Friday night’s Philo and John Glenn game pretty much summed up the Muskingum Valley League in one crazy nutshell — tough.

From a grueling battle in the trenches to popping pads all night with each other, the Electrics and Little Muskies laid it all on the line. And at the end of the night, it was Dirk Lincicome’s team that was storming the field with jubilation after John Glenn failed a two-point conversion with less than a minute left.

And one of the biggest stars of the night came from a position some overlook.

Philo kicker Colton Stotts converted on three field goals, the biggest coming from 41-yards away. It was all his coach could do to hide his pride in one of the MVL’s most consistent kickers and the coach who guides him.

“It all starts with Matt McIntyre, everyday, at practice. He’s the best, hands down,” Lincicome said. “I’m blessed to have him. Colton is a kid who, he’s just laser focused. That’s just … he’s just really mentally tough. He’s not a kid who wants any kid of glory or recognition. He just wants to show up and do his job every day.”

Stotts notched the games first points with a 38-yard kick on the team’s second drive. John Glenn responded with a beautiful fade from quarterback Evan Williams to Reece Perkins to take a 7-0 lead with less than a minute before halftime.

But, following John Glenn securing the ball again, the real fun began.

Coach Matt Edwards dialed up a deep pass for Williams down the seam, but the ball was picked off by Eli Preston of the Electrics, who returned the ball deep into Muskie territory. Flags flew, and the officials announced the infractions would offset, giving the ball to Philo on the John Glenn 15-yard line with just three seconds left in the half.

However, neither side seemed to fully know what was being called, as a short delay turned into a soap opera, with officials taking out the rule book and talking to each coach. Much to the dismay of John Glenn, the ball remained on the 15, and Stotts knocked the ball through.

Both sides traded blows for the rest of the night, but it was Philo who ultimately capitalized on the other’s mistakes the most. Even after having a field goal blocked after getting a short field off a Brock Luburgh interception, an eventual touchdown plunge for backup quarterback Aaron Philip pushed the Electrics ahead.

Stotts would convert again, this time from 41 yards, after a few more failed Muskie drives. John Glenn gained some momentum on a 30-yard Joseph Clifford reception, but a costly Williams fumble seemed like the end.

But Edwards wanted his team to keep their fighting spirit.

“I told them with 1:19 left …  in 79 seconds, a lot can happen,” Edwards said following the game. “And obviously, it did.”

However, as Lincicome’s team tried to run out the clock, Luburgh was stripped of the ball in a scrum, which was recovered by the Muskies. With just 40 seconds left on the clock, Williams found receiver Ben Larson on a rub route for the score.

But all the luck had run out for the now 1-3 Muskie squad. And Philo proved once again why it’s never smart to count out the Electrics.

John Glenn will now be looking ahead to an intriguing showdown with Maysville, who is fresh off a 20-8 victory over New Lexington. Philo, meanwhile, can turn the entire conference on its head with a win in their next game against MVL powerhouse Tri-Valley.