The success of Wayne Bragg's Panther Creek football program had been incremental through his first four seasons as the school's head coach.

Then came the 2010 season, where the Catamounts survived a number of close calls while reaching new program heights week after week.

The Catamounts (13-2) scored with 55 seconds to defeat Fayetteville Seventy-First, after falling down 16-0, in the third round of the 4-AA football playoffs. They had rallied from down 17 with nine minutes to go to shock Athens Drive and had erased a 16-point deficit to defeat Fuquay-Varina in overtime in two regular-season contests.

Panther Creek, led by 21 of the program's first four-year seniors, was unflappable in these tightly-contested showdowns.

And a big credit goes to Bragg, who among other late-game decisions, made a gusty call to go for a two-point conversion and the regular-season win against Fuquay.

"This is one of the (most fun) times (I've had coaching)," Bragg said. "The coaches, we talked about what a group of kids they are. They've never given up all year long. I think we'll all be a part of each other's lives for the rest of our lives."

Panther Creek fell 28-7 in the 4-AA East championship game to Wake Forest-Rolesville, ending the most successful season in the five-year varsity history of the program.

The Catamounts had won just eight games in the previous four seasons combined.

This season they won the first conference championship in school history with a balanced attack. Bragg's team was one of the area's leaders in forcing turnovers and avoiding penalties.

Every facet of Bragg's team was strong. The offense had a 2,000-yard passer, a 1,700 rusher and a dominant offensive line.

The defense posted three shutouts and held teams to 14 or fewer points seven times.

Kicker Garrett Lang led the area with 12 made field goals.

No matter the situation or personnel group, he kept his players cool under pressure. And as a result, they ended the year as one of the hottest teams in the state and just a game away from the state championship.