High school football roundup: Indian Land, Clover, South Pointe score wins

Indian Land took a giant step toward clinching a playoff berth Friday night, scoring a 20-6 high school football victory over visiting Fort Mill.

The Warriors’ defense made the difference, registering six sacks and holding Fort Mill to a pair of Noah Hardy field goals.

The victory lifted Indian Land to 5-4 overall and 2-3 in Region 4 5A play, while Fort Mill fell to 1-7, 0-5.

The Warriors’ defense didn’t wait long to make its mark. On the third play of the game, Jackson Conner picked off a Fort Mill pass and returned it 45 yards for an Indian Land touchdown.

The Yellow Jackets then narrowed the gap, scoring on field goals of 35 and 32 yards by Hardy.

The Warriors finally pulled away on back-to-back possessions in the third quarter.

Matt Lucia connected with Sequel Patterson on a 5-yard touchdown pass with 8:32 left in the third quarter, and the same combination clicked on a 28-yard scoring toss just three minutes later.

Mike Foster recorded three sacks for Indian Land, and Liam Stevens had two.

Senior defensive end Preston Kuzan led the Fort Mill defense, registering eight tackles, including three for losses.

Indian Land wraps up the regular season next Friday against unbeaten Northwestern, while Fort Mill faces rival Nation Ford.

Clover 53, Nation Ford 20: Aaron Shealey fired three touchdown passes, two to T.J. McCluney, and the Blue Eagles rallied for a Region 3 5A victory.

Nation Ford (1-8, 0-5) had taken a 20-13 lead midway in the second quarter, on Carson Sanford’s third touchdown pass of the game. The third score was a 77-yard flea flicker, in which Sanford threw to Jayden Scott, who then passed to Lucas Barz. Sanford’s earlier touchdowns were to Barz and Josh Ameo.

Clover (6-3, 3-2) tied the score with 3:31 left in the half on a 34-yard pass from Shealey to Latrell Ellison.

The Blue Eagles took the lead for good just a minute later, when Grady Stone ran 38 yards for a touchdown.

Landon Stone’s 7-yard touchdown run and a 32-yard Haven Maddox field goal midway in the third quarter expanded Clover’s lead to 36-20. Shealey and McCluney combined on a 41-yard touchdown pass later in the quarter, and the Blue Eagles closed the scoring with a 40-yard pass from Brody Woolbright to Jayden Henry and another Maddox field goal.

South Pointe 58, Dreher 10: The Stallions traveled to Columbia and moved within one game of a perfect Region 3 4A season.

Mason Pickett-Hicks rushed for three touchdowns, including a 36-yard jaunt late in the second quarter. Cam McMillon added three touchdown passes.

South Pointe (7-2, 5-0) blew the game open with five touchdowns in the first quarter, and the Stallions led 51-0 at halftime.

McMillon threw touchdown passes of 21 yards to J’Zavien Currence in the first quarter, and 7 yards to Malik Ratliff and 31 yards to Dailan Duncan in the second quarter.

South Pointe will have a chance to wrap up its region title next Friday, when the Stallions travel to Richland Northeast.

Camden 27, Lancaster 22: The host Bruins came up 2 yards short of victory, dropping a Region 3 4A decision to the Bulldogs.

Lancaster (3-6, 1-4) drove deep into Camden territory in the closing minutes, with ball-carrier R.J. Brown tackled at the Camden 2 on the game’s final play.

After a scoreless first quarter, Lancaster took the lead, scoring on a safety and then a 17-yard touchdown pass to Zy-Quarious Clinton. Camden (6-3, 3-2) narrowed the gap to 9-7 on Makhi Wilson’s 75-yard kickoff return, but Clinton’s 14-yard touchdown run with 40 seconds left in the half gave Lancaster a 16-7 lead.

Camden narrowed the gap in the third quarter on Javon Wesley’s 55-yard run and took the lead with eight minutes left on a 14-yard run by Wilson.

Lancaster pulled back in front, 22-21, on Brown’s 12-yard run with five minutes left.

But Camden drove for a touchdown, scoring with 1:20 left on a 5-yard run by Navi Boykin.

Richland Northeast 23, York 20: The Cougars suffered their fifth loss of the season by a touchdown or less, as Richland Northeast (7-2, 3-2) won this Region 3 4A game on a 28-yard Jorge Rodrigues field goal with four minutes to play.

After the field goal, York drove deep into Richland Northeast territory but couldn’t get close enough for a potential tying field goal try.

In addition, the Cougars opened the second half with what appeared to be a kickoff return for a touchdown by Xavier McCoy, but the play was called back due to a holding penalty. At the time, York led 20-7.

On that possession, the Cougars tried a fake punt that failed. Richland Northeast gained momentum and scored a pair of third-quarter touchdowns to tie the game.

Tayshon Freeman threw touchdown passes of 26 yards to Jonathan Tobias and 46 yards to Ziggy Byers in the first half, and Byers also scored on a 1-yard run.

Chester 42, Mid-Carolina 0: The host Cyclones wrapped up second place in Region 3 2A and a resulting playoff berth with this lopsided victory.

Quarterback Trooper Floyd, who missed part of the season due to injury, was the architect of Chester’s victory. He had a role in the first four touchdowns, scoring on runs of 11 and 2 yards and throwing a pair of touchdown passes.

Floyd’s 11-yard run midway in the first quarter gave Chester (4-5, 3-1) the lead for good. Later in the quarter, he threw 13 yards to T’Mari Caldwell for a score.

The next touchdown, midway in the second quarter, covered 22 yards to Omari Pendergrass. Floyd added a 1-yard touchdown run later in the quarter, and Hudhaifah Taylor’s 1-yard run gave Chester a 34-0 halftime lead.

