By Craig Brown
The Dillon Christian School Warriors made the long drive to Holly Hill to face the Holly Hill Academy Raiders on Friday night.
The Warriors were short four players due to injuries, including Luke Price, one of the team’s top defensive players. The old odds maker Jimmy the Greek would have had the Warriors down by 10 given the distance, home field advantage, and loss of players. But the Warriors seem to be improving in both execution and playing attitude each week and although the Raiders might be one of the better 1A teams in the lower state, this might have been a much different score played in Dillon or in neutral territory.
Several Division 1A SCISA schools have gone to eight man football programs even though most of these schools have more than enough players to play eleven man football. This has resulted in the Warriors playing more 2A teams. Eight man football might look exciting and high scoring but it does little in the way of helping its athletes advance to the college ranks. The late Gaines Adams might never have made it to Clemson, let alone to the NFL, had it not been for his coach, the legendary Gamecock quarterback Steve Tanny Hill, who coached him in eight man football. Hill had to work hard to get Adams noticed by universities; evidently, colleges do not take eight man football seriously.
Warrior tailback Kelvin Stackhouse got a true 165 hard earned yards against a very good defensive program Friday night. In eight man football, he may have reached 400 yards, but then again a so-so running back could also have a good night with three less defenders to make the tackle.
The Raiders got on the board first with a 2-yard quarterback keeper run with 3:02 left in the first quarter. The point after kick put the Raiders up 7-0 with the quarter ending with this score. The Warriors evened the score with Stackhouse running it in from six yards out and Will Brown kicking the extra point with 52 seconds left in the first half to tie things at 7-7.
The Raiders scored on a 17-yard run with 11:10 left in the third quarter and again on a 2-yard quarterback keeper run with 2:51 left in the third quarter, making both point after kicks to give the Raiders a 21-7 third quarter lead.
The Warriors came back in the fourth quarter with a good drive that was finished with quarterback Jim Carr hitting wide receiver Will Brown with a 27-yard touchdown pass with Brown adding the point after kick to close the Raider lead to 21-14 with 10:26 left in the game.
The Warriors kicked off and although they never succeed, they keep trying to make an onside kick, and this time they almost made it. The late George Allen said you have to practice the onside kick 100 times just to see where it is going to fail. The Warrior defense held the Raiders but took the Raider punt deep in their end of the field.
The Warriors fell short but they played hard and never quit. Assistant Coach Steve Johnson stated that this was the best effort even in the loss that the team has put forth this season.
On offense for the Warriors, Kelvin Stackhouse had 165 yards on 35 carries with a touchdown; Jim Carr was 5-of-10 passing for 73 yards and a touchdown; Will Brown caught a 28-yard touchdown pass; and Mark Minges, Ellison Rourke, Samuel Brown, and Anthony Williams all caught passes for gains with Williams also rushing for seven yards.
On defense, Mathew Price made eight tackles with an assist; Ben and Jake Boykin had seven tackles each with Ben getting a quarterback sack; Michael Minges made six tackles, two assists; Ellison Rourke made five tackles; Will Brown and Anthony Williams each made four tackles with two assists each; Mark Minges and Hunter Tyner made three tackles each; Kelvin Stackhouse made two tackles with two assists; Douglas Bullock, Connor Hamilton, and David Williams each added a tackle with an assist; and Heath Frietas and Samuel Brown each made two tackle assists.
The Warriors will be at home this Friday, October 11, as they host the Northwood Academy Chargers with game time set for 7:30 p.m.
