

"We've battled adversity," noted Olah. "One play doesn't define a game."

We're officially running out of superlatives for Tucker, who was the Player of the Game for a second week in a row.

"The offense runs through him," added Olah bluntly.

OTHER NOTABLES

Petrides won the game in large part because it won the turnover battle.

Despite the fact that the Panthers turned it over twice on Saturday, the equivalent of their total for the entire season, they still forced five turnovers and converted two of them into defensive scores.

Anthony Caserta's 16-yard scoop and score off a first-quarter fumble was immediately followed by Robert Craig's 37-yard pick six on the following possession amid the Panthers 30-point scoring run.

Streeter came down with three interceptions, including two in the game's final three minutes to shore up the triumph.

"When you can score on defense it takes so much pressure off the offense," explained Olah. "It lifts the team up more than a regular touchdown.

"This is a great group that loves football and wants to win, and they showed that today," added Olah.

On the other side, Stuyvesant played the entire game with its backup QB after starter Lucas Dingman injured his thumb in practice on Friday.

Aidan Griffin fired three first half TD passes and running back Tim Marder rushed for three scores in defeat.

As for next week, Coach Olah, who was doused by the water cooler following the win, is happy to still be playing.

"Either team [we play next week] will be a challenge, but it's just another week," said Olah.

"We said in August in training camp that we want to be playing on the last day of the season," he added. "And we're playing on the last day of the season."