Loading ...
Warriors Clinch Wildcard Spot with 13-10 Win Over Cavaliers
By Craig Brown
It was a hard fought battle but the Warriors made it three wins in a row by downing the St. Johns Christian School Cavaliers 13-10 Friday night in Monks Corner.
The win puts the Warriors at 7-3 on the season and 3-3 in the region clinching a wildcard play off spot.
The winless Cavaliers, 0-10 on the season with 5 region losses, must have seen the Warriors as a last chance to finish their season with a win as they played heads up football and laid some hard licks on the Warriors.
In the end it was the Warrior defense that prevailed with 4 interceptions, two quarterback sacks and two blocked punts that won the game as the Cavaliers defense contained the Warrior offense for most of the game.
The first quarter ended 0-0 as neither the Warriors or the Cavaliers could get their offense moving. With 2:28 left in the second quarter, Warrior fullback John Norton crossed the goal line from seven yards, the two point conversion attempt failed leaving the Warriors up 6-0.
The Warriors got the ball back with just over a minute to play in the half and fumbled in their own end zone with the Cavaliers recovering for a two point safety to end the half with the Warriors holding onto a 6-2 lead.
John Michael Bullock ran 31 yards on an end around play for the Warriors final touchdown with 3:36 left in the third quarter. Andrew Campbell’s extra point kick increased the Warrior lead to 13-2.
With 33 seconds left in the third quarter, Cavalier tailback Houston Cumbee ran 37 yards for the Cavaliers only touchdown. Quarterback Josh Fiddie hit tight end Damon Hurtal with the two point conversion to close the Warrior lead at 13-10. The fourth quarter was a defensive struggle and the game ended with the Warriors getting the 3 point victory margin win.
On offense for the Warriors, John Michael Bullock had 56 yards on four carries with a touchdown; Parker Coleman had 40 yards on 13 carries; John Bryant had 35 yards on seven carries; Jonathan Justice was 2 of 9 passing for 18 yards with an interception and had 18 yards rushing on six carries; John Michael Price caught two passes for 18 yards; and John Norton had 10 yards on two carries with a touchdown.
On defense, Andrew Campbell had nine tackles, seven assists, an interception and a blocked kick. Will Shelly had eight tackles, eight assists, and two quarterback sacks. John Norton had six tackles, five assists; John Michael Bullock had five tackles, four assists, and an interception; Brandon Gay had five tackles, four assists, and an interception; Nick Hammond had four tackles, five assists; John Bryant had four tackles, four assists; Parker Coleman had three tackles, two assists; Christian Berry had three tackles; John Michael Price and Neil Melvin had two tackles with three assists each with Melvin adding a blocked kick; Rob Tallon had two tackles, two assists with an interception and two passes knocked out of the hands of a receiver; and Dorrian Sellers added a tackle with two assists.
The Warriors will travel to Florence Friday night to play the number two team in the region, and also the number two team in SCISA division 1A, the Byrnes School Trojans.
A big rivalry has developed between these two teams over the past few years. Both teams were undefeated in region play last year when they played at the end of the regular season with the Warriors winning that game in a fourth quarter runaway scoring spree that ended the game Warriors 60, Trojans 30. This year the Warriors are the underdog and are going to have to rely on pride, spirit and determination.
Game time is set for 7:30 at Byrnes Stadium in Florence on Friday.
