It was one for the seniors and one for the ages.

Lancaster Catholic won its second state title in three years Saturday afternoon, grinding out a 17-7 victory over Tyrone in the Class AA final in Hersheypark Stadium.

The Crusaders thus closed out a 16-0 season, and became the first Lancaster County team to win PIAA gold twice — something particularly gratifying to coach Bruce Harbach, who recalled huddling with his coaches after the 2009 championship run and wondering if Catholic High would ever be able to duplicate such a feat.

That they did so is attributable to a lot of things, not the least of which is the leadership and talent of a senior class that is, in the coach's words, "just a tremendous bunch of kids."

"They put their heart and soul into going out with two gold medals," he said. "It's just a special group."

One of those seniors, two-way lineman Adam DePietro, is a captain and one of the few players to start for both champs. He said this title was "10 times sweeter" than the first.

"I couldn't ask for more," he said. "It's the perfect ending."

DePietro, a tackle on offense, combined with linemates James Dreer, Anthony Juliano, Jacob Rider and Luke McDonald to spring Roman Clay for 154 yards and a touchdown on 25 carries, though Clay — fully recovered from the leg injury he suffered in the victory over Wyomissing in the District Three championship game — also did a terrific job of finishing off runs.

In all the Crusaders outgained the Golden Eagles, 326-161. But mistakes kept them from putting the game away until 1:36 remained, when Andrew Dzurik threw a 15-yard touchdown pass to a wide-open Sean Titus, increasing the lead to 17-7.

Catholic High was penalized 10 times for 92 yards, and one of the flags, for holding, nullified a touchdown run by Brandon Hollister in the third quarter. Dzurik, who had been intercepted just three times in the first 15 games, was also picked off twice, the first time at the goal line in the second quarter, when the Crusaders were up 7-0 and facing a second-and-goal at the Tyrone 5.

"The margin could have been a lot larger," Clay said, "if we had capitalized on our opportunities."

"Our kids were pressing a little bit," Harbach said. "I think at times we played great, at times not so great. We made some mistakes that aren't characteristic."

Again, it helped that he had his seniors — there are 21 listed on his 62-man roster — to provide ballast.

"We knew we couldn't give up on ourselves," DePietro said, "if we wanted to win the game."

Tyrone coach John Franco, whose team finished 14-2, was no less proud of the way his guys hung in there, despite three turnovers and numerous dropped passes. The most costly was by wide receiver Hayden Zook on fourth down deep in Catholic High territory with 4:23 left, when the Eagles were attempting to finish off a drive that began at their own 8.

The Crusaders responded by marching 75 yards in seven plays for the Dzurik-to-Titus score.

"I know the finality of it hurts," Franco said. "The fact that we lost hurts. But we battled them tooth and nail for everything.

"This is not the most talented team I've ever coached [in 33 years], but they had the most heart. Even though we didn't win, I couldn't be more proud. This team gave its heart and soul. I don't think we could have gotten anything more out of them."

Franco's son Steve, the Eagles' starting quarterback, barely missed on a long touchdown connection to wide receiver Nick Patton on the game's first series, after Patton had gotten behind the Catholic High secondary.

Later in the period the Crusaders took over at the Tyrone 35 when punter Jim Dorminy bobbled a low snap and was tackled for a 10-yard loss. It took eight plays for Catholic High to score, courtesy of Clay's 2-yard run.

The Crusaders made it 10-0 on Satchel Ziffer's 20-yard field goal with 5:46 left in the third quarter, which came four plays after Hollister's apparent TD run was wiped out by the hold.

Tyrone then whisked 62 yards in seven plays, the last a 4-yard run by Christian Getz (17-88 rushing), to make it 10-7.

Catholic answered by plowing from its 35 to the Eagles' 8, only to be stopped on downs. But Tyrone's next drive expired on the aforementioned drop, and Dzurik (11 for 17, 121 yards) found Titus.

Harbach later said this was a victory his players could treasure forever, that 20 years from now they could happily relive it.

And really, he added, "I'll be doing it next year with my buddies."

It was, after all, one for the ages.