By Lonnie Turner
Saturday, December 17, 2016 will be a date that this writer will remember for quite a while as will many more avid Dillon Wildcats football fans.
Going into the championship game with Chapman High School, one that has not been mentioned to me…ever… every sportswriter had them picked as underdog to the six-time champion Wildcats.
Well, why shouldn’t they, who around here, like me, knew anything about them?
Well, when walking into the vast press box at Williams-Brice Stadium, the first man to speak to was a member of the high school staff at Chapman of Inman. A perfect fan, to say the least. He was all about his team, but he was so complementary about the Wildcats.
“I just hope we will get where you folks are one day,” he said. “I can’t imagine winning four championships in a row at the same high school. You folks must have a great feeder program to load up year in and year out.”
Right away, the Dillon County Recreation Department, led by Vernon Grimsley, came to mind. His 7- & 8- year old All Stars had defeated Easley, 42-0, earlier in the day and his 11- & 12- year old team lost a heartbreaker to Rock Hill, 18-16. That’s where the future Wildcats will be coming from.
The Wildcats were led this season by running back Johnny Allen, who scored 188 points with 31 touchdowns and carried the football 203 times for a net gain of 1,751 yards for an average of 8.6 yards per carry.
Johnny Allen’s 31 touchdowns passed Jabo Lee’s 30 in 2010 and Anthony Blue’s 30 in 2013! And his 188 Points bested Anthony Blue’s 182 in 2013.
Drew Covington’s 229 PATs in his career bettered T.J Grimsley’s total of 160 during the years of 2008-2013.
Team records set this season were 5,146 yards in total offense (2,744 yards rushing and 2,402 passing) bettering the total of 4,980 set in 2014 (2,951 rush /2,029 pass).
Also, this year’s 92 touchdowns tied the mark set in 2015.
