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Overtime seemed inevitable when Portsmouth Abbey scored the tying goal with 26 seconds left, but Brit Mscisz had other ideas.

Pingree won the ensuing draw after Portsmouth Abbey's goal and got the ball to Mscisz deep in the offensive zone. Mscisz was fouled and then scored on a free position with six seconds to play, giving Pingree a 13-12 victory that virtually ensures the Highlanders will win their fifth straight Eastern Independent League crown.

Overtime seemed inevitable when Portsmouth Abbey scored the tying goal with 26 seconds left, but Brit Mscisz had other ideas.

Pingree won the ensuing draw after Portsmouth Abbey's goal and got the ball to Mscisz deep in the offensive zone. Mscisz was fouled and then scored on a free position with six seconds to play, giving Pingree a 13-12 victory that virtually ensures the Highlanders will win their fifth straight Eastern Independent League crown.

A shot at the buzzer did not fall through, and Pelham lost to Portsmouth 54-53, snapping its 37-game home winning streak that began in 2004. Ricky Costa scored 19 points while Justin Hojlo had 14 for the Pythons.

Pingree football coach Chris Powers feels he has a "huge weapon" in the kicking game in senior Carlos O'Donnell of Salem, who is also the team's quarterback.

The huge weapon came in handy yesterday as O'Donnell kicked three field goals, including a school record-tying 42-yarder in Pingree's 23-6 season-opening win over Portsmouth Abbey. "He's got a strong leg and we feel comfortable that when he's kicking them from 35 yards out (or closer), it's pretty much automatic," Powers said of O'Donnell. "He gives us a lot of confidence on offense. We get down there and feel we can put points on the board."