HS football: South Pointe wins another close one, while Lancaster clinches postseason

South Pointe 38, Ridge View 35

The South Pointe Stallions came from behind in the final quarter and edged the Ridge View Blazers 38-35 in a Region 3-4A battle at South Pointe Friday night. The win puts the Stallions one more victory away from a Region 3-4A title.

South Pointe drew first blood. Wyatt Grantham kicked a 23-yard field goal for 3-0 lead with 7:56 left in the first period.

After a Ridge View punt, South Pointe drove for a second touchdown. Tahleek Steele passed to Travis Foster on a 15-yard play to cap the drive, and after Grantham delivered the PAT, it was 10-0.

Ridge View cut the deficit to 10-7. Javon Anderson found Walyn Napper on a 19-yard pass play to cap the scoring drive with 45 seconds remaining in the first period.

The Blazers took a 14-10 lead on the next possession. Anderson and Napper hooked up on a 61-yard pass play for the touchdown with 8:55 left in the first half. It took the Stallions just a little more than two minutes to answer. Steele passed to Isaac Ross for 27 yards and a touchdown. That made it 17-14 with 6:33 to play, and it stayed that was until halftime.

Joe Ervin capped the opening drive for the Stallions in the second half. He scored from two yards out to make it 24-14 after Grantham added another PAT.

Ridge View answered with a scoring drive on its next possession. Anderson capped the march with a nine-yard run, and Ridge View cut the deficit to 24-21 after Nick Lawyer added the extra point.

The Stallions drove the length of the field on the next possession, but Ridge View’s Isaiah Porter intercepted a Steele pass in the end zone and returned it 105 yards for a touchdown and a 28-24 lead.

South Pointe answered quickly. They stormed 77 yards in four plays for a touchdown. Maurice Whitlock scampered in from 35-yards out, and the Stallions were back on top 31-28.

After South Pointe stopped Ridge View on downs, they drove for another touchdown. Whitlock capped a 35 yard drive in eight plays with an eight-yard run to make it 38-28 with 2:51 to play.

The Blazers answered when Anderson passed to Napper for four yards and a score with 36 seconds remaining and make it 38-35. Ridge View tried an onside kick, but the Stallions recovered and ran out the clock.

The win improved South Pointe to 8-1 overall and 4-0 in the region. It was their fifth straight win over Ridge View. The victory was the 100th for Stallions’ head coach Strait Herron, and South Pointe’s 29th straight in region play. The loss dropped Ridge View to 5-3 overall and 2-2 in the region.

On deck: South Pointe travels to York next week to battle for the region title.

Lancaster 23, Westwood 20

The Lancaster Bruins got a game-winning field goal from Jacob Cato in the final minute and edged the Westwood Redhawks 23-20 in a Region 3-4A game at Lancaster Friday night.

After a scoreless first period, Lancaster scored twice in the second quarter for a 10-0 lead at halftime. Kemarkio Cloud raced 81 yards for the first Bruin score, and Cato nailed a 23-yard field goal for the second one.

Lancaster went up 17-0 midway through the third stanza, but the Redhawks countered with a pair of touchdowns to cut the deficit to 17-12. Ahmon Green’s one-yard run brought Westwood to within five late in the third period.

Westwood scored again for a 20-17 lead, but Cato tied the count at 20 with his second field goal of the contest, before winning it with his third.

The game marked the third in a row where the outcome was decided by a touchdown or less.

Lancaster improved to 6-3 overall and 2-2 in the region, and the victory confirmed the Bruins’ 4A playoff spot. The loss dropped Westwood to 4-4 in all games and 0-4 in region play. The defeat eliminated them from playoff contention.

On deck: Lancaster finishes its regular season back down in Blythewood, against Ridge View. A win for the Bruins would clinch third place in the region.

York 39, Richland Northeast 0

In their third trip to Columbia this fall, Bobby Carroll’s York Cougars may have turned in their most complete performance, routing Richland Northeast, 39-0. The Cougars’ fourth straight win in Region 3-4A play sets up a region championship game next week against South Pointe, which is also 4-0 in league play.

York’s Stephen Oglesby scored the Cougars’ first points of the night with a 1-yard touchdown with 7:46 in the opening quarter to cap a 65-yard drive. Tanner McKinney returned to action after missing the last two games due to a concussion and connected with Khali Ellis on a 32-yard touchdown catch and run to extend the lead to 14-0 with 3:00 in the first after a Richland Northeast fumble.

York was denied on fourth and goal with 5:15 left before halftime, but the Cougar defense stepped up to force a safety, extending the lead to 16-0. The Cougars weren’t done as McKinney hooked up with Jordan Evans for his second touchdown of the night to go up 23-0 at halftime.

The third quarter was scoreless until the Cougar offense added two more touchdowns in the fourth quarter and the defense forced another safety to wrap up the scoring. York improves to 5-3 and 4-0 in region play.

On deck: York hosts South Pointe Oct. 26 to decide the region title.

Indian Land 20, Camden 14 (OT)

The fans were in for a treat on Friday evening at Camden’s Zemp Stadium, where Indian Land upset the state-ranked Bulldogs 20-14 in overtime.

Indian Land’s win over Camden eased the Warriors’ post-season concerns in a big way. Not only are the Warriors in the postseason, but if they beat Fairfield Central next week, they’ll finish second in Region 4-3A.

Camden struck first when Jacob Dubose scooped up a blocked field goal attempt and returned it for a touchdown and a 7-0 lead.

Indian Land answered on the next possession behind the arm of Grayson Barber, who connected with A. J. Jefferson for 54 yards to set up a four-yard run touchdown run by Brandon Britton.

Camden’s Shymeik Corbett got the lead back early in the second quarter. After an offsides penalty gave Camden a key first down, Corbett scampered 54-yards up the middle for a 14-7 Bulldogs’ lead.

The score remained the same until the fourth quarter. With four minutes left in the game, Barber punched in a touchdown on a one-yard sneak.

The final seconds ticked away and Barber’s score led to overtime. Camden went on offense first, but the Warriors’ defense held. Camden tried a fake field goal, but Javaris Holiday was stopped just short at the one-yard line.

Indian Land’s turn with the ball was not wasted. Horatio Blades’ offense set up a 1-yard touchdown on another quarterback sneak for Barber, who set the upset of Camden in stone with a final score of 20-14.

On deck: Indian Land wraps up its regular season with a home game against Fairfield Central.

North Central 62, Lewisville 0

North Central raced to a 21-0 lead in the first three minutes of the game and defeated Lewisville 62-0 in a Region 4-2A game at Richburg Friday night.

North Central improved to 7-2 overall and 6-0 in the region. Lewisville fell to 0-9 in all games and 0-5 in region play.

On deck: Lewisville’s season will come to an end Oct. 26 at home against Chesterfield.

Lamar 53, Great Falls 0

Lamar built a 34-0 lead at halftime and defeated Great Falls 53-0 at Lamar Friday night.

On deck: Great Falls hosts Timmonsville in a game it needs to win to have a shot at a Region 2-A playoff spot.

This story was originally published October 19, 2018 at 11:54 PM.