A ruthless second quarter decided the York-South Pointe Region 3-4A championship game

South Pointe’s 30th straight region win looked like many of the previous 29.

The Stallions blasted York 48-14 Monday night, thanks to a 28-point eruption in the second quarter. York converted one fourth and goal at the 1-yard line, but was stuffed on a second one, and the four-time-defending state champion Stallions took advantage, ripping off 21 points in a row to bury the host Cougars, while extending a region win streak that now tops five years.

“You have to enjoy them, but I just don’t know about those things,” said South Pointe coach Strait Herron. “Just do the best you can on every play. But it is remarkable for our school and our program, that’s pretty impressive.”

York had given up just 16 points total in its last three games, part of a five-game winning streak. But South Pointe got a huge rushing effort from senior Shrine Bowler Joe Ervin and Tahleek Steele threw three touchdown passes as the Stallions made quick work of their region rivals.

Asked about Ervin’s exceptional effort, South Pointe lineman Jackson Chappell said, “you had to be there to see it. I don’t know how many yards he had...”

Reporter: “254.”

“He earned every bit of them.”

York rode Stephen Oglesby in the first half, and he punched in from a yard out on fourth and goal to tie the game 7 all in the first quarter.

Turning point

South Pointe’s ruthless second quarter turned the game on its head. The Stallions scored 28 points in about nine minutes to blow open a 7-7 game. After taking a 14-7 lead on a Raseac Myles touchdown catch, York pounded the ball down the field and got inside the Stallions’ 5-yard line. But South Pointe hardened up there, stuffing the Cougars on fourth-and goal from the 1-yard line.

Strait Herron’s club then went 99 yards to grow its lead to 21-7, Marice Whitlock scoring on an untouched 13-yard run up the gut for a 14-point swing that deflated the hosts.

“That stop changed the whole momentum of the game,” said Chappell.

Star contributors

Ervin is committed to Coastal Carolina but the Chanticleers better be fighting to keep hold of their man, who is having a monster senior season and still interesting bigger colleges. Herron praised Ervin’s hips, feet and vision, which in concert allow him to extend plays that look dead and over. His last three carries of the first half went for 39, 30 and 46 yards.

“I had a feeling,” Ervin said, smiling. “I came out here with that mentality, we wanted it bad.”

He finished with 254 yards and two touchdowns and it seemed like he didn’t surrender to first contact once Monday night.

“He’s as good as I’ve seen,” said York coach Bobby Carroll. “That No. 2, we could not tackle him. I’m not sure we could tackle any of them.”

South Pointe’s other college-committed star, future Vanderbilt cornerback Jaylen Mahoney, returned a punt 55 yards for a touchdown during the second quarter onslaught.

On deck

Both teams are off this Friday, before starting the 4A state playoffs the following week, Nov. 9. York will host Orangeburg-Wilkinson, while South Pointe hosts whichever team gets the Upper State’s at-large bid.

Box score

South Pointe;7;28;13;0- 48

York;7;0;7;0- 14

SCORING SUMMARY

First quarter

SPHS -- Ty Good 27 pass from Tahleek Steele (Wyatt Grantham kick), 9:59

YCHS -- Stephen Oglesby 1 run (Beck Johnston kick), 0:30

Second quarter

SPHS -- Raseac Myles 21 pass from Steele (Grantham kick), 9:26

SPHS -- Marice Whitlock 13 run (Grantham kick), 4:25

SPHS -- Jaylen Mahoney 55 punt return (Grantham kick), 3:26

SPHS -- Isaac Ross 16 pass from Steele (Grantham kick), 0:10

Third quarter

YCHS -- Ethan Mitchell 6 pass from Tanner McKinney (Johnston kick), 9:06

SPHS -- Joe Ervin 16 run (kick failed), 5:56

SPHS -- Ervin 9 run (Max Gonzalez kick), 1:35

Fourth quarter

N/A

TEAM STATISTICS

SPHS;YCHS

First downs;

Rushing-yards;43-378;37-169

Passing;7-10-1;5-11-0

Passing yards;91;38

Fumbles-lost;0-0;2-0

Penalties-yards;8-68;5-45

INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS

RUSHING SPHS: Joe Ervin 22-254, Tahleek Steele 4-82, Kanari Mobley 2-6, Quay Chambers 5-16, Marice Whitlock 8-35, Omega Blake 2-(-15). YCHS: Kadir Taylor 3-16, Stephen Oglesby 17-98, Tanner McKinney 4-(-12), Frank Thompson 13-67.

PASSING SPHS: Steele 7-10-1, 91 yards. YCHS: McKinney 5-11-0, 38 yards.

RECEIVING SPHS: Whitlock 2-6, Raseac Myles 1-21, Ty Good 3-51, Isaac Ross 1-13. YCHS: Ethan Mitchell 2-27, Khalil Ellis 2-16, Thompson 1-(-5).

RECORDS South Pointe 9-1, 5-0 Region 3-4A; York 5-4, 4-1.

This story was originally published October 29, 2018 at 9:51 PM.