Photos by J. Tyrol.  Andrew Tyrol (center) leaps along with two Nonnewaug players for a ball in yesterday afternoon’s game.

Down 20 points to seven at the end of the first quarter, the Wildcats looked finished in yesterday’s second round game of the state Class S tournament.  The second quarter wasn’t much better, but at least Old Lyme did not go further behind.

After the break, a very different team emerged that suddenly seemed to have the previously missing determination to win.  Kaczor’s boys whittled Nonnewaug’s margin away to nothing by the end of the third quarter to leave the score at 40;40.

At the end of a thrilling fourth quarter, Nonnewaug equalized on the buzzer to leave the regulation time score also even, this time at 54:54.

Overtime saw the gritty ‘Cats start to pull away and finally secure victory at 66:59.

Old Lyme now meets Terryville away in the quarter final on Monday at 7 p.m.