Caleb Feaster dashed 34 yards in the third quarter for the final score. Mid-Carolina is 4-4, 1-1.

Cheraw 38, Buford 14: The host Braves (6-3, 4-0) remained unbeaten in Region 4 2A, building a 31-0 halftime lead and scoring on three long passes. Buford (2-7, 1-3) avoided a shutout by scoring two touchdowns in the final four minutes of the game.

Andrew Jackson 20, North Central 14: The Volunteers (2-7, 2-2 Region 4 2A) raced to a 20-0 lead early in the third quarter, then held off a comeback attempt by North Central (3-5, 1-3).

Andrew Jackson took a 6-0 lead early in the second quarter on an 11-yard touchdown pass from Logan Neal to Zeke Clyburg. The Volunteers made it 13-0 later in the quarter, when Neal threw 21 yards to Jy’kevius Johnson for a score.

Andrew Jackson opened the second half on a big note, as Damias Seegars took the kickoff 82 yards for a touchdown and the 20-0 lead.

Lewisville 52, Great Falls 7: The Lions (8-1, 4-0 Region 3 1A) continued rolling along, as Zach Rogers threw a pair of touchdown passes, and Jordan Strong ran for two touchdowns.

Ty’Mon Hughes scored on a pick-6, and Marcel Fee added a pair of field goals.

Great Falls fell to 2-7, 0-4.

Scoreboard

GREATER ROCK HILL AREA

Region 3 5A

Catawba Ridge 26, Rock Hill 21

Clover 53, Nation Ford 20

Indian Land 20, Fort Mill 6

Region 3 4A

Camden 27, Lancaster 22

Richland Northeast 23, York 20

South Pointe 58, Dreher 10

Region 2 2A

Chester 42, Mid-Carolina 0

Columbia 28, Eau Claire 8

Region 5 2A

Andrew Jackson 20, North Central 14

Cheraw 38, Buford 14

Pageland Central 34, Chesterfield 8

Region 3 1A

Lewisville 52, Great Falls 7

Lamar 49, C.A. Johnson 16

McBee (3-4, 1-2) at Lee Central (4-4, 1-2)

STATEWIDE SCORES

Abbeville 63, Dixie 14

Andrew 40, Burke 6

Augusta Eagles 42, Victory Christian 12

Aynor 50, Georgetown 32

Bamberg-Ehrhardt 43, Allendale-Fairfax 6

Barnwell 34, Edisto 8

Batesburg-Leesville 48, Pelion 0

Beaufort Academy 49, Andrew Jackson Academy 0

Berkeley 30, Lucy Beckham 9

Bishop England 28, Bluffton 24

Boiling Springs 41, Riverside 6

Branchville 23, Hardeeville 22

Calhoun Academy 50, Spartanburg Christian 7

Calhoun County 14, Ridge Spring-Monetta 6

Carolina Forest 52, Myrtle Beach 38

Carvers Bay 38, Johnsonville 14

Cathedral Academy 52, Conway Christian 8

Christ Church Episcopal 11, Southside Christian 7

Clinton 61, Blacksburg 14

Colleton Prep 38, Dorchester Academy 12

Crescent 21, Chesnee 10

Crestwood 21, Darlington 14

Cross 52, Bethune-Bowman 0

Dillon 47, Waccamaw 39

Dorman 9, Gaffney 7

East Clarendon 45, Atlantic Collegiate 10

Eastside 34, Wade Hampton 0

Emerald 37, Fountain Inn 34

Green Sea-Floyds 48, Hemingway 6

Greenwood Christian 47, Clarendon Hall 6

Hammond 49, Ben Lippen 17

Hanahan 43, North Charleston 8

Hannah-Pamplico 27, Latta 22

Hartsville 70, Lakewood 8

Hilton Head Island 65, Colleton County 6

Hilton Head Prep 56, Christian Academy of Myrtle Beach 13

Hunter-Kinard-Tyler 59, Blackville-Hilda 12

James Island 30, Ashley Ridge 20

Jefferson Davis Academy 68, King’s Academy 6

Kingstree 52, Mullins 14

Landrum 24, Liberty 12

Loris 1, Marlboro County 0 (forfeit)

Lugoff-Elgin 41, Spring Valley 10

Manning 38, Marion 13

May River 56, Beaufort 14

McCormick 24, Whitmire 16

Mountain View Prep 49, Broome 20

Newberry 45, Keenan 20

Ninety Six 56, American Leadership 0

North Myrtle Beach 52, St. James 15

Northside Christian 34, Florence Christian 7

Northwood Academy 28, Augusta Christian 6

Orangeburg Prep 40, Patrick Henry Academy 28

Orangeburg-Wilkinson 46, Battery Creek 16

Pee Dee Academy 25, Bethesda Academy 22

Philip Simmons 21, Timberland 7

Pinewood Prep 45, First Baptist 14

Powdersville 56, Carolina Academy 20

Saluda 35, Strom Thurmond 25

Socastee 10, Conway 0

South Florence 36, Lower Richland 19

Spartanburg 58, James F. Byrnes 14

St. Joseph Catholic 35, Palmetto 14

Stratford 30, Wando 28

Summerville 42, West Ashley 14

Swansea 21, Fox Creek 7

Thomas Heyward Academy 51, Carolina Academy 6

Wardlaw Academy 54, Oakwood Prep 12

West Florence 13, Westwood 8

Westside 49, Laurens 3

William Hall 44, Thomas Sumter Academy 0

Williston-Elko 35, Wagener-Salley 24

Woodland 56, Academic Magnet 7

Woodruff 44, Chapman 10

This story was originally published October 25, 2024 at 5:00 AM.