By Craig Brown
The Dillon Christian School Warriors finished round one of the SCISA division 1A playoffs with a 47-19 win over the Colleton Prep War Hawks Friday night in Dillon.
Jim Carr, Michael Minges, and Anthony “Red” Williams gave stand out efforts on offense as did several others as the Warriors put up 47 points on a highly rated defense. The Warrior defense lead by Luke Price, Thomas Evans, Jake Boykin, Mathew Price, Tyquan Crosland, Ellison Rourke, Michael Minges, and David Williams held the usually strong War Hawk offense to 19 points with six of those points coming in the final seconds against JV substitutes.
The win puts the Warriors at 9-2 on the season and the best record since the 2009 season. The War Hawks finish with a respectable 6-5 record with some losses coming from larger upper class schools.
Ellison Rouke, TeShaun Lane and Red Williams played with some nagging injuries and had to be sidelined at times and replaced by others who stepped in and gave good performances. The first quarter was all but gone when six points were put up by the Warriors on a 14-yard run by TeShaun Lane. The point after kick was off, holding the Warriors to a 6-0 lead with 1:11 left in the first quarter. The quarter would end with this score.
Red Williams out ran the War Hawk defenders on his way to a 53-yard touchdown run with 4:08 left in the second quarter. The kick was low, leaving the Warriors up 12-0. The Warriors stopped the War Hawks next drive with Red Williams intercepting a pass and returning it into War Hawk territory. Williams and Carr got together with a 25-yard touchdown pass followed by Carr’s point after kick to put the Warriors up 19-0 with 3:03 left in the second.
The War Hawks managed to get on the board with 35 seconds left in the first half when Brian Murdaugh hit Nick Pagent with a 4-yard touchdown pass. The point after kick was off and the first half closed with the Warriors up 19-6.
A Warrior up back fumbled the kickoff to start the second half with Brantley Hudson recovering for the War Hawks. Pagent finished the short drive with a 7-yard touchdown run. Hudson kicked the point after and put the War Hawks back in the game trailing the Warriors 19-13 with 11:19 left in the third quarter.
The Warriors drove down the field on their next possession with Carr finishing the drive on a 17-yard touchdown pass to Luke Price. Carr’s point after kick was good, upping the Warrior lead to 26-13 with 7:28 left in the third quarter.
On the Warriors’ next possession Carr hit Michael Minges with a 28-yard touchdown pass and followed up with the point after kick to increase the Warrior lead to 33-13 with 4:23 left in the third quarter. Luke Price intercepted a Murdaugh pass on the War Hawks’ next possession on the Warrior 25-yard line. Carr went to work again finding Minges, this time for a 75-yard touchdown pass. Carr’s kick gave the Warriors a comfortable 40-13 lead with 3:44 left in the third quarter. The quarter would end with this score.
With the Warriors substituting in the fourth quarter, the final Warrior touchdown came on an 8-yard run from freshman Garret Collins. Carr added the point after to give the Warriors a 47-13 lead with 41 seconds left in the game. With the exception of the kicker, the final kickoff team was made of freshman and JV players moved up for the playoffs. Nick Padgett returned the kick 64 yards untouched with 24 seconds left in the game. As the old coach, Bull Lee would have said, “I don’t think those boys wanted to hit anyone.” The kick failed but the Warriors closed the game with the 47-19 win as Bryan Davis took the snap at quarterback and took a knee to run the final seconds off the clock.
On offense for the Warriors, Jim Carr was 12 of 20 passing for 210 yards and four touchdowns with two interceptions; Michael Minges caught three passes for 115 yards and two touchdowns and added 31 yards on five rushing attempts; Red Williams got 81 yards on eight carries with a touchdown and caught three passes for 34 yards and a touchdown; TeShaun Lane rushed for 57 yards on 12 carries with a touchdown; Luke Price caught four passes for 56 yards and a touchdown; Garret Collins had 34 yards on four carries with a touchdown; Thomas Evans had seven yards on three carries; and Ellison Rourke caught a pass for five yards.
On defense, Luke Price made 10 tackles, four assists, with an interception; Thomas Evans made 10 tackles, two assists; Jake Boykin made eight tackles, eight assists; Matthew Price made eight tackles, four assists, and a quarterback sack; Tyquan Crosland made six tackles, three assists, and a quarterback sack; Ellison Rourke made four tackles, three assists, and a fumble recovery; David Williams made three tackles, three assists, an interception, and a quarterback sack; Samuel Brown made three tackles with an assist; Garret Collins and Bradley Patterson made two tackles with an assist each; DeShaun Lane and Michael Minges added a tackle and an assist each with Minges getting an interception; Red Williams made a tackle and an interception; and Douglas Bullock, John Rourke, and Samuel Coleman added a tackle each.
Warrior Head Coach Christian Wolfe stated that he was well pleased with his team’s efforts.
“We made a few mistakes but nowhere near what we did last week,” added Wolfe. “We told the team in practice that the only way we could win in the playoffs was to eliminate the mistakes.” Wolfe stated that the team would need the same effort next week as they travel to North Augusta, Georgia to play Curtis Baptist School.
Assistant Coach Titus Bethea stated that he was pleased with the team’s efforts. “We made fewer mistakes in this game than in any game this season but a fumble cost us a touchdown tonight,” added Bethea. “We lost a game earlier this season because of fumbles and we need to secure the ball at all times.”
Defensive Coach Phillip Price stated that he could not be happier with the team’s overall effort against the War Hawks. Coach Price does not rest on the weekend but studies the game film vigorously to hopefully correct problems at Monday’s practice sessions. The former Clemson standout offensive tackle gives it his all to make sure the players don’t let themselves down.
Friday’s game with Curtis Baptist matches two teams with 9-2 records and should be exciting. Curtis Baptist’s losses came from non-region foes and they are the top seed in their region. The Warriors’ one region loss forces them to make the long trip to North Augusta. If the Warriors play mistake free ball then they are more than a match for any team in 1A ball. But they can’t afford numerous penalties, dropped passes, interceptions or costly fumbles.
Game time is set for 7:30 p.m. in North Augusta. Contact Dillon Christian School at 843-841–1000 for driving directions. Leave early for the long drive!
CLICK HERE to view a photo gallery from Friday’s game! Photos by Craig Brown.
