Wildcats Claim Region Championship with 21-14 Win Over Loris

By Lonnie Turner

It was an early Halloween for the Dillon Wildcats when they traveled to Loris Friday night. The Loris Lions really put a scare into the Cats when they jumped out to a 14-0 lead in the first half on two big plays, but Dillon rallied for 21 unanswered points to win the game 21-14 to claim its fourth straight Region Championship.

Just five minutes into the game and two plays on their second possession, Lions tailback Ryan Bellamy fumbled a pitch in the backfield, scooped the football up, and took off around the right side of the line. He was hit by a Dillon defender, but kept his balance and outran the Dillon defense for a 69-yard touchdown. The Lions struck again just 58 seconds into the second quarter when they took advantage of a Jabo Lee fumble at the Dillon 24-yard line. Loris quarterback Mickel Soles found wide receiver Siegfried Long all alone in the end zone and the PAT gave the Lions a 14-0 lead as the hometown fans erupted.

The Wildcats, 8-1 and 4-0 in the region, returned the favor halfway through the second quarter, when Hishawn Blue recovered a Soles fumble at the Loris 35 just over halfway through the second quarter. Joe Blue’s 2-yard run out of the “Wildcat” formation capped the 35-yard drive on the sixth play to pull within a touchdown of the Lions.

After the coaching staff made a few adjustments at the halftime intermission, the Wildcat defense limited the Lions to only 43 yards on the ground and 28 passing while the offense, led by Anthony Blue’s 120-yards rushing in the final 24 minutes, put 14 points on the scoreboard. Blue finished the game with 176 yards on 27 carries and scored his 14th touchdown of the season on a 41-yard run on the first possession of the second half to pull to within one point, 14-13. Tara Grimsley was set to kick her second extra point to tie the game, but holder Thomas Grossetti took the ball and ran to the pylon at the right corner of the end zone. The Dillon players thought the ball crossed the goal line before Grossetti was tackled, but the officials ruled that his knee had hit the ground at the one.

With two minutes left in the game, Joe Blue capped a 53-yard drive with his second touchdown out of the ‘Wildcat” formation. From the 9-yard line, Blue took the direct snap and hit the middle of the line, but this Loris defense, which was one of the top in the area going into the game, was ready. The big back bounced to the outside and bulled his way into the end zone to take a 19-14 lead. Then, reviving what legendary Coach Bull Lee called “The Mill Hill Special” play, Grossetti and everybody in the backfield and on the line pulled to the right. After a few steps, Grossetti turned and threw to the left end zone where Ereon Hayes was ten yards clear of the nearest defender for the two-point conversion.

The Dillon defense stiffened to stop the Lions at the Dillon 30 after two first down plays when Pete Ingram went high in the air to knock down a desperation pass in the end zone to preserve the come from behind win and the Championship.

Defensively, Damu Ford and Hishawn Blue had ten tackles each and Avery Benjamin registered nine takedowns to lead the Wildcats.

After Loris dominated the first half with 168 total yards, the Cats pounded out 201 total yards in the second while holding the Lions to only 71 net yards.

The Wildcats will be at home Friday to play Waccamaw in a game that was originally scheduled to be played at Waccamaw. Game time will be at 7:30. With the championship, Dillon will have an opening round bye in the playoffs that start in two weeks.

Photos by Wallace Moody. Click images below to view at full size!