For Bishop Grimes, eight-man football meant far more than just an opportunity to keep a program going against the tide of small participation numbers.

It offered another chance at long-elusive glory – one that the Cobras grabbed by going a perfect 6-0 this fall, capped last Saturday night at the Carrier Dome when Grimes rallied in the second half to defeat New York Mills 44-22.

These same two teams had met Sept. 23 and Grimes had cruised to a 44-18 win on that occasion, but here Mills proved far tougher, especially in the first two periods as the Marauders roared out to a 22-8 lead.

All of that began to change on the first play of the third quarter. The Cobras’ senior quarterback, Jordan Newman, found Payton Damuth open, and Damuth went the rest of the way, 45 yards for a touchdown.

Grimes’ defense forced a quick change of possession, and from the Mills 40 Newman again looked for Damuth, who again made his way to the end zone.

Just like that, the Marauders’ lead was gone, and so was the momentum. Grimes put together three more scoring drives, and its defense kept making clutch stops, assuring a championship end to a memorable season of revival.