Staff photo / Preston Byers Poland’s offense celebrates after Vito Komara (10) rushed for a touchdown during the Bulldogs’ regional semifinal win vs. Akron Manchester on Friday in Louisville.

LOUISVILLE — Poland battled Akron Manchester, the elements and its own errors to prevail 24-13 on Friday night in the Division V, Region 17 semifinal in Louisville.

Amid misty and cold weather, neither the Bulldogs nor the Panthers found an offensive rhythm through the first quarter. But Poland, despite falling behind, made the most of the second quarter, where it took and established a lead that it would not relinquish for the rest of the game.

“Just because you don’t have experience doesn’t mean you can’t be successful,” Poland coach Tom Pavlansky said after the win. “These guys believed in themselves from day one back in December [and] all the way through.”

The Bulldogs, who averaged nearly 30 points per game through their first 12 games, could not kickstart their offense early on Friday.

Poland failed to record a first down in any of its first four offensive possessions, which ended in three punts and a failed fourth-down conversion.

Fortunately for the Bulldogs, Manchester’s offense proved to be not much better.

The Panthers punted on their first drive of the game, fumbled away the ball on their second and punted on their third possession after Jayce Mauger dropped a pass while wide open over the middle of the field.

Moments following the first down of the game, Manchester’s Phillip Partin broke the scoreless tie, as well as numerous tackles, during a 67-yard rushing touchdown with 57 seconds left in the first quarter.

After another stalled drive by both teams, Poland found its proverbial footing and drove the ball down the field for the first time all night.

Vito Komara finished off the drive in dazzling fashion; the elusive back spun around a defender at the line of scrimmage and sprinted free into the end zone for Poland’s first touchdown.

The Bulldogs could not be slowed down on their next possession either, as Angelo Angellili gave Poland the lead with a short rushing touchdown halfway into the second quarter.

While it appeared the Bulldogs may take a 14-7 edge into halftime, Komara threw an interception with more than two minutes to Blaise Donatelli, whose return put the Panthers inside Poland’s 20-yard line.

Poland made two more mistakes shortly thereafter, both penalties, which allowed Manchester to extend its drive and eventually finish it off with a 1-yard touchdown.

However, a missed extra point kept the Bulldogs in front, and a field goal as time in the half expired by Jas Stefancin gave Poland a 17-13 halftime lead.

“[We] keep on playing,” Pavlansky said. “We gave up seven, and then we just kept playing. That’s the biggest thing about our guys. We just keep on playing — good, bad or indifferent. We know the next play’s the most important play.”

The success Poland found in the first half on both sides of the ball continued in the second half, as the Bulldogs ate up time with multiple long drives.

After turning the ball over on downs inside Manchester’s 25-yard line, Poland did not let its next possession go to waste.

The time-eating drive concluded with a Pano Xipolitas rushing touchdown from inside the 1-yard line, which, combined with Poland’s subsequent defensive stop, ended any chance at a Panthers comeback.

With Friday’s win, Poland advanced to next week’s regional championship game, where the Bulldogs will face Northeast 8 rival South Range, which defeated Sugarcreek Garaway 42-14 in the other Region 17 semifinal.

Poland lost to the undefeated Raiders 38-30 on Sept. 27.

Even though another opponent now awaits, the Bulldogs are not going to hesitate to celebrate Friday’s victory.

“We gotta enjoy it because life’s too short,” Pavlansky said. “The same goes for football season; it goes way too fast. So yeah, we’re gonna enjoy it, we’re gonna have some fun.